< Proverbs 18 >

1 Selfish people only please themselves, they attack anything that makes good sense.
الْمُعْتَزِلُ (عَنِ اللهِ وَالنَّاسِ) يَنْشُدُ شَهْوَتَهُ وَيَتَنَكَّرُ لِكُلِّ مَشُورَةٍ صَائِبَةٍ.١
2 Stupid people have no interest in trying to understand, they only want to express their opinions.
لَا يَعْبَأُ الْجَاهِلُ بِالْفِطْنَةِ، بَلْ هَمُّهُ الإِعْرَابُ عَمَّا فِي نَفْسِهِ.٢
3 With wickedness comes contempt; with dishonor comes disgrace.
إِذَا أَقْبَلَ الشِّرِّيرُ أَقْبَلَ مَعَهُ الاحْتِقَارُ، وَالْعَارُ يُلازِمُ الْهَوَانَ.٣
4 People's words can be profound like deep waters, a gushing stream that is the source of wisdom.
كَلِمَاتُ الإِنْسَانِ مِيَاهٌ عَمِيقَةٌ يَتَعَذَّرُ سَبْرُ غَوْرِهَا، وَيَنْبُوعُ الْحِكْمَةِ نَهْرٌ مُتَدَفِّقٌ.٤
5 It's not right to show favoritism to the guilty and rob the innocent of justice.
مِنَ السُّوءِ مُحَابَاةُ الشِّرِّيرِ، أَوْ حِرْمَانُ الْبَرِيءِ مِنَ الْقَضَاءِ الْحَقِّ.٥
6 What stupid people say gets them into fights, as if they're asking for a beating.
أَقْوَالُ الْجَاهِلِ تُوْقِعُهُ فِي الْمَتَاعِبِ، وَكَلِمَاتُهُ تُسَبِّبُ لَهُ الضَّرْبَ.٦
7 Stupid people are caught out by what they say; their own words trap them.
كَلِمَاتُ الْجَاهِلِ مَهْلَكَةٌ لَهُ، وَأَقْوَالُهُ فَخٌّ لِنَفْسِهِ.٧
8 Listening to gossip is like gulping down bites of your favorite food—they go deep down inside you.
هَمْسَاتُ النَّمَّامِ كَلُقَمٍ سَائِغَةٍ تَنْزَلِقُ إِلَى بَوَاطِنِ الْجَوْفِ.٨
9 Laziness and destruction are brothers.
الْمُتَقَاعِسُ عَنْ عَمَلِهِ هُوَ أَخُو الهَادِمِ.٩
10 The Lord is a protective tower that good people can run to and be safe.
اسْمُ الرَّبِّ بُرْجٌ مَنِيعٌ يُهْرَعُ إِلَيْهِ الصِّدِّيقُ وَيَنْجُو مِنَ الْخَطَرِ.١٠
11 Rich people see their wealth as a fortified town—it's like a high wall in their imagination.
ثَرْوَةُ الْغَنِيِّ مَدِينَتُهُ الْحَصِينَةُ، وَهِيَ فِي وَهْمِهِ سُورٌ شَامِخٌ.١١
12 Pride leads to destruction; humility goes before honor.
قَبْلَ الانْكِسَارِ تَشَامُخُ الْقَلْبِ، وَقَبْلَ الْكَرَامَةِ التَّواضُعُ.١٢
13 Replying before hearing is stupidity and shame.
مَنْ أَجَابَ عَنْ أَمْرٍ مَازَالَ يَجْهَلُهُ، فَذَاكَ حَمَاقَةٌ مِنْهُ وَعَارٌ لَهُ.١٣
14 With a brave spirit you can put up with sickness, but if it's crushed, you can't bear it.
رُوحُ الإِنْسَانِ الْقَوِيَّةُ تَحْتَمِلُ مَرَضَهُ، أَمَّا الرُّوحُ الْمُنْسَحِقَةُ فَمَنْ يَتَحَمَّلُهَا؟١٤
15 An intelligent mind acquires knowledge; the wise are ready to hear knowledge.
عَقْلُ الْفَهِيمِ يَقْتَنِي مَعْرِفَةً، وَأُذُنُ الْحُكَمَاءِ تَنْشُدُ عِلْماً.١٥
16 A gift opens doors for you, and gets you into the presence of important people.
هَدِيَّةُ الإِنْسَانِ تُمَهِّدُ لَهُ السَّبِيلَ، وَتَجْعَلُهُ يَمْثُلُ أَمَامَ الْعُظَمَاءِ.١٦
17 The first person to plead a case sounds right until someone comes to cross-examine them.
مَنْ يَعْرِضُ قَضِيَّتَهُ أَوَّلاً يَبْدُو مُحِقّاً إِلَى أَنْ يَأْتِيَ آخَرُ وَيَسْتَجْوِبَهُ.١٧
18 Casting lots can end disputes and decide between powerful people.
تَفْصِلُ الْقُرْعَةُ فِي الْخُصُومَاتِ وَتَحْسِمُ الأَمْرَ بَيْنَ الْمُتَنَازِعِينَ الأَقْوِيَاءِ.١٨
19 A brother you've offended is harder to win back than a fortified town. Arguments keep people apart like bars on the doors of a fortress.
إِرْضَاءُ الأَخِ الْمُتَأَذِّي أَصْعَبُ مِنْ قَهْرِ مَدِينَةٍ حَصِينَةٍ، وَالْمُخَاصَمَاتُ كَعَارِضَةِ قَلْعَةٍ.١٩
20 Make sure you're satisfied with what you say—you have to live with your words.
مِنْ ثَمَرِ أَقْوَالِ الإِنْسَانِ تَشْبَعُ ذَاتُهُ، وَمِنْ غَلَّةِ كَلِمَاتِهِ يَلْقَى جَزَاءَهُ٢٠
21 What you say has the power to bring life or to kill; those who love talking will have to deal with the consequences.
فِي اللِّسَانِ حَيَاةٌ أَوْ مَوْتٌ، وَالْمُوْلَعُونَ بِاسْتِخْدَامِهِ يَتَحَمَّلُونَ الْعَوَاقِبَ.٢١
22 If you find a wife, that's great, and you'll be blessed by the Lord.
مَنْ عَثَرَ عَلَى زَوْجَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ نَالَ خَيْراً وَحَظِيَ بِمَرْضَاةِ اللهِ.٢٢
23 The poor beg for mercy, but the rich reply harshly.
يَتَوَسَّلُ الْفَقِيرُ بِتَضَرُّعَاتٍ، أَمَّا الْغَنِيُّ فَيُجَاوِبُ بِخُشُونَةٍ.٢٣
24 Some friends give up on you, but there's a friend who stays closer to you than a brother.
مَنْ يُكْثِرِ الأَصْحَابَ يُخْرِبْ نَفْسَهُ، وَرُبَّ صَدِيقٍ أَلْزَقُ مِنَ الأَخِ.٢٤

< Proverbs 18 >