| Proverbs | |
| משלי | |
| THE JPS TANAKH: Gender-Sensitive Edition | |
| https://jps.org/books/the-jps-tanakh-gender-sensitive-edition/ | |
| Proverbs | |
| Chapter 1 | |
| The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For learning wisdom and discipline;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For understanding words of discernment;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For acquiring the discipline for success,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Righteousness, justice, and equity;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For endowing the simple with shrewdness,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The young with knowledge and foresight.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">—The wise, hearing them, will gain more wisdom;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The discerning will learn to be adroit;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For understanding proverb and epigram,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The words of the wise and their riddles.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The fear of G<small>OD</small> is the beginning<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>beginning </b>Or “best part.”</i> of knowledge;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Fools despise wisdom and discipline.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, heed the discipline of your father,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And do not forsake the instruction of your mother;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For they are a graceful wreath upon your head,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A necklace about your throat.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If they say, “Come with us,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Let us set an ambush to shed blood,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Let us lie in wait for the innocent</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">(Without cause!)</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like Sheol, let us swallow them alive;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Whole, like those who go down into the Pit.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">We shall obtain every precious treasure;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">We shall fill our homes with loot.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Throw in your lot with us;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">We shall all have a common purse.”</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, do not set out with them;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Keep your feet from their path.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For their feet run to evil;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">They hurry to shed blood.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">In the eyes of every winged creature</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The outspread net means nothing.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">But they lie in ambush for their own blood;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">They lie in wait for their own lives.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Such is the fate of all who pursue unjust gain;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">It takes the life of its possessor.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wisdom<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Wisdom </b>In Proverbs, wisdom is personified as a woman.</i> cries aloud in the streets,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Raises her voice in the squares.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">At the head of the busy streets she calls;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">At the entrance of the gates, in the city, she speaks out:</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">“How long will you simple ones love simplicity,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">You scoffers be eager to scoff,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">You dullards hate knowledge?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">You are indifferent to my rebuke;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I will now speak my mind to you,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And let you know my thoughts.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Since you refused me when I called,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And paid no heed when I extended my hand,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">You spurned all my advice,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And would not hear my rebuke,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I will laugh at your calamity,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And mock when terror comes upon you,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When terror comes like a disaster,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And calamity arrives like a whirlwind,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When trouble and distress come upon you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Then they shall call me but I will not answer;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">They shall seek me but not find me.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Because they hated knowledge,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And did not choose fear of G<small>OD</small>;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">They refused my advice,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And disdained all my rebukes,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">They shall eat the fruit of their ways,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And have their fill of their own counsels.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The tranquility of the simple will kill them,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the complacency of dullards will destroy them.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">But the one who listens to me will dwell in safety,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Untroubled by the terror of misfortune.”</span> | |
| Chapter 2 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, if you accept my words</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And treasure up my commandments;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If you make your ear attentive to wisdom</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And your mind open to discernment;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If you call to understanding</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And cry aloud to discernment,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If you seek it as you do silver</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And search for it as for treasures,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Then you will understand the fear of G<small>OD</small> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And attain knowledge of God.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For G<small>OD</small> grants wisdom;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Knowledge and discernment are by God’s decree.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Ability is reserved for the upright</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And [God] is a shield for those who live blamelessly,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Guarding the paths of justice,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Protecting the way of those who are loyal.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">You will then understand what is right, just,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And equitable—every good course.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For wisdom will enter your mind</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And knowledge will delight you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Foresight will protect you,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And discernment will guard you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It will save you from an evildoer’s ways,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">From a man who speaks duplicity—</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who leave the paths of rectitude</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">To follow the ways of darkness,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Who rejoice in doing evil</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And exult in an evildoer’s duplicity,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">All whose paths are crooked</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And who are devious in their course.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It will save you from the forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>forbidden </b>Lit. “strange.”</i> woman,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">From the alien woman whose talk is smooth,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Who forsakes the companion of her youth</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And disregards the covenant of her God.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Her house sinks down to Death,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And her course leads to the shades.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">All who go to her cannot return</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And find again the paths of life.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">So follow the way of the good</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And keep to the paths of the just.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For the upright will inhabit the earth,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The blameless will remain in it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">While the wicked will vanish from the land</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the treacherous will be rooted out of it.</span> | |
| Chapter 3 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, do not forget my teaching,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But let your mind retain my commandments;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For they will bestow on you length of days,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Years of life and well-being.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Let fidelity and steadfastness not leave you;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Bind them about your throat,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Write them on the tablet of your mind,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">And you will find favor and approbation</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">In the eyes of God and human beings.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Trust in G<small>OD</small> with all your heart,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And do not rely on your own understanding.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">In all your ways acknowledge [God],</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And your paths will be made smooth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not be wise in your own eyes;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Fear G<small>OD</small> and shun evil.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It will be a cure for your body,<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>body </b>Lit. “navel.”</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A tonic for your bones.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Honor G<small>OD</small> with your wealth,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">With the best of all your income,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">And your barns will be filled with grain,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Your vats will burst with new wine.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not reject G<small>OD</small>’s discipline, my son;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not abhor such rebuke.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For whom G<small>OD</small> loves, [God] rebukes,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">As a father the son whom he favors.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Happy is the one who finds wisdom,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The one who attains understanding.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Her<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Her </b>See note at <a class="refLink" data-ref="Proverbs 1:20" href="Proverbs.1.20">1.20</a>.</i> value in trade is better than silver,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Her yield, greater than gold.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">She is more precious than rubies;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">All of your goods cannot equal her.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">In her right hand is length of days,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">In her left, riches and honor.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Her ways are pleasant ways,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And all her paths, peaceful.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">She is a tree of life to those who grasp her,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And whoever holds on to her is happy.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"> | |
| G<small>OD</small> | |
| founded the earth by wisdom</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And established the heavens by understanding;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">By God’s knowledge the depths burst apart,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the skies distilled dew.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, do not lose sight of them;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Hold on to resourcefulness and foresight.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">They will give life to your spirit</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And grace to your throat.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Then you will go your way safely</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And not injure your feet.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When you lie down you will be unafraid;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">You will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">You will not fear sudden terror</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Or the disaster that comes upon the wicked,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For G<small>OD</small> will be your trust</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And will keep your feet from being caught.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not withhold good from those who deserve it</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When you have the power to do it [for them].</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not say to your fellow, “Come back again;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I’ll give it to you tomorrow,” when you have it with you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not devise harm against your fellow</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Who lives trustfully with you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not quarrel with someone for no cause,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When they have done you no harm.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not envy a lawless man,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Or choose any of his ways;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For the one who goes astray is an abomination to G<small>OD</small>,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the straightforward are intimates.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"> | |
| G<small>OD</small>’s curse is on the house of the evildoer,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the abode of the righteous is blessed.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">At scoffers [God] scoffs,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the lowly are shown grace.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The wise shall obtain honor,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But dullards get disgrace as their portion.</span> | |
| Chapter 4 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Sons, heed the discipline of a father;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Listen and learn discernment,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For I give you good instruction;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not forsake my teaching.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Once I was a son to my father,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The tender darling of my mother.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He instructed me and said to me,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">“Let your mind hold on to my words;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Keep my commandments and you will live.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Acquire wisdom, acquire discernment;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not forget and do not swerve from my words.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not forsake her<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>her </b>See note at <a class="refLink" data-ref="Proverbs 1:20" href="Proverbs.1.20">1.20</a>.</i> and she will guard you;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Love her and she will protect you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The beginning<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>beginning </b>Or “best part.”</i> of wisdom is—acquire wisdom;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">With all your acquisitions, acquire discernment.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Hug her to you and she will exalt you;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">She will bring you honor if you embrace her.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">She will adorn your head with a graceful wreath;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Crown you with a glorious diadem.”</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, heed and take in my words,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And you will have many years of life.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I instruct you in the way of wisdom;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I guide you in straight courses.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">You will walk without breaking stride;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When you run, you will not stumble.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Hold fast to discipline; do not let go;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Keep it; it is your life.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not enter on the path of the wicked;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not walk on the way of evildoers.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Avoid it; do not pass through it;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Turn away from it; pass it by.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For they cannot sleep unless they have done evil;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Unless they make someone fall they are robbed of sleep.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">They eat the bread of wickedness</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And drink the wine of lawlessness.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The path of the righteous is like radiant sunlight,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Ever brightening until noon.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The way of the wicked is all darkness;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">They do not know what will make them stumble.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, listen to my speech;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Incline your ear to my words.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not lose sight of them;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Keep them in your mind.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">They are life to those who find them,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Healing for the whole body.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">More than all that you guard, guard your mind,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For it is the source of life.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Put crooked speech away from you;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Keep devious talk far from you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Let your eyes look forward,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Your gaze be straight ahead.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Survey the course you take,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And all your ways will prosper.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not swerve to the right or the left;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Keep your feet from evil.</span> | |
