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

Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it Than a house full of feasting with strife.

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

A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, And will share in the inheritance among brothers.

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

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests hearts.

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

An evildoer listens to wicked lips; A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

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

He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker; He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.

6 S ons' sons the crown of old men, And the glory of sons their fathers.

Grandchildren are the crown of old men, And the glory of sons is their fathers.

7 N ot comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.

Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are lying lips to a prince.

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

A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.

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

He who conceals a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.

10 R ebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.

A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool.

11 A n evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.

A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

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

Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.

13 W hoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.

He who returns evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house.

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

The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.

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

He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.

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

Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, When he has no sense?

17 A t all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.

A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.

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

A man lacking in sense pledges And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.

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

He who loves transgression loves strife; He who raises his door seeks destruction.

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

He who has a crooked mind finds no good, And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil.

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

He who sires a fool does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.

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

A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones.

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

A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom To pervert the ways of justice.

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

Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

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

A foolish son is a grief to his father And bitterness to her who bore him.

26 A lso, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.

It is also not good to fine the righteous, Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

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

He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

28 E ven a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!

Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.