الأمثال 30

١ 1 هَذِهِ أَقْوَالُ أَجُورَ ابْنِ مُتَّقِيَةَ مِنْ قَوْمِ مَسَّا، إِلَى إِيثِيئِيلَ وَأُكَّالَ:

These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh—the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, and worn out.

٢ 2 إِنَّنِي أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ بَلادَةً، وَلَيْسَ لِي فَهْمُ إِنْسَانٍ.

Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.

٣ 3 لَمْ أَتَلَقَّنِ الْحِكْمَةَ، وَلا أَمْلِكُ مَعْرِفَةَ الْقُدُّوسِ.

I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.

٤ 4 مَنِ ارْتَقَى إِلَى السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ هَبَطَ مِنْهَا؟ وَمَنْ جَمَعَ الرِّيحَ فِي حَفْنَتَيْهِ؟ مَنْ صَرَّ الْمِيَاهَ فِي ثَوْبٍ؟ مَنْ أَرْسَى جَمِيعَ أَطْرَافِ الأَرْضِ؟ مَا اسْمُهُ وَمَا اسْمُ ابْنِهِ؟ أَخْبِرْنِي إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ.

Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son— surely you know!

٥ 5 كُلُّ كَلِمَةٍ مِنْ كَلِمَاتِ اللهِ صَادِقَةٌ، وَهُوَ تُرْسٌ لِمَنْ يَحْتَمِي بِهِ.

Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

٦ 6 لَا تُضِفْ عَلَى كَلامِهِ لِئَلّا يُوَبِّخَكَ فَتُصْبِحَ كَاذِباً.

Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.

٧ 7 أَمْرَيْنِ أَطْلُبُ مِنْكَ، فَلا تَحْرِمْنِي مِنْهُمَا قَبْلَ أَنْ أَمُوتَ:

Two things I ask of You— do not refuse me before I die:

٨ 8 أَبْعِدْ عَنِّي الْبَاطِلَ وَكَلامَ الزُّورِ، وَلا تَجْعَلِ الْفَقْرَ أَوِ الْغِنَى مِنْ نَصِيبِي. لَكِنْ أَعْطِنِي كَفَافِي مِنَ الطَّعَامِ،

Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.

٩ 9 لِئَلّا أَشْبَعَ فَأَجْحَدَكَ قَائِلاً: مَنْ هُوَ الرَّبُّ؟ أَوْ أَفْتَقِرَ فَأَسْرِقَ وَأُلَطِّخَ اسْمَ إِلَهِي بِالْعَارِ.

Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.

١٠ 10 لَا تَشْكُ عَبْداً إِلَى سَيِّدِهِ، لِئَلّا يَلْعَنَكَ وَتَكُونَ قَدْ أَثِمْتَ فِي حَقِّهِ.

Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.

١١ 11 رُبَّ جِيلٍ يَشْتِمُ أَبَاهُ وَلا يُبَارِكُ أُمَّهُ.

There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

١٢ 12 رُبَّ جِيلٍ نَقِيٍّ فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِهِ، وَهُوَ لَمْ يَتَطَهَّرْ بَعْدُ مِنْ رَجَاسَتِهِ.

There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.

١٣ 13 رُبَّ جِيلٍ: لَشَدَّ مَا هُوَ مُتَشَامِخُ الْعُيُونِ وَمُتَعَالِي النَّظَرَاتِ.

There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—

١٤ 14 رُبَّ جِيلٍ أَسْنَانُهُ مُرْهَفَةٌ كَالسُّيُوفِ، وَأَنْيَابُهُ حَادَّةٌ كَالسَّكَاكِينِ، لِيَفْتَرِسَ الْمَسَاكِينَ فِي الأَرْضِ وَالْبَائِسِينَ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَبْنَاءِ الْبَشَرِ.

there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men.

١٥ 15 لِلْعَلَقَةِ بِنْتَانِ هَاتِفَتَانِ: هَاتِ، هَاتِ. ثَلاثَةُ أَشْيَاءَ لَا تَشْبَعُ قَطُّ، وَالرَّابِعَةُ لَا تَقُولُ كَفَى:

The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:

١٦ 16 الْهَاوِيَةُ، وَالرَّحِمُ الْعَقِيمُ، وَأَرْضٌ لَا تَرْتَوِي مِنَ الْمَاءِ، وَالنَّارُ الَّتِي لَا تَقُولُ أَبَداً كَفَى. (Sheol h7585)

Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ (Sheol h7585)

١٧ 17 الْعَيْنُ السَّاخِرَةُ بِالأَبِ، وَالَّتِي تَحْتَقِرُ طَاعَةَ أُمِّهَا، تَقْتَلِعُهَا غِرْبَانُ الْوَادِي، وَتَلْتَهِمُهَا فِرَاخُ النُّسُورِ.

