أَمْثَالٌ 16

١ 1 لِلْإِنْسَانِ تَدَابِيرُ ٱلْقَلْبِ، وَمِنَ ٱلرَّبِّ جَوَابُ ٱللِّسَانِ.

All the works of the humble [man] are manifest with God; but the ungodly shall perish in an evil day.

٢ 2 كُلُّ طُرُقِ ٱلْإِنْسَانِ نَقِيَّةٌ فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِهِ، وَٱلرَّبُّ وَازِنُ ٱلْأَرْوَاحِ.

٣ 3 أَلْقِ عَلَى ٱلرَّبِّ أَعْمَالَكَ فَتُثَبَّتَ أَفْكَارُكَ.

٤ 4 اَلرَّبُّ صَنَعَ ٱلْكُلَّ لِغَرَضِهِ، وَٱلشِّرِّيرَ أَيْضًا لِيَوْمِ ٱلشَّرِّ.

٥ 5 مَكْرَهَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ كُلُّ مُتَشَامِخِ ٱلْقَلْبِ. يَدًا لِيَدٍ لَا يَتَبَرَّأُ.

Every one that is proud in heart is unclean before God, and he that unjustly strikes hands with hand shall not be held guiltless. The beginning of a good way is to do justly; and it is more acceptable with God than to offer sacrifices. He that seeks the Lord shall find knowledge with righteousness: and they that rightly seek him shall find peace. All of the works of the Lord [are done] with righteousness; and the ungodly [man] is kept for the evil day.

٦ 6 بِٱلرَّحْمَةِ وَٱلْحَقِّ يُسْتَرُ ٱلْإِثْمُ، وَفِي مَخَافَةِ ٱلرَّبِّ ٱلْحَيَدَانُ عَنِ ٱلشَّرِّ.

٧ 7 إِذَا أَرْضَتِ ٱلرَّبَّ طُرُقُ إِنْسَانٍ، جَعَلَ أَعْدَاءَهُ أَيْضًا يُسَالِمُونَهُ.

٨ 8 اَلْقَلِيلُ مَعَ ٱلْعَدْلِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ دَخْلٍ جَزِيلٍ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ.

٩ 9 قَلْبُ ٱلْإِنْسَانِ يُفَكِّرُ فِي طَرِيقِهِ، وَٱلرَّبُّ يَهْدِي خَطْوَتَهُ.

١٠ 10 فِي شَفَتَيِ ٱلْمَلِكِ وَحْيٌ. فِي ٱلْقَضَاءِ فَمُهُ لَا يَخُونُ.

[There is] an oracle upon the lips of a king; and his mouth shall not err in judgment.

١١ 11 قَبَّانُ ٱلْحَقِّ وَمَوَازِينُهُ لِلرَّبِّ. كُلُّ مَعَايِيرِ ٱلْكِيسِ عَمَلُهُ.

The poise of the balance is righteousness with the Lord; and his works are righteous measures.

١٢ 12 مَكْرَهَةُ ٱلْمُلُوكِ فِعْلُ ٱلشَّرِّ، لِأَنَّ ٱلْكُرْسِيَّ يُثَبَّتُ بِٱلْبِرِّ.

An evil-doer is an abomination to a king; for the throne of rule is established by righteousness.

١٣ 13 مَرْضَاةُ ٱلْمُلُوكِ شَفَتَا حَقٍّ، وَٱلْمُتَكَلِّمُ بِٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَاتِ يُحَبُّ.

Righteous lips are acceptable to a king; and he loves right words.

١٤ 14 غَضَبُ ٱلْمَلِكِ رُسُلُ ٱلْمَوْتِ، وَٱلْإِنْسَانُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ يَسْتَعْطِفُهُ.

The anger of a king is a messenger of death; but a wise man will pacify him.

١٥ 15 فِي نُورِ وَجْهِ ٱلْمَلِكِ حَيَاةٌ، وَرِضَاهُ كَسَحَابِ ٱلْمَطَرِ ٱلْمُتَأَخِّرِ.

The son of a king is in the light of life; and they that are in favour with him are as a cloud of latter rain.

١٦ 16 قِنْيَةُ ٱلْحِكْمَةِ كَمْ هِيَ خَيْرٌ مِنَ ٱلذَّهَبِ، وَقِنْيَةُ ٱلْفَهْمِ تُخْتَارُ عَلَى ٱلْفِضَّةِ!

The brood of wisdom is more to be chosen than gold, and the brood of prudence more to be chosen than silver.

١٧ 17 مَنْهَجُ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمِينَ ٱلْحَيَدَانُ عَنِ ٱلشَّرِّ. حَافِظٌ نَفْسَهُ حَافِظٌ طَرِيقَهُ.

The paths of life turn aside from evil; and the ways of righteousness are length of life. He that receives instruction shall be in prosperity; and he that regards reproofs shall be made wise. He that keeps his ways, preserves his own soul; and he that loves his life will spare his mouth.

