الأمثال 16

١ 1 يَسْعَى الإِنْسَانُ بِالتَّفْكِيرِ وَالتَّدْبِيرِ، إِنَّمَا الرَّبُّ يُعْطِي الْجَوَابَ الْفَاصِلَ.

The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from Adonai.

٢ 2 جَمِيعُ تَصَرُّفَاتِ الإِنْسَانِ تَبْدُو نَقِيَّةً فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِهِ، وَلَكِنَّ الرَّبَّ مُطَّلِعٌ عَلَى حَوَافِزِ الأَرْوَاحِ.

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Adonai weighs the motives.

٣ 3 اطْرَحْ عَلَى الرَّبِّ أَعْمَالَكَ فَتَثْبُتَ مَقَاصِدُكَ.

Commit your deeds to Adonai, and your plans shall succeed.

٤ 4 لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ صَنَعَهُ الرَّبُّ غَرَضٌ فِي ذَاتِهِ، حَتَّى الشِّرِّيرِ لِيَوْمِ الضِّيقِ.

Adonai has made everything for its own end— yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.

٥ 5 كُلُّ مُتَكَبِّرِ الْقَلْبِ رِجْسٌ عِنْدَ الرَّبِّ، وَلَنْ يُفْلِتَ حَتْماً مِنَ الْعِقَابِ.

Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Adonai: they shall certainly not be unpunished.

٦ 6 بِالرَّحْمَةِ وَالْحَقِّ يُسْتَرُ الإِثْمُ، وَبِتَقْوَى الرَّبِّ يَتَفَادَى الإِنْسَانُ الْوُقُوعَ فِي الشَّرِّ.

By cheshed ·loving-kindness· and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of Adonai men depart from evil.

٧ 7 إِذَا رَضِيَ الرَّبُّ عَنْ تَصَرُّفَاتِ الإِنْسَانِ، جَعَلَ أَعْدَاءَهُ أَيْضاً يُسَالِمُونَهُ.

When a man’s ways please Adonai, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

٨ 8 الْمَالُ الْقَلِيلُ مَعَ الْعَدْلِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ دَخْلٍ وَفِيرٍ حَرَامٍ.

Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with lo'mishpat ·injustice·.

٩ 9 عَقْلُ الإِنْسَانِ يَسْعَى فِي تَخْطِيطِ طَرِيقِهِ، وَالرَّبُّ يُوَجِّهُ خَطَوَاتِهِ.

A man’s heart plans his course, but Adonai directs his steps.

١٠ 10 تَنْطِقُ شَفَتَا الْمَلِكِ بِالْوَحْيِ، وَفَمُهُ لاَ يَخُونُ فِي الْقَضَاءِ.

Inspired charges are on the lips of the king. His mouth shall not betray his judgments.

١١ 11 لِلرَّبِّ مِيزَانُ الْعَدْلِ وَقِسْطَاسُهُ، وَجَمِيعُ مَعَايِيرِ كِيسِ التَّاجِرِ مِنْ صُنْعِهِ.

Mishpat ·Honest· balances and scales are Adonai’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.

١٢ 12 مِنَ الرِّجْسِ أَنْ يَرْتَكِبَ الْمَلِكُ الشَّرَّ، لأَنَّ الْعَرْشَ يَقُومُ عَلَى الْبِرِّ.

It is an abomination for kings to do wrong, for the throne is established by righteousness.

١٣ 13 الشِّفَاهُ النَّاطِقَةُ بِالْعَدْلِ مَسَرَّةُ الْمُلُوكِ، وَهُمْ يُحِبُّونَ الْمُتَكَلِّمَ بِالْحَقِّ.

Righteous lips are the delight of kings. They 'ahav ·affectionately love· one who speaks the truth.

١٤ 14 غَضَبُ الْمَلِكِ رَسُولُ الْمَوْتِ، وَعَلَى الْحَكِيمِ اسْتِرْضَاؤُهُ.

The king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.

١٥ 15 فِي بَشَاشَةِ وَجْهِ الْمَلِكِ حَيَاةٌ، وَرِضَاهُ كَسَحَابِ الْمَطَرِ الْمُتَأَخِّرِ.

In the light of the king’s face is life. His favor is like a cloud of the spring rain.

١٦ 16 اقْتِنَاءُ الْحِكْمَةِ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ، وَإِحْرَازُ الْفِطْنَةِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْفِضَّةِ.

