1 E s mejor un mendrugo de pan, en paz, que carne en abundancia, en medio de peleas.

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

2 E l criado astuto se vuelve patrón del hijo vago, y comparte la herencia con los otros hermanos.

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.

3 E l crisol pone a prueba la plata, el horno pone a prueba el oro, y el Señor pone a prueba los corazones.

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

4 E l malvado está atento a los labios inicuos; el mentiroso hace caso de la lengua infamante.

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

5 E l que ofende al pobre ofende a su Creador; no queda impune el que se alegra de su mal.

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

6 L os nietos son la corona de los ancianos, Y los padres son la honra de los hijos.

Grandchildren are the pride and joy of old men and a son is proud of his father.

7 N o le queda al necio la grandilocuencia, y menos aún al príncipe el hablar con mentira.

Fine speaking is not right for a fool. Even worse are lying lips to a ruler.

8 Q uien practica el soborno, lo considera valioso pues le va bien en todo lo que hace.

Being 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.

9 E l que perdona el pecado, busca afecto; el que lo divulga, aleja al amigo.

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

10 G ana más con un regaño quien es inteligente, que lo que gana el necio que recibe cien azotes.

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

11 E l que es rebelde no busca más que el mal, pero un día se enfrentará a un emisario cruel.

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

12 E s mejor enfrentarse con una osa furiosa que lidiar con la obstinación de un necio.

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

13 Q uien paga mal el bien recibido, merece que el mal no se aparte de su casa.

If a man returns bad for good, trouble will not leave his house.

14 E l comienzo de un conflicto pronto se vuelve un río desbordado; es mejor controlarlo, antes de que se desborde.

The beginning of trouble is like letting out water. So stop arguing before fighting breaks out.

15 J ustificar al malvado y condenar al justo es igual de repugnante para el Señor.

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

16 ¿ Cómo puede el necio adquirir sabiduría, si tiene dinero pero no tiene entendimiento?

It does a fool no good to try to buy wisdom, when he has no understanding.

17 E l amigo ama en todo momento; en tiempos de angustia es como un hermano.

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

18 ¡ Qué poco inteligente es comprometerse y salir fiador en favor de un amigo!

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

19 ¿ Quieres pelear? ¡Quieres pecar! ¿Quieres darte importancia? ¡Quieres problemas!

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

20 E l de corazón malvado nunca da con el bien; el que se enreda con su lengua cae en desgracia.

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

21 S er padre de un necio es motivo de tristeza; ser padre de un necio no es motivo de alegría.

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

22 U n corazón alegre es la mejor medicina; un ánimo triste deprime a todo el cuerpo.

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

23 E l impío acepta soborno y se lo guarda para corromper las sendas de la justicia.

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

24 E l rostro inteligente refleja sabiduría, pero el necio vaga con la mirada perdida.

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

25 E l hijo necio pone triste a su padre y le amarga la vida a su madre.

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

26 N o se debe condenar al que es inocente, ni castigar a quien es honorable y honrado.

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

27 S abio es quien cuida sus palabras; inteligente es quien tiene un espíritu prudente.

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

28 C uando el necio calla, pasa por sabio; cuando no abre la boca, pasa por inteligente.

Even 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.