أَمْثَالٌ 3

١ 1 يَا ٱبْنِي، لَا تَنْسَ شَرِيعَتِي، بَلْ لِيَحْفَظْ قَلْبُكَ وَصَايَايَ.

My son, don't forget my instructions. Always keep my commands in mind.

٢ 2 فَإِنَّهَا تَزِيدُكَ طُولَ أَيَّامٍ، وَسِنِي حَيَاةٍ وَسَلَامَةً.

Then you will live a long time, and have a full life.

٣ 3 لَا تَدَعِ ٱلرَّحْمَةَ وَٱلْحَقَّ يَتْرُكَانِكَ. تَقَلَّدْهُمَا عَلَى عُنُقِكَ. اُكْتُبْهُمَا عَلَى لَوْحِ قَلْبِكَ،

Hold on to kindness and truth. Tie them around your neck; write them in your mind.

٤ 4 فَتَجِدَ نِعْمَةً وَفِطْنَةً صَالِحَةً فِي أَعْيُنِ ٱللهِ وَٱلنَّاسِ.

That way you'll gain a good reputation and be appreciated by both God and people.

٥ 5 تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱلرَّبِّ بِكُلِّ قَلْبِكَ، وَعَلَى فَهْمِكَ لَا تَعْتَمِدْ.

Put your trust totally in the Lord—don't rely on what you think you know!

٦ 6 فِي كُلِّ طُرُقِكَ ٱعْرِفْهُ، وَهُوَ يُقَوِّمُ سُبُلَكَ.

Remember him in everything you do, and he'll show you the right way.

٧ 7 لَا تَكُنْ حَكِيمًا فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِكَ. ٱتَّقِ ٱلرَّبَّ وَٱبْعُدْ عَنِ ٱلشَّرِّ،

Don't think you're wise—respect God and avoid evil.

٨ 8 فَيَكُونَ شِفَاءً لِسُرَّتِكَ، وَسَقَاءً لِعِظَامِكَ.

Then you will have healed and be made strong.

٩ 9 أَكْرِمِ ٱلرَّبَّ مِنْ مَالِكَ وَمِنْ كُلِّ بَاكُورَاتِ غَلَّتِكَ،

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all the crops you grow.

١٠ 10 فَتَمْتَلِئَ خَزَائِنُكَ شِبْعًا، وَتَفِيضَ مَعَاصِرُكَ مِسْطَارًا.

Then your barns will be filled with produce, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

١١ 11 يَا ٱبْنِي، لَا تَحْتَقِرْ تَأْدِيبَ ٱلرَّبِّ وَلَا تَكْرَهْ تَوْبِيخَهُ،

My son, don't reject the Lord's discipline or resent it when he corrects you,

١٢ 12 لِأَنَّ ٱلَّذِي يُحِبُّهُ ٱلرَّبُّ يُؤَدِّبُهُ، وَكَأَبٍ بِٱبْنٍ يُسَرُّ بِهِ.

for the Lord corrects those he loves, as a father corrects a son who pleases him.

١٣ 13 طُوبَى لِلْإِنْسَانِ ٱلَّذِي يَجِدُ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ، وَلِلرَّجُلِ ٱلَّذِي يَنَالُ ٱلْفَهْمَ،

Happy are those who find wisdom and gain understanding,

١٤ 14 لِأَنَّ تِجَارَتَهَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ تِجَارَةِ ٱلْفِضَّةِ، وَرِبْحَهَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ ٱلذَّهَبِ ٱلْخَالِصِ.

for wisdom is worth more than silver, and pays better than gold.

١٥ 15 هِيَ أَثْمَنُ مِنَ ٱلَّلآلِئِ، وَكُلُّ جَوَاهِرِكَ لَا تُسَاوِيهَا.

She is more valuable than rubies—everything you could ever want just doesn't compare!

١٦ 16 فِي يَمِينِهَا طُولُ أَيَّامٍ، وَفِي يَسَارِهَا ٱلْغِنَى وَٱلْمَجْدُ.

She offers long life in one hand, and riches and honor in the other.

١٧ 17 طُرُقُهَا طُرُقُ نِعَمٍ، وَكُلُّ مَسَالِكِهَا سَلَامٌ.

She brings true happiness, and leads to peaceful prosperity.

١٨ 18 هِيَ شَجَرَةُ حَيَاةٍ لِمُمْسِكِيهَا، وَٱلْمُتَمَسِّكُ بِهَا مَغْبُوطٌ.

Wisdom is a tree of life to everyone who embraces her, blessing those who accept her.

