1 אֶל־חִכְּךָ שֹׁפָר כַּנֶּשֶׁר עַל־בֵּית יְהוָה יַעַן עָבְרוּ בְרִיתִי וְעַל־תֹּורָתִי פָּשָׁעוּ | 1 Strive not with a mighty man' lest thou fall into his hands. |
2 לִי יִזְעָקוּ אֱלֹהַי יְדַעֲנוּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל | 2 Be not at variance with a rich man, lest he overweigh thee: for gold hath destroyed many, and perverted the hearts of kings. |
3 זָנַח יִשְׂרָאֵל טֹוב אֹויֵב יִרְדְּפֹו | 3 Strive not with a man that is full of tongue, and heap not wood upon his fire. |
4 הֵם הִמְלִיכוּ וְלֹא מִמֶּנִּי הֵשִׂירוּ וְלֹא יָדָעְתִּי כַּסְפָּם וּזְהָבָם עָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֲצַבִּים לְמַעַן יִכָּרֵת | 4 Jest not with a rude man, lest thy ancestors be disgraced. |
5 זָנַח עֶגְלֵךְ שֹׁמְרֹון חָרָה אַפִּי בָּם עַד־מָתַי לֹא יוּכְלוּ נִקָּיֹן | 5 Reproach not a man that turneth from sin, but remember that we are all worthy of punishment. |
6 כִּי מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וְהוּא חָרָשׁ עָשָׂהוּ וְלֹא אֱלֹהִים הוּא כִּי־שְׁבָבִים יִהְיֶה עֵגֶל שֹׁמְרֹון | 6 Dishonour not a man in his old age: for even some of us wax old. |
7 כִּי רוּחַ יִזְרָעוּ וְסוּפָתָה יִקְצֹרוּ קָמָה אֵין־לֹו צֶמַח בְּלִי יַעֲשֶׂה־קֶּמַח אוּלַי יַעֲשֶׂה זָרִים יִבְלָעֻהוּ | 7 Rejoice not over thy greatest enemy being dead, but remember that we die all. |
8 נִבְלַע יִשְׂרָאֵל עַתָּה הָיוּ בַגֹּויִם כִּכְלִי אֵין־חֵפֶץ בֹּו | 8 Despise not the discourse of the wise, but acquaint thyself with their proverbs: for of them thou shalt learn instruction, and how to serve great men with ease. |
9 כִּי־הֵמָּה עָלוּ אַשּׁוּר פֶּרֶא בֹּודֵד לֹו אֶפְרַיִם הִתְנוּ אֲהָבִים | 9 Miss not the discourse of the elders: for they also learned of their fathers, and of them thou shalt learn understanding, and to give answer as need requireth. |
10 גַּם כִּי־יִתְנוּ בַגֹּויִם עַתָּה אֲקַבְּצֵם וַיָּחֵלּוּ מְּעָט מִמַּשָּׂא מֶלֶךְ שָׂרִים | 10 Kindle not the coals of a sinner, lest thou be burnt with the flame of his fire. |
11 כִּי־הִרְבָּה אֶפְרַיִם מִזְבְּחֹת לַחֲטֹא הָיוּ־לֹו מִזְבְּחֹות לַחֲטֹא | 11 Rise not up [in anger] at the presence of an injurious person, lest he lie in wait to entrap thee in thy words |
12 [אֶכתֹוב־ כ] (אֶכְתָּב־לֹו ק) [רִבֹּו כ] (רֻבֵּי ק) תֹּורָתִי כְּמֹו־זָר נֶחְשָׁבוּ | 12 Lend not unto him that is mightier than thyself; for if thou lendest him, count it but lost. |
13 זִבְחֵי הַבְהָבַי יִזְבְּחוּ בָשָׂר וַיֹּאכֵלוּ יְהוָה לֹא רָצָם עַתָּה יִזְכֹּר עֲוֹנָם וְיִפְקֹד חַטֹּאותָם הֵמָּה מִצְרַיִם יָשׁוּבוּ | 13 Be not surety above thy power: for if thou be surety, take care to pay it. |
14 וַיִּשְׁכַּח יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־עֹשֵׂהוּ וַיִּבֶן הֵיכָלֹות וִיהוּדָה הִרְבָּה עָרִים בְּצֻרֹות וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי־אֵשׁ בְּעָרָיו וְאָכְלָה אַרְמְנֹתֶיהָ׃ ס | 14 Go not to law with a judge; for they will judge for him according to his honour. |
| 15 Travel not by the way with a bold fellow, lest he become grievous unto thee: for he will do according to his own will, and thou shalt perish with him through his folly. |
| 16 Strive not with an angry man, and go not with him into a solitary place: for blood is as nothing in his sight, and where there is no help, he will overthrow thee. |
| 17 Consult not with a fool; for he cannot keep counsel. |
| 18 Do no secret thing before a stranger; for thou knowest not what he will bring forth. |
| 19 Open not thine heart to every man, lest he requite thee with a shrewd turn. |