19
1 Better is the poor that walketh in his tohm (integrity, guilelessness),
than he that is perverse in his sfatayim (lips), and is a kesil (fool).
2 Also, that the nefesh (desire) be without da'as, it is not tov,
and he that hasteth with his raglayim (feet) sinneth.
3 The folly of adam maketh his derech crooked,
yet his lev rages against Hashem.
4 Wealth maketh many friends,
but the dal (poor) is separated from his re'a (neighbor).
5 An ed shekarim (false witness) shall not go unpunished,
and he that speaketh kezavim (lies) shall not escape.
6 Rabbim (many) will entreat the favor of the ruler,
and every ish is the re'a (friend) to him that giveth mattan (gifts).
7 All the kin of the rahsh (pauper) do hate him;
how much more does his friend avoid him?
He pursueth them with words,
yet they are not there.
8 He that getteth lev* loveth his own nefesh;
he that is shomer over tevunah (understanding) shall find tov.
9 An ed shekarim (false witness) shall not go unpunished,
and he that speaketh kezavim (lies) shall perish.
10 Luxury is not fitting for a kesil (fool);
much less for an eved to have rule over sarim.
11 The seichel adam deferreth his anger,
and it is his tiferet (glory) to pass over a peysha (transgression).
12 The wrath of a melech is like the roaring of a lion,
but his ratzon (favor) is as tal (dew) upon the esev (grass).
13 A ben kesil is the calamity of aviv (his father),
and the contentions of an isha are a constant dripping.†
14 Bais and hon (wealth) are the nachalah avot,
and a prudent isha (wife) is from Hashem.
15 Atzlah (slothfulness, laziness) casteth into a tardemah (deep sleep),
and a nefesh remiyyah (a deceitfully lazy soul) shall suffer hunger.
16 He that is shomer over the mitzvah is shomer over his own nefesh,
but he that is reckless in his drakhim shall die.
17 He that hath compassion on the dal (poor) lendeth unto Hashem;
and for his benefits He will repay him.
18 Chasten binecha (thy son) while there is yet tikvah,
and give not in to thy nefesh (desire) to kill him.
19 One of gadol chemah (great temper) shall bear onesh (punishment),
for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.
20 Hear etzah, and accept musar,
that thou mayest be wise in thy acharit (latter end, future).
21 There are many plans in a lev ish;
nevertheless it is the etzah of Hashem that shall stand.
22 The ta'avah (what is desirable) in an adam is his chesed,
and a rahsh (pauper) is better than an ish kazav (liar).
23 The Yirat Hashem tendeth to chayyim,
and he that hath it shall rest secure;
he shall not be visited by rah.
24 An atzel (sluggard, lazy one) thrusteth his yad into his dish,
and will not so much as bring it back to his peh (mouth) again.
25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn what is prudent,
and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand da'as.
26 He that mistreateth his av, and driveth out his em,
is a ben that causeth shame, and bringeth cherpah.
27 Cease, beni (my son), to hear musar
and thou shalt go astray from the words of da'as.
28 An ed beliya'al (corrupt witness) scorneth mishpat (justice),
and the peh (mouth) of the resha'im devoureth iniquity.
29 Shefatim (penalties, judgments) are prepared for scoffers,
and for kesilim, beatings for the back.
* 19:8 of understanding † 19:13 i.e., an irritant