חָכְמַת דַּל תִּשָּׂא רֹאשׁוֹ, וּבֵין נְדִיבִים תּוֹשִׁיבֶנּוּ. A poor person’s wisdom will raise up his head, and it will seat him in the midst of nobles.
אַל תְּהַלֵּלו אָדָם בְּתָאֳרוֹ, וְאַל תְּתַעֵב אָדָם מְכוֹעָר בְּמַרְאֵהוּ. Do not praise a man for his appearance, and do not loathe a man ugly in look.
אֱלִיל בְּעוֹף דְּבֹרָה וְרֹאשׁ תְּנוּבוֹת פּרִיָהּ. Small among the flying is the bee, and first among all fruitage is her produce [honey].
מַעֲטֶה אֹבֵד אַל תְּהַתֵּל, וְאַל תְּקַלֵּס בִּמְרִירֵי יוֹם. A lost mantle do not mock, and do not decry in the bitterness of day. [Alternative: Do not scoff at the ones whose day is bitter.]
כִּי פְלָאוֹת מַעֲשֵׂי יי, וְנֶעְלָם מֵאָדָם פָּעֳלוֹ. Because the works of the Lord are a wonder, and his works are hidden from humans.
רַבִּים נִדְכָּאִים יָשְׁבוּ עַל כִּסֵּא, וּבַל עָלוּ עַל לֵב עָטוּ צְנִיף. Many oppressed ones sat on the throne; and those not thought of wrapped in a [priestly] turban.
רַבִּים נִשָּׂאִים נִקְלוּ מְאֹד, וְהִשְׁפִּלוּ יַחַד, וְגַם נִכְבָּדִים נִתְּנוּ בְיָד. Many powerful people were dishonored greatly, and lowered too, and illustrious ones were delivered into the hands of others.
בְּטֶרֶם תַּחְקוֹר אַל תְּסַלֵּף, בַּקֵּר לְפָנִים וְאַחַר תַּזִּיף. Before investigation, do not overrule; inspect internally, and then chastise [Alternative: lend].
בְּנִי אַל תָּשִׁיב דָּבָר טֶרֶם תִּשְׁמָע, וּבְתוֹךְ שִׂיחָה אַל תְּדַבֵּר. My Son, before listening, do not answer, and in the middle of speaking, do not interrupt.
בְּאֵין עַצָּבָה אַל תִּתְחָר, וּבְרִיב זֵדִים אַל תְּקוֹמֵם. If you aren't wounded, do not kindle a dispute, and in a trial of sinners, do not stand.
בְּנִי לָמָּה תַרְבֶּה עֶשְׁקֶךָ, וְאֵין לְהַרְבּוֹת לֹא יִנָּקֶה My son, why add to your contentions? Do not multiply them; you won't be saved.
בְּנִי אִם לֹא תָּרוּץ לֹא תגִּיעַ, וְאִם לֹא תְּבַקֵּשׁ לֹא תִמְצָא. My son, if you do not pursue, you will not attain, and if you do not search, you will not find.
יֵשׁ עָמֵל וְיָגֵעַ וָרָץ, וּכְדֵי כֵן הוּא מִתְאַחֵר. There exists one who toils and struggles and hurries, and nevertheless he is late.
יֵשׁ רֹשֵׁשׁ וְאֹבֵד מְהַלֵּךְ, חֲסַר כֹּל וְיוֹתֵר אִישׁ עָנִי. There're those who are crushed and in despair walk, lacking all, and moreover are poor.
וְעֵין יי צָפַתְהוּ לְטוֹב, וַיְנַעֲרֵהוּ מֵעֲפַר צַחֲנָה. And the eyes of the Lord looked upon him for good, and shook off his dusty stench.
נָשָׂא בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וַיְרֹמְמֵהוּ, וַיִּתְמְהוּ עָלָיו רַבִּים. Carried up by his head and lifted him, and many were perplexed.
טוֹב וְרַע חַיִּים וָמָוֶת, רֵישׁ וְעֹשֶׁר מֵיי הוּא. Good and bad, life and death, penury and wealth are from the Lord.
חָכְמָה וְשֶׂכֶל וְהָבִין דָּבָר מֵיי הוּא, חֵטְא וּדְרָכִים יְשָׁרִים מֵיי הוּא. Wisdom, intelligence, and perceptivity are from the Lord, sin and straight paths are from the Lord.
שִׂכְלוּת וְחֹשֶׁךְ לְפוֹשְׁעִים נוֹצְרָה, וּמְרֵעִים רָעָה עִמָּם. Foolishness and darkness had been created for sinners, and along with it, evil friends.
מַתַּן צַדִּיק יַעֲמֹד לִירֵאָיו, וּרְצוֹנוֹ יִצְלַח לָעַד. The estate of righteousness shall remains with his fearful, and his wants shall eternally succeed .
יֵשׁ מִתְעַשּׁר מֵהִתְעַנּוֹת, וְזֶה יְחַיֵּב שְׂכָרוֹ. There exists one who becomes rich from his suffering, and this obligates this reward:
וּבְעֵת יֹאמַר מָצָאתִי נַחַת, וְעַתָּה אֹכַל מִטּוֹבָתִי. In time, he will say: “I have found rest, and now I will eat of my good.”
לֹא יָדַע מָה כִּי בָא חֲלֹף, וַעֲזָבוֹ לְאַחֵר וּמֵת. He does not know what's to come and pass, and he'll leave them to others and die.
בְּנִי עֲמוֹד בְּחֻקֶּךָ וּבוֹ הִתְהַלֵּךְ, וּבִמְלָאכְתְּךָ הִתְיַשֶּׁן. My son, stand on your principles, and walk with it, and in your work take hold strong.
