| 1 كَالثَّلْجِ فِي الصَّيْفِ وَكَالْمَطَرِ فِي الْحَصَادِ، هكَذَا الْكَرَامَةُ غَيْرُ لاَئِقَةٍ بِالْجَاهِلِ. | 1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool. |
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| 2 كَالْعُصْفُورِ لِلْفَرَارِ وَكَالسُّنُونَةِ لِلطَّيَرَانِ، كَذلِكَ لَعْنَةٌ بِلاَ سَبَبٍ لاَ تَأْتِي. | 2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. |
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| 3 اَلسَّوْطُ لِلْفَرَسِ وَاللِّجَامُ لِلْحِمَارِ، وَالْعَصَا لِظَهْرِ الْجُهَّالِ. | 3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back. |
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4 لاَ تُجَاوِبِ الْجَاهِلَ حَسَبَ حَمَاقَتِهِ لِئَلاَّ تَعْدِلَهُ أَنْتَ.  | 4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. |
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| 5 جَاوِبِ الْجَاهِلَ حَسَبَ حَمَاقَتِهِ لِئَلاَّ يَكُونَ حَكِيمًا فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِهِ. | 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. |
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| 6 يَقْطَعُ الرِّجْلَيْنِ، يَشْرَبُ ظُلْمًا، مَنْ يُرْسِلُ كَلاَمًا عَنْ يَدِ جَاهِل. | 6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage. |
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| 7 سَاقَا الأَعْرَجِ مُتَدَلْدِلَتَانِ، وَكَذَا الْمَثَلُ فِي فَمِ الْجُهَّالِ. | 7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools. |
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| 8 كَصُرَّةِ حِجَارَةٍ كَرِيمَةٍ فِي رُجْمَةٍ، هكَذَا الْمُعْطِي كَرَامَةً لِلْجَاهِلِ. | 8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool. |
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| 9 شَوْكٌ مُرْتَفِعٌ بِيَدِ سَكْرَانٍ، مِثْلُ الْمَثَلِ فِي فَمِ الْجُهَّالِ. | 9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouths of fools. |
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| 10 رَامٍ يَطْعَنُ الْكُلَّ، هكَذَا مَنْ يَسْتَأْجِرُ الْجَاهِلَ أَوْ يَسْتَأْجِرُ الْمُحْتَالِينَ. | 10 The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors. |
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| 11 كَمَا يَعُودُ الْكَلْبُ إِلَى قَيْئِهِ، هكَذَا الْجَاهِلُ يُعِيدُ حَمَاقَتَهُ. | 11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. |
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| 12 أَرَأَيْتَ رَجُلاً حَكِيمًا فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِهِ؟ الرَّجَاءُ بِالْجَاهِلِ أَكْثَرُ مِنَ الرَّجَاءِ بِهِ. | 12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him. |
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| 13 قَالَ الْكَسْلاَنُ: «الأَسَدُ فِي الطَّرِيقِ، الشِّبْلُ فِي الشَّوَارِعِ!». | 13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. |
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| 14 اَلْبَابُ يَدُورُ عَلَى صَائِرِهِ، وَالْكَسْلاَنُ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ. | 14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. |
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| 15 اَلْكَسْلاَنُ يُخْفِي يَدَهُ فِي الصَّحْفَةِ، وَيَشُقُّ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَرُدَّهَا إِلَى فَمِهِ. | 15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. |
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| 16 اَلْكَسْلاَنُ أَوْفَرُ حِكْمَةً فِي عَيْنَيْ نَفْسِهِ مِنَ السَّبْعَةِ الْمُجِيبِينَ بِعَقْل. | 16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. |
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| 17 كَمُمْسِكٍ أُذُنَيْ كَلْبٍ، هكَذَا مَنْ يَعْبُرُ وَيَتَعَرَّضُ لِمُشَاجَرَةٍ لاَ تَعْنِيهِ. | 17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. |
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| 18 مِثْلُ الْمَجْنُونِ الَّذِي يَرْمِي نَارًا وَسِهَامًا وَمَوْتًا، | 18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, |
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| 19 هكَذَا الرَّجُلُ الْخَادِعُ قَرِيبَهُ وَيَقُولُ: «أَلَمْ أَلْعَبْ أَنَا!». | 19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport? |
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| 20 بِعَدَمِ الْحَطَبِ تَنْطَفِئُ النَّارُ، وَحَيْثُ لاَ نَمَّامَ يَهْدَأُ الْخِصَامُ. | 20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. |
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| 21 فَحْمٌ لِلْجَمْرِ وَحَطَبٌ لِلنَّارِ، هكَذَا الرَّجُلُ الْمُخَاصِمُ لِتَهْيِيجِ النِّزَاعِ. | 21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. |
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| 22 كَلاَمُ النَّمَّامِ مِثْلُ لُقَمٍ حُلْوَةٍ فَيَنْزِلُ إِلَى مَخَادِعِ الْبَطْنِ. | 22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. |
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| 23 فِضَّةُ زَغَل تُغَشِّي شَقْفَةً، هكَذَا الشَّفَتَانِ الْمُتَوَقِّدَتَانِ وَالْقَلْبُ الشِّرِّيرُ. | 23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. |
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| 24 بِشَفَتَيْهِ يَتَنَكَّرُ الْمُبْغِضُ، وَفِي جَوْفِهِ يَضَعُ غِشًّا. | 24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; |
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| 25 إِذَا حَسَّنَ صَوْتَهُ فَلاَ تَأْتَمِنْهُ، لأَنَّ فِي قَلْبِهِ سَبْعَ رَجَاسَاتٍ. | 25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. |
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| 26 مَنْ يُغَطِّي بُغْضَةً بِمَكْرٍ، يَكْشِفُ خُبْثَهُ بَيْنَ الْجَمَاعَةِ. | 26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation. |
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| 27 مَنْ يَحْفِرُ حُفْرَةً يَسْقُطُ فِيهَا، وَمَنْ يُدَحْرِجُ حَجَرًا يَرْجعُ عَلَيْهِ. | 27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. |
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| 28 اَللِّسَانُ الْكَاذِبُ يُبْغِضُ مُنْسَحِقِيهِ، وَالْفَمُ الْمَلِقُ يُعِدُّ خَرَابًا. | 28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. |
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