1 ل ا تُوَبِّخْ شَيخاً، بَلِ انصَحهُ كَأبٍ. وَعامِلِ الشَّبابَ كَإخوَةٍ.

Do not speak sharp words to an older man. Talk with him as if he were a father. Talk to younger men as brothers.

2 أ مّا العَجائِزُ فَعامِلهُنَّ كَأُمَّهاتٍ، وَالشّابّاتِ كَأخَواتٍ بِكُلِّ طَهارَةٍ.

Talk to older women as mothers. Talk to younger women as sisters, keeping yourself pure.

3 ر اعِ الأرامِلَ المَحرُوماتِ بِالفِعلِ.

Help women whose husbands have died.

4 ل َكِنْ إنْ كانَ لِأرمَلَةٍ أبناءٌ وَأحفادٌ، فَعَلَى هَؤُلاءِ أنْ يَتَعَلَّمُوا أوَّلاً مُمارَسَةَ إيمانِهِمْ بِالِاهتِمامِ بِعائِلاتِهِمْ. فَهُمْ بِهَذا يَرُدُّونَ فَضلَ وَالِدَيْهِمْ أوْ أجدادِهِمُ الَّذِينَ رَبُّوهُمْ. وَهَذا مُرضٍ للهِ.

If a woman whose husband has died has children or grandchildren, they are the ones to care for her. In that way, they can pay back to their parents the kindness that has been shown to them. God is pleased when this is done.

5 ف َالأرمَلَةُ الحَقِيقِيَّةُ الَّتِي لَيسَ لَها مَنْ يَعتَنِي بِها، تَضَعُ رَجاءَها فِي الرَّبِّ، وَتُواظِبُ عَلَى الأدعِيَةِ وَالصَّلَواتِ لَيلَ نَهارٍ.

Women whose husbands have died are alone in this world. Their trust is in the Lord. They pray day and night.

6 أ مّا الأرمَلَةُ الَّتِي تَحيا لِمَلَذّاتِها، فَهِيَ فِي الحَقيقَةِ مَيِّتَةٌ مَعَ أنَّها حَيَّةٌ!

But the one who lives only for the joy she can receive from this world is the same as dead even if she is alive.

7 ف َأوصِ بِهَذِهِ الأُمُورِ لِكَيْ لا يَجِدَ أحَدٌ ما يَنتَقِدُهُنَّ عَلَيهِ.

Teach these things so they will do what is right.

8 ل َكِنْ إنْ كانَ أحَدٌ لا يَعُولُ أقرِباءَهُ، خاصَّةً عائِلَتَهُ، فَقَدْ تَنَكَّرَ لِلإيمانِ. وَمِثلُ هَذا أسوَأُ مِنْ غَيرِ المُؤمِنِ!

Anyone who does not take care of his family and those in his house has turned away from the faith. He is worse than a person who has never put his trust in Christ.

9 ل ا تُدرِجِ امْرأةً فِي قائِمَةِ الأرامِلِ إنْ كانَ عُمرُها أقَلَّ مِنْ سِتِّيْنَ عاماً، أوَ إنْ كانَتْ قَدْ تَطَلَّقَتْ يَوماً وَتَزَوَّجَتْ رَجُلاً آخَرَ.

A woman over sixty years old whose husband has died may receive help from the church. To receive this help, she must have been the wife of one man.

10 ك َما يَنبَغي أنْ تَكُونَ مَعرُوفَةً بِأعمالِها الصّالِحَةِ، بِما فِيها تَربِيَةُ أبنائِها، وَحُسنُ الضِّيافَةِ، وَغَسلُ أقدامِ المُؤمِنِينَ المُقَدَّسينَ، وَمُساعَدَةُ الَّذِينَ فِي ضِيقٍ، وَتَكرِيسُ نَفسِها لِكُلِّ أنواعِ الأعمالِ الصّالِحَةِ.

She must be known for doing good things for people and for being a good mother. She must be known for taking strangers into her home and for washing the feet of Christians. She must be known for helping those who suffer and for showing kindness.

11 ف َارفُضْ إدراجَ الأرامِلِ الشّابّاتِ، لِأنَّهُ مَتَى غَلَبَتْ شَهَواتُهُنَّ تَكرِيسَهُنَّ لِلمَسِيحِ، سَيُفَضِّلْنَ الزَّواجَ ثانِيَةً عَلَى خِدمَةِ المَسِيحِ.

Do not write the names of younger women whose husbands have died together with the names of others who need help. They will turn away from Christ because of wanting to get married again.

12 و َسَيَكُنَّ عُرضَةً لِلإدانَةِ لِأنَّهُنَّ كَسَرنَ عَهْدَهُنَّ الأوَّلَ.

Then they would be thought of as guilty of breaking their first promise.

13 و َفَضلاً عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَإنَّهُنَّ يَكتَسِبنَ عادَةَ الكَسَلِ وَالتَّسَكُّعَ مِنْ بَيتٍ إلَى بَيتٍ. وَلَنْ يُصبِحنَ كَسُولاتٍ فَحَسبُ، بَلْ سَيَبدَأْنَ أيضاً بِالنَّمِيمَةَ وَالتَّدَخُّلَ فِي أُمُورِ الآخَرِينَ، وَالكَلامِ الفارِغِ!

