The Flourishing of the Righteous

1  אִ֣ישׁ (A man) תּ֭וֹכָחוֹת (often reproved), מַקְשֶׁה־ (hardening) עֹ֑רֶף (the neck),

פֶּ֥תַע (suddenly) יִ֝שָּׁבֵ֗ר (will be broken), וְאֵ֣ין (and there is no) מַרְפֵּֽא׃ (healing).

2  בִּרְב֣וֹת (With the increasing) צַ֭דִּיקִים (of the righteous ones), יִשְׂמַ֣ח (rejoice) הָעָ֑ם (the people),

וּבִמְשֹׁ֥ל (and with the ruling) רָ֝שָׁ֗ע (of a wicked one), יֵאָ֥נַֽח (groan) עָֽם׃ (the people).

3  אִֽישׁ־ (A man) אֹהֵ֣ב (loving) חָ֭כְמָה (wisdom) יְשַׂמַּ֣ח (gladdens) אָבִ֑יו (his father),

וְרֹעֶ֥ה (and a companion of) ז֝וֹנ֗וֹת (prostitutes) יְאַבֶּד־ (destroys) הֽוֹן׃ (wealth).

4  מֶ֗לֶךְ (A king) בְּ֭מִשְׁפָּט (by justice) יַעֲמִ֣יד (establishes) אָ֑רֶץ (the land);

וְאִ֖ישׁ (and a man) תְּרוּמ֣וֹת (of contributions) יֶֽהֶרְסֶֽנָּה׃ (tears it down).

5  גֶּ֭בֶר (A man) מַחֲלִ֣יק (taking a portion) עַל־ (over) רֵעֵ֑הוּ (his neighbor),

רֶ֝֗שֶׁת (a net) פּוֹרֵ֥שׂ (spreads out) עַל־ (over) פְּעָמָֽיו׃ (his steps).

6  בְּפֶ֤שַֽׁע (By transgression) אִ֣ישׁ (a man of) רָ֣ע (evil) מוֹקֵ֑שׁ (is snared),

וְ֝צַדִּ֗יק (and a righteous one) יָר֥וּן (sings out) וְשָׂמֵֽחַ׃ (and rejoices).

7  יֹדֵ֣עַ (Knows) צַ֭דִּיק (a righteous one) דִּ֣ין (the cause) דַּלִּ֑ים (of the poor);

רָ֝שָׁ֗ע (a wicked one) לֹא־ (not) יָבִ֥ין (does understand) דָּֽעַת׃ (knowledge).

8  אַנְשֵׁ֣י (Men) לָ֭צוֹן (of scorning) יָפִ֣יחוּ (inflame) קִרְיָ֑ה (a city);

וַ֝חֲכָמִ֗ים (and wise men) יָשִׁ֥יבוּ (turn back) אָֽף׃ (anger).

9  אִֽישׁ־ (A man) חָכָ֗ם (wise) נִ֭שְׁפָּט (enters into judgment) אֶת־ (with) אִ֣ישׁ (a man) אֱוִ֑יל (foolish),

וְרָגַ֥ז (and the fool only shakes) וְ֝שָׂחַ֗ק (and laughs), וְאֵ֣ין (and there is no) נָֽחַת׃ (rest).

10  אַנְשֵׁ֣י (Men) דָ֭מִים (of blood) יִשְׂנְאוּ־ (hate) תָ֑ם (a blameless one),

וִֽ֝ישָׁרִ֗ים (and upright ones) יְבַקְשׁ֥וּ (seek) נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ (his soul).

11  כָּל־ (All) ר֭וּחוֹ (his spirit) יוֹצִ֣יא (brings out) כְסִ֑יל (a fool),

וְ֝חָכָ֗ם (and a wise one) בְּאָח֥וֹר (backward) יְשַׁבְּחֶֽנָּה׃ (soothes it).

12  מֹ֭שֵׁל (One ruling) מַקְשִׁ֣יב (listening) עַל־ (to) דְּבַר־ (words) שָׁ֑קֶר (of deception);

כָּֽל־ (all) מְשָׁרְתָ֥יו (his ministers) רְשָׁעִֽים׃ (are wicked).

13  רָ֤שׁ (The poor one) וְאִ֣ישׁ (and the man) תְּכָכִ֣ים (of oppression) נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ (meet together):

מֵ֤אִיר־ (Gives light to) עֵינֵ֖י (the eyes) שְׁנֵיהֶ֣ם (of both of them) יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH).

