Better a Dry Morsel in Quietness

1  ט֤וֹב (Better is) פַּ֣ת (a morsel) חֲ֭רֵבָה (dry) וְשַׁלְוָה־ (and quietness) בָ֑הּ (with it)

מִ֝בַּ֗יִת (than a house) מָלֵ֥א (full) זִבְחֵי־ (of feasting) רִֽיב׃ (with strife).

2  עֶֽבֶד־ (A servant) מַשְׂכִּ֗יל (wise) יִ֭מְשֹׁל (rules) בְּבֵ֣ן (over a son) מֵבִ֑ישׁ (who acts shamefully),

וּבְת֥וֹךְ (and in the midst) אַ֝חִ֗ים (of brothers) יַחֲלֹ֥ק (he will share) נַחֲלָֽה׃ (an inheritance).

3  מַצְרֵ֣ף (The crucible is) לַ֭כֶּסֶף (for silver) וְכ֣וּר (and the furnace) לַזָּהָ֑ב (for gold),

וּבֹחֵ֖ן (and the One testing) לִבּ֣וֹת (hearts) יְהוָֽה׃ (is YHWH).

4  מֵ֭רַע (One doing evil) מַקְשִׁ֣יב (pays attention) עַל־ (to) שְׂפַת־ (lips) אָ֑וֶן (of iniquity);

שֶׁ֥קֶר (a liar) מֵ֝זִין (gives ear) עַל־ (to) לְשׁ֥וֹן (a tongue) הַוֺּֽת׃ (of evil desires).

5  לֹעֵ֣ג (One mocking) לָ֭רָשׁ (the poor) חֵרֵ֣ף (scorns) עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ (his Maker);

שָׂמֵ֥חַ (one glad) לְ֝אֵ֗יד (at calamity) לֹ֣א (not) יִנָּקֶֽה׃ (will be acquitted).

6  עֲטֶ֣רֶת (The crown) זְ֭קֵנִים (of old men) בְּנֵ֣י (are the sons) בָנִ֑ים (of sons)

וְתִפְאֶ֖רֶת (and the glory) בָּנִ֣ים (of sons) אֲבוֹתָֽם׃ (are their fathers).

7  לֹא־ (Not) נָאוָ֣ה (is lovely) לְנָבָ֣ל (to a fool) שְׂפַת־ (a lip) יֶ֑תֶר (of excellence)—

אַ֝֗ף (even) כִּֽי־ (less) לְנָדִ֥יב (to a prince) שְׂפַת־ (is a lip) שָֽׁקֶר׃ (of falsehood).

8  אֶֽבֶן־ (A stone) חֵ֣ן (of favor) הַ֭שֹּׁחַד (is a bribe) בְּעֵינֵ֣י (in the eyes) בְעָלָ֑יו (of its masters)

אֶֽל־ (to) כָּל־ (all) אֲשֶׁ֖ר (that) יִפְנֶ֣ה (he turns), יַשְׂכִּֽיל׃ (he prospers).

9  מְֽכַסֶּה־ (The one covering) פֶּ֭שַׁע (a transgression) מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ (is seeking) אַהֲבָ֑ה (love),

וְשֹׁנֶ֥ה (and one repeating) בְ֝דָבָ֗ר (a word) מַפְרִ֥יד (is separating) אַלּֽוּף׃ (a close friend).

10  תֵּ֣חַת (Goes down) גְּעָרָ֣ה (a rebuke) בְמֵבִ֑ין (into an understanding one)

מֵהַכּ֖וֹת (than stripes) כְּסִ֣יל (into a fool) מֵאָֽה׃ (more than a hundred).

11  אַךְ־ (Only) מְרִ֥י (rebellion) יְבַקֶּשׁ־ (seeks) רָ֑ע (an evil one);

וּמַלְאָ֥ךְ (and a messenger) אַ֝כְזָרִ֗י (cruel) יְשֻׁלַּח־ (will be sent) בּֽוֹ׃ (against him).

12  פָּג֬וֹשׁ (Let meet) דֹּ֣ב (a bear) שַׁכּ֣וּל (robbed of her cubs) בְּאִ֑ישׁ (with a man),

וְאַל־ (and not) כְּ֝סִ֗יל (a fool) בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃ (in his folly).

13  מֵשִׁ֣יב (One returning) רָ֭עָה (evil) תַּ֣חַת (in exchange for) טוֹבָ֑ה (good)—

לֹא־ (not) תָמִישׁ (shall depart) רָ֝עָ֗ה (evil) מִבֵּיתֽוֹ׃ (from his house).

14  פּ֣וֹטֵֽר (Is a letting out) מַ֭יִם (of waters) רֵאשִׁ֣ית (is the beginning) מָד֑וֹן (of strife);

וְלִפְנֵ֥י (and before) הִ֝תְגַּלַּ֗ע (it breaks out), הָרִ֥יב (the dispute) נְטֽוֹשׁ׃ (abandon).

