1
אַל תָּרִיב עִם אִישׁ גָּדוֹל, לָמָּה תִשּׁוֹם עַל יָדוֹ.
Do not fight with a great man; Why become destitute by his hand.
Μὴ διαμάχου μετὰ ἀνθρώπου δυνάστου, μήποτε ἐμπέσῃς εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ.
Strive not with a mighty man, Lest thou fall into his hands.
2
אַל תָּרִיב עִם קָשֶׁה מִמְּךָ, לָמָּה תִפּוֹל בְּיָדוֹ. אַל תַּחֲרֹשׁ עַל אִישׁ לֹא הוֹן, פֶּן יִשְׁקֹל מְחִירְךָ וְאָבָדְתָּ. כִּי רַבִּים הִפְחִיז זָהָב, וְהוּא יַשְׂגֶּה לֵב נְדִיבִים.
Do not fight with one harder than you; Why fall by his hand. Do not ?plow? over a man without wealth; Perhaps he will weigh your money and you will lose. For gold has made many reckless, and perverted [shin] the hearts of kings.
Μὴ ἔριζε μετὰ ἀνθρώπου πλουσίου, μήποτε ἀντιστήσῃ σου τὴν ὁλκήν· πολλους γὰρ ἀπώλεσε τὸ χρυσίον, καὶ καρδίας βασιλέων ἐξέκλινε.
Be not at variance with a rich man, lest he overweigh thee: For gold hath destroyed many, And perverted the hearts of kings.
3
אַל תִּינָץ עִם אִישׁ לָשׁוֹן, וְאַל תִּתֵּן עַל אֵשׁ עֵץ.
Do not quarrel with a man of tongues, and heap not wood upon his fire.
Μὴ διαμάχου μετὰ ἀνθρώπου γλωσσώδους, καὶ μὴ ἐπιστοιβάσῃς ἐπὶ τὸ πῦρ αὐτοῦ ξύλα.
Strive not with a man that is full of tongue, And heap not wood upon his fire.
4
Μὴ πρόσπαιζε ἀπαιδεύτῳ, ἵνα μὴ ἀτιμάζωνται οἱ πρόγονοί σου.
Jest not with a rude man, Lest thy ancestors be disgraced.
5
Μὴ ὀνείδιζε ἄνθρωπον ἀποστρέφοντα ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας, μνήσθητι ὅτι πάντες ἐσμὲν ἐν ἐπιτιμίοις.
Reproach not a man that turneth from sin, But remember that we are all worthy of punishment.
6
אַל תְּרַגִּיל אִישׁ אֱוִיל, פֶּן יָבוּז לִנְדִיבִים
Be not accustomed with a foolish man, lest thy ancestors be disgraced.
Μὴ ἀτιμάσῃς ἄνθρωπον ἐν γήρει αὐτοῦ, καὶ γὰρ ἐξ ἡμῶν γηράσκουσι.
Dishonor not a man in his old age: For even some of us wax old.
7
אַל תַּכְלִים אִישׁ שָׁב מִפֶּשֶׁע, זְכֹר כִּי כֻּלָּנוּ חַיָּבִים.
Do not humiliate a person returning from sin; remember we are all guilty.
Μὴ ἐπίχαιρε ἐπὶ νεκρῷ, μνήσθητι ὅτι πάντες τελευτῶμεν.
Rejoice not over thy greatest enemy being dead, But remember that we die all.
8
אַל תְּבַיֵּשׁ אֱנוֹשׁ יָשִׁיש, זְכֹר כִּי תִמָּנֶה מִזְּקֵנִים. אַל תִּתְהַלֵּל עַל גֹּוֵעַ, זְכֹר כֻּלָּנוּ נֶאֱסָפִים. אַל תִּטֹּשׁ שִׂיחַת חֲכָמִים, וּבְחִידֹתֵיהֶם הִתְרַפֵּשׂ.
