1 ه ا الحِكْمَةُ تُنادِي، وَالبَصِيرَةُ تَرفَعُ صَوتَها.

Does not skillful and godly Wisdom cry out, and understanding raise her voice ?

2 ت َقِفُ عَلَى القِمَمِ العالِيَةِ، وَفِي الشَّوارِعِ وَمَفارِقِ الطُّرُقاتِ.

On the top of the heights beside the way, where the paths meet, stands Wisdom;

3 ب ِجانِبِ البَوّاباتِ، وَعَلَى مَدخَلِ المَدِينَةِ، وَمَداخِلِ الشَّوارِعِ تَصرُخُ وَتَقُولُ:

At the gates at the entrance of the town, at the coming in at the doors, she cries out:

4 « أُنادِي عَلَيكُمْ أيُّها النّاسُ، وَصَوتِي يُخاطِبُ الإنسانَ.

To you, O men, I call, and my voice is directed to the sons of men.

5 أ يُّها الجُهَلاءُ، تَعَلَّمُوا حُسْنَ التَّدبِيرِ، وَيا أيُّها الأغبِياءُ، تَعَلَّمُوا الفَهمَ.

O you simple and thoughtless ones, understand prudence; you fools, be of an understanding heart.

6 ا ستَمِعُوا فَعِندِي كَلامٌ عَظِيمٌ، وَعَلَى شَفَتَيَّ كَلِماتُ الحَقِّ.

Hear, for I will speak excellent and princely things; and the opening of my lips shall be for right things.

7 ل ِأنَّ فَمِي يُخبِرُ بِالصِّدْقِ وَالحَقِّ، وَشَفَتايَ تَكرَهانِ الشَّرَّ.

For my mouth shall utter truth, and wrongdoing is detestable and loathsome to my lips.

8 ك َلامِي كُلُّهُ عَدلٌ، وَلَيسَ فِيهِ انْحِرافٌ وَلا ضَلالٌ.

All the words of my mouth are righteous (upright and in right standing with God); there is nothing contrary to truth or crooked in them.

9 ك ُلُّهُ وَاضِحٌ لِلذَّكِيِّ، وَمُستَقِيمٌ لِمَن يَملِكُونَ المَعرِفَةَ.

They are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.

10 « اقبَلْ تَأدِيبِي أكثَرَ مِنَ الفِضَّةِ، وَاقبَلِ المَعرِفَةَ أكثَرَ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ الجَيِّدِ.

Receive my instruction in preference to silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,

11 ل ِأنَّ الحِكْمَةَ أفضَلُ مِنَ الياقُوتِ، وَكُلُّ الجَواهِرِ لا تُساوِيها.

For skillful and godly Wisdom is better than rubies or pearls, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

12 « أنا الحِكْمَةُ، أعِيشُ مَعَ التَّدبِيرِ، وَأملِكُ المَعرِفَةَ وَالتَّعَقُّلَ.

I, Wisdom, make prudence my dwelling, and I find out knowledge and discretion.

13 م َخافَةُ اللهِ هِيَ كُرهُ الشَّرِّ، وَكُرْهُ الكِبرِياءِ وَالعَجرَفَةِ وَطَرِيقِ الشَّرِّ وَالكَلامِ المُضَلِّلِ المُنْحَرِفِ.

The reverent fear and worshipful awe of the Lord the hatred of evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverted and twisted speech I hate.

14 ع ِندِي النَّصِيحَةُ وَالحُكْمُ الصَّحِيحُ، وَأنا البَصِيرَةُ وَلَدَيَّ القُوَّةُ.

I have counsel and sound knowledge, I have understanding, I have might and power.

15 ي ُمارِسُ المُلوكُ حُكْمَهُمْ بِي، وَبِي يُصدِرُ الحُكّامُ أحكامَهُمُ العادِلَةَ.

By me kings reign and rulers decree justice.

16 ب ِي يَتَرَأَسُ الرُّؤساءُ، وَبِي العُظماءُ كُلَّ الأحكامِ العادِلَةِ.

By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges and governors of the earth.

17 أ نا أُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَنِي، وَكُلُّ الَّذِينَ يَبحَثُونَ عَنِّي سَيَجِدُونَنِي.

I love those who love me, and those who seek me early and diligently shall find me.

18 ع ِنْدِي الغِنَى وَالكَرامَةُ، وَالثَّرْوَةُ وَالصَّلاحُ إلَى الأبَدِ.

Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness (uprightness in every area and relation, and right standing with God).

