1 T he plans of the mind and orderly thinking belong to man, but from the Lord comes the answer of the tongue.

التَّفكِيرُ يَخُصُّ الإنسانَ، أمّا الجَوابُ المُناسِبُ فَمِنَ اللهِ.

2 A ll the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits (the thoughts and intents of the heart).

كُلُّ طُرُقِ الإنْسانِ صالِحَةٌ بِحَسَبِ رَأْيِهِ، وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ يَحكُمُ عَلَى دَوافِعِ الإنسانِ.

3 R oll your works upon the Lord so shall your plans be established and succeed.

اتَّكِلْ عَلَى اللهِ فِي أعمالِكَ، فَتَنجَحَ كُلُّ خُطَطِكَ.

4 T he Lord has made everything to its own end and His own purpose—even the wicked for the day of calamity and evil.

اللهُ صَنَعَ كُلَّ شَيءٍ لِهَدَفٍ، فَحَتَّى الأشرارُ صَنَعَهُمْ لِليَومِ الشِّرِّيرِ.

5 E veryone proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting, hateful, and exceedingly offensive to the Lord; be assured they will not go unpunished.

يُبغِضُ اللهُ كُلَّ مُتَكَبِّرٍ، وَلا بُدَّ أنْ يَنالَ عِقابَهُ.

6 B y mercy and love, truth and fidelity, iniquity is purged out of the heart, and by the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord men depart from and avoid evil.

بِالرَّحمَةِ وَالحَقِّ يُكَفَّرُ عَنِ الخَطايا، وَبِمَخافَةِ اللهِ يَبتَعِدُ الإنسانُ عَنِ الشَّرِّ.

7 W hen a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

إذا سُرَّ اللهُ بِطُرُقِ إنسانٍ، جَعَلَ حَتَّى أعداءَهُ يُسالِمُونَهُ.

8 B etter is a little with righteousness (uprightness in every area and relation and right standing with God) than great revenues with injustice.

القَلِيلُ مَعَ البِرِّ، أفضَلُ مِنْ رِبحٍ كَثِيرٍ تَحَقَّقَ بِالظُلمِ.

9 A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.

الإنسانُ يُخَطِّطُ لِطَرِيقِهِ، وَ اللهُ يُحَدِّدُ خَطَواتِهِ.

10 D ivinely directed decisions are on the lips of the king; his mouth should not transgress in judgment.

المَشُورَةُ الإلَهِيَّةُ فِي كَلامِ المَلِكِ، فَلا يَحْكُمَ بِغَيْرِ العَدلِ.

11 A just balance and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights of the bag are His work.

يُريدُ اللهُ أنْ تَكونَ الموازينُ أمينَةً، وَكُلُّ الاتفاقياتِ نَزِيهَةً.

12 I t is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness, for a throne is established and made secure by righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation).

المُلُوكُ يَكرَهُونَ الأعمالَ الشِّرِّيرَةَ، لِأنَّهُ بِالبِرِّ يَثبُتُ حُكمُهُمْ.

13 R ight and just lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.

كَلامُ البِرِّ يُسعِدُ المَلِكَ، وَالمَلِكُ يُحِبُّ مَنْ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِالحَقِّ.

14 T he wrath of a king is as messengers of death, but a wise man will pacify it.

غَضَبُ المَلِكِ مُرعِبٌ كَرَسُولٍ الْمَوْتِ، وَالحَكِيمُ يَسْعَى إلَى تَهْدِئَتِهِ.

15 I n the light of the king’s countenance is life, and his favor is as a cloud bringing the spring rain.

تُوجَدُ حَياةٌ فِي إرضاءِ المَلِكِ، وَرِضاهُ يُشبِهُ الغَيمَةَ المُمطِرَةَ فِي الرَّبِيعِ.

16 H ow much better it is to get skillful and godly Wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

الحِكْمَةُ أفضَلُ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ، وَالفَهمُ أفضَلُ مِنَ الفِضَّةِ.

17 T he highway of the upright turns aside from evil; he who guards his way preserves his life.

طَرِيقُ البِرِّ يَتَجَنَّبُ الشَّرَّ، وَمَنْ يَنتَبِهْ إلَى خَطَواتِهِ يَحرُسْ حَياتَهُ.

