A Good Name

1  נִבְחָ֣ר (To be chosen) שֵׁ֭ם (is a name) מֵעֹ֣שֶׁר (than wealth) רָ֑ב (great);

מִכֶּ֥סֶף (and more than silver) וּ֝מִזָּהָ֗ב (and gold), חֵ֣ן (favor) טֽוֹב׃ (is better).

2  עָשִׁ֣יר (The rich) וָרָ֣שׁ (and the poor) נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ (meet together);

עֹשֵׂ֖ה (the maker) כֻלָּ֣ם (of them all) יְהוָֽה׃ (is YHWH).

3  עָר֤וּם׀ (A prudent one) רָאָ֣ה (sees) רָעָ֣ה (evil) וְיִסָּתֵר (and hides himself),

וּ֝פְתָיִ֗ים (and the simple ones) עָבְר֥וּ (pass on), וְֽנֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ׃ (and they are fined).

4  עֵ֣קֶב (The result) עֲ֭נָוָה (of humility) יִרְאַ֣ת (and the fear) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH)

עֹ֖שֶׁר (is wealth) וְכָב֣וֹד (and honor) וְחַיִּֽים׃ (and life).

5  צִנִּ֣ים (Thorns)— פַּ֭חִים (and snares)— בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ (are in the way) עִקֵּ֑שׁ (of the crooked);

שׁוֹמֵ֥ר (one guarding) נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ (his soul) יִרְחַ֥ק (will be far) מֵהֶֽם׃ (from them).

6  חֲנֹ֣ךְ (Train up) לַ֭נַּעַר (a child) עַל־ (according to) פִּ֣י (the mouth) דַרְכּ֑וֹ (of his way),

גַּ֥ם (and) כִּֽי־ (when) יַ֝זְקִ֗ין (he grows old), לֹֽא־ (not) יָס֥וּר (will he turn aside) מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ (from it).

7  עָ֭שִׁיר (A rich one) בְּרָשִׁ֣ים (over the poor) יִמְשׁ֑וֹל (rules),

וְעֶ֥בֶד (and is a servant) לֹ֝וֶ֗ה (and one borrowing) לְאִ֣ישׁ (to the man) מַלְוֶֽה׃ (lending).

8  זוֹרֵ֣עַ (The one sowing) עַ֭וְלָה (injustice) יִקְצוֹר (will reap) אָ֑וֶן (trouble),

וְשֵׁ֖בֶט (and the rod) עֶבְרָת֣וֹ (of his anger) יִכְלֶֽה׃ (will come to an end).

9  טֽוֹב־ (The one good) עַ֭יִן (of eye)— ה֣וּא (he) יְבֹרָ֑ךְ (will be blessed),

כִּֽי־ (for) נָתַ֖ן (he gives) מִלַּחְמ֣וֹ (from his bread) לַדָּֽל׃ (to the lowly one).

10  גָּ֣רֵֽשׁ (Drive out) לֵ֭ץ (the one mocking), וְיֵצֵ֣א (will go out) מָד֑וֹן (quarreling),

וְ֝יִשְׁבֹּ֗ת (and will cease) דִּ֣ין (strife) וְקָלֽוֹן׃ (and shame).

11  אֹהֵ֥ב (One loving) טְהוֹר (a pure) לֵ֑ב (heart) חֵ֥ן (with favor on) שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו (his lips)—

רֵעֵ֥הוּ (is his friend) מֶֽלֶךְ׃ (the king).

12  עֵינֵ֣י (The eyes) יְ֭הוָה (of YHWH) נָ֣צְרוּ (guard) דָ֑עַת (knowledge),

וַ֝יְסַלֵּ֗ף (and He twists) דִּבְרֵ֥י (the words) בֹגֵֽד׃ (of a treacherous one).

13  אָמַ֣ר (Says) עָ֭צֵל (a lazy one), אֲרִ֣י (A lion) בַח֑וּץ (is outside);

בְּת֥וֹךְ (in the midst) רְ֝חֹב֗וֹת (of the open areas) אֵֽרָצֵֽחַ׃ (I will be killed).

14  שׁוּחָ֣ה (Is a pit) עֲ֭מֻקָּה (deep) פִּ֣י (the mouth) זָר֑וֹת (of strange women);

זְע֥וּם (the abhorred) יְ֝הוָ֗ה (of YHWH) יִפּוֹל (will fall) שָֽׁם׃ (there).

15  אִ֭וֶּלֶת (Foolishness) קְשׁוּרָ֣ה (is bound up) בְלֶב־ (in the heart) נָ֑עַר (of a child);

שֵׁ֥בֶט (the rod) מ֝וּסָ֗ר (of discipline) יַרְחִיקֶ֥נָּה (drives it far) מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ (from him).

