أَمْثَالٌ 26

١ 1 كَٱلثَّلْجِ فِي ٱلصَّيْفِ وَكَالْمَطَرِ فِي ٱلْحَصَادِ، هَكَذَا ٱلْكَرَامَةُ غَيْرُ لَائِقَةٍ بِٱلْجَاهِلِ.

As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor is not seemly for a fool.

٢ 2 كَٱلْعُصْفُورِ لِلْفَرَارِ وَكَالسُّنُونَةِ لِلطَّيَرَانِ، كَذَلِكَ لَعْنَةٌ بِلَا سَبَبٍ لَا تَأْتِي.

As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, So the curse that is causeless alighteth not.

٣ 3 اَلسَّوْطُ لِلْفَرَسِ وَٱللِّجَامُ لِلْحِمَارِ، وَٱلْعَصَا لِظَهْرِ ٱلْجُهَّالِ.

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, And a rod for the back of fools.

٤ 4 لَا تُجَاوِبِ ٱلْجَاهِلَ حَسَبَ حَمَاقَتِهِ لِئَلَّا تَعْدِلَهُ أَنْتَ.

Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou also be like unto him.

٥ 5 جَاوِبِ ٱلْجَاهِلَ حَسَبَ حَمَاقَتِهِ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ حَكِيمًا فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِهِ.

Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own conceit.

٦ 6 يَقْطَعُ ٱلرِّجْلَيْنِ، يَشْرَبُ ظُلْمًا، مَنْ يُرْسِلُ كَلَامًا عَنْ يَدِ جَاهِلٍ.

He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool Cutteth off [his own] feet, [and] drinketh in damage.

٧ 7 سَاقَا ٱلْأَعْرَجِ مُتَدَلْدِلَتَانِ، وَكَذَا ٱلْمَثَلُ فِي فَمِ ٱلْجُهَّالِ.

The legs of the lame hang loose; So is a parable in the mouth of fools.

٨ 8 كَصُرَّةِ حِجَارَةٍ كَرِيمَةٍ فِي رُجْمَةٍ، هَكَذَا ٱلْمُعْطِي كَرَامَةً لِلْجَاهِلِ.

As one that bindeth a stone in a sling, So is he that giveth honor to a fool.

٩ 9 شَوْكٌ مُرْتَفِعٌ بِيَدِ سَكْرَانٍ، مِثْلُ ٱلْمَثَلِ فِي فَمِ ٱلْجُهَّالِ.

[As] a thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, So is a parable in the mouth of fools.

١٠ 10 رَامٍ يَطْعَنُ ٱلْكُلَّ، هَكَذَا مَنْ يَسْتَأْجِرُ ٱلْجَاهِلَ أَوْ يَسْتَأْجِرُ ٱلْمُحْتَالِينَ.

[As] an archer that woundeth all, So is he that hireth a fool and he that hireth them that pass by.

١١ 11 كَمَا يَعُودُ ٱلْكَلْبُ إِلَى قَيْئِهِ، هَكَذَا ٱلْجَاهِلُ يُعِيدُ حَمَاقَتَهُ.

As a dog that returneth to his vomit, [So is] a fool that repeateth his folly.

١٢ 12 أَرَأَيْتَ رَجُلًا حَكِيمًا فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِهِ؟ ٱلرَّجَاءُ بِٱلْجَاهِلِ أَكْثَرُ مِنَ ٱلرَّجَاءِ بِهِ.

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

١٣ 13 قَالَ ٱلْكَسْلَانُ: «ٱلْأَسَدُ فِي ٱلطَّرِيقِ، ٱلشِّبْلُ فِي ٱلشَّوَارِعِ!».

The sluggard saith, There is a lion in the way; A lion is in the streets.

١٤ 14 اَلْبَابُ يَدُورُ عَلَى صَائِرِهِ، وَٱلْكَسْلَانُ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ.

[As] the door turneth upon its hinges, So doth the sluggard upon his bed.

