1 נבחר שם מעשר רב מכסף ומזהב חן טוב | 1 A good name is better than great riches: and good favour is above silver and gold. |
2 עשיר ורש נפגשו עשה כלם יהוה | 2 The rich and poor have met one another: the Lord is the maker of them both. |
3 ערום ראה רעה ויסתר ופתיים עברו ונענשו | 3 The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss. |
4 עקב ענוה יראת יהוה עשר וכבוד וחיים | 4 The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and glory and life. |
5 צנים פחים בדרך עקש שומר נפשו ירחק מהם | 5 Arms and swords are in the way of the perverse: but he that keepeth his own soul departeth far from them. |
6 חנך לנער על פי דרכו גם כי יזקין לא יסור ממנה | 6 It is a proverb: A young man according to his way, even when he is old he will not depart from it. |
7 עשיר ברשים ימשול ועבד לוה לאיש מלוה | 7 The rich ruleth over the poor: and the borrower is servant to him that lendeth. |
8 זורע עולה יקצור און ושבט עברתו יכלה | 8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap evils, and with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed. |
9 טוב עין הוא יברך כי נתן מלחמו לדל | 9 He that is inclined to mercy shall be blessed: for of his bread he hath given to the poor. He that maketh presents shall purchase victory and honour: but he carrieth away the souls of the receivers. |
10 גרש לץ ויצא מדון וישבת דין וקלון | 10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention shall go out with him, and quarrels and reproaches shall cease. |
11 אהב טהור לב חן שפתיו רעהו מלך | 11 He that loveth cleanness of heart, for the grace of his lips shall have the king for his friend. |
12 עיני יהוה נצרו דעת ויסלף דברי בגד | 12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge: and the words of the unjust are overthrown. |
13 אמר עצל ארי בחוץ בתוך רחבות ארצח | 13 The slothful man saith: There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the midst of the streets. |
14 שוחה עמקה פי זרות זעום יהוה יפול שם | 14 The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit: he whom the Lord is angry with, shall fall into it. |
15 אולת קשורה בלב נער שבט מוסר ירחיקנה ממנו | 15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, and the rod of correction shall drive it away. |
16 עשק דל להרבות לו נתן לעשיר אך למחסור | 16 He that oppresseth the poor, to increase his own riches, shall himself give to one that is richer, and shall be in need. |
17 הט אזנך ושמע דברי חכמים ולבך תשית לדעתי | 17 Incline thy ear, and hear the words of the wise: and apply thy heart to my doctrine : |
18 כי נעים כי תשמרם בבטנך יכנו יחדו על שפתיך | 18 Which shall be beautiful for thee, if thou keep it in thy bowels, and it shall flow in thy lips: |
19 להיות ביהוה מבטחך הודעתיך היום אף אתה | 19 That thy trust may be in the Lord, wherefore I have also shewn it to thee this day. |
20 הלא כתבתי לך שלשום במועצות ודעת | 20 Behold I have described it to thee three manner of ways, in thoughts and knowledge : |
21 להודיעך קשט אמרי אמת להשיב אמרים אמת לשלחיך | 21 That I might shew thee the certainty, and the words of truth, to answer out of these to them that sent thee. |
22 אל תגזל דל כי דל הוא ואל תדכא עני בשער | 22 Do no violence to the poor, because he is poor: and do not oppress the needy in the gate: |
23 כי יהוה יריב ריבם וקבע את קבעיהם נפש | 23 Because the Lord will judge his cause, and will afflict them that have afflicted his soul. |
24 אל תתרע את בעל אף ואת איש חמות לא תבוא | 24 Be not a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man: |
25 פן תאלף ארחתו ולקחת מוקש לנפשך | 25 Lest perhaps thou learn his ways, and take scandal to thy soul. |
26 אל תהי בתקעי כף בערבים משאות | 26 Be not with them that fasten down their hands, and that offer themselves sureties for debts: |
27 אם אין לך לשלם למה יקח משכבך מתחתיך | 27 For if thou have not wherewith to restore, what cause is there, that he should take the covering from thy bed? |
28 אל תסג גבול עולם אשר עשו אבותיך | 28 Pass not beyond the ancient bounds which thy fathers have set. |
29 חזית איש מהיר במלאכתו לפני מלכים יתיצב בל יתיצב לפני חשכים | 29 Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure. |