1 ب َنَتِ الحِكْمَةُ بَيتَها، وَنَحَتَتْ أعمِدَتَها السَّبعَةَ.

Wisdom hath built her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars;

2 ج َهَّزَتْ لَحْماً، وَمَزَجَتْ الخَمْرَ، وَأعَدَّتِ المائِدَةَ.

she hath slaughtered her cattle, she hath mingled her wine, she hath also prepared her table;

3 أ رسَلَتْ خادِماتِها لِيُنادِينَ مِنْ أعلَى المَدِينَةِ،

she hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the summits of the high places of the city,

4 ت َقُولَ الحِكْمَةُ: «تَعالَ أيُّها الجاهِلُ!» وَتَقُولُ لِعَدِيمِ الفَهمِ:

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. To him that is void of understanding, she saith,

5 « تَعالَ وَكُلْ مِنْ طَعامِي وَاشرَبْ مِنْ نَبيذِي الَّذِي صَنَعْتُهُ.

Come, eat ye of my bread, and drink of the wine that I have mingled.

6 ا ترُكُوا الجَهالَةَ وَاحيُوا، وَسِيرُوا فِي طَرِيقِ البَصِيرَةِ.»

Forsake follies and live, and go in the way of intelligence.

7 م َنْ يُرشِدِ المُستَهزِئَ يَجلِبِ الإهانَةَ لِنَفسِهِ، وَمَنْ يُؤَدِّبِ الشِّرِّيرَ يَتَضَرَّرْ.

He that instructeth a scorner getteth to himself shame; and he that reproveth a wicked to himself a blot.

8 ل ا تُوَبِّخْ مُستَهزِئاً لِئَلّا يَكرَهَكَ، وَبِّخْ حَكِيماً فَيُحِبَّكَ.

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee; reprove a wise, and he will love thee.

9 ع َلِّمْ الحَكِيمَ فَيُصبِحَ أكثَرَ حِكمَةً، وَعَلِّمْ البارَّ فِيَزدادَ فِي المَعرِفَةِ.

Impart to a wise, and he will become yet wiser; teach a righteous, and he will increase learning.

10 أ وَّلُ الحِكْمَةِ أنْ تَخافَ اللهَ ، وَمَعرِفَةُ القُدُّوسِ فَهْمٌ.

The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the Holy is intelligence.

11 ب ِواسِطَتِي تَزدادُ أيّامُكَ، وَتُضافُ سَنَواتٌ إلَى حَياتِكَ.

For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to thee.

12 إ ذا أصبَحتَ حَكِيماً فَأنتَ حَكِيمٌ لِمَنفَعَةِ نَفسِكَ، وَإذا أصبَحْتَ مُستَهزِئاً فَإنَّكَ سَتَحْمِلُ نَتائِجَ اسْتِهْزائِكَ. دَعوَةُ الجَهل

If thou art wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself; and if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

13 ا لمَرأةُ الجاهِلَةُ مُزعِجَةٌ ساذَجَةٌ، وَلا تَعرِفُ شَيئاً.

The foolish woman is clamorous; she is stupid, and knoweth nothing.

14 ت َجلِسُ عَلَى بابِ بَيتِها، عَلَى مَقعَدٍ فِي أعلَى مِنْطَقَةٍ فِي المَدِينَةِ،

And she sitteth at the entry of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,

15 و َتُنادِي عَلَى المارِّينَ فِي حالِ سَبِيلِهِمْ:

to call passers-by who go right on their ways:

16 « تَعالَوْا أيُّها الجُهّالُ،» وَتَقُولُ لِعَدِيمِي الفَهمِ:

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. And to him that is void of understanding she saith,

17 « الماءُ المَسرُوقُ ألَذُّ، وَالخُبْزُ المَسرُوقُ أطيَبُ.»

Stolen waters are sweet, and the bread of secrecy is pleasant.

18 و َلَكِنَّ الجُهّالَ وَعَدِيمِي الفَهمِ لا يَعرِفُونَ أنَّ المَوتَ هُناكَ، وَأنَّ كُلَّ زُوّارِها سَيَذهَبُونَ إلَى المَوتِ.

But he knoweth not that the dead are there; her guests are in the depths of Sheol.