أَمْثَالٌ 19

١ 1 ٱلْفَقِيرُ ٱلسَّالِكُ بِكَمَالِهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُلْتَوِي ٱلشَّفَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَاهِلٌ.

Better is a poor man, walking in his integrity, than one of perverse lips, and, he, a dullard.

٢ 2 أَيْضًا كَوْنُ ٱلنَّفْسِ بِلَا مَعْرِفَةٍ لَيْسَ حَسَنًا، وَٱلْمُسْتَعْجِلُ بِرِجْلَيْهِ يُخْطِئُ.

Surely, for the soul to be, without knowledge, is not good, and, he that hasteth with his feet, strayeth.

٣ 3 حَمَاقَةُ ٱلرَّجُلِ تُعَوِّجُ طَرِيقَهُ، وَعَلَى ٱلرَّبِّ يَحْنَقُ قَلْبُهُ.

The folly of a man, subverteth his way, and, against Yahweh, his heart is angry.

٤ 4 اَلْغِنَى يُكْثِرُ ٱلْأَصْحَابَ، وَٱلْفَقِيرُ مُنْفَصِلٌ عَنْ قَرِيبِهِ.

Wealth, addeth many friends, but, the poor man, from his own friend, is parted.

٥ 5 شَاهِدُ ٱلزُّورِ لَا يَتَبَرَّأُ، وَٱلْمُتَكَلِّمُ بِٱلْأَكَاذِيبِ لَا يَنْجُو.

A false witness, shall not be held innocent, and, he that uttereth lies, shall not escape.

٦ 6 كَثِيرُونَ يَسْتَعْطِفُونَ وَجْهَ ٱلشَّرِيفِ، وَكُلٌّ صَاحِبٌ لِذِي ٱلْعَطَايَا.

Many, will entreat the favour of a noble, and, every one, is a friend to a man abounding in gifts.

٧ 7 كُلُّ إِخْوَةِ ٱلْفَقِيرِ يُبْغِضُونَهُ، فَكَمْ بِٱلْحَرِيِّ أَصْدِقَاؤُهُ يَبْتَعِدُونَ عَنْهُ! مَنْ يَتْبَعُ أَقْوَالًا فَهِيَ لَهُ.

All the brethren of a poor man, hate him, how much more have, his friends, gone far from him, he may hunt up promises—there are none.

٨ 8 اَلْمُقْتَنِي ٱلْحِكْمَةَ يُحِبُّ نَفْسَهُ. ٱلْحَافِظُ ٱلْفَهْمِ يَجِدُ خَيْرًا.

He that acquireth sense, loveth his own soul, he that guardeth understanding, shall find blessing.

٩ 9 شَاهِدُ ٱلزُّورِ لَا يَتَبَرَّأُ، وَٱلْمُتَكَلِّمُ بِٱلْأَكَاذِيبِ يَهْلِكُ.

A false witness, shall not be held innocent, and, he that uttereth lies, shall perish.

١٠ 10 اَلتَّنَعُّمُ لَا يَلِيقُ بِٱلْجَاهِلِ. كَمْ بِٱلْأَوْلَى لَا يَلِيقُ بِٱلْعَبْدِ أَنْ يَتَسَلَّطَ عَلَى ٱلرُّؤَسَاءِ!

Unseemly for a dullard, is delicate living, how much more for, a servant, to bear rule over princes.

١١ 11 تَعَقُّلُ ٱلْإِنْسَانِ يُبْطِئُ غَضَبَهُ، وَفَخْرُهُ ٱلصَّفْحُ عَنْ مَعْصِيَةٍ.

The discretion of a man, deferreth his anger, and, his adorning, is to pass over transgression.

١٢ 12 كَزَمْجَرَةِ ٱلْأَسَدِ حَنَقُ ٱلْمَلِكِ، وَكَالطَّلِّ عَلَى ٱلْعُشْبِ رِضْوَانُهُ.

The growl as of a young lion, is the rage of a king, but, like dew upon the grass, is his good pleasure.

١٣ 13 اَلِٱبْنُ ٱلْجَاهِلُ مُصِيبَةٌ عَلَى أَبِيهِ، وَمُخَاصَمَاتُ ٱلزَّوْجَةِ كَٱلْوَكْفِ ٱلْمُتَتَابِعِ.

Engulfing ruin to his father, is a son that is a dullard, —and, a continuous dripping, are the contentions of a wife.

١٤ 14 اَلْبَيْتُ وَٱلثَّرْوَةُ مِيرَاثٌ مِنَ ٱلْآبَاءِ، أَمَّا ٱلزَّوْجَةُ ٱلْمُتَعَقِّلَةُ فَمِنْ عِنْدِ ٱلرَّبِّ.

