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

The heart of the king is like rivers of water in the hand of the Lord. He turns it where 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 knows the hearts.

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

To do what is right and good and fair is more pleasing to the Lord than gifts given on the altar in worship.

4 ا لنَّظراتُ المُتَعَجْرِفَةُ وَالأفْكارُ المُتكبِّرةُ تُظْهِرُ خَطيَّةَ الشِّرِّيرِ.

Eyes lifted high and a proud heart is sin and is the lamp of the sinful.

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

The plans of those who do their best lead only to having all they need, but all who are in a hurry come only to want.

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

Getting riches by a lying tongue is like a passing cloud, and leads to death.

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

The way the sinful hurt others will draw them away, because they will not do what is right and fair.

8 ا لمُذنِبُ يَتَصَرَّفُ بِخِداعٍ، أمّا البَرِيءُ فَطُرُقُهُ مُستَقِيمَةٌ.

The way of a guilty man is sinful, but the actions of the pure man are right.

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 an arguing woman.

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

The soul of the sinful has a desire for what is bad. 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 man who laughs at the truth is punished, the fool becomes wise. When a wise man is taught, he gets much learning.

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

The One Who is right and good thinks about the house of the sinful, and the sinful are thrown down to be destroyed.

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

He who shuts his ears 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 quiets anger. A gift from the heart quiets strong anger.

15 ا لبارُّ يَفرَحُ بِالعَدلِ، وَالهَلاكُ لِفاعِلِي الشَّرِّ.

When what is right and fair is done, it is a joy for those who are right with God. But it fills the sinful with fear.

16 م َنْ يَتَجَنَّبُ طَرِيقَ الفَهمِ يَرتاحُ مَعَ جَماعَةِ الأمواتِ.

A man who goes away from the way of understanding will rest in the gathering of the dead.

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

He who loves only fun 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 sinful man is the price given for the man who is right with God, the man who is not faithful for the faithful man.

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 woman who argues and causes trouble.

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

There are riches and oil of great worth in the house of the wise, but a foolish man swallows them up.

21 م َنْ يتْبَعُ العَدلَ وَالرَّحمَةَ سَيَجِدُ حَياةً وَكَرامَةً وَبِرّاً.

He who follows what is right and loving and kind finds life, right-standing with God and honor.

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

A wise man goes over the city walls of the powerful, and brings down the strong-place in which they trust.

23 م َنْ يَنتَبِهْ إلَى كَلامِهِ يَحفَظْ نَفسَهُ مِنَ المَتاعِبِ.

He who watches over his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

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

“Proud,” “Self-important” and “One who laughs at the truth” are the names of the man who acts without respect and is proud.

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

The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands will not work.

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

He is filled with desire all day long, but the man who is right with God gives all he can.

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

The gift given on an altar in worship by the sinful is a hated thing. How much more when he brings it for the wrong reason!

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

A person who tells a lie about someone else will be lost, but the man who listens to the truth will speak forever.

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

A sinful man’s face shows he is pretending, but a good man is sure of himself.

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

There is no wisdom and no understanding and no words that can stand against the Lord.

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

The horse is made ready for war, but winning the fight belongs to the Lord.