أَمْثَالٌ 15

١ 1 اَلْجَوَابُ ٱللَّيِّنُ يَصْرِفُ ٱلْغَضَبَ، وَٱلْكَلَامُ ٱلْمُوجِعُ يُهَيِّجُ ٱلسَّخَطَ.

A kind reply wards off anger, but hurtful words make people mad.

٢ 2 لِسَانُ ٱلْحُكَمَاءِ يُحَسِّنُ ٱلْمَعْرِفَةَ، وَفَمُ ٱلْجُهَّالِ يُنْبِعُ حَمَاقَةً.

What wise people say makes knowledge attractive, but stupid people talk a lot of nonsense.

٣ 3 فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ عَيْنَا ٱلرَّبِّ مُرَاقِبَتَانِ ٱلطَّالِحِينَ وَٱلصَّالِحِينَ.

The Lord sees everywhere, watching the evil and the good.

٤ 4 هُدُوءُ ٱللِّسَانِ شَجَرَةُ حَيَاةٍ، وَٱعْوِجَاجُهُ سَحْقٌ فِي ٱلرُّوحِ.

Gentle words are a source of life, but telling lies does a lot of damage.

٥ 5 اَلْأَحْمَقُ يَسْتَهِينُ بِتَأْدِيبِ أَبِيهِ، أَمَّا مُرَاعِي ٱلتَّوْبِيخِ فَيَذْكَى.

Only a foolish son despises his father's instruction, but one who accepts correction is sensible.

٦ 6 فِي بَيْتِ ٱلصِّدِّيقِ كَنْزٌ عَظِيمٌ، وَفِي دَخْلِ ٱلْأَشْرَارِ كَدَرٌ.

There's plenty of treasure where good people live, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.

٧ 7 شِفَاهُ ٱلْحُكَمَاءِ تَذُرُّ مَعْرِفَةً، أَمَّا قَلْبُ ٱلْجُهَّالِ فَلَيْسَ كَذَلِكَ.

Wise people share their knowledge, but stupid people don't think like that.

٨ 8 ذَبِيحَةُ ٱلْأَشْرَارِ مَكْرَهَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ، وَصَلَاةُ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمِينَ مَرْضَاتُهُ.

The Lord hates the sacrifices of the wicked, but he loves the prayers of the good.

٩ 9 مَكْرَهَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ طَرِيقُ ٱلشِّرِّيرِ، وَتَابِعُ ٱلْبِرِّ يُحِبُّهُ.

The Lord hates the ways of the wicked, but he loves those who do what is right.

١٠ 10 تَأْدِيبُ شَرٍّ لِتَارِكِ ٱلطَّرِيقِ. مُبْغِضُ ٱلتَّوْبِيخِ يَمُوتُ.

If you leave the right path you will be severely disciplined; anyone who hates correction will die.

١١ 11 اَلْهَاوِيَةُ وَٱلْهَلَاكُ أَمَامَ ٱلرَّبِّ. كَمْ بِٱلْحَرِيِّ قُلُوبُ بَنِي آدَمَ! (Sheol h7585)

Those already dead have no secrets from the Lord—how much more does he know our thoughts! (Sheol h7585)

١٢ 12 اَلْمُسْتَهْزِئُ لَا يُحِبُّ مُوَبِّخَهُ. إِلَى ٱلْحُكَمَاءِ لَا يَذْهَبُ.

Scoffers don't like to be corrected, so they don't go to the wise for advice.

١٣ 13 اَلْقَلْبُ ٱلْفَرْحَانُ يَجْعَلُ ٱلْوَجْهَ طَلِقًا، وَبِحُزْنِ ٱلْقَلْبِ تَنْسَحِقُ ٱلرُّوحُ.

If you're happy inside, you'll have a cheerful face, but if you're sad, you look crushed.

١٤ 14 قَلْبُ ٱلْفَهِيمِ يَطْلُبُ مَعْرِفَةً، وَفَمُ ٱلْجُهَّالِ يَرْعَى حَمَاقَةً.

An insightful mind looks for knowledge, but stupid people feed on foolishness.

١٥ 15 كُلُّ أَيَّامِ ٱلْحَزِينِ شَقِيَّةٌ، أَمَّا طَيِّبُ ٱلْقَلْبِ فَوَلِيمَةٌ دَائِمَةٌ.

The life of poor people is hard, but if you stay cheerful, it's a continual feast.

١٦ 16 اَلْقَلِيلُ مَعَ مَخَافَةِ ٱلرَّبِّ، خَيْرٌ مِنْ كَنْزٍ عَظِيمٍ مَعَ هَمٍّ.

It's better to respect the Lord and only have a little than to have plenty of money and the trouble that comes with it.

١٧ 17 أَكْلَةٌ مِنَ ٱلْبُقُولِ حَيْثُ تَكُونُ ٱلْمَحَبَّةُ، خَيْرٌ مِنْ ثَوْرٍ مَعْلُوفٍ وَمَعَهُ بُغْضَةٌ.

