1 Better is the poor man whose ways are upright, than the man of wealth whose ways are twisted.

1 טֹֽוב־רָ֭שׁ הֹולֵ֣ךְ בְּתֻמֹּ֑ו מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁ פָתָ֗יו וְה֣וּא כְסִֽיל׃

2 Further, without knowledge desire is not good; and he who is over-quick in acting goes out of the right way.

2 גַּ֤ם בְּלֹא־דַ֣עַת נֶ֣פֶשׁ לֹא־טֹ֑וב וְאָ֖ץ בְּרַגְלַ֣יִם חֹוטֵֽא׃

3 By his foolish behaviour a man's ways are turned upside down, and his heart is bitter against the Lord.

3 אִוֶּ֣לֶת אָ֭דָם תְּסַלֵּ֣ף דַּרְכֹּ֑ו וְעַל־יְ֝הוָ֗ה יִזְעַ֥ף לִבֹּֽו׃

4 Wealth makes a great number of friends; but the poor man is parted from his friend.

4 הֹ֗ון יֹ֭סִיף רֵעִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְ֝דָ֗ל מֵרֵ֥עהוּ¹ יִפָּרֵֽד׃

5 A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will not go free.

5 עֵ֣ד קָרִים לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶ֑ה וְיָפִ֥יחַ כְּ֝זָבִ֗ים לֹ֣א יִמָּלֵֽט׃

6 Great numbers will make attempts to get the approval of a ruler: and every man is the special friend of him who has something to give.

6 רַ֭בִּים יְחַלּ֣וּ פְנֵֽי־נָדִ֑יב וְכָל־הָ֝רֵ֗עַ לְאִ֣ישׁ מַתָּֽן׃

7 All the brothers of the poor man are against him: how much more do his friends go far from him! ...

7 כָּ֥ל אֲחֵי־רָ֨שׁ׀ שְֽׂנֵאֻ֗הוּ אַ֤ף כִּ֣י מְ֭רֵעֵהוּ רָחֲק֣וּ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ מְרַדֵּ֖ף אֲמָרִ֣ים לֹא־ לֹו־הֵֽמָּה׃

8 He who gets wisdom has love for his soul: he who keeps good sense will get what is truly good.

8 קֹֽנֶה־לֵּ֭ב אֹהֵ֣ב נַפְשֹׁ֑ו שֹׁמֵ֥ר תְּ֝בוּנָ֗ה לִמְצֹא־טֹֽוב׃

9 A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will be cut off.

9 עֵ֣ד קָרִים לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶ֑ה וְיָפִ֖יחַ כְּזָבִ֣ים יֹאבֵֽד׃

10 Material comfort is not good for the foolish; much less for a servant to be put over rulers.

10 לֹֽא־נָאוֶ֣ה לִכְסִ֣יל תַּעֲנ֑וּג אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־לְעֶ֤בֶד׀ מְשֹׁ֬ל בְּשָׂרִֽים׃

11 A man's good sense makes him slow to wrath, and the overlooking of wrongdoing is his glory.

11 שֵׂ֣כֶל אָ֭דָם הֶאֱרִ֣יךְ אַפֹּ֑ו וְ֝תִפאַרְתֹּ֗ו¹ עֲבֹ֣ר עַל־פָּֽשַׁע׃

12 The king's wrath is like the loud cry of a lion, but his approval is like dew on the grass.

12 נַ֣הַם כַּ֭כְּפִיר זַ֣עַף מֶ֑לֶךְ וּכְטַ֖ל עַל־עֵ֣שֶׂב רְצֹונֹֽו׃

13 A foolish son is the destruction of his father; and the bitter arguments of a wife are like drops of rain falling without end.