Do not be wicked to an old person; remember, we shall be reckoned old too. Do not rejoice over a corpse; remember that we all gathered away. Do not forsake the rules of the wise, and tread not on their proverbs,
Μὴ παρίδῃς διήγημα σοφῶν, καὶ ἐν ταῖς παροιμίαις αὐτῶν ἀναστρέφου, ὅτι παρʼ αὐτῶν μαθήσῃ παιδείαν, καὶ λειτουργῆσαι μεγιστᾶσι.
Despise not the discourse of the wise, But acquaint thyself with their proverbs: For of them thou shalt learn instruction, And how to serve great men with ease.
9
[וְאַף שִׂיחוֹת חוֹל מֵהֶם לֹא, תִבְזֶה] לְהִתְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵי שָׂרִים, כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ תִּלְמַד לֶקַח. אַל תִּמְאַס בִּשְׁמִיעַת שָׁבִים, אֲשֶׁר שָׁמְעוּ מֵאֲבֹתָם. כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ תִּקַּח שֶׂכֶל, בְּעֵת צֹרֶךְ לְהַשִׁיב פִּתְגָּם.
[And even their mundane talk do not disparage,] for it will stand you before noblemen, and from you they will learn instruction. Do not despise the discourse of the aged, of what they heard from their fathers, for from them thou shalt learn prudence, and in a time of need to respond proverbially. [Interpretation: folk ideas have hidden local knowledge and social truths that can be hard to parse at first.]
Μὴ ἀστόχει διηγήματος γερόντων, καὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ ἔμαθον παρὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν· ὅτι παρʼ αὐτῶν μαθήσῃ σύνεσιν, καὶ ἐν καιρῷ χρείας δοῦναι ἀπόκρισιν.
Miss not the discourse of the elders: For they also learned of their fathers, And of them thou shalt learn understanding, And to give answer as need requireth.
10
אַל תִּצְלַח בְּנַחֲלַת רָשָׁע, פֶּן תְּבֹעַר בִּשְׁבִיב אִשּׁוֹ.
Do not prosper in the estate of evil, lest thou be burnt with the flame of his fire.
Μὴ ἔκκαιε ἄνθρακας ἁμαρτωλοῦ, μὴ ἐμπυρισθῇς ἐν πυρὶ φλογὸς αὐτοῦ.
Kindle not the coals of a sinner, Lest thou be burned with the flame of his fire.
11
אַל תָּזוּחַ מִפְּנֵי לֵץ, לְהוֹשִׁיבוֹ כְּאוֹרֵב לְפָנֶיךָ.
Do not be amiable with the scorner, lest he turn & ambush you. [Interpretation: if he is bad-mouthing others, in short time he will do so about you.]
Μὴ ἐξαναστῇς ἀπὸ προσώπου ὑβριστοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἐγκαθίσῃ ὡς ἔνεδρον τῷ στόματί σου.
Rise not up [in anger] at the presence of an injurious person, Lest he lie in wait to entrap thee in thy words.
12
אַל תַּלְוֶה אִישׁ חָזָק מִמְּךָ, וְאִם הִלְוִיתָ כִּמְאַבֵּד. אַל תַּעֲרֹב יָתֵר מִמְּךָ, וְאִם עָרַבְתָּ כִּמְשַׁלֵּם.
Do not lend to a person more powerful than you, and if lent, deem it lost. Be not surety above thy ability; if thou be surety, set it aside as if paid.
Μὴ δανείσῃς ἀνθρώπῳ ἰσχυροτέρῳ σου, καὶ ἐὰν δανείσῃς, ὡς ἀπολωλεκὼς γίνου·
Lend not unto him that is mightier than thyself; For if thou lendest him, count it but lost.
13
Μὴ ἐγγυήσῃ ὑπὲρ δυναμίν σου, καὶ ἐὰν ἐγγυήσῃ, ὡς ἀποτίσων φρόντιζε.