١٥ 15 اَلْكَسْلَانُ يُخْفِي يَدَهُ فِي ٱلصَّحْفَةِ، وَيَشُقُّ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَرُدَّهَا إِلَى فَمِهِ.

The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish; It wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.

١٦ 16 اَلْكَسْلَانُ أَوْفَرُ حِكْمَةً فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِهِ مِنَ ٱلسَّبْعَةِ ٱلْمُجِيبِينَ بِعَقْلٍ.

The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit Than seven men that can render a reason.

١٧ 17 كَمُمْسِكٍ أُذُنَيْ كَلْبٍ، هَكَذَا مَنْ يَعْبُرُ وَيَتَعَرَّضُ لِمُشَاجَرَةٍ لَا تَعْنِيهِ.

He that passeth by, [and] vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, Is [like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.

١٨ 18 مِثْلُ ٱلْمَجْنُونِ ٱلَّذِي يَرْمِي نَارًا وَسِهَامًا وَمَوْتًا،

As a madman who casteth firebrands, Arrows, and death,

١٩ 19 هَكَذَا ٱلرَّجُلُ ٱلْخَادِعُ قَرِيبَهُ وَيَقُولُ: «أَلَمْ أَلْعَبْ أَنَا!».

So is the man that deceiveth his neighbor, And saith, Am not I in sport?

٢٠ 20 بِعَدَمِ ٱلْحَطَبِ تَنْطَفِئُ ٱلنَّارُ، وَحَيْثُ لَا نَمَّامَ يَهْدَأُ ٱلْخِصَامُ.

For lack of wood the fire goeth out; And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.

٢١ 21 فَحْمٌ لِلْجَمْرِ وَحَطَبٌ لِلنَّارِ، هَكَذَا ٱلرَّجُلُ ٱلْمُخَاصِمُ لِتَهْيِيجِ ٱلنِّزَاعِ.

[As] coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to inflame strife.

٢٢ 22 كَلَامُ ٱلنَّمَّامِ مِثْلُ لُقَمٍ حُلْوَةٍ فَيَنْزِلُ إِلَى مَخَادِعِ ٱلْبَطْنِ.

The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts.

٢٣ 23 فِضَّةُ زَغَلٍ تُغَشِّي شَقْفَةً، هَكَذَا ٱلشَّفَتَانِ ٱلْمُتَوَقِّدَتَانِ وَٱلْقَلْبُ ٱلشِّرِّيرُ.

Fervent lips and a wicked heart Are [like] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

٢٤ 24 بِشَفَتَيْهِ يَتَنَكَّرُ ٱلْمُبْغِضُ، وَفِي جَوْفِهِ يَضَعُ غِشًّا.

He that hateth dissembleth with his lips; But he layeth up deceit within him:

٢٥ 25 إِذَا حَسَّنَ صَوْتَهُ فَلَا تَأْتَمِنْهُ، لِأَنَّ فِي قَلْبِهِ سَبْعَ رَجَاسَاتٍ.

When he speaketh fair, believe him not; For there are seven abominations in his heart:

٢٦ 26 مَنْ يُغَطِّي بُغْضَةً بِمَكْرٍ، يَكْشِفُ خُبْثَهُ بَيْنَ ٱلْجَمَاعَةِ.

Though [his] hatred cover itself with guile, His wickedness shall be openly showed before the assembly.

٢٧ 27 مَنْ يَحْفِرُ حُفْرَةً يَسْقُطُ فِيهَا، وَمَنْ يُدَحْرِجُ حَجَرًا يَرْجِعُ عَلَيْهِ.

Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; And he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.

٢٨ 28 اَللِّسَانُ ٱلْكَاذِبُ يُبْغِضُ مُنْسَحِقِيهِ، وَٱلْفَمُ ٱلْمَلِقُ يُعِدُّ خَرَابًا.

A lying tongue hateth those whom it hath wounded; And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.