1 ق ُلُوبُ المُلُوكِ فِي يَدِ اللهِ مِثلُ جَداوِلِ المِياهِ، يُدِيرُها حَيثُما يُرِيدُ.

The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.

2 ك ُلُّ طُرُقِ الإنسانِ قَدْ تَبدُو صَحِيحَةً فِي عَينَيهِ، وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ هُوَ الَّذِي يَفحَصُ القُلُوبَ.

Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts.

3 ف ِعلُ ما هُوَ صَحِيحٌ وَعادِلٌ أهَمُّ عِنْدَ اللهِ مِنْ تَقدِيمِ الذَّبائِحِ.

To do righteousness and justice Is desired by the Lord more than sacrifice.

4 ا لنَّظراتُ المُتَعَجْرِفَةُ وَالأفْكارُ المُتكبِّرةُ تُظْهِرُ خَطيَّةَ الشِّرِّيرِ.

Haughty eyes and a proud heart, The lamp of the wicked, is sin.

5 خ ُطَطُ المُجتَهِدِ تَقُودُهُ إلَى الرِّبحِ، أمّا المُتَهَوِّرُ فَيَصيرُ فَقِيراً.

The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

6 ا لكُنُوزُ الَّتِي تَأتِي بِالكَذِبِ هِيَ بُخارٌ يَتَلاشَى وَفَخٌّ يُؤَدِّي إلَى المَوْتِ.

The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.

7 ع ُنْفُ الأشرارِ يَجُرُّهُمْ بَعِيداً، لِأنَّهُمْ يَرفُضُونَ عَمَلَ ما هُوَ عَدلٌ.

The violence of the wicked will drag them away, Because they refuse to act with justice.

8 ا لمُذنِبُ يَتَصَرَّفُ بِخِداعٍ، أمّا البَرِيءُ فَطُرُقُهُ مُستَقِيمَةٌ.

The way of a guilty man is crooked, But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

9 خ َيرٌ لِلإنسانِ أنْ يَسكُنَ فِي زاوِيَةِ البَيتِ، مِنْ أنْ يَعِيشَ فِي بَيتٍ واسِعٍ مَعَ زَوجَةٍ تُثِيرُ النِّزاعَ.

It is better to live in a corner of a roof Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

10 ا لشِّرِّيرُ يَشْتَهِي الشَّرَّ، وَهُوَ لَيسَ رَحِيماً مَعَ جارِهِ.

The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

11 ع ِندَما يُعاقَبُ المُتَكَبِّرُ، يُصبِحُ الجاهِلُ حَكِيماً. وَعِندَما يُنصَحُ الحَكِيمُ وَيُرْشَدُ، فَإنَّهُ يَكتَسِبُ المَعْرِفَةَ.

When the scoffer is punished, the naive becomes wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

12 ا للهُ البارُّ يُراقِبُ بُيُوتَ الأشرارِ، وَيُدّمِّرُ الأشْرارَ تَدْمِيراً.

The righteous one considers the house of the wicked, Turning the wicked to ruin.

13 م َنْ يَسُدُّ أُذُنَيهِ عِنْ نِداءِ الفَقِيرِ، يَطلُبُ هُوَ المُساعَدَةَ وَلا يَجِدُ مَنْ يُجِيبُهُ.

He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be answered.

14 ا لهَدِيَّةُ الَّتِي تُعطَى فِي السِّرِّ تُهَدِّئُ الغَضَبَ، وَالهَدَيَّةُ الحَميمَةُ تُهَدِّئُ الغَضَبَ الشَّدِيدَ.

A gift in secret subdues anger, And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.

15 ا لبارُّ يَفرَحُ بِالعَدلِ، وَالهَلاكُ لِفاعِلِي الشَّرِّ.

The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous, But is terror to the workers of iniquity.

16 م َنْ يَتَجَنَّبُ طَرِيقَ الفَهمِ يَرتاحُ مَعَ جَماعَةِ الأمواتِ.

A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead.

17 م ُحِبُّ المَلَذّاتِ يُصِيرُ فَقِيراً، وَمُحِبُّ الخَمْرِ وَالتَّرَفِ لَنْ يَغْتَنِيَ.

He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

18 ي ُؤخَذُ الشِّرِّيرُ عِوَضاً عَنِ البارِّ، وَيُعاقَبُ الخائِنُ لا المُسْتَقِيمُ.

The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, And the treacherous is in the place of the upright.

19 خ َيرٌ لِلإنسانِ أنْ يَحيا فِي الصَّحراءِ مِنْ أنْ يَعِيشَ مَعَ زَوجَةٍ مُتَقَلِّبَةٍ تُثِيرُ النِّزاعَ.

It is better to live in a desert land Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

20 ف ِي بَيتِ الحَكِيمِ تَجِدُ كَنزاً ثَمِيناً وَزَيتاً مُخَزَّناً، أمّا الأحْمَقُ فَيَستَهلِكُ كُلَّ ما لَدَيْهِ.

There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man swallows it up.

21 م َنْ يتْبَعُ العَدلَ وَالرَّحمَةَ سَيَجِدُ حَياةً وَكَرامَةً وَبِرّاً.

He who pursues righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness and honor.

22 ر َجُلٌ حَكِيمٌ يَغلِبُ مَدِينَةَ مُحارِبِينَ، وَيُدَمِّرُ حِصنَها المَنيعَ.

A wise man scales the city of the mighty And brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

23 م َنْ يَنتَبِهْ إلَى كَلامِهِ يَحفَظْ نَفسَهُ مِنَ المَتاعِبِ.

He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles.

24 ا لمُتَكَبِّرُ المَغرُورُ يَسَخَرُ بِهِ النّاسُ، وَهُوَ يَتَصَرَّفُ بِتَفاخُرٍ شَدِيدٍ.

“Proud,” “Haughty,” “ Scoffer,” are his names, Who acts with insolent pride.

25 ش َهْوَةُ الكَسْلانِ سَتَقتُلُهُ، لِأنَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ أنْ يَعمَلَ.

The desire of the sluggard puts him to death, For his hands refuse to work;

26 ف َهُوَ يَشتَهِي أكثَرَ فَأكثَرَ، أمّا البارُّ فَيُعطِي مِنْ دُونِ تَأخِيرٍ.

All day long he is craving, While the righteous gives and does not hold back.

27 ا لذَّبائِحَ الَّتِي يُقَدِّمُها الشِّرِّيرُ كَرِيهةٌ، لِأنَّهُ يُقَدِّمُها بِغِشٍّ.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, How much more when he brings it with evil intent!

28 ش ُهُودُ الزُّورِ يُعاقَبونَ، أمّا مَنْ يُصغِي لِضَمِيرِهِ فَإنَّهُ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِثِقَةٍ.

A false witness will perish, But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever.

29 ا لشِّرِّيرُ يُغَيِّرُ مَلامِحَ وَجهِهِ، أمّا الصّالِحُ فَواثِقٌ مِنْ طَرِيقِهِ.

A wicked man displays a bold face, But as for the upright, he makes his way sure.

30 م ا مِنْ حِكمَةٍ وَلا فَهْمٍ وَلا مَشُورَةٍ تَنجَحُ ضِدَّ اللهِ.

There is no wisdom and no understanding And no counsel against the Lord.

31 ا لحِصانُ يُجَهَّزُ لِيَومِ الحَربِ، أمّا النُّصرَةُ فَهِيَ مِنْ عِندِ اللهِ.

The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But victory belongs to the Lord.