| Chapter 5 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, listen to my wisdom;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Incline your ear to my insight,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">That you may have foresight,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">While your lips hold fast to knowledge.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For the lips of a forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>forbidden </b>Lit. “strange.”</i> woman drip honey;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Her mouth is smoother than oil;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Sharp as a two-edged sword.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Her feet go down to Death;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Her steps take hold of Sheol.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">She does not chart a path of life;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Her course meanders for lack of knowledge.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">So now, sons, pay heed to me,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And do not swerve from the words of my mouth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Keep yourself far away from her;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not come near the doorway of her house</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Lest you give up your vigor to others,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Your years to a ruthless one;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Lest strangers eat their fill of your strength,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And your toil be for the house of another;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">And in the end you roar,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When your flesh and body are consumed,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">And say,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">“O how I hated discipline,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And heartily spurned rebuke.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I did not pay heed to my teachers,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Or incline my ear to my instructors.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Soon I was in dire trouble</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Amidst the assembled congregation.”</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Drink water from your own cistern,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Running water from your own well.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Your springs will gush forth</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">In streams in the public squares.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">They will be yours alone,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Others having no part with you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Let your fountain be blessed:</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Find joy in the wife of your youth—</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A loving doe, a graceful mountain goat.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Be infatuated with love of her always.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Why be infatuated, my son, with a forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>forbidden </b>Or “a stranger.”</i> woman?</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Why clasp the bosom of an alien woman?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For everyone’s ways are before the eyes of God,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Who surveys their entire course.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The wicked man will be trapped in his iniquities;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He will be caught up in the ropes of his sin.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He will die for lack of discipline,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Infatuated by his great folly.</span> | |
| Chapter 6 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, if you have stood surety for your fellow,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Given your hand for another,<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Given your hand for another </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">You have been trapped by the words of your mouth,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Snared by the words of your mouth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do this, then, my son, to extricate yourself,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For you have come into the power of your fellow:</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Go grovel—and badger your fellow;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Give your eyes no sleep,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Your pupils no slumber.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Save yourself like a deer out of the hand [of a hunter],</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Like a bird out of the hand of a fowler.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Lazybones, go to the ant;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Study its ways and learn.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Without leaders, officers, or rulers,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It lays up its stores during the summer,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Gathers in its food at the harvest.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">How long will you lie there, lazybones;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When will you wake from your sleep?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A bit more hugging yourself in bed,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">And poverty will come calling upon you,<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>calling upon you </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And want, like a man with a shield.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A scoundrel, an evil man</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Lives by crooked speech,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Winking his eyes,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Shuffling his feet,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Pointing his finger.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Duplicity is in his heart;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He plots evil all the time;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He incites quarrels.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Therefore calamity will come upon him without warning;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Suddenly he will be broken beyond repair.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"> | |
| G<small>OD</small> | |
| hates six things—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And abominates seven:</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A haughty bearing,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A lying tongue,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Hands that shed innocent blood,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A mind that hatches evil plots,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Feet quick to run to evil,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A false witness testifying lies,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And one who incites siblings to quarrel.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, keep your father’s commandment;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not forsake your mother’s teaching.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Tie them over your heart always;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Bind them around your throat.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When you walk it will lead you;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When you lie down it will watch over you;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And when you are awake it will talk with you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For the commandment is a lamp,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The teaching is a light,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the way to life is the rebuke that disciplines.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It will keep you from an evil woman,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">From the smooth tongue of a forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>forbidden </b>Lit. “alien.”</i> woman.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not lust for her beauty</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Or let her captivate you with her eyes.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The last loaf of bread will go for a prostitute;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A married woman will snare a person of honor.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Can anyone rake embers into their bosom</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Without burning their clothes?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Can anyone walk on live coals</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Without scorching their feet?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It is the same with the man who sleeps with his fellow’s wife;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">No one who touches her will go unpunished.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A thief is not held in contempt</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For stealing to appease his hunger;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Yet if caught he must pay sevenfold;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He must give up all he owns.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He who commits adultery is devoid of sense;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Only one who would destroy himself does such a thing.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He will meet with disease and disgrace;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">His reproach will never be expunged.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The fury of the husband will be passionate;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He will show no pity on his day of vengeance.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He will not have regard for any ransom;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He will refuse your bribe, however great.</span> | |
| Chapter 7 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, heed my words;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And store up my commandments with you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Keep my commandments and live,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">My teaching, as the apple of your eye—</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Bind them on your fingers,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Write them on the tablet of your mind.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Say to Wisdom, “You are my sister,”<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>sister </b>See note at <a class="refLink" data-ref="Proverbs 1:20" href="Proverbs.1.20">1.20</a>.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And call Understanding a kinswoman.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">She will guard you from a forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>forbidden </b>Lit. “strange.”</i> woman;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">From an alien woman whose talk is smooth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">From the window of my house,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Through my lattice, I looked out</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">And saw among the simple,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Noticed among the youths,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A young man devoid of sense.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He was crossing the street near her corner,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Walking toward her house</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">In the dusk of evening,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">In the dark hours of night.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A woman comes toward him</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Dressed like a streetwalker, with set purpose.<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Dressed like a streetwalker, with set purpose </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">She is bustling and restive;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">She is never at home.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Now in the street, now in the square,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">She lurks at every corner.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">She lays hold of him and kisses him.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Brazenly she says to him,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">“I had to make a sacrifice of well-being;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Today I fulfilled my vows.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Therefore I have come out to you,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Seeking you, and have found you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I have decked my couch with covers</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Of dyed Egyptian linen;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I have sprinkled my bed</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Let us drink our fill of love till morning;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Let us delight in amorous embrace.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For the man of the house is away;<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>the man of the house is away </b>Or “that other guy is not home,” namely, the speaker’s husband.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He is off on a distant journey.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He took his bag of money with him</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And will return only at mid-month.”</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">She sways him with her eloquence,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Turns him aside with her smooth talk.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Thoughtlessly he follows her,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Like an ox going to the slaughter,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Like a fool to the stocks for punishment<sup class="footnote-marker">e</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Like a fool to the stocks for punishment </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>—</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Until the arrow pierces his liver.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He is like a bird rushing into a trap,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Not knowing his life is at stake.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Now, sons, listen to me;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Pay attention to my words;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Let your mind not wander down her ways;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not stray onto her paths.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For many are those she has struck dead,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And numerous are her victims.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Her house is a highway to Sheol</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Leading down to Death’s inner chambers.</span> | |
| Chapter 8 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It is Wisdom calling,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Understanding raising her<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>her </b>See note at <a class="refLink" data-ref="Proverbs 1:20" href="Proverbs.1.20">1.20</a>.</i> voice.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">She takes her stand at the topmost heights,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">By the wayside, at the crossroads,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Near the gates at the city entrance;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">At the entryways, she shouts,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">“O human race, I call to you;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">My cry is to all mortals.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">O simple ones, learn shrewdness;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">O dullards, instruct your minds.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Listen, for I speak noble things;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Uprightness comes from my lips.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My mouth utters truth;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Wickedness is abhorrent to my lips.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">All my words are just,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">None of them perverse or crooked;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">All are straightforward to anyone with intelligence,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And right to those who have attained knowledge.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Accept my discipline rather than silver,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Knowledge rather than choice gold.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For wisdom is better than rubies;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">No goods can equal her.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">“I, Wisdom, live with Prudence;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I attain knowledge and foresight.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">To fear G<small>OD</small> is to hate evil;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And duplicity in speech.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Mine are counsel and resourcefulness;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I am understanding; courage is mine.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Through me kings reign</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And rulers decree just laws;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Through me princes rule,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Great men and all the righteous judges.<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>righteous judges </b>According to some Heb. mss. and printed editions, “judges of the earth.”</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who love me I love,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And those who seek me will find me.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Riches and honor belong to me,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Enduring wealth and success.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My fruit is better than gold, fine gold,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And my produce better than choice silver.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I walk on the way of righteousness,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">On the paths of justice.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I endow those who love me with substance;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I will fill their treasuries.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Wisdom recounts her existence and role prior to the Creation (see also <a class="refLink" data-ref="Proverbs 3:19-20" href="Proverbs.3.19-20">3.19–20</a>).</i> “I was created at the beginning of G<small>OD</small>’s course</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">As the first of the works of old.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">In the distant past I was fashioned,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">At the beginning, at the origin of earth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">There was still no deep when I was brought forth,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">No springs rich in water;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Before [the foundations of] the mountains were sunk,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Before the hills I was born.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Earth and fields had not yet been made,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Or the world’s first clumps of clay.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I was there when the heavens were set into place;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When the horizon was fixed upon the deep;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When the heavens above were made firm,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the fountains of the deep gushed forth;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When the sea was assigned its limits,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">So that its waters never transgress God’s command;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When the foundations of the earth were fixed,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I was with [God] as a confidant,<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>confidant </b>Or “protégée.”</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A source of delight every day,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Rejoicing before [God] at all times,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Rejoicing in God’s inhabited world,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Finding delight with mortals.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Now, children, listen to me;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Happy are they who keep my ways.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Heed discipline and become wise;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not spurn it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Happy is the one who listens to me,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Coming early to my gates each day,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Waiting outside my doors.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For one who finds me finds life</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And obtains favor from G<small>OD</small>.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">But one who misses me self-destructs;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">All who hate me love death.”</span> | |
