1 ا للهُ يَحتَقِرُ المِيزانَ المَغشُوشَ، وَيَفرَحُ بِمَنْ يَزِنُ بِالعَدلِ.

A false balance and unrighteous dealings are extremely offensive and shamefully sinful to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.

2 ع ِندَما تَأتِي الكِبرِياءُ، يَأتِي مَعَها العارُ، وَمَعِ التَّواضُعِ تَأْتِي الحِكْمَةُ.

When swelling and pride come, then emptiness and shame come also, but with the humble (those who are lowly, who have been pruned or chiseled by trial, and renounce self) are skillful and godly Wisdom and soundness.

3 ن َزاهَةُ المُستَقِيمِينَ تَقُودُهُمْ، أمّا انْحِرافُ المُخادِعِ فَيُدَمِّرُهُ.

The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the willful contrariness and crookedness of the treacherous shall destroy them.

4 ا لغِنى لا يَنفَعُ فِي يَومِ الغَضَبِ، لَكِنَّ البِرَّ يُنقِذُ مِنَ المَوتِ.

Riches provide no security in any day of wrath and judgment, but righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) delivers from death.

5 ا لبِرُّ يُسَهِّلُ طَرِيقَ الرَّجُلِ البارِّ، وَأمّا الشِّرِّيرُ فَسَيَسقُطُ بِشَرِّهِ.

The righteousness of the blameless shall rectify and make plain their way and keep it straight, but the wicked shall fall by their own wickedness.

6 ب ِرُّ المُستَقِيمِ يُنقِذُهُ، أمّا الغادِرونَ فيَقَعُونَ فِي فَخِّ رَغباتِهِمْ.

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them, but the treacherous shall be taken in their own iniquity and greedy desire.

7 ع ِندَما يَمُوتُ الشِّرِّيرُ فَإنَّ رَجاءَهُ يَمُوتُ، ولا تتحقَّقُ أمانِيهُ.

When the wicked man dies, his hope perishes; and the expectation of the godless comes to nothing.

8 ا لبارُّ يَنجُو مِنَ المَشاكِلِ، وَالشِّرِّيرُ يَقَعُ فِيها عِوَضاً عَنْهُ.

The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked gets into it instead.

9 ا لشِّرِّيرُ يُدَمِّرُ جارَهُ بِكَلامِهِ، وَبِالمَعرِفَةِ يَنجُو البارُّ.

With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge and superior discernment shall the righteous be delivered.

10 ي َفرَحُ سُكّانُ المَدِينَةِ عِندَما يَنجَحُ البارُّ، وَيَبتَهِجُونَ عِندَما يَمُوتُ الشِّرِّيرُ.

When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, but when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

11 ب ِبَرَكَةِ البارِّ تَتَمَجَّدُ المَدِينَةُ، وَتُخرَبُ بِكَلامِ الشِّرِّيرِ.

By the blessing of the influence of the upright and God’s favor the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12 م َنْ يَحتَقِرُ جارَهُ لا يَفهَمُ، وَالعاقِلُ يَبقَى صامِتاً.

He who belittles and despises his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding keeps silent.

13 ا لنَّمّامُ يُفشِي السِّرَّ، وَالأمِينُ يُبقِي الأمرَ سِرّاً.

He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy and faithful in spirit keeps the matter hidden.

14 ب ِدُونِ قِيادَةِ الحِكْمَةِ يَسقُطُ الشَّعبُ، أمّا النَّجاةُ فَبِكَثرَةِ المُشِيرِينَ.

Where no wise guidance is, the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

15 م َنْ يَكفَلْ غَرِيباً يَتَألَّمْ، وَمَنْ يَرفُضْ ذَلِكَ يَنجُ.

He who becomes security for an outsider shall smart for it, but he who hates suretyship is secure.

16 ا لمَرأةُ الكَريمَةُ تَنالُ كَرامَةً، وَالرِّجالُ العُدوانِيُونَ يَنالُونَ غِنَىً بِلا كَرامَةٍ.

A gracious and good woman wins honor, and violent men win riches but a woman who hates righteousness is a throne of dishonor for him.

