الأمثال 26

١ 1 الْكَرَامَةُ لاَ تَلِيقُ بِالْجَاهِلِ، فَهِيَ كَالثَّلْجِ فِي الصَّيْفِ، وَكَالْمَطَرِ فِي مَوْسِمِ الْحَصَادِ.

Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so kavod ·weighty glory· is not fitting for a fool.

٢ 2 اللَّعْنَةُ مِنْ غَيْرِ عِلَّةٍ لاَ تَسْتَقِرُّ، فَهِيَ كَالْعُصْفُورِ الْحَائِمِ وَالْيَمَامَةِ الطَّائِرَةِ.

Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse does not come to rest.

٣ 3 السَّوْطُ لِلْفَرَسِ، وَاللِّجَامُ لِلْحِمَارِ، وَالْعَصَا لِظُهُورِ الْجُهَّالِ.

A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!

٤ 4 لاَ تُجِبِ الْجَاهِلَ بِمِثْلِ حُمْقِهِ لِئَلاَّ تُصْبِحَ مِثْلَهُ.

Don’t answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.

٥ 5 رُدَّ عَلَى الْجَاهِلِ حَسَبَ جَهْلِهِ لِئَلاَّ يَضْحَى حَكِيماً فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِهِ.

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

٦ 6 مَنْ يَبْعَثُ بِرِسَالَةٍ عَلَى فَمِ جَاهِلٍ يَكُونُ كَمَنْ يَبْتُرُ الرِّجْلَيْنِ أَوْ يَجْرَعُ الظُّلْمَ.

One who sends a message by the hand of a fool is cutting off feet and drinking violence.

٧ 7 الْمَثَلُ فِي فَمِ الْجُهَّالِ كَسَاقَيِ الأَعْرَجِ الْمُرْتَخِيَتَيْنِ.

Like the legs of the lame that hang loose: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

٨ 8 مَثَلُ مَنْ يُكْرِمُ الْجَاهِلَ كَمَثَلِ مَنْ يَضْرِبُ حَجَراً فِي مِقْلاَعٍ (وَيَقْذِفُهُ بَعِيداً).

As one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives kavod ·weighty glory· to a fool.

٩ 9 الْمَثَلُ فِي فَمِ الْجُهَّالِ كَشَوْكٍ فِي يَدِ سَكْرَانٍ.

Like a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

١٠ 10 مَنْ يَسْتَأْجِرُ الْجَاهِلَ أَوْ أَيَّ عَابِرِ طَرِيقٍ، يَكُونُ كَرَامِي سِهَامٍ، يُصِيبُ عَلَى غَيْرِ هُدىً.

As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.

١١ 11 كَمَا يَعُودُ الْكَلْبُ إِلَى قَيْئِهِ، هَكَذَا يَعُودُ الْجَاهِلُ لِيَرْتَكِبَ حَمَاقَتَهُ.

As a dog that makes teshuvah ·completely returns· to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.

١٢ 12 أَشَاهَدْتَ رَجُلاً مُعْتَزّاً بِحِكْمَتِهِ؟ إِنَّ لِلْجَاهِلِ رَجَاءً فِي الإِصْلاحِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْهُ.

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

١٣ 13 يَقُولُ الْكَسُولُ: فِي الطَّرِيقِ أَسَدٌ، وَفِي الشَّوَارِعِ لَيْثٌ.

The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!”

١٤ 14 كَمَا يَدُورُ الْبَابُ عَلَى مَفَاصِلِهِ، يَتَقَلَّبُ الْكَسُولُ فِي فِرَاشِهِ.

As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.

١٥ 15 يَدْفِنُ الْكَسُولُ يَدَهُ فِي صَحْفَتِهِ وَيَشُقُّ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَرُدَّهَا إِلَى فَمِهِ.

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

١٦ 16 الْكَسُولُ أَكْثَرُ حِكْمَةً فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِهِ مِنْ سَبْعَةٍ يُجِيبُونَ بِفِطْنَةٍ.

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.

١٧ 17 مَنْ يَتَدَخَّلُ فِي خُصُومَةٍ لاَ تَعْنِيهِ يَكُنْ كَمَنْ يَقْبِضُ عَلَى أُذُنَيْ كَلْبٍ عَابِرٍ.

Like one who grabs a dog’s ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.

١٨ 18 كَمَجْنُونٍ يَقْذِفُ شَرَراً وَسِهَاماً وَمَوْتاً،

Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,

١٩ 19 مَنْ يَخْدَعُ قَرِيبَهُ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: كُنْتُ أَمْزَحُ فَقَطْ!

is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?”

٢٠ 20 كَمَا تَخْمُدُ النَّارُ لافْتِقَارِهَا إِلَى الْحَطَبِ، هَكَذَا تَكُفُّ الْخُصُومَةُ حِينَمَا يَغِيبُ النَّمَّامُ.

For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.

٢١ 21 كَمَا أَنَّ الْفَحْمَ يَزِيدُ مِنِ اتِّقَادِ الْجَمْرِ، وَالْحَطَبَ مِنِ اشْتِعَالِ النَّارِ، هَكَذَا صَاحِبُ الْخُصُومَةِ يُضْرِمُ النِّزَاعَ.

As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.

٢٢ 22 هَمَسَاتُ النَّمَّامِ كَلُقَمٍ سَائِغَةٍ تَنْزَلِقُ إِلَى بَوَاطِنِ الْجَوْفِ!

The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.

٢٣ 23 الشَّفَتَانِ الْمُتَوَهِّجَتَانِ وَالْقَلْبُ الشِّرِّيرُ مِثْلُ فِضَّةِ زَغَلٍ تُغَطِّي خَزَفَةً.

Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.

٢٤ 24 الرَّجُلُ الْمَاكِرُ يُطْلِي نَوَايَاهُ بِمَعْسُولِ الشِّفَاهِ، وَلَكِنَّهُ يُرَاعِي الْحِقْدَ فِي قَلْبِهِ،

A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart.

٢٥ 25 إِنْ تَمَلَّقَكَ بِعُذُوبَةِ حَدِيثِهِ، فَلاَ تَأْتَمِنْهُ، لأَنَّ قَلْبَهُ مُفْعَمٌ بِسَبْعَةِ صُنُوفٍ مِنَ الرَّجَاسَاتِ.

When his speech is pleasant, don’t believe him; for there are seven abominations in his heart.

٢٦ 26 إِنْ وَارَى حِقْدَهُ بِمَكْرٍ، فَإِنَّ نِفَاقَهُ يُفْتَضَحُ بَيْنَ الْجَمَاعَةِ.

His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

٢٧ 27 مَنْ يَحْفِرُ حُفْرَةً لإِيذَاءِ غَيْرِهِ يَقَعُ فِيهَا، وَمَنْ دَحْرَجَ حَجَراً يَرْتَدُّ عَلَيْهِ.

Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.

٢٨ 28 اللِّسَانُ الْكَاذِبُ يَمْقُتُ ضَحَايَاهُ، وَالْفَمُ الْمَلِقُ يُسَبِّبُ خَرَاباً.

A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.