| 1 No tengas celos de tu propia mujer, | no sea que la incites a portarse mal contigo. | 1 Do not be jealous of the wife of your bosom, and do not teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt. |
| 2 No te entregues del todo a tu mujer, | no sea que te llegue a dominar. | 2 Do not give yourself to a woman so that she gains mastery over your strength. |
| 3 No te acerques a una cortesana, | no sea que caigas en sus redes. | 3 Do not go to meet a loose woman, lest you fall into her snares. |
| 4 No tengas trato con una coplera, | no sea que te enredes en sus artimañas. | 4 Do not associate with a woman singer, lest you be caught in her intrigues. |
| 5 No te fijes demasiado en la doncella, | no sea que te castiguen por causa suya. | 5 Do not look intently at a virgin, lest you stumble and incur penalties for her. |
| 6 No te entregues a prostitutas, | no sea que pierdas tu patrimonio. | 6 Do not give yourself to harlots lest you lose your inheritance. |
| 7 No andes fisgoneando por las calles de la ciudad, | ni deambules por sus parajes solitarios. | 7 Do not look around in the streets of a city, nor wander about in its deserted sections. |
| 8 Aparta tus ojos de una mujer hermosa, | y no te fijes en belleza ajena. | Por la belleza de una mujer muchos se perdieron, | y a su lado el amor se inflama como el fuego. | 8 Turn away your eyes from a shapely woman, and do not look intently at beauty belonging to another; many have been misled by a woman's beauty, and by it passion is kindled like a fire. |
| 9 Jamás te sientes junto a una mujer casada, | ni disfrutes del vino con ella, | no sea que tu alma se vaya tras ella | y por tu pasión resbales hacia la ruina. | 9 Never dine with another man's wife, nor revel with her at wine; lest your heart turn aside to her, and in blood you be plunged into destruction. |
| 10 No abandones a un viejo amigo, | pues el nuevo nunca será igual. | Vino nuevo es el amigo nuevo, | cuando sea añejo, lo beberás con alegría. | 10 Forsake not an old friend, for a new one does not compare with him. A new friend is like new wine; when it has aged you will drink it with pleasure. |
| 11 No envidies el auge del pecador, | pues no sabes cuál será su fatal desenlace. | 11 Do not envy the honors of a sinner, for you do not know what his end will be. |
| 12 No te dejes fascinar por el éxito de los impíos, | recuerda que no llegarán impunes al abismo. | 12 Do not delight in what pleases the ungodly; remember that they will not be held guiltless as long as they live. |
| 13 Aléjate de quien tiene poder para matar, | y no tendrás que temer a la muerte. | Si te acercas a él, no te descuides, | no sea que te quite la vida. | Mira que caminas entre emboscadas | y paseas sobre la muralla de la ciudad. | 13 Keep far from a man who has the power to kill, and you will not be worried by the fear of death. But if you approach him, make no misstep, lest he rob you of your life. Know that you are walking in the midst of snares, and that you are going about on the city battlements. |
| 14 En cuanto puedas, atiende a tu prójimo | y aconséjate con los sabios. | 14 As much as you can, aim to know your neighbors, and consult with the wise. |
| 15 Conversa con los inteligentes | y habla siempre de la ley del Altísimo. | 15 Let your conversation be with men of understanding, and let all your discussion be about the law of the Most High. |
| 16 Hombres justos compartan tu mesa, | y sea tu orgullo el temor del Señor. | 16 Let righteous men be your dinner companions, and let your glorying be in the fear of the Lord. |
| 17 La obra es loada por la destreza del artista | y el gobernante, por su palabra sabia. | 17 A work will be praised for the skill of the craftsmen; so a people's leader is proved wise by his words. |
| 18 El charlatán es temido en su ciudad, | y el deslenguado se hace odioso por sus palabras. | 18 A babbler is feared in his city, and the man who is reckless in speech will be hated. |
