231 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Thou considerest diligently that which 'is' before thee, 2 And thou hast put a knife to thy throat, If thou 'art' a man of appetite. 3 Have no desire to his dainties, seeing it 'is' lying food.
4 Labour not to make wealth, From thine own understanding cease, Dost thou cause thine eyes to fly upon it? Then it is not. 5 For wealth maketh to itself wings, As an eagle it flieth to the heavens.
6 Eat not the bread of an evil eye, And have no desire to his dainties, 7 For as he hath thought in his soul, so 'is' he, 'Eat and drink,' saith he to thee, And his heart 'is' not with thee. 8 Thy morsel thou hast eaten thou dost vomit up, And hast marred thy words that 'are' sweet.
9 In the ears of a fool speak not, For he treadeth on the wisdom of thy words.
10 Remove not a border of olden times, And into fields of the fatherless enter not, 11 For their Redeemer 'is' strong, He doth plead their cause with thee.
12 Bring in to instruction thy heart, And thine ear to sayings of knowledge. 13 Withhold not from a youth chastisement, When thou smitest him with a rod he dieth not. 14 Thou with a rod smitest him, And his soul from Sheol thou deliverest. 15 My son, if thy heart hath been wise, My heart rejoiceth, even mine, 16 And my reins exult when thy lips speak uprightly.
17 Let not thy heart be envious at sinners, But—in the fear of Jehovah all the day. 18 For, is there a posterity? Then thy hope is not cut off.
19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And make happy in the way thy heart, 20 Be not thou among quaffers of wine, Among gluttonous ones of flesh, 21 For the quaffer and glutton become poor, And drowsiness clotheth with rags. 22 Hearken to thy father, who begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she hath become old. 23 Truth buy, and sell not, Wisdom, and instruction, and understanding, 24 The father of the righteous rejoiceth greatly, The begetter of the wise rejoiceth in him. 25 Rejoice doth thy father and thy mother, Yea, she that bare thee is joyful. 26 Give, my son, thy heart to me, And let thine eyes watch my ways. 27 For a harlot 'is' a deep ditch, And a strange woman 'is' a strait pit. 28 She also, as catching prey, lieth in wait, And the treacherous among men she increaseth.
29 Who hath wo? who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? who hath plaint? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? 30 Those tarrying by the wine, Those going in to search out mixed wine. 31 See not wine when it showeth itself red, When it giveth in the cup its colour, It goeth up and down through the upright. 32 Its latter end—as a serpent it biteth, And as a basilisk it stingeth. 33 Thine eyes see strange women, And thy heart speaketh perverse things. 34 And thou hast been as one lying down in the heart of the sea, And as one lying down on the top of a mast. 35 'They smote me, I have not been sick, They beat me, I have not known. When I awake—I seek it yet again!'
31 My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep, 2 For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee. 3 Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart, 4 And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man. 5 Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not. 6 In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil. 8 Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones. 9 Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase; 10 And filled are thy barns 'with' plenty, And 'with' new wine thy presses break forth. 11 Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof, 12 For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
13 O the happiness of a man 'who' hath found wisdom, And of a man 'who' bringeth forth understanding. 14 For better 'is' her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold—her increase. 15 Precious she 'is' above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her. 16 Length of days 'is' in her right hand, In her left 'are' wealth and honour. 17 Her ways 'are' ways of pleasantness, And all her paths 'are' peace. 18 A tree of life she 'is' to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her 'is' happy. 19 Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding. 20 By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.
21 My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness, 22 And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck. 23 Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble. 24 If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep. 25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh. 26 For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.
27 Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand 'is' toward God to do 'it'. 28 Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee. 29 Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee. 30 Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil. 31 Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways. 32 For an abomination to Jehovah 'is' the perverted, And with the upright 'is' His secret counsel. 33 The curse of Jehovah 'is' in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth. 34 If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace. 35 Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!
