1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of feasting with strife.

1 טֹ֤וב פַּ֣ת חֲ֭רֵבָה וְשַׁלְוָה־בָ֑הּ מִ֝בַּ֗יִת מָלֵ֥א זִבְחֵי־רִֽיב׃

2 A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, And shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren.

2 עֶֽבֶד־מַשְׂכִּ֗יל יִ֭מְשֹׁל בְּבֵ֣ן מֵבִ֑ישׁ וּבְתֹ֥וךְ אַ֝חִ֗ים יַחֲלֹ֥ק נַחֲלָֽה׃

3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But Jehovah trieth the hearts.

3 מַצְרֵ֣ף לַ֭כֶּסֶף וְכ֣וּר לַזָּהָ֑ב וּבֹחֵ֖ן לִבֹּ֣ות יְהוָֽה׃

4 An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; `And' a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.

4 מֵ֭רַע מַקְשִׁ֣יב עַל־שְׂפַת־אָ֑וֶן שֶׁ֥קֶר מֵ֝זִין עַל־לְשֹׁ֥ון הַוֹּֽת׃

5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; `And' he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.

5 לֹעֵ֣ג לָ֭רָשׁ חֵרֵ֣ף עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ שָׂמֵ֥חַ לְ֝אֵ֗יד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃

6 Children's children are the crown of old men; And the glory of children are their fathers.

6 עֲטֶ֣רֶת זְ֭קֵנִים בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְתִפְאֶ֖רֶת בָּנִ֣ים אֲבֹותָֽם׃

7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool; Much less do lying lips a prince.

7 לֹא־נָאוָ֣ה לְנָבָ֣ל שְׂפַת־יֶ֑תֶר אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־לְנָדִ֥יב שְׂפַת־שָֽׁקֶר׃

8 A bribe is `as' a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

8 אֶֽבֶן־חֵ֣ן הַ֭שֹּׁחַד בְּעֵינֵ֣י בְעָלָ֑יו אֶֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֖ר יִפְנֶ֣ה יַשְׂכִּֽיל׃

9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; But he that harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends.

9 מְֽכַסֶּה־פֶּ֭שַׁע מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אַהֲבָ֑ה וְשֹׁנֶ֥ה בְ֝דָבָ֗ר מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃

10 A rebuke entereth deeper into one that hath understanding Than a hundred stripes into a fool.

10 תֵּ֣חַת גְּעָרָ֣ה בְמֵבִ֑ין מֵהַכֹּ֖ות כְּסִ֣יל מֵאָֽה׃

11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion; Therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

11 אַךְ־מְרִ֥י יְבַקֶּשׁ־רָ֑ע וּמַלְאָ֥ךְ אַ֝כְזָרִ֗י יְשֻׁלַּח־בֹּֽו׃

12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, Rather than a fool in his folly.

12 פָּגֹ֬ושׁ דֹּ֣ב שַׁכּ֣וּל בְּאִ֑ישׁ וְאַל־כְּ֝סִ֗יל בְּאִוַּלְתֹּֽו׃

13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, Evil shall not depart from his house.

13 מֵשִׁ֣יב רָ֭עָה תַּ֣חַת טֹובָ֑ה לֹא־ תָמִישׁ תָמ֥וּשׁ רָ֝עָ֗ה מִבֵּיתֹֽו׃

14 The beginning of strife is `as' when one letteth out water: Therefore leave off contention, before there is quarrelling.

14 פֹּ֣וטֵֽר מַ֭יִם רֵאשִׁ֣ית מָדֹ֑ון וְלִפְנֵ֥י הִ֝תְגַּלַּ֗ע הָרִ֥יב³ נְטֹֽושׁ׃

15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah.

15 מַצְדִּ֣יק רָ֭שָׁע וּמַרְשִׁ֣יעַ צַדִּ֑יק תֹּועֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, Seeing he hath no understanding?

16 לָמָּה־זֶּ֣ה מְחִ֣יר בְּיַד־כְּסִ֑יל לִקְנֹ֖ות חָכְמָ֣ה וְלֶב־אָֽיִן׃

17 A friend loveth at all times; And a brother is born for adversity.

17 בְּכָל־עֵ֭ת אֹהֵ֣ב הָרֵ֑עַ וְאָ֥ח לְ֝צָרָ֗ה יִוָּלֵֽד׃

18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbor.

18 אָדָ֣ם חֲסַר־לֵ֭ב תֹּוקֵ֣עַ כָּ֑ף עֹרֵ֥ב עֲ֝רֻבָּ֗ה לִפְנֵ֥י רֵעֵֽהוּ׃

19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: He that raiseth high his gate seeketh destruction.

19 אֹ֣הֵֽב פֶּ֭שַׁע אֹהֵ֣ב מַצָּ֑ה מַגְבִּ֥יהַּ פִּ֝תְחֹ֗ו מְבַקֶּשׁ־שָֽׁבֶר׃

20 He that hath a wayward heart findeth no good; And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

20 עִקֶּשׁ־לֵ֭ב לֹ֣א יִמְצָא־טֹ֑וב וְנֶהְפָּ֥ךְ בִּ֝לְשֹׁונֹ֗ו יִפֹּ֥ול בְּרָעָֽה׃

21 He that begetteth a fool `doeth it' to his sorrow; And the father of a fool hath no joy.

21 יֹלֵ֣ד כְּ֭סִיל לְת֣וּגָה לֹ֑ו וְלֹֽא־יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח אֲבִ֣י נָבָֽל׃

22 A cheerful heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.

22 לֵ֣ב מֵחַ יֵיטִ֣ב גֵּהָ֑ה וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃

23 A wicked man receiveth a bribe out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of justice.

23 שֹׁ֣חַד מֵ֭חֵיק רָשָׁ֣ע יִקָּ֑ח לְ֝הַטֹּ֗ות אָרְחֹ֥ות מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

24 Wisdom is before the face of him that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

24 אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י מֵבִ֣ין חָכְמָ֑ה וְעֵינֵ֥י כְ֝סִ֗יל בִּקְצֵה־אָֽרֶץ׃

25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him.

25 כַּ֣עַס לְ֭אָבִיו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וּ֝מֶ֗מֶר לְיֹולַדְתֹּֽו׃

26 Also to punish the righteous is not good, `Nor' to smite the noble for `their' uprightness.

26 גַּ֤ם עֲנֹ֣ושׁ לַצַּדִּ֣יק לֹא־טֹ֑וב לְהַכֹּ֖ות נְדִיבִ֣ים עַל־יֹֽשֶׁר׃

27 He that spareth his words hath knowledge; And he that is of a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

27 חֹושֵׂ֣ךְ אֲ֭מָרָיו יֹודֵ֣עַ דָּ֑עַת וְקַר־ יְקַר־ר֝֗וּחַ אִ֣ישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה׃

28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; When he shutteth his lips, he is `esteemed as' prudent.

28 גַּ֤ם אֱוִ֣יל מַ֭חֲרִישׁ חָכָ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב אֹטֵ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֣יו נָבֹֽון׃