١٩ 19 ٱلرَّبُّ بِٱلْحِكْمَةِ أَسَّسَ ٱلْأَرْضَ. أَثْبَتَ ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ بِٱلْفَهْمِ.

It was through wisdom that the Lord created the earth, and through understanding he set the heavens in place.

٢٠ 20 بِعِلْمِهِ ٱنْشَقَّتِ ٱللُّجَجُ، وَتَقْطُرُ ٱلسَّحَابُ نَدًى.

It was through his knowledge the waters of the deep were broken open, and the clouds sent down the dew.

٢١ 21 يَا ٱبْنِي، لَا تَبْرَحْ هَذِهِ مِنْ عَيْنَيْكَ. ٱحْفَظِ ٱلرَّأْيَ وَٱلتَّدْبِيرَ،

My son, hold on to good judgment and wise decisions—don't let them out of your sight,

٢٢ 22 فَيَكُونَا حَيَاةً لِنَفْسِكَ، وَنِعْمَةً لِعُنُقِكَ.

for they will be life to you, and an ornament for your neck.

٢٣ 23 حِينَئِذٍ تَسْلُكُ فِي طَرِيقِكَ آمِنًا، وَلَا تَعْثُرُ رِجْلُكَ.

You will be able to walk confidently on your way, and you won't trip up.

٢٤ 24 إِذَا ٱضْطَجَعْتَ فَلَا تَخَافُ، بَلْ تَضْطَجِعُ وَيَلُذُّ نَوْمُكَ.

When you rest, you won't be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

٢٥ 25 لَا تَخْشَى مِنْ خَوْفٍ بَاغِتٍ، وَلَا مِنْ خَرَابِ ٱلْأَشْرَارِ إِذَا جَاءَ.

You won't be afraid of a sudden panic, or of disasters that hit the wicked,

٢٦ 26 لِأَنَّ ٱلرَّبَّ يَكُونُ مُعْتَمَدَكَ، وَيَصُونُ رِجْلَكَ مِنْ أَنْ تُؤْخَذَ.

for the Lord will be the one you can trust in, and he will prevent you being caught in a trap.

٢٧ 27 لَا تَمْنَعِ ٱلْخَيْرَ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ، حِينَ يَكُونُ فِي طَاقَةِ يَدِكَ أَنْ تَفْعَلَهُ.

Don't hold back good from those who deserve it when it's something you have the power to do.

٢٨ 28 لَا تَقُلْ لِصَاحِبِكَ: «ٱذْهَبْ وَعُدْ فَأُعْطِيَكَ غَدًا» وَمَوْجُودٌ عِنْدَكَ.

Don't tell your neighbor, “Go away. Come back tomorrow and then I'll give it to you,” when you've already got it.

٢٩ 29 لَا تَخْتَرِعْ شَرًّا عَلَى صَاحِبِكَ، وَهُوَ سَاكِنٌ لَدَيْكَ آمِنًا.

Don't plan to harm your neighbor who lives nearby and trusts you.

٣٠ 30 لَا تُخَاصِمْ إِنْسَانًا بِدُونِ سَبَبٍ، إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ قَدْ صَنَعَ مَعَكَ شَرًّا.

Don't quarrel with anybody for no reason, when they haven't done anything to hurt you.

٣١ 31 لَا تَحْسِدِ ٱلظَّالِمَ وَلَا تَخْتَرْ شَيْئًا مِنْ طُرُقِهِ،

Don't be jealous of violent people—don't choose to follow their example!

٣٢ 32 لِأَنَّ ٱلْمُلْتَوِيَ رَجْسٌ عِنْدَ ٱلرَّبِّ، أَمَّا سِرُّهُ فَعِنْدَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمِينَ.

For the Lord hates deceitful people, but he is a friend to those who do what is good.

٣٣ 33 لَعْنَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ فِي بَيْتِ ٱلشِّرِّيرِ، لَكِنَّهُ يُبَارِكُ مَسْكَنَ ٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ.

The houses of the wicked are cursed by the Lord, but he blesses the homes of those who live right.

٣٤ 34 كَمَا أَنَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِٱلْمُسْتَهْزِئِينَ، هَكَذَا يُعْطِي نِعْمَةً لِلْمُتَوَاضِعِينَ.

He mocks those who mock, but he is kind to the humble.

٣٥ 35 ٱلْحُكَمَاءُ يَرِثُونَ مَجْدًا وَٱلْحَمْقَى يَحْمِلُونَ هَوَانًا.

The wise will receive honor, but fools are held up in disgrace.