A Gentle Answer Turns Away Wrath
1 מַֽעֲנֶה־ (An answer) רַּ֭ךְ (of tenderness) יָשִׁ֣יב (turns away) חֵמָ֑ה (rage),
וּדְבַר־ (and a word) עֶ֝֗צֶב (of pain) יַעֲלֶה־ (raises up) אָֽף׃ (anger).
2 לְשׁ֣וֹן (The tongue) חֲ֭כָמִים (of the wise) תֵּיטִ֣יב (makes good) דָּ֑עַת (knowledge),
וּפִ֥י (and the mouth) כְ֝סִילִ֗ים (of fools) יַבִּ֥יעַ (pours forth) אִוֶּֽלֶת׃ (folly).
3 בְּֽכָל־ (In every) מָ֭קוֹם (place) עֵינֵ֣י (are the eyes) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH),
צֹ֝פ֗וֹת (watching) רָעִ֥ים (evil ones) וטוֹבִֽים׃ (and good ones).
4 מַרְפֵּ֣א (A healing) לָ֭שׁוֹן (tongue) עֵ֣ץ (is a tree) חַיִּ֑ים (of life),
וְסֶ֥לֶף (and crookedness) בָּ֝֗הּ (in it) שֶׁ֣בֶר (is a breaking) בְּרֽוּחַ׃ (in the spirit).
5 אֱוִ֗יל (A fool) יִ֭נְאַץ (despises) מוּסַ֣ר (the discipline) אָבִ֑יו (of his father),
וְשֹׁמֵ֖ר (and the one receiving) תּוֹכַ֣חַת (correction) יַעְרִֽם׃ (is prudent).
6 בֵּ֣ית (In the house) צַ֭דִּיק (of the righteous) חֹ֣סֶן (is treasure) רָ֑ב (much),
וּבִתְבוּאַ֖ת (and in the produce) רָשָׁ֣ע (of the wicked) נֶעְכָּֽרֶת׃ (is trouble).
7 שִׂפְתֵ֣י (The lips) חֲ֭כָמִים (of the wise ones) יְזָ֣רוּ (scatter) דָ֑עַת (knowledge),
וְלֵ֖ב (and the heart) כְּסִילִ֣ים (of fools) לֹא־ (not) כֵֽן׃ (so).
8 זֶ֣בַח (The sacrifice) רְ֭שָׁעִים (of the wicked ones) תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת (is an abomination to) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH),
וּתְפִלַּ֖ת (and the prayer) יְשָׁרִ֣ים (of the upright ones) רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃ (is His delight).
9 תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת (An abomination to) יְ֭הוָה (YHWH) דֶּ֣רֶךְ (is the way) רָשָׁ֑ע (of the wicked),
וּמְרַדֵּ֖ף (while the one pursuing) צְדָקָ֣ה (righteousness) יֶאֱהָֽב׃ (He loves).
10 מוּסָ֣ר (Discipline is) רָ֭ע (is grievous) לְעֹזֵ֣ב (to the one abandoning) אֹ֑רַח (the way);
שׂוֹנֵ֖א (one hating) תוֹכַ֣חַת (correction) יָמֽוּת׃ (will die).
11 שְׁא֣וֹל (Sheol) וַ֭אֲבַדּוֹן (and Abaddon) נֶ֣גֶד (are before) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH),
אַ֝֗ף (and) כִּֽי־ (surely) לִבּ֥וֹת (the hearts) בְּֽנֵי־ (of the sons) אָדָֽם׃ (of men)?
12 לֹ֣א (Not) יֶאֱהַב־ (does love) לֵ֭ץ (one mocking) הוֹכֵ֣חַֽ (one who rebukes); ל֑וֹ (to him)
אֶל־ (to) חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים (the wise ones) לֹ֣א (not) יֵלֵֽךְ׃ (will he go).
13 לֵ֣ב (A heart) שָׂ֭מֵחַ (joyful) יֵיטִ֣ב (makes good) פָּנִ֑ים (a face),
וּבְעַצְּבַת־ (and by sorrow) לֵ֝ב (of heart) ר֣וּחַ (a spirit) נְכֵאָֽה׃ (is stricken).
14 לֵ֣ב (A heart) נָ֭בוֹן (discerning) יְבַקֶּשׁ־ (seeks) דָּ֑עַת (knowledge),
וּפְנֵי (and the mouth) כְ֝סִילִ֗ים (of fools) יִרְעֶ֥ה (feeds on) אִוֶּֽלֶת׃ (folly).
15 כָּל־ (All) יְמֵ֣י (the days) עָנִ֣י (of the afflicted) רָעִ֑ים (are evil),
וְטֽוֹב־ (and a good) לֵ֝֗ב (heart) מִשְׁתֶּ֥ה (is a feast) תָמִֽיד׃ (continual).
16 טוֹב־ (Better) מְ֭עַט (is a little) בְּיִרְאַ֣ת (with the fear) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH)
מֵאוֹצָ֥ר (than treasure) רָ֝֗ב (great) וּמְה֥וּמָה (and anxiety) בֽוֹ׃ (with it).
17 ט֤וֹב (Better is) אֲרֻחַ֣ת (a portion) יָ֭רָק (of herbs) וְאַהֲבָה־ (when love) שָׁ֑ם (is there)
מִשּׁ֥וֹר (than a calf) אָ֝ב֗וּס (fattened) וְשִׂנְאָה־ (when hatred) בֽוֹ׃ (is with it).
