أَمْثَالٌ 3

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

My son, forget not my teaching, and let thy heart keep my commandments;

٢ 2 فَإِنَّهَا تَزِيدُكَ طُولَ أَيَّامٍ، وَسِنِي حَيَاةٍ وَسَلَامَةً.

For length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they increase unto thee.

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

Let kindness and truth not forsake thee; bind them about thy throat; write them upon the table of thy heart:

٤ 4 فَتَجِدَ نِعْمَةً وَفِطْنَةً صَالِحَةً فِي أَعْيُنِ ٱللهِ وَٱلنَّاسِ.

So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the eyes of God and man.

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

Trust in the Lord with all thy heart: and upon thy own understanding do not rely.

٦ 6 فِي كُلِّ طُرُقِكَ ٱعْرِفْهُ، وَهُوَ يُقَوِّمُ سُبُلَكَ.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will make level thy paths.

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

Be not wise in thy own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

٨ 8 فَيَكُونَ شِفَاءً لِسُرَّتِكَ، وَسَقَاءً لِعِظَامِكَ.

It will be healing to thy body, and marrow to thy bones.

٩ 9 أَكْرِمِ ٱلرَّبَّ مِنْ مَالِكَ وَمِنْ كُلِّ بَاكُورَاتِ غَلَّتِكَ،

Honor the Lord with thy wealth, and with the first-fruits of all thy products:

١٠ 10 فَتَمْتَلِئَ خَزَائِنُكَ شِبْعًا، وَتَفِيضَ مَعَاصِرُكَ مِسْطَارًا.

So shall thy storehouses be filled with plenty, and with new wine shall thy presses overflow.

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

The correction of the Lord, my son, do not despise; and feel no loathing for his admonition;

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

Because whomever the Lord loveth he admonisheth; and as a father who delighteth in [his] son.

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

Happy the man that hath found wisdom, and the man that acquireth understanding.

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

For the obtaining of her is better than the obtaining of silver, and better than fine gold is her product.

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

She is more precious than pearls; and all the things thou valuest are not equal unto her.

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

Length of days is in her right hand: in her left are riches and honor.

١٧ 17 طُرُقُهَا طُرُقُ نِعَمٍ، وَكُلُّ مَسَالِكِهَا سَلَامٌ.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

١٨ 18 هِيَ شَجَرَةُ حَيَاةٍ لِمُمْسِكِيهَا، وَٱلْمُتَمَسِّكُ بِهَا مَغْبُوطٌ.

A tree of life is she to those that lay hold on her: and every one that firmly graspeth her will be made happy.

١٩ 19 ٱلرَّبُّ بِٱلْحِكْمَةِ أَسَّسَ ٱلْأَرْضَ. أَثْبَتَ ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ بِٱلْفَهْمِ.

The Lord hath through wisdom founded the earth: he hath established the heavens through understanding.

٢٠ 20 بِعِلْمِهِ ٱنْشَقَّتِ ٱللُّجَجُ، وَتَقْطُرُ ٱلسَّحَابُ نَدًى.

By his knowledge were the depths split open, and the skies drop down the dew.

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

My son, let them not be removed from thy eyes; keep [before thee] sound wisdom and discretion:

٢٢ 22 فَيَكُونَا حَيَاةً لِنَفْسِكَ، وَنِعْمَةً لِعُنُقِكَ.

And they will be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy throat.

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

Then wilt thou walk in safety on thy way, and thy foot will not strike [against aught]:

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

When thou layest thyself down, thou shalt feel no dread; and as thou liest down, thy sleep shall be pleasant.

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

Thou needest not to be afraid of sudden dread, neither of the [unlooked-for] tempest over the wicked, when it cometh.

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

For the Lord will be thy confidence, and he will guard thy foot from being caught.

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

Withhold not a benefit from him who is deserving it, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.

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

Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and return, and tomorrow will I give: when thou hast it by thee.

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

Contrive not against thy neighbor any evil, when he dwelleth in safety with thee.

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

Quarrel not with any man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.

٣١ 31 لَا تَحْسِدِ ٱلظَّالِمَ وَلَا تَخْتَرْ شَيْئًا مِنْ طُرُقِهِ،

Envy not the man of violence, and choose none of his ways.

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

For the froward is an abomination to the Lord; but with the upright is his good-will.

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

The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked; but the habitation of the righteous will he bless.

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

If [it concern] the scornful he will himself render them a scorn; but unto the lowly doth he give grace.

٣٥ 35 ٱلْحُكَمَاءُ يَرِثُونَ مَجْدًا وَٱلْحَمْقَى يَحْمِلُونَ هَوَانًا.

The wise shall inherit glory; but fools shall obtain disgrace as their portion.