1 « إنْ دَعَوتَ الآنَ، فَمَنْ يُجِيبُكَ؟ وَإلَى مَنْ مِنَ المَلائِكَةِ سَتَلجَأُ؟

“Call now. Is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?

2 ل أنَّ الغَيظَ يَقتُلُ الأحْمَقَ، وَالحَسَدُ يَذبَحُ الأبلَهُ.

To be bitter kills the foolish man, and jealousy kills the child-like.

3 ق َد رَأيتُ الأحْمَقَ يَمُدُّ جُذُورَهُ، وَفَجأةً هُدِمَ مَسْكِنُهُ!

I have seen the fool taking root, but right away his house was cursed.

4 أ بناؤُهُ بَعِيدُونَ عَنِ الأمانِ، يُهزَمُونَ فِي المُحاكَمَةِ، وَما مِنْ أحَدٍ يُدافِعُ عَنهُمْ.

His sons are far from being safe. They are destroyed in the gate, and there is no one to help them.

5 ي َأكُلُ الجّائِعُ حَصادَهُ، وَيَأخُذُهُ مِنْ بَينِ الأشواكِ، وَيَشتَهِي الجَشِعُونَ ثَروَتَهُ.

The hungry eat the food of his field. They take it even out of the thorns. And the thirsty want his riches.

6 ل أنَّ المُصِيبَةَ لا تَأتِي مِنَ التُرابِ، وَلا تَنبُتُ المُعاناةُ مِنَ الأرْضِ.

For suffering does not come from the dust. Trouble does not grow out of the ground.

7 ل َكِنَّ البَشَرَ يَلِدُونَ المُصِيبَةَ، تَماماً كَما تُرفَعُ ألسِنَةُ اللَّهَبِ إلَى الأعلَى.

But man is born to trouble, as fire goes up.

8 أ مّا أنا فَأتَضَرَّعُ إلَى اللهِ، وَأُخبِرُهُ بِما أصابَنِي.

“But as for me, I would look to God. I would put my troubles before God.

9 ف َهُوَ صانِعُ الأعمالِ العَظِيمَةِ الَّتِي يَصْعُبُ فَهْمُها، الأعمالِ المُهِيبَةِ الَّتِي لا تُحصَى.

He does great things, too great for us to understand. He does too many wonderful things for us to number.

10 ه ُوَ الَّذِي يُرسِلُ المَطَرَ عَلَى وَجهِ الأرْضِ، وَيُرسِلُ المِياهَ عَلَى وَجهِ الحُقُولِ.

He gives rain on the earth and sends water on the fields.

11 ي َرفَعُ المُتَّضِعِينَ، وَيُحَسِّنُ حالَ مَنْ سَوَّدَ الحُزنُ حَياتَهُمْ.

He puts those who are in low places up to high places. Those who are filled with sorrow are lifted to where they are safe.

12 ه ُوَ الَّذِي يُحْبِطُ مُؤامَراتِ الماكِرِينَ، لِئَلّا يَنجَحُوا فِي مَقاصِدِهِمْ.

He troubles the plans of those who try to fool people, so that their hands cannot do what they plan.

13 ي َصطادُ اللهُ الحُكَماءَ بِذَكائِهِمْ، فَيُفْشِلُ خُطَّةَ الماكِرِينَ.

God gets them into a trap when they use their own wisdom. And the plans of the wise are brought to a quick end.

14 ت ُواجِهُهُمُ الظُّلْمَةُ فِي وَضَحِ النَّهارِ. وَيَتَلَمَّسُونَ طَرِيقَهُمْ فِي الظُّهرِ، كَما فِي الظَّلامِ.

They meet with darkness during the day, and feel their way at noon as in the night.

15 ل َكِنَّ اللهَ يُخَلِّصُ الفَقِيرَ مِنْ سِياطِ أفواهِهِمْ، وَمِن يَدِ القَوِيِّ.

But He saves from the sword those in need. He saves the poor from the power of the strong.

16 ل ِهَذا يُوجَدُ رَجاءٌ لِلمِسْكِينِ، وَيَسُدُّ الظُلمُ فَمَهُ!

So those who have no hope, have hope, and what is not right and good must shut its mouth.

17 « هَنِيئاً لِمَن يُؤَدِّبهُ اللهُ، فَلا تَرْفُضْ تَأدِيبَ القَدِيرِ.

“See, happy is the man to whom God speaks strong words. So do not hate the strong teaching of the All-powerful.

18 ل أنَّ اللهَ يَضْرِبُ وَيُضَمِّدُ. يَجْرَحُ وَيَداهُ تَشفِيانِ.

He punishes, but He gives comfort. He hurts, but His hands heal.

19 ي ُخَلِّصُكَ مِنَ الضِّيقاتِ مَرَّةً بَعدَ مَرَّةٍ، وَلا يَمَسُّكَ السُّوءُ أيضاً.

He will take you out of six troubles. Yes, in seven, nothing will hurt you.

20 ف ِي المَجاعَةِ يَحْمِيكَ مِنَ المَوتِ، وَفِي الحَربِ مِنَ القَتلِ بِالسَّيفِ.

He will keep you from death in times of no food, and from the power of the sword in war.

21 ي َحمِيكَ مِنَ افتِراءِ الألسِنَةِ الَّتِي تَنزِلُ كَالسِّياطِ، فَلَيْسَ ما يَدعُوكَ إلَى أنْ تَخشَى المَصائِبَ حِينَ تَأتِي.

You will be hidden from the punishment of the tongue. You will not be afraid of being destroyed when danger comes.

22 ت َهزَأُ بِالخَرابِ وَالمَجاعَةِ، وَوُحُوشُ البَرِّيَّةِ لا تُخِيفُكَ.

You will laugh at danger and times of no food. And you will not be afraid of wild animals.

23 ل أنَّكَ سَتَقطَعُ عَهداً مَعَ صُخُورِ الأرْضِ، وَتُسالِمُكَ وُحُوشُ البَرِّيَّةِ.

For you will be in agreement with the stones of the field. And the animals of the field will be at peace with you.

24 س َتَعرِفُ أنَّ بَيتَكَ آمِنٌ، وَتَتَفَقَّدُ قَطِيعَكَ فَتَجِدهُ غَيرَ مَنقُوصٍ.

You will know that your tent is safe. You will look over what you have and see that nothing is gone.

25 س َتَعرِفُ أنَّكَ سَتُرْزَقُ بِنَسلٍ كَثِيرٍ، وَسَتَكُونُ ذُرِّيَّتُكَ بِعَدَدِ أوراقِ عُشبِ الأرْضِ.

You will know also that your children and children’s children will be many. They will be as the grass of the earth.

26 س َتَعِيشُ حَياتَكَ كامِلَةً، فَتَكُونُ كَكَوْمَةٍ مِنَ الحُبُوبِ النّاضِجَةِ وَقتَ حَصادِها.

You will come to the grave in full strength, like the grain gathered in when it is time.

27 ه َذا هُوَ الأمرُ الَّذِي تَفَحَّصناهُ، وَهُوَ هَكَذا … فَاسمَعْ وَتَعَلَّمْ أنْتَ.»

See, this is what we have found, and it is true. Hear it, and know for yourself.”