18 P ride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

الكِبرِياءُ تُسَبِّبُ الدَّمارَ، وَالغُرُورُ يُسَبِّبُ السُّقُوطَ.

19 B etter it is to be of a humble spirit with the meek and poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

أنْ تَكونَ مُتَواضِعاً وَتحيا مَعَ الوُدَعاءِ، أفضلُ مِنْ أنْ تَقْسِمَ غَنيمَةً مَعَ المُتَكَبِّرِينَ.

20 H e who deals wisely and heeds word and counsel shall find good, and whoever leans on, trusts in, and is confident in the Lord—happy, blessed, and fortunate is he.

مَنْ يَتَعَلَّمُ قَدْ يَجِدُ النَّجاحَ، وَلَكِنْ هَنِيئاً لِمَنْ يَثِقُ بِاللهِ.

21 T he wise in heart are called prudent, understanding, and knowing, and winsome speech increases learning.

الحَكِيمُ يُسَمَّى فَهِيماً، وَالكَلامُ المُفِيدُ المُفرِحُ يَزِيدُ العِلْمَ.

22 U nderstanding is a wellspring of life to those who have it, but to give instruction to fools is folly.

التَّفكِيرُ الجَيِّدُ مَصدَرٌ لِلحَياةِ لِصاحِبِهِ، وَتَأدِيبُ الأحْمَقِ غَباءٌ وَبِلا فائِدَةٍ.

23 T he mind of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning and persuasiveness to his lips.

عَقلُ الحَكِيمُ يَقُودُ كَلامَهُ، وَبِكَلامِهِ يَزدادُ العِلْمُ.

24 P leasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the mind and healing to the body.

الكَلامُ الحُلْوُ يُشبِهُ شَهْدَ العَسَلِ، فَهْوَ حُلْوُ المَذاقِ وَشِفاءٌ لِلجِسمِ.

25 T here is a way that seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death.

تُوجَدُ طَرِيقٌ تَظْهَرُ لِلإنِسانِ كَأنَّها مُستَقِيمَةٌ، وَلِكِنَّها تُؤَدِّي إلَى المَوتِ.

26 T he appetite of the laborer works for him, for his mouth urges him on.

شَهِيَّةُ الإنسانِ الّذِي يَعْمَلُ تَقُودُهُ فِي عَمَلِهِ، لِأنَّ جُوعَهُ يَحُثُّهُ عَلَى العَمَلِ.

27 A worthless man devises and digs up mischief, and in his lips there is as a scorching fire.

عَدِيمُ الفائِدَةِ يُخَطِّطُ لِلأذَى، وَكُلُّ ما يَقُولُهُ يُشبِهُ النّارَ الصاعِدَةَ.

28 A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.

المُخادِعُ يُحدِثُ النِّزاعَ، وَالنَمّامُ يُفَرِّقُ الأصْدِقاءَ.

29 T he exceedingly grasping, covetous, and violent man entices his neighbor, leading him in a way that is not good.

القاسِي يَخدَعُ جارَهُ، وَيَقُودُهُ إلَى طَرِيقٍ رَدِيءٍ.

30 H e who shuts his eyes to devise perverse things and who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.

مَنْ يَغْمِزُ عَينَيهِ يُخَطِّطُ لِلفَوضَى وَالخَرابِ، وَبِزَمِّ شَفَتَيهِ يُظهِرُ نِيَّتَهُ لِلشَّرِّ.

31 T he hoary head is a crown of beauty and glory if it is found in the way of righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation).

الشَّيبُ تاجُ مَجدٍ لِلَّذِينَ يَنالُونَهُ بِعَيْشِ حَياةِ البِرِّ.

32 H e who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

الصَّبُورُ خَيرٌ مِنَ الجَبّارِ، وَضابِطُ نَفْسِهِ خَيرٌ مِمَّنْ يَحكُمُ مَدِينَةً.

33 T he lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly of the Lord.

قَدْ تُلْقَى القُرعَةُ فِي حِضنِكَ، لَكِنَّ الأحكامَ مِنَ اللهِ.