בְּנִי אַל תִּלְעַג לְחַיֵּי עָנִי, וְאַל תַּדְאִיב נֶפֶשׁ עָנֵי וּמַר נָפֶשׁ. My son, mock not at the life of the poor (or of affliction); And make not the soul of him that is poor and bitter of soul (H) to pine.
דֹּוֶוה נֶפֶשׁ חֲסֵרָה אַל תָּפוּחַ, וְאַל תִּתְעַלֵּם מִמְּדֻכְדַּךְ נָפֶשׁ. Vex not the spirit (?) of the soul that lacketh; And hide not thyself from one that is crushed (?) in soul.
אַל [תַּחְמִיר] מְעֵי דָךְ, וְקֶרֶב עָנִי אַל תַּכְאִיב. Trouble not the bowels of him that is humbled; And pain not the inward part of the poor.
אַל תִּמְנַע מַתָּן מִמִּסְכֵּנֶךָ, וְלֹא תִבְזֶה שְׁאֵלוֹת דָּל, וְלֹא תִתֵּן לוֹ מָקוֹם לְקַלְלֶךָ. Withhold not a gift from thy needy; And thou shalt not despise the supplications of the miserable; And thou shalt not give him place to curse thee.
צוֹעֵק מַר רוּחַ בִּכְאֵב נַפְשׁוֹ, וּבְקוֹל צַעֲקָתוֹ יִשְׁמַע צוּרוֹ. He that is bitter of spirit crieth in the anguish of his soul; And his Rock (H) shall hear the voice of his cry.
הַאֲהֵב נַפְשְׁךָ לָעֵדָה, וּלְשִׁלְטוֹן עוֹד הַאֲכֵף רֹאשׁ. Make thyself (?) beloved of the congregation; And to a potentate moreover bow the head.
הַט לֶעָנִי אָזְנֶךָ, וַהֲשִׁיבֵהוּ שָׁלוֹם בַּעֲנָוָה. Incline thine ear to the poor; And answer him Peace with meekness.
הוֹשַׁע מוּצָק מִמְּצִיקָיו, וְאַל תָּקוֹץ רוּחֲךָ בְּמִשְׁפַט יֹשֶׁר. Save the oppressed from his oppressors; And let not thy spirit loathe right judgement.
הֱיֵה כְאָב לִיתוֹמִים, וּתְמוּר בַּעַל לְאַלְמָנוֹת. Be as a father to orphans; And instead of a husband to widows.
וְאֵל יִקְרָאֲךָ בֵּן, וְיָחְנְךָ וְיַצִּילְךָ מִשָׁחַת. And God shall call thee Son; And shall be gracious to thee, and deliver thee from the pit.
חָכְמוֹת לִמְּדָה בָנֶיהָ, וְתָעִיד לְכָל מְבִינִים בָּהּ. Wisdom teacheth (H) her sons; And testifieth (H) to all that attend to her.
אֹהֲבֶיהָ אָהֲבוּ חַיִּים, וּמְבַקְשֶׁיהָ יָפִיקוּ רָצוֹן מֵיהֹוָה. They that love her love life; And they that seek her shall obtain favour from the Lord.
וְתֹמְכֶיהָ יִמְצְאוּ כָבוֹד מֵיהֹוָה, וְיֻחַנּוּ בְּבִרְכַּת יְהֹוָה. And they that retain her shall find honour from the Lord; And shall have grace shewed them by the blessing of the Lord.
מְשָׁרְתֵי קֹדֶשׁ מְשָׁרְתֶיהָ, וֵאלֹהִים בֵּית [מוֹשָׁבָהּ אָהֵב]. Ministers of holiness are her ministers; And God loveth them that love her (?).
שׁוֹמֵעַ לִי יִשׁפֹּט אֱמֶת, וּמַאֲזִין לִי יִיחַן בַּחֲדָרַי מִבָּיִת. He that heareth me shall judge truth (G nations); And he that giveth ear to me shall dwell in my chamber within.
כִּי בְהִתְנַכֵּר אֵלֵךְ עִמּוֹ, וּלְפָנִים אֶבְחָרֶנּוּ בְנִסְיוֹנוֹת. For I will go with him, making myself strange; And at the first I (H he) will try him with temptations.
