1 W ine a scorner -- strong drink noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.

2 T he fear of a king a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be wroth is wronging his soul.

The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion; He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.

3 A n honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.

Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, But any fool will quarrel.

4 B ecause of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.

The sluggard does not plow after the autumn, So he begs during the harvest and has nothing.

5 C ounsel in the heart of a man deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.

A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, But a man of understanding draws it out.

6 A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?

Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, But who can find a trustworthy man?

7 T he righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!

A righteous man who walks in his integrity— How blessed are his sons after him.

8 A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering with his eyes all evil,

A king who sits on the throne of justice Disperses all evil with his eyes.

9 W ho saith, `I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?'

Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin”?

10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them an abomination to Jehovah.

Differing weights and differing measures, Both of them are abominable to the Lord.

11 E ven by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright.

It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself If his conduct is pure and right.

12 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.

The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made both of them.

13 L ove not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes -- be satisfied bread.

Do not love sleep, or you will become poor; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with food.

14 ` Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.

“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, But when he goes his way, then he boasts.

15 S ubstance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, lips of knowledge.

There is gold, and an abundance of jewels; But the lips of knowledge are a more precious thing.

16 T ake his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.

Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger; And for foreigners, hold him in pledge.

17 S weet to a man the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled gravel.

Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

18 P urposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.

Prepare plans by consultation, And make war by wise guidance.

19 A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver his lips make not thyself surety.

He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip.

20 W hoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of darkness.

He who curses his father or his mother, His lamp will go out in time of darkness.

21 A n inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.

An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning Will not be blessed in the end.

22 D o not say, `I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.

Do not say, “I will repay evil”; Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.

23 A n abomination to Jehovah a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit not good.

Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord, And a false scale is not good.

24 F rom Jehovah the steps of a man, And man -- how understandeth he his way?

Man’s steps are ordained by the Lord, How then can man understand his way?

25 A snare to a man he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.

It is a trap for a man to say rashly, “It is holy!” And after the vows to make inquiry.

26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.

A wise king winnows the wicked, And drives the threshing wheel over them.

27 T he breath of man a lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.

The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the innermost parts of his being.

28 K indness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne.

Loyalty and truth preserve the king, And he upholds his throne by righteousness.

29 T he beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs.

The glory of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is their gray hair.

30 T he bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!

Stripes that wound scour away evil, And strokes reach the innermost parts.