Better a dinner of vegetables where there's love than eating meat with hatred.

١٨ 18 اَلرَّجُلُ ٱلْغَضُوبُ يُهَيِّجُ ٱلْخُصُومَةَ، وَبَطِيءُ ٱلْغَضَبِ يُسَكِّنُ ٱلْخِصَامَ.

Short-tempered people stir up trouble, but those slow to anger calm things down.

١٩ 19 طَرِيقُ ٱلْكَسْلَانِ كَسِيَاجٍ مِنْ شَوْكٍ، وَطَرِيقُ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمِينَ مَنْهَجٌ.

The way of lazy people is overgrown with thorns, but the path of the good is an open highway.

٢٠ 20 اَلِٱبْنُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ يَسُرُّ أَبَاهُ، وَٱلرَّجُلُ ٱلْجَاهِلُ يَحْتَقِرُ أُمَّهُ.

A wise son makes his father happy, but a stupid man despises his mother.

٢١ 21 ٱلْحَمَاقَةُ فَرَحٌ لِنَاقِصِ ٱلْفَهْمِ، أَمَّا ذُو ٱلْفَهْمِ فَيُقَوِّمُ سُلُوكَهُ.

Stupidity makes people with no sense happy, but sensible people do what is right.

٢٢ 22 مَقَاصِدُ بِغَيْرِ مَشُورَةٍ تَبْطُلُ، وَبِكَثْرَةِ ٱلْمُشِيرِينَ تَقُومُ.

Plans fall apart without good advice, but with plenty of advisors they're successful.

٢٣ 23 لِلْإِنْسَانِ فَرَحٌ بِجَوَابِ فَمِهِ، وَٱلْكَلِمَةُ فِي وَقْتِهَا مَا أَحْسَنَهَا!

A good answer makes people happy—it's great to say the right thing at the right moment!

٢٤ 24 طَرِيقُ ٱلْحَيَاةِ لِلْفَطِنِ إِلَى فَوْقُ، لِلْحَيَدَانِ عَنِ ٱلْهَاوِيَةِ مِنْ تَحْتُ. (Sheol h7585)

Life's path for the wise leads upwards, so that they can avoid the grave below. (Sheol h7585)

٢٥ 25 اَلرَّبُّ يَقْلَعُ بَيْتَ ٱلْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ، وَيُوَطِّدُ تُخْمَ ٱلْأَرْمَلَةِ.

The Lord pulls down the house of the proud, but he protects the boundaries of the widow's property.

٢٦ 26 مَكْرَهَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ أَفْكَارُ ٱلشِّرِّيرِ، وَلِلْأَطْهَارِ كَلَامٌ حَسَنٌ.

The Lord hates the thoughts of the wicked, but he honors the words of the pure.

٢٧ 27 اَلْمُولَعُ بِٱلْكَسْبِ يُكَدِّرُ بَيْتَهُ، وَٱلْكَارِهُ ٱلْهَدَايَا يَعِيشُ.

People greedy for ill-gotten gains make trouble for their families, but those who hate bribes will live.

٢٨ 28 قَلْبُ ٱلصِّدِّيقِ يَتَفَكَّرُ بِٱلْجَوَابِ، وَفَمُ ٱلْأَشْرَارِ يُنْبِعُ شُرُورًا.

Good people think how best to answer questions, but stupid people say all kinds of evil things.

٢٩ 29 اَلرَّبُّ بَعِيدٌ عَنِ ٱلْأَشْرَارِ، وَيَسْمَعُ صَلَاةَ ٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ.

The Lord keeps his distance from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the good.

٣٠ 30 نُورُ ٱلْعَيْنَيْنِ يُفَرِّحُ ٱلْقَلْبَ. اَلْخَبَرُ ٱلطَّيِّبُ يُسَمِّنُ ٱلْعِظَامَ.

Bright eyes make you happy, and good news makes you feel good.

٣١ 31 اَلْأُذُنُ ٱلسَّامِعَةُ تَوْبِيخَ ٱلْحَيَاةِ تَسْتَقِرُّ بَيْنَ ٱلْحُكَمَاءِ.

If you pay attention to positive advice you'll be one of the wise.

٣٢ 32 مَنْ يَرْفُضُ ٱلتَّأْدِيبَ يُرْذِلُ نَفْسَهُ، وَمَنْ يَسْمَعُ لِلتَّوْبِيخِ يَقْتَنِي فَهْمًا.

If you ignore instruction you have no self-esteem, but if you listen to correction you gain understanding.

٣٣ 33 مَخَافَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ أَدَبُ حِكْمَةٍ، وَقَبْلَ ٱلْكَرَامَةِ ٱلتَّوَاضُعُ.

Respect for the Lord teaches wisdom; humility goes before honor.