The Man of Integrity

1  טֽוֹב־ (Better is) רָ֭שׁ (the poor one) הוֹלֵ֣ךְ (walking) בְּתֻמּ֑וֹ (in his integrity),

מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁ (than the one crooked) שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו (in his lips), וְה֣וּא (and he is) כְסִֽיל׃ (a fool).

2  גַּ֤ם (Also), בְּלֹא־ (without) דַ֣עַת (knowledge), נֶ֣פֶשׁ (a soul) לֹא־ (is not) ט֑וֹב (good);

וְאָ֖ץ (and the one hurrying) בְּרַגְלַ֣יִם (with his feet) חוֹטֵֽא׃ (is sinning).

3  אִוֶּ֣לֶת (The folly) אָ֭דָם (of a man) תְּסַלֵּ֣ף (perverts) דַּרְכּ֑וֹ (his way),

וְעַל־ (and against) יְ֝הוָ֗ה (YHWH) יִזְעַ֥ף (rages) לִבּֽוֹ׃ (his heart).

4  ה֗וֹן (Wealth) יֹ֭סִיף (adds) רֵעִ֣ים (friends) רַבִּ֑ים (many),

וְ֝דָ֗ל (and a poor one) מֵרֵ֥עהוּ (from his friend) יִפָּרֵֽד׃ (is separated).

5  עֵ֣ד (A witness) שְׁ֭קָרִים (of falsehoods) לֹ֣א (not) יִנָּקֶ֑ה (will be acquitted),

וְיָפִ֥יחַ (and the one breathing out) כְּ֝זָבִ֗ים (lies) לֹ֣א (not) יִמָּלֵֽט׃ (will escape).

6  רַ֭בִּים (Many) יְחַלּ֣וּ (entreat) פְנֵֽי־ (the face) נָדִ֑יב (of a noble),

וְכָל־ (and everyone) הָ֝רֵ֗עַ (is the friend) לְאִ֣ישׁ (to a man) מַתָּֽן׃ (of gift).

7  כָּ֥ל (All) אֲחֵי־ (the brothers) רָ֨שׁ׀ (of a poor one) שְֽׂנֵאֻ֗הוּ (hate him)—

אַ֤ף (surely) כִּ֣י (also) מְ֭רֵעֵהוּ (his friends) רָחֲק֣וּ (are far) מִמֶּ֑נּוּ (from him).

מְרַדֵּ֖ף (He pursues) אֲמָרִ֣ים (with words)—

לֹא (are nowhere) הֵֽמָּה׃ (they).

8  קֹֽנֶה־ (The one acquiring) לֵּ֭ב (heart) אֹהֵ֣ב (is loving) נַפְשׁ֑וֹ (his soul);

שֹׁמֵ֥ר (the one guarding) תְּ֝בוּנָ֗ה (understanding) לִמְצֹא־ (will find) טֽוֹב׃ (good).

9  עֵ֣ד (A witness) שְׁ֭קָרִים (of falsehoods) לֹ֣א (not) יִנָּקֶ֑ה (will be acquitted),

וְיָפִ֖יחַ (and the one breathing out) כְּזָבִ֣ים (lies) יֹאבֵֽד׃פ (shall perish).

10  לֹֽא־ (Not) נָאוֶ֣ה (is fitting) לִכְסִ֣יל (for a fool) תַּעֲנ֑וּג (luxury)—

אַ֝֗ף (even) כִּֽי־ (less) לְעֶ֤בֶד׀ (for a slave) מְשֹׁ֬ל (to rule) בְּשָׂרִֽים׃ (over princes).

11  שֵׂ֣כֶל (The discretion) אָ֭דָם (of a man) הֶאֱרִ֣יךְ (makes long) אַפּ֑וֹ (his nose);

וְ֝תִפאַרְתּ֗וֹ (and his splendor) עֲבֹ֣ר (is to pass) עַל־ (over) פָּֽשַׁע׃ (a transgression).

12  נַ֣הַם (Is like the roaring) כַּ֭כְּפִיר (of the young lion) זַ֣עַף (the rage) מֶ֑לֶךְ (of a king),

וּכְטַ֖ל (and like dew) עַל־ (on) עֵ֣שֶׂב (the grass) רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃ (is his favor).

13  הַוֺּ֣ת (The ruin) לְ֭אָבִיו (of his father) בֵּ֣ן (is a son) כְּסִ֑יל (foolish),

וְדֶ֥לֶף (and a dripping) טֹ֝רֵ֗ד (continual) מִדְיְנֵ֥י (are the quarrels) אִשָּֽׁה׃ (of a wife).

14  בַּ֣יִת (A house) וָ֭הוֹן (and wealth) נַחֲלַ֣ת (are the inheritance) אָב֑וֹת (of fathers),

וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה (and from YHWH) אִשָּׁ֥ה (is a wife) מַשְׂכָּֽלֶת׃ (who is prudent).

