الأمثال 11

١ 1 الْمِيزَانُ الْمَغْشُوشُ رِجْسٌ لَدَى الرَّبِّ، وَالْمِكْيَالُ الْوَافِي يَحُوزُ رِضَاهُ.

A deceitful scale is an abomination with the Lord, and a fair weighing is his will.

٢ 2 حِينَمَا تُقْبِلُ الْكِبْرِيَاءُ يُقْبِلُ مَعَهَا الْهَوَانُ، أَمَّا الْحِكْمَةُ فَتَأْتِي مَعَ الْمُتَوَاضِعِينَ.

Wherever arrogance may be, there too is insult. But wherever humility is, there too is wisdom.

٣ 3 كَمَالُ الْمُسْتَقِيمِينَ يَهْدِيهِمْ، وَاعْوِجَاجُ الْغَادِرِينَ يُدَمِّرُهُمْ.

The simplicity of the just shall direct them, and the rebellion of the perverse will devastate them.

٤ 4 لَا يُجْدِي الْغِنَى فِي يَوْمِ قَضَاءِ الرَّبِّ، أَمَّا الْبِرُّ فَيُنَجِّي مِنَ الْمَوْتِ.

Wealth will not profit in the day of vengeance. But justice shall liberate from death.

٥ 5 بِرُّ الْكَامِلِ يُقَوِّمُ طَرِيقَهُ، أَمَّا الشِّرِّيرُ فَيَسْقُطُ فِي حُفْرَةِ شَرِّهِ.

The justice of the simple shall direct his way. And the impious will fall in his impiety.

٦ 6 بِرُّ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ يُنَجِّيهِ، وَالْغَادِرُونَ يُؤْخَذُونَ بِفُجُورِهِمْ.

The justice of the upright shall free them. And the iniquitous will be seized by their own treachery.

٧ 7 إِذَا مَاتَ الشِّرِّيرُ يَفْنَى رَجَاؤُهُ، وَأَمَلُ الأَثَمَةِ يَبِيدُ.

When the impious man is dead, there will no longer be any hope. And the expectation of the anxious will perish.

٨ 8 الصِّدِّيقُ يَنْجُو مِنَ الضِّيقِ، وَفِي مَكَانِهِ يَحِلُّ الشِّرِّيرُ.

The just one is freed from anguish. And the impious one will be handed over instead of him.

٩ 9 يُدَمِّرُ الْمُنَافِقُ صَاحِبَهُ بِأَقْوَالِهِ، وَيَنْجُو الصِّدِّيقُ بِالْمَعْرِفَةِ.

The pretender deceives his friend by mouth. But the just shall be freed by knowledge.

١٠ 10 تَتَهَلَّلُ الْمَدِينَةُ لِفَلاحِ الأَبْرَارِ، وَيَشِيعُ هُتَافُ الْبَهْجَةِ لَدَى مَوْتِ الأَشْرَارِ.

In the good of the just, the city shall exult. And in the perdition of the impious, there shall be praise.

١١ 11 بِبَرَكَةِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِينَ تَتَعَظَّمُ الْمَدِينَةُ، وَتُهْدَمُ بِسَبَبِ أَقْوَالِ الأَشْرَارِ.

By the blessing of the just, the city shall be exalted. And by the mouth of the impious, it will be subverted.

١٢ 12 مَنْ يَحْتَقِرُ جَارَهُ يَفْتَقِرُ إِلَى الإِدْرَاكِ السَّلِيمِ، وَذُو الْفِطْنَةِ يَعْتَصِمُ بِالصَّمْتِ.

Whoever despises his friend is destitute in heart. But the prudent man will remain silent.

١٣ 13 الْوَاشِي يُفْشِي السِّرَّ، وَالأَمِينُ النَّفْسِ يَكْتُمُهُ.

Whoever walks dishonestly reveals secrets. But whoever is of a faithful soul conceals what is confided by a friend.

١٤ 14 يَسْقُطُ الشَّعْبُ حَيْثُ تَنْعَدِمُ الْهِدَايَةُ، وَبِكَثْرَةِ الْمُشِيرِينَ يَتَحَقَّقُ الْخَلاصُ.

Where there is no governor, the people shall fall. But where there is much counsel, well-being shall be.

١٥ 15 مَنْ يَضْمَنُ الْغَرِيبَ يَتَعَرَّضُ لأَشَدِّ الأَذَى، وَمَنْ يَمْقُتُ الضَّامِنِينَ بِصَفْقِ الأَيْدِي يَطْمَئِنُّ.

He will be afflicted with evil, who provides a guarantee for an outsider. But whoever is wary of traps shall be secure.

١٦ 16 الْمَرْأَةُ الرَّقِيقَةُ الْقَلْبِ تَحْظَى بِالْكَرَامَةِ، وَالْعُنَفَاءُ لَا يَحْصُلُونَ إِلّا عَلَى الْغِنَى.

