33IN THE BOSOM IT IS THROWN <OBJ.> THE LOT AND [IS] FROM YAHWEH EVERY DECISION ITS 33The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
1[IS] GOOD A MORSEL DRY AND QUIETNESS WITH IT MORE THAN A HOUSE FULL SACRIFICES OF STRIFE Better a Dry Morsel in Quietness 1Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting*NoteCloseOr sacrifices with strife.
2A SERVANT [WHO] ACTS PRUDENTLY HE WILL RULE OVER A SON [WHO] ACTS SHAMEFULLY AND IN AMONG BROTHERS HE WILL SHARE [THE] INHERITANCE 2A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
3A CRUCIBLE [IS] FOR <THE> SILVER AND A SMELTING FURNACE [IS] FOR <THE> GOLD AND [IS] TESTING HEARTS YAHWEH 3A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
4AN EVIL-DOER [IS] PAYING ATTENTION ON A LIP OF WICKEDNESS DECEPTION [IS] GIVING EAR ON A TONGUE OF DESTRUCTION<S> 4A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5[ONE WHO] MOCKS <TO> THE POOR [PERSON] HE REPROACHES MAKER HIS [A PERSON] JOYFUL FOR CALAMITY NOT HE WILL GO UNPUNISHED 5He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
6[ARE THE] CROWN OF OLD [PEOPLE] CHILDREN OF CHILDREN AND [ARE THE] HONOR OF CHILDREN PARENTS THEIR 6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
7NOT [IS] SUITABLE FOR A FOOL A LIP OF EXCELLENCE INDEED? FOR FOR A NOBLE [PERSON] A LIP OF DECEPTION 7Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
8[IS] A STONE OF FAVOR THE BRIBE IN [THE] EYES OF OWNERS ITS TO ALL THAT HE TURNS HE PROSPERS 8A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9[ONE WHO] CONCEALS A TRANSGRESSION [IS] SEEKING LOVE AND [ONE WHO] REPEATS <IN> A MATTER [IS] SEPARATING A CLOSE FRIEND 9Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
10IT GOES DEEP A REBUKE IN [ONE WHO] UNDERSTANDS MORE THAN STRIKING A FOOL A HUNDRED [TIMES] 10A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
11ONLY REBELLION HE SEEKS AN EVIL [PERSON] AND A MESSENGER CRUEL HE WILL BE SENT IN HIM 11An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12MAY HE MEET A BEAR ROBBED OF CUBS <IN> A PERSON AND MAY NOT [HE MEET] A FOOL IN FOOLISHNESS HIS 12It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
13[ONE WHO] RETURNS EVIL FOR GOOD NOT IT WILL DEPART EVIL FROM HOUSE HIS 13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
14[IS ONE WHO] LETS OUT WATER [THE] BEGINNING OF STRIFE AND <TO> BEFORE IT HAS BROKEN OUT THE DISPUTE ABANDON 14To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
15[ONE WHO] JUSTIFIES [THE] WICKED AND [ONE WHO] CONDEMNS AS GUILTY [THE] RIGHTEOUS [ARE] [THE] ABOMINATION OF YAHWEH ALSO BOTH OF THEM 15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous – both are detestable to the LORD.
16<TO> WHY? THIS [IS] A PRICE IN [THE] HAND OF A FOOL TO ACQUIRE WISDOM AND [IS] HEART THERE NOT 16Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
17AT EVERY TIME [IS] LOVING THE FRIEND AND A BROTHER FOR ADVERSITY HE IS BORN 17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18A PERSON LACKING OF HEART [IS] STRIKING A PALM [IS] PLEDGING A PLEDGE <TO> BEFORE NEIGHBOR HIS 18A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
19[ONE WHO] LOVES TRANSGRESSION [IS] LOVING CONTENTION [ONE WHO] MAKES HIGH ENTRANCE HIS [IS] SEEKING RUIN 19He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
20[A PERSON] TWISTED OF HEART NOT HE FINDS GOOD AND [ONE WHO] IS PERVERTED IN TONGUE HIS HE FALLS IN TROUBLE 20The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
21[ONE WHO] BEGETS A FOOL TO GRIEF OF HIM AND NOT HE REJOICES [THE] FATHER OF A FOOL 21A man fathers a fool to his own grief the father of a fool has no joy.
22A HEART JOYFUL IT MAKES GOOD HEALING AND A SPIRIT STRICKEN IT DRIES UP BONE[S] 22A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23A BRIBE FROM [THE] BOSOM A WICKED [PERSON] HE ACCEPTS TO TURN ASIDE [THE] PATHS OF JUSTICE 23A wicked man takes a covert bribe*NoteCloseHebrew a bribe from the bosom to subvert the course of justice.
24[IS] WITH [THE] FACE OF [ONE WHO] HAS UNDERSTANDING WISDOM AND [THE] EYES OF A FOOL [ARE] AT [THE] END OF [THE] EARTH 24Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
25[IS] GRIEF TO FATHER HIS A SON A FOOL AND BITTERNESS TO [THE] [ONE WHO] BORE HIM 25A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
26ALSO TO IMPOSE A FINE TO <THE> RIGHTEOUS [PERSON] NOT [IS] GOOD TO STRIKE NOBLE [PEOPLE] [IS] ON UPRIGHTNESS 26It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
27[ONE WHO] RESTRAINS WORDS HIS [IS] KNOWING KNOWLEDGE [A PERSON] NOBLE OF SPIRIT [IS] A PERSON OF UNDERSTANDING 27A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
28ALSO A FOOL [WHO] KEEPS SILENT WISE HE IS CONSIDERED [WHO] SHUTS LIPS HIS DISCERNING 28Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.