الأمثال 22

١ 1 الصِّيتُ مُفَضَّلٌ عَلَى الْغِنَى الطَّائِلِ، وَنِعْمَةُ الْمَعْرُوفِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ.

A fair name is better than much wealth, and good favor is above silver and gold.

٢ 2 الْغَنِيُّ وَالْفَقِيرُ مُتَمَاثِلانِ إِذْ إِنَّ الرَّبَّ هُوَ صَانِعُهُمَا.

The rich and the poor meet together; but the Lord made them both.

٣ 3 يَرَى العَاقِلُ الشَّرَّ فَيَتَوَارَى، أَمَّا الْجَاهِلُ فَيُقْبِلُ إِلَيْهِ وَيُعَاقَبُ.

An intelligent man seeing a bad man severely punished is himself instructed, but fools pass by and are punished.

٤ 4 ثَوَابُ التَّوَاضُعِ وَتَقْوَى الرَّبِّ هُوَ الْغِنَى وَالْكَرَامَةُ وَالْحَيَاةُ.

The fear of the Lord is the offspring of wisdom, and wealth, and glory, and life.

٥ 5 فِي طَرِيقِ الْمُلْتَوِي شَوْكٌ وَأَشْرَاكٌ، وَمَنْ يَصُونُ نَفْسَهُ يَتَفَادَاهَا.

Thistles and snares are in perverse ways; but he that keeps his soul will refrain from them.

٦ 6 دَرِّبِ الْوَلَدَ بِمُقْتَضَى مَوَاهِبِهِ وَطَبِيعَتِهِ، فَمَتَى شَاخَ لَا يَمِيلُ عَنْهَا.

٧ 7 الْغَنِيُّ يَسُودُ عَلَى الْفَقِيرِ، وَالْمُقْتَرِضُ مُسْتَعْبَدٌ لِلْمُقْرِضِ.

The rich will rule over the poor, and servants will lend to their own masters.

٨ 8 مَنْ زَرَعَ ظُلْماً يَحْصُدُ بَلِيَّةً، وَيَفْقِدُ مَالَهُ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ.

He that sows wickedness shall reap troubles; and shall fully receive the punishment of his deeds. God loves a cheerful and liberal man; but [a man] shall fully prove the folly of his works.

٩ 9 الْكَرِيمُ يَتَمَتَّعُ بِالْبَرَكَةِ لأَنَّهُ يَقْتَسِمُ خُبْزَهُ مَعَ الْفَقِيرِ.

He that has pity on the poor shall himself be maintained; for he has given of his own bread to the poor. He that gives liberally secures victory an honor; but he takes away the life of them that posses [them].

١٠ 10 اطْرُدِ الْمُسْتَهْزِئَ، فَيَخْرُجَ الْخِصَامُ، وَيَتَوَقَّفَ الشِّجَارُ وَالإِسَاءَةُ.

Cast out a pestilent person from the council, and strife shall go out with him; for when he sits in the council he dishonors all.

١١ 11 مَنْ يُحِبُّ طَهَارَةَ الْقَلْبِ، وَيَتَحَلَّى بِجَمَالِ الْحَدِيثِ، يَضْحَى الْمَلِكُ صَدِيقاً لَهُ.

The Lord loves holy hearts, and all blameless persons are acceptable with him: a king rules with his lips.

١٢ 12 عَيْنَا الرَّبِّ تَرْعَيَانِ الْمَعْرِفَةَ، وَهُوَ يُخَرِّبُ كَلامَ الْغَادِرِينَ.

But the eyes of the Lord preserve discretion; but the transgressor despises [wise] words.

١٣ 13 قَالَ الْكَسُولُ: فِي الْخَارِجِ أَسَدٌ يَفْتَرِسُنِي إِنْ خَرَجْتُ إِلَى الشَّوَارِعِ.

The sluggard makes excuses, and says, [There is] a lion in the ways, and murderers in the streets.

١٤ 14 فَمُ الْعَاهِرَةِ حُفْرَةٌ عَمِيقَةٌ فَمَنْ سَخَطَ الرَّبُّ عَلَيْهِ يَهْوِي فِيهَا.

The mouth of a transgressor is a deep pit; and he that is hated of the Lord shall fall into it. Evil ways are before a man, and he does not like to turn away from them; but it is needful to turn aside from a perverse and bad way.