| Chapter 9 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wisdom has built her house,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">She has hewn her seven pillars.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">She has prepared the feast,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Mixed the wine,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And also set the table.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">She has sent out her maids to announce</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">On the heights of the town,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">“Let the simple enter here.”</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">To those devoid of sense she says,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">“Come, eat my food</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And drink the wine that I have mixed;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Give up simpleness and live,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Walk in the way of understanding.”</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">To correct a scoffer,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Or rebuke an evildoer regarding a blemish,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is to call down abuse on oneself.<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Or rebuke an evildoer regarding a blemish, / Is to call down abuse on oneself </b>Clauses transposed for clarity.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not rebuke scoffers, for they will hate you;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Reprove the wise, and they will love you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Instruct the wise, and they will grow wiser;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Teach the righteous, and they will gain in learning.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The beginning of wisdom is fear of G<small>OD</small>,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For through me your days will increase,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And years be added to your life.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">If you are a scoffer, you bear it alone.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The stupid woman bustles about;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">She is simple and knows nothing.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">She sits in the doorway of her house,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Or on a chair at the heights of the town,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Calling to all the wayfarers</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Who go about their own affairs,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">“Let the simple enter here”;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And to those devoid of sense she says,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">“Stolen waters are sweet,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And bread eaten furtively is tasty.”</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He does not know that the shades are there,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.</span> | |
| Chapter 10 | |
| The proverbs of Solomon:<br><span class="poetry indentAll">A wise son brings joy to his father;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A dull son is his mother’s sorrow.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Ill-gotten wealth is of no avail,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But righteousness saves from death.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"> | |
| G<small>OD</small> | |
| will not let a righteous person go hungry,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But denies the wicked what they crave.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Negligent hands cause poverty,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But diligent hands enrich.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He who lays in stores during the summer is a capable son,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But he who sleeps during the harvest is an incompetent.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Blessings light upon the head of a righteous person,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But lawlessness covers the mouths of the wicked.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The name of a righteous person is invoked in blessing,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the fame of the wicked rots.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Whoever has a wise heart accepts commands,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one whose speech is foolish comes to grief.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Whoever lives blamelessly lives safely,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who walks a crooked path will be found out.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Whoever winks causes sorrow;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One whose speech is foolish comes to grief.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The mouth of a righteous person is a fountain of life,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But lawlessness covers the mouths of the wicked.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Hatred stirs up strife,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But love covers up all faults.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wisdom is to be found on the lips of the intelligent,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a rod is ready for the back of the senseless.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The wise store up knowledge;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The mouth of a fool is an imminent ruin.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For someone rich, wealth is a fortress;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For the poor, poverty is a ruin.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The labor of the righteous makes for life;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The produce of the wicked makes for want.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who follows discipline shows the way to life,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who ignores reproof leads astray.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who conceals hatred has lying lips,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">While one who speaks forth slander is a dullard.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Where there is much talking, there is no lack of transgressing,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who curbs the tongue<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>tongue </b>Lit. “lips.”</i> shows sense.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The tongue of a righteous person is choice silver,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the mind of the wicked is of little worth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The lips of a righteous person sustain many,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But fools die for lack of sense.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It is the blessing of G<small>OD</small> that enriches,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And no toil can increase it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">As mischief is sport for the dullard,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">So is wisdom for the man of understanding.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">What an evildoer plots backfires;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">What the righteous desire is granted.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When the storm passes a wicked person is gone,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the righteous person is an everlasting foundation.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like vinegar to the teeth,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Like smoke to the eyes,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Are sluggards to those who send them on a mission.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The fear of G<small>OD</small> prolongs life,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">While the years of the wicked will be shortened.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The righteous can look forward to joy,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the hopes of the wicked are doomed.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The way of G<small>OD</small> is a stronghold for a blameless person,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a ruin for evildoers.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The righteous person will never be shaken;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The wicked will not inhabit the earth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The mouth of a righteous person produces wisdom,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the treacherous tongue shall be cut off.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The lips of a righteous person know what is pleasing;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The mouth of the wicked [knows] duplicity.</span> | |
| Chapter 11 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">False scales are an abomination to G<small>OD</small>,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Who finds an honest<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>honest </b>Lit. “whole.”</i> weight pleasing.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When arrogance appears, disgrace follows,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But wisdom is with those who are unassuming.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The integrity of the upright guides them;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The deviousness of the treacherous leads them to ruin.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wealth is of no avail on the day of wrath,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But righteousness saves from death.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The righteousness of the blameless smooths their way,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the wicked fall by their wickedness.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The righteousness of the upright saves them,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the treacherous are trapped by their malice.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">At death the hopes of a wicked person are doomed,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the ambition of evildoers<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>ambition of evildoers </b>Or “wish for posterity,” i.e., hope for family continuity; cf. Rashi.</i> comes to nothing.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A righteous person is rescued from trouble</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And it comes to the wicked instead.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">An impious person destroys a neighbor through speech,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But through knowledge the righteous are rescued.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When the righteous prosper the city exults;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When the wicked perish there are shouts of joy.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A city is built up by the blessing of the upright,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But it is torn down by the speech of the wicked.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who speaks contemptuously of neighbors is devoid of sense;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A prudent man keeps his peace.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A base fellow gives away secrets,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a trustworthy soul keeps a confidence.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For want of strategy an army falls,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But victory comes with much planning.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Harm awaits one who stands surety for another;<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>another </b>Or “a stranger.”</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who spurns pledging shall be secure.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A graceful woman obtains honor;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Ruthless men obtain wealth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A kindly man benefits himself;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A cruel one makes trouble for himself.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A wicked person earns illusory wages,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who sows righteousness has a true reward.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Righteousness is a prop of life,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But to pursue evil leads to death.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Crooked minds are an abomination to G<small>OD</small>,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But those whose way is blameless are pleasing.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Assuredly,<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Assuredly </b>Lit. “Hand to hand”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> the evildoer will not escape,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the offspring of the righteous will be safe.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is a beautiful woman bereft of sense.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">What the righteous desire can only be good;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">What the wicked hope for [stirs] wrath.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Some give generously and end with more;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Others stint on doing the right thing and incur a loss.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A generous person enjoys prosperity;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who satisfies others shall likewise be sated.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Whoever withholds grain earns the curses of the people,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But blessings are on the head of the one who dispenses it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who earnestly seeks good pursues what is pleasing;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Evil comes to someone who is bent on it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who trusts in wealth shall fall,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the righteous shall flourish like foliage.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He who makes trouble for his household shall inherit the wind;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A fool is a slave to the wise-hearted.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The wise captivate people.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If the righteous on earth get their deserts,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">How much more evildoers and sinners.</span> | |
| Chapter 12 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who loves discipline loves knowledge;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Whoever spurns reproof is a brute.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A good person earns the favor of G<small>OD</small>,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A man of intrigues, God’s condemnation.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">No one can be established in wickedness,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the root of the righteous will not be shaken loose.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A woman of substance is a crown for her husband,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But an incompetent one is like rot in his bones.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The purposes of the righteous are justice,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The schemes of the wicked are deceit.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the speech of the upright saves them.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Overturn the wicked and they are gone,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the house of the righteous will endure.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A man is commended according to his intelligence;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A twisted mind is held up to contempt.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Better to be lightly esteemed and have a servant</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than to put on airs and have no food.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A righteous person knows the needs of their beast,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the compassion of the wicked is cruelty.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He who tills his land shall have food in plenty,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who pursues vanities is devoid of sense.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of verse uncertain.</i> A wicked man covets the catch of evildoers;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The root of the righteous yields [fruit].</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Sinful speech is a trap for the evildoer,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a righteous man escapes from trouble.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A man gets his fill of good from the fruit of his speech;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One is repaid in kind for one’s deeds.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The way of fools is right in their own eyes;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But those who are wise accept advice.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Fools’ vexation is known at once,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the clever conceal their humiliation.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A faithful witness tells the truth,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a false witness, deceit.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">There is blunt talk like sword-thrusts,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the speech of the wise is healing.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Truthful speech abides forever,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A lying tongue for but a moment.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Deceit is in the minds of those who plot evil;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For those who plan good there is joy.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">No harm befalls a righteous person,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the wicked have their fill of misfortune.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Lying speech is an abomination to G<small>OD</small>,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But those who act faithfully are pleasing.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A clever person conceals knowledge,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the mind of dullards cries out folly.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The hand of the diligent wields authority;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The negligent are held in subjection.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If there is anxiety in someone’s mind, let them quash it,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And turn it into joy with a good word.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A righteous person gives friends direction,<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>gives friends direction </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the way of the wicked leads astray.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A negligent person never has game to roast;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A diligent one has precious wealth.<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>A diligent one has precious wealth </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The road of righteousness leads to life;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">By way of its path there is no death.</span> | |
