13
1 A ben chacham heareth his musar av,
but a scoffer heareth not ge'arah (scolding, rebuke).
2 An ish shall eat tov by the fruit of his peh (mouth),
but the nefesh of the bogedim (unfaithful ones, traitors) shall eat chamas.
3 He that is shomer over his peh (mouth) guards his nefesh,
but he that openeth wide his sfatayim (lips) shall have ruin.
4 The nefesh of the atzel (sluggard, lazy one) desireth, and hath nothing,
but the nefesh of the kharutzim (diligent ones) shall have ample provision.
5 A tzaddik hateth sheker,
but a wicked man is shamefully loathsome, and bringeth disgrace.
6 Tzedakah is guard over him whose derech is blameless,
but wickedness overthroweth the chattat (sinner).
7 There is one who maketh himself out to be rich, yet hath nothing;
there is one that maketh himself out to be poor, yet hath hon rav (great wealth).
8 The riches of an ish is kofer (ransom) for his nefesh (life),
but the poor heareth no threat.
9 The ohr (light) of the tzaddik rejoiceth,
but the ner (lamp) of the resha'im (wicked) shall be put out.
10 By zadon (pride) cometh only contention,
but with the teachable is chochmah.
11 Hon (wealth) gotten by dishonesty shall be diminished,
but he that gathereth incrementally shall have an increment.
12 Hope deferred maketh the lev sick,
but when the ta'avah (desire) cometh, it is an Etz Chayyim (Tree of Life).
13 He who despiseth the davar shall be destroyed,
but he that feareth the mitzvah shall be rewarded.
14 The torat chacham (teaching of the wise) is a makor chayyim (fountain of life),
to turn one away from the snares of mavet.
15 Seichel tov giveth favor,
but the derech bogedim (way of traitors) is hard.
16 Every prudent man acts with da'as,
but a kesil (fool) displays his folly.
17 A malach rasha falleth into rah (trouble),
but a tzir emunim (trustworthy envoy) is marpeh (healing).
18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that disdains musar,
but he that is shomer over tokhakhat (reproof) shall be honored.
19 The ta'avah (desire, longing) fulfilled is sweet to the nefesh,
but it is to'evat kesilim (the abomination of fools) to depart from rah.
20 He that walketh with chachamim shall be wise,
but a companion of kesilim (fools) shall come to harm.
21 Ra'ah (disaster) pursueth chatta'im (sinners),
but tov is the reward of the tzaddikim.
22 A tov (good man) leaveth an inheritance to his bnei banim,
and the wealth of the choteh (sinner) is laid up for the tzaddik.
23 Rav ochel (much food) is in the untilled ground of the poor,
but for want of mishpat (justice) it is swept away.
24 He that spareth his shevet (rod) hateth bno (his son),
but he that loveth him is diligent in his musar (discipline).
25 The tzaddik (righteous) eateth to the satisfying of his nefesh (soul),
but the beten (stomach) of the resha'im shall want.