Proverbs 18
1 Whoever has a will to withdraw from a friend, seeks occasions; he shall be reproached at all times.
| الْمُعْتَزِلُ (عَنِ اللهِ وَالنَّاسِ) يَنْشُدُ شَهْوَتَهُ وَيَتَنَكَّرُ لِكُلِّ مَشُورَةٍ صَائِبَةٍ. | ١ |
2 The foolish do not accept words of prudence, unless you say what is already turning in his heart.
| لَا يَعْبَأُ الْجَاهِلُ بِالْفِطْنَةِ، بَلْ هَمُّهُ الإِعْرَابُ عَمَّا فِي نَفْسِهِ. | ٢ |
3 The impious, when he has arrived within the depths of sin, thinks little of it. But ill repute and disgrace follow him.
| إِذَا أَقْبَلَ الشِّرِّيرُ أَقْبَلَ مَعَهُ الاحْتِقَارُ، وَالْعَارُ يُلازِمُ الْهَوَانَ. | ٣ |
4 Words from the mouth of a man are deep waters. And the fountain of wisdom is a torrent overflowing.
| كَلِمَاتُ الإِنْسَانِ مِيَاهٌ عَمِيقَةٌ يَتَعَذَّرُ سَبْرُ غَوْرِهَا، وَيَنْبُوعُ الْحِكْمَةِ نَهْرٌ مُتَدَفِّقٌ. | ٤ |
5 It is not good to accept the character of the impious, so as to turn away from true judgment.
| مِنَ السُّوءِ مُحَابَاةُ الشِّرِّيرِ، أَوْ حِرْمَانُ الْبَرِيءِ مِنَ الْقَضَاءِ الْحَقِّ. | ٥ |
6 The lips of the foolish meddle in disputes. And his mouth provokes conflicts.
| أَقْوَالُ الْجَاهِلِ تُوْقِعُهُ فِي الْمَتَاعِبِ، وَكَلِمَاتُهُ تُسَبِّبُ لَهُ الضَّرْبَ. | ٦ |
7 The mouth of the foolish is his destruction, and his own lips are the ruin of his soul.
| كَلِمَاتُ الْجَاهِلِ مَهْلَكَةٌ لَهُ، وَأَقْوَالُهُ فَخٌّ لِنَفْسِهِ. | ٧ |
8 The words of the double-tongued seem simple. And they reach even to the interior of the gut. Fear casts down the lazy, but the souls of the effeminate shall go hungry.
| هَمْسَاتُ النَّمَّامِ كَلُقَمٍ سَائِغَةٍ تَنْزَلِقُ إِلَى بَوَاطِنِ الْجَوْفِ. | ٨ |
9 Whoever is dissolute and slack in his work is the brother of him who wastes his own works.
| الْمُتَقَاعِسُ عَنْ عَمَلِهِ هُوَ أَخُو الهَادِمِ. | ٩ |
10 The name of the Lord is a very strong tower. The just one rushes to it, and he shall be exalted.
| اسْمُ الرَّبِّ بُرْجٌ مَنِيعٌ يُهْرَعُ إِلَيْهِ الصِّدِّيقُ وَيَنْجُو مِنَ الْخَطَرِ. | ١٠ |
11 The substance of the wealthy is the city of his strength, and it is like a strong wall encircling him.
| ثَرْوَةُ الْغَنِيِّ مَدِينَتُهُ الْحَصِينَةُ، وَهِيَ فِي وَهْمِهِ سُورٌ شَامِخٌ. | ١١ |
12 The heart of a man is exalted before it is crushed and humbled before it is glorified.
| قَبْلَ الانْكِسَارِ تَشَامُخُ الْقَلْبِ، وَقَبْلَ الْكَرَامَةِ التَّواضُعُ. | ١٢ |
13 Whoever responds before he listens, demonstrates himself to be foolish and deserving of confusion.
| مَنْ أَجَابَ عَنْ أَمْرٍ مَازَالَ يَجْهَلُهُ، فَذَاكَ حَمَاقَةٌ مِنْهُ وَعَارٌ لَهُ. | ١٣ |
14 The spirit of a man sustains his weakness. Yet who can sustain a spirit that is easily angered?
| رُوحُ الإِنْسَانِ الْقَوِيَّةُ تَحْتَمِلُ مَرَضَهُ، أَمَّا الرُّوحُ الْمُنْسَحِقَةُ فَمَنْ يَتَحَمَّلُهَا؟ | ١٤ |
15 A prudent heart shall possess knowledge. And the ear of the wise seeks doctrine.
| عَقْلُ الْفَهِيمِ يَقْتَنِي مَعْرِفَةً، وَأُذُنُ الْحُكَمَاءِ تَنْشُدُ عِلْماً. | ١٥ |
16 A man’s gift expands his way and makes space for him before leaders.
| هَدِيَّةُ الإِنْسَانِ تُمَهِّدُ لَهُ السَّبِيلَ، وَتَجْعَلُهُ يَمْثُلُ أَمَامَ الْعُظَمَاءِ. | ١٦ |
17 The just is the first accuser of himself; his friend arrives and shall investigate him.
| مَنْ يَعْرِضُ قَضِيَّتَهُ أَوَّلاً يَبْدُو مُحِقّاً إِلَى أَنْ يَأْتِيَ آخَرُ وَيَسْتَجْوِبَهُ. | ١٧ |
18 Casting a lot suppresses contentions and passes judgment, even among the powerful.
| تَفْصِلُ الْقُرْعَةُ فِي الْخُصُومَاتِ وَتَحْسِمُ الأَمْرَ بَيْنَ الْمُتَنَازِعِينَ الأَقْوِيَاءِ. | ١٨ |
19 A brother who is helped by a brother is like a reinforced city, and judgments are like the bars of cities.
| إِرْضَاءُ الأَخِ الْمُتَأَذِّي أَصْعَبُ مِنْ قَهْرِ مَدِينَةٍ حَصِينَةٍ، وَالْمُخَاصَمَاتُ كَعَارِضَةِ قَلْعَةٍ. | ١٩ |
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth shall his belly be filled. And the harvest of his own lips shall satisfy him.
| مِنْ ثَمَرِ أَقْوَالِ الإِنْسَانِ تَشْبَعُ ذَاتُهُ، وَمِنْ غَلَّةِ كَلِمَاتِهِ يَلْقَى جَزَاءَهُ | ٢٠ |
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Whoever values it shall eat from its fruits.
| فِي اللِّسَانِ حَيَاةٌ أَوْ مَوْتٌ، وَالْمُوْلَعُونَ بِاسْتِخْدَامِهِ يَتَحَمَّلُونَ الْعَوَاقِبَ. | ٢١ |
22 He who has found a good wife has found goodness, and he shall draw contentment from the Lord. He who expels a good wife expels goodness. But he who holds on to an adulteress is foolish and impious.
| مَنْ عَثَرَ عَلَى زَوْجَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ نَالَ خَيْراً وَحَظِيَ بِمَرْضَاةِ اللهِ. | ٢٢ |
23 The poor will speak with supplications. And the rich will express themselves roughly.
| يَتَوَسَّلُ الْفَقِيرُ بِتَضَرُّعَاتٍ، أَمَّا الْغَنِيُّ فَيُجَاوِبُ بِخُشُونَةٍ. | ٢٣ |
24 A man amiable to society shall be more friendly than a brother.
| مَنْ يُكْثِرِ الأَصْحَابَ يُخْرِبْ نَفْسَهُ، وَرُبَّ صَدِيقٍ أَلْزَقُ مِنَ الأَخِ. | ٢٤ |
