As a Rush of Water, so is the Kings' heart in G-ds' Hand: He Turns it whithersoever He may Desire to Point Out. Every man seems to himself Righteous; but the L-rd Directs the hearts. To Do Justly and to Speak Truth, are more Pleasing to G-d than the blood of sacrifices. A high-minded man is stout-hearted in pride; and the lamp of the wicked is sin. He that gathers treasures with a lying tongue pursues vanity to the snares of death. Destruction shall lodge with the ungodly; for they refuse to do Justly. To the froward, G-d Sends froward ways; for His Works are Pure and Right. [It is] better to dwell in a corner on the house-top than in plastered [rooms] with unrighteousness, and in an open house. The soul of the ungodly shall not be Pitied by any man. When an intemperate man is Punished the simple becomes Wiser: and a Wise man Understanding shall Receive Knowledge. A Righteous man Understands the hearts of the ungodly: and despises the ungodly for their wickedness.
He that stops his ears from hearing the poor, himself also shall cry, and there shall be none to hear. A secret gift calms anger: but he that forbears to give stirs up strong wrath. [It is] the Joy of the Righteous to Do Judgment: but a Holy man is abominable with evil-doers. A man that wanders out of the Way of Righteousness, shall rest in the congregation of the giants. A poor man loves mirth, loving wine and oil in abundance; and a transgressor is the abomination of a Righteous man. [It]is better to dwell in a wilderness than with a quarrelsome and talkative and passionate woman. A Desirable Treasure will Rest on the mouth of the Wise; but foolish men will swallow it up. The Way of Righteousness and Mercy will Find Life and Glory. A Wise man assaults strong cities, and demolishes the fortresses in which the ungodly trusted. He that Keeps his mouth and his tongue Keeps his soul from trouble.
A bold and self-willed and insolent [man] is called a pest: and he that remembers injuries is a transgressor. Desires kill the sluggard; for his hands do not choose to do anything. An ungodly man entertains evil desires all the day: but the Righteous is unsparingly Merciful and Compassionate. The sacrifices of the ungodly are an abomination to the L-RD, for they offer them wickedly. A false witness shall perish; but an obedient man will speak cautiously. An ungodly man impudently withstands with his face; but the Upright man himself Understands his ways. There is no Wisdom, there is no Courage, there is no Counsel with the ungodly. A horse is prepared for the day of battle; but Help is of the L-rd.
Chapter Twenty-Two
A fair name is better than much wealth, and Good Favour is above silver and gold. The rich and the poor meet together; but the L-RD has made them both. An intelligent man seeing a bad man severely punished is himself Instructed, but fools pass by and are punished. The Fear of the L-RD os the Offspring of Wisdom, and Wealth, and Glory, and Life. Thistles and snares are in perverse ways; but he that Keeps his soul will refrain from them. The rich will rule over the poor, and servants will lend to their own masters.
He that sows wickedness shall reap troubles; and shall fully receive the punishment of his deeds. G-d loves a cheerful and liberal man; but [a man] shall fully prove the folly of his [own] works. He that has pity on the poor shall be himself Maintained; for he has Given of his own Bread to the poor. He that Gives liberally secures Victory and Honor; but he takes away that life of them that [appear to] possess [them]. Cast out the pestilent person from the council, and strife shall go out with him; for when he sits in the council he dishonours all.
The L-RD Loves Holy hearts, and all Blameless persons are Acceptable with Him: a King Rules with his lips. But the eyes of the L-RD Preserve Discretion; but the transgressor despises [Wise] words. The sluggard makes excuses, and says, [There] is a lion in the Ways, and murderers in the streets. The mouth of a transgressor is a deep pit; and he that is hated of the L-RD shall fall into it. Evil ways are before a man, and he does not like to turn away from them; but it is needful to turn aside from a perverse and a bad way. Folly is attached to the heart of a child, but the rod and Instruction are [then] far from him.
He that oppresses the poor, increases his own substance, yet gives to the rich so as to make it less.
Incline thine ear to the words of Wise men: hear also my word, and Apply thine heart, that thou mayest Know that they are Good; and if thou Lay them to thine heart, they shall also Gladden thee on thy lips. That thy Hope may be in the L-RD, and He may Make thy Way Known to thee. And do thou too repeatedly Record them for thyself on the Table of thine heart, for Counsel and Knowledge. I therefroe Teach thee Truth, and Knowledge Good to Hear; that thou mayest Answer words of Truth to them that question thee.
Do no violence to the poor, for he is needy; neither dishonour the helpless in the Gates. For the L-RD will Plead his Cause, and thou shalt Deliver thy soul in Safety.
Be not companion to a furious man; neither lodge with a passionate man: lest thou learn of his ways, and get snares to thy soul.
