The Selfishness of the Unfriendly

1  לְֽ֭תַאֲוָה (His own desire) יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ (does seek) נִפְרָ֑ד (the one separating himself);

בְּכָל־ (against all) תּ֝וּשִׁיָּ֗ה (sound wisdom) יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃ (he breaks out).

2  לֹֽא־ (Not) יַחְפֹּ֣ץ (does delight) כְּ֭סִיל (a fool) בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה (in understanding),

כִּ֝֗י (but) אִֽם־ (rather) בְּהִתְגַּלּ֥וֹת (in uncovering) לִבּֽוֹ׃ (his heart).

3  בְּֽבוֹא־ (With the coming) רָ֭שָׁע (of the wicked) בָּ֣א (comes) גַם־ (also) בּ֑וּז (contempt),

וְֽעִם־ (and with) קָל֥וֹן (shame) חֶרְפָּֽה׃ (reproach).

4  מַ֣יִם (Waters) עֲ֭מֻקִּים (deep) דִּבְרֵ֣י (are the words) פִי־ (of the mouth) אִ֑ישׁ (of man);

נַ֥חַל (a brook) נֹ֝בֵ֗עַ (flowing) מְק֣וֹר (is the fountain) חָכְמָֽה׃ (of wisdom).

5  שְׂאֵ֣ת (To lift up) פְּנֵי־ (the face) רָשָׁ֣ע (to a wicked one) לֹא־ (is not) ט֑וֹב (good)—

לְהַטּ֥וֹת (to overthrow) צַ֝דִּ֗יק (a righteous one) בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ (in the judgment).

6  שִׂפְתֵ֣י (The lips) כְ֭סִיל (of a fool) יָבֹ֣אֽוּ (enter) בְרִ֑יב (into strife),

וּ֝פִ֗יו (and his mouth) לְֽמַהֲלֻמ֥וֹת (for blows) יִקְרָֽא׃ (calls).

7  פִּֽי־ (The mouth) כְ֭סִיל (of a fool) מְחִתָּה־ (is ruin) ל֑וֹ (to him),

וּ֝שְׂפָתָ֗יו (and his lips) מוֹקֵ֥שׁ (are a snare) נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ (to his soul).

8  דִּבְרֵ֣י (The words) נִ֭רְגָּן (of a whisperer) כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים (are like things to be gulped),

וְ֝הֵ֗ם (and they) יָרְד֥וּ (go down) חַדְרֵי־ (into the chambers) בָֽטֶן׃ (of the belly).

9  גַּ֭ם (Also) מִתְרַפֶּ֣ה (the one being slack)

בִמְלַאכְתּ֑וֹ (in his work) אָ֥ח (a brother) ה֝֗וּא (is) לְבַ֣עַל (to a lord) מַשְׁחִֽית׃ (of destruction).

10  מִגְדַּל־ (A tower) עֹ֭ז (of strength) שֵׁ֣ם (is the name) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH);

בּֽוֹ־ (to it) יָר֖וּץ (runs) צַדִּ֣יק (a righteous one) וְנִשְׂגָּֽב׃ (and is set on high).

11  ה֣וֹן (The wealth) עָ֭שִׁיר (of the rich one) קִרְיַ֣ת (is the city) עֻזּ֑וֹ (of his strength),

וּכְחוֹמָ֥ה (and like a wall) נִ֝שְׂגָּבָ֗ה (set high) בְּמַשְׂכִּיתֽוֹ׃ (in his imagination).

12  לִפְנֵי־ (Before the face) שֶׁ֭בֶר (of destruction) יִגְבַּ֣הּ (is exalted) לֵב־ (the heart) אִ֑ישׁ (of a man),

וְלִפְנֵ֖י (and before) כָב֣וֹד (honor) עֲנָוָֽה׃ (is humility).

13  מֵשִׁ֣יב (The one returning) דָּ֭בָר (a word) בְּטֶ֣רֶם (before) יִשְׁמָ֑ע (he hears),

אִוֶּ֥לֶת (folly) הִיא־ (it is) ל֝֗וֹ (to him) וּכְלִמָּֽה׃ (and disgrace).

14  רֽוּחַ־ (The spirit) אִ֭ישׁ (of a man) יְכַלְכֵּ֣ל (will endure) מַחֲלֵ֑הוּ (in his sickness),

וְר֥וּחַ (and a spirit) נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה (stricken), מִ֣י (who) יִשָּׂאֶֽנָּה׃ (can bear it)? Can bear it

15  לֵ֣ב (the heart) נָ֭בוֹן (of an understanding one) יִקְנֶה־ (acquires) דָּ֑עַת (knowledge)

וְאֹ֥זֶן (and the ear) חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים (of the wise ones) תְּבַקֶּשׁ־ (seeks) דָּֽעַת׃ (knowledge).

16  מַתָּ֣ן (The gift) אָ֭דָם (of a man) יַרְחִ֣יב (makes room) ל֑וֹ (for him)

וְלִפְנֵ֖י (and before the face) גְדֹלִ֣ים (of great ones) יַנְחֶֽנּוּ׃ (it leads him).

17  צַדִּ֣יק (Seems right) הָרִאשׁ֣וֹן (The first) בְּרִיב֑וֹ (in his dispute)

יָבֹא (until comes) רֵ֝עֵ֗הוּ (his neighbor) וַחֲקָרֽוֹ׃ (and examines him).

18  מִ֭דְיָנִים (Quarrels) יַשְׁבִּ֣ית (makes cease) הַגּוֹרָ֑ל (the lot),

וּבֵ֖ין (and between) עֲצוּמִ֣ים (mighty ones) יַפְרִֽיד׃ (it separates).

19  אָ֗ח (A brother) נִפְשָׁ֥ע (transgressed) מִקִּרְיַת־ (is as a city) עֹ֑ז (of strength)

וּמְדוֹנִים (and quarrels are) כִּבְרִ֥יחַ (like the gate bar) אַרְמֽוֹן׃ (of a citadel).

20  מִפְּרִ֣י (From the fruit) פִי־ (of the mouth) אִ֭ישׁ (of man) תִּשְׂבַּ֣ע (is satisfied) בִּטְנ֑וֹ (his belly);

תְּבוּאַ֖ת (with the produce) שְׂפָתָ֣יו (of his lips) יִשְׂבָּֽע׃ (he is satisfied).

21  מָ֣וֶת (Death) וְ֭חַיִּים (and life) בְּיַד־ (are in the hand) לָשׁ֑וֹן (of the tongue),

וְ֝אֹהֲבֶ֗יהָ (and those loving it) יֹאכַ֥ל (will eat) פִּרְיָֽהּ׃ (its fruit).

22  מָצָ֣א (He who has found) אִ֭שָּׁה (a wife) מָ֣צָא (has found) ט֑וֹב (good)

וַיָּ֥פֶק (and he obtains) רָ֝צ֗וֹן (favor) מֵיְהוָֽה׃ (from YHWH).

23  תַּחֲנוּנִ֥ים (With supplications) יְדַבֶּר־ (speaks) רָ֑שׁ (the poor one),

וְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר (and a rich one) יַעֲנֶ֥ה (answers) עַזּֽוֹת׃ (fiercely).

24  אִ֣ישׁ (A man) רֵ֭עִים (of companions) לְהִתְרֹעֵ֑עַ (may come to ruin),

וְיֵ֥שׁ (and there is) אֹ֝הֵ֗ב (a lover) דָּבֵ֥ק (adhering) מֵאָֽח׃ (more than a brother).