1 טֹוב־רָשׁ הֹולֵךְ בְּתֻמֹּו מֵעִקֵּשׁ פָתָיו וְהוּא כְסִיל | 1 Better is the poor who walks in his simplicity, than the rich who twists his lips and is unwise. |
2 גַּם בְּלֹא־דַעַת נֶפֶשׁ לֹא־טֹוב וְאָץ בְּרַגְלַיִם חֹוטֵא | 2 Where there is no knowledge of the soul, there is no good. And whoever hurries with his feet will stumble. |
3 אִוֶּלֶת אָדָם תְּסַלֵּף דַּרְכֹּו וְעַל־יְהוָה יִזְעַף לִבֹּו | 3 The foolishness of a man undermines his steps. And then he seethes in his soul against God. |
4 הֹון יֹסִיף רֵעִים רַבִּים וְדָל מֵרֵעהוּ יִפָּרֵד | 4 Riches adds many friends. But from the pauper, even those whom he had become separated. |
5 עֵד קָרִים לֹא יִנָּקֶה וְיָפִיחַ כְּזָבִים לֹא יִמָּלֵט | 5 A false witness shall not go unpunished. And whoever speaks lies will not escape. |
6 רַבִּים יְחַלּוּ פְנֵי־נָדִיב וְכָל־הָרֵעַ לְאִישׁ מַתָּן | 6 Many honor the character of one who is powerful, and there are friends for a giver of gifts. |
7 כָּל אֲחֵי־רָשׁ ׀ שְׂנֵאֻהוּ אַף כִּי מְרֵעֵהוּ רָחֲקוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מְרַדֵּף אֲמָרִים [לֹא־ כ] (לֹו־הֵמָּה׃ ק) | 7 The brothers of the poor man hate him. Moreover, even his friends have withdrawn far from him. Whoever pursues only words shall have nothing. |
8 קֹנֶה־לֵּב אֹהֵב נַפְשֹׁו שֹׁמֵר תְּבוּנָה לִמְצֹא־טֹוב | 8 But whoever possesses reason loves his own soul. And one who guards prudence shall discover good things. |
9 עֵד קָרִים לֹא יִנָּקֶה וְיָפִיחַ כְּזָבִים יֹאבֵד׃ פ | 9 A false witness shall not go unpunished. And whoever speaks lies will perish. |
10 לֹא־נָאוֶה לִכְסִיל תַּעֲנוּג אַף כִּי־לְעֶבֶד ׀ מְשֹׁל בְּשָׂרִים | 10 Fine things are not fitting for the foolish, nor is it fitting for a servant to rule over princes. |
11 שֵׂכֶל אָדָם הֶאֱרִיךְ אַפֹּו וְתִפאַרְתֹּו עֲבֹר עַל־פָּשַׁע | 11 The doctrine of a man is known through patience. And his glory is to pass beyond iniquities. |
12 נַהַם כַּכְּפִיר זַעַף מֶלֶךְ וּכְטַל עַל־עֵשֶׂב רְצֹונֹו | 12 Like the roaring of a lion, so also is the wrath of a king. And his cheerfulness is like the dew upon the grass. |
13 הַוֹּת לְאָבִיו בֵּן כְּסִיל וְדֶלֶף טֹרֵד מִדְיְנֵי אִשָּׁה | 13 A foolish son is the grief of his father. And an argumentative wife is like a roof that is continually leaking. |
14 בַּיִת וָהֹון נַחֲלַת אָבֹות וּמֵיְהוָה אִשָּׁה מַשְׂכָּלֶת | 14 A house and its riches are given by parents. But a prudent wife is particularly from the Lord. |
15 עַצְלָה תַּפִּיל תַּרְדֵּמָה וְנֶפֶשׁ רְמִיָּה תִרְעָב | 15 Laziness sends one into a deep sleep, and a dissolute soul will go hungry. |
16 שֹׁמֵר מִצְוָה שֹׁמֵר נַפְשֹׁו בֹּוזֵה דְרָכָיו [יוּמָת כ] (יָמוּת׃ ק) | 16 Whoever guards a commandment guards his own soul. But whoever neglects his own way will die. |
17 מַלְוֵה יְהוָה חֹונֵן דָּל וּגְמֻלֹו יְשַׁלֶּם־לֹו | 17 Whoever is merciful to the poor lends to the Lord. And he will repay him for his efforts. |
18 יַסֵּר בִּנְךָ כִּי־יֵשׁ תִּקְוָה וְאֶל־הֲמִיתֹו אַל־תִּשָּׂא נַפְשֶׁךָ | 18 Teach your son; do not despair. But do not set your soul toward putting him to death. |
19 [גֹּרַל־ כ] (גְּדָל־חֵמָה ק) נֹשֵׂא עֹנֶשׁ כִּי אִם־תַּצִּיל וְעֹוד תֹּוסִף | 19 Whoever is impatient will sustain damage. And when it has been taken away, he will set up another. |
20 שְׁמַע עֵצָה וְקַבֵּל מוּסָר לְמַעַן תֶּחְכַּם בְּאַחֲרִיתֶךָ | 20 Listen to counsel and take up discipline, so that you may be wise in your latter days. |
21 רַבֹּות מַחֲשָׁבֹות בְּלֶב־אִישׁ וַעֲצַת יְהוָה הִיא תָקוּם | 21 There are many intentions in the heart of a man. But the will of the Lord shall stand firm. |
22 תַּאֲוַת אָדָם חַסְדֹּו וְטֹוב־רָשׁ מֵאִישׁ כָּזָב | 22 An indigent man is merciful. And a pauper is better than a deceitful man. |
23 יִרְאַת יְהוָה לְחַיִּים וְשָׂבֵעַ יָלִין בַּל־יִפָּקֶד רָע | 23 The fear of the Lord is unto life. And he shall linger in plentitude, without being visited by disaster. |
24 טָמַן עָצֵל יָדֹו בַּצַּלָּחַת גַּם־אֶל־פִּיהוּ לֹא יְשִׁיבֶנָּה | 24 The lazy conceals his hand under his arm, and he will not so much as bring it to his mouth. |
25 לֵץ תַּכֶּה וּפֶתִי יַעְרִם וְהֹוכִיחַ לְנָבֹון יָבִין דָּעַת | 25 When the pestilent are scourged, the foolish will become wiser. But if you chastise the wise, he will understand discipline. |
26 מְשַׁדֶּד־אָב יַבְרִיחַ אֵם בֵּן מֵבִישׁ וּמַחְפִּיר | 26 Whoever afflicts his father and flees from his mother is disreputable and unhappy. |
27 חַדַל־בְּנִי לִשְׁמֹעַ מוּסָר לִשְׁגֹות מֵאִמְרֵי־דָעַת | 27 Son, do not cease listening to doctrine, and do not be ignorant of the sermons of knowledge. |
28 עֵד בְּלִיַּעַל יָלִיץ מִשְׁפָּט וּפִי רְשָׁעִים יְבַלַּע־אָוֶן | 28 An unjust witness ridicules judgment. And the mouth of the impious devours iniquity. |
29 נָכֹונוּ לַלֵּצִים שְׁפָטִים וּמַהֲלֻמֹות לְגֵו כְּסִילִים | 29 Judgments are prepared for those who ridicule. And striking hammers are prepared for the bodies of the foolish. |