أَمْثَالٌ 17

١ 1 لُقْمَةٌ يَابِسَةٌ وَمَعَهَا سَلَامَةٌ، خَيْرٌ مِنْ بَيْتٍ مَلآنٍ ذَبَائِحَ مَعَ خِصَامٍ.

Better a bit of dry bread in peace, than a house full of feasting and violent behaviour.

٢ 2 اَلْعَبْدُ ٱلْفَطِنُ يَتَسَلَّطُ عَلَى ٱلِٱبْنِ ٱلْمُخْزِي وَيُقَاسِمُ ٱلْإِخْوَةَ ٱلْمِيرَاثَ.

A servant who does wisely will have rule over a son causing shame, and will have his part in the heritage among brothers.

٣ 3 ٱلْبُوطَةُ لِلْفِضَّةِ، وَٱلْكُورُ لِلذَّهَبِ، وَمُمْتَحِنُ ٱلْقُلُوبِ ٱلرَّبُّ.

The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.

٤ 4 ٱلْفَاعِلُ ٱلشَّرَّ يَصْغَى إِلَى شَفَةِ ٱلْإِثْمِ، وَٱلْكَاذِبُ يَأْذَنُ لِلِسَانِ فَسَادٍ.

A wrongdoer gives attention to evil lips, and a man of deceit gives ear to a damaging tongue.

٥ 5 ٱلْمُسْتَهْزِئُ بِٱلْفَقِيرِ يُعَيِّرُ خَالِقَهُ. ٱلْفَرْحَانُ بِبَلِيَّةٍ لَا يَتَبَرَّأُ.

Whoever makes sport of the poor puts shame on his Maker; and he who is glad because of trouble will not go free from punishment.

٦ 6 تَاجُ ٱلشُّيُوخِ بَنُو ٱلْبَنِينَ، وَفَخْرُ ٱلْبَنِينَ آبَاؤُهُمْ.

Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their fathers.

٧ 7 لَا تَلِيقُ بِٱلْأَحْمَقِ شَفَةُ ٱلسُّودَدِ. كَمْ بِٱلْأَحْرَى شَفَةُ ٱلْكَذِبِ بِٱلشَّرِيفِ!

Fair words are not to be looked for from a foolish man, much less are false lips in a ruler.

٨ 8 ٱلْهَدِيَّةُ حَجَرٌ كَرِيمٌ فِي عَيْنَيْ قَابِلِهَا، حَيْثُمَا تَتَوَجَّهْ تُفْلِحْ.

An offering of money is like a stone of great price in the eyes of him who has it: wherever he goes, he does well.

٩ 9 مَنْ يَسْتُرْ مَعْصِيَةً يَطْلُبِ ٱلْمَحَبَّةَ، وَمَنْ يُكَرِّرْ أَمْرًا يُفَرِّقْ بَيْنَ ٱلْأَصْدِقَاءِ.

He who keeps a sin covered is looking for love; but he who keeps on talking of a thing makes division between friends.

١٠ 10 اَلِٱنْتِهَارُ يُؤَثِّرُ فِي ٱلْحَكِيمِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ مِئَةِ جَلْدَةٍ فِي ٱلْجَاهِلِ.

A word of protest goes deeper into one who has sense than a hundred blows into a foolish man.

١١ 11 اَلشِّرِّيرُ إِنَّمَا يَطْلُبُ ٱلتَّمَرُّدَ فَيُطْلَقُ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولٌ قَاسٍ.

An uncontrolled man is only looking for trouble, so a cruel servant will be sent against him.

١٢ 12 لِيُصَادِفِ ٱلْإِنْسَانَ دُبَّةٌ ثَكُولٌ وَلَا جَاهِلٌ فِي حَمَاقَتِهِ.

It is better to come face to face with a bear whose young ones have been taken away than with a foolish man acting foolishly.

١٣ 13 مَنْ يُجَازِي عَنْ خَيْرٍ بِشَرٍّ لَنْ يَبْرَحَ ٱلشَّرُّ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ.

If anyone gives back evil for good, evil will never go away from his house.

١٤ 14 اِبْتِدَاءُ ٱلْخِصَامِ إِطْلَاقُ ٱلْمَاءِ، فَقَبْلَ أَنْ تَدْفُقَ ٱلْمُخَاصَمَةُ ٱتْرُكْهَا.

