Chapter 12

1He who loves discipline loves knowledge; He who spurns reproof is a brutish man.

אאֹהֵב מוּסָר אֹהֵב דָּעַת וְשֹׂנֵא תוֹכַחַת בָּעַר׃

2A good man earns the favor of Hashem, A man of intrigues, His condemnation.

בטוֹב יָפִיק רָצוֹן מֵיְהֹוָה וְאִישׁ מְזִמּוֹת יַרְשִׁיעַ׃

3A man cannot be established in wickedness, But the root of the righteous will not be shaken loose.

גלֹא־יִכּוֹן אָדָם בְּרֶשַׁע וְשֹׁרֶשׁ צַדִּיקִים בַּל־יִמּוֹט׃

4A capable wife is a crown for her husband, But an incompetent one is like rot in his bones.

דאֵשֶׁת־חַיִל עֲטֶרֶת בַּעְלָהּ וּכְרָקָב בְּעַצְמוֹתָיו מְבִישָׁה׃

5The purposes of the righteous are justice, The schemes of the wicked are deceit.

המַחְשְׁבוֹת צַדִּיקִים מִשְׁפָּט תַּחְבֻּלוֹת רְשָׁעִים מִרְמָה׃

6The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush, But the speech of the upright saves them.

ודִּבְרֵי רְשָׁעִים אֱרָב־דָּם וּפִי יְשָׁרִים יַצִּילֵם׃

7Overturn the wicked and they are gone, But the house of the righteous will endure.

זהָפוֹךְ רְשָׁעִים וְאֵינָם וּבֵית צַדִּיקִים יַעֲמֹד׃

8A man is commended according to his intelligence; A twisted mind is held up to contempt.

חלְפִי־שִׂכְלוֹ יְהֻלַּל־אִישׁ וְנַעֲוֵה־לֵב יִהְיֶה לָבוּז׃

9Better to be lightly esteemed and have a servant Than to put on airs and have no food.

טטוֹב נִקְלֶה וְעֶבֶד לוֹ מִמְּתַכַּבֵּד וַחֲסַר־לָחֶם׃

10A righteous man knows the needs of his beast, But the compassion of the wicked is cruelty.

ייוֹדֵעַ צַדִּיק נֶפֶשׁ בְּהֶמְתּוֹ וְרַחֲמֵי רְשָׁעִים אַכְזָרִי׃

11He who tills his land shall have food in plenty, But he who pursues vanities is devoid of sense.

o-VAYD ad-ma-TO yis-ba LA-chem um-ra-DAYF ray-KEEM cha-sar LAYV

יאעֹבֵד אַדְמָתוֹ יִשְׂבַּע־לָחֶם וּמְרַדֵּף רֵיקִים חֲסַר־לֵב׃

12The wicked covet the catch of evil men; The root of the righteous yields [fruit].

יבחָמַד רָשָׁע מְצוֹד רָעִים וְשֹׁרֶשׁ צַדִּיקִים יִתֵּן׃

13Sinful speech is a trap for the evil man, But the righteous escapes from trouble.

יגבְּפֶשַׁע שְׂפָתַיִם מוֹקֵשׁ רָע וַיֵּצֵא מִצָּרָה צַדִּיק׃

14A man gets his fill of good from the fruit of his speech; One is repaid in kind for one's deeds.

ידמִפְּרִי פִי־אִישׁ יִשְׂבַּע־טוֹב וּגְמוּל יְדֵי־אָדָם ישוב [יָשִׁיב] לוֹ׃

15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; But the wise man accepts advice.

טודֶּרֶךְ אֱוִיל יָשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו וְשֹׁמֵעַ לְעֵצָה חָכָם׃

16A fool's vexation is known at once, But a clever man conceals his humiliation.

טזאֱוִיל בַּיּוֹם יִוָּדַע כַּעְסוֹ וְכֹסֶה קָלוֹן עָרוּם׃

17He who testifies faithfully tells the truth, But a false witness, deceit.

יזיָפִיחַ אֱמוּנָה יַגִּיד צֶדֶק וְעֵד שְׁקָרִים מִרְמָה׃

18There is blunt talk like sword-thrusts, But the speech of the wise is healing.

יחיֵשׁ בּוֹטֶה כְּמַדְקְרוֹת חָרֶב וּלְשׁוֹן חֲכָמִים מַרְפֵּא׃

19Truthful speech abides forever, A lying tongue for but a moment.

יטשְׂפַת־אֱמֶת תִּכּוֹן לָעַד וְעַד־אַרְגִּיעָה לְשׁוֹן שָׁקֶר׃

20Deceit is in the minds of those who plot evil; For those who plan good there is joy.

כמִרְמָה בְּלֶב־חֹרְשֵׁי רָע וּלְיֹעֲצֵי שָׁלוֹם שִׂמְחָה׃

21No harm befalls the righteous, But the wicked have their fill of misfortune.

כאלֹא־יְאֻנֶּה לַצַּדִּיק כָּל־אָוֶן וּרְשָׁעִים מָלְאוּ רָע׃

22Lying speech is an abomination to Hashem, But those who act faithfully please Him.

כבתּוֹעֲבַת יְהֹוָה שִׂפְתֵי־שָׁקֶר וְעֹשֵׂי אֱמוּנָה רְצוֹנוֹ׃

23A clever man conceals what he knows, But the mind of a dullard cries out folly.

כגאָדָם עָרוּם כֹּסֶה דָּעַת וְלֵב כְּסִילִים יִקְרָא אִוֶּלֶת׃

24The hand of the diligent wields authority; The negligent are held in subjection.

כדיַד־חָרוּצִים תִּמְשׁוֹל ורְמִיָּה תִּהְיֶה לָמַס׃

25If there is anxiety in a man's mind let him quash it, And turn it into joy with a good word.

כהדְּאָגָה בְלֶב־אִישׁ יַשְׁחֶנָּה וְדָבָר טוֹב יְשַׂמְּחֶנָּה׃

26A righteous man gives his friend direction, But the way of the wicked leads astray.

כויָתֵר מֵרֵעֵהוּ צַדִּיק וְדֶרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים תַּתְעֵם׃

27A negligent man never has game to roast; A diligent man has precious wealth.

כזלֹא־יַחֲרֹךְ רְמִיָּה צֵידוֹ וְהוֹן־אָדָם יָקָר חָרוּץ׃

28The road of righteousness leads to life; By way of its path there is no death.

כחבְּאֹרַח־צְדָקָה חַיִּים וְדֶרֶךְ נְתִיבָה אַל־מָוֶת׃