19 ث ِمارِي أفْضَلُ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ النَقِيِّ، وَغَلَّتِي أفْضَلُ مِنَ الفِضَّةِ الجَيِّدَةِ.

My fruit is better than gold, yes, than refined gold, and my increase than choice silver.

20 أ سِيرُ فِي طَرِيقِ الصَّلاحِ، وَعَلَى دُرُوبِ العَدلِ.

I walk in the way of righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation), in the midst of the paths of justice,

21 ل أُعطِيَ الغِنَى كَمِيراثٍ لِلَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَنِي وَأملأُ مَخازِنَهُمْ.

That I may cause those who love me to inherit riches and that I may fill their treasuries.

22 « شَكَّلَنِي اللهُ مُنذُ البِدايَةِ، أنا أوَّلُ أعمالِهِ.

The Lord formed and brought me forth at the beginning of His way, before His acts of old.

23 ه َيَّأَنِي فِي قَدِيمِ الزَّمانِ، فِي البَدءِ، قَبلَ أنْ تَبدَأَ الأرْضُ.

I was inaugurated and ordained from everlasting, from the beginning, before ever the earth existed.

24 خ َرَجتُ قَبلَ أنْ يَكُونَ هُناكَ بَحرٌ، وَقَبلَ أنْ يَكُونَ هُناكَ ماءٌ فِي اليَنابِيعِ.

When there were no deeps, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains laden with water.

25 و ُجِدْتُ قَبلَ أنْ تَستَقِرَّ الجِبالُ وَالتِّلالُ فِي مَكانِها.

Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,

26 ع ِندَما لَمْ تَكُنِ الأرْضُ وَالحُقُولُ قَدْ صُنِعَتْ، وَلَمْ تُصنَعْ ذَرَّةٌ مِنْ تُرابِ العالَمِ.

While as yet He had not made the land or the fields or the first of the dust of the earth.

27 ك ُنتُ عِندَما وَضَعَ السَّماواتِ فِي مَكانِها، وَعِندَما رَسَمَ دائِرَةَ الأُفُقِ عَلَى وَجهِ البَحْرِ.

When He prepared the heavens, I was there; when He drew a circle upon the face of the deep and stretched out the firmament over it,

28 و َكُنتُ مَوجُوداً عِندَما ثَبَّتَ الغُيُومَ عالِياً، وَعِندَما فَجَّرَ يَنابِيعَ البَحْرِ وثبَّتَها.

When He made firm the skies above, when He established the fountains of the deep,

29 و َكُنتُ عِندَما وَضَعَ حُدُوداً لِلبَحْرِ، فَلا تَتَعَدّاها المِياهُ، وَكُنتُ عِندَما وَضَعَ أساساتِ الأرْضِ.

When He gave to the sea its limit and His decree that the waters should not transgress His command, when He appointed the foundations of the earth—

30 ك ُنتُ عِندَهُ كَصانِعٍ ماهِرٍ، وَكُنتُ فَرَحَهُ كُلَّ يَومٍ، وَأفرَحُ أمامَهُ كُلَّ حِينٍ.

Then I was beside Him as a master and director of the work; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing before Him always,

31 أ فرَحُ بَينَ خَليقَتِهِ، وَلَذَّتِي مَعَ بَنِي البَشَرِ.

Rejoicing in His inhabited earth and delighting in the sons of men.

32 « وَالآنَ يا أبنائِي، استَمِعُوا إلَيَّ: يَفرَحُ الَّذِينَ يَتبَعُونَ طَرِيقِي.

Now therefore listen to me, O you sons; for blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who keep my ways.

33 ا ستَمِعُوا إلَى تَعلِيمِي وَكُونُوا حُكَماءَ، وَلا تُهمِلُوا كَلامِي.

Hear instruction and be wise, and do not refuse or neglect it.

34 ي َفرَحُ الَّذِي يَستَمِعُ إلَيَّ ساهِراً عِندَ بابِي دائِماً، مُنتَظِراً عِندَ مَدخَلِ بابِي.

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 ل ِأنَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُنِي يَجِدُ الحَياةَ، وَيَنالُ رِضى اللهِ وبَرَكَتَهُ.

For whoever finds me finds life and draws forth and obtains favor from the Lord.

36 و َلَكِنَّ الَّذِي لا يَجِدُنِي فَإنَّهُ يُدَمِّرُ حَياتَهُ، وَمَنْ يَكرَهُنِي فَإنَّهُ يُحِبُّ المَوتَ.»

But he who misses me or sins against me wrongs and injures himself; all who hate me love and court death.