1 ي ا بُنَي، لا تَنسَ تَعلِيمِي، بَلِ احفَظْ وَصايايَ فِي قَلبِكَ.

My son, don’t forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments:

2 ل ِأنَّها سَتَجعَلُ حَياتَكَ طَوِيلَةً وَمَلِيئَةً بِالسَّلامِ.

for length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you.

3 ت َمَسَّكْ بِالرَّحْمَةِ وَالأمانَةِ. اربِطهُما حَولَ عُنُقِكَ وَاحفَظْهُما فِي قَلْبِكَ وَعَقلِكَ.

Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 ع ِنْدَئِذٍ سَتَجِدُ نِعمَةً وَنَجاحاً فِي عُيُونِ اللهِ وَالنّاسِ.

So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

5 ث ِقْ بِاللهِ مِنْ كُلِّ قَلبِكَ، وَلا تَتَكِلْ عَلَى فَهمِكَ.

Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.

6 ا عرِفْهُ فِي كُلِّ سُبُلِكَ، وَهُوَ سَيُمَهِّدُ طُرُقَكَ.

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

7 ل ا تَتَمَسَّكْ بِحِكمَتِكَ، بَلِ اتَّقِ اللهَ وَتَجَنَّبِ الشَّرَّ،

Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.

8 ف َهَذا شِفاءٌ لِصِحَّتِكَ وَدَواءٌ لِجَسَدِكَ.

It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.

9 أ كرِمِ اللهَ مِنْ مالِكَ، وَمِنْ أحسَنِ مَحاصِيلِكَ.

Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase:

10 و َعِندَها سَتَمتَلِئُ مَخازِنُكَ بِالغَلّاتِ، وَسَتَفِيضُ مَعاصِرُكَ نَبيذاً.

so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

11 ي ا بُنَيَّ، لا تَحتَقِرْ تَأدِيبَ اللهِ وَلا تَكرَهْ تَوبِيخَهُ،

My son, don’t despise Yahweh’s discipline, neither be weary of his reproof:

12 ل ِأنَّ اللهَ يُؤَدِّبُ الَّذِي يُحِبُّهُ، كَالأبِ الّذِي يُحِبُّ ابْنَهُ. قيمةُ الحِكمَة

for whom Yahweh loves, he reproves; even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

13 ط ُوبَى لِلإنسانِ الَّذِي يَجِدُ الحِكْمَةَ، وَلِلإنسانِ الَّذِي يَنالُ الفَهْمَ.

Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.

14 ل أنَّ التِّجارَةَ بِالحِكْمَةِ أفضَلُ مِنَ التِّجارَةِ بِالفِضَّةِ، وَرِبحُها أفضَلُ مِنْ رِبحِ الذَّهَبِ.

For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold.

15 ه ِيَ أغلَى مِنَ الياقُوتِ، وَكُلُّ جَواهِرِكَ لا تُقارَنَ بِها.

She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.

16 ح َياةٌ أطوَلُ فِي يَدِها اليُمنَى، وَالغِنَى وَالكَرامَةُ فِي يَدِها اليُسْرَى.

Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.

17 ط ُرُقُها مُفرِحَةٌ، وَكُلُّ مَسالِكِها تَقُودُ إلَى السَّلامِ.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.

18 و َهِيَ مِثلُ شَجَرَةِ الحَياةِ لِلَّذِينَ يَتَمَسَّكُونَ بِها، وَسَيَفرَحُ مَنْ يَتَشّبَّثُ بِها.

She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.

19 ا للهُ أسَّسَ الأرْضَ بِالحِكْمَةِ، وَبِالفَهْمِ ثَبَّتَ السَّماواتِ.

By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.

20 ب ِعِلْمِهِ تَفَجَّرَتِ اليَنابِيعُ مِنَ الأرْضِ، وَأمطَرَتِ الغُيُومُ. الحِكمَةُ فِي التّعامِلِ مَعَ الآخَرِين

By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.

21 ي ا بُنَيَّ، لا يَغِبْ هَذانِ الأمْرانِ عَنْكَ: احفَظِ الحِكْمَةَ السَّلِيمةَ، وَالتَخْطِيطَ المُتَعَقِّلَ.

My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion:

22 ف َهُما حَياةٌ لِنَفسِكَ، وَزِينَةٌ لِعُنقِكَ.

so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.

23 ب ِهِما سَتَمشِي فِي طَرِيقِكَ آمِناً، وَرِجلُكَ لنْ تَزِلَّ.

Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won’t stumble.

24 ت َضْطَجِعُ مُطمَئِنّاً، وَتَنامُ مُرتاحاً فِي سَلامٍ.

When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

25 ل ا تَخشَى مِنْ أمرٍ مُخِيفٍ يَأْتِي فَجأةً، وَلا مِنْ عاصِفَةِ الشَّرِّ إذا جاءَتْ.

Don’t be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes:

26 ل ِأنَّكَ سَتَثِقُ بِاللهِ ، فَيَحمِيَ رِجلَيكَ مِنَ الفَخِّ.

for Yahweh will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.

27 ل ا تَمنَعِ الخَيرَ عَنِ الَّذِينَ يَحتاجُونَ إلَيهِ، عِنْدَما تَكُونُ قادِراً.

Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

28 ل ا تَقُلْ لِصاحِبِكَ: «عُدْ غَداً وَسَأُعطِيكَ،» بَينَما لَدَيكَ الآنَ.

Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you,” when you have it by you.

29 ل ا تُخَطِّطْ بِعَمَلِ الشَّرَّ لِصاحِبِكَ الَّذِي يَسكُنُ آمِناً بِجِوارِكَ.

Don’t devise evil against your neighbor, since he dwells securely by you.

30 ل ا تَتَشاجَرْ مَعَ أحَدٍ دُونَ سَبَبٍ، وَهُوَ لَمْ يُؤذِكَ.

Don’t strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.

31 ل ا تَحسِدِ الظّالِمَ، وَلا تَقتَدِ بِهِ.

Don’t envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.

32 ل أنَّ اللهَ يُبغِضُ الخِداعَ، لَكِنَّهُ يُطلِعُ الأُمَناءَ عَلَى سِرِّهِ.

For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh, but his friendship is with the upright.

33 ل َعْنَةُ اللهِ عَلَى بَيتِ الشِّرِّيرِ، وَيُبارِكُ بَيتَ الأبرارِ.

Yahweh’s curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.

34 ي َهزأُ بِالهازِئِينَ، لَكِنَّهُ يُعطِي نِعمَتَهُ لِلمُتَواضِعِينَ.

Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble.

35 ا لحُكَماءُ سَيَرِثُونَ كَرامَةً، أمّا الحَمقَى فَالعارُ نَصِيبُهُمْ.

The wise will inherit glory, but shame will be the promotion of fools.