Proverbs 1

1 These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,

1 هَذِهِ هِيَ أَمْثَالُ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ مَلِكِ إِسْرَائِيلَ،

2 for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,

2 لِتَعْلِيمِ الْحِكْمَةِ وَالْفَهْمِ، وَإِدْرَاكِ مَعَانِي الْأَقْوَالِ الْمَأْثُورَةِ.

3 and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.

3 وَلِلْحَثِّ عَلَى تَقَبُّلِ التَّأْدِيبِ الْفَطِنِ، وَالْبِرِّ وَالْعَدْلِ وَالاسْتِقَامَةِ.

4 To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,

4 فَيُحْرِزُ الْبُسَطَاءُ فِطْنَةً، وَالأَحْدَاثُ عِلْماً وَبَصِيرَةً.

5 let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel

5 يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْهَا الْحَكِيمُ فَيَزْدَادُ حِكْمَةً، وَيَكْتَسِبُ الْفَهِيمُ مَهَارَةً،

6 by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.

6 فِي فَهْمِ الْمَثَلِ وَالْمَعْنَى الْبَلِيغِ وَأَقْوَالِ الْحُكَمَاءِ الْمَأْثُورَةِ وَأَحَاجِيهِمْ.

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

7 فَإِنَّ مَخَافَةَ الرَّبِّ هِيَ رَأْسُ الْمَعْرِفَةِ، أَمَّا الْحَمْقَى فَيَسْتَهِينُونَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالتَّأْدِيبِ.

8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.

8 اسْتَمِعْ يَا ابْنِي إِلَى تَوْجِيهِ أَبِيكَ وَلا تَتَنَكَّرْ لِتَعْلِيمِ أُمِّكَ.

9 For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.

9 فَإِنَّهُمَا إِكْلِيلُ نِعْمَةٍ يُتَوِّجُ رَأْسَكَ، وَقَلائِدُ تُطَوِّقُ عُنُقَكَ.

10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.

10 يَا ابْنِي إِنِ اسْتَغْوَاكَ الْخُطَاةُ فَلا تَقْبَلْ.

11 If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,

11 إِنْ قَالُوا: «تَعَالَ مَعَنَا لِنَتَرَبَّصَ بِالنَّاسِ حَتَّى نَسْفُكَ دِمَاءً أَوْ نَكْمُنَ لِلْبَرِيءِ وَنَقْتُلَهُ لِغَيْرِ عِلَّةٍ.

12 let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit.

12 أَوْ قَالُوا لَكَ: تَعَالَ لِنَبْتَلِعَهُمْ أَحْيَاءَ كَمَا تَبْتَلِعُهُمُ الْهَاوِيَةُ وَأَصِحَّاءَ كَالْهَابِطِينَ فِي حُفْرَةِ الْمَوْتِ

13 We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.

13 فَنَغْنَمَ كُلَّ نَفِيسٍ وَنَمْلأَ بُيُوتَنَا بِالأَسْلابِ.

14 Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—

14 ارْبِطْ مَصِيرَكَ بِمَصِيرِنَا، وَلْنَتَقَاسَمْ أَسْلابَنَا بِالتَّسَاوِي».

15 my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.

15 إِنْ قَالُوا لَكَ هَكَذَا فَلا تَسْلُكْ يَا ابْنِي فِي طَرِيقِهِمْ، وَاكْفُفْ قَدَمَكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِمْ.

16 For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.

16 لأَنَّ أَرْجُلَهُمْ تَسْعَى حَثِيثاً إِلَى الشَّرِّ، وَتُسْرِعُ إِلَى سَفْكِ الدِّمَاءِ.

17 How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!

17 فَإِنَّهُ عَبَثاً تُنْصَبُ الشَّبَكَةُ عَلَى مَرْأَى الطَّيْرِ.

18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.

18 إِنَّمَا هُمْ يَتَرَبَّصُونَ لِسَفْكِ دَمِ أَنْفُسِهِمْ، وَيَكْمُنُونَ لإِهْدَارِ حَيَاتِهِمْ.

19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.

19 هَذَا هُوَ مَصِيرُ كُلِّ مَنْ يَثْرَى ظُلْماً، فَإِنَّ الثَّرَاءَ الْحَرَامَ يَذْهَبُ بِحَيَاةِ قَانِيهِ.

20 Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;

20 تُنَادِي الْحِكْمَةُ فِي الْخَارِجِ؛ وَفِي الأَسْوَاقِ تَرْفَعُ صَوْتَهَا.

21 in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:

21 عِنْدَ مُفْتَرَقَاتِ الطُّرُقِ الْمُزْدَحِمَةِ تَهْتِفُ، وَفِي مَدَاخِلِ بَوَّابَاتِ الْمَدِينَةِ تُرَدِّدُ أَقْوَالَهَا:

22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?

22 «إِلَى مَتَى أَيُّهَا الْجُهَّالُ تَظَلُّونَ مُوْلَعِينَ بِالسَّذَاجَةِ، وَالسَّاخِرُونَ تُسَرُّونَ بِالسُّخْرِيَةِ، وَالْحَمْقَى بِكَرَاهِيَةِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ؟

23 If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.

23 إِنْ رَجَعْتُمْ عِنْدَ تَوْبِيخِي وَتُبْتُمْ، أَسْكُبْ عَلَيْكُمْ رُوحِي وَأُعَلِّمْكُمْ كَلِمَاتِي.

24 Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,

24 وَلَكِنْ لأَنَّكُمْ أَبَيْتُمْ دَعْوَتِي، وَرَفَضْتُمْ يَدِي الْمَمْدُودَةَ إِلَيْكُمْ،

25 because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,

25 وَتَجَاهَلْتُمْ كُلَّ نَصَائِحِي وَلَمْ تَقْبَلُوا تَوْبِيخِي،

26 in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,

26 فَأَنَا أَيْضاً أَسْخَرُ عِنْدَ مُصَابِكُمْ، وَأَشْمَتُ عِنْدَ حُلُولِ بَلِيَّتِكُمْ.

27 when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.

27 عِنْدَمَا تَجْتَاحُكُمُ الْبَلِيَّةُ كَالْعَاصِفَةِ، وَتَحُلُّ بِكُمُ الْكَارِثَةُ كَالزَّوْبَعَةِ، عِنْدَمَا يَعْتَرِيكُمْ ضِيقٌ وَشِدَّةٌ،

28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.

28 حِينَئِذٍ يَسْتَغِيثُونَ بِي فَلا أَسْتَجِيبُ، وَيَلْتَمِسُونَنِي فَلا يَجِدُونَنِي.

29 For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.

29 لأَنَّهُمْ كَرِهُوا الْمَعْرِفَةَ وَلَمْ يُؤْثِرُوا مَخَافَةَ الرَّبِّ،

30 They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.

30 وَتَنَكَّرُوا لِكُلِّ مَشُورَتِي، وَاسْتَخَفُّوا بِتَوْبِيخِي.

31 So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

31 لِذَلِكَ يَأْكُلُونَ ثِمَارَ أَعْمَالِهِمِ الْمُرَّةَ، وَيَشْبَعُونَ مِنْ عَوَاقِبِ مُؤَامَرَاتِهِمْ

32 For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

32 لأَنَّ ضَلالَ الحَمْقَى يَقْتُلُهُمْ، وَتَرَفَ الجُهَّالِ يُهْلِكُهُمْ.

33 But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”

33 أَمَّا الْمُسْتَمِعُ لِي فَيَسْكُنُ آمِناً مُطْمَئِنّاً لَا يُصِيبُهُ خَوْفٌ مِنَ الشَّرِّ».