¹A recluse seeks to fulfil his yearning,

And despite all his resourcefulness,

He flares up.

²A fool does not take delight in understanding,

But in laying open his heart.

³When a wicked man comes,

Contempt comes too,

And with shame comes reproach.

⁴The words of a man's mouth are deep waters,

And the source of wisdom is a gushing stream.

⁵To show partiality to the wicked is not good,

Nor is it to pervert the course of justice of the righteous man.

⁶The lips of the fool enter into a quarrel,

And his mouth calls out for beatings.

⁷The fool's mouth is his ruin,

And his lips are a trap for his life.

⁸The words of a gossipmonger are like delicacies,

Which go down to the inner parts of the belly.

⁹Also he who is slack in his work

Is a brother to a ruinous man.

¹⁰The name of the Lord is a tower of strength.

To him the righteous man runs

And is set on high.

¹¹A rich man's wealth is his strong town,

And it is like a high wall in his imagination.

¹²A man's heart is haughty before a disaster,

But meekness is warranted before honour.

¹³When one gives an answer before he has heard,

It is foolishness and ignominy to his account.

¹⁴The spirit of a man sustains him in his infirmity,

But as for a dejected spirit,

Who can endure it?

¹⁵An understanding heart acquires knowledge,

And it is knowledge that the ear of the wise seeks.

¹⁶A gift from a man provides relief for him

And leads him to the presence of the great.

¹⁷The first to state his case seems right in his lawsuit,

But when his neighbour comes,

He investigates him.

¹⁸The lot as determined puts an end to disputes,

And it parts great men.

¹⁹An offended brother is more difficult to win over

Than a strong town,

As are arguments

Than a castle gate bolt.

²⁰By the fruit of a man's mouth

His stomach will be satisfied,

And by the produce of his lips

He will be satiated.

²¹Life and death are in the power of the tongue,

And those who love it

Will eat its fruit.

²²He who has found a wife

Has found something good

And has received goodwill from the Lord.

²³He who is impoverished utters supplications,

But a rich man answers with harsh words.

²⁴A man may have friends

Who bring him to breaking point,

But there is one who loves him

And is attached to him more than a brother.