Be not surety above thy power: For if thou be surety, take care to pay it.
14
אַל תּשָּׁפֵט עִם שׁוֹפֵט, כִּי כִּרְצוֹנוֹ יִשְׁפֹּט.
Do not to litigate with a judge; for they will judge him according to his favor.
Μὴ δικάζου μετὰ κριτοῦ, κατὰ γὰρ τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ κρινοῦσιν αὐτῷ.
Go not to law with a judge; For they will judge for him according to his honor.
15
אִם אַכְזָרִי אַל תֵּלֵךְ, פֶּן תַּכְבִּיד אֶת רָעָתֶךָ. כִּי נֹכַח פָּנָיו יֵלֵךְ, וּבְאִוַּלְתּוֹ תִּסָּפֶה. עִם בַּעַל אַף אַל תָּעִיז מֵצַח, וְאַל תִּרְכַּב עִמּוֹ בַּדֶרֶךְ.
With a heartless person do not travel, lest you burden your companion; And so he will travel straight ahead [rashly], and by his folly you will perish. [Interpretation: someone who is careless of others, will act without regard to your needs.] With a hot-tempered person do not be brazen, and do not travel with him;
Μετὰ τολμηροῦ μὴ πορεύου ἐν ὁδῷ, ἵνα μὴ βαρύνηται κατὰ σοῦ· αὐτὸς γὰρ κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ποιήσει, καὶ τῇ ἀφροσύνῃ αὐτοῦ συναπολῇ.
Travel not by the way with a bold fellow, Lest he become grievous unto thee: For he will do according to his own will, And thou shalt perish with him through his folly.
16
כִּי קַל בְּעֵינָיו דָּמִים, וּבְאֵין מַצִּיל יַשְׁחִיתֶךָ.
Because bloodshed is light in his eyes, and where no rescuer, he'll waste you.
Μετὰ θυμώδους μὴ ποιήσῃς μάχην, καὶ μὴ διαπορεύου μετʼ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἔρημον, ὅτι ὡς οὐδὲν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ αἷμα, καὶ ὅπου οὐκ ἔστι βοήθεια, καταβαλεῖ σε.
Strive not with an angry man, And go not with him into a solitary place: For blood is as nothing in his sight; And where there is no help, he will overthrow thee.
17
עִם פּוֹתֶה אַל תִּסְתַּיֵּד, כִּי לֹא יוּכַל לְכַסּוֹת סוֹדֶךָ.
With a gullible one do not consult, for he cannot cover your secrets.
Μετὰ μωροῦ μὴ συμβουλεύου, οὐ γὰρ δυνήσεται λόγον στέξαι.
Consult not with a fool; For he cannot keep counsel.
18
לִפְנֵי זָר אַל תַּעַש רָז, כִּי לֹא תֵדַע מַה יֵּלֶד סוֹפוֹ.
In the presence of a stranger do not do something odd [secret; council], for you do not know the consequences. [Interpretation: people may misconstrue different behavior and report as something it is not.]
Ἐνώπιον ἀλλοτρίου μὴ ποιήσῃς κρυπτὸν, οὐ γὰρ γινώσκεις τί τέξεται.
Do no secret thing before a stranger: For thou knowest not what he will bring forth.
19
לְכָל בָּשָׂר אַל תְּגַל לִבֶּךָ, וְאַל תַּדִּיחַ מֵעָלֶיךָ הַטּוֹבָה.
Not with all men should one rejoice, and do not rinse [push-off] from yourself the [their] good. [Interpretation: don't be rejoiceful with everyone, for they may resent you; also, when someone does something good to you, acknowledge it gracefully, even if unwanted, so not to embarrass them.]
Παντὶ ἀνθρώπῳ μὴ ἔκφαινε σὴν καρδίαν, καὶ μὴ ἀναφερέτω σοι χάριν.
Open not thy heart to every man, Lest he requite thee with a shrewd turn.