The start of fighting is like the letting out of water: so give up before it comes to blows.

١٥ 15 مُبَرِّئُ ٱلْمُذْنِبَ وَمُذَنِّبُ ٱلْبَرِيءَ كِلَاهُمَا مَكْرَهَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ.

He who gives a decision for the evil-doer and he who gives a decision against the upright, are equally disgusting to the Lord.

١٦ 16 لِمَاذَا فِي يَدِ ٱلْجَاهِلِ ثَمَنٌ؟ أَلِٱقْتِنَاءِ ٱلْحِكْمَةِ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ فَهْمٌ؟

How will money in the hand of the foolish get him wisdom, seeing that he has no sense?

١٧ 17 اَلصَّدِيقُ يُحِبُّ فِي كُلِّ وَقْتٍ، أَمَّا ٱلْأَخُ فَلِلشِّدَّةِ يُولَدُ.

A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble.

١٨ 18 اَلْإِنْسَانُ ٱلنَّاقِصُ ٱلْفَهْمِ يَصْفِقُ كَفًّا وَيَضْمَنُ صَاحِبَهُ ضَمَانًا.

A man without sense gives his hand in an agreement, and makes himself responsible before his neighbour.

١٩ 19 مُحِبُّ ٱلْمَعْصِيَةِ مُحِبُّ ٱلْخِصَامِ. ٱلْمُعَلِّي بَابَهُ يَطْلُبُ ٱلْكَسْرَ.

The lover of fighting is a lover of sin: he who makes high his doorway is looking for destruction.

٢٠ 20 ٱلْمُلْتَوِي ٱلْقَلْبِ لَا يَجِدُ خَيْرًا، وَٱلْمُتَقَلِّبُ ٱللِّسَانِ يَقَعُ فِي ٱلسُّوءِ.

Nothing good comes to him whose heart is fixed on evil purposes: and he who has an evil tongue will come to trouble.

٢١ 21 مَنْ يَلِدُ جَاهِلًا فَلِحَزَنِهِ، وَلَا يَفْرَحُ أَبُو ٱلْأَحْمَقِ.

He who has an unwise son gets sorrow for himself, and the father of a foolish son has no joy.

٢٢ 22 ٱلْقَلْبُ ٱلْفَرْحَانُ يُطَيِّبُ ٱلْجِسْمَ، وَٱلرُّوحُ ٱلْمُنْسَحِقَةُ تُجَفِّفُ ٱلْعَظْمَ.

A glad heart makes a healthy body, but a crushed spirit makes the bones dry.

٢٣ 23 ٱلشِّرِّيرُ يَأْخُذُ ٱلرَّشْوَةَ مِنَ ٱلْحِضْنِ لِيُعَوِّجَ طُرُقَ ٱلْقَضَاءِ.

A sinner takes an offering out of his robe, to get a decision for himself in a cause.

٢٤ 24 ٱلْحِكْمَةُ عِنْدَ ٱلْفَهِيمِ، وَعَيْنَا ٱلْجَاهِلِ فِي أَقْصَى ٱلْأَرْضِ.

Wisdom is before the face of him who has sense; but the eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth.

٢٥ 25 ٱلِٱبْنُ ٱلْجَاهِلُ غَمٌّ لِأَبِيهِ، وَمَرَارَةٌ لِلَّتِي وَلَدَتْهُ.

A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitter pain to her who gave him birth.

٢٦ 26 أَيْضًا تَغْرِيمُ ٱلْبَرِيءِ لَيْسَ بِحَسَنٍ، وَكَذَلِكَ ضَرْبُ ٱلشُّرَفَاءِ لِأَجْلِ ٱلِٱسْتِقَامَةِ.

To give punishment to the upright is not good, or to give blows to the noble for their righteousness.

٢٧ 27 ذُو ٱلْمَعْرِفَةِ يُبْقِي كَلَامَهُ، وَذُو ٱلْفَهْمِ وَقُورُ ٱلرُّوحِ.

He who has knowledge says little: and he who has a calm spirit is a man of good sense.

٢٨ 28 بَلِ ٱلْأَحْمَقُ إِذَا سَكَتَ يُحْسَبُ حَكِيمًا، وَمَنْ ضَمَّ شَفَتَيْهِ فَهِيمًا.

Even the foolish man, when he keeps quiet, is taken to be wise: when his lips are shut he is credited with good sense.