Become not surety from respect of a mans' person. For if those have not whence to give compensation, they will take the bed under thee. Remove not the old landmarks, which thy fathers placed.
It is Fit that an Observant man and Diligent in his Business should Attend on Kings, and not Attend on slothful men.
Chapter Twenty-Three
If you sit at supper at the table of a prince, consider attentively the things set before thee: and apply thine hand, knowing that it behooves thee to prepare such: but if thou art very insatiable, desire not his provisions; for these belong to a false life.
If thou art poor, measure not thyself with a rich man; but refrain thyself in Wisdom. If thou shouldest fix thine eye upon him, he will disappear; for wings like an eagle are prepared for him, and he returns not to the house of his master. Eat not with an envious man, neither desire thou his meats: so he eats and drinks as if anyone should swallow a hair, and do not bring him in to thyself, nor eat thy morsel with him: for he will vomit it up, and spoil thy fair words.
Say nothing in the ears of a fool, lest at any time he sneer at thy wise words. Remove not the ancient landmarks; and enter not upon the possession of the fatherless: for the L-RD is their Redeemer; He is Mighty, and will Plead their Cause with thee. Apply thine heart to Instruction, and Prepare thine ears for Words of Discretion.
Refrain not from chastening a child; for if thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die. For thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from death.
Son, if thy heart be Wise, thou shalt also Gladden my heart; and thy lips shall Converse with my lips, if they be Right. Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the Fear of the L-RD all the day. For if thou shouldest Keep these things, thou shalt have Posterity; and thine Hope shall not be removed.
Hear [my] son, and be Wise, and Rightly Direct the Thoughts of thine heart. Be not a wine-bibber, neither continue long at feasts, and purchases of flesh: for every drunkard and whoremonger shall be poor; and every sluggard shall clothe himself with tatters and ragged garments.
Hearken [my] son, to thy father which begot thee, and despise not [thy mother] because she is grown old. A Righteous father brings up [his children] well; and his soul Rejoices over a Wise son. Let thy father and thy mother Rejoice over thee, and let her that bore thee be Glad.
[My] son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes Observe my Ways. For a strange house is a vessel full of holes; and a strange well is narrow. For such a one shall perish suddenly; and every transgressor shall be cut off.
Who has woe? who trouble? who quarrels? and who vexations and disputes? who bruises without a cause? whose eyes are livid? Are not those them that stay long at wine? [are] not [those] of them that haunt [the places] where banquets are? Be not drunk with wine; but converse with Just men, and converse [with them] openly. For if thou shouldest set thine eyes on bowls and cups, thou shalt afterwards go more naked than a pestle. But at last [such a one] stretches himself out as one smitten by a serpent and venom is diffused through him as a horned serpent.
Whenever thine eyes shall behold a strange woman, then thy mouth shall speak perverse things. And thou shalt lie as in the midst of the sea, and as a pilot in the great storm. And thou shalt say, They smote me, and I was not pained; and they mocked me, and I knew it not: when will it be morning, that I may go and seek those with whom I may be in company?
Chapter Twenty-Four
[My] son, envy not bad men, nor desire to be with them. For their heart meditates falsehoods, and their lips speak mischiefs. A House is Built by Wisdom, and is Set Up by Understanding. By Discretion the Chambers are Filled with all Precious and Excellent Wealth. A Wise man is better than a strong man; and a man who has Prudence than a large estate. War is carried on with Generalship, and Aid is Supplied to the heart of a Counsellor.
Wisdom and Good Understanding are in the Gates of the Wise: the Wise turn not aside from the Mouth of the L-RD, but Deliberate in Council. Death befalls uninstructed. The fool also dies in sins; and uncleanness to a pestilent man. He shall be defiled in the evil day, and in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed.
Deliver them that are led away with death, and redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not. But if thou shouldest say, I know not this man; know that the L-RD Knows the hearts of all; and He that Formed breath for all, He Knows all things, who Renders to every man according to his works. [My] son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, that thy throat may be sweetened. Thus shalt thou Perceive Wisdom in thy soul: for if thou Find It, thine End shall be Good, and Hope shall not fail thee.
Bring not an ungodly man into the Dwelling of the Righteous: neither be deceived by the feeding of the belly. For a Righteous man will fall seven times, and Rise: but the ungodly shall be without Strength in troubles. If thine enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, neither be elated at his overthrow. Fot the L-RD will See, and it will not Please Him, and He will turn away His Wrath from him. Rejoice not in evil-doers, neither be envious of sinners. For the evil man shall have no Posterity: and the light of the wicked shall be put out.
[My] son, Fear G-d, and the King: and do not disobey either of them. For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance by both?
PEOPLE OF G-D, MESSIANIC
