1 A wise son -- the instruction of a father, And a scorner -- he hath not heard rebuke.

A wise son heeds his father’s instruction and correction, but a scoffer listens not to rebuke.

2 F rom the fruit of the mouth a man eateth good, And the soul of the treacherous -- violence.

A good man eats good from the fruit of his mouth, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.

3 W hoso is keeping his mouth, is keeping his soul, Whoso is opening wide his lips -- ruin to him!

He who guards his mouth keeps his life, but he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

4 T he soul of the slothful is desiring, and hath not. And the soul of the diligent is made fat.

The appetite of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the appetite of the diligent is abundantly supplied.

5 A false word the righteous hateth, And the wicked causeth abhorrence, and is confounded.

A righteous man hates lying and deceit, but a wicked man is loathsome and he comes to shame.

6 R ighteousness keepeth him who is perfect in the way, And wickedness overthroweth a sin offering.

Righteousness (rightness and justice in every area and relation) guards him who is upright in the way, but wickedness plunges into sin and overthrows the sinner.

7 T here is who is making himself rich, and hath nothing, Who is making himself poor, and wealth abundant.

One man considers himself rich, yet has nothing; another man considers himself poor, yet has great riches.

8 T he ransom of a man's life his riches, And the poor hath not heard rebuke.

A rich man can buy his way out of threatened death by paying a ransom, but the poor man does not even have to listen to threats.

9 T he light of the righteous rejoiceth, And the lamp of the wicked is extinguished.

The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out shortly.

10 A vain man through pride causeth debate, And with the counselled wisdom.

By pride and insolence comes only contention, but with the well-advised is skillful and godly Wisdom.

11 W ealth from vanity becometh little, And whoso is gathering by the hand becometh great.

Wealth won in haste or unjustly or from the production of things for vain or detrimental use will dwindle away, but he who gathers little by little will increase.

12 H ope prolonged is making the heart sick, And a tree of life the coming desire.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

13 W hoso is despising the Word is destroyed for it, And whoso is fearing the Command is repayed.

Whoever despises the word and counsel brings destruction upon himself, but he who fears and respects the commandment is rewarded.

14 T he law of the wise a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.

15 G ood understanding giveth grace, And the way of the treacherous hard.

Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the transgressor is hard.

16 E very prudent one dealeth with knowledge, And a fool spreadeth out folly.

Every prudent man deals with knowledge, but a fool exposes and flaunts his folly.

17 A wicked messenger falleth into evil, And a faithful ambassador is healing.

A wicked messenger falls into evil, but a faithful ambassador brings healing.

18 W hoso is refusing instruction -- poverty and shame, And whoso is observing reproof is honoured.

Poverty and shame come to him who refuses instruction and correction, but he who heeds reproof is honored.

19 A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul, And an abomination to fools: Turn from evil.

Satisfied desire is sweet to a person; therefore it is hateful and exceedingly offensive to fools to give up evil.

20 W hoso is walking with wise men is wise, And a companion of fools suffereth evil.

He who walks with wise men is wise, but he who associates with fools is shall smart for it.

21 E vil pursueth sinners, And good recompenseth the righteous.

Evil pursues sinners, but the consistently upright and in right standing with God is recompensed with good.

22 A good man causeth sons' sons to inherit, And laid up for the righteous the sinner's wealth.

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner into the hands of the righteous, for whom it was laid up.

23 A bundance of food -- the tillage of the poor, And substance is consumed without judgment.

Much food is in the tilled land of the poor, but there are those who are destroyed because of injustice.

24 W hoso is sparing his rod is hating his son, And whoso is loving him hath hastened him chastisement.

He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines diligently and punishes him early.

25 T he righteous is eating to the satiety of his soul, And the belly of the wicked lacketh!

The righteous eats to his own satisfaction, but the stomach of the wicked is in want.