How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

١٧ 17 مَنْهَجُ الْمُسْتَقِيمِينَ تَفَادِيهِمْ سَبِيلَ الشَّرِّ، وَمَنْ يَصُونُ مَسْلَكَهُ يَصُونُ نَفْسَهُ.

The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

١٨ 18 قَبْلَ الانْكِسَارِ الْكِبْرِيَاءُ، وَقَبْلَ السُّقُوطِ غَطْرَسَةُ الرُّوحِ.

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

١٩ 19 اتِّضَاعُ الرُّوحِ مَعَ الْوُدَعَاءِ خَيْرٌ مِنِ اقْتِسَامِ الْغَنِيمَةِ مَعَ الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ.

It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud.

٢٠ 20 مَنْ يَتَعَقَّلُ بِكَلِمَةِ اللهِ يُحَالِفُهُ التَّوْفِيقُ، وَطُوبَى لِمَنْ يَتَّكِلُ عَلَى الرَّبِّ.

He who heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts in Adonai is blessed.

٢١ 21 الْحَكِيمُ الْقَلْبِ يُدْعَى فَهِيماً، وَعُذُوبَةُ الْمَنْطِقِ تَزِيدُ مِنْ قُوَّةِ الإِقْنَاعِ.

The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.

٢٢ 22 الْفِطْنَةُ يَنْبُوعُ حَيَاةٍ لِصَاحِبِهَا، وَعِقَابُ الْجَاهِلِ فِي حَمَاقَتِهِ.

Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly.

٢٣ 23 عَقْلُ الْحَكِيمِ يُرْشِدُ فَمَهُ، وَيَزِيدُ مَنْطِقَهُ قُوَّةَ إِقْنَاعٍ.

The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.

٢٤ 24 عُذُوبَةُ الْكَلاَمِ شَهْدُ عَسَلٍ، حُلْوةٌ لِلنَّفْسِ وَعَافِيَةٌ لِلْجَسَدِ.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

٢٥ 25 رُبَّ طَرِيقٍ تَبْدُو لِلإِنْسَانِ قَوِيمَةً وَلَكِنَّ عَاقِبَتَهَا تُفْضِي إِلَى دُرُوبِ الْمَوْتِ.

There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

٢٦ 26 شَهِيَّةُ الْعَامِلِ حَافِزُ عَمَلِهِ، لأَنَّ فَمَهُ الْجَائِعَ يَحُثُّهُ عَلَيْهِ.

The appetite of the laboring man labors for him; for his mouth urges him on.

٢٧ 27 الرَّجُلُ اللَّئِيمُ يَنْبُشُ الشَّرَّ، وَعَلَى شَفَتَيْهِ تَتَوَهَّجُ نَارٌ مُتَّقِدَةٌ.

A worthless man devises mischief. His speech is like a scorching fire.

٢٨ 28 الْمُنَافِقُ يُثِيرُ الْخُصُومَاتِ، وَالنَّمَّامُ يُفَرِّقُ الأَصْدِقَاءَ.

A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends.

٢٩ 29 الرَّجُلُ الظَّالِمُ يَسْتَغْوِي قَرِيبَهُ، وَيَجْعَلُهُ يَتَنَكَّبُ عَنْ سَوَاءِ السَّبِيلِ.

A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads him in a way that is not good.

٣٠ 30 مَنْ يَغْمِزُ بِعَيْنَيْهِ هُوَ مُتَآمِرٌ بِالْمَكَائِدِ، وَمَنْ يَعُضُّ عَلَى شَفَتَيْهِ فَقَدْ أَتَمَّ خُطَّةَ الشَّرِّ.

One who winks his eyes to plot perversities, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.

٣١ 31 الشَّيْبَةُ إِكْلِيلُ بَهَاءٍ، وَلاَ سِيَّمَا فِي طَرِيقِ الْبِرِّ.

Gray hair is a crown of glory. It is attained by a life of righteousness.

٣٢ 32 الْبَطِيءُ الْغَضَبِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْمُحَارِبِ الْعَاتِي، وَالضَّابِطُ أَهْوَاءَ رُوحِهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ قَاهِرِ الْمُدُنِ.

One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city.

٣٣ 33 تُلْقَى الْقُرْعَةُ فِي الْحِضْنِ، وَلَكِنَّ الْقَرَارَ مَرْهُونٌ كُلُّهُ لأَمْرِ الرَّبِّ.

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every mishpat ·decision· is from Adonai.