1 Wine makes men foolish, and strong drink makes men come to blows; and whoever comes into error through these is not wise.

1 לֵ֣ץ הַ֭יַּין¹ הֹמֶ֣ה שֵׁכָ֑ר וְכָל־שֹׁ֥גֶה בֹּ֝֗ו לֹ֣א יֶחְכָּֽם׃

2 The wrath of a king is like the loud cry of a lion: he who makes him angry does wrong against himself.

2 נַ֣הַם כַּ֭כְּפִיר אֵ֣ימַת מֶ֑לֶךְ מִ֝תְעַבְּרֹ֗ו חֹוטֵ֥א נַפְשֹֽׁו׃

3 It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war.

3 כָּבֹ֣וד לָ֭אִישׁ שֶׁ֣בֶת מֵרִ֑יב וְכָל־אֱ֝וִ֗יל יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃

4 The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing.

4 מֵ֭חֹרֶף עָצֵ֣ל לֹא־יַחֲרֹ֑שׁ יִשְׁאַל וְשָׁאַ֖ל בַּקָּצִ֣יר וָאָֽיִן׃

5 The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out.

5 מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים עֵצָ֣ה בְלֶב־אִ֑ישׁ וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּבוּנָ֣ה יִדְלֶֽנָּה׃

6 Most men make no secret of their kind acts: but where is a man of good faith to be seen?

6 רָב־אָדָ֗ם יִ֭קְרָא אִ֣ישׁ חַסְדֹּ֑ו וְאִ֥ישׁ אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים מִ֣י יִמְצָֽא׃

7 An upright man goes on in his righteousness: happy are his children after him!

7 מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ בְּתֻמֹּ֣ו צַדִּ֑יק אַשְׁרֵ֖י בָנָ֣יו אַחֲרָֽיו׃

8 A king on the seat of judging puts to flight all evil with his eyes.

8 מֶ֗לֶךְ יֹושֵׁ֥ב עַל־כִּסֵּא־דִ֑ין מְזָרֶ֖ה בְעֵינָ֣יו כָּל־רָֽע׃

9 Who is able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin?

9 מִֽי־יֹ֭אמַר זִכִּ֣יתִי לִבִּ֑י טָ֝הַ֗רְתִּי מֵחַטָּאתִֽי׃

10 Unequal weights and unequal measures, they are all disgusting to the Lord.

10 אֶ֣בֶן וָ֭אֶבֶן אֵיפָ֣ה וְאֵיפָ֑ה תֹּועֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

11 Even a child may be judged by his doings, if his work is free from sin and if it is right.

11 גַּ֣ם בְּ֭מַעֲלָלָיו יִתְנַכֶּר־נָ֑עַר אִם־זַ֖ךְ וְאִם־יָשָׁ֣ר פָּעֳלֹֽו׃

12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye are equally the Lord's work.

12 אֹ֣זֶן מַעַת³ וְעַ֣יִן רֹאָ֑ה יְ֝הוָ֗ה עָשָׂ֥ה גַם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

13 Do not be a lover of sleep, or you will become poor: keep your eyes open, and you will have bread enough.

13 אַל־תֶּֽאֱהַ֣ב נָה פֶּן־תִּוָּרֵ֑שׁ פְּקַ֖ח עֵינֶ֣יךָ שְֽׂבַֽע־לָֽחֶם׃

14 A poor thing, a poor thing, says he who is giving money for goods: but when he has gone on his way, then he makes clear his pride in what he has got.

14 רַ֣ע רַ֭ע יֹאמַ֣ר הַקֹּונֶ֑ה וְאֹזֵ֥ל לֹ֝֗ו אָ֣ז יִתְהַלָּֽל׃

15 There is gold and a store of corals: but the lips of knowledge are a jewel of great price.

15 יֵ֣שׁ זָ֭הָב וְרָב־פְּנִינִ֑ים וּכְלִ֥י יְ֝קָ֗ר שִׂפְתֵי־דָֽעַת׃

16 Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.