| Chapter 13 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A wise son—it is through the discipline of his father;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A scoffer—he never heard reproof.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A man enjoys good from the fruit of his speech;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But out of the throat of the treacherous comes lawlessness.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who guard their tongue<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>tongue </b>Lit. “mouth.”</i> preserve their life;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Those who open wide their lips, it is their ruin.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A sluggard craves, but has nothing;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The diligent shall feast on rich fare.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The righteous hate lies;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The wicked are vile and disgraceful.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Righteousness protects the one whose way is blameless;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Wickedness subverts the sinner.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Some pretend to be rich and have nothing;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Others profess to be poor and have much wealth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Riches are ransom for a person’s life,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The poor never heard a reproof.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The light of the righteous is radiant;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The lamp of the wicked is extinguished.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Arrogance yields nothing but strife;<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Arrogance yields nothing but strife </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Wisdom belongs to those who seek advice.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wealth may dwindle to less than nothing,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who gathers little by little increases it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Hope deferred sickens the heart,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But desire realized is a tree of life.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who disdains a precept will be injured thereby;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who respects a command will be rewarded.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The instruction of the wise is a fountain of life,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Enabling one to avoid deadly snares.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Good sense wins favor;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The way of treacherous men is unchanging.<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>unchanging </b>Or “harsh.”</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who are clever act knowledgeably,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But dullards expose their stupidity.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Harm befalls a wicked messenger;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A faithful courier brings healing.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Poverty and humiliation are for the one who spurns discipline;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who takes reproof to heart gets honor.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Desire realized is sweet to the soul;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">To turn away from evil is abhorrent to the stupid.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who keeps company with the wise becomes wise,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who consorts with dullards comes to grief.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Misfortune pursues sinners,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the righteous are well rewarded.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A good man has what to bequeath to his grandchildren,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For the wealth of sinners is stored up for the righteous.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The tillage of the poor yields much food;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But substance is swept away for lack of moderation.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He who spares the rod hates his son,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But he who loves him disciplines him early.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The righteous person eats to satiety,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the belly of the wicked is empty.</span> | |
| Chapter 14 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The wisest of women builds her house,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But folly tears it down with its own hands.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who walks a straight path fears G<small>OD</small>;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one whose ways are devious shows scorn.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">In the mouth of a fool is a rod of haughtiness,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the lips of the wise protect them.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If there are no oxen the crib is clean,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a rich harvest comes through the strength of the ox.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">An honest witness will not lie;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A false witness testifies lies.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Scoffers seek wisdom in vain,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But knowledge comes easily to the intelligent.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Keep your distance from a dull man,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Keep your distance from a dull man, / For </b>Or “Engage with a dull fellow / And.”</i> you will not learn wise speech.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It is the wisdom of a clever man to understand his course;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the stupidity of dullards is delusion.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Reparations mediate between fools,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Between the upright, good will.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The heart alone knows its bitterness,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And no outsider can share in its joy.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The house of the wicked will be demolished,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the tent of the upright will flourish.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The road ahead may seem right,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But in the end it can be a road to death.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The heart may ache even in laughter,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And joy may end in grief.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who are unprincipled reap the fruits of their ways;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The good man, of his deeds.<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>of his deeds </b>Taking <i>ʻal</i> as from <i>ʻll</i>; cf. <a class="refLink" data-ref="Hosea 12:3" href="Hosea.12.3">Hos. 12.3</a>.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The simple believe anything;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The clever ponders their course.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A sage is diffident and shuns evil,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a dullard rushes in confidently.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A hothead commits folly;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A man of intrigues will be hated.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Folly is the lot of the simple,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the clever glory in knowledge.<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>glory in knowledge </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Evildoers are brought low before the good,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">So are the wicked at the gates of the righteous.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The poor are despised even by their peers,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the rich have many friends.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who despise their fellows are wrong;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Those who show pity for the lowly are happy.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Surely those who plan evil go astray,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">While those who plan good earn steadfast love.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">From all toil there is some gain,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But idle chatter is pure loss.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The ornament of the wise is their wealth;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The stupidity of dullards is stupidity.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A truthful witness saves lives;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A lying witness [spreads] deceit.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Fear of G<small>OD</small> is a stronghold,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A refuge for one’s children.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Fear of G<small>OD</small> is a fountain of life,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Enabling one to avoid deadly snares.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A numerous people is the glory of a king;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Without a nation a ruler is ruined.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Patience results in much understanding;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Impatience gets folly as its portion.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A calm disposition gives bodily health;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Passion is rot to the bones.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who withholds what is due to the poor affronts their Maker;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who shows pity for the needy shows honor.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The wicked fall by their own evil;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The righteous find security in their death.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wisdom rests quietly in the mind of a prudent person,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But among dullards it makes itself known.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Righteousness exalts a nation;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Sin is a reproach to any people.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The king favors a capable servant;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He rages at an incompetent one.</span> | |
| Chapter 15 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A gentle response allays wrath;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A harsh word provokes anger.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The tongue of the wise produces much knowledge,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the mouth of dullards pours out folly.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"> | |
| G<small>OD</small>’s eyes are everywhere,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Observing the bad and the good.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A healing tongue is a tree of life,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a devious one makes for a broken spirit.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A fool spurns a parent’s discipline,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who heeds reproof becomes clever.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But in the harvest of the wicked there is trouble.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The lips of the wise disseminate knowledge;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Not so the minds of dullards.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to G<small>OD</small>,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the prayer of the upright is pleasing.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The way of the wicked is an abomination to G<small>OD</small>,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But those who pursue righteousness are loved.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Discipline seems bad to whoever forsakes the way;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who spurns reproof will die.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Sheol and Abaddon lie exposed to G<small>OD</small>,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">How much more the minds of mortals!</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The scoffer, who dislikes being reproved,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Will not resort to the wise.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A joyful heart makes a cheerful face;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A sad heart makes a despondent mood.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The mind of a prudent person seeks knowledge;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The mouth of dullards pursues folly.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">All the days of a pauper are wretched,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But contentment is a feast without end.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Better a little with fear of G<small>OD</small> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than great wealth with confusion.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Better a meal of vegetables where there is love</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than a fattened ox where there is hate.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A hot-tempered man provokes a quarrel;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A patient person calms strife.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the path of the upright is paved.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A wise son makes his father happy;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A fool of a man humiliates his mother.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Folly is joy to one devoid of sense;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A prudent man walks a straight path.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Plans are foiled for want of counsel,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But they succeed through many advisers.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Having a ready response feels satisfying,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And how good is a word rightly timed!</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For the intelligent the path of life leads upward,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">In order to avoid Sheol below.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"> | |
| G<small>OD</small> | |
| will tear down the house of the proud—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But will establish the homestead of the widow.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Evil thoughts are an abomination to G<small>OD</small>,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But pleasant words are pure.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Whoever pursues ill-gotten gain makes trouble for the household;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who spurns gifts will live long.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A righteous person’s heart<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>heart </b>For <i>leb</i> as a source of speech, see note to <a class="refLink" data-ref="Ecclesiastes 5:1" href="Ecclesiastes.5.1">Eccl. 5.1</a>.</i> rehearses the answer,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil things.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"> | |
| G<small>OD</small> | |
| is far from the wicked—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But hears the prayer of the righteous.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">What brightens the eye gladdens the heart;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Good news puts fat on the bones.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One whose ear heeds the discipline of life</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Lodges among the wise.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who spurn discipline hate themselves;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But those who heed reproof gain understanding.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The fear of G<small>OD</small> is the discipline of wisdom;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Humility precedes honor.</span> | |
| Chapter 16 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Mortals may arrange their thoughts,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But what they say depends on G<small>OD</small>.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">People look approvingly on their own ways,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But G<small>OD</small> probes motives.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Entrust your affairs to G<small>OD</small>,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And your plans will succeed.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"> | |
| G<small>OD</small> | |
| made everything for a purpose,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Even the wicked for an evil day.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Everyone haughty is an abomination to G<small>OD</small>;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Assuredly,<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Assuredly </b>Lit. “Hand to hand”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> they will not go unpunished.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Iniquity is expiated by loyalty and faithfulness,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And evil is avoided through fear of G<small>OD</small>.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"> | |
| G<small>OD</small>, when pleased with someone’s conduct,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">May turn even their enemies into allies.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Better a little with righteousness</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than a large income with injustice.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Mortals may plot out their course,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But it is G<small>OD</small> who directs their steps.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">There is magic on the lips of the king;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He cannot err in judgment.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Honest scales and balances are G<small>OD</small>’s,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Whose work includes all the weights in the bag.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wicked deeds are an abomination to kings,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For the throne is established by righteousness.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Truthful speech wins the favor of kings;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">They love those who speak honestly.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The king’s wrath is a messenger of death,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a man who is wise can appease it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The king’s smile means life;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">His favor is like a rain cloud in spring.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">How much better to acquire wisdom than gold;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">To acquire understanding is preferable to silver.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The highway of the upright avoids evil;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Those who would preserve their lives watch their way.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Pride goes before ruin,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Arrogance, before failure.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Better to be humble and among the lowly</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than to share spoils with the proud.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who is adept in a matter will attain success;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Happy is the one who trusts in G<small>OD</small>.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The wise-hearted are called discerning;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Those whose speech is pleasing gain wisdom.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Good sense is a fountain of life to those who have it,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And folly is the punishment of fools.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The mind of the wise makes their speech effective</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And increases the wisdom on their lips.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Sweet to the palate and a cure for the body.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The road ahead may seem right,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But in the end it can be a road to death.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The appetite of laborers labors for them,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Because their hunger<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>hunger </b>Lit. “mouth.”</i> forces them on.<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>forces them on </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A worthless man plots<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>plots </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> evil;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">What is on his lips is like a scorching fire.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A shifty man stirs up strife,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And a querulous one alienates his friend.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A lawless man misleads his friend,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Making him take the wrong way.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He closes his eyes while meditating deception;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He purses his lips while deciding upon evil.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Gray hair is a crown of glory;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">It is attained by the way of righteousness.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Better to be forbearing than mighty,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">To have self-control than to conquer a city.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Lots are cast into the lap;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The decision depends on G<small>OD</small>.</span> | |