(כה)אַל תִּתְמַה בְּעוֹשֵׂי רָע, תָּרוּץ לַיי וְקַוֵּה לְאוֹרוֹ. Do not wonder at the doings of evil, run to the Lord, and await his light.
כִּי נֹכַח בְּעֵינֵי יי, בְּפֶתַע פִּתְאֹם לְהַעֲשִׁיר דָּל. Because all is in front of the Lord eyes, to suddenly and quickly, make a needy person rich.
בִּרְכַּת אֵל גּוֹרָל צַדִּיק, וּבְעֵת תִּקְוָתוֹ תִּפְרָח. The Lord’s blessing is the righteous' lot, and in his hopeful time his good pleasure sprout.
אַל תֹּאמַר הִנֵּה כִי עָשִׂיתִי חֶפְצִי, וּמֶה עַתָּה יֵעָזֵב לִי. Do not say, “ill do as I wish, And if he forsakes me, what now?...
אַל תֹּאמַר דַּיִּי לְפָנַי, מַה אָסוֹן יְהִי עָלָי. Do not say, “I have enough, and what calamity can occur to me?”
טוֹב יוֹם תִּשָּכַח רָעָה, וְרָע יוֹם תִּשָׁכַח טוֹבָה, וְאַחֲרִית אָדָם תִּהְיֶה עָלָיו. In a day of prosperity, you'll forget adversity, and in a day of adversity, you'll forget good, and the end of man will be on the Lord.
עֵת רָעָה תְּשַׁכֵּח תַּעֲנוּג, וְסוֹף אָדָם יַגִּיד עָלָיו. A bad time and you'll forget pleasure, and in a person’s end he will tell of the Lord.
בְּטֶרֶם תַּחְקֹר אָדָם אַל תְּאַשְּׁרֵהוּ, כִּי בְּאַחֲרִיתוֹ יְאֻשַּׁר אָדָם. Before inspecting man, to not praise him, for in his end man will be straightened [in a coffin].
לִפְנֵי מָוֶת אַל תְּאַשֶּׁר גָּבֶר, כִּי בְּאַחֲרִיתוֹ יִנָּכֵר אִישׁ. Before death praise no strongman, for in his end he'll bad deeds will be known.
[מְנַע רַבִּים מִתּוֹךְ בֵּיתֶךָ], וְלֹא כָל אִישׁ לְהָבִיא אֶל בַּיִת, [אוֹרְבִים וְכֵן נוֹכְלִים רַבִּים הֵם]. And estrange thee to them that are dear to thee.
וּמָה רַבּוּ פִּצְעֵי רוֹכֵל, [הַמַּרְגִּילִים לִדְבַר עֶרְוָה]. Many have been the wounded peddlers, who accustom [similar to 'pearls;] themselves to licentiousness. [Rashi Yevamot 63b: referring to men who travel to sell women’s jewelry. Their frequent dealings with women lead their husbands to harm them. Note: Talmud breaks the sentence.]
[כְּנִיצוֹץ מַבְעִיר גַּחֶלֶת], כִּכְלוּב מָלֵא עוֹף, כֵּן בָּתֵּיהֶם מְלֵאִים מִרְמָה. [Those who accustom themselves to licentiousness] are like a spark that ignites a coal. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit [Jeremiah 5:27].
כְּעוֹף אָחוּז בִּכְלוּב לֵב גֵּאֵה, וְכִזְאֵב אֹרֵב לַטֶּרֶף. A as a bird seized in a cage, so is the heart of haughtiness, and like a wolf ambushing his pray.
מַה יִּרְבּוּ פִּשְׁעֵי בוֹצֵעַ, כְּכֶלֶב הוּא בָא לְכָל בַּיִת וְחוֹמֵס. What's gained by violent sinners, like a dog they come to each house wrathfully.
כֵּן בּוֹצֵעַ בָּא, וּמֵשִׂים רִיב לְכָל שִׁבְתָּם. So the covetous comes, increasing strife to all the inhabitants.
אוֹרֵב הָרוֹכֵל כְּדוֹב לְבֵית לֵצִים, וְכִמְרַגֵּל יִרְאֶה עֶרְוָה. The ambush of the gossiper is like a bear to the house of scorners, and like a spy he searches for licentiousness.
טוֹב לְרָע יַהֲפֹךְ נִרְגָּן, וּבְמַחֲמַדֶּיךָ יִתֵּן קָשֶׁר. From good to bad will he turn your crowds, and on your precious things he will conspire.
מִנִּיצוֹץ יַרְבֶּה גַחֶלֶת, וְאִישׁ בְּלִיַעַל לְדָם יֶאֱרֹב. From a spark of fire coals are multiplied, and a sinful person lies in ambush for blood.
גּוּר מֵרַע כִּי רַע יוֹלִיד, לָמָּה מוּם עוֹלָם תִּשָּׁא. Be a stranger to evil, for evil births, why an eternal blemish carry.
לֹא תִדְבַּק לְרָשָׁע וִיסַלֵּף דַּרְכֶּךָ, וְיַהֲפָכְךָ מִבְּרִיתֶךָ. Attach thyself not to evil, to twist your ways, your covenant overturn [sim. drop].
מִשָּׁכֵן זָרִיז זָהִיר דַּרְכֶּךָ, [פֶּן יַפְרִיעַ שַׁלְוָתֶךָ], וִינַכֶּרְךָ בְּמַחֲמַדֶּיךָ. From a foreign neighbor, heed your way; he may tear your tranquility, and become acquainted with your valuables.