Ecclesiastes 7

A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

اَلصِّيتُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّهْنِ الطَّيِّبِ، وَيَوْمُ الْمَمَاتِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْوِلاَدَةِ.

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

اَلذَّهَابُ إِلَى بَيْتِ النَّوْحِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الذَّهَابِ إِلَى بَيْتِ الْوَلِيمَةِ، لأَنَّ ذَاكَ نِهَايَةُ كُلِّ إِنْسَانٍ، وَالْحَيُّ يَضَعُهُ فِي قَلْبِهِ.

Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

اَلْحُزْنُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الضَّحِكِ، لأَنَّهُ بِكَآبَةِ الْوَجْهِ يُصْلَحُ الْقَلْبُ.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

قَلْبُ الْحُكَمَاءِ فِي بَيْتِ النَّوْحِ، وَقَلْبُ الْجُهَّالِ فِي بَيْتِ الْفَرَحِ.

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

سَمْعُ الانْتِهَارِ مِنَ الْحَكِيمِ خَيْرٌ لِلإِنْسَانِ مِنْ سَمْعِ غِنَاءِ الْجُهَّالِ،

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

لأَنَّهُ كَصَوْتِ الشَّوْكِ تَحْتَ الْقِدْرِ هكَذَا ضَحِكُ الْجُهَّالِ. هذَا أَيْضًا بَاطِلٌ.

Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

لأَنَّ الظُّلْمَ يُحَمِّقُ الْحَكِيمَ، وَالْعَطِيَّةَ تُفْسِدُ الْقَلْبَ.

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

نِهَايَةُ أَمْرٍ خَيْرٌ مِنْ بَدَايَتِهِ. طُولُ الرُّوحِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ تَكَبُّرِ الرُّوحِ.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

لاَ تُسْرِعْ بِرُوحِكَ إِلَى الْغَضَبِ، لأَنَّ الْغَضَبَ يَسْتَقِرُّ فِي حِضْنِ الْجُهَّالِ.

Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

لاَ تَقُلْ: «لِمَاذَا كَانَتِ الأَيَّامُ الأُولَى خَيْرًا مِنْ هذِهِ؟» لأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ عَنْ حِكْمَةٍ تَسْأَلُ عَنْ هذَا.

Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

اَلْحِكْمَةُ صَالِحَةٌ مِثْلُ الْمِيرَاثِ، بَلْ أَفْضَلُ لِنَاظِرِي الشَّمْسِ.

For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

لأَنَّ الَّذِي فِي ظِلِّ الْحِكْمَةِ هُوَ فِي ظِلِّ الْفِضَّةِ، وَفَضْلُ الْمَعْرِفَةِ هُوَ إِنَّ الْحِكْمَةَ تُحْيِي أَصْحَابَهَا.

Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

اُنْظُرْ عَمَلَ اللهِ: لأَنَّهُ مَنْ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى تَقْوِيمِ مَا قَدْ عَوَّجَهُ؟

In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

فِي يَوْمِ الْخَيْرِ كُنْ بِخَيْرٍ، وَفِي يَوْمِ الشَّرِّ اعْتَبِرْ. إِنَّ اللهَ جَعَلَ هذَا مَعَ ذَاكَ، لِكَيْلاَ يَجِدَ الإِنْسَانُ شَيْئًا بَعْدَهُ.

All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

قَدْ رَأَيْتُ الْكُلَّ فِي أَيَّامِ بُطْلِي: قَدْ يَكُونُ بَارٌّ يَبِيدُ فِي بِرِّهِ، وَقَدْ يَكُونُ شِرِّيرٌ يَطُولُ فِي شَرِّهِ.

Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

لاَ تَكُنْ بَارًّا كَثِيرًا، وَلاَ تَكُنْ حَكِيمًا بِزِيَادَةٍ. لِمَاذَا تَخْرِبُ نَفْسَكَ؟

Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

لاَ تَكُنْ شِرِّيرًا كَثِيرًا، وَلاَ تَكُنْ جَاهِلاً. لِمَاذَا تَمُوتُ فِي غَيْرِ وَقْتِكَ؟

It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

حَسَنٌ أَنْ تَتَمَسَّكَ بِهذَا، وَأَيْضًا أَنْ لاَ تَرْخِيَ يَدَكَ عَنْ ذَاكَ، لأَنَّ مُتَّقِيَ اللهِ يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمَا كِلَيْهِمَا.

Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

اَلْحِكْمَةُ تُقَوِّي الْحَكِيمَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ عَشَرَةِ مُسَلَِّطِينَ، الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ.

For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

لأَنَّهُ لاَ إِنْسَانٌ صِدِّيقٌ فِي الأَرْضِ يَعْمَلُ صَلاَحًا وَلاَ يُخْطِئُ.

Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

أَيْضًا لاَ تَضَعْ قَلْبَكَ عَلَى كُلِّ الْكَلاَمِ الَّذِي يُقَالُ، لِئَلاَّ تَسْمَعَ عَبْدَكَ يَسِبُّكَ.

For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

لأَنَّ قَلْبَكَ أَيْضًا يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ كَذلِكَ مِرَارًا كَثِيرَةً سَبَبْتَ آخَرِينَ.

All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

كُلُّ هذَا امْتَحَنْتُهُ بِالْحِكْمَةِ. قُلْتُ: «أَكُونُ حَكِيمًا». أَمَّا هِيَ فَبَعِيدَةٌ عَنِّي.

That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

بَعِيدٌ مَا كَانَ بَعِيدًا، وَالْعَمِيقُ الْعَمِيقُ مَنْ يَجِدُهُ؟

I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

دُرْتُ أَنَا وَقَلْبِي لأَعْلَمَ وَلأَبْحَثَ وَلأَطْلُبَ حِكْمَةً وَعَقْلاً، وَلأَعْرِفَ الشَّرَّ أَنَّهُ جَهَالَةٌ، وَالْحَمَاقَةَ أَنَّهَا جُنُونٌ.

And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

فَوَجَدْتُ أَمَرَّ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ: الْمَرْأَةَ الَّتِي هِيَ شِبَاكٌ، وَقَلْبُهَا أَشْرَاكٌ، وَيَدَاهَا قُيُودٌ. الصَّالِحُ قُدَّامَ اللهِ يَنْجُو مِنْهَا. أَمَّا الْخَاطِئُ فَيُؤْخَذُ بِهَا.

Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

اُنْظُرْ. هذَا وَجَدْتُهُ، قَالَ الْجَامِعَةُ: وَاحِدَةً فَوَاحِدَةً لأَجِدَ النَّتِيجَةَ

Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

الَّتِي لَمْ تَزَلْ نَفْسِي تَطْلُبُهَا فَلَمْ أَجِدْهَا. رَجُلاً وَاحِدًا بَيْنَ أَلْفٍ وَجَدْتُ، أَمَّا امْرَأَةً فَبَيْنَ كُلِّ أُولئِكَ لَمْ أَجِدْ!

Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

اُنْظُرْ. هذَا وَجَدْتُ فَقَطْ: أَنَّ اللهَ صَنَعَ الإِنْسَانَ مُسْتَقِيمًا، أَمَّا هُمْ فَطَلَبُوا اخْتِرَاعَاتٍ كَثِيرَةً.