| Chapter 17 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Better a dry crust with peace</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than a house full of feasting with strife.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A capable servant will dominate an incompetent son</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And share the inheritance with the brothers.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For silver—the crucible,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For gold—the furnace,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And G<small>OD</small> tests the mind.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">An evildoer listens to mischievous talk;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A liar gives ear to malicious words.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who mocks the poor affronts their Maker;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who rejoices over another’s misfortune will not go unpunished.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Grandchildren are the crown of their elders,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the glory of children is their parents.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Lofty words are not fitting for a villain,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Much less lying words for a noble.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A bribe seems like a charm to its user;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">It brings success at every turn.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who seeks love overlooks faults,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who harps on a matter alienates friends.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A rebuke works on an intelligent person</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">More than one hundred blows on a fool.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Evildoers seek only to rebel;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A ruthless messenger will be sent against them.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Sooner meet a bereaved she-bear</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than a fool immersed in nonsense.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Evil will never depart from the house</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Of one who repays good with evil.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">To start a quarrel is to open a sluice;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Before a dispute flares up,<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>flares up </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> drop it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">To acquit the guilty and convict the innocent—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Both are an abomination to G<small>OD</small>.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">What good is money in the hand of a fool</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">To purchase wisdom, when that person has no mind?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A friend is devoted at all times;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A sibling is born to share adversity.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Devoid of sense are the people who give their hand</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">To stand surety for their fellows.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who loves transgression loves strife;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Crooked minds come to no good,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the double-tongued fall into trouble.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One begets a dullard to one’s own grief;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The father of a villain has no joy.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A joyful heart makes for good health;<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>good health </b>Or “a cheerful face”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Despondency dries up the bones.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The wicked draw bribes out of their bosom</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">To pervert the course of justice.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wisdom lies before the intelligent;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The eyes of dullards range to the ends of the earth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A stupid son is vexation for his father</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And a heartache for the woman who bore him.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">To punish an innocent is surely not right,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Or to flog the great for their uprightness.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who is knowledgeable is sparing with words;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A man of understanding is reticent.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Even fools who keep silent are deemed wise;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Intelligent, while their mouth<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>mouth </b>Lit. “lips.”</i> is shut.</span> | |
| Chapter 18 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of verse uncertain.</i> Those who isolate themselves pursue their desires;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">They disdain all competence.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Fools do not desire understanding,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But only to air their thoughts.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Along with the wicked comes derision,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And with rogues, contempt.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The words a person speaks are deep waters,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A flowing stream, a fountain of wisdom.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It is not right to be partial to the guilty</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And subvert the innocent in judgment.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The words of fools lead to strife;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Their speech invites blows.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The fools’ speech is their ruin;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Their words are a trap for them.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The words of a grumbler are bruising;<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>bruising </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">They penetrate one’s inmost parts.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who is slack at work</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is akin<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>akin </b>Lit. “a brother.”</i> to a vandal.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"> | |
| G<small>OD</small>’s name is a tower of strength</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">To which the righteous run and are safe.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The wealth of the rich is their fortress;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">In their fancy<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>In their fancy </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> it is a protective wall.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Before ruin a person’s heart is proud;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Humility goes before honor.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">To answer before listening—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">This is foolish and disgraceful.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A person’s spirit can endure an illness;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But low spirits—who can bear them?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The mind of an intelligent person acquires knowledge;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The ears of the wise seek out knowledge.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A gift eases a person’s way</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And gives access to the great.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The first to speak in court seems right</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Till the other party cross-examines.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The lot puts an end to strife</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And separates those locked in dispute.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A sibling offended is more formidable than a stronghold;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Such strife is like the bars of a fortress.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A man’s belly is filled by the fruit of his mouth;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He will be filled by the produce of his lips.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Death and life are in the power of the tongue;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Those who love it will eat its fruit.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He who finds a wife has found happiness</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And has won G<small>OD</small>’s favor.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The pauper speaks in terms of mercy;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The rich person’s answer is harsh.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">There are companions to keep one company,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And there is a friend more devoted than a sibling.</span> | |
| Chapter 19 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Better a pauper who lives blamelessly</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than one who speaks perversely and is a dullard.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A person without knowledge is surely not good;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who moves hurriedly blunders.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Mortals’ folly subverts their way,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And their hearts rage against G<small>OD</small>.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wealth makes many friends,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a pauper is left friendless.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A false witness will not go unpunished;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who testifies lies will not escape.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Many court the favor of a noble,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And all are the friends of a man who dispenses gifts.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The poor are despised even by their kin;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">How much more are they shunned by their friends!</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who pursues words—they are of no avail.<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>One who pursues words—they are of no avail </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who acquire wisdom are their own best friend;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">They preserve understanding and attain happiness.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A false witness will not go unpunished;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who testifies falsely is doomed.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Luxury is not fitting for a dullard,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Much less that a servant rule over princes.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">People show intelligence by their forbearance;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">It is their glory when they overlook an offense.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The rage of a king is like the roar of a lion;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">His favor is like dew upon the grass.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A stupid son is a calamity to his father;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The nagging of a wife is like the endless dripping of water.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Property and riches are bequeathed by fathers,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But an efficient<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>efficient </b>Or “astute.”</i> wife comes from G<small>OD</small>.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Laziness induces sleep,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And a negligent person will go hungry.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who have regard for their lives pay regard to commandments;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Those who are heedless of their ways will die.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who are generous to the poor make a loan to G<small>OD</small>—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">They will receive their due.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Discipline your son while there is still hope,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>And </b>Or “But.”</i> do not set your heart on his destruction.<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>set your heart on his destruction </b>Or “pay attention to his moaning.”</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A hot-tempered man incurs punishment;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">If you try to save him you will only make it worse.<sup class="footnote-marker">e</sup><i class="footnote"><b>If you try to save him you will only make it worse </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Listen to advice and accept discipline</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">In order that you may be wise in the end.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Many designs are in a person’s mind,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But it is G<small>OD</small>’s plan that is accomplished.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Greed is a reproach to a man;<sup class="footnote-marker">f</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Greed is a reproach to a man </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Better be poor than a deceitful man.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who fears G<small>OD</small> earns life,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And shall abide in contentment,<sup class="footnote-marker">g</sup><i class="footnote"><b>And shall abide in contentment </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Free from misfortune.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A sluggard buries a hand in the bowl,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And will not even bring it to the mouth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Beat scoffers and the simple will become clever;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Reprove the intelligent and they gain knowledge.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A son who causes shame and disgrace</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Plunders his father, puts his mother to flight.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, cease to stray from words of knowledge</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And receive discipline.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A malicious witness scoffs at justice,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the speech of the wicked conceals mischief.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Punishments are in store for scoffers</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And blows for the backs of dullards.</span> | |
| Chapter 20 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wine is a scoffer, strong drink a roisterer;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">No one who is muddled by them will ever grow wise.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Whoever provokes it forfeits life.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It is honorable for a man to desist from strife,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But every fool becomes embroiled.<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>becomes embroiled </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">In winter sluggards do not plow;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">At harvesttime they seek, and find nothing.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The designs in a person’s mind are<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>The designs in a person’s mind are </b>Or “The counsel in another person’s mind is.”</i> deep waters,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a man of understanding can draw them out.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He calls many a man his loyal friend,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But who can find a faithful man?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The righteous live blamelessly;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Happy are their children who come after them.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The king seated on the throne of judgment</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Can winnow out all evil by his glance.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I am purged of my sin”?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">False weights and false measures—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Both are an abomination to G<small>OD</small>.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Children may be dissembling in their behavior</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Even though their actions are blameless and proper.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The ear that hears, the eye that sees—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> | |
| G<small>OD</small> | |
| made them both.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not love sleep lest you be impoverished;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Keep your eyes open and you will have plenty of food.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">“Bad, bad,” says the buyer,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Then goes away in self-congratulation.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Gold is plentiful, jewels abundant,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But wise speech is a precious object.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Seize his garment, for he stood surety for another;<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>another </b>Or “a stranger.”</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Take it as a pledge, [for he stood surety] for an unfamiliar woman.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Bread gained by fraud may be tasty to a man,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But later his mouth will be filled with gravel.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Plans laid in council will succeed;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Wage war with stratagems.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Whoever gives away secrets is base;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not take up with a big-mouth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Whoever reviles their father or mother,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Will be without lamplight when darkness comes.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">An estate acquired in haste at the outset</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Will not be blessed in the end.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not say, “I will requite evil”;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Put your hope in G<small>OD</small> and you will be delivered.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">False weights are an abomination to G<small>OD</small>;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Dishonest scales are not right.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">People’s steps<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>People’s steps </b>Or “[Even] the steps of virile men.”</i> are decided by G<small>OD</small>;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">What do mortals know about their own way?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It is a snare for mortals to pledge a sacred gift rashly<sup class="footnote-marker">e</sup><i class="footnote"><b>to pledge a sacred gift rashly </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And after the vows to reconsider.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A wise king winnows out the wicked,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And turns the wheel upon them.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A mortal’s lifebreath is G<small>OD</small>’s lamp</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Revealing all their inmost parts.<sup class="footnote-marker">f</sup><i class="footnote"><b>their inmost parts </b>Lit. “the chambers of the belly.”</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Faithfulness and loyalty protect the king;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He maintains his throne by faithfulness.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The glory of young men is their strength;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The majesty of elders is their gray hair.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Bruises and wounds are repayment<sup class="footnote-marker">g</sup><i class="footnote"><b>repayment </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> for evil,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Striking at one’s inmost parts.</span> | |