14  מֶ֤לֶךְ (A king) שׁוֹפֵ֣ט (judging) בֶּֽאֱמֶ֣ת (in truth) דַּלִּ֑ים (the poor)—

כִּ֝סְא֗וֹ (his throne) לָעַ֥ד (forever) יִכּֽוֹן׃ (will be established).

15  שֵׁ֣בֶט (A rod) וְ֭תוֹכַחַת (and rebuke) יִתֵּ֣ן (give) חָכְמָ֑ה (wisdom),

וְנַ֥עַר (and a child) מְ֝שֻׁלָּ֗ח (let away) מֵבִ֥ישׁ (brings shame to) אִמּֽוֹ׃ (his mother).

16  בִּרְב֣וֹת (With the increase) רְ֭שָׁעִים (of the wicked), יִרְבֶּה־ (increases) פָּ֑שַׁע (transgression);

וְ֝צַדִּיקִ֗ים (and righteous ones) בְּֽמַפַּלְתָּ֥ם (on their fall) יִרְאֽוּ׃ (will look).

17  יַסֵּ֣ר (Discipline) בִּ֭נְךָ (your son), וִֽינִיחֶ֑ךָ (and he will give you rest),

וְיִתֵּ֖ן (and he will give) מַעֲדַנִּ֣ים (delights) לְנַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃פ (to your soul).

18  בְּאֵ֣ין (When there is no) חָ֭זוֹן (vision) יִפָּ֣רַֽע (are running loose) עָ֑ם (the people),

וְשֹׁמֵ֖ר (and the one keeping) תּוֹרָ֣ה (the Law) אַשְׁרֵֽהוּ׃ (is blessed).

19  בִּ֭דְבָרִים (With words alone) לֹא־ (not) יִוָּ֣סֶר (will be disciplined) עָ֑בֶד (a servant);

כִּֽי־ (for though) יָ֝בִ֗ין (he understands), וְאֵ֣ין (and not) מַעֲנֶֽה׃ (will he respond).

20  חָזִ֗יתָ (Look upon) אִ֭ישׁ (a man) אָ֣ץ (being hasty) בִּדְבָרָ֑יו (in his words)?

תִּקְוָ֖ה (The hope) לִכְסִ֣יל (of a fool) מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ (is more than his).

21  מְפַנֵּ֣ק (One is pampering) מִנֹּ֣עַר (from youth) עַבְדּ֑וֹ (his servant),

וְ֝אַחֲרִית֗וֹ (and his end) יִהְיֶ֥ה (will be) מָנֽוֹן׃ (insolence).

22  אִֽישׁ־ (A man) אַ֭ף (of anger) יְגָרֶ֣ה (stirs up) מָד֑וֹן (strife),

וּבַ֖עַל (and a man) חֵמָ֣ה (of rage) רַב־ (much) פָּֽשַׁע׃ (transgression).

23  גַּאֲוַ֣ת (The pride) אָ֭דָם (of man) תַּשְׁפִּילֶ֑נּוּ (will bring him low),

וּשְׁפַל־ (and the one lowly) ר֝֗וּחַ (of spirit) יִתְמֹ֥ךְ (will grasp) כָּבֽוֹד׃ (honor).

24  חוֹלֵ֣ק (One having a portion) עִם־ (with) גַּ֭נָּב (a thief) שׂוֹנֵ֣א (is hating) נַפְשׁ֑וֹ (his own soul);

אָלָ֥ה (the curse) יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע (he hears), וְלֹ֣א (and not) יַגִּֽיד׃ (does testify).

25  חֶרְדַּ֣ת (The fear) אָ֭דָם (of man) יִתֵּ֣ן (sets) מוֹקֵ֑שׁ (a snare),

וּבוֹטֵ֖חַ (and one trusting) בַּיהוָ֣ה (in YHWH) יְשֻׂגָּֽב׃ (will be set on high).

26  רַ֭בִּים (Many) מְבַקְשִׁ֣ים (are seeking) פְּנֵי־ (the favor) מוֹשֵׁ֑ל (of a ruler),

וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה (and from YHWH) מִשְׁפַּט־ (is justice) אִֽישׁ׃ (a man).

27  תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת (Abhorrent to) צַ֭דִּיקִים (to righteous ones) אִ֣ישׁ (is a man) עָ֑וֶל (of injustice),

וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת (is an abomination) רָשָׁ֣ע (to a wicked one) יְשַׁר־ (and the one upright in) דָּֽרֶךְ׃פ (his way).