1 נָסוּ וְאֵין־רֹדֵף רָשָׁע וְצַדִּיקִים כִּכְפִיר יִבְטָח | 1 The wicked flees when no one is pursuing, the upright is bold as a lion. |
2 בְּפֶשַׁע אֶרֶץ רַבִּים שָׂרֶיהָ וּבְאָדָם מֵבִין יֹדֵעַ כֵּן יַאֲרִיךְ | 2 A country in revolt throws up many leaders: with one person wise and experienced, you have stability. |
3 גֶּבֶר רָשׁ וְעֹשֵׁק דַּלִּים מָטָר סֹחֵף וְאֵין לָחֶם | 3 The wicked oppresses the weak: here is a devastating rain -- and farewell, bread! |
4 עֹזְבֵי תֹורָה יְהַלְלוּ רָשָׁע וְשֹׁמְרֵי תֹורָה יִתְגָּרוּ בָם׃ פ | 4 Those who forsake the law sing the praises of the wicked, those who observe the law are angered bythem. |
5 אַנְשֵׁי־רָע לֹא־יָבִינוּ מִשְׁפָּט וּמְבַקְשֵׁי יְהוָה יָבִינוּ כֹל | 5 The wicked do not know what justice means, those who seek Yahweh understand everything. |
6 טֹוב־רָשׁ הֹולֵךְ בְּתֻמֹּו מֵעִקֵּשׁ דְּרָכַיִם וְהוּא עָשִׁיר | 6 Better someone poor living an honest life than someone of devious ways however rich. |
7 נֹוצֵר תֹּורָה בֵּן מֵבִין וְרֹעֶה זֹולְלִים יַכְלִים אָבִיו | 7 An intel igent child is one who keeps the Law; an associate of profligates brings shame on his father. |
8 מַרְבֶּה הֹונֹו בְּנֶשֶׁךְ [וּבְתַרְבִּית כ] (וְתַרְבִּית ק) לְחֹונֵן דַּלִּים יִקְבְּצֶנּוּ | 8 Whoever increases wealth by usury and interest amasses it for someone else who will bestow it on thepoor. |
9 מֵסִיר אָזְנֹו מִשְּׁמֹעַ תֹּורָה גַּם־תְּפִלָּתֹו תֹּועֵבָה | 9 Whoever refuses to listen to the Law, such a one's very prayer is an abomination. |
10 מַשְׁגֶּה יְשָׁרִים ׀ בְּדֶרֶךְ רָע בִּשְׁחוּתֹו הוּא־יִפֹּול וּתְמִימִים יִנְחֲלוּ־טֹוב | 10 Whoever seduces the honest to evil ways wil fal into his own pit. The blameless are the heirs tohappiness. |
11 חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו אִישׁ עָשִׁיר וְדַל מֵבִין יַחְקְרֶנּוּ | 11 The rich may think himself wise, but the intelligent poor wil unmask him. |
12 בַּעֲלֹץ צַדִּיקִים רַבָּה תִפְאָרֶת וּבְקוּם רְשָׁעִים יְחֻפַּשׂ אָדָם | 12 When the upright triumph, there is great exultation: when the wicked are in the ascendant, peopletake cover. |
13 מְכַסֶּה פְשָׁעָיו לֹא יַצְלִיחַ וּמֹודֶה וְעֹזֵב יְרֻחָם | 13 No one who conceals his sins will prosper, whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy. |
14 אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם מְפַחֵד תָּמִיד וּמַקְשֶׁה לִבֹּו יִפֹּול בְּרָעָה | 14 Blessed the person who is never without fear, whoever hardens his heart will fal into distress. |
15 אֲרִי־נֹהֵם וְדֹב שֹׁוקֵק מֹשֵׁל רָשָׁע עַל עַם־דָּל | 15 Like a roaring lion or a springing bear is a wicked ruler of a powerless people. |
16 נָגִיד חֲסַר תְּבוּנֹות וְרַב מַעֲשַׁקֹּות [שֹׂנְאֵי כ] (שֹׂנֵא ק) בֶצַע יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים׃ פ | 16 An unenlightened ruler is rich in rapacity, one who hates greed wil lengthen his days. |
17 אָדָם עָשֻׁק בְּדַם־נָפֶשׁ עַד־בֹּור יָנוּס אַל־יִתְמְכוּ־בֹו | 17 A man guilty of murder wil flee till he reaches his tomb: let no one halt him! |
18 הֹולֵךְ תָּמִים יִוָּשֵׁעַ וְנֶעְקַשׁ דְּרָכַיִם יִפֹּול בְּאֶחָת | 18 Whoever lives an honest life wil be safe, whoever wavers between two ways falls down in one ofthem. |
19 עֹבֵד אַדְמָתֹו יִשְׂבַּע־לָחֶם וּמְרַדֵּף רֵקִים יִשְׂבַּע־רִישׁ | 19 Whoever works his land shall have bread and to spare, but no one who chases fantasies has anysense. |
20 אִישׁ אֱמוּנֹות רַב־בְּרָכֹות וְאָץ לְהַעֲשִׁיר לֹא יִנָּקֶה | 20 A trustworthy person wil be overwhelmed with blessings, but no one who tries to get rich quickly wilgo unpunished. |
21 הַכֵּר־פָּנִים לֹא־טֹוב וְעַל־פַּת־לֶחֶם יִפְשַׁע־גָּבֶר | 21 It is not good to show partiality, but people will do wrong for a mouthful of bread. |
22 נִבֳהָל לַהֹון אִישׁ רַע עָיִן וְלֹא־יֵדַע כִּי־חֶסֶר יְבֹאֶנּוּ | 22 The person of greedy eye chases after wealth, not knowing that want wil be the result. |
23 מֹוכִיחַ אָדָם אַחֲרַי חֵן יִמְצָא מִמַּחֲלִיק לָשֹׁון | 23 Anyone who reproves another wil enjoy more favour in the end than the flatterer. |
24 גֹּוזֵל ׀ אָבִיו וְאִמֹּו וְאֹמֵר אֵין־פָּשַׁע חָבֵר הוּא לְאִישׁ מַשְׁחִית | 24 Whoever robs father and mother saying, 'Nothing wrong in that!' is comrade for a brigand. |
25 רְחַב־נֶפֶשׁ יְגָרֶה מָדֹון וּבֹוטֵחַ עַל־יְהוָה יְדֻשָּׁן | 25 The covetous provokes disputes, whoever trusts in Yahweh wil prosper. |
26 בֹּוטֵחַ בְּלִבֹּו הוּא כְסִיל וְהֹולֵךְ בְּחָכְמָה הוּא יִמָּלֵט | 26 Whoever trusts his own wit is a fool, anyone whose ways are wise wil be safe. |
27 נֹותֵן לָרָשׁ אֵין מַחְסֹור וּמַעְלִים עֵינָיו רַב־מְאֵרֹות | 27 No one who gives to the poor wil ever go short, but whoever closes his eyes will have curses inplenty. |
28 בְּקוּם רְשָׁעִים יִסָּתֵר אָדָם וּבְאָבְדָם יִרְבּוּ צַדִּיקִים | 28 When the wicked are in the ascendant, people take cover, but when they perish, the upright multiply. |