1 חַכְמֹות נָשִׁים בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ וְאִוֶּלֶת בְּיָדֶיהָ תֶהֶרְסֶנּוּ | 1 Wisdom builds herself a house; with her own hands Folly pul s it down. |
2 הֹולֵךְ בְּיָשְׁרֹו יְרֵא יְהוָה וּנְלֹוז דְּרָכָיו בֹּוזֵהוּ | 2 Whoever keeps to an honest course fears Yahweh, whoever deserts his paths shows contempt forhim. |
3 בְּפִי־אֱוִיל חֹטֶר גַּאֲוָה וְשִׂפְתֵי חֲכָמִים תִּשְׁמוּרֵם | 3 Pride sprouts in the mouth of the fool, the lips of the wise keep them safe. |
4 בְּאֵין אֲלָפִים אֵבוּס בָּר וְרָב־תְּבוּאֹות בְּכֹחַ שֹׁור | 4 No oxen, empty manger; strong bul , much cash. |
5 עֵד אֱמוּנִים לֹא יְכַזֵּב וְיָפִיחַ כְּזָבִים עֵד שָׁקֶר | 5 The truthful witness tells no lies, the false witness lies with every breath. |
6 בִּקֶּשׁ־לֵץ חָכְמָה וָאָיִן וְדַעַת לְנָבֹון נָקָל | 6 In vain the mocker looks for wisdom, knowledge comes easy to the intel igent. |
7 לֵךְ מִנֶּגֶד לְאִישׁ כְּסִיל וּבַל־יָדַעְתָּ שִׂפְתֵי־דָעַת | 7 Keep wel clear of the fool, you wil not find wise lips there. |
8 חָכְמַת עָרוּם הָבִין דַּרְכֹּו וְאִוֶּלֶת כְּסִילִים מִרְמָה | 8 With people of discretion, wisdom keeps a watch over their conduct, but the fol y of fools leads themastray. |
9 אֱוִלִים יָלִיץ אָשָׁם וּבֵין יְשָׁרִים רָצֹון | 9 Fools mock at the sacrifice for sin, but favour resides among the honest. |
10 לֵב יֹודֵעַ מָרַּת נַפְשֹׁו וּבְשִׂמְחָתֹו לֹא־יִתְעָרַב זָר | 10 The heart knows its own grief best, nor can a stranger share its joy. |
11 בֵּית רְשָׁעִים יִשָּׁמֵד וְאֹהֶל יְשָׁרִים יַפְרִיחַ | 11 The house of the wicked wil be destroyed, the tent of the honest wil prosper. |
12 יֵשׁ דֶּרֶךְ יָשָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִישׁ וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ דַּרְכֵי־מָוֶת | 12 There are ways that some think straight, but they lead in the end to death. |
13 גַּם־בִּשְׂחֹוק יִכְאַב־לֵב וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ שִׂמְחָה תוּגָה | 13 Even in laughter the heart finds sadness, and joy makes way for sorrow. |
14 מִדְּרָכָיו יִשְׂבַּע סוּג לֵב וּמֵעָלָיו אִישׁ טֹוב | 14 The miscreant wil reap the reward of his conduct, and the good the reward of his deeds. |
15 פֶּתִי יַאֲמִין לְכָל־דָּבָר וְעָרוּם יָבִין לַאֲשֻׁרֹו | 15 The simpleton believes any message, a person of discretion treads a careful path. |
16 חָכָם יָרֵא וְסָר מֵרָע וּכְסִיל מִתְעַבֵּר וּבֹוטֵחַ | 16 The wise fears evil and avoids it, the fool is insolent and conceited. |
17 קְצַר־אַפַּיִם יַעֲשֶׂה אִוֶּלֶת וְאִישׁ מְזִמֹּות יִשָּׂנֵא | 17 A quick-tempered person commits rash acts, but a schemer is detestable. |