13 הַוֹּ֣ת לְ֭אָבִיו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וְדֶ֥לֶף טֹ֝רֵ֗ד מִדְיְנֵ֥י אִשָּֽׁה׃

14 House and wealth are a heritage from fathers, but a wife with good sense is from the Lord.

14 בַּ֣יִת וָ֭הֹון נַחֲלַ֣ת אָבֹ֑ות וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה אִשָּׁ֥ה מַשְׂכָּֽלֶת׃

15 Hate of work sends deep sleep on a man: and he who has no industry will go without food.

15 עַ֭צְלָה תַּפִּ֣יל תַּרְדֵּמָ֑ה וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ רְמִיָּ֣ה תִרְעָֽב׃

16 He who keeps the law keeps his soul; but death will be the fate of him who takes no note of the word.

16 שֹׁמֵ֣ר מִ֭צְוָה שֹׁמֵ֣ר נַפְשֹׁ֑ו בֹּוזֵ֖ה דְרָכָ֣יו יוּמָת יָמֽוּת׃

17 He who has pity on the poor gives to the Lord, and the Lord will give him his reward.

17 מַלְוֵ֣ה יְ֭הוָה חֹ֣ונֵֽן דָּ֑ל וּ֝גְמֻלֹ֗ו יְשַׁלֶּם־לֹֽו׃

18 Give your son training while there is hope; let not your heart be purposing his death.

18 יַסֵּ֣ר בִּ֭נְךָ כִּי־יֵ֣שׁ תִּקְוָ֑ה וְאֶל־הֲ֝מִיתֹ֗ו אַל־תִּשָּׂ֥א נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

19 A man of great wrath will have to take his punishment: for if you get him out of trouble you will have to do it again.

19 גֹּרַל־ גְּֽדָל־חֵ֭מָה נֹ֣שֵׂא עֹ֑נֶשׁ כִּ֥י אִם־תַּ֝צִּ֗יל וְעֹ֣וד תֹּוסִֽף׃

20 Let your ear be open to suggestion and take teaching, so that at the end you may be wise.

20 שְׁמַ֣ע עֵ֭צָה וְקַבֵּ֣ל מוּסָ֑ר לְ֝מַ֗עַן תֶּחְכַּ֥ם בְּאַחֲרִיתֶֽךָ׃

21 A man's heart may be full of designs, but the purpose of the Lord is unchanging.

21 רַבֹּ֣ות מַחֲשָׁבֹ֣ות בְּלֶב־אִ֑ישׁ וַעֲצַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה הִ֣יא תָקֽוּם׃

22 The ornament of a man is his mercy, and a poor man is better than one who is false.

22 תַּאֲוַ֣ת אָדָ֣ם חַסְדֹּ֑ו וְטֹֽוב־רָ֝שׁ מֵאִ֥ישׁ כָּזָֽב׃

23 The fear of the Lord gives life: and he who has it will have need of nothing; no evil will come his way.

23 יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֣ה לְחַיִּ֑ים וְשָׂבֵ֥עַ יָ֝לִ֗ין בַּל־יִפָּ֥קֶד רָֽע׃

24 The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin, and will not even take it to his mouth again.

24 טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דֹו בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת גַּם־אֶל־פִּ֝֗יהוּ לֹ֣א יְשִׁיבֶֽנָּה׃

25 When blows overtake the man of pride, the simple will get sense; say sharp words to the wise, and knowledge will be made clear to him.

25 לֵ֣ץ תַּ֭כֶּה וּפֶ֣תִי יַעְרִ֑ם וְהֹוכִ֥יחַ לְ֝נָבֹ֗ון יָבִ֥ין דָּֽעַת׃

26 He who is violent to his father, driving away his mother, is a son causing shame and a bad name.

26 מְֽשַׁדֶּד־אָ֭ב יַבְרִ֣יחַ אֵ֑ם בֵּ֝֗ן מֵבִ֥ישׁ וּמַחְפִּֽיר׃

27 A son who no longer gives attention to teaching is turned away from the words of knowledge.

27 חַֽדַל־בְּ֭נִי¹ לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ מוּסָ֑ר לִ֝שְׁגֹ֗ות מֵֽאִמְרֵי־דָֽעַת׃

28 A good-for-nothing witness makes sport of the judge's decision: and the mouth of evil-doers sends out evil like a stream.

28 עֵ֣ד בְּ֭לִיַּעַל יָלִ֣יץ מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יְבַלַּע־אָֽוֶן׃

29 Rods are being made ready for the man of pride, and blows for the back of the foolish.

29 נָכֹ֣ונוּ לַלֵּצִ֣ים שְׁפָטִ֑ים וּ֝מַהֲלֻמֹ֗ות לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