1 כִּי נַעַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וָאֹהֲבֵהוּ וּמִמִּצְרַיִם קָרָאתִי לִבְנִי | 1 The poor man's wisdom lifts his head high and sets him among princes. |
2 קָרְאוּ לָהֶם כֵּן הָלְכוּ מִפְּנֵיהֶם לַבְּעָלִים יְזַבֵּחוּ וְלַפְּסִלִים יְקַטֵּרוּן | 2 Praise not a man for his looks; despise not a man for his appearance. |
3 וְאָנֹכִי תִרְגַּלְתִּי לְאֶפְרַיִם קָחָם עַל־זְרֹועֹתָיו וְלֹא יָדְעוּ כִּי רְפָאתִים | 3 Least is the bee among winged things, but she reaps the choicest of all harvests. |
4 בְּחַבְלֵי אָדָם אֶמְשְׁכֵם בַּעֲבֹתֹות אַהֲבָה וָאֶהְיֶה לָהֶם כִּמְרִימֵי עֹל עַל לְחֵיהֶם וְאַט אֵלָיו אֹוכִיל | 4 Mock not the worn cloak and jibe at no man's bitter day: For strange are the works of the LORD, hidden from men his deeds. |
5 לֹא יָשׁוּב אֶל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְאַשּׁוּר הוּא מַלְכֹּו כִּי מֵאֲנוּ לָשׁוּב | 5 The oppressed often rise to a throne, and some that none would consider wear a crown. |
6 וְחָלָה חֶרֶב בְּעָרָיו וְכִלְּתָה בַדָּיו וְאָכָלָה מִמֹּעֲצֹותֵיהֶם | 6 The exalted often fall into utter disgrace; the honored are given into enemy hands. |
7 וְעַמִּי תְלוּאִים לִמְשׁוּבָתִי וְאֶל־עַל יִקְרָאֻהוּ יַחַד לֹא יְרֹומֵם | 7 Before investigating, find no fault; examine first, then criticize. |
8 אֵיךְ אֶתֶּנְךָ אֶפְרַיִם אֲמַגֶּנְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵיךְ אֶתֶּנְךָ כְאַדְמָה אֲשִׂימְךָ כִּצְבֹאיִם נֶהְפַּךְ עָלַי לִבִּי יַחַד נִכְמְרוּ נִחוּמָי | 8 Before hearing, answer not, and interrupt no one in the middle of his speech. |
9 לֹא אֶעֱשֶׂה חֲרֹון אַפִּי לֹא אָשׁוּב לְשַׁחֵת אֶפְרָיִם כִּי אֵל אָנֹכִי וְלֹא־אִישׁ בְּקִרְבְּךָ קָדֹושׁ וְלֹא אָבֹוא בְּעִיר | 9 Dispute not about what is not your concern; in the strife of the arrogant take no part. |
10 אַחֲרֵי יְהוָה יֵלְכוּ כְּאַרְיֵה יִשְׁאָג כִּי־הוּא יִשְׁאַג וְיֶחֶרְדוּ בָנִים מִיָּם | 10 My son, why increase your cares, since he who is avid for wealth will not be blameless? Even if you run after it, you will never overtake it; however you seek it, you will not find it. |
11 יֶחֶרְדוּ כְצִפֹּור מִמִּצְרַיִם וּכְיֹונָה מֵאֶרֶץ אַשּׁוּר וְהֹושַׁבְתִּים עַל־בָּתֵּיהֶם נְאֻם־יְהוָה׃ ס | 11 One may toil and struggle and drive, and fall short all the more. |
| 12 Another goes his way a weakling and a failure, with little strength and great misery-- Yet the eyes of the LORD look favorably upon him; he raises him free of the vile dust, |
| 13 Lifts up his head and exalts him to the amazement of the many. |
| 14 Good and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from the LORD. |
| 15 Wisdom and understanding and knowledge of affairs, love and virtuous paths are from the LORD. |
| 16 Error and darkness were formed with sinners from their birth, and evil grows old with evildoers. |
| 17 The LORD'S gift remains with the just; his favor brings continued success. |
| 18 A man may become rich through a miser's life, and this is his allotted reward: |
| 19 When he says: "I have found rest, now I will feast on my possessions," He does not know how long it will be till he dies and leaves them to others. |
| 20 My son, hold fast to your duty, busy yourself with it, grow old while doing your task. |
| 21 Admire not how sinners live, but trust in the LORD and wait for his light; For it is easy with the LORD suddenly, in an instant, to make a poor man rich. |
| 22 God's blessing is the lot of the just man, and in due time his hopes bear fruit. |
| 23 Say not: "What do I need? What further pleasure can be mine?" |
| 24 Say not: "I am independent. What harm can come to me now?" |
| 25 The day of prosperity makes one forget adversity; the day of adversity makes one forget prosperity. |
| 26 For it is easy with the LORD on the day of death to repay man according to his deeds. |
| 27 A moment's affliction brings forgetfulness of past delights; when a man dies, his life is revealed. |
| 28 Call no man happy before his death, for by how he ends, a man is known. |
| 29 Bring not every man into your house, for many are the snares of the crafty one; |
| 30 Though he seem like a bird confined in a cage, yet like a spy he will pick out the weak spots. |
| 31 The talebearer turns good into evil; with a spark he sets many coals afire. |
| 32 The evil man lies in wait for blood, and plots against your choicest possessions. |
| 33 Avoid a wicked man, for he breeds only evil, lest you incur a lasting stain. |
| 34 Lodge a stranger with you, and he will subvert your course, and make a stranger of you to your own household. |