1 “ Call now, is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn?

«إنْ دَعَوتَ الآنَ، فَمَنْ يُجِيبُكَ؟ وَإلَى مَنْ مِنَ المَلائِكَةِ سَتَلجَأُ؟

2 “ For anger slays the foolish man, And jealousy kills the simple.

لأنَّ الغَيظَ يَقتُلُ الأحْمَقَ، وَالحَسَدُ يَذبَحُ الأبلَهُ.

3 “ I have seen the foolish taking root, And I cursed his abode immediately.

قَد رَأيتُ الأحْمَقَ يَمُدُّ جُذُورَهُ، وَفَجأةً هُدِمَ مَسْكِنُهُ!

4 “ His sons are far from safety, They are even oppressed in the gate, And there is no deliverer.

أبناؤُهُ بَعِيدُونَ عَنِ الأمانِ، يُهزَمُونَ فِي المُحاكَمَةِ، وَما مِنْ أحَدٍ يُدافِعُ عَنهُمْ.

5 “ His harvest the hungry devour And take it to a place of thorns, And the schemer is eager for their wealth.

يَأكُلُ الجّائِعُ حَصادَهُ، وَيَأخُذُهُ مِنْ بَينِ الأشواكِ، وَيَشتَهِي الجَشِعُونَ ثَروَتَهُ.

6 “ For affliction does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble sprout from the ground,

لأنَّ المُصِيبَةَ لا تَأتِي مِنَ التُرابِ، وَلا تَنبُتُ المُعاناةُ مِنَ الأرْضِ.

7 F or man is born for trouble, As sparks fly upward.

لَكِنَّ البَشَرَ يَلِدُونَ المُصِيبَةَ، تَماماً كَما تُرفَعُ ألسِنَةُ اللَّهَبِ إلَى الأعلَى.

8 “ But as for me, I would seek God, And I would place my cause before God;

أمّا أنا فَأتَضَرَّعُ إلَى اللهِ، وَأُخبِرُهُ بِما أصابَنِي.

9 W ho does great and unsearchable things, Wonders without number.

فَهُوَ صانِعُ الأعمالِ العَظِيمَةِ الَّتِي يَصْعُبُ فَهْمُها، الأعمالِ المُهِيبَةِ الَّتِي لا تُحصَى.

10 “ He gives rain on the earth And sends water on the fields,

هُوَ الَّذِي يُرسِلُ المَطَرَ عَلَى وَجهِ الأرْضِ، وَيُرسِلُ المِياهَ عَلَى وَجهِ الحُقُولِ.

11 S o that He sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety.

يَرفَعُ المُتَّضِعِينَ، وَيُحَسِّنُ حالَ مَنْ سَوَّدَ الحُزنُ حَياتَهُمْ.

12 “ He frustrates the plotting of the shrewd, So that their hands cannot attain success.

هُوَ الَّذِي يُحْبِطُ مُؤامَراتِ الماكِرِينَ، لِئَلّا يَنجَحُوا فِي مَقاصِدِهِمْ.

13 “ He captures the wise by their own shrewdness, And the advice of the cunning is quickly thwarted.

يَصطادُ اللهُ الحُكَماءَ بِذَكائِهِمْ، فَيُفْشِلُ خُطَّةَ الماكِرِينَ.

14 “ By day they meet with darkness, And grope at noon as in the night.

تُواجِهُهُمُ الظُّلْمَةُ فِي وَضَحِ النَّهارِ. وَيَتَلَمَّسُونَ طَرِيقَهُمْ فِي الظُّهرِ، كَما فِي الظَّلامِ.

15 “ But He saves from the sword of their mouth, And the poor from the hand of the mighty.

لَكِنَّ اللهَ يُخَلِّصُ الفَقِيرَ مِنْ سِياطِ أفواهِهِمْ، وَمِن يَدِ القَوِيِّ.

16 “ So the helpless has hope, And unrighteousness must shut its mouth.

لِهَذا يُوجَدُ رَجاءٌ لِلمِسْكِينِ، وَيَسُدُّ الظُلمُ فَمَهُ!

17 “ Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

«هَنِيئاً لِمَن يُؤَدِّبهُ اللهُ، فَلا تَرْفُضْ تَأدِيبَ القَدِيرِ.

18 “ For He inflicts pain, and gives relief; He wounds, and His hands also heal.

لأنَّ اللهَ يَضْرِبُ وَيُضَمِّدُ. يَجْرَحُ وَيَداهُ تَشفِيانِ.

19 “ From six troubles He will deliver you, Even in seven evil will not touch you.

يُخَلِّصُكَ مِنَ الضِّيقاتِ مَرَّةً بَعدَ مَرَّةٍ، وَلا يَمَسُّكَ السُّوءُ أيضاً.

20 “ In famine He will redeem you from death, And in war from the power of the sword.

فِي المَجاعَةِ يَحْمِيكَ مِنَ المَوتِ، وَفِي الحَربِ مِنَ القَتلِ بِالسَّيفِ.

21 “ You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you will not be afraid of violence when it comes.

يَحمِيكَ مِنَ افتِراءِ الألسِنَةِ الَّتِي تَنزِلُ كَالسِّياطِ، فَلَيْسَ ما يَدعُوكَ إلَى أنْ تَخشَى المَصائِبَ حِينَ تَأتِي.

22 “ You will laugh at violence and famine, And you will not be afraid of wild beasts.

تَهزَأُ بِالخَرابِ وَالمَجاعَةِ، وَوُحُوشُ البَرِّيَّةِ لا تُخِيفُكَ.

23 “ For you will be in league with the stones of the field, And the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.

لأنَّكَ سَتَقطَعُ عَهداً مَعَ صُخُورِ الأرْضِ، وَتُسالِمُكَ وُحُوشُ البَرِّيَّةِ.

24 “ You will know that your tent is secure, For you will visit your abode and fear no loss.

سَتَعرِفُ أنَّ بَيتَكَ آمِنٌ، وَتَتَفَقَّدُ قَطِيعَكَ فَتَجِدهُ غَيرَ مَنقُوصٍ.

25 “ You will know also that your descendants will be many, And your offspring as the grass of the earth.

سَتَعرِفُ أنَّكَ سَتُرْزَقُ بِنَسلٍ كَثِيرٍ، وَسَتَكُونُ ذُرِّيَّتُكَ بِعَدَدِ أوراقِ عُشبِ الأرْضِ.

26 “ You will come to the grave in full vigor, Like the stacking of grain in its season.

سَتَعِيشُ حَياتَكَ كامِلَةً، فَتَكُونُ كَكَوْمَةٍ مِنَ الحُبُوبِ النّاضِجَةِ وَقتَ حَصادِها.

27 “ Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is. Hear it, and know for yourself.”

هَذا هُوَ الأمرُ الَّذِي تَفَحَّصناهُ، وَهُوَ هَكَذا … فَاسمَعْ وَتَعَلَّمْ أنْتَ.»