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

¶ A wise son takes his father’s chastening: but a scorner does not hear rebuke.

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

¶ Of the fruit of his mouth man shall eat well: but the soul of the transgressors shall starve.

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

¶ He that keeps his mouth keeps his life: but he that opens his lips often shall have calamity.

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

¶ The soul of the sluggard desires, and attains nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

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

¶ The righteous man hates lying: but the wicked man makes himself loathsome, and abominable.

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

¶ Righteousness keeps the one of the perfect way: but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

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

¶ There are those that make themselves rich, yet have nothing: there are those that make themselves poor, yet have great riches.

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

¶ The redemption of a man’s life is his riches: but the poor does not hear rebuke.

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

¶ The light of the righteous shall rejoice: but the fire of the wicked shall be put out.

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

¶ Pride shall certainly give birth to contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

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

¶ The riches of vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathers by labour shall 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.

¶ Whosoever despises the word shall perish by it: but he that fears the commandment shall be rewarded.

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

¶ The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

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

¶ Good understanding brings forth grace: but the way of transgressors is hard.

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

¶ Every sane man works according to wisdom: but the fool shall manifest his folly.

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

¶ A bad messenger shall fall into evil: but a faithful ambassador is medicine.

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

¶ Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuses chastening: but he that regards reproof shall be honoured.

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

¶ The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.

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

¶ He that walks with wise men shall be wise, but the companion of fools shall be destroyed.

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

¶ Evil pursues sinners, but to the righteous good shall be repaid.

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

¶ A good man shall leave an inheritance to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

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

¶ In the fallow ground of the poor there is much bread, but it is lost for lack of judgment.

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

¶ He that cuts short chastening hates his son, but he that loves him chastens him early.

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

¶ The righteous eats until his soul is satisfied, but the belly of the wicked shall lack.