15  מַצְדִּ֣יק (One justifying) רָ֭שָׁע (the wicked) וּמַרְשִׁ֣יעַ (and condemning) צַדִּ֑יק (the just)

תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת (are an abomination) יְ֝הוָ֗ה (to YHWH) גַּם־ (even) שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ (the two of them).

16  לָמָּה־ (Why is) זֶּ֣ה (is this) מְחִ֣יר (a payment) בְּיַד־ (in the hand) כְּסִ֑יל (of a fool)

לִקְנ֖וֹת (to buy) חָכְמָ֣ה (wisdom), וְלֶב־ (and a heart) אָֽיִן׃ (is not).

17  בְּכָל־ (At every) עֵ֭ת (time) אֹהֵ֣ב (is loving) הָרֵ֑עַ (a friend),

וְאָ֥ח (and a brother) לְ֝צָרָ֗ה (for distress) יִוָּלֵֽד׃ (is born).

18  אָדָ֣ם (A man) חֲסַר־ (lacking) לֵ֭ב (heart) תּוֹקֵ֣עַ (is one striking) כָּ֑ף (hands)

עֹרֵ֥ב (pledging) עֲ֝רֻבָּ֗ה (a pledge) לִפְנֵ֥י (before the face) רֵעֵֽהוּ׃ (of his friend).

19  אֹ֣הֵֽב (The one loving) פֶּ֭שַׁע (transgression) אֹהֵ֣ב (loves) מַצָּ֑ה (strife);

מַגְבִּ֥יהַּ (the one making high) פִּ֝תְח֗וֹ (his entrance) מְבַקֶּשׁ־ (is seeking) שָֽׁבֶר׃ (destruction).

20  עִקֶּשׁ־ (The twisted) לֵ֭ב (of heart) לֹ֣א (not) יִמְצָא־ (shall find) ט֑וֹב (the good),

וְנֶהְפָּ֥ךְ (and the turned) בִּ֝לְשׁוֹנ֗וֹ (in his tongue) יִפּ֥וֹל (falls) בְּרָעָֽה׃ (into evil).

21  יֹלֵ֣ד (The one begetting) כְּ֭סִיל (a fool), לְת֣וּגָה (grief) ל֑וֹ (is unto him),

וְלֹֽא־ (and not) יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח (is glad) אֲבִ֣י (the father) נָבָֽל׃ (of a fool).

22  לֵ֣ב (A heart) שָׂ֭מֵחַ (joyful) יֵיטִ֣ב (is good) גֵּהָ֑ה (healing),

וְר֥וּחַ (and a spirit) נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה (stricken) תְּיַבֶּשׁ־ (dries up) גָּֽרֶם׃ (the bones).

23  שֹׁ֣חַד (A bribe) מֵ֭חֵיק (from the bosom) רָשָׁ֣ע (a wicked one) יִקָּ֑ח (takes)

לְ֝הַטּ֗וֹת (to stretch aside) אָרְח֥וֹת (the paths) מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ (of justice).

24  אֶת־ (With) פְּנֵ֣י (the face) מֵבִ֣ין (of a discerning one) חָכְמָ֑ה (is wisdom),

וְעֵינֵ֥י (and the eyes) כְ֝סִ֗יל (of a fool) בִּקְצֵה־ (are at the end) אָֽרֶץ׃ (of the earth).

25  כַּ֣עַס (Is a grief) לְ֭אָבִיו (to his father) בֵּ֣ן (is a son) כְּסִ֑יל (foolish),

וּ֝מֶ֗מֶר (and bitterness) לְיוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃ (to her who bore him).

26  גַּ֤ם (Surely) עֲנ֣וֹשׁ (to fine) לַצַּדִּ֣יק (the righteous) לֹא־ (is not) ט֑וֹב (good)—

לְהַכּ֖וֹת (to strike) נְדִיבִ֣ים (nobles) עַל־ (for) יֹֽשֶׁר׃ (uprightness).

27  חוֹשֵׂ֣ךְ (The one restraining) אֲ֭מָרָיו (his words) יוֹדֵ֣עַ (is one knowing) דָּ֑עַת (knowledge);

וְקַר (and calm) ר֝֗וּחַ (of spirit) אִ֣ישׁ (is a man) תְּבוּנָֽה׃ (of understanding).

28  גַּ֤ם (Even) אֱוִ֣יל (a fool) מַ֭חֲרִישׁ (keeping silent) חָכָ֣ם (wise) יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב (is considered)—

אֹטֵ֖ם (one shutting) שְׂפָתָ֣יו (his lips) נָבֽוֹן׃ (discerning).