1 For `an object of' desire he who is separated doth seek, With all wisdom he intermeddleth.

1 לְֽ֭תַאֲוָה יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ נִפְרָ֑ד בְּכָל־תּ֝וּשִׁיָּ֗ה יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃

2 A fool delighteth not in understanding, But -- in uncovering his heart.

2 לֹֽא־יַחְפֹּ֣ץ כְּ֭סִיל בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה כִּ֝֗י אִֽם־בְּהִתְגַּלֹּ֥ות לִבֹּֽו׃

3 With the coming of the wicked come also hath contempt, And with shame -- reproach.

3 בְּֽבֹוא־רָ֭שָׁע בָּ֣א גַם־בּ֑וּז וְֽעִם־קָלֹ֥ון חֶרְפָּֽה׃

4 Deep waters `are' the words of a man's mouth, The fountain of wisdom `is' a flowing brook.

4 מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים דִּבְרֵ֣י פִי־אִ֑ישׁ נַ֥חַל נֹ֝בֵ֗עַ מְקֹ֣ור חָכְמָֽה׃

5 Acceptance of the face of the wicked `is' not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.

5 שְׂאֵ֣ת פְּנֵי־רָשָׁ֣ע לֹא־טֹ֑וב לְהַטֹּ֥ות צַ֝דִּ֗יק בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃

6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth for stripes calleth.

6 שִׂפְתֵ֣י כְ֭סִיל יָבֹ֣אֽוּ בְרִ֑יב וּ֝פִ֗יו לְֽמַהֲלֻמֹ֥ות יִקְרָֽא׃

7 The mouth of a fool `is' ruin to him, And his lips `are' the snare of his soul.

7 פִּֽי־כְ֭סִיל מְחִתָּה־לֹ֑ו וּ֝שְׂפָתָ֗יו מֹוקֵ֥שׁ נַפְשֹֽׁו׃

8 The words of a tale-bearer `are' as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down `to' the inner parts of the heart.

8 דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

9 He also that is remiss in his work, A brother he `is' to a destroyer.

9 גַּ֭ם מִתְרַפֶּ֣ה בִמְלַאכְתֹּ֑ו אָ֥ח ה֝֗וּא לְבַ֣עַל מַשְׁחִֽית׃

10 A tower of strength `is' the name of Jehovah, Into it the righteous runneth, and is set on high.

10 מִגְדַּל־עֹ֭ז³ שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה בֹּֽו־יָר֖וּץ צַדִּ֣יק וְנִשְׂגָּֽב׃

11 The wealth of the rich `is' the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.

11 הֹ֣ון עָ֭שִׁיר קִרְיַ֣ת עֻזֹּ֑ו וּכְחֹומָ֥ה נִ֝שְׂגָּבָ֗ה בְּמַשְׂכִּיתֹֽו׃

12 Before destruction the heart of man is high, And before honour `is' humility.

12 לִפְנֵישֶ֭־בֶר יִגְבַּ֣הּ לֵב־אִ֑ישׁ וְלִפְנֵ֖י כָבֹ֣וד עֲנָוָֽה׃

13 Whoso is answering a matter before he heareth, Folly it is to him and shame.

13 מֵשִׁ֣יב דָּ֭בָר בְּטֶ֣רֶם יִשְׁמָ֑ע אִוֶּ֥לֶת הִיא־לֹ֝֗ו וּכְלִמָּֽה׃

14 The spirit of a man sustaineth his sickness, And a smitten spirit who doth bear?

14 רֽוּחַ־אִ֭ישׁ יְכַלְכֵּ֣ל מַחֲלֵ֑הוּ וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה מִ֣י יִשָּׂאֶֽנָּה׃

15 The heart of the intelligent getteth knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

15 לֵ֣ב נָ֭בֹון יִקְנֶה־דָּ֑עַת וְאֹ֥זֶן חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים תְּבַקֶּשׁ־דָּֽעַת׃

16 The gift of a man maketh room for him, And before the great it leadeth him.

16 מַתָּ֣ן אָ֭דָם יַרְחִ֣יב לֹ֑ו וְלִפְנֵ֖י גְדֹלִ֣ים יַנְחֶֽנּוּ׃

17 Righteous `is' the first in his own cause, His neighbour cometh and hath searched him.

17 צַדִּ֣יק הָרִאשֹׁ֣ון בְּרִיבֹ֑ו יָבֹא־ וּבָֽא־רֵ֝עֵ֗הוּ וַחֲקָרֹֽו׃

18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, And between the mighty it separateth.

18 מִ֭דְיָנִים יַשְׁבִּ֣ית הַגֹּורָ֑ל וּבֵ֖ין עֲצוּמִ֣ים יַפְרִֽיד׃

19 A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.

19 אָ֗ח נִפְשָׁ֥ע מִקִּרְיַת־עֹ֑ז וּמְדֹונִים וּ֝מִדְיָנִ֗ים כִּבְרִ֥יחַ אַרְמֹֽון׃

20 From the fruit of a man's mouth is his belly satisfied, `From the' increase of his lips he is satisfied.

20 מִפְּרִ֣י פִי־אִ֭ישׁ תִּשְׂבַּ֣ע בִּטְנֹ֑ו תְּבוּאַ֖ת שְׂפָתָ֣יו יִשְׂבָּֽע׃

21 Death and life `are' in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.

21 מָ֣וֶת וְ֭חַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשֹׁ֑ון וְ֝אֹהֲבֶ֗יהָ יֹאכַ֥ל פִּרְיָֽהּ׃

22 `Whoso' hath found a wife hath found good, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.

22 מָצָ֣א אִ֭שָּׁה מָ֣צָא טֹ֑וב וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צֹ֗ון מֵיְהוָֽה׃

23 `With' supplications doth the poor speak, And the rich answereth fierce things.

23 תַּחֲנוּנִ֥ים יְדַבֶּר־רָ֑שׁ וְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר יַעֲנֶ֥ה עַזֹּֽות׃

24 A man with friends `is' to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!

24 אִ֣ישׁ רֵ֭עִים לְהִתְרֹעֵ֑עַ וְיֵ֥שׁ אֹ֝הֵ֗ב דָּבֵ֥ק מֵאָֽח׃