וְעַד עֵת יִמָּלֵא לִבּוֹ בִּי, אָשׁוּב אֲאַשְּׁרֶנּוֹ וְגָלִיתִי לוֹ מִסְתָּרִי. And what time his heart is filled with me; I will turn and direct him, And reveal unto him of my secrets.
אִם יָסוּר וּנְטוֹתֵיהוּ, וַאֲסַרְתִיהוּ בָאֲסוּרִים. If he turn away and decline from me (?), I will train him with fetters (or restraints).
אִם יָסוּר מֵאַחֲרַי אַשׁלִיכֶנּוּ, וְאַסְגִּירֶנּוּ לַשֹׁדְדִים. If he turn away from after me, I will cast him off, and deliver him to the spoilers.
בְּנִי עֵת הָמוֹן שְׁמֹר וּפְחַד מִרָע, וְאֶל נַפְשְׁךָ אַל תֵּבוֹשׁ. My son, observe season and time (?); And fear evil, and be not shamefaced unto thyself.
כִּי יֵשׁ בֹּשֶׁת מַשְׂאֵת עָוֹן, וְיֵשׁ בֹּשֶׁת כָּבוֹד וָחֵן. For there is a shame (?) that ladeth with iniquity; And there is a shame that is honour and grace.
אַל תִּשָּׂא פָנֶיךָ עַל נַפְשֶׁךָ, וְאַל תִּכָּשֵׁל לְמִכְשׁוֹלֶיךָ. Have not respect of thine own person; And stumble (H) not at thine offences.
אַל תִּמְנַע דִּבֵּר בָּעוֹלָם, וְאַל תַּצְפִּין אֶת חָכְמָתֶךָ. Withhold not a word (or to speak) in season (?); Nor ever conceal thy wisdom.
כִּי בְאֹמֶר נוֹדַעַת חָכְמָה, וּתְבוּנָה בְּמַעֲנֵה לָשׁוֹן. For by speech wisdom is made known; And understanding by the answer of the tongue.
אַל תִּסָּרֵב עִם הָאֵל, וְאֶל אֱלֹהִים הִכָּנֵעַ. Gainsay not the truth (H God); And submit thyself unto God.
אַל תֵּבוֹשׁ לָשׁוּב מֵעָוֹן, וְאַל תַּעֲמוֹד לִפְנֵי שִׁבֹּלֶת. Be not ashamed to turn from iniquity; And stand not against a stream.
אַל תַּצַּע לְנָבָל נַפְשֶׁךָ, וְאַל תַּאֲמֵן לִפְּנֵי מוֹשְׁלִים. Lay not thyself down for a fool to tread upon; And be not contrary before rulers.
אַל תֵּשֵׁב עִם שׁוֹפֵט עַוָּל, כִּי כַאֲשֶׁר כִּרְצוֹנוֹ תִּשְׁפּוֹט עִמּוֹ. Sit not with one that judgeth unrighteously; For according to his pleasure (?) thou shalt judge with him.
עַד הַמָּוֶת הִנָּצֵה עַל הַצֶּדֶק, וַיהֹוָה נִלְחָם לָךְ. Unto death contend (?) for justice; And the Lord shall fight for thee.
אַל תִּקָּרֵא בַּעַל שְׁתַּיִם, וְאֶל לְשׁוֹנְךָ אַל תַּרְגֵּל. Be not called a double dealer; And slander not with (?) thy tongue.
אַל תְּהִי גַבְהָן בִּלְשׁוֹנֶךָ, וְרָפוּי וְרָשִׁישׁ בִּמְלַאכְתֶּךָ. Be not boastful with thy tongue; And slack and negligent (?) in thy business.
אַל תְּהִי כְּכֶלֶב בְּבֵיתֶךָ, וּמוּזָר וּמִתְיָרֵא בִמְלַאכְתֶּךָ. Be not as a dog (G lion) in thine house; And strange and fearful in thy business.
אַל תְּהִי יָדְךָ פְתוּחָה לָקַחַת, וּקְפוּצָה בְּתִתְּךָ מַתָּן. Let not thine hand be opened to receive; And clenched in the midst of giving.