الأمثال 11

١ 1 الْمِيزَانُ الْمَغْشُوشُ رِجْسٌ لَدَى الرَّبِّ، وَالْمِكْيَالُ الْوَافِي يَحُوزُ رِضَاهُ.

A false balance [is] abomination to the LORD: but a just weight [is] his delight.

٢ 2 حِينَمَا تُقْبِلُ الْكِبْرِيَاءُ يُقْبِلُ مَعَهَا الْهَوَانُ، أَمَّا الْحِكْمَةُ فَتَأْتِي مَعَ الْمُتَوَاضِعِينَ.

[When] pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly [is] wisdom.

٣ 3 كَمَالُ الْمُسْتَقِيمِينَ يَهْدِيهِمْ، وَاعْوِجَاجُ الْغَادِرِينَ يُدَمِّرُهُمْ.

The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

٤ 4 لاَ يُجْدِي الْغِنَى فِي يَوْمِ قَضَاءِ الرَّبِّ، أَمَّا الْبِرُّ فَيُنَجِّي مِنَ الْمَوْتِ.

Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

٥ 5 بِرُّ الْكَامِلِ يُقَوِّمُ طَرِيقَهُ، أَمَّا الشِّرِّيرُ فَيَسْقُطُ فِي حُفْرَةِ شَرِّهِ.

The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

٦ 6 بِرُّ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ يُنَجِّيهِ، وَالْغَادِرُونَ يُؤْخَذُونَ بِفُجُورِهِمْ.

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in [their own] naughtiness.

٧ 7 إِذَا مَاتَ الشِّرِّيرُ يَفْنَى رَجَاؤُهُ، وَأَمَلُ الأَثَمَةِ يَبِيدُ.

When a wicked man dieth, [his] expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust [men] perisheth.

٨ 8 الصِّدِّيقُ يَنْجُو مِنَ الضِّيقِ، وَفِي مَكَانِهِ يَحِلُّ الشِّرِّيرُ.

The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

٩ 9 يُدَمِّرُ الْمُنَافِقُ صَاحِبَهُ بِأَقْوَالِهِ، وَيَنْجُو الصِّدِّيقُ بِالْمَعْرِفَةِ.

An hypocrite with [his] mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

١٠ 10 تَتَهَلَّلُ الْمَدِينَةُ لِفَلاَحِ الأَبْرَارِ، وَيَشِيعُ هُتَافُ الْبَهْجَةِ لَدَى مَوْتِ الأَشْرَارِ.

When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, [there is] shouting.

١١ 11 بِبَرَكَةِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِينَ تَتَعَظَّمُ الْمَدِينَةُ، وَتُهْدَمُ بِسَبَبِ أَقْوَالِ الأَشْرَارِ.

By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

١٢ 12 مَنْ يَحْتَقِرُ جَارَهُ يَفْتَقِرُ إِلَى الإِدْرَاكِ السَّلِيمِ، وَذُو الْفِطْنَةِ يَعْتَصِمُ بِالصَّمْتِ.

He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

١٣ 13 الْوَاشِي يُفْشِي السِّرَّ، وَالأَمِينُ النَّفْسِ يَكْتُمُهُ.

A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

١٤ 14 يَسْقُطُ الشَّعْبُ حَيْثُ تَنْعَدِمُ الْهِدَايَةُ، وَبِكَثْرَةِ الْمُشِيرِينَ يَتَحَقَّقُ الْخَلاصُ.

Where no counsel [is], the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors [there is] safety.

١٥ 15 مَنْ يَضْمَنُ الْغَرِيبَ يَتَعَرَّضُ لأَشَدِّ الأَذَى، وَمَنْ يَمْقُتُ الضَّامِنِينَ بِصَفْقِ الأَيْدِي يَطْمَئِنُّ.

He that is surety for a stranger shall smart [for it: ] and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

١٦ 16 الْمَرْأَةُ الرَّقِيقَةُ الْقَلْبِ تَحْظَى بِالْكَرَامَةِ، وَالْعُنَفَاءُ لاَ يَحْصُلُونَ إِلاَّ عَلَى الْغِنَى.

A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong [men] retain riches.

