الأمثال 16

١ 1 يَسْعَى الإِنْسَانُ بِالتَّفْكِيرِ وَالتَّدْبِيرِ، إِنَّمَا الرَّبُّ يُعْطِي الْجَوَابَ الْفَاصِلَ.

Human beings may make plans in their minds, but the final decision is the Lord's.

٢ 2 جَمِيعُ تَصَرُّفَاتِ الإِنْسَانِ تَبْدُو نَقِيَّةً فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِهِ، وَلَكِنَّ الرَّبَّ مُطَّلِعٌ عَلَى حَوَافِزِ الأَرْوَاحِ.

People think that whatever they do is fine, but the Lord looks at their intentions.

٣ 3 اطْرَحْ عَلَى الرَّبِّ أَعْمَالَكَ فَتَثْبُتَ مَقَاصِدُكَ.

Trust whatever you do to the Lord, and your plans will be successful.

٤ 4 لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ صَنَعَهُ الرَّبُّ غَرَضٌ فِي ذَاتِهِ، حَتَّى الشِّرِّيرِ لِيَوْمِ الضِّيقِ.

The Lord has a purpose in everything he does, even the wicked for the day of trouble.

٥ 5 كُلُّ مُتَكَبِّرِ الْقَلْبِ رِجْسٌ عِنْدَ الرَّبِّ، وَلَنْ يُفْلِتَ حَتْماً مِنَ الْعِقَابِ.

The Lord hates the arrogant. You can be certain of this: the wicked won't go unpunished.

٦ 6 بِالرَّحْمَةِ وَالْحَقِّ يُسْتَرُ الإِثْمُ، وَبِتَقْوَى الرَّبِّ يَتَفَادَى الإِنْسَانُ الْوُقُوعَ فِي الشَّرِّ.

Sin is forgiven through trustworthy love and faithfulness; by honoring the Lord people are saved from evil.

٧ 7 إِذَا رَضِيَ الرَّبُّ عَنْ تَصَرُّفَاتِ الإِنْسَانِ، جَعَلَ أَعْدَاءَهُ أَيْضاً يُسَالِمُونَهُ.

When the way that people live pleases the Lord, he makes even their enemies be at peace with them.

٨ 8 الْمَالُ الْقَلِيلُ مَعَ الْعَدْلِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ دَخْلٍ وَفِيرٍ حَرَامٍ.

Better to have just a little and be honest than to have a lot and be dishonest.

٩ 9 عَقْلُ الإِنْسَانِ يَسْعَى فِي تَخْطِيطِ طَرِيقِهِ، وَالرَّبُّ يُوَجِّهُ خَطْوَاتِهِ.

You can plan in your mind what to do, but the Lord will guide you.

١٠ 10 تَنْطِقُ شَفَتَا الْمَلِكِ بِالْوَحْيِ، وَفَمُهُ لَا يَخُونُ فِي الْقَضَاءِ.

The king is inspired in what he says; he is not unreliable in his decisions.

١١ 11 لِلرَّبِّ مِيزَانُ الْعَدْلِ وَقِسْطَاسُهُ، وَجَمِيعُ مَعَايِيرِ كِيسِ التَّاجِرِ مِنْ صُنْعِهِ.

Accurate scales and balances are important to the Lord. He has determined all the weights in the bag.

١٢ 12 مِنَ الرِّجْسِ أَنْ يَرْتَكِبَ الْمَلِكُ الشَّرَّ، لأَنَّ الْعَرْشَ يَقُومُ عَلَى الْبِرِّ.

It's a terrible thing for a king to do evil, for his throne is based on doing right.

١٣ 13 الشِّفَاهُ النَّاطِقَةُ بِالْعَدْلِ مَسَرَّةُ الْمُلُوكِ، وَهُمْ يُحِبُّونَ الْمُتَكَلِّمَ بِالْحَقِّ.

People who tell the truth please kings; they love those who say what is right.

١٤ 14 غَضَبُ الْمَلِكِ رَسُولُ الْمَوْتِ، وَعَلَى الْحَكِيمِ اسْتِرْضَاؤُهُ.

An angry king can put you to death. If you're wise you'll try and calm him down.

١٥ 15 فِي بَشَاشَةِ وَجْهِ الْمَلِكِ حَيَاةٌ، وَرِضَاهُ كَسَحَابِ الْمَطَرِ الْمُتَأَخِّرِ.

If the king is smiling, you'll live; his blessing is like the clouds that bring spring rain.

١٦ 16 اقْتِنَاءُ الْحِكْمَةِ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ، وَإِحْرَازُ الْفِطْنَةِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْفِضَّةِ.

Far better to get wisdom than gold; far better to choose knowledge than silver.

١٧ 17 مَنْهَجُ الْمُسْتَقِيمِينَ تَفَادِيهِمْ سَبِيلَ الشَّرِّ، وَمَنْ يَصُونُ مَسْلَكَهُ يَصُونُ نَفْسَهُ.

