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

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

2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame, And shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers.

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

3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, But Yahweh tests the hearts.

3 מַצְרֵ֣ף לַ֭כֶּסֶף וְכ֣וּר לַזָּהָ֑ב וּבֹחֵ֖ן לִבֹּ֣ות יְהוָֽה׃

4 An evil-doer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

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

5 Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who 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; The glory of children are their parents.

6 עֲטֶ֣רֶת זְ֭קֵנִים בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְתִפְאֶ֖רֶת בָּנִ֣ים אֲבֹותָֽם׃

7 Arrogant speech isn't fitting for a fool, Much less do lying lips fit a prince.

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

8 A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; Wherever he turns, he prospers.

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

9 He who covers an offense promotes love; But he who repeats a matter separates best friends.

9 מְֽכַסֶּה־פֶּ֭שַׁע מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אַהֲבָ֑ה וְשֹׁנֶ֥ה בְ֝דָבָ֗ר מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃

10 A rebuke enters deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred lashes into a fool.

10 תֵּ֣חַת גְּעָרָ֣ה בְמֵבִ֑ין מֵהַכֹּ֖ות כְּסִ֣יל מֵאָֽה׃

11 An evil man seeks 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 cubs meet a man, Rather than a fool in his folly.

12 פָּגֹ֬ושׁ דֹּ֣ב שַׁכּ֣וּל בְּאִ֑ישׁ וְאַל־כְּ֝סִ֗יל בְּאִוַּלְתֹּֽו׃

13 Whoever rewards 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 like breaching a dam, Therefore stop contention before quarreling breaks out.

14 פֹּ֣וטֵֽר מַ֭יִם רֵאשִׁ֣ית מָדֹ֑ון וְלִפְנֵ֥י הִ֝תְגַּלַּ֗ע הָרִ֥יב³ נְטֹֽושׁ׃

15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.

15 מַצְדִּ֣יק רָ֭שָׁע וּמַרְשִׁ֣יעַ צַדִּ֑יק תֹּועֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

16 Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, Seeing he has no understanding?

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

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

17 בְּכָל־עֵ֭ת אֹהֵ֣ב הָרֵ֑עַ וְאָ֥ח לְ֝צָרָ֗ה יִוָּלֵֽד׃

18 A man void of understanding strikes hands, And becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.

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

19 He who loves disobedience loves strife. One who builds a high gate seeks destruction.

19 אֹ֣הֵֽב פֶּ֭שַׁע אֹהֵ֣ב מַצָּ֑ה מַגְבִּ֥יהַּ פִּ֝תְחֹ֗ו מְבַקֶּשׁ־שָֽׁבֶר׃

20 One who has a perverse heart doesn't find prosperity, And one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.

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

21 He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.

21 יֹלֵ֣ד כְּ֭סִיל לְת֣וּגָה לֹ֑ו וְלֹֽא־יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח אֲבִ֣י נָבָֽל׃

22 A cheerful heart makes good medicine, But a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

22 לֵ֣ב מֵחַ יֵיטִ֣ב גֵּהָ֑ה וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃

23 A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, To pervert the ways of justice.

23 שֹׁ֣חַד מֵ֭חֵיק רָשָׁ֣ע יִקָּ֑ח לְ֝הַטֹּ֗ות אָרְחֹ֥ות מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

24 Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.

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

25 A foolish son brings grief to his father, And bitterness to her who bore him.

25 כַּ֣עַס לְ֭אָבִיו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וּ֝מֶ֗מֶר לְיֹולַדְתֹּֽו׃

26 Also to punish the righteous is not good, Nor to flog officials for their integrity.

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

27 He who spares his words has knowledge. He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.

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

28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.

28 גַּ֤ם אֱוִ֣יל מַ֭חֲרִישׁ חָכָ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב אֹטֵ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֣יו נָבֹֽון׃