١٧ 17 الرَّحِيمُ يُحْسِنُ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ، وَالْقَاسِي يُؤْذِي ذَاتَهُ.

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but [he that is] cruel troubleth his own flesh.

١٨ 18 الشِّرِّيرُ يَكْسَبُ أُجْرَةَ غِشٍّ زَائِلَةً، أَمَّا زَارِعُ الْبِرِّ فَلَهُ ثَوَابٌ أَكِيدٌ دَائِمٌ.

The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness [shall be] a sure reward.

١٩ 19 الْمُتَشَبِّثُ بِالْبِرِّ يَحْيَا، وَمَنْ يَتْبَعُ الشَّرَّ يَمُوتُ.

As righteousness [tendeth] to life: so he that pursueth evil [pursueth it] to his own death.

٢٠ 20 ذَوُو الْقُلُوبِ الْمُعْوَجَّةِ رِجْسٌ لَدَى الرَّبِّ، وَبِذَوِي السِّيرَةِ الْمُسْتَقِيمَةِ مَرْضَاتُهُ.

They that are of a froward heart [are] abomination to the LORD: but [such as are] upright in [their] way [are] his delight.

٢١ 21 الشِّرِّيرُ لاَ يُفْلِتُ حَتْماً مِنَ الْعِقَابِ، أَمَّا ذُرِّيَّةُ الصِّدِّيقِينَ فَتَنْجُو.

[Though] hand [join] in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

٢٢ 22 الْمَرْأَةُ الْجَمِيلَةُ الْمُجَرَّدَةُ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ كَخِزَامَةٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ فِي أَنْفِ خِنْزِيرَةٍ.

[As] a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, [so is] a fair woman which is without discretion.

٢٣ 23 بُغْيَةُ الصِّدِّيقِينَ الْخَيْرُ فَقَطْ، أَمَّا تَوَقُّعَاتُ الشِّرِّيرِ فَهِيَ فِي الْغَضَبِ.

The desire of the righteous [is] only good: [but] the expectation of the wicked [is] wrath.

٢٤ 24 قَدْ يَسْخُو الْمَرْءُ بِمَا عِنْدَهُ فَيَزْدَادُ غِنىً وَيَبْخَلُ آخَرُ بِمَا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَسْخُوَ بِهِ فَيَفْتَقِرُ.

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and [there is] that withholdeth more than is meet, but [it tendeth] to poverty.

٢٥ 25 النَّفْسُ السَّخِيَّةُ تَزْدَادُ ثَرَاءً، وَالْمُرْوِي يُرْوَى أَيْضاً.

The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

٢٦ 26 يَلْعَنُ الشَّعْبُ مُحْتَكِرَ الْحِنْطَةِ، وَتَحُلُّ الْبَرَكَةُ عَلَى رَأْسِ مَنْ يَبِيعُهَا.

He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing [shall be] upon the head of him that selleth [it].

٢٧ 27 مَنْ يَسْعَى فِي الْخَيْرِ، يَلْتَمِسُ الرِّضَى، وَمَنْ يَنْشُدُ الشَّرَّ يُقْبِلُ إِلَيْهِ.

He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.

٢٨ 28 مَنْ يَتَّكِلُ عَلَى غِنَاهُ يَسْقُطُ، أَمَّا الصِّدِّيقُونَ فَيَزْهُونَ كَأَوْرَاقِ الشَّجَرِ الْخَضْرَاءِ.

He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

٢٩ 29 مَنْ يُكَدِّرُ حَيَاةَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ يَرِثُ الرِّيحَ، وَيُصْبِحُ الأَحْمَقُ خَادِماً لِلْحَكِيمِ.

He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool [shall be] servant to the wise of heart.

٣٠ 30 ثَمَرُ الصِّدِّيقِ شَجَرَةُ حَيَاةٍ، وَرَابِحُ النُّفُوسِ حَكِيمٌ.

The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life; and he that winneth souls [is] wise.

٣١ 31 إِنْ كَانَ الصِّدِّيقُ يُجَازَى عَلَى الأَرْضِ، فَكَمْ بِالْحَرِيِّ يَكُونُ جَزَاءُ الشِّرِّيرِ وَالْخَاطِئِ.

Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.