16  עֹ֣שֵֽׁק (The one oppressing) דָּ֭ל (the poor) לְהַרְבּ֣וֹת (to increase) ל֑וֹ (for himself), נֹתֵ֥ן (giving) לְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר (to a rich one),

אַךְ־ (surely) לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃ (is unto poverty).

Thirty Sayings of the Wise

Saying 1

17  הַ֥ט (Incline) אָזְנְךָ֗ (your ear) וּ֭שְׁמַע (and hear) דִּבְרֵ֣י (the words) חֲכָמִ֑ים (of the wise ones),

וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ (and your heart) תָּשִׁ֥ית (set) לְדַעְתִּֽי׃ (to my knowledge).

18  כִּֽי־ (For) נָ֭עִים (it is pleasant) כִּֽי־ (when) תִשְׁמְרֵ֣ם (you guard them) בְּבִטְנֶ֑ךָ (in your belly);

יִכֹּ֥נוּ (they are established) יַ֝חְדָּ֗ו (together) עַל־ (upon) שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃ (your lips),

19  לִהְי֣וֹת (for to be) בַּ֭יהוָה (in YHWH) מִבְטַחֶ֑ךָ (your trust);

הוֹדַעְתִּ֖יךָ (I have caused you to know) הַיּ֣וֹם (this day)— אַף־ (even) אָֽתָּה׃ (you).

20  הֲלֹ֤א (Have not) כָתַ֣בְתִּי (I written) לְ֭ךָ (to you) שִׁלְשׁוֹם (thirty sayings)

בְּמ֖וֹעֵצֹ֣ת (of counsels) וָדָֽעַת׃ (and knowledge),

21  לְהוֹדִֽיעֲךָ֗ (to make you know) קֹ֭שְׁטְ (the truth) אִמְרֵ֣י (of the words) אֱמֶ֑ת (of faithfulness);

לְהָשִׁ֥יב (to return) אֲמָרִ֥ים (words) אֱ֝מֶ֗ת (of faithfulness) לְשֹׁלְחֶֽיךָ׃פ (to those sending you).

Saying 2

22  אַֽל־ (Not) תִּגְזָל־ (do rob) דָּ֭ל (a poor one) כִּ֣י (because) דַל־ (poor) ה֑וּא (he is),

וְאַל־ (and do not) תְּדַכֵּ֖א (oppress) עָנִ֣י (an afflicted one) בַשָּֽׁעַר׃ (at the gate);

23  כִּֽי־ (for) יְ֭הוָה (YHWH) יָרִ֣יב (will fight) רִיבָ֑ם (their fight),

וְקָבַ֖ע (and will rob) אֶת־ (-) קֹבְעֵיהֶ֣ם (of those robbing them) נָֽפֶשׁ׃ (the soul).

Saying 3

24  אַל־ (Not) תִּ֭תְרַע (make friends) אֶת־ (with) בַּ֣עַל (an owner) אָ֑ף (of anger),

וְאֶת־ (and with) אִ֥ישׁ (a man) חֵ֝מוֹת (of rage) לֹ֣א (do not) תָבֽוֹא׃ (go in),

25  פֶּן־ (lest) תֶּאֱלַ֥ף (you learn) אָרְחָתוֹ (his ways)

וְלָקַחְתָּ֖ (and receive) מוֹקֵ֣שׁ (a snare) לְנַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (for your soul).

Saying 4

26  אַל־ (Not) תְּהִ֥י (do be) בְתֹֽקְעֵי־ (among those striking) כָ֑ף (hands)

בַּ֝עֹרְבִ֗ים (in the pledging) מַשָּׁאֽוֹת׃ (for loans).

27  אִם־ (If) אֵֽין־ (there is nothing) לְךָ֥ (unto you) לְשַׁלֵּ֑ם (to repay),

לָ֥מָּה (why) יִקַּ֥ח (should he take) מִ֝שְׁכָּבְךָ֗ (your bed) מִתַּחְתֶּֽיךָ׃ (from under you).

Saying 5

28  אַל־ (Do not) תַּ֭סֵּג (remove) גְּב֣וּל (a boundary) עוֹלָ֑ם (of old),

אֲשֶׁ֖ר (which) עָשׂ֣וּ (have made) אֲבוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (your fathers).

Saying 6

29  חָזִ֡יתָ (Do you see) אִ֤ישׁ׀ (a man) מָ֘הִ֤יר (quick) בִּמְלַאכְתּ֗וֹ (in his work)?

לִֽפְנֵֽי־ (Before the face) מְלָכִ֥ים (of kings) יִתְיַצָּ֑ב (he will stand);

בַּל־ (not) יִ֝תְיַצֵּב (will he stand) לִפְנֵ֥י (before the face) חֲשֻׁכִּֽים׃פ (of obscure ones).