1 A dry piece of food with peace and quiet is better than a house full of food with fighting.

Better a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.

2 A servant who is wise in what he does will rule over a son who acts in shame. He will share in what is given as one of the brothers.

A wise servant ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.

3 T he melting-pot is for silver and the hot fire is for gold, but the Lord tests hearts.

A refining pot for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts Jehovah.

4 A wrong-doer listens to sinful lips. A liar listens to a tongue that destroys.

An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.

5 H e who laughs at the poor brings shame to his Maker. He who is glad at trouble will be punished.

Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.

6 G randchildren are the pride and joy of old men and a son is proud of his father.

Sons' sons the crown of old men, And the glory of sons their fathers.

7 F ine speaking is not right for a fool. Even worse are lying lips to a ruler.

Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.

8 B eing paid in secret for wrong-doing is like a stone of much worth to the one who has it. Wherever he turns, he does well.

A stone of grace the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

9 H e who covers a sin looks for love. He who tells of trouble separates good friends.

Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.

10 A man of understanding learns more from being told the right thing to do than a fool learns from being beaten a hundred times.

Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.

11 A man who will not obey looks only for what is bad. So one who has no loving-pity will be sent against him.

An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.

12 A man meeting a bear robbed of her little ones is better than meeting a fool in his foolish way.

The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And -- not a fool in his folly.

13 I f a man returns bad for good, trouble will not leave his house.

Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.

14 T he beginning of trouble is like letting out water. So stop arguing before fighting breaks out.

The beginning of contention a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.

15 H e who says that the sinful are right, and he who says those who do right are wrong, both are hated by the Lord.

Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these an abomination to Jehovah.

16 I t does a fool no good to try to buy wisdom, when he has no understanding.

Why this -- a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?

17 A friend loves at all times. A brother is born to share troubles.

At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.

18 A man without good thinking makes promises, and becomes a trust for what another man owes his neighbor.

A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.

19 H e who loves sin loves making trouble. He who opens his door wide for trouble is looking for a way to be destroyed.

Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.

20 H e who has a sinful heart finds no good. He who has a sinful tongue falls into sin.

The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.

21 A foolish son is a sorrow to his father, and the father of a fool has no joy.

Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.

22 A glad heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.

23 A sinful man receives pay in secret to change the right way into wrong-doing.

A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.

24 W isdom is with the one who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

The face of the intelligent to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool -- at the end of the earth.

25 A foolish son is a sorrow to his father, and trouble to her who gave birth to him.

A provocation to his father a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.

26 I t is not good to punish those who are right with God, and it is wrong to beat men of honor for being faithful.

Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.

27 H e who is careful in what he says has much learning, and he who has a quiet spirit is a man of understanding.

One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper a man of understanding.

28 E ven a fool, when he keeps quiet, is thought to be wise. When he closes his lips, he is thought of as a man of understanding.

Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!