1 ا لفَقِيرُ الَّذِي يَسلُكُ بِاستِقامَةٍ خَيرٌ مِنَ الأحْمَقِ الَّذِي يُراوِغُ بِكَلامِهِ.

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.

2 ا لرَّغبَةُ فِي شَيءٍ دُونَ العِلْمِ بِهِ لِيسَتْ حَسَنَةً، وَمَنْ يَتَسَرَّعُ فِي قَراراتِهِ يُخْطِئُ.

It isn’t good to have zeal without knowledge; nor being hasty with one’s feet and missing the way.

3 غ َباءُ الإنسانِ يُدَمِّرُ حَياتَهُ، ثُمَّ يُلقِي بِلَومِهِ عَلَى اللهِ.

The foolishness of man subverts his way; his heart rages against Yahweh.

4 ا لغَنِيُّ كَثِيرُ الأصحابِ، فَإنِ افتَقَرَ تَرَكُوهُ.

Wealth adds many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend.

5 ش اهِدُ الزُّورِ يُعاقَبُ، وَالَّذِي يَكذِبُ فِي شَهادَتِهِ لَنْ يَنْجُو.

A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who pours out lies shall not go free.

6 ك َثِيرُونَ يَستَرضُونَ الرَّجُلَ الكَرِيمَ، وَيُصاحِبُونَ الَّذِي يُعطِي هَدايا.

Many will entreat the favor of a ruler, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.

7 ك ُلُّ إخْوَةِ الفَقِيرِ يَكرَهُونَهُ، وَأصدِقاؤُهُ يَبتَعِدُونَ عَنْهُ. يَتَوَسَّلُ إلَيْهِمْ بِكَلامِهِ، لَكِنَّهُمْ لا يَسْتَجِيبونَ.

All the relatives of the poor shun him: how much more do his friends avoid him! He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone.

8 ا لمُتَمَسِّكُ بِالحِكمَةِ يُحِبُّ حَياتَهُ، وَمَنْ يُحافِظْ علَى المَعرِفَةِ يَنجَحْ.

He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good.

9 ش اهِدُ الزُّورِ يُعاقَبُ، وَالَّذِي يَكذِبُ فِي شَهادَتِهِ سَيَهلِكُ.

A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish.

10 ل ا يَلِيقُ التَّرَفُ بِالأحْمَقِ، كَما لا يَلِيقُ بِالعَبْدِ أنْ يَحكُمَ الرُّؤَساءَ.

Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

11 ا لتَّفكِيرُ الجَيِّدُ يُنتِجُ الصَّبْرَ، وَمَغفِرَةُ الإساءَةِ تُعطِي مَجداً وَسُمعَةً حَسَنَةً.

The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense.

12 غ َضَبُ المَلِكِ كَزَئِيرِ الأسَدِ، وَرِضاهُ كَالنَّدَى عَلَى العُشْبِ.

The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

13 ا لابنُ الأحْمَقُ مُصِيبَةٌ لِأبِيهِ، وَمُخاصَماتُ الزَّوجَةِ كَنَقَراتِ الماءِ المُتَسَرِّبِ.

A foolish son is the calamity of his father. A wife’s quarrels are a continual dripping.

14 ا لبَيتُ وَالغِنَى مِيراثٌ مِنَ الآباءِ، أمّا الزَّوجَةُ العاقِلَةُ فَهِيَ مِنَ اللهِ.

House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh.

15 ا لكَسَلُ يُسَبِّبُ النَّومَ العَمِيقَ، وَالإنسانُ المُتَراخِي يَجُوعُ.

Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger.

16 م َنْ يُطِيعُ الوَصايا يَحرِصُ عَلَى حَياتِهِ، وَمَنْ لا يُبالِي بِسُلُوكِهِ سَيَمُوتُ.

He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die.

17 م َنْ يُكرِمُ الفَقِيرَ يُقرِضُ اللهَ ، وَسَيُكافِئُهُ عَلَى عَمَلِهِ.

He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him.

18 أ دِّبِ ابنَكَ لأنَّ هُناكَ أمَلاً فِي أنْ يَتَغَيَّرَ، وَإلّا فَإنَّكَ تُشارِكُ فِي تَدْمِيرِهِ.

Discipline your son, for there is hope; don’t be a willing party to his death.

19 ا لغَضُوبُ سَيَنالُ عِقابَهُ، وَإنْ جَنَّبْتَهُ العِقابَ يَزدادُ سُوءاً.

A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty, for if you rescue him, you must do it again.

20 ا ستَمِعْ إلَى المَشُورَةِ وَاقبَلِ التَّأدِيبَ لِكَي تُصْبِحَ حَكِيماً.

Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end.

21 ك َثِيرَةٌ هِيَ الأفكارُ فِي عَقلِ الإنسانِ، وَلَكِنَّ مَشِيئُةَ اللهِ هِيَ الَّتِي تَثْبُتُ.

There are many plans in a man’s heart, but Yahweh’s counsel will prevail.

22 إ خلاصُ الإنسانِ يَجْعَلُهُ جَذّاباً. فَأنْ تَكُونَ فَقِيراً خَيرٌ مِنْ أنْ تَكُونَ كاذِباً.

That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar.

23 م َنْ يَخافُ اللهَ يَنالُ حَياةً، وَيَنامُ راضِياً دُونَ أنْ يَمَسَّهُ أذَى.

The fear of Yahweh leads to life, then contentment; he rests and will not be touched by trouble.

24 ا لكَسْلانُ يَغمِسُ يَدَهُ فِي الطَّبَقِ، وَلا يَرَدُّها إلَى فَمِهِ.

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

25 ع اقِبِ المُسْتَهْزِئَ فَيُصبِحَ الجاهِلُ ذَكِيّاً، وَوَبِّخِ العاقِلَ فَيَنالَ مَعرِفَةً.

Flog a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge.

26 م َنْ يَسْرِقُ مِنْ أبِيهِ وَيَطْرُدُ أُمَّهُ، هُوَ ابْنٌ مُخْزٍ وَمُخْجِلٌ.

He who robs his father and drives away his mother, is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

27 ي ا بُنَيَّ، إذا تَوَقَّفْتَ عَنِ الاسْتِماعِ إلَى الوَصِيَّةِ، سَتَضِلُّ عَنْ طَرِيِقِ المَعرِفَةِ.

If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 ش اهِدُ الزُّورِ يَستَهزِئُ بِالعَدلِ، وَكَلامُ الأشرارِ يُعَزِّزُ الدَّمارَ.

A corrupt witness mocks justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down iniquity.

29 ا لعِقابُ أُعِدَّ لِلمُتَكَبِّرِينَ، وَالضَّرْبُ لِلأغبِياءِ.

Penalties are prepared for scoffers, and beatings for the backs of fools.