As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.

١٨ 18 ثَلاثَةُ أَشْيَاءَ أَعْجَبُ مِنْ أَنْ أَسْتَوْعِبَهَا، وَأَرْبَعَةٌ لَا أَعْرِفُهَا:

There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:

١٩ 19 سَبِيلُ النَّسْرِ فِي السَّمَاءِ، وَدَرْبُ الْحَيَّةِ عَلَى الصَّخْرِ، وَطَرِيقُ السَّفِينَةِ فِي غِمَارِ الْبَحْرِ، وَطَرِيقُ رَجُلٍ مَعَ عَذْرَاءَ.

the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.

٢٠ 20 هَذَا هُوَ أُسْلُوبُ الْمَرْأَةِ الْعَاهِرَةِ: إِنَّهَا تَأْثَمُ وَتَسْتَخِفُّ وَتَقُولُ: لَمْ أَرْتَكِبْ شَرّاً!

This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’

٢١ 21 تَحْتَ عِبْءِ ثَلاثَةٍ تَقْشَعِرُّ الأَرْضُ، وَتَحْتَ أَرْبَعَةٍ تَنُوءُ.

Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:

٢٢ 22 تَحْتَ عَبْدٍ إِذَا صَارَ مَلِكاً، وَأَحْمَقَ إِذَا شَبِعَ،

a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,

٢٣ 23 وَامْرَأَةٍ كَرِيهَةٍ إِذَا تَزَوَّجَتْ، وَأَمَةٍ إِذَا وَرِثَتْ مَوْلاتَهَا.

an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.

٢٤ 24 أَرْبَعَةٌ هِيَ الصُّغْرَى فِي الأَرْضِ، وَلَكِنَّهَا فَائِقَةُ الْحِكْمَةِ:

Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:

٢٥ 25 النَّمْلُ طَائِفَةٌ ضَعِيفَةٌ، لَكِنَّهُ يَخْزِنُ فِي الصَّيْفِ قُوتَهُ.

The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;

٢٦ 26 الْوِبَارُ طَائِفَةٌ لَا قُدْرَةَ لَهَا، لَكِنَّهَا تَنْقُرُ فِي الصَّخْرِ بُيُوتَهَا.

the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;

٢٧ 27 وَالْجَرَادُ لَا مَلِكَ لَهُ، لَكِنَّهُ يَتَقَدَّمُ فِي أَسْرَابٍ مُنَظَّمَةٍ.

the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;

٢٨ 28 وَالْعَنْكَبُوتُ الَّتِي يُمْكِنُ الْتِقَاطُهَا بِالْيَدِ، وَلَكِنَّهَا فِي قُصُورِ الْمُلُوكِ.

and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.

٢٩ 29 ثَلاثَةٌ جَلِيلَةٌ فِي خَطْوِهَا، وَأَرْبَعَةٌ وَقُورٌ فِي تَحَرُّكِهَا:

There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:

٣٠ 30 اللَّيْثُ جَبَّارُ الْوُحُوشِ، الَّذِي لَا يَتَرَاجَعُ أَمَامَ أَحَدٍ،

a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;

٣١ 31 وَالطَّاوُوسُ الْمُخْتَالُ، وَالتَّيْسُ، وَالْمَلِكُ فِي طَلِيعَةِ جَيْشِهِ.

a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.

٣٢ 32 إِنِ انْتَابَكَ الْحُمْقُ فَاغْتَرَرْتَ بِنَفْسِكَ، أَوْ شَرَعْتَ فِي تَدْبِيرِ الْمَكَائِدِ، فَأَطْبِقْ يَدَكَ عَلَى فَمِكَ.

If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.

٣٣ 33 فَكَمَا أَنَّ مَخْضَ الْحَلِيبِ يُخْرِجُ زُبْدَةً، وَالضَّغْطَ عَلَى الأَنْفِ يَجْعَلُهُ يَنْزِفُ دَماً، فَإِنَّ إِثَارَةَ الْغَضَبِ تُوَلِّدُ الْخِصَامَ.

For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”