| Chapter 21 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like channeled water is the mind of the king in G<small>OD</small>’s hand—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For it is directed according to God’s wishes.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">People look approvingly on their own ways,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But G<small>OD</small> probes the mind.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">To do what is right and just</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is more desired by G<small>OD</small> than sacrifice.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Haughty looks, a proud heart—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The tillage of the wicked is sinful.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The plans of the diligent make only for gain;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">All rash haste makes only for loss.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Treasures acquired by a lying tongue</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Are like driven vapor, heading for extinction.<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Are like driven vapor, heading for extinction </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The violence of the wicked sweeps them away,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For they refuse to act justly.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A person’s way may be tortuous and strange,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Though their actions are blameless and proper.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Dwelling in the corner of a roof is better</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than a contentious wife in a spacious house.<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>spacious house </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The desire of the wicked is set upon evil;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Their neighbors find no favor in their eyes.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When scoffers are punished, the simple are edified;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When sages are taught, they gain insight.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The Righteous One observes the house of a wicked person—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And subverts the wicked to their ruin.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who turns a deaf ear to the cry of the wretched</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Will likewise call and not be answered.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A gift in secret subdues anger,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A present in private, fierce rage.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Justice done is a joy to the righteous,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">To evildoers, ruination.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who strays from the path of prudence</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Will rest in the company of ghosts.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A man who loves pleasure comes to want;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He who loves wine and oil does not grow rich.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The wicked are the ransom of the righteous;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The traitor comes in place of the upright.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It is better to live in the desert</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than with a contentious, vexatious wife.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Precious treasure and oil are in the house of a wise man,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And a fool of a man will run through them.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who strives to do good and kind deeds</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Attains life, success, and honor.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One wise man prevailed over a city of warriors</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And brought down its mighty stronghold.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who watches over mouth and tongue</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Keeps out of trouble.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The proud, insolent person, named scoffer,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Acts in a frenzy of insolence.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The cravings of sluggards are fatal,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For their hands refuse to work.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">All day long they are seized with craving</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">While the righteous give without stint.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The more so when offered in depravity.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A false witness is doomed,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a man who listens<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>a man who listens </b>Habitually, as a matter of character. Or “one who really heard.”</i> will testify with success.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The wicked man is brazen-faced;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The upright man discerns his course.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">No wisdom, no prudence, and no counsel</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Can prevail against G<small>OD</small>.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The horse is readied for the day of battle,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But victory comes from G<small>OD</small>.</span> | |
| Chapter 22 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Repute is preferable to great wealth,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Grace is better than silver and gold.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The rich and the poor meet;<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>meet </b>Occasionally, as members of society.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> | |
| G<small>OD</small> | |
| made them both.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who was shrewd saw trouble and took cover;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The simple kept going and paid the penalty.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The effect of humility is fear of G<small>OD</small>,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Wealth, honor, and life.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Thorns and snares are in the path of the crooked;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Those who value their life will keep far from them.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Train children in the way they each ought to go;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">They will not swerve from it even in old age.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A rich person rules the poor,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the borrower is a slave to the man who lends.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who sows injustice shall reap misfortune;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The rod of wrath shall fail.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who is generous is blessed,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">While giving bread to the poor.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Expel the scoffer and contention departs,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Quarrel and contumely cease.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A pure-hearted comrade—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">His speech is gracious;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He has the king for his companion.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The eyes of G<small>OD</small> watch the person who is wise;<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>the person who is wise </b>Or “knowledge,” i.e., words of knowledge; cf. v. <a class="refLink" data-ref="Proverbs 22:17" href="Proverbs.22.17">17</a>.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">[God] subverts the words of the treacherous.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the street;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I shall be killed if I step outside.”<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>if I step outside </b>Lit. “in the square.”</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The mouth of a forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>forbidden </b>Lit. “strange.”</i> woman is a deep pit;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He who is doomed by G<small>OD</small> falls into it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If folly settles in the heart of a youth,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The rod of discipline will remove it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">To profit by withholding what is due to the poor</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is like making gifts to the rich—pure loss.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Incline your ear and listen to the words of the sages;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Pay attention to my wisdom.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It is good that you store them inside you,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And that all of them be constantly on your lips,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">That you may put your trust in G<small>OD</small>.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I let you know today—yes, you—</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Indeed, I wrote down for you a threefold lore,<sup class="footnote-marker">e</sup><i class="footnote"><b>a threefold lore </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Wise counsel,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">To let you know truly reliable words,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">That you may give a faithful reply to those who sent you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not rob the wretched because they are wretched;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not crush the poor in the gate;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For G<small>OD</small> will take up their cause</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And despoil those who despoil them of life.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not associate with a hothead,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Or go about with a hot-tempered man,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Lest you learn their ways</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And find yourself ensnared.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not be one of those who give their hand,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Who stand surety for debts,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Lest your bed be taken from under you</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When you have no money to pay.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not remove the ancient boundary stone</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">That your ancestors set up.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">See a man skilled at his work—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He shall attend upon kings;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He shall not attend upon the lowly.<sup class="footnote-marker">f</sup><i class="footnote"><b>the lowly </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| Chapter 23 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When you sit down to dine with a ruler,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Consider well who is before you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Thrust a knife into your gullet</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">If you have a large appetite.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not crave the dainties,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For they are counterfeit food.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not toil to gain wealth;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Have the sense to desist.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">You see it, then it is gone;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">It grows wings and flies away,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Like an eagle, heavenward.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not eat of a miser’s food;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not crave for his dainties;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He is like one keeping accounts;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">“Eat and drink,” he says to you,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But he does not really mean it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The morsel you eat you will vomit;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">You will waste your courteous words.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not speak to a dullard—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Who will disdain your sensible words.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not remove ancient boundary stones;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not encroach upon the field of orphans,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For they have a mighty Redeemer,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Who will surely take up their cause with you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Apply your mind to discipline</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And your ears to wise sayings.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not withhold discipline from children;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">If you beat them with a rod they will not die.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Beat them with a rod</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And you will save them from the grave.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, if your mind gets wisdom,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">My mind, too, will be gladdened.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I shall rejoice with all my heart<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>heart </b>Lit. “kidneys.”</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When your lips speak right things.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not envy sinners in your heart,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But only those who fear G<small>OD</small>, at all times,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For then you will have a future,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And your hope will never fail.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Listen, my son, and get wisdom;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Lead your mind in a [proper] path.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not be of those who guzzle wine,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Or glut themselves on meat,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For guzzlers and gluttons will be impoverished,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And drowsing will clothe you in tatters.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Listen to your father who begot you;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not disdain your mother when she is old.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Buy truth and never sell it,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And wisdom, discipline, and understanding.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The father of a righteous person will exult;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He who begets a wise child will rejoice in them.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Your father and mother will rejoice;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">She who bore you will exult.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Give your mind to me, my son;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Let your eyes watch my ways.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A prostitute is a deep pit;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>forbidden </b>Lit. “alien.”</i> woman is a narrow well.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">She too lies in wait as if for prey,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And destroys the unfaithful among men.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Who cries, “Woe!” who, “Alas!”;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Who has quarrels, who complaints;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Who has wounds without cause;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Who has bleary eyes?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those whom wine keeps till the small hours,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Those who gather to drain the cups.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not ogle that red wine</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">As it lends its color to the cup,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">As it flows on smoothly;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">In the end, it bites like a snake;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">It spits like a basilisk.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Your eyes will see strange sights;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Your heart<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>heart </b>See note to <a class="refLink" data-ref="Proverbs 15:28" href="Proverbs.15.28">15.28</a>.</i> will speak distorted things.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">You will be like one lying in bed on high seas,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Like one lying on top of the rigging.<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>on top of the rigging </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">“They struck me, but I felt no hurt;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">They beat me, but I was unaware;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">As often as I wake,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I go after it again.”</span> | |
| Chapter 24 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not envy the wicked;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not desire to be with them;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For their hearts<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>hearts </b>See note to <a class="refLink" data-ref="Proverbs 15:28" href="Proverbs.15.28">15.28</a>.</i> talk violence,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And their lips speak mischief.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A house is built by wisdom,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And is established by understanding;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">By knowledge are its rooms filled</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">With all precious and beautiful things.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A wise man is strength;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A knowledgeable man exerts power;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For by stratagems you wage war,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And victory comes with much planning.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wisdom is too lofty for an ignoramus;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He does not open his mouth in the gate.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who lays plans to do harm</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is called a schemer.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The schemes of folly are sin,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And a scoffer is an abomination to all.<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>all </b>Lit. “humankind.”</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If you showed yourself slack in time of trouble,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Wanting in power,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If you refrained from rescuing those taken off to death,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Those condemned to slaughter—</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If you say, “We knew nothing of it,”</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Surely the One who fathoms hearts will discern [the truth],</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The One who watches over your life will know it,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And [God] will pay each person as they deserve.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">My son, eat honey, for it is good;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Let its sweet drops be on your palate.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Know: such is wisdom for your soul;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">If you attain it, there is a future;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Your hope will not be cut off.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wicked ones! Do not lurk by the home of the righteous;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do no violence to their dwellings.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Seven times a righteous person falls and gets up,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">While the wicked are tripped by one misfortune.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If your enemies fall, do not exult;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">If they trip, let your heart not rejoice,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Lest G<small>OD</small> see it and be displeased,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And avert God’s wrath from them.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not be vexed by evildoers;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not be incensed by the wicked;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For there is no future for an evildoer;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The lamp of the wicked goes out.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Fear G<small>OD</small>, my son, and the king,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And do not mix with dissenters,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For disaster comes from them suddenly;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The doom both decree who can foreknow?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">These also are by the sages:</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">It is not right to be partial in judgment.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Shall be cursed by peoples,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Damned by nations;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">But it shall go well with them who decide justly;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Blessings of good things will light upon them.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Giving a straightforward reply</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is like giving a kiss.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Put your external affairs in order,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Get ready what you have in the field,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Then build yourself a home.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not be a witness against your fellow without good cause;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Would you mislead with your speech?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not say, “I will do to him what he did to me;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I will pay the man what he deserves.”</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I passed by the field of a lazy man,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">By the vineyard of someone lacking sense.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It was all overgrown with thorns;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Its surface was covered with chickweed,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And its stone fence lay in ruins.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I observed and took it to heart;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I saw it and learned a lesson.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A bit more hugging yourself in bed,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">And poverty will come calling upon you,<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>calling upon you </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And want, like a man with a shield.</span> | |
