Mishle 22

1. A shem tov is rather to be desired than osher rav, and chen (grace) rather than kesef and zahav.

2. The oisher (rich man) and the rahsh (pauper) have this in common: Hashem is the Oseh (Maker) of them all.

3. A prudent man foreseeth the ra’ah, and hideth himself, but the naïve trudge on, and are punished.

4. By anavah (humility) and the Yirat Hashem are osher, and kavod, and chayyim.

5. Thorns and pachim (snares) are in the derech of the crooked; he that is shomer over his nefesh shall be far from them.

6. Train up a na’ar in the derech (road) he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

7. The oisher ruleth over the rahshim (paupers), and the loveh (borrower, debtor) is eved (slave) to the ish malveh (lender).

8. He that soweth iniquity shall reap aven (iniquity), and the shevet (rod) of his wrath shall disappear.

9. He that hath a tov ayin (generous eye) shall have a bracha; for he giveth of his lechem to the dal (poor).

10. Cast out the scoffer, and contention shall leave; indeed, strife and kalon (shame) shall cease.

11. He that loveth tahor lev (a pure heart), for the chen (grace) on his sfatayim (lips) the Melech shall be his re’a (friend).

12. The eynayim of Hashem preserve da’as, and He overthroweth the devarim of the boged (unfaithful, treacherous, traitor).

13. The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) saith, There is an ari (lion) outside; I shall be murdered in the streets.

14. The peh (mouth) of zarot (strange women) is a deep pit; he that is under the wrath of Hashem shall fall therein.

15. Folly is bound in the lev na’ar, but the shevet musar (rod of correction) shall drive it far from him.

16. He that oppresseth the dal (poor) in order to increase, and he that giveth to the oisher, shall surely come to machsor (poverty, want).

17. Bow down thine ozen, and hear the devarim of chachamim, and apply thine lev (mind, heart) unto my da’as.

18. For it is a pleasant thing if thou be shomer over them within thee; they shall therewith abide ready upon thy sfatayim (lips).

19. That thy trust may be in Hashem, I have made thee know this yom, even thee!

20. Have not I written to thee shloshim (thirty sayings) in mo’etzot (counsels) and da’as,

21. That I might make thee know the certain truth of the words of emes; that thou mightest bring back words of emes to them that send thee?

22. Exploit not the dal (poor), because he is dal (poor); neither oppress the oni (afflicted) in the sha’ar,

23. For Hashem will plead their cause, and plunder the nefesh of those that plundered them.

24. Make no friendship with a ba’al af (angry man), and with an ish chemot (man of wrath) thou shalt not go,

25. Lest thou learn his orkhot (ways), and take a mokesh (snare) for thy nefesh.

26. Be not thou one of them that shake hands in a pledge, or of them that are collateral for masha’ot (debts, loans).

27. If thou hast nothing with which to pay, why should he take away thy mishkav (bed) from under thee?

28. Remove not the gevul olam (ancient landmark), which avoteicha have set.

29. Seest thou an ish mahir (diligent, one who excells) in his work? He shall stand before melachim; he shall not stand before obscure men.