| 1 Hay reprensión inoportuna, | y hay quien calla por prudencia. | 1 How much better is it to reprove, than to become angry, so as not to hinder him who may confess in prayer. |
| 2 ¡Cuánto mejor reprender que enfadarse! | | 2 The lust of an eunuch will deflower a young maiden; |
| 3 El que se confiesa culpable evita la humillación. | 3 similar is he who by violence gives an iniquitous judgment. |
| 4 Eunuco empeñado en desflorar a una doncella, | así es el que impone la justicia por la fuerza. | 4 How good it is, when you are corrected, to show contrition! For in this way, you will escape deliberate sin. |
| 5 Hay quien calla pasando por sabio, | y hay quien se hace odioso por su verborrea. | 5 There is one who, by remaining silent, is found to be wise. And there is another who is hateful and who provokes by speaking out. |
| 6 Hay quien calla porque no tiene respuesta, | y hay quien calla porque conoce el momento oportuno. | 6 There is one who, not having the understanding to speak, remains silent. And there is another who remains silent, knowing the proper time. |
| 7 El sabio guarda silencio hasta el momento oportuno, | pero el fanfarrón e insensato deja pasar la oportunidad. | 7 A wise man will remain silent until the proper time. But an unrestrained and imprudent person will not heed the times. |
| 8 El charlatán se hace abominable, | y el que pretende imponerse se hace odioso. | ¡Qué hermoso es mostrar arrepentimiento cuando a uno lo reprenden! | Así, pues, evitarás un pecado voluntario. | 8 Whoever uses many words will wound his own soul. And whoever unjustly takes authority upon himself will be hated. |
| 9 Hay quien en la desgracia encuentra fortuna, | y hay ganancia que trae pérdidas. | 9 There is advancement in evil for an undisciplined man, and there is a plan which turns to his detriment. |
| 10 Hay regalo que no te aprovecha, | y hay regalo que rinde el doble. | 10 There is a gift which is not helpful, and there is a gift, the repayment for which is double. |
| 11 Hay humillación que viene de la gloria, | y hay quien de la postración levanta cabeza. | 11 There is a loss for the sake of boasting, and there is one who will lift up his head from lowliness. |
| 12 Hay quien compra mucho con poco, | y luego lo paga siete veces más caro. | 12 There is one who buys much for a small price, and who pays it back sevenfold. |
| 13 El sabio se hace amable con sus palabras, | mientras las lisonjas del necio son inútiles. | 13 Anyone wise in words makes himself loved. But the graces of the foolish will be poured away. |
| 14 El regalo del necio no te aprovecha, | así tampoco el del avaro, hecho por necesidad, | pues sus ojos, en lugar de uno, son muchos; | 14 A gift from the unwise will not benefit you. For his gaze is divided, sevenfold. |
| 15 da poco y te echa en cara mucho, | abre la boca como un pregonero; | presta hoy y mañana reclama; | una persona así es detestable. | 15 He will give little, and reproach much. And the opening of his mouth is like a burning flame. |
| 16 Dice el necio: «No tengo ni un amigo | y nadie agradece mis favores. | Los que comen mi pan son malas lenguas». | 16 There is one who lends today and demands repayment tomorrow. A man such as this is hateful. |
| 17 ¡Cuántos y cuántas veces se reirán de él! | Pues no acoge con recto entendimiento lo que tiene, | ni es indiferente ante lo que no tiene. | 17 A foolish man will not have a friend, and there will be no thanks for his good deeds. |
| 18 Mejor es resbalar en el suelo que con la lengua, | así la caída de los malos llegará rápidamente. | 18 For those who eat his bread have a false tongue. How often and how many are those who will ridicule him! |
| 19 Persona sin educación es como chiste inoportuno: | está siempre en boca de ignorantes. | 19 For what he possesses, he does not distribute with correct understanding. And he acts similarly with what he does not possess. |
| 20 De la boca del necio no se acepta un proverbio, | pues nunca lo dice en el momento adecuado. | 20 The slip of a false tongue is like someone who falls upon pavement. Such a fall for the wicked will arrive quickly. |
| 21 A algunos la indigencia los aleja del pecado, | y cuando llega el descanso, no tienen remordimientos. | 21 A disagreeable man is like a pointless fable; it will be continually in the mouth of the undisciplined. |
| 22 Hay quien se pierde por vergüenza, | y quien se pierde por hacer caso de un insensato. | 22 A parable from the mouth of a fool will be rejected. For he does not speak it at the proper time. |
| 23 Hay quien por vergüenza hace promesas al amigo, | y lo convierte en enemigo innecesariamente. | 23 There is one who is prevented from sinning by poverty, and in his rest, he will be vexed. |
| 24 Grave defecto para una persona es la mentira | y está siempre en boca de ignorantes. | 24 There is one who will lose his own soul because of pretense, and he will lose it by an example of imprudence. For by seeking the approval of another, he will destroy himself. |
| 25 Mejor ladrón que mentiroso empedernido, | pero ambos heredarán la perdición. | 25 There is one who, for the sake of what other’s think, makes a promise to a friend, and so he gains him as an enemy for no reason. |
| 26 El hábito del mentiroso es una deshonra, | la vergüenza lo acompaña siempre. | 26 A lie is a wicked disgrace to a man, and yet lies will be continually in the mouths of those without discipline. |
| 27 El sabio se abre camino con las palabras, | y el prudente agrada a los grandes. | 27 A thief is better than a man who constantly lies. But both of them will inherit perdition. |
| 28 El que cultiva la tierra aumentará su cosecha, | y el que agrada a los grandes expía la injusticia. | 28 The habits of lying men are without honor. And their shame is with them without ceasing. |
| 29 Presentes y regalos ciegan los ojos de los sabios, | y como bozal en boca ahoga el reproche. | 29 A wise man will benefit himself by his own words, and a prudent man will please the powerful. |
| 30 Sabiduría oculta y tesoro invisible, | ¿para qué sirven una y otro? | 30 Whoever works his land will raise high a stockpile of grain. And whoever works justice will himself be raised high. Yet truly, whoever pleases the powerful will escape unfair treatment. |
| 31 Más vale el que oculta su necedad | que el que oculta su sabiduría. | 31 Presents and gifts blind the eyes of judges, and silence their mouths, turning them aside from their task of correction. |
| 32 Más vale constancia inflexible en la búsqueda del Señor | que conducir sin control el carro de la propia vida. | 32 Wisdom hidden, and treasure unseen: of what use is either of these? |
| 33 He who hides his foolishness is better than a man who conceals his wisdom. |