A gracious woman shall discover glory. And the robust will have wealth.

١٧ 17 الرَّحِيمُ يُحْسِنُ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ، وَالْقَاسِي يُؤْذِي ذَاتَهُ.

A merciful man benefits his own soul. But whoever is cruel casts out even his close relatives.

١٨ 18 الشِّرِّيرُ يَكْسَبُ أُجْرَةَ غِشٍّ زَائِلَةً، أَمَّا زَارِعُ الْبِرِّ فَلَهُ ثَوَابٌ أَكِيدٌ دَائِمٌ.

The impious does work with inconstancy. But for the sower of justice, there is the reward of faithfulness.

١٩ 19 الْمُتَشَبِّثُ بِالْبِرِّ يَحْيَا، وَمَنْ يَتْبَعُ الشَّرَّ يَمُوتُ.

Clemency prepares life. And the pursuit of evils prepares death.

٢٠ 20 ذَوُو الْقُلُوبِ الْمُعْوَجَّةِ رِجْسٌ لَدَى الرَّبِّ، وَبِذَوِي السِّيرَةِ الْمُسْتَقِيمَةِ مَرْضَاتُهُ.

A depraved heart is abominable to the Lord. And his will is with those who walk in simplicity.

٢١ 21 الشِّرِّيرُ لَا يُفْلِتُ حَتْماً مِنَ الْعِقَابِ، أَمَّا ذُرِّيَّةُ الصِّدِّيقِينَ فَتَنْجُو.

Hand in hand, the evil shall not be innocent. But the offspring of the just shall be saved.

٢٢ 22 الْمَرْأَةُ الْجَمِيلَةُ الْمُجَرَّدَةُ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ كَخِزَامَةٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ فِي أَنْفِ خِنْزِيرَةٍ.

A beautiful and senseless woman is like a gold ring in the snout of a swine.

٢٣ 23 بُغْيَةُ الصِّدِّيقِينَ الْخَيْرُ فَقَطْ، أَمَّا تَوَقُّعَاتُ الشِّرِّيرِ فَهِيَ فِي الْغَضَبِ.

The desire of the just is entirely good. The anticipation of the impious is fury.

٢٤ 24 قَدْ يَسْخُو الْمَرْءُ بِمَا عِنْدَهُ فَيَزْدَادُ غِنىً وَيَبْخَلُ آخَرُ بِمَا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَسْخُوَ بِهِ فَيَفْتَقِرُ.

Some distribute their own goods, and they become wealthier. Others seize what is not their own, and they are always in need.

٢٥ 25 النَّفْسُ السَّخِيَّةُ تَزْدَادُ ثَرَاءً، وَالْمُرْوِي يُرْوَى أَيْضاً.

The soul that blesses shall be made fat. And whoever inebriates will likewise be inebriated himself.

٢٦ 26 يَلْعَنُ الشَّعْبُ مُحْتَكِرَ الْحِنْطَةِ، وَتَحُلُّ الْبَرَكَةُ عَلَى رَأْسِ مَنْ يَبِيعُهَا.

Whoever hides away grain shall be cursed among the people. But a blessing is upon the head of those who sell it.

٢٧ 27 مَنْ يَسْعَى فِي الْخَيْرِ، يَلْتَمِسُ الرِّضَى، وَمَنْ يَنْشُدُ الشَّرَّ يُقْبِلُ إِلَيْهِ.

He does well to rise early, who seeks what is good. But whoever is a seeker of evils shall be oppressed by them.

٢٨ 28 مَنْ يَتَّكِلُ عَلَى غِنَاهُ يَسْقُطُ، أَمَّا الصِّدِّيقُونَ فَيَزْهُونَ كَأَوْرَاقِ الشَّجَرِ الْخَضْرَاءِ.

Whoever trusts in his riches will fall. But the just shall spring up like a green leaf.

٢٩ 29 مَنْ يُكَدِّرُ حَيَاةَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ يَرِثُ الرِّيحَ، وَيُصْبِحُ الأَحْمَقُ خَادِماً لِلْحَكِيمِ.

Whoever troubles his own house will possess the winds. And whoever is foolish will serve the wise.

٣٠ 30 ثَمَرُ الصِّدِّيقِ شَجَرَةُ حَيَاةٍ، وَرَابِحُ النُّفُوسِ حَكِيمٌ.

The fruit of the just one is the tree of life. And whoever receives souls is wise.

٣١ 31 إِنْ كَانَ الصِّدِّيقُ يُجَازَى عَلَى الأَرْضِ، فَكَمْ بِالْحَرِيِّ يَكُونُ جَزَاءُ الشِّرِّيرِ وَالْخَاطِئِ.

If the just are repaid upon the earth, how much more the impious and the sinner!