١٥ 15 الْحَمَاقَةُ مُتَأَصِّلَةٌ فِي قَلْبِ الْوَلَدِ، وَعَصَا التَّأْدِيبِ تَطْرُدُهَا مِنْهُ.

Folly is attached to the heart of a child, but the rod and instruction are [then] far from him.

١٦ 16 مَنْ يَظْلِمُ الْفَقِيرَ لِيَثْرَى ظُلْماً، وَمَنْ يُهْدِي الْغَنِيَّ (عَلَى حِسَابِ الْفَقِيرِ) يَنْتَهِي بِهِ الأَمْرُ إِلَى الْعَوَزِ.

He that oppresses the poor, increases his own substance, yet gives to the rich so as to make it less.

١٧ 17 أَرْهِفْ أُذُنَكَ وَاسْتَمِعْ لِكَلامِ الْحُكَمَاءِ، وَلْيَعْزِمْ قَلْبُكَ عَلَى إِدْرَاكِ مَعْرِفَتِي،

Incline your ear to the words of wise men: hear also my word, and apply your heart,

١٨ 18 فَتَطِيبَ إِنْ حَفِظْتَهَا فِي قَرَارَةِ نَفْسِكَ، وَثَبَّتَّهَا دَائِماً عَلَى شَفَتَيْكَ.

that you may know that they are good: and if you lay them to heart, they shall also gladden you on your lips.

١٩ 19 إِيَّاهَا قَدْ لَقَّنْتُكَ أَنْتَ الْيَوْمَ لِيَكُونَ اتِّكَالُكَ عَلَى الرَّبِّ.

That your hope may be in the Lord, and he may make your way known to you.

٢٠ 20 أَلَمْ أَكْتُبْ لَكَ ثَلاثِينَ قَوْلاً مِنْ مَأْثُورِ الْمَشُورَةِ وَالْحِكَمِ؟

And do you too repeatedly record them for yourself on the table of your heart, for counsel and knowledge.

٢١ 21 لأُعَلِّمَكَ قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ الْيَقِينِ لِتَرُدَّ جَوَابَ صِدْقٍ لِلَّذِينَ أَرْسَلُوكَ.

I therefore teach you truth, and knowledge good to hear; that you may answer words of truth to them that question you.

٢٢ 22 لَا تَسْلُبِ الْفَقِيرَ لأَنَّهُ فَقِيرٌ، وَلا تَسْحَقِ الْبَائِسَ الْمَاثِلَ عِنْدَ الْبَابِ،

Do no violence to the poor, for he is needy: neither dishonor the helpless [man] in the gates.

٢٣ 23 لأَنَّ الرَّبَّ يُدَافِعُ عَنْ دَعْوَاهُمْ، وَيُهْلِكُ نَاهِبِيهِمْ.

For the Lord will plead his cause, and you shall deliver your soul in safety.

٢٤ 24 لَا تُصَادِقْ رَجُلاً غَضُوباً، وَلا تُرَافِقْ رَجُلاً سَاخِطاً،

Be not companion to a furious man; neither lodge with a passionate man:

٢٥ 25 لِئَلّا تَأْلَفَ تَصَرُّفَاتِهِ، وَتُوْقِعَ نَفْسَكَ فِي الشَّرَكِ.

lest you learn of his ways, and get snares to your soul.

٢٦ 26 لَا تَكُنْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ يَضْمَنُونَ غَيْرَهُمْ بِصَفْقِ الْكَفِّ، وَلا مِنْ كَافِلِي الدُّيُونِ،

Become not surety from respect of a man's person.

٢٧ 27 إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَكَ مَا يَفِي الدَّيْنَ، فَلِمَاذَا يُصَادِرُونَ فِرَاشَكَ الَّذِي تَنَامُ عَلَيْهِ؟

For if those have not whence to give compensation, they will take the bed [that is] under you.

٢٨ 28 لَا تَنْقُلْ مَعَالِمَ التُّخْمِ الْقَدِيمِ الَّذِي أَقَامَهُ آبَاؤُكَ.

Remove not the old landmarks, which your fathers placed.

٢٩ 29 أَرَأَيْتَ الإِنْسَانَ الْمُجِدَّ فِي عَمَلِهِ؟ إِنَّهُ يَمْثُلُ أَمَامَ الْمُلُوكِ لَا أَمَامَ الرَّعَاعِ!

It is fit that an observant man and [one] diligent in his business should attend on kings, and not attend on slothful men.