The highway of the good leads away from evil. If you watch where you're going you'll save your life.

١٨ 18 قَبْلَ الانْكِسَارِ الْكِبْرِيَاءُ، وَقَبْلَ السُّقُوطِ غَطْرَسَةُ الرُّوحِ.

Pride leads to destruction; and an arrogant spirit leads to a fall.

١٩ 19 اتِّضَاعُ الرُّوحِ مَعَ الْوُدَعَاءِ خَيْرٌ مِنِ اقْتِسَامِ الْغَنِيمَةِ مَعَ الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ.

Better to have a humble spirit and live with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.

٢٠ 20 مَنْ يَتَعَقَّلُ بِكَلِمَةِ اللهِ يُحَالِفُهُ التَّوْفِيقُ، وَطُوبَى لِمَنْ يَتَّكِلُ عَلَى الرَّبِّ.

If you pay attention to wise instruction you will do well; you'll be happy if you trust in the Lord.

٢١ 21 الْحَكِيمُ الْقَلْبِ يُدْعَى فَهِيماً، وَعُذُوبَةُ الْمَنْطِقِ تَزِيدُ مِنْ قُوَّةِ الإِقْنَاعِ.

If you think wisely you'll be called perceptive; if you speak pleasantly you'll be persuasive.

٢٢ 22 الْفِطْنَةُ يَنْبُوعُ حَيَاةٍ لِصَاحِبِهَا، وَعِقَابُ الْجَاهِلِ فِي حَمَاقَتِهِ.

If you have good sense it will be a fountain of life to you, but stupid people are punished by their stupidity.

٢٣ 23 عَقْلُ الْحَكِيمِ يُرْشِدُ فَمَهُ، وَيَزِيدُ مَنْطِقَهُ قُوَّةَ إِقْنَاعٍ.

A wise mind makes sure to say sensible things; the words spoken are persuasive.

٢٤ 24 عُذُوبَةُ الْكَلامِ شَهْدُ عَسَلٍ، حُلْوةٌ لِلنَّفْسِ وَعَافِيَةٌ لِلْجَسَدِ.

Kind words are like a honeycomb—they taste sweet and are healthy for the body.

٢٥ 25 رُبَّ طَرِيقٍ تَبْدُو لِلإِنْسَانِ قَوِيمَةً وَلَكِنَّ عَاقِبَتَهَا تُفْضِي إِلَى دُرُوبِ الْمَوْتِ.

There's a way that seems to be right, but in the end it's the way of death.

٢٦ 26 شَهِيَّةُ الْعَامِلِ حَافِزُ عَمَلِهِ، لأَنَّ فَمَهُ الْجَائِعَ يَحُثُّهُ عَلَيْهِ.

A good appetite helps workers—hunger encourages them.

٢٧ 27 الرَّجُلُ اللَّئِيمُ يَنْبِشُ الشَّرَّ، وَعَلَى شَفَتَيْهِ تَتَوَهَّجُ نَارٌ مُتَّقِدَةٌ.

Worthless people plot evil and their words burn like fire.

٢٨ 28 الْمُنَافِقُ يُثِيرُ الْخُصُومَاتِ، وَالنَّمَّامُ يُفَرِّقُ الأَصْدِقَاءَ.

Quarrelsome people cause conflict, and a gossip comes between the closest friends.

٢٩ 29 الرَّجُلُ الظَّالِمُ يَسْتَغْوِي قَرِيبَهُ، وَيَجْعَلُهُ يَتَنَكَّبُ عَنْ سَوَاءِ السَّبِيلِ.

Violent people lure their friends, and lead them in a direction that's not good for them.

٣٠ 30 مَنْ يَغْمِزُ بِعَيْنَيْهِ هُوَ مُتَآمِرٌ بِالْمَكَائِدِ، وَمَنْ يَعُضُّ عَلَى شَفَتَيْهِ فَقَدْ أَتَمَّ خُطَّةَ الشَّرِّ.

People who give you a sly wink are plotting bad things; they purse their lips and make evil happen.

٣١ 31 الشَّيْبَةُ إِكْلِيلُ بَهَاءٍ، وَلاسِيَّمَا فِي طَرِيقِ الْبِرِّ.

Gray hair is a glorious crown; it's achieved by living right.

٣٢ 32 الْبَطِيءُ الْغَضَبِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْمُحَارِبِ الْعَاتِي، وَالضَّابِطُ أَهْوَاءَ رُوحِهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ قَاهِرِ الْمُدُنِ.

Better to be slow to anger than to be powerful, better to have self-control than to conquer a town.

٣٣ 33 تُلْقَى الْقُرْعَةُ فِي الْحِضْنِ، وَلَكِنَّ الْقَرَارَ مَرْهُونٌ كُلُّهُ لأَمْرِ الرَّبِّ.

The lot is thrown into the lap, but the Lord makes every decision.