أَمْثَالٌ 3

١ 1 يَا ٱبْنِي، لَا تَنْسَ شَرِيعَتِي، بَلْ لِيَحْفَظْ قَلْبُكَ وَصَايَايَ.

MY son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

٢ 2 فَإِنَّهَا تَزِيدُكَ طُولَ أَيَّامٍ، وَسِنِي حَيَاةٍ وَسَلَامَةً.

For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

٣ 3 لَا تَدَعِ ٱلرَّحْمَةَ وَٱلْحَقَّ يَتْرُكَانِكَ. تَقَلَّدْهُمَا عَلَى عُنُقِكَ. اُكْتُبْهُمَا عَلَى لَوْحِ قَلْبِكَ،

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

٤ 4 فَتَجِدَ نِعْمَةً وَفِطْنَةً صَالِحَةً فِي أَعْيُنِ ٱللهِ وَٱلنَّاسِ.

So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

٥ 5 تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱلرَّبِّ بِكُلِّ قَلْبِكَ، وَعَلَى فَهْمِكَ لَا تَعْتَمِدْ.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

٦ 6 فِي كُلِّ طُرُقِكَ ٱعْرِفْهُ، وَهُوَ يُقَوِّمُ سُبُلَكَ.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

٧ 7 لَا تَكُنْ حَكِيمًا فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِكَ. ٱتَّقِ ٱلرَّبَّ وَٱبْعُدْ عَنِ ٱلشَّرِّ،

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

٨ 8 فَيَكُونَ شِفَاءً لِسُرَّتِكَ، وَسَقَاءً لِعِظَامِكَ.

It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

٩ 9 أَكْرِمِ ٱلرَّبَّ مِنْ مَالِكَ وَمِنْ كُلِّ بَاكُورَاتِ غَلَّتِكَ،

Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

١٠ 10 فَتَمْتَلِئَ خَزَائِنُكَ شِبْعًا، وَتَفِيضَ مَعَاصِرُكَ مِسْطَارًا.

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

١١ 11 يَا ٱبْنِي، لَا تَحْتَقِرْ تَأْدِيبَ ٱلرَّبِّ وَلَا تَكْرَهْ تَوْبِيخَهُ،

My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:

١٢ 12 لِأَنَّ ٱلَّذِي يُحِبُّهُ ٱلرَّبُّ يُؤَدِّبُهُ، وَكَأَبٍ بِٱبْنٍ يُسَرُّ بِهِ.

For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

١٣ 13 طُوبَى لِلْإِنْسَانِ ٱلَّذِي يَجِدُ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ، وَلِلرَّجُلِ ٱلَّذِي يَنَالُ ٱلْفَهْمَ،

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

١٤ 14 لِأَنَّ تِجَارَتَهَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ تِجَارَةِ ٱلْفِضَّةِ، وَرِبْحَهَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ ٱلذَّهَبِ ٱلْخَالِصِ.

For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

١٥ 15 هِيَ أَثْمَنُ مِنَ ٱلَّلآلِئِ، وَكُلُّ جَوَاهِرِكَ لَا تُسَاوِيهَا.

She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

١٦ 16 فِي يَمِينِهَا طُولُ أَيَّامٍ، وَفِي يَسَارِهَا ٱلْغِنَى وَٱلْمَجْدُ.

Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

١٧ 17 طُرُقُهَا طُرُقُ نِعَمٍ، وَكُلُّ مَسَالِكِهَا سَلَامٌ.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

١٨ 18 هِيَ شَجَرَةُ حَيَاةٍ لِمُمْسِكِيهَا، وَٱلْمُتَمَسِّكُ بِهَا مَغْبُوطٌ.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

١٩ 19 ٱلرَّبُّ بِٱلْحِكْمَةِ أَسَّسَ ٱلْأَرْضَ. أَثْبَتَ ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ بِٱلْفَهْمِ.

The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

٢٠ 20 بِعِلْمِهِ ٱنْشَقَّتِ ٱللُّجَجُ، وَتَقْطُرُ ٱلسَّحَابُ نَدًى.

By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

٢١ 21 يَا ٱبْنِي، لَا تَبْرَحْ هَذِهِ مِنْ عَيْنَيْكَ. ٱحْفَظِ ٱلرَّأْيَ وَٱلتَّدْبِيرَ،

My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

٢٢ 22 فَيَكُونَا حَيَاةً لِنَفْسِكَ، وَنِعْمَةً لِعُنُقِكَ.

So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

٢٣ 23 حِينَئِذٍ تَسْلُكُ فِي طَرِيقِكَ آمِنًا، وَلَا تَعْثُرُ رِجْلُكَ.

Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

٢٤ 24 إِذَا ٱضْطَجَعْتَ فَلَا تَخَافُ، بَلْ تَضْطَجِعُ وَيَلُذُّ نَوْمُكَ.

When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

٢٥ 25 لَا تَخْشَى مِنْ خَوْفٍ بَاغِتٍ، وَلَا مِنْ خَرَابِ ٱلْأَشْرَارِ إِذَا جَاءَ.

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

٢٦ 26 لِأَنَّ ٱلرَّبَّ يَكُونُ مُعْتَمَدَكَ، وَيَصُونُ رِجْلَكَ مِنْ أَنْ تُؤْخَذَ.

For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

٢٧ 27 لَا تَمْنَعِ ٱلْخَيْرَ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ، حِينَ يَكُونُ فِي طَاقَةِ يَدِكَ أَنْ تَفْعَلَهُ.

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

٢٨ 28 لَا تَقُلْ لِصَاحِبِكَ: «ٱذْهَبْ وَعُدْ فَأُعْطِيَكَ غَدًا» وَمَوْجُودٌ عِنْدَكَ.

Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

٢٩ 29 لَا تَخْتَرِعْ شَرًّا عَلَى صَاحِبِكَ، وَهُوَ سَاكِنٌ لَدَيْكَ آمِنًا.

Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

٣٠ 30 لَا تُخَاصِمْ إِنْسَانًا بِدُونِ سَبَبٍ، إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ قَدْ صَنَعَ مَعَكَ شَرًّا.

Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.

٣١ 31 لَا تَحْسِدِ ٱلظَّالِمَ وَلَا تَخْتَرْ شَيْئًا مِنْ طُرُقِهِ،

Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

٣٢ 32 لِأَنَّ ٱلْمُلْتَوِيَ رَجْسٌ عِنْدَ ٱلرَّبِّ، أَمَّا سِرُّهُ فَعِنْدَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمِينَ.

For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.

٣٣ 33 لَعْنَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ فِي بَيْتِ ٱلشِّرِّيرِ، لَكِنَّهُ يُبَارِكُ مَسْكَنَ ٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ.

The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.

٣٤ 34 كَمَا أَنَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِٱلْمُسْتَهْزِئِينَ، هَكَذَا يُعْطِي نِعْمَةً لِلْمُتَوَاضِعِينَ.

Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.

٣٥ 35 ٱلْحُكَمَاءُ يَرِثُونَ مَجْدًا وَٱلْحَمْقَى يَحْمِلُونَ هَوَانًا.

The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.