They will waste their time. They will go from house to house carrying stories. They will find fault with people and say things they should not talk about.

14 ل ِهَذا أُرِيدُ لِلأرامِلِ الشّابّاتِ أنْ يَتَزَوَّجنَ، وَأنْ يُرَبِّينَ أبناءً، وَأنْ يُدَبِّرنَ بُيُوتَهُنَّ، فَلا يَكَونُ لِمَنْ يُقاوِمُونَنا عُذرٌ فِي انتِقادِنا.

I think it is best for younger women whose husbands have died to get married. They should have children and care for their own homes. Then no one can speak against them.

15 أ قُولُ هَذا لِأنَّ بَعضَ الأرامِلِ قَدِ انحَرَفنَ لِيَتبَعنَ إبلِيسَ.

Some of these women have already turned away to follow Satan.

16 ف َإذا كانَتْ لِمُؤمِنَةٍ أرامِلُ فِي عائِلَتِها، عَلَيها أنْ تُساعِدَهُنَّ، فَلا يَكُنَّ عِبئاً عَلَى الكَنِيسَةِ. حينّئِذٍ تَستَطِيعُ الكَنِيسَةُ أنْ تُساعِدَ الأرامِلَ الحَقِيقِيّاتِ. تَعليماتٌ بِخُصُوصِ الشّيُوخ

If you have any women whose husbands have died in your family, you must care for them. The church should not have to help them. The church can help women whose husbands have died who are all alone in this world and have no one else to help them. Teaching About Leaders

17 أ مّا الشُّيُوخُ الَّذِينَ يَقُودُونَ الكَنِيسَةَ بِشَكلٍ حَسَنٍ، فَهُمْ جَدِيرُونَ بِالحُصُولِ عَلَى مُكافَأةٍ مُضاعَفَةٍ، خاصَّةً المُنشَغِلِيْنَ فِي الوَعظِ وَالتَّعلِيمِ.

Leaders who do their work well should be given twice as much pay, and for sure, those who work hard preaching and teaching.

18 ف َالكِتابُ يَقُولُ: «لا تُكَمِّمْ ثَوراً وَهُوَ يَدرُسُ القَمحَ.» وَيَقُولُ أيضاً: «أُجرَةُ العامِلِ حَقٌ لَهُ.»

The Holy Writings say, “When a cow is walking on the grain to break it open, do not stop it from eating some”, and “A person who works should be paid.”

19 ل ا تَقبَلِ اتِّهاماً ضِدَّ أحَدِ الشُّيوخِ ما لَمْ يُدعَمْ بِشاهِدَينِ أوْ ثَلاثَةٍ.

Do not listen to what someone says against a church leader unless two or three persons say the same thing.

20 أ مّا الَّذِينَ يُمارِسونَ الخَطِيَّةَ باستِمرارٍ، فَوَبِّخْهُمْ أمامَ الكَنِيسَةِ كُلِّها، لِكَي يَخافَ البَقِيَّةُ.

Show those who keep on sinning where they are wrong in front of the whole church. Then others will be afraid of sinning.

21 أ ُناشِدُكَ أمامَ اللهِ وَالمَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ وَالمَلائِكَةِ المُختارِينَ أنْ تُراعِيَ هَذِهِ التَّعلِيماتِ دُونَ أنْ تُصدِرَ أحكاماً مُسْبَقَةً عَلَى أحَدٍ، وَمِنْ دُونِ تَمييزٍ بَينَ شَخصٍ وَآخَرَ.

I tell you from my heart that you must follow these rules without deciding before the truth is known. God and Jesus Christ and the chosen angels know what I am saying. Show favors to no one.

22 ا حرِصْ عَلَى أنْ لا تَتَسَرَّعَ فِي وَضعِ يَدِكَ عَلَى أحَدٍ لإطلاقِهِ فِي خِدمَةِ الرَّبِّ. وَلا تَشتَرِكْ فِي خَطايا الآخَرِينَ، بَلِ احفَظْ نَفسَكَ نَقِيّاً دائِماً.

Do not be in a hurry about choosing a church leader. You do not want to have any part in other men’s sins. Keep yourself pure.

23 ل ا تَكتَفِ بِشُربِ الماءِ وَحدَهُ فِيما بَعْدُ، بَلِ استَخدِمْ بَعضَ النَّبيذِ مِنْ أجلِ مَعِدَتِكَ وَاعْتِلالاتِكَ المُتَكَرِّرَةِ.

Do not drink water only. Use a little wine because of your stomach and because you are sick so often.

24 خ َطايا بَعضُ النّاسِ وَاضِحَةٌ تَماماً، وَهِيَ تَسبِقُهُمْ إلَى المُحاكَمَةِ. وَأمّا بَعْضُهُمْ فَخَطاياهُمْ تَلحَقُ بِهِمْ!

The sins of some men can be seen. Their sins go before them and make them guilty. The sins of other men will be seen later.

25 و َالأعمالُ الصّالِحَةُ وَاضِحَةٌ تَماماً أيضاً، لَكِنْ حَتَّى غَيرُ الواضِحَةِ لَنْ تَخفَى إلَى الأبَدِ.

In the same way, good works are easy to see now. But some that are not easy to be seen cannot always be hid.