1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.

الإنسانُ المُنعَزِلُ يَبحَثُ عَنْ رَغبَتِهِ، وَيَتَضايَقُ مِنْ كُلِّ نَصِيحَةٍ.

2 A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.

الأحْمَقُ لا يَجِدُ مُتعَةً فِي الفَهْمِ، بَلْ فِي إعطاءِ آراءِهِ فَقَطْ.

3 W hen the wicked comes, contempt comes also; And with dishonor comes reproach.

عِندَما يَأْتِي الشَّرُّ يَأْتِي الاستِهزاءُ مَعَهُ، وَمَعَ الإهانَةِ يَأْتِي الخِزْيُ وَالعارُ.

4 T he words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.

كَلِماتُ الإنسانِ مِياهٌ عَمِيقَةٌ، وَنَبعُ الحِكْمَةِ نَهرٌ مُتَدَفِّقٌ.

5 I t is not good to show partiality to the wicked, Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

لَيسَ جَيِّداً أنْ تَتَحَيَّزَ لِلمُذنِبِ، فَتَحرِمَ البَرِيءَ مِنْ حَقِّهِ.

6 A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calls for blows.

كَلامُ الأحْمَقِ يُؤَدِّي إلَى الجَدَلِ، وَفَمُهُ يُسَبِّبُ لَهُ الضَّرْبَ.

7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

فَمُ الأحْمَقِ يُسَبِّبُ دَمارَهُ، وَكَلامُهُ يُشبِهُ الفَخَّ لِحَياتِهِ.

8 T he words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body.

كَلامُ النَّمّامِ يُشبِهُ لُقَمَ الطَّعامِ الَّتِي تَنزِلُ إلَى المَعِدَةِ.

9 H e who is slothful in his work Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.

الكَسْلانُ فِي عَمَلِهِ، هُوَ وَالمُخَرِّبُ سِيّانِ.

10 T he name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.

اسْمُ يهوه بُرجٌ مَنِيعٌ، يَركُضُ إلَيهِ البارُّ وَيَحتَمِي.

11 T he rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own esteem.

ثَروَةُ الغَنِيِّ هِيَ مَدِينَتُهُ الحَصِينَةُ، فَيَتَخَيَّلُها سُوراً عالِياً.

12 B efore destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility.

الكِبرِياءُ تأتِي قَبلَ الانهِيارِ، أمّا التَّواضُعُ فَيَأتِي قَبلَ الكَرامَةِ.

13 H e who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.

مَنْ يُجِيبُ عَنْ سُؤالٍ قَبلَ أنْ يَسمَعَهُ، فَهُوَ أحْمَقُ يُسَبِّبُ لِنَفسِهِ الخِزيَ.

14 T he spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit?

رُوحُ الإنسانِ تُسانِدُهُ فِي مَرَضِهِ، أمّا الرُّوحُ الحَزِينَةُ فَلا يَحتَمِلُها أحَدٌ.

15 T he heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

الإنسانُ الذَّكِيُّ يَكتَسِبُ المَعرِفَةَ، وَأُذُنُ الحَكِيمِ تَبحَثُ عَنِ العِلْمِ.

16 A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.

الهَدِيَّةُ تُؤدّي إلَى التَرْحيبِ، وَتُمَهِّدُ لِمُقابَلَةِ العُظَماءَ.

17 T he first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him.

مَنْ يَشتَكِي أوَّلاً يَبْدُو مُحِقّاً، إلَى أنْ يَأتِيَ خَصْمُهُ وَيَستَجْوِبُهُ.

18 C asting lots causes contentions to cease, And keeps the mighty apart.

القُرعَةُ تُنهِي النِّزاعَ، وَتَفصِلُ بَينَ طَرَفَينِ قَوِيّينِ.

19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle.

مُصالَحةُ الأخِ بَعْدَ إهانَتِهِ أصعَبُ مِنْ فَتْحِ مَدِينَةٍ، وَالمُخاصَماتُ بَيْنَ الأصْدِقاءِ أشبَهُ بِعَوارِضِ قَلعَةٍ.

20 A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

مِنْ ثَمَرِ كَلامِ الإنسانِ تَمتَلِئُ مَعِدَتُهُ، وَمِنْ غَلَّةِ شَفَتَيهِ يَشْبَعُ.

21 D eath and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

المَوتُ وَالحَياةُ تَحتَ سُلْطَةِ اللِّسانِ، وَمَنْ يُحِبُّ الكَلامَ سَيَأكُلُ ثَمَرَ كَلامِهِ.

22 H e who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord.

مَنْ يَجِدُ زَوجَةً صالِحَةً يَجِدُ خَيْراً، وَينالُ رِضَىً مِنَ اللهِ.

23 T he poor man uses entreaties, But the rich answers roughly.

الفَقِيرُ يَطلُبُ بِتَواضُعٍ، أمّا الغَنِيُّ فَيُجِيبُ بِخُشُونَةٍ.

24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

قَدْ يَضُرُّ الأصْدِقاءُ صَدِيقَهُمْ، لَكِنْ هُناكَ صَدِيقٌ ألصَقُ مِنَ الأخِ.