16 לְֽקַח־בִּ֭גְדֹו כִּי־עָ֣רַב זָ֑ר וּבְעַ֖ד נָכְרִים נָכְרִיָּ֣ה חַבְלֵֽהוּ׃

17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but after, his mouth will be full of sand.

17 עָרֵ֣ב לָ֭אִישׁ לֶ֣חֶם שָׁ֑קֶר וְ֝אַחַ֗ר יִמָּֽלֵא־פִ֥יהוּ חָצָֽץ׃

18 Every purpose is put into effect by wise help: and by wise guiding make war.

18 מַ֭חֲשָׁבֹות בְּעֵצָ֣ה תִכֹּ֑ון וּ֝בְתַחְבֻּלֹ֗ות עֲשֵׂ֣ה מִלְחָמָֽה׃

19 He who goes about talking of the business of others gives away secrets: so have nothing to do with him whose lips are open wide.

19 גֹּֽולֶה־סֹּ֭וד³ הֹולֵ֣ךְ רָכִ֑יל וּלְפֹתֶ֥ה פָתָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִתְעָרָֽב׃

20 If anyone puts a curse on his father or his mother, his light will be put out in the blackest night.

20 מְ֭קַלֵּל אָבִ֣יו וְאִמֹּ֑ו יִֽדְעַ֥ךְ נֵ֝רֹ֗ו בְּאִישֹׁון בֶּאֱשׁ֥וּן חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

21 A heritage may be got quickly at first, but the end of it will not be a blessing.

21 נַ֭חֲלָה מְבֻחֶלֶת מְבֹהֶ֣לֶת בָּרִאשֹׁנָ֑ה וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ לֹ֣א תְבֹרָֽךְ׃

22 Do not say, I will give punishment for evil: go on waiting for the Lord, and he will be your saviour.

22 אַל־תֹּאמַ֥ר אֲשַׁלְּמָה־רָ֑ע קַוֵּ֥ה לַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה וְיֹ֣שַֽׁע לָֽךְ׃

23 Unequal weights are disgusting to the Lord, and false scales are not good.

23 תֹּועֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה אֶ֣בֶן וָאָ֑בֶן וּמֹאזְנֵ֖י מִרְמָ֣ה לֹא־טֹֽוב׃

24 A man's steps are of the Lord; how then may a man have knowledge of his way?

24 מֵיְהוָ֥ה מִצְעֲדֵי־גָ֑בֶר וְ֝אָדָ֗ם מַה־יָּבִ֥ין דַּרְכֹּֽו׃

25 It is a danger to a man to say without thought, It is holy, and, after taking his oaths, to be questioning if it is necessary to keep them.

25 מֹוקֵ֣שׁ אָ֭דָם יָ֣לַע קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְאַחַ֖ר נְדָרִ֣ים לְבַקֵּֽר׃

26 A wise king puts evil-doers to flight, and makes their evil-doing come back on them.

26 מְזָרֶ֣ה רְ֭שָׁעִים מֶ֣לֶךְ חָכָ֑ם וַיָּ֖שֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם אֹופָֽן׃

27 The Lord keeps watch over the spirit of man, searching all the deepest parts of the body.

27 נֵ֣ר יְ֭הוָה נִשְׁמַ֣ת אָדָ֑ם חֹ֝פֵ֗שׂ כָּל־חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

28 Mercy and good faith keep the king safe, and the seat of his power is based on upright acts.

28 חֶ֣סֶד וֶ֭אֱמֶת יִצְּרוּ־מֶ֑לֶךְ וְסָעַ֖ד בַּחֶ֣סֶד כִּסְאֹֽו׃

29 The glory of young men is their strength, and the honour of old men is their grey hairs.

29 תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת בַּחוּרִ֣ים כֹּחָ֑ם וַהֲדַ֖ר זְקֵנִ֣ים שֵׂיבָֽה׃

30 By the wounds of the rod evil is taken away, and blows make clean the deepest parts of the body.

30 חַבֻּרֹ֣ות פֶּ֭צַע תַּמְרִיק תַּמְר֣וּק בְּרָ֑ע וּ֝מַכֹּ֗ות חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