18 נָחֲלוּ פְתָאיִם אִוֶּלֶת וַעֲרוּמִים יַכְתִּרוּ דָעַת | 18 Simpletons have folly for their portion, people of discretion knowledge for their crown. |
19 שַׁחוּ רָעִים לִפְנֵי טֹובִים וּרְשָׁעִים עַל־שַׁעֲרֵי צַדִּיק | 19 The evil bow down before the good, the wicked, at the gates of the upright. |
20 גַּם־לְרֵעֵהוּ יִשָּׂנֵא רָשׁ וְאֹהֲבֵי עָשִׁיר רַבִּים | 20 The poor is detestable even to a friend, but many are they who love someone rich. |
21 בָּז־לְרֵעֵהוּ חֹוטֵא וּמְחֹונֵן [עֲנָיִים כ] (עֲנָוִים ק) אַשְׁרָיו | 21 One who despises the needy is at fault, one who takes pity on the poor is blessed. |
22 הֲלֹוא־יִתְעוּ חֹרְשֵׁי רָע וְחֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת חֹרְשֵׁי טֹוב | 22 Plan evil -- isn't this to go astray? Those who plan for good can earn faithful love and constancy. |
23 בְּכָל־עֶצֶב יִהְיֶה מֹותָר וּדְבַרשְׂ־פָתַיִם אַךְ־לְמַחְסֹור | 23 Hard work always yields its profit, idle talk brings only want. |
24 עֲטֶרֶת חֲכָמִים עָשְׁרָם אִוֶּלֶת כְּסִילִים אִוֶּלֶת | 24 The crown of the wise is their riches; the fol y of fools is folly. |
25 מַצִּיל נְפָשֹׁות עֵד אֱמֶת וְיָפִחַ כְּזָבִים מִרְמָה | 25 A truthful witness saves lives, whoever utters lies is a deceiver. |
26 בְּיִרְאַת יְהוָה מִבְטַח־עֹז וּלְבָנָיו יִהְיֶה מַחְסֶה | 26 In the fear of Yahweh is powerful security; for his children he is a refuge. |
27 יִרְאַת יְהוָה מְקֹור חַיִּים לָסוּר מִמֹּקְשֵׁי מָוֶת | 27 The fear of Yahweh is a life-giving spring for eluding the snares of death. |
28 בְּרָב־עָם הַדְרַת־מֶלֶךְ וּבְאֶפֶס לְאֹם מְחִתַּת רָזֹון | 28 Large population, monarch's glory; dwindling population, ruler's ruin. |
29 אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם רַב־תְּבוּנָה וּקְצַר־רוּחַ מֵרִים אִוֶּלֶת | 29 Mastery of temper is high proof of intel igence, a quick temper makes fol y worse than ever. |
30 חַיֵּי בְשָׂרִים לֵב מַרְפֵּא וּרְקַב עֲצָמֹות קִנְאָה | 30 The life of the body is a tranquil heart, but envy is a cancer in the bones. |
31 עֹשֵׁק־דָּל חֵרֵף עֹשֵׂהוּ וּמְכַבְּדֹו חֹנֵן אֶבְיֹון | 31 To oppress the weak insults the Creator, kindness to the needy honours the Creator. |
32 בְּרָעָתֹו יִדָּחֶה רָשָׁע וְחֹסֶה בְמֹותֹו צַדִּיק | 32 For evil-doing, the wicked wil be flung headlong, but in integrity the upright wil find refuge. |
33 בְּלֵב נָבֹון תָּנוּחַ חָכְמָה וּבְקֶרֶב כְּסִילִים תִּוָּדֵעַ | 33 Wisdom resides in an understanding heart; she is not to be found in the hearts of fools. |
34 צְדָקָה תְרֹומֵם־גֹּוי וְחֶסֶד לְאֻמִּים חַטָּאת | 34 Uprightness makes a nation great, by sin whole races are disgraced. |
35 רְצֹון־מֶלֶךְ לְעֶבֶד מַשְׂכִּיל וְעֶבְרָתֹו תִּהְיֶה מֵבִישׁ | 35 A king shows favour to a wise minister, but anger to one who shames him. |