1 A good name is more to be desired than great wealth, and to be respected is better than silver and gold.

1 נִבְחָ֣ר ם מֵעֹ֣שֶׁר רָ֑ב מִכֶּ֥סֶף וּ֝מִזָּהָ֗ב חֵ֣ן טֹֽוב׃

2 The man of wealth and the poor man come face to face: the Lord is the maker of them all.

2 עָשִׁ֣יר וָרָ֣שׁ נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ עֹשֵׂ֖ה כֻלָּ֣ם יְהוָֽה׃

3 The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble.

3 עָר֤וּם׀ רָאָ֣ה רָעָ֣ה וְיִסָּתֵר וְנִסְתָּ֑ר וּ֝פְתָיִ֗ים עָבְר֥וּ וְֽנֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ׃

4 The reward of a gentle spirit and the fear of the Lord is wealth and honour and life.

4 עֵ֣קֶב עֲ֭נָוָה יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֖שֶׁר וְכָבֹ֣וד וְחַיִּֽים׃

5 Thorns and nets are in the way of the twisted: he who keeps watch over his soul will be far from them.

5 צִנִּ֣ים פַּ֭חִים בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ עִקֵּ֑שׁ שֹׁומֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשֹׁ֗ו יִרְחַ֥ק מֵהֶֽם׃

6 If a child is trained up in the right way, even when he is old he will not be turned away from it.

6 חֲנֹ֣ךְ לַ֭נַּעַר עַל־פִּ֣י דַרְכֹּ֑ו גַּ֥ם כִּֽי־יַ֝זְקִ֗ין לֹֽא־יָס֥וּר מִמֶּֽנָּה׃

7 The man of wealth has rule over the poor, and he who gets into debt is a servant to his creditor.

7 עָ֭שִׁיר בְּרָשִׁ֣ים יִמְשֹׁ֑ול וְעֶ֥בֶד לֹ֝וֶ֗ה לְאִ֣ישׁ מַלְוֶֽה׃

8 By planting the seed of evil a man will get in the grain of sorrow, and the rod of his wrath will be broken.

8 זֹורֵ֣עַ עַ֭וְלָה יִקְצֹור־ יִקְצָר־אָ֑וֶן וְשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָתֹ֣ו יִכְלֶֽה׃

9 He who is kind will have a blessing, for he gives of his bread to the poor.

9 טֹֽוב־עַ֭יִן ה֣וּא יְבֹרָ֑ךְ כִּֽי־נָתַ֖ן מִלַּחְמֹ֣ו לַדָּֽל׃

10 Send away the man of pride, and argument will go out; truly fighting and shame will come to an end.

10 גָּ֣רֵֽשׁ לֵ֭ץ וְיֵצֵ֣א מָדֹ֑ון וְ֝יִשְׁבֹּ֗ת דִּ֣ין וְקָלֹֽון׃

11 He whose heart is clean is dear to the Lord; for the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.

11 אֹהֵ֥ב טְהֹור־ טְהָר־לֵ֑ב חֵ֥ן פָתָ֗יו רֵעֵ֥הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ׃

12 The eyes of the Lord keep knowledge, but by him the acts of the false man will be overturned.

12 עֵינֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה נָ֣צְרוּ דָ֑עַת וַ֝יְסַלֵּ֗ף דִּבְרֵ֥י בֹגֵֽד׃

13 The hater of work says, There is a lion outside: I will be put to death in the streets.

13 אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל אֲרִ֣י בַח֑וּץ בְּתֹ֥וךְ רְ֝חֹבֹ֗ות אֵֽרָצֵֽחַ׃

14 The mouth of strange women is a deep hole: he with whom the Lord is angry will go down into it.

14 שׁוּחָ֣ה עֲ֭מֻקָּה פִּ֣י זָרֹ֑ות זְע֥וּם יְ֝הוָ֗ה יִפֹּול־ יִפָּל־שָֽׁם׃

15 Foolish ways are deep-seated in the heart of a child, but the rod of punishment will send them far from him.

15 אִ֭וֶּלֶת קְשׁוּרָ֣ה בְלֶב־נָ֑עַר שֵׁ֥בֶט מ֝וּסָ֗ר יַרְחִיקֶ֥נָּה מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

16 He who is cruel to the poor for the purpose of increasing his profit, and he who gives to the man of wealth, will only come to be in need.

