1Better is the poor that walketh in his tohm (integrity, guilelessness),
than he that is perverse in his sfatayim (lips), and is a kesil (fool).

2Also, that the nefesh (desire) be without da'as, it is not tov,
and he that hasteth with his raglayim (feet) sinneth.

3The folly of adam maketh his derech crooked,
yet his lev rages against Hashem.

4Wealth maketh many friends,
but the dal (poor) is separated from his re'a (neighbor).

5An ed shekarim (false witness) shall not go unpunished,
and he that speaketh kezavim (lies) shall not escape.

6Rabbim (many) will entreat the favor of the ruler,
and every ish is the re'a (friend) to him that giveth mattan (gifts).

7All the kin of the rahsh (pauper) do hate him;
how much more does his friend avoid him?
He pursueth them with words,
yet they are not there.

8He that getteth lev ³⁰loveth his own nefesh;
he that is shomer over tevunah (understanding) shall find tov.

9An ed shekarim (false witness) shall not go unpunished,
and he that speaketh kezavim (lies) shall perish.

10Luxury is not fitting for a kesil (fool);
much less for an eved to have rule over sarim.

11The seichel adam deferreth his anger,
and it is his tiferet (glory) to pass over a peysha (transgression).

12The wrath of a melech is like the roaring of a lion,
but his ratzon (favor) is as tal (dew) upon the esev (grass).

13A ben kesil is the calamity of aviv (his father),
and the contentions of an isha are a constant dripping. ³¹

14Bais and hon (wealth) are the nachalah avot,
and a prudent isha (wife) is from Hashem.

15Atzlah (slothfulness, laziness) casteth into a tardemah (deep sleep),
and a nefesh remiyyah (a deceitfully lazy soul) shall suffer hunger.

16He that is shomer over the mitzvah is shomer over his own nefesh,
but he that is reckless in his drakhim shall die.

17He that hath compassion on the dal (poor) lendeth unto Hashem;
and for his benefits He will repay him.

18Chasten binecha (thy son) while there is yet tikvah,
and give not in to thy nefesh (desire) to kill him.

19One of gadol chemah (great temper) shall bear onesh (punishment),
for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.

20Hear etzah, and accept musar,
that thou mayest be wise in thy acharit (latter end, future).

21There are many plans in a lev ish;
nevertheless it is the etzah of Hashem that shall stand.

22The ta'avah (what is desirable) in an adam is his chesed,
and a rahsh (pauper) is better than an ish kazav (liar).

23The Yirat Hashem tendeth to chayyim,
and he that hath it shall rest secure;
he shall not be visited by rah.

24An atzel (sluggard, lazy one) thrusteth his yad into his dish,
and will not so much as bring it back to his peh (mouth) again.

25Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn what is prudent,
and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand da'as.

26He that mistreateth his av, and driveth out his em,
is a ben that causeth shame, and bringeth cherpah.

27Cease, beni (my son), to hear musar
and thou shalt go astray from the words of da'as.

28An ed beliya'al (corrupt witness) scorneth mishpat (justice),
and the peh (mouth) of the resha'im devoureth iniquity.

29Shefatim (penalties, judgments) are prepared for scoffers,
and for kesilim, beatings for the back.