17 ا لرَّحِيمُ وَاللَّطِيفُ يَنفَعُ نَفسَهُ، أمّا الرَّجُلُ القاسِي فَيُؤْذِي نَفسَهُ.

The merciful, kind, and generous man benefits himself, but he who is cruel and callous brings on himself retribution.

18 ا لشِّرِّيرُ لا يَرْبَحُ شَيئاً حَقِيقِيّاً، أمّا الَّذِي يَبذُرُ البِرُّ فَينالُ مُكافَأةً حَقِيقِيَّةً.

The wicked man earns deceitful wages, but he who sows righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) shall have a sure reward.

19 ا لثّابِتُ فِي البِرِّ يُعطَى حَياةً أطوَلَ، وَالَّذِي يَتبَعُ الشَّرَّ سَيَمُوتُ.

He who is steadfast in righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) attains to life, but he who pursues evil does it to his own death.

20 ا للهُ يَكرَهُ النّاسَ الَّذِينَ يُفَكِّرُونَ بِأفكارٍ شِرِّيرَةٍ، وَيَقبَلُ الَّذِينَ يَعِيشُونَ بِاسْتَقامَةٍ.

They who are willfully contrary in heart are extremely disgusting and shamefully vile in the eyes of the Lord, but such as are blameless and wholehearted in their ways are His delight!

21 ا لأشرارُ سَيُعاقَبُونَ لا مَحالَةَ، أمّا الأبرارُ وَأبناؤُهُمْ فَسَينْجُونَ.

Assuredly the wicked shall not go unpunished, but the multitude of the righteous shall be delivered.

22 ا لمَرأةُ الجَمِيلَةُ الحَمقاءُ، تُشبِهُ الخاتَمَ الذَّهَبِيَّ فِي أنْفِ الخِنْزِيرِ.

As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman who is without discretion.

23 ر َغبَةُ البارِّ هِيَ لِلخَيرِ، أمّا الأشرارُ فَرَجاؤُهُمْ يُؤَدِّي إلَى الغَيظِ.

The desire of the righteous brings only good, but the expectation of the wicked brings wrath.

24 ه ُناكَ مَنْ يُعطِي بِسَخاءٍ فَيَزدادُ، وَهُناكَ مَنْ يُصبِحُ فَقِيراً لِأنَّهُ لا يُعطِي كَما يَنْبَغِي.

There are those who scatter abroad, and yet increase more; there are those who withhold more than is fitting or what is justly due, but it results only in want.

25 ا لكَرِيمُ سَيُصبِحُ غَنِيّاً، وَمَنْ يُعِينُ غَيرَهُ هُوَ أيضاً سَيُعانُ.

The liberal person shall be enriched, and he who waters shall himself be watered.

26 ي َكرَهُ النّاسُ مَنْ يَحْتَكِرُ القَمْحَ، وَيُبارِكُونَ مَنْ يَبِيعُهُ.

The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is upon the head of him who sells it.

27 م َنْ يُكافِحْ مِنْ أجلِ الخَيرِ يَجِدِ البَرَكَةَ، أمّا الباحِثُ عَنِ الشَّرِّ فَالشَّرُّ سَيَأْتِيهِ.

He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but he who searches after evil, it shall come upon him.

28 م َنْ يَعتَمِدْ عَلَى غِناهُ يَسقُطْ، أمّا البارُّ فَسَيُشرِقُ مِثلَ وَرَقَةٍ خَضراءَ.

He who leans on, trusts in, and is confident in his riches shall fall, but the righteous shall flourish like a green bough.

29 م َنْ يُسِيءْ إلَى عائِلَتِهِ لا يَحصُلَ عَلَى شَيءٍ، وَالأحْمَقُ يَصِيرُ عَبداً لِلحَكِيمِ.

He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind, and the foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

30 ث َمَرُ البارِّ مِثلُ شَجَرَةٍ تُعطِي الحَياةَ، وَالذي يُنْقِذُ النّاسَ بِهَذا الثَّمَرِ حَكِيمٌ.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives.

31 إ نْ كانَ البارُّ يَأخُذُ أُجرَةً عَلَى الأرْضِ، فَبالأَولَى الشِّرِّيرُ وَالخاطئُ.

Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed on earth; how much more the wicked and the sinner! And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of the ungodly and wicked ?