16 עֹ֣שֵֽׁק דָּ֭ל לְהַרְבֹּ֣ות לֹ֑ו נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר אַךְ־לְמַחְסֹֽור׃

17 Let your ear be bent down for hearing my words, and let your heart give thought to knowledge.

17 הַ֥ט אָזְנְךָ֗ וּ֭שְׁמַע דִּבְרֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֑ים וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ תָּשִׁ֥ית לְדַעְתִּֽי׃

18 For it is a delight to keep them in your heart, to have them ready on your lips.

18 כִּֽי־נָ֭עִים כִּֽי־תִשְׁמְרֵ֣ם בְּבִטְנֶ֑ךָ יִכֹּ֥נוּ יַ֝חְדָּ֗ו עַל־שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃

19 So that your faith may be in the Lord, I have made them clear to you this day, even to you.

19 לִהְיֹ֣ות בַּ֭יהוָה מִבְטַחֶ֑ךָ הֹודַעְתִּ֖יךָ הַיֹּ֣ום אַף־אָֽתָּה׃

20 Have I not put in writing for you thirty sayings, with wise suggestions and knowledge,

20 הֲלֹ֤א כָתַ֣בְתִּי לְ֭ךָ שִׁלְשֹׁום שָׁלִישִׁ֑ים בְּמֹ֖ועֵצֹ֣ת³ וָדָֽעַת׃

21 To make you see how certain are true words, so that you may give a true answer to those who put questions to you?

21 לְהֹודִֽיעֲךָ֗ קֹ֭שְׁטְ³ אִמְרֵ֣י אֱמֶ֑ת לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֲמָרִ֥ים אֱ֝מֶ֗ת לְשֹׁלְחֶֽיךָ׃

22 Do not take away the property of the poor man because he is poor, or be cruel to the crushed ones when they come before the judge:

22 אַֽל־תִּגְזָל־דָּ֭ל כִּ֣י דַל־ה֑וּא וְאַל־תְּדַכֵּ֖א עָנִ֣י בַשָּֽׁעַר׃

23 For the Lord will give support to their cause, and take the life of those who take their goods.

23 כִּֽי־יְ֭הוָה יָרִ֣יב רִיבָ֑ם וְקָבַ֖ע אֶת־קֹבְעֵיהֶ֣ם נָֽפֶשׁ׃

24 Do not be friends with a man who is given to wrath; do not go in the company of an angry man:

24 אַל־תִּ֭תְרַע אֶת־בַּ֣עַל אָ֑ף וְאֶת־אִ֥ישׁ חֵ֝מֹות לֹ֣א תָבֹֽוא׃

25 For fear of learning his ways and making a net ready for your soul.

25 פֶּן־תֶּאֱלַ֥ף אָרְחָתֹו אֹֽרְחֹתָ֑יו וְלָקַחְתָּ֖ מֹוקֵ֣שׁ לְנַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

26 Be not one of those who give their hands in an agreement, or of those who make themselves responsible for debts:

26 אַל־תְּהִ֥י בְתֹֽקְעֵי־כָ֑ף בַּ֝עֹרְבִ֗ים מַשָּׁאֹֽות׃

27 If you have nothing with which to make payment, he will take away your bed from under you.

27 אִם־אֵֽין־לְךָ֥ לְשַׁלֵּ֑ם לָ֥מָּה יִקַּ֥ח מִ֝שְׁכָּבְךָ֗ מִתַּחְתֶּֽיךָ׃

28 Let not the old landmark be moved which your fathers have put in place.

28 אַל־תַּ֭סֵּג גְּב֣וּל עֹולָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עָשׂ֣וּ אֲבֹותֶֽיךָ׃

29 Have you seen a man who is expert in his business? he will take his place before kings; his place will not be among low persons.

29 חָזִ֡יתָ אִ֤ישׁ׀ מָ֘הִ֤יר בִּמְלַאכְתֹּ֗ו לִֽפְנֵֽי־מְלָכִ֥ים יִתְיַצָּ֑ב בַּל־יִ֝תְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵ֥י חֲשֻׁכִּֽים׃