أَمْثَالٌ 9
| اَلْحِكْمَةُ بَنَتْ بَيْتَهَا. نَحَتَتْ أَعْمِدَتَهَا ٱلسَّبْعَةَ. | ١ 1 |
Wisdom has built a house for herself, and set up seven pillars.
| ذَبَحَتْ ذَبْحَهَا. مَزَجَتْ خَمْرَهَا. أَيْضًا رَتَّبَتْ مَائِدَتَهَا. | ٢ 2 |
She has killed her beasts; she has mingled her wine in a bowl, and prepared her table.
| أَرْسَلَتْ جَوَارِيَهَا تُنَادِي عَلَى ظُهُورِ أَعَالِي ٱلْمَدِينَةِ: | ٣ 3 |
She has sent forth her servants, calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying,
| «مَنْ هُوَ جَاهِلٌ فَلْيَمِلْ إِلَى هُنَا». وَٱلنَّاقِصُ ٱلْفَهْمِ قَالَتْ لَهُ: | ٤ 4 |
Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside to me: and to them that want understanding she says,
| «هَلُمُّوا كُلُوا مِنْ طَعَامِي، وَٱشْرَبُوا مِنَ ٱلْخَمْرِ ٱلَّتِي مَزَجْتُهَا. | ٥ 5 |
Come, eat of my bread, and drink wine which I have mingled for you.
| اُتْرُكُوا ٱلْجَهَالَاتِ فَتَحْيَوْا، وَسِيرُوا فِي طَرِيقِ ٱلْفَهْمِ». | ٦ 6 |
Leave folly, that ye may reign for ever; and seek wisdom, and improve understanding by knowledge.
| مَنْ يُوَبِّخْ مُسْتَهْزِئًا يَكْسَبْ لِنَفْسِهِ هَوَانًا، وَمَنْ يُنْذِرْ شِرِّيرًا يَكْسَبْ عَيْبًا. | ٧ 7 |
He that reproves evil [men] shall get dishonour to himself; and he that rebukes an ungodly [man] shall disgrace himself.
| لَا تُوَبِّخْ مُسْتَهْزِئًا لِئَلَّا يُبْغِضَكَ. وَبِّخْ حَكِيمًا فَيُحِبَّكَ. | ٨ 8 |
Rebuke not evil [men], lest they should hate thee: rebuke a wise [man], and he will love thee.
| أَعْطِ حَكِيمًا فَيَكُونَ أَوْفَرَ حِكْمَةً. عَلِّمْ صِدِّيقًا فَيَزْدَادَ عِلْمًا. | ٩ 9 |
Give an opportunity to a wise [man], and he will be wiser: instruct a just man, and he will receive more [instruction].
| بَدْءُ ٱلْحِكْمَةِ مَخَافَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ، وَمَعْرِفَةُ ٱلْقُدُّوسِ فَهْمٌ. | ١٠ 10 |
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of saints is understanding: for to know the law is [the character] of a sound mind.
| لِأَنَّهُ بِي تَكْثُرُ أَيَّامُكَ وَتَزْدَادُ لَكَ سِنُو حَيَاةٍ. | ١١ 11 |
For in this way thou shalt live long, and years of thy life shall be added to thee.
| إِنْ كُنْتَ حَكِيمًا فَأَنْتَ حَكِيمٌ لِنَفْسِكَ، وَإِنِ ٱسْتَهْزَأْتَ فَأَنْتَ وَحْدَكَ تَتَحَمَّلُ. | ١٢ 12 |
Son, if thou be wise for thyself, thou shalt also be wise for thy neighbours; and if thou shouldest prove wicked, thou alone wilt bear the evil. He that stays himself upon falsehoods, attempts to rule the winds, and the same will pursue birds in their fight: for he has forsaken the ways of his own vineyard, and he has caused the axles of his own husbandry to go astray; and he goes through a dry desert, and a [land] appointed to drought, and he gathers barrenness with his hands.
| اَلْمَرْأَةُ ٱلْجَاهِلَةُ صَخَّابَةٌ حَمْقَاءُ وَلَا تَدْرِي شَيْئًا، | ١٣ 13 |
A foolish and bold woman, who knows not modesty, comes to want a morsel.
| فَتَقْعُدُ عِنْدَ بَابِ بَيْتِهَا عَلَى كُرْسِيٍّ فِي أَعَالِي ٱلْمَدِينَةِ، | ١٤ 14 |
She sits at the doors of her house, on a seat openly in the streets,
| لِتُنَادِيَ عَابِرِي ٱلسَّبِيلِ ٱلْمُقَوِّمِينَ طُرُقَهُمْ: | ١٥ 15 |
calling to passers by, and to those that are going right on their ways;
| «مَنْ هُوَ جَاهِلٌ فَلْيَمِلْ إِلَى هُنَا». وَٱلنَّاقِصُ ٱلْفَهْمِ تَقُولُ لَهُ: | ١٦ 16 |
[saying], Whoso is most senseless of you, let him turn aside to me; and I exhort those that want prudence, saying,
| «ٱلْمِيَاهُ ٱلْمَسْرُوقَةُ حُلْوَةٌ، وَخُبْزُ ٱلْخُفْيَةِ لَذِيذٌ». | ١٧ 17 |
Take and enjoy secret bread, and the sweet water of theft.
