1 A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold -- good grace.

1 נִבְחָ֣ר ם מֵעֹ֣שֶׁר רָ֑ב מִכֶּ֥סֶף וּ֝מִזָּהָ֗ב חֵ֣ן טֹֽוב׃

2 Rich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all `is' Jehovah.

2 עָשִׁ֣יר וָרָ֣שׁ נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ עֹשֵׂ֖ה כֻלָּ֣ם יְהוָֽה׃

3 The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.

3 עָר֤וּם׀ רָאָ֣ה רָעָ֣ה וְיִסָּתֵר וְנִסְתָּ֑ר וּ֝פְתָיִ֗ים עָבְר֥וּ וְֽנֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ׃

4 The end of humility `is' the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.

4 עֵ֣קֶב עֲ֭נָוָה יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֖שֶׁר וְכָבֹ֣וד וְחַיִּֽים׃

5 Thorns -- snares `are' in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.

5 צִנִּ֣ים פַּ֭חִים בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ עִקֵּ֑שׁ שֹׁומֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשֹׁ֗ו יִרְחַ֥ק מֵהֶֽם׃

6 Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not from it.

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

7 The rich over the poor ruleth, And a servant `is' the borrower to the lender.

7 עָ֭שִׁיר בְּרָשִׁ֣ים יִמְשֹׁ֑ול וְעֶ֥בֶד לֹ֝וֶ֗ה לְאִ֣ישׁ מַלְוֶֽה׃

8 Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.

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

9 The good of eye -- he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.

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

10 Cast out a scorner -- and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.

10 גָּ֣רֵֽשׁ לֵ֭ץ וְיֵצֵ֣א מָדֹ֑ון וְ֝יִשְׁבֹּ֗ת דִּ֣ין וְקָלֹֽון׃

11 Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace `are' his lips, a king `is' his friend.

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

12 The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.

12 עֵינֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה נָ֣צְרוּ דָ֑עַת וַ֝יְסַלֵּ֗ף דִּבְרֵ֥י בֹגֵֽד׃

13 The slothful hath said, `A lion `is' without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'

13 אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל אֲרִ֣י בַח֑וּץ בְּתֹ֥וךְ רְ֝חֹבֹ֗ות אֵֽרָצֵֽחַ׃

14 A deep pit `is' the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.

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

15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth it far from him.

15 אִ֭וֶּלֶת קְשׁוּרָ֣ה בְלֶב־נָ֑עַר שֵׁ֥בֶט מ֝וּסָ֗ר יַרְחִיקֶ֥נָּה מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

16 He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich -- only to want.

16 עֹ֣שֵֽׁק דָּ֭ל לְהַרְבֹּ֣ות לֹ֑ו נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר אַךְ־לְמַחְסֹֽור׃

17 Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,

17 הַ֥ט אָזְנְךָ֗ וּ֭שְׁמַע דִּבְרֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֑ים וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ תָּשִׁ֥ית לְדַעְתִּֽי׃

18 For they are pleasant when thou dost keep them in thy heart, They are prepared together for thy lips.

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

19 That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.

19 לִהְיֹ֣ות בַּ֭יהוָה מִבְטַחֶ֑ךָ הֹודַעְתִּ֖יךָ הַיֹּ֣ום אַף־אָֽתָּה׃

20 Have I not written to thee three times With counsels and knowledge?

20 הֲלֹ֤א כָתַ֣בְתִּי לְ֭ךָ שִׁלְשֹׁום שָׁלִישִׁ֑ים בְּמֹ֖ועֵצֹ֣ת³ וָדָֽעַת׃

21 To cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending thee.

21 לְהֹודִֽיעֲךָ֗ קֹ֭שְׁטְ³ אִמְרֵ֣י אֱמֶ֑ת לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֲמָרִ֥ים אֱ֝מֶ֗ת לְשֹׁלְחֶֽיךָ׃

22 Rob not the poor because he `is' poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.

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

23 For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.

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

24 Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,

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

25 Lest thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.

25 פֶּן־תֶּאֱלַ֥ף אָרְחָתֹו אֹֽרְחֹתָ֑יו וְלָקַחְתָּ֖ מֹוקֵ֣שׁ לְנַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

26 Be not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties `for' burdens.

26 אַל־תְּהִ֥י בְתֹֽקְעֵי־כָ֑ף בַּ֝עֹרְבִ֗ים מַשָּׁאֹֽות׃

27 If thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee?

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

28 Remove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made.

28 אַל־תַּ֭סֵּג גְּב֣וּל עֹולָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עָשׂ֣וּ אֲבֹותֶֽיךָ׃

29 Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!

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