House and substance, are an inheritance from one’s fathers, but, from Yahweh, cometh a wife who is prudent.

١٥ 15 اَلْكَسَلُ يُلْقِي فِي ٱلسُّبَاتِ، وَٱلنَّفْسُ ٱلْمُتَرَاخِيَةُ تَجُوعُ.

Sloth, falleth into a deep sleep, and, a soul that is indolent, shall famish.

١٦ 16 حَافِظُ ٱلْوَصِيَّةِ حَافِظٌ نَفْسَهُ، وَٱلْمُتَهَاوِنُ بِطُرُقِهِ يَمُوتُ.

One who guardeth the commandment, guardeth his life, he that is reckless in his ways, shall die.

١٧ 17 مَنْ يَرْحَمُ ٱلْفَقِيرَ يُقْرِضُ ٱلرَّبَّ، وَعَنْ مَعْرُوفِهِ يُجَازِيهِ.

A lender to Yahweh, is one who sheweth favour to the poor, and, his good deed, He will pay him back.

١٨ 18 أَدِّبِ ٱبْنَكَ لِأَنَّ فِيهِ رَجَاءً، وَلَكِنْ عَلَى إِمَاتَتِهِ لَا تَحْمِلْ نَفْسَكَ.

Correct thy son, because there is hope, yet, not so as to slay him, let thy passion be excited.

١٩ 19 اَلشَّدِيدُ ٱلْغَضَبِ يَحْمِلُ عُقُوبَةً، لِأَنَّكَ إِذَا نَجَّيْتَهُ فَبَعْدُ تُعِيدُ.

A man in a rage, taketh away the penalty, —nevertheless, if thou let him go free, the more [stripes] must thou add.

٢٠ 20 اِسْمَعِ ٱلْمَشُورَةَ وَٱقْبَلِ ٱلتَّأْدِيبَ، لِكَيْ تَكُونَ حَكِيمًا فِي آخِرَتِكَ.

Hear counsel, receive correction, that thou mayest be wise in thine after-life.

٢١ 21 فِي قَلْبِ ٱلْإِنْسَانِ أَفْكَارٌ كَثِيرَةٌ، لَكِنْ مَشُورَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ هِيَ تَثْبُتُ.

Many are the devices in a man’s heart, but, the counsel of Yahweh, that, shall stand.

٢٢ 22 زِينَةُ ٱلْإِنْسَانِ مَعْرُوفَهُ، وَٱلْفَقِيرُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ ٱلْكَذُوبِ.

The charm of a man, is his lovingkindness, —and better a poor man, than one who deceiveth.

٢٣ 23 مَخَافَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ لِلْحَيَاةِ. يَبِيتُ شَبْعَانَ لَا يَتَعَهَّدُهُ شَرٌّ.

The reverence of Yahweh, leadeth to life, satisfied then, let a man remain—let him not be visited by calamity.

٢٤ 24 اَلْكَسْلَانُ يُخْفِي يَدَهُ فِي ٱلصَّحْفَةِ، وَأَيْضًا إِلَى فَمِهِ لَا يَرُدُّهَا.

A sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, even unto his own mouth, will he not bring it back.

٢٥ 25 اِضْرِبِ ٱلْمُسْتَهْزِئَ فَيَتَذَكَّى ٱلْأَحْمَقُ، وَوَبِّخْ فَهِيمًا فَيَفْهَمَ مَعْرِفَةً.

The scoffer, thou shalt smite, and, the simple, will beware, but correct a man of intelligence—he will understand teaching.

٢٦ 26 ٱلْمُخَرِّبُ أَبَاهُ وَٱلطَّارِدُ أُمَّهُ هُوَ ٱبْنٌ مُخْزٍ وَمُخْجِلٌ.

He that ruineth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son causing shame and reproach.

٢٧ 27 كُفَّ يَا ٱبْنِي عَنِ ٱسْتِمَاعِ ٱلتَّعْلِيمِ لِلضَّلَالَةِ عَنْ كَلَامِ ٱلْمَعْرِفَةِ.

Cease, my son, to hear instruction that would cause thee to wander from the sayings of knowledge.

٢٨ 28 اَلشَّاهِدُ ٱللَّئِيمُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِٱلْحَقِّ، وَفَمُ ٱلْأَشْرَارِ يَبْلَعُ ٱلْإِثْمَ.

An abandoned witness, scorneth justice, and, the mouth of lawless men, swalloweth iniquity.

٢٩ 29 اَلْقِصَاصُ مُعَدٌّ لِلْمُسْتَهْزِئِينَ، وَٱلضَّرْبُ لِظَهْرِ ٱلْجُهَّالِ.

Prepared for scoffers, are punishments, and stripes, for the back of dullards.