18 אִ֣ישׁ (A man) חֵ֭מָה (of wrath) יְגָרֶ֣ה (stirs up) מָד֑וֹן (strife),
וְאֶ֥רֶך (and one long) אַ֝פַּ֗יִם (of nostrils) יַשְׁקִ֥יט (quiets) רִֽיב׃ (fighting).
19 דֶּ֣רֶךְ (The way) עָ֭צֵל (of the sluggish one) כִּמְשֻׂ֣כַת (is like a hedge) חָ֑דֶק (of thorns),
וְאֹ֖רַח (and the path) יְשָׁרִ֣ים (of the upright) סְלֻלָֽה׃ (is raised up).
20 בֵּ֣ן (A son) חָ֭כָם (wise) יְשַׂמַּח־ (gladdens) אָ֑ב (his father),
וּכְסִ֥יל (and a foolish) אָ֝דָ֗ם (man) בּוֹזֶ֥ה (despises) אִמּֽוֹ׃ (his mother).
21 אִ֭וֶּלֶת (Folly is) שִׂמְחָ֣ה (joy) לַחֲסַר־ (to the one lacking) לֵ֑ב (heart),
וְאִ֥ישׁ (and a man) תְּ֝בוּנָ֗ה (of understanding) יְיַשֶׁר־ (makes straight) לָֽכֶת׃ (his walk).
22 הָפֵ֣ר (Are broken) מַ֭חֲשָׁבוֹת (plans) בְּאֵ֣ין (without) ס֑וֹד (counsel),
וּבְרֹ֖ב (and in a multitude) יוֹעֲצִ֣ים (of counselors) תָּקֽוּם׃ (it is established).
23 שִׂמְחָ֣ה (Joy) לָ֭אִישׁ (is unto a man) בְּמַעֲנֵה־ (in the answer) פִ֑יו (of his mouth),
וְדָבָ֖ר (and a word) בְּעִתּ֣וֹ (in its season), מַה־ (how) טּֽוֹב׃ (good it is)!
24 אֹ֣רַח (The path) חַ֭יִּים (of life) לְמַ֣עְלָה (is on high) לְמַשְׂכִּ֑יל (for the one being wise),
לְמַ֥עַן (that) ס֝֗וּר (he may turn away) מִשְּׁא֥וֹל (from Sheol) מָֽטָּה׃ (below).
25 בֵּ֣ית (The house) גֵּ֭אִים (of the proud ones) יִסַּ֥ח׀ (will tear down) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH),
וְ֝יַצֵּ֗ב (and He will make stand) גְּב֣וּל (the boundary) אַלְמָנָֽה׃ (of the widow).
26 תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת (An abomination) יְ֭הוָה (YHWH) מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת (are the thoughts) רָ֑ע (of the wicked),
וּ֝טְהֹרִ֗ים (and pure) אִמְרֵי־ (are words) נֹֽעַם׃ (of pleasantness).
27 עֹכֵ֣ר (Is troubling) בֵּ֭יתוֹ (his house) בּוֹצֵ֣עַ (the one being greedy) בָּ֑צַע (for dishonest gain),
וְשׂוֹנֵ֖א (and the one hating) מַתָּנֹ֣ת (bribes) יִחְיֶֽה׃ (will live).
28 לֵ֣ב (The heart) צַ֭דִּיק (of the righteous) יֶהְגֶּ֣ה (ponders) לַעֲנ֑וֹת (how to answer),
וּפִ֥י (and the mouth) רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים (of the wicked) יַבִּ֥יעַ (pours forth) רָעֽוֹת׃ (evils).
29 רָח֣וֹק (Far) יְ֭הוָה (is YHWH) מֵרְשָׁעִ֑ים (from the wicked),
וּתְפִלַּ֖ת (and the prayer) צַדִּיקִ֣ים (of the righteous) יִשְׁמָֽע׃ (He hears).
30 מְֽאוֹר־ (The light) עֵ֭ינַיִם (of the eyes) יְשַׂמַּֽח־ (gladdens) לֵ֑ב (the heart);
שְׁמוּעָ֥ה (a report) ט֝וֹבָ֗ה (good) תְּדַשֶּׁן־ (fattens) עָֽצֶם׃ (the bone).
31 אֹ֗זֶן (The ear) שֹׁ֭מַעַת (hearing) תּוֹכַ֣חַת (the rebukes) חַיִּ֑ים (of life),
בְּקֶ֖רֶב (among) חֲכָמִ֣ים (the wise ones) תָּלִֽין׃ (it will abide).
32 פּוֹרֵ֣עַ (The one neglecting) מ֭וּסָר (discipline) מוֹאֵ֣ס (despises) נַפְשׁ֑וֹ (his own soul),
וְשׁוֹמֵ֥עַ (and the one hearing) תּ֝וֹכַ֗חַת (a rebuke) ק֣וֹנֶה (acquires) לֵּֽב׃ (understanding).
33 יִרְאַ֣ת (The fear) יְ֭הוָה (of YHWH) מוּסַ֣ר (is the instruction) חָכְמָ֑ה (of wisdom),
וְלִפְנֵ֖י (and before the face) כָב֣וֹד (of honor) עֲנָוָֽה׃ (is humility).