| Chapter 25 | |
| These too are proverbs of Solomon, which the officials of King Hezekiah of Judah copied: | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the glory of a king to plumb a matter.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like the heavens in their height, like the earth in its depth,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is the mind of kings—unfathomable.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The dross having been separated from the silver,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A vessel emerged for the smith.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And his throne will be established in justice.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not stand in the place of nobles.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For it is better to be told, “Step up here,”</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than to be degraded in the presence of the great.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not let what your eyes have seen</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Be vented rashly in a quarrel;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Think<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Think </b>Lit. “Lest.”</i> of what it will effect in the end,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">When your fellow puts you to shame.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Defend your right against your fellow,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But do not give away the secrets of another,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Lest someone who hears it reproach you,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And your bad repute never end.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like golden apples in silver showpieces<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>showpieces </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is a phrase well turned.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like a ring of gold, a golden ornament,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is a wise person’s reproof in a receptive ear.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like the coldness of snow at harvesttime</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He lifts his master’s spirits.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like clouds, wind—but no rain—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is a man who boasts of gifts not given.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Through forbearance a ruler may be won over;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A gentle tongue can break bones.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If you find honey, eat only what you need,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Lest, surfeiting yourself, you throw it up.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Visit your neighbor sparingly,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Lest he have his surfeit of you and loathe you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like a club, a sword, a sharpened arrow,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is a man who testifies falsely against his fellow.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like a loose tooth and an unsteady leg,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is a treacherous support in time of trouble.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Disrobing on a chilly day,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Like vinegar on natron,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is one who sings songs to a sorrowful soul.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">You will be heaping live coals on his head,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And G<small>OD</small> will reward you.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A north wind produces rain,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And whispered words, a glowering face.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Dwelling in the corner of a roof is better</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than a contentious woman in a spacious house.<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>a spacious house </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like cold water to a parched throat</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is good news from a distant land.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like a muddied spring, a ruined fountain,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Are the righteous fallen before the wicked.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">It is not good to eat much honey,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Nor is it honorable to search for honor.<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Nor is it honorable to search for honor </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like an open city without walls</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is a man whose temper is uncurbed.</span> | |
| Chapter 26 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like snow in summer and rain at harvesttime,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">So honor is not fitting for a dullard.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">As a sparrow must flit and a swallow fly,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">So a gratuitous curse must backfire.<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>backfire </b><i>Kethib</i>, “fail.”</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A whip for a horse and a bridle for a donkey,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And a rod for the back of dullards.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not answer a dullard in accord with his folly,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Else you will become like him.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Answer a dullard in accord with his folly,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Else he will think himself wise.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who sends a message by a dullard</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Will wear out legs and must put up with<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>must put up with </b>Lit. “drink.”</i> lawlessness.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">As legs hang limp on a cripple,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">So is a proverb in the mouth of dullards.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like a pebble in a sling,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">So is paying honor to a dullard.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">As a thorn comes to the hand of a drunkard,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">So a proverb to the mouth of a dullard.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A master can produce anything,<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>A master can produce anything </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But anyone who hires a dullard is as one who hires transients.<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>transients </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">As a dog returns to its vomit,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">So a dullard repeats his folly.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If you see a man who thinks himself wise,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">There is more hope for a dullard than for him.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The sluggard says,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">“There’s a cub on the road, a lion in the squares.”</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The door turns upon the hinge,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the sluggard upon the bed.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The sluggard buries a hand in the bowl,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And will not even bring it to the mouth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">In self-regard, the sluggard is wiser</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than seven who give good advice.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A passerby who gets embroiled in someone else’s quarrel</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is like one who seizes a dog by its ears.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like a lunatic<sup class="footnote-marker">e</sup><i class="footnote"><b>lunatic </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> scattering deadly firebrands, arrows,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Is the man who cheats his fellow and says, “I was only joking.”</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For lack of wood a fire goes out,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And without a grumbler contention is stilled.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Charcoal for embers and wood for a fire</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And a contentious man for kindling strife.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The words of a grumbler are bruising;<sup class="footnote-marker">f</sup><i class="footnote"><b>bruising </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">They penetrate one’s inmost parts.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Base silver laid over earthenware</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Are ardent lips with an evil mind.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">An enemy dissembles with his speech,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Inwardly he harbors deceit.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Though he be fair-spoken do not trust him,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For seven abominations are in his mind.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">His hatred may be concealed by dissimulation,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But his evil will be exposed to public view.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who digs a pit will fall in it,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And a stone will roll back upon the one who is rolling it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A lying tongue hates those crushed by it;<sup class="footnote-marker">g</sup><i class="footnote"><b>those crushed by it </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Smooth speech throws one down.</span> | |
| Chapter 27 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not boast of tomorrow,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For you do not know what the day will bring.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Let the mouth of another praise you, not yours,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The lips of a stranger, not your own.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A stone has weight, sand is heavy,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a fool’s vexation outweighs them both.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">There is the cruelty of fury, the overflowing of anger,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But who can withstand jealousy?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Open reproof is better than concealed love.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wounds by a loved one are long lasting;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The kisses of an enemy are profuse.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A sated appetite disdains honey,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But to a ravenous appetite, even the bitter is sweet.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Like a sparrow wandering from its nest</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is a man who wanders from his home.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Oil and incense gladden the heart,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the sweetness of a friend is better than one’s own counsel.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not desert your friend and your father’s friend;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Do not enter your brother’s house in your time of misfortune;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A close neighbor is better than a distant brother.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Get wisdom, my son, and gladden my heart,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">That I may have what to answer those who taunt me.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The shrewd man saw trouble and took cover;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The simple kept going and paid the penalty.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Seize his garment, for he stood surety for another;<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>another </b>Or “a stranger.”</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Take it as a pledge, [for he stood surety] for an unfamiliar woman.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He who greets his fellow loudly early in the morning</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Shall have it reckoned to him as a curse.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">An endless dripping on a rainy day</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And a contentious wife are alike;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">As soon repress her as repress the wind,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Or declare one’s right hand to be oil.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">As iron sharpens iron</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">So a man sharpens the wit<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>wit </b>Lit. “face.”</i> of his friend.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who tends a fig tree will enjoy its fruit,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And one who cares for a master will be honored.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">As face answers to face in water,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">So does one’s heart to another’s.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Sheol and Abaddon cannot be satisfied,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Nor can the human eye be satisfied.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For silver—the crucible, for gold—the furnace,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And a person is tested by praise.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Even if you pound the fool in a mortar</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">With a pestle along with grain,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">His folly will not leave him.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Mind well the looks of your flock;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Pay attention to your herds;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For property does not last forever,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Or a crown for all generations.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Grass vanishes, new grass appears,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the herbage of the hills is gathered in.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The lambs will provide you with clothing,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The he-goats, the price of a field.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The goats’ milk will suffice for your food,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The food of your household,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And the maintenance of your maids.</span> | |
| Chapter 28 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A wicked person flees though no one gives chase,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the righteous are as confident as a lion.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When there is rebellion in the land, many are its rulers;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But with someone who has<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>someone who has </b>Referring to the ruler. Or “people who have,” referring to the populace.</i> understanding and knowledge, stability will last.<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>But with someone … will last </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A poor man who withholds what is due to the wretched</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is like a destructive rain that leaves no food.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But those who heed instruction fight them.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The wicked cannot discern judgment,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But those who seek G<small>OD</small> discern all things.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Better is a poor man who lives blamelessly</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Than a rich man whose ways are crooked.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">An intelligent son heeds instruction,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But he who keeps company with gluttons disgraces his father.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He who increases his wealth by loans at discount or interest</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Amasses it for one who is generous to the poor.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He who turns a deaf ear to instruction—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">His prayer is an abomination.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He who misleads the upright into an evil course</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Will fall into his own pit,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the blameless will prosper.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A rich man is clever in his own eyes,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a perceptive pauper can see through him.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When the righteous exult there is great glory,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But when the wicked rise up, everyone<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>everyone </b>Lit. “person.” Or “the upright”; cf. <a class="refLink" data-ref="Ecclesiastes 7:23" href="Ecclesiastes.7.23">Eccl. 7.23</a>.</i> makes themselves scarce.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">No one who covers up faults will succeed;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who confesses and gives them up will find mercy.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Happy is the person who is anxious always,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who is hard-hearted falls into misfortune.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A roaring lion and a prowling bear</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is a wicked man ruling a helpless people.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A prince who lacks understanding is very oppressive;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">One who spurns ill-gotten gains will live long.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Anyone oppressed by bloodguilt will flee to a pit;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Let none offer support.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who lives blamelessly will be delivered,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one whose ways are crooked will fall all at once.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who till their land will have food in plenty,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But those who pursue vanities will have poverty in plenty.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A dependable man will receive many blessings,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">To be partial is not right;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Even one who is valiant may do wrong for a piece of bread.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A miserly man runs after wealth;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He does not realize that loss will overtake it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One who reproves a person will in the end</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Find more favor than a flatterer.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Anyone who robs their father and mother and says, “It is no offense,”</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Is the companion to<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>the companion to </b>Or “tantamount to.”</i> a vandal.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A gaping maw provokes quarrels,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who trusts G<small>OD</small> shall enjoy prosperity.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who trust their own instincts are dullards,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But those who live by wisdom shall escape.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who give to the poor will not be in want,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But those who turn a blind eye will be roundly cursed.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When the wicked rise up, everyone<sup class="footnote-marker">e</sup><i class="footnote"><b>everyone </b>See note at v. <a class="refLink" data-ref="Proverbs 28:12" href="Proverbs.28.12">12</a> above.</i> goes into hiding,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But when they perish the righteous increase.</span> | |
