1 Better `is' a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.

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

2 A wise servant ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.

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

3 A refining pot `is' for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts `is' Jehovah.

3 מַצְרֵ֣ף לַ֭כֶּסֶף וְכ֣וּר לַזָּהָ֑ב וּבֹחֵ֖ן לִבֹּ֣ות יְהוָֽה׃

4 An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.

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

5 Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.

5 לֹעֵ֣ג לָ֭רָשׁ חֵרֵ֣ף עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ שָׂמֵ֥חַ לְ֝אֵ֗יד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃

6 Sons' sons `are' the crown of old men, And the glory of sons `are' their fathers.

6 עֲטֶ֣רֶת זְ֭קֵנִים בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְתִפְאֶ֖רֶת בָּנִ֣ים אֲבֹותָֽם׃

7 Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.

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

8 A stone of grace `is' the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

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

9 Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.

9 מְֽכַסֶּה־פֶּ֭שַׁע מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אַהֲבָ֑ה וְשֹׁנֶ֥ה בְ֝דָבָ֗ר מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃

10 Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.

10 תֵּ֣חַת גְּעָרָ֣ה בְמֵבִ֑ין מֵהַכֹּ֖ות כְּסִ֣יל מֵאָֽה׃

11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.

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

12 The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And -- not a fool in his folly.

12 פָּגֹ֬ושׁ דֹּ֣ב שַׁכּ֣וּל בְּאִ֑ישׁ וְאַל־כְּ֝סִ֗יל בְּאִוַּלְתֹּֽו׃

13 Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.

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

14 The beginning of contention `is' a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.

14 פֹּ֣וטֵֽר מַ֭יִם רֵאשִׁ֣ית מָדֹ֑ון וְלִפְנֵ֥י הִ֝תְגַּלַּ֗ע הָרִ֥יב³ נְטֹֽושׁ׃

15 Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these `are' an abomination to Jehovah.

15 מַצְדִּ֣יק רָ֭שָׁע וּמַרְשִׁ֣יעַ צַדִּ֑יק תֹּועֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

16 Why `is' this -- a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?

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

17 At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.

17 בְּכָל־עֵ֭ת אֹהֵ֣ב הָרֵ֑עַ וְאָ֥ח לְ֝צָרָ֗ה יִוָּלֵֽד׃

18 A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.

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

19 Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.

19 אֹ֣הֵֽב פֶּ֭שַׁע אֹהֵ֣ב מַצָּ֑ה מַגְבִּ֥יהַּ פִּ֝תְחֹ֗ו מְבַקֶּשׁ־שָֽׁבֶר׃

20 The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.

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

21 Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.

21 יֹלֵ֣ד כְּ֭סִיל לְת֣וּגָה לֹ֑ו וְלֹֽא־יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח אֲבִ֣י נָבָֽל׃

22 A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.

22 לֵ֣ב מֵחַ יֵיטִ֣ב גֵּהָ֑ה וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃

23 A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.

23 שֹׁ֣חַד מֵ֭חֵיק רָשָׁ֣ע יִקָּ֑ח לְ֝הַטֹּ֗ות אָרְחֹ֥ות מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

24 The face of the intelligent `is' to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool -- at the end of the earth.

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

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

25 כַּ֣עַס לְ֭אָבִיו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וּ֝מֶ֗מֶר לְיֹולַדְתֹּֽו׃

26 Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.

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

27 One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper `is' a man of understanding.

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

28 Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!

28 גַּ֤ם אֱוִ֣יל מַ֭חֲרִישׁ חָכָ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב אֹטֵ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֣יו נָבֹֽון׃