15  עַ֭צְלָה (Sluggishness) תַּפִּ֣יל (causes to fall) תַּרְדֵּמָ֑ה (a deep sleep),

וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ (and a soul) רְמִיָּ֣ה (of slackness) תִרְעָֽב׃ (will be hungry).

16  שֹׁמֵ֣ר (One guarding) מִ֭צְוָה (a commandment) שֹׁמֵ֣ר (is guarding) נַפְשׁ֑וֹ (his soul);

בּוֹזֵ֖ה (one despising) דְרָכָ֣יו (His ways) יוּמָת׃ (will die).

17  מַלְוֵ֣ה (One lending) יְ֭הוָה (to YHWH) ח֣וֹנֵֽן (is the one showing favor) דָּ֑ל (to the poor),

וּ֝גְמֻל֗וֹ (and his dealing) יְשַׁלֶּם־ (He will repay) לֽוֹ׃ (to him).

18  יַסֵּ֣ר (Discipline) בִּ֭נְךָ (your son) כִּי־ (for) יֵ֣שׁ (there is) תִּקְוָ֑ה (hope),

וְאֶל־ (and toward) הֲ֝מִית֗וֹ (putting him to death) אַל־ (not) תִּשָּׂ֥א (do lift up) נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (your soul).

19  גֹּרַל (One harsh) חֵ֭מָה (of anger) נֹ֣שֵׂא (lifts up) עֹ֑נֶשׁ (the penalty),

כִּ֥י (indeed) אִם־ (if) תַּ֝צִּ֗יל (you deliver him), וְע֣וֹד (yet again) תּוֹסִֽף׃ (you will add).

20  שְׁמַ֣ע (Listen to) עֵ֭צָה (counsel) וְקַבֵּ֣ל (and receive) מוּסָ֑ר (discipline)

לְ֝מַ֗עַן (so that) תֶּחְכַּ֥ם (you may be wise) בְּאַחֲרִיתֶֽךָ׃ (in your latter end).

21  רַבּ֣וֹת (Many) מַחֲשָׁב֣וֹת (plans) בְּלֶב־ (are in the heart) אִ֑ישׁ (of a man),

וַעֲצַ֥ת (and the counsel) יְ֝הוָ֗ה (of YHWH), הִ֣יא (it) תָקֽוּם׃ (will stand).

22  תַּאֲוַ֣ת (The desire) אָדָ֣ם (of a man) חַסְדּ֑וֹ (is loving devotion),

וְטֽוֹב־ (and better is) רָ֝שׁ (and one being poor) מֵאִ֥ישׁ (than a man) כָּזָֽב׃ (of lies).

23  יִרְאַ֣ת (The fear) יְהוָ֣ה (of YHWH) לְחַיִּ֑ים (is to life),

וְשָׂבֵ֥עַ (and satisfied) יָ֝לִ֗ין (he will abide)— בַּל־ (not) יִפָּ֥קֶד (will he be visited) רָֽע׃ (by evil).

24  טָ֘מַ֤ן (Hides) עָצֵ֣ל (a lazy one) יָ֭דוֹ (his hand) בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת (in the dish),

גַּם־ (even) אֶל־ (to) פִּ֝֗יהוּ (his mouth) לֹ֣א (not) יְשִׁיבֶֽנָּה׃ (he will bring it back).

25  לֵ֣ץ (A mocker) תַּ֭כֶּה (strike) וּפֶ֣תִי (and a simple one) יַעְרִ֑ם (acts prudently),

וְהוֹכִ֥יחַ (and rebuke) לְ֝נָב֗וֹן (a discerning one)— יָבִ֥ין (he will discern) דָּֽעַת׃ (knowledge).

26  מְֽשַׁדֶּד־ (One assaulting) אָ֭ב (a father) יַבְרִ֣יחַ (causes to flee) אֵ֑ם (a mother);

בֵּ֝֗ן (he is a son) מֵבִ֥ישׁ (causing shame) וּמַחְפִּֽיר׃ (and bringing reproach).

27  חַֽדַל־ (Cease), בְּ֭נִי (my son), לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ (to hear) מוּסָ֑ר (instruction)—

לִ֝שְׁג֗וֹת (you will stray) מֵֽאִמְרֵי־ (from the words) דָֽעַת׃ (of knowledge).

28  עֵ֣ד (A witness) בְּ֭לִיַּעַל (of worthlessness) יָלִ֣יץ (scorns) מִשְׁפָּ֑ט (justice),

וּפִ֥י (and the mouth) רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים (of wicked ones) יְבַלַּע־ (swallows) אָֽוֶן׃ (iniquity).

29  נָכ֣וֹנוּ (Are prepared) לַלֵּצִ֣ים (for the mockers) שְׁפָטִ֑ים (judgments)

וּ֝מַהֲלֻמ֗וֹת (and beatings) לְגֵ֣ו (for the back) כְּסִילִֽים׃ (of fools).