1
בְּנִי אַל תִּלְעַג לְחַיֵּי עָנִי, וְאַל תַּדְאִיב נֶפֶשׁ עָנֵי וּמַר נָפֶשׁ.
My son, mock not at the life of the poor ( or of affliction); And make not the soul of him that is poor and bitter of soul (H) to pine.
Τέκνον, τὴν ζωὴν τοῦ πτωχοῦ μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς, καὶ μὴ παρελκύσῃς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπιδεεῖς.
My son, defraud not the poor of his living, And make not the needy eyes to wait long.
2
דֹּוֶוה נֶפֶשׁ חֲסֵרָה אַל תