A Father’s Discipline

1  בֵּ֣ן (A son) חָ֭כָם (is wise) מ֣וּסַר (by the discipline) אָ֑ב (of his father),

וְ֝לֵ֗ץ (and a mocker) לֹא־ (not) שָׁמַ֥ע (does listen) גְּעָרָֽה׃ (to rebuke).

2  מִפְּרִ֣י (From the fruit) פִי־ (of the mouth) אִ֭ישׁ (a man) יֹ֣אכַל (eats) ט֑וֹב (good things),

וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ (and the soul) בֹּגְדִ֣ים (of the treacherous), חָמָֽס׃ (violence).

3  נֹצֵ֣ר (One guarding) פִּ֭יו (his mouth) שֹׁמֵ֣ר (is keeping) נַפְשׁ֑וֹ (his soul),

פֹּשֵׂ֥ק (one opening) שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו (his lips)— מְחִתָּה־ (destruction is) לֽוֹ׃ (unto him).

4  מִתְאַוָּ֣ה (Is desiring) וָ֭אַיִן (and has nothing) נַפְשׁ֣וֹ (is the soul) עָצֵ֑ל (of a sluggish one),

וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ (and the soul) חָרֻצִ֣ים (of the diligent ones) תְּדֻשָּֽׁן׃ (is made fat).

5  דְּבַר־ (A word) שֶׁ֭קֶר (of falsehood) יִשְׂנָ֣א (hates) צַדִּ֑יק (a righteous one),

וְ֝רָשָׁ֗ע (and a wicked one) יַבְאִ֥ישׁ (causes stench) וְיַחְפִּֽיר׃ (and shame).

6  צְ֭דָקָה (Righteousness) תִּצֹּ֣ר (guards) תָּם־ (the one of integrity) דָּ֑רֶךְ (in the way),

וְ֝רִשְׁעָ֗ה (and wickedness) תְּסַלֵּ֥ף (overthrows) חַטָּֽאת׃ (the sinner).

7  יֵ֣שׁ (There is) מִ֭תְעַשֵּׁר (one making himself rich) וְאֵ֣ין (and having nothing) כֹּ֑ל (at all),

מִ֝תְרוֹשֵׁ֗שׁ (one making himself poor) וְה֣וֹן (and having wealth) רָֽב׃ (abundant).

8  כֹּ֣פֶר (The ransom for) נֶֽפֶשׁ־ (the soul) אִ֣ישׁ (of a man) עָשְׁר֑וֹ (is his riches),

וְ֝רָ֗שׁ (and a poor one) לֹא־ (not) שָׁמַ֥ע (has heard) גְּעָרָֽה׃ (rebuke).

9  אוֹר־ (The light) צַדִּיקִ֥ים (of the righteous) יִשְׂמָ֑ח (rejoices),

וְנֵ֖ר (and the lamp) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (of the wicked) יִדְעָֽךְ׃ (is extinguished).

10  רַק־ (Only) בְּ֭זָדוֹן (with arrogance) יִתֵּ֣ן (does one give forth) מַצָּ֑ה (strife),

וְאֶת־ (and with) נ֖וֹעָצִ֣ים (the counseled ones) חָכְמָֽה׃ (is wisdom).

11  ה֭וֹן (Wealth) מֵהֶ֣בֶל (from vanity) יִמְעָ֑ט (is diminished),

וְקֹבֵ֖ץ (and the one gathering) עַל־ (by) יָ֣ד (the hand) יַרְבֶּֽה׃ (becomes great).

12  תּוֹחֶ֣לֶת (Hope) מְ֭מֻשָּׁכָה (deferred) מַחֲלָה־ (weakens) לֵ֑ב (the heart),

וְעֵ֥ץ (and a tree) חַ֝יִּ֗ים (of life) תַּאֲוָ֥ה (is desire) בָאָֽה׃ (fulfilled),

13  בָּ֣ז (the one despising) לְ֭דָבָר (the word) יֵחָ֣בֶל (is destroyed) ל֑וֹ (for it),

וִירֵ֥א (and the one fearing) מִ֝צְוָ֗ה (the command), ה֣וּא (he) יְשֻׁלָּֽם׃ (will be rewarded).

