20
1 The yayin is a mocker, strong drink a brawler;
and whosoever is seduced to be led astray thereby is not wise.
2 The wrath of a melech is as the roaring of a lion;
he who provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own nefesh.
3 It is kavod for an ish to cease from strife,
but any fool can start a quarrel.
4 The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) will not plow by reason of choref (winter, cold);
therefore shall he beg at katzir (harvest), and have nothing.
5 Etzah (purpose)* in the lev ish is like deep mayim,
but an ish tevunah will draw it out.
6 Rav adam will proclaim every one his own chesed,
but an ish emunim (faithful man, loyal man) who can find one?
7 The tzaddik walketh in his tohm (integrity, guilelessness);
his banim after him are blessed.
8 A melech that sitteth in the kisse din (throne of judgment)
winnows out all rah with his eynayim.
9 Who can say, I have made my lev pure,
I am tahor from my chattat?
10 Differing weights, and differing measures,
both of them are alike to'evah to Hashem.
11 Even a na'ar (child) is known by his ways,
whether his conduct be pure, and whether it be yashar (right).
12 The hearing ozen, and the seeing ayin,
Hashem hath made even both of them.
13 Love not sheynah (sleep), lest thou come to poverty;
open thine eynayim, and thou shalt have enough lechem.
14 It is good for nothing, it is naught, saith the koneh (buyer),
but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 There is zahav, and a multitude of rubies,
but the sfatayim (lips) of da'as are a precious jewel.
16 Take his garment that is guaranty for a zar (stranger),
and hold it as his pledge for a nokhriyah (foreign woman, strange woman, seductress).
17 Lechem from sheker (deceit) is sweet to an ish,
but afterwards his peh (mouth) shall be filled with gravel.
18 Every plan is established by etzah,
and with tachbulot (guidance) wage milchamah.
19 He that goeth about as a rakhil (gossip, slanderer, talebearer) revealeth secrets;
therefore associate not with the babbler.
20 He who curseth aviv or immo,
his ner (lamp) shall be put out in deep choshech.
21 A nachalah (inheritance) may be gotten hastily at the rishonah (beginning);
but the acharit (latter end) thereof shall not have a bracha.
22 Say not thou, I will pay back rah;
but wait on Hashem, and He shall save thee.
23 Differing weights are a to'evah unto Hashem,
and scales of mirmah (deceit) are not tov.
24 The steps of a gever are from Hashem;
how can an adam then understand his own derech (way, lifeʼs course)?
25 It is a mokesh adam to devote rashly as kodesh,
and after nedarim (vows) to reconsider his consecration.
26 A melech chacham winnows out the resha'im
and bringeth the ofan (threshing wheel) over them.
27 The neshamah of adam is the ner (light) of Hashem,
searching all the innermost beten.
28 Chesed and emes guard the Melech,
and his kisse is upheld by chesed.
29 The tiferet (glory) of bochurim is their ko'ach (strength),
and the hadar (splendor) of zekenim is the silvery head.
30 Blows that wound cleanseth away rah;
so do beatings the innermost beten.
* 20:5 See Yn 2:24-25