1 לתאוה יבקש נפרד בכל תושיה יתגלע | 1 He that hath a mind to depart from a friend seeketh occasions: he shall ever be subject to reproach. |
2 לא יחפץ כסיל בתבונה כי אם בהתגלות לבו | 2 A fool receiveth not the words of prudence: unless thou say those things which are in his heart. |
3 בבוא רשע בא גם בוז ועם קלון חרפה | 3 The wicked man when he is come into the depth of sine, contemneth: but ignominy and reproach follow him. |
4 מים עמקים דברי פי איש נחל נבע מקור חכמה | 4 Words from the mouth of a men are as deep water: and the fountain of wisdom as an overflowing stream. |
5 שאת פני רשע לא טוב להטות צדיק במשפט | 5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to decline from the truth of judgment. |
6 שפתי כסיל יבאו בריב ופיו למהלמות יקרא | 6 The lips of a fool intermeddle with strife: and his mouth provoketh quarrels. |
7 פי כסיל מחתה לו ושפתיו מוקש נפשו | 7 The mouth of a fool is his destruction: and his lips are the ruin of his soul. |
8 דברי נרגן כמתלהמים והם ירדו חדרי בטן | 8 The words of the double tongued are as if they were harmless: and they reach even to the inner parts of the bowels. Fear casteth down the slothful: and the souls of the effeminate shall be hungry. |
9 גם מתרפה במלאכתו אח הוא לבעל משחית | 9 He that is loose and slack in his work, is the brother of him that wasteth his own works. |
10 מגדל עז שם יהוה בו ירוץ צדיק ונשגב | 10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the just runneth to it, and shall be exalted. |
11 הון עשיר קרית עזו וכחומה נשגבה במשכיתו | 11 The substance of the rich man is the city of his strength, and as a strong wall compassing him about. |
12 לפני שבר יגבה לב איש ולפני כבוד ענוה | 12 Before destruction, the heart of a man is exalted: and before he be glorified, it is humbled. |
13 משיב דבר בטרם ישמע אולת היא לו וכלמה | 13 He that answereth before he heareth sheweth himself to be a fool, and worthy of confusion. |
14 רוח איש יכלכל מחלהו ורוח נכאה מי ישאנה | 14 The spirit of a man upholdeth his infirmity: but a spirit that is easily angered, who can bear? |
15 לב נבון יקנה דעת ואזן חכמים תבקש דעת | 15 A wise heart shall acquire knowledge: and the ear of the wise seeketh instruction. |
16 מתן אדם ירחיב לו ולפני גדלים ינחנו | 16 A man's gift enlargeth his may, and maketh him room before princes. |
17 צדיק הראשון בריבו יבא רעהו וחקרו | 17 The just is first accuser of himself: his friend cometh, and shall search him. |
18 מדינים ישבית הגורל ובין עצומים יפריד | 18 The lot suppresseth contentions, and determineth even between the mighty. |
19 אח נפשע מקרית עז ומדונים כבריח ארמון | 19 A brother that is helped by his brother, is like a strong city: and judgments are like the bars of cities. |
20 מפרי פי איש תשבע בטנו תבואת שפתיו ישבע | 20 Of the fruit of a man's mouth shall his belly be satisfied: and the offspring of his lips shall fill him. |
21 מות וחיים ביד לשון ואהביה יאכל פריה | 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: they that love it, shall eat the fruits thereof. |
22 מצא אשה מצא טוב ויפק רצון מיהוה | 22 He that hath found a good wife, hath found a good thing, and shall receive a pleasure from the Lord. He that driveth away a good wife, driveth away a good thing: but he that keepeth an adulteress, is foolish and wicked. |
23 תחנונים ידבר רש ועשיר יענה עזות | 23 The poor will speak with supplications, and the rich will speak roughly. |
24 איש רעים להתרעע ויש אהב דבק מאח | 24 A man amiable in society, shall be more friendly than a brother. |