14  תּוֹרַ֣ת (The instruction) חָ֭כָם (of the wise) מְק֣וֹר (is a fountain) חַיִּ֑ים (of life)

לָ֝ס֗וּר (to turn aside) מִמֹּ֥קְשֵׁי (from the snares) מָֽוֶת׃ (of death).

15  שֵֽׂכֶל־ (Insight) ט֭וֹב (good) יִתֶּן־ (gives) חֵ֑ן (favor),

וְדֶ֖רֶךְ (and the way) בֹּגְדִ֣ים (of the treacherous) אֵיתָֽן׃ (is perpetual).

16  כָּל־ (Every) עָ֭רוּם (prudent one) יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה (acts) בְדָ֑עַת (with knowledge),

וּ֝כְסִ֗יל (and a fool) יִפְרֹ֥שׂ (spreads out) אִוֶּֽלֶת׃ (folly).

17  מַלְאָ֣ךְ (A messenger) רָ֭שָׁע (wicked) יִפֹּ֣ל (falls) בְּרָ֑ע (into evil),

וְצִ֖יר (and an envoy) אֱמוּנִ֣ים (of faithfulness) מַרְפֵּֽא׃ (is healing).

18  רֵ֣ישׁ (Poverty) וְ֭קָלוֹן (and shame) פּוֹרֵ֣עַ (are to one disdaining) מוּסָ֑ר (discipline),

וְשׁוֹמֵ֖ר (and the one regarding) תּוֹכַ֣חַת (a rebuke) יְכֻבָּֽד׃ (is honored).

19  תַּאֲוָ֣ה (A desire) נִ֭הְיָה (coming to pass) תֶּעֱרַ֣ב (is pleasant) לְנָ֑פֶשׁ (to the soul),

וְתוֹעֲבַ֥ת (and an abomination) כְּ֝סִילִ֗ים (to fools) ס֣וּר (and turning aside) מֵרָֽע׃ (from evil).

20  הָלוֹךְ (The one walking) אֶת־ (with) חֲכָמִ֣ים (wise ones) וַחֲכָם (will become wise),

וְרֹעֶ֖ה (and the one accompanying) כְסִילִ֣ים (fools) יֵרֽוֹעַ׃ (will suffer evil).

21  חַ֭טָּאִים (The sinful ones) תְּרַדֵּ֣ף (pursue) רָעָ֑ה (evil),

וְאֶת־ (and) צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים (the righteous ones) יְשַׁלֶּם־ (will reward) טֽוֹב׃ (goodness).

22  ט֗וֹב (A good one) יַנְחִ֥יל (leaves an inheritance) בְּנֵֽי־ (for the sons) בָנִ֑ים (of his sons),

וְצָפ֥וּן (and is stored up) לַ֝צַּדִּ֗יק (for a righteous one) חֵ֣יל (the wealth) חוֹטֵֽא׃ (of the sinner).

23  רָב־ (There is much) אֹ֭כֶל (food) נִ֣יר (in the fallow ground) רָאשִׁ֑ים (of the poor),

וְיֵ֥שׁ (and it is) נִ֝סְפֶּ֗ה (swept away) בְּלֹ֣א (for lack) מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ (of justice).

24  חוֹשֵׂ֣ךְ (The one withholding) שִׁ֭בְטוֹ (his rod) שׂוֹנֵ֣א (is hating) בְנ֑וֹ (his son),

וְ֝אֹהֲב֗וֹ (and one loving him) שִֽׁחֲר֥וֹ (diligently seeks him) מוּסָֽר׃ (with discipline).

25  צַדִּ֗יק (A righteous one) אֹ֭כֵל (is eating) לְשֹׂ֣בַע (to the satisfaction) נַפְשׁ֑וֹ (of his soul),

וּבֶ֖טֶן (and the belly) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (of the wicked) תֶּחְסָֽר׃פ (will be lacking).