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He who touches pitch will be defiled. He who has fellowship with a proud man will become like him.

Don’t take up a burden above your strength. Have no fellowship with one who is mightier and richer than yourself. What fellowship would the earthen pot have with the kettle? The kettle will strike, and the pot will be dashed in pieces.

The rich man does a wrong and threatens. The poor is wronged and apologizes.

If you are profitable, he will exploit you. If you are in need, he will forsake you.

If you own something, he will live with you. He will drain your resources and will not be sorry.

Does he need you? Then he will deceive you, smile at you, and give you hope. He will speak kindly to you and say, “What do you need?”

He will shame you by his delicacies until he has made you bare twice or thrice, and in the end he will laugh you to scorn. Afterward he will see you, will forsake you, and shake his head at you.

Beware that you are not deceived and brought low in your enjoyment.

If a mighty man invites you, be reserved, and he will invite you more.

Don’t press him, lest you be thrust back. Don’t stand far off, lest you be forgotten.

Don’t try to speak with him as an equal, and don’t believe his many words; for he will test you with much talk, and will examine you in a smiling manner.

He who doesn’t keep secrets to himself is unmerciful. He won’t hesitate to harm and to bind.

Keep them to yourself and be careful, for you walk in danger of falling.

Every living creature loves its own kind, and every man loves his neighbor.

All flesh associates with their own kind. A man will stick to people like himself.

What fellowship would the wolf have with the lamb? So is the sinner to the godly.

What peace is there between a hyena and a dog? What peace is there between a rich man and the poor?

Wild donkeys are the prey of lions in the wilderness; likewise poor men are feeding grounds for the rich.

Lowliness is an abomination to a proud man; likewise a poor man is an abomination to the rich.

When a rich man is shaken, he is supported by his friends, but when the humble is down, he is pushed away even by his friends.

When a rich man falls, there are many helpers. He speaks things not to be spoken, and men justify him. A humble man falls, and men rebuke him. He utters wisdom, and is not listened to.

A rich man speaks, and all keep silence. They extol what he says to the clouds. A poor man speaks, and they say, “Who is this?” If he stumbles, they will help to overthrow him.

Riches are good if they have no sin. Poverty is evil only in the opinion of the ungodly.

The heart of a man changes his countenance, whether it is for good or for evil.

A cheerful countenance is a sign of a prosperous heart. Devising proverbs takes strenuous thinking.

مَن لَمَسَ القَطْرانَ تَوَسَّخ ومَن عاشَرَ المُتَكَبِّرَ أَشبَهَه

لا تَرْفَعْ ثِقَلًا يَفوقُ طاقَتَكَ ولا تُعاشِرْ مَن هو أَقْوى وأَغْنى مِنكَ. كَيفَ يُقرَنُ بَينَ قِدْرِ الخَزَفِ والمِرجَل؟ إِنَّها إِذا صُدِمَت تَنكَسِر

الغَنِيُّ يَظلِمُ ويَسخَط والفَقيرُ يُظلَمُ ويَتَضَرَّع

إِن كُنتَ نافِعًا ٱستَغَلَّكَ وإِن كُنتَ مُعوِزًا خَذَلَك

إِن كانَ لَكَ مالٌ عاشَرَكَ وٱستَنفَدَ مالَكَ وهو ناعِمُ البال

إِن كانَت لَه بِكَ حاجَةٌ غَرَّكَ وتَبَسَّمَ إِلَيكَ وأَمَّلَكَ وكَلَّمَكَ بِالخَيرِ فقالَ: «ما حاجَتُكَ؟»

يُخجِلُكَ في مَآدِبِه حَتَّى يَستَنفِدَ مالَكَ في مَرَّتَينِ أَو ثَلاثٍ وأَخيرًا يَستَهزِئُ بِكَ. ويَراكَ بَعدَ ذٰلك فيَخذُلُكَ ويَهُزُّ رَأسَه في شَأنِكَ

إِحْذَرْ أَن تَغتَرَّ وتُذَلَّ في غَبائِكَ

إِذا دَعاكَ مُقتَدِرٌ فتَوارَ فيَزْدادُ دَعوَةً لَكَ

لا تَقتَحِمْ لِئَلَّا تُطرَد ولا تَقِفْ بَعيدًا لِئَلَّا تُنْسى

لا تُقْدِمْ على مُحادَثَتِه كالنِّدِّ لِلنِّدّ ولا تَثِقْ بِأَحاديثِه الطَّويلة فإِنَّه بِكَثرَةِ كَلامِه يَختَبِرُكَ وبِتَبَسُّمِه إِلَيكَ يَفحَصُكَ

إِنَّه بِلا رَحمَةٍ ذٰلِكَ الَّذي لا يُمسِكُ كَلامَه ولا يُوَفِّرُ عَلَيكَ الضَرَباتِ ولا القُيود

إِحْذَرْ وتَنَبَّهْ فإِنَّكَ تَمْشي على شَفى السُّقوط

كُلُّ كائِنٍ حَيٍّ يُحِبُّ ٱبنَ جِنْسِه وكُلُّ إِنْسانٍ يُحِبُّ قَريبَه

كُلُّ ذي جَسَدٍ يَقتَرِنُ بِحَسَبِ جِنْسِه والرَّجُلُ يُلازِمُ ٱبنَ جِنْسِه

أَيُّ شَرِكَةٍ بَينَ الذِّئبِ والحَمَل؟ ذٰلك شأنُ الخاطئ مع التَّقِيّ

أَيُّ سَلامٍ بَينَ الضَّبْعِ والكَلْب؟ وأَيُّ سَلامٍ بَينَ الغَنِيِّ والفَقير؟

حَميرُ الوَحْشِ في البَرِّيَّةِ صَيدُ الأُسود وكذٰلِكَ الفُقَراءُ هم مَراعي الأَغنِياء

التَّواضُعُ قَبيحةٌ عِندَ المُتَكَبِّر وهٰكذا الفَقيرُ قَبيحَةٌ عِندَ الغَنِيّ

الغَنِيُّ إِذا تَرَنَّحَ يَسنِدُه أَصدِقاؤُه والمِسْكينُ إِذا سَقَطَ فأَصدِقاؤُه يَنبِذونَه

يَزِلُّ الغَنِيُّ فيُعينُه كَثيرون ويَتَكَلَّمُ بِالمُنكَراتِ فيُبَرِّئونَه. يَزِلُّ المِسْكينُ فيُوَبِّخونَه ويَتَكَلَّمُ كَلامًا مَعْقولًا فلا يُفسَحُ في المَكانِ لَه

يَتَكَلَّمُ الغَنِيُّ فيُنصِتُ الجَميع ويَرفَعونَ قَولَه إِلى الغُيوم. يَتَكَلَّمُ الفَقيرُ فيَقولون: «مَن هٰذا؟» وإِن زَلَّ يَصرَعونَه

الغِنى يَحسُنُ بِمَن لا خَطيئَةَ لَه والفَقْرُ مُستَقبَحٌ في فَمِ الكافِر

قَلبُ الإِنسانِ يُحَوِّلُ وَجهَه إِمَّا إِلى الخَيرِ وإِمَّا إِلى الشَّرّ

طَلاقَةُ الوَجْهِ مِن طيبِ القَلْب والبَحْثُ عنِ الأَمْثالِ يُجهِدُ الأَفْكار