١٨ 18 قَبْلَ ٱلْكَسْرِ ٱلْكِبْرِيَاءُ، وَقَبْلَ ٱلسُّقُوطِ تَشَامُخُ ٱلرُّوحِ.

Pride goes before destruction, and folly before a fall.

١٩ 19 تَوَاضُعُ ٱلرُّوحِ مَعَ ٱلْوُدَعَاءِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ قَسْمِ ٱلْغَنِيمَةِ مَعَ ٱلْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ.

Better is a meek-spirited [man] with lowliness, than one who divides spoils with the proud.

٢٠ 20 ٱلْفَطِنُ مِنْ جِهَةِ أَمْرٍ يَجِدُ خَيْرًا، وَمَنْ يَتَّكِلُ عَلَى ٱلرَّبِّ فَطُوبَى لَهُ.

[He who is] skillful in business finds good: but he that trusts in God is most blessed.

٢١ 21 حَكِيمُ ٱلْقَلْبِ يُدْعَى فَهِيمًا، وَحَلَاوَةُ ٱلشَّفَتَيْنِ تَزِيدُ عِلْمًا.

[Men] call the wise and understanding evil: but they that are pleasing in speech shall hear more.

٢٢ 22 ٱلْفِطْنَةُ يَنْبُوعُ حَيَاةٍ لِصَاحِبِهَا، وَتَأْدِيبُ ٱلْحَمْقَى حَمَاقَةٌ.

Understanding is a fountain of life to its possessors; but the instruction of fools is evil.

٢٣ 23 قَلْبُ ٱلْحَكِيمِ يُرْشِدُ فَمَهُ وَيَزِيدُ شَفَتَيْهِ عِلْمًا.

The heart of the wise will discern the [things which proceed] from his own mouth; and on his lips he will wear knowledge.

٢٤ 24 اَلْكَلَامُ ٱلْحَسَنُ شَهْدُ عَسَلٍ، حُلْوٌ لِلنَّفْسِ وَشِفَاءٌ لِلْعِظَامِ.

Good words are honeycombs, and the sweetness thereof is a healing of the soul.

٢٥ 25 تُوجَدُ طَرِيقٌ تَظْهَرُ لِلْإِنْسَانِ مُسْتَقِيمَةً وَعَاقِبَتُهَا طُرُقُ ٱلْمَوْتِ.

There are ways that seem to be right to a man, but the end of them looks to the depth of hell. (questioned)

٢٦ 26 نَفْسُ ٱلتَّعِبِ تُتْعِبُ لَهُ، لِأَنَّ فَمَهُ يَحِثُّهُ.

A man who labours, labours for himself, and drives from [him] his own ruin.

٢٧ 27 ٱلرَّجُلُ ٱللَّئِيمُ يَنْبُشُ ٱلشَّرَّ، وَعَلَى شَفَتَيْهِ كَٱلنَّارِ ٱلْمُتَّقِدَةِ.

But the perverse bears destruction upon his own mouth: a foolish man digs up evil for himself, and treasures fire on his own lips.

٢٨ 28 رَجُلُ ٱلْأَكَاذِيبِ يُطْلِقُ ٱلْخُصُومَةَ، وَٱلنَّمَّامُ يُفَرِّقُ ٱلْأَصْدِقَاءَ.

A perverse man spreads mischief, and will kindle a torch of deceit with mischiefs; and he separates friends.

٢٩ 29 اَلرَّجُلُ ٱلظَّالِمُ يُغْوِي صَاحِبَهُ وَيَسُوقُهُ إِلَى طَرِيقٍ غَيْرِ صَالِحَةٍ.

A transgressor tries [to ensnare] friends, and leads them in ways [that are] not good.

٣٠ 30 مَنْ يُغَمِّضُ عَيْنَيْهِ لِيُفَكِّرَ فِي ٱلْأَكَاذِيبِ، وَمَنْ يَعَضُّ شَفَتَيْهِ، فَقَدْ أَكْمَلَ شَرًّا.

And the man that fixes his eyes devises perverse things, and marks out with his lips all evil: he is a furnace of wickedness.

٣١ 31 تَاجُ جَمَالٍ: شَيْبَةٌ تُوجَدُ فِي طَرِيقِ ٱلْبِرِّ.

Old age is a crown of honour, but it is found in the ways of righteousness.

٣٢ 32 اَلْبَطِيءُ ٱلْغَضَبِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ ٱلْجَبَّارِ، وَمَالِكُ رُوحِهِ خَيْرٌ مِمَّنْ يَأْخُذُ مَدِينَةً.

A man slow to anger is better than a strong [man]; and he that governs [his] temper better than he that takes a city.

٣٣ 33 ٱلْقُرْعَةُ تُلْقَى فِي ٱلْحِضْنِ، وَمِنَ ٱلرَّبِّ كُلُّ حُكْمِهَا.

All [evils] come upon the ungodly into [their] bosoms; but all righteous things [come] of the Lord.