| Chapter 29 | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">One oft reproved may become stiffnecked—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But then will be suddenly broken beyond repair.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When the righteous become great the people rejoice,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But when the wicked dominate the people groan.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But he who keeps company with prostitutes will lose his wealth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">By justice a king sustains the land,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a fraudulent man<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>a fraudulent man </b>I.e., a monarch who is by nature deceitful.</i> tears it down.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A man who flatters his fellow</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Spreads a net for his feet.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">An evil man’s offenses are a trap for himself,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a righteous person sings out joyously.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The righteous are concerned with the cause of the wretched;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The wicked cannot understand such concern.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Scoffers inflame a city,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the wise allay anger.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When someone who is wise<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>who is wise </b>I.e., who aspires to be so.</i> enters into litigation with a fool</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">There is ranting and ridicule, but no satisfaction.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Those who are bloodthirsty detest the blameless,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the upright seek them out.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A dullard gives full vent to rage,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a wise person calms it down.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A ruler who listens to lies—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">All his ministers will be wicked.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The poor and the fraudulent meet;<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>meet </b>Occasionally, as members of society.</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> | |
| G<small>OD</small> | |
| gives luster to the eyes of both.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A king who judges the wretched honestly—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">His throne will be established forever.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Rod and reproof produce wisdom,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But a youth out of control is a disgrace to his mother.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">When the wicked increase, offenses increase,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But the righteous will see their downfall.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Discipline your son and he will give you peace;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He will gratify you with dainties.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">For lack of vision a people lose restraint,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But happy is he who heeds instruction.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A slave cannot be disciplined by words;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Though he may comprehend, he does not respond.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If you see a man hasty in speech,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">There is more hope for a fool than for him.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A slave pampered from youth</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Will come to a bad end.<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Will come to a bad end </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">An angry man provokes a quarrel;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A hothead commits many offenses.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Pride of mortals will bring humiliation,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who is humble will obtain honor.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">He who shares with a thief is his own enemy;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">He hears the imprecation and does not tell.<sup class="footnote-marker">e</sup><i class="footnote"><b>hears the imprecation and does not tell </b>Cf. <a class="refLink" data-ref="Leviticus 5:1" href="Leviticus.5.1">Lev. 5.1</a>.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A person’s fears become<sup class="footnote-marker">f</sup><i class="footnote"><b>A person’s fears become </b>Or “Fear of other people becomes.”</i> a trap,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But one who trusts in G<small>OD</small> shall be safeguarded.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Many seek audience with a ruler,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But it is from G<small>OD</small> that a [wronged] party gets justice.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.</span> | |
| Chapter 30 | |
| The words of Agur son of Jakeh, [man of] Massa; the speech of the man to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal: | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I am more brutish than anyone else;<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>more brutish than anyone else </b>Or “brutish, less than a man.”</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">I lack common sense.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">I have not learned wisdom,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Nor do I possess knowledge of the Holy One.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Who has ascended heaven and come down?</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hand?</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Who has wrapped the waters in his garment?</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Who has established all the extremities of the earth?</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">What is his name or his son’s name, if you know it?</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Every word of God is pure,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A shield to those who seek refuge.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not add to God’s words,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Lest you be indicted and proved to be a liar.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Two things I ask of You; do not deny them to me before I die:</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Keep lies and false words far from me;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Give me neither poverty nor riches,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But provide me with my daily bread,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Lest, being sated, I renounce, saying,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">“Who is G<small>OD</small>?”</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Or, being impoverished, I take to theft</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And profane<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>profane </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> the name of my God.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not inform on a slave to his master,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Lest he curse you and you incur guilt.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">There is a breed of people that brings a curse on its fathers</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And brings no blessing to its mothers,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A breed that thinks itself pure,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Though it is not washed of its filth;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A breed so haughty of bearing, so supercilious;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A breed whose teeth are swords,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Whose jaws are knives,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Ready to devour the poor of the land,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The needy among us.<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>us </b>Heb. “humankind.”</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The leech has two daughters, “Give!” and “Give!”</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Three things are insatiable;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Four never say, “Enough!”:</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Sheol, an infertile womb,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Earth that cannot get enough water,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And fire that never says, “Enough!”</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The eye that mocks a father</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And disdains the homage due a mother—</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The ravens of the brook will gouge it out,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Young eagles will devour it.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Three things are beyond me;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Four I cannot fathom:</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">How an eagle makes its way over the sky;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">How a snake makes its way over a rock;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">How a ship makes its way through the high seas;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">How a man has his way with a maiden.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Such is the way of an adulteress:</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">She eats, wipes her mouth,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And says, “I have done no wrong.”</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The earth shudders at three things,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">At four that it cannot bear:</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A slave who becomes king;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A scoundrel sated with food;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">A loathsome woman who gets married;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">A maidservant who supplants her mistress.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Four are among the tiniest on earth,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Yet they are the wisest of the wise:</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Ants are a folk without power,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Yet they prepare food for themselves in summer;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The badger is a folk without strength,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Yet it makes its home in the rock;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The locusts have no king,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Yet they all march forth in formation;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">You can catch the lizard<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>lizard </b>Or “spider.”</i> in your hand,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Yet it is found in royal palaces.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">There are three that are stately of stride,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Four that carry themselves well:</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">The lion is mightiest among the beasts,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And recoils before none;</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><sup class="footnote-marker">e</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of verse uncertain.</i> The greyhound, the he-goat,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The king whom none dares resist.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">If you have been scandalously arrogant,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">If you have been a schemer,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Then clap your hand to your mouth.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">As milk under pressure produces butter,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And a nose under pressure produces blood,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">So patience under pressure produces strife.</span> | |
| Chapter 31 | |
| The words of Lemuel, king of Massa, with which his mother admonished him: | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">No, my son!</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">No, O son of my womb!</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">No, O son of my vows!</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Do not give your strength to women,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Your vigor,<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote"><b>vigor </b>Lit. “ways.”</i> to those who destroy kings.<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote"><b>to those who destroy kings </b>Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Wine is not for kings, O Lemuel;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Not for kings to drink,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Nor any strong drink for princes,</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Lest they drink and forget what has been ordained,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And infringe on the rights of the poor.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Give strong drink to the hapless</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And wine to the embittered.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Let them drink and forget their poverty,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And put their troubles out of mind.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Speak up for the dumb,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For the rights of all the unfortunate.</span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll">Speak up, judge righteously,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Champion the poor and the needy.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>א</b> How precious<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote"><b>How precious </b>Lit. “Who can find.” Cf. <a class="refLink" data-ref="Proverbs 20:6" href="Proverbs.20.6">20.6</a>.</i> is a woman of substance!</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Her worth is far beyond that of rubies.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ב</b> Her husband puts his confidence in her,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And lacks no good thing.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ג</b> She is good to him, never bad,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">All the days of her life.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ד</b> She looks for wool and flax,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And sets her hand to them with a will.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ה</b> She is like a merchant fleet,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Bringing her food from afar.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ו</b> She rises while it is still night,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And supplies provisions for her household,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">The daily fare of her maids.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ז</b> She sets her mind on an estate and acquires it;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">She plants a vineyard by her own labors.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ח</b> She girds herself with strength,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And performs her tasks with vigor.<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote"><b>And performs her tasks with vigor </b>Lit. “And exerts her arms.”</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ט</b> She sees<sup class="footnote-marker">e</sup><i class="footnote"><b>sees </b>Lit. “tastes.”</i> that her business thrives;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Her lamp never goes out at night.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>י</b> She sets her hand to the distaff;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Her fingers work the spindle.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>כ</b> She gives generously to the poor;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Her hands are stretched out to the needy.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ל</b> She is not worried for her household because of snow,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">For her whole household is dressed in crimson.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>מ</b> She makes covers for herself;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Her clothing is linen and purple.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>נ</b> Her husband is prominent in the gates,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">As he sits among the elders of the land.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ס</b> She makes cloth and sells it,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And offers a girdle to the merchant.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ע</b> She is clothed with strength and splendor;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">She looks to the future cheerfully.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>פ</b> Her mouth is full of wisdom,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Her tongue with kindly teaching.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>צ</b> She oversees the activities of her household</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And never eats the bread of idleness.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ק</b> Her children declare her happy;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Her husband praises her,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ר</b> “Many women have done well,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">But you surpass them all.”</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ש</b> Grace is deceptive,</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">Beauty is illusory;</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">It is for her fear of G<small>OD</small> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">That a woman is to be praised.</span><br><span class="poetry indentAll"> </span> | |
| <span class="poetry indentAll"><b>ת</b> Give her of the fruit of her hands,<sup class="footnote-marker">f</sup><i class="footnote"><b>Give her of the fruit of her hands </b>Cf. Gersonides. Or “Extol her for.”</i> </span><br><span class="poetry indentAll">And let her works praise her in the gates.</span> |