أَمْثَالٌ 2

١ 1 يَا ٱبْنِي، إِنْ قَبِلْتَ كَلَامِي وَخَبَّأْتَ وَصَايَايَ عِنْدَكَ،

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and wilt hide my commandments with thee,

٢ 2 حَتَّى تُمِيلَ أُذْنَكَ إِلَى ٱلْحِكْمَةِ، وَتُعَطِّفَ قَلْبَكَ عَلَى ٱلْفَهْمِ،

That thy ear may hearken to wisdom: Incline thy heart to know prudence:

٣ 3 إِنْ دَعَوْتَ ٱلْمَعْرِفَةَ، وَرَفَعْتَ صَوْتَكَ إِلَى ٱلْفَهْمِ،

For if thou shalt call for wisdom, and incline thy heart to prudence:

٤ 4 إِنْ طَلَبْتَهَا كَٱلْفِضَّةِ، وَبَحَثْتَ عَنْهَا كَٱلْكُنُوزِ،

If thou shalt seek her as money, and shalt dig for her as for a treasure:

٥ 5 فَحِينَئِذٍ تَفْهَمُ مَخَافَةَ ٱلرَّبِّ، وَتَجِدُ مَعْرِفَةَ ٱللهِ.

Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and shalt find the knowledge of God.

٦ 6 لِأَنَّ ٱلرَّبَّ يُعْطِي حِكْمَةً. مِنْ فَمِهِ ٱلْمَعْرِفَةُ وَٱلْفَهْمُ.

Because the Lord giveth wisdom: and out of his mouth cometh prudence and knowledge.

٧ 7 يَذْخَرُ مَعُونَةً لِلْمُسْتَقِيمِينَ. هُوَ مِجَنٌّ لِلسَّالِكِينَ بِٱلْكَمَالِ،

He will keep the salvation of the righteous, and protect them that walk in simplicity.

٨ 8 لِنَصْرِ مَسَالِكِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَحِفْظِ طَرِيقِ أَتْقِيَائِهِ.

Keeping the paths of justice, and guarding the ways of saints.

٩ 9 حِينَئِذٍ تَفْهَمُ ٱلْعَدْلَ وَٱلْحَقَّ وَٱلِٱسْتِقَامَةَ، كُلَّ سَبِيلٍ صَالِحٍ.

Then shalt thou understand justice, and judgment, and equity, and every good path.

١٠ 10 إِذَا دَخَلَتِ ٱلْحِكْمَةُ قَلْبَكَ، وَلَذَّتِ ٱلْمَعْرِفَةُ لِنَفْسِكَ،

If wisdom shall enter into thy heart, and knowledge please thy soul:

١١ 11 فَٱلْعَقْلُ يَحْفَظُكَ، وَٱلْفَهْمُ يَنْصُرُكَ،

Counsel shall keep thee, and prudence shall preserve thee,

١٢ 12 لِإِنْقَاذِكَ مِنْ طَرِيقِ ٱلشِّرِّيرِ، وَمِنَ ٱلْإِنْسَانِ ٱلْمُتَكَلِّمِ بِٱلْأَكَاذِيبِ،

That thou mayst be delivered from the evil way, and from the man that speaketh perverse things:

١٣ 13 ٱلتَّارِكِينَ سُبُلَ ٱلِٱسْتِقَامَةِ لِلسُّلُوكِ فِي مَسَالِكِ ٱلظُّلْمَةِ،

Who leave the right way, and walk by dark ways:

١٤ 14 ٱلْفَرِحِينَ بِفَعْلِ ٱلسُّوءِ، ٱلْمُبْتَهِجِينَ بِأَكَاذِيبِ ٱلشَّرِّ،

Who are glad when they have done evil, and rejoice in most wicked things:

١٥ 15 ٱلَّذِينَ طُرُقُهُمْ مُعْوَجَّةٌ، وَهُمْ مُلْتَوُونَ فِي سُبُلِهِمْ.

Whose ways are perverse, and their steps infamous.

١٦ 16 لِإِنْقَاذِكَ مِنَ ٱلْمَرْأَةِ ٱلْأَجْنَبِيَّةِ، مِنَ ٱلْغَرِيبَةِ ٱلْمُتَمَلِّقَةِ بِكَلَامِهَا،

That thou mayst be delivered from the strange women, and from the stranger, who softeneth her words:

١٧ 17 ٱلتَّارِكَةِ أَلِيفَ صِبَاهَا، وَٱلنَّاسِيَةِ عَهْدَ إِلَهِهَا.

And forsaketh the guide of her youth,

١٨ 18 لِأَنَّ بَيْتَهَا يَسُوخُ إِلَى ٱلْمَوْتِ، وَسُبُلُهَا إِلَى ٱلْأَخِيلَةِ.

And hath forgotten the covenant of her God: for her house inclineth unto death, and her paths to hell. (questioned)

١٩ 19 كُلُّ مَنْ دَخَلَ إِلَيْهَا لَا يَؤُوبُ، وَلَا يَبْلُغُونَ سُبُلَ ٱلْحَيَاةِ.

None that go in unto her shall return again, neither shall they take hold of the paths of life,

٢٠ 20 حَتَّى تَسْلُكَ فِي طَرِيقِ ٱلصَّالِحِينَ وَتَحْفَظَ سُبُلَ ٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ.

That thou mayst walk in a good way: and mayst keep the paths of the just.

٢١ 21 لِأَنَّ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمِينَ يَسْكُنُونَ ٱلْأَرْضَ، وَٱلْكَامِلِينَ يَبْقَوْنَ فِيهَا.

For they that are upright shall dwell in the earth, and the simple shall continue in it.

٢٢ 22 أَمَّا ٱلْأَشْرَارُ فَيَنْقَرِضُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ، وَٱلْغَادِرُونَ يُسْتَأْصَلُونَ مِنْهَا.

But the wicked shall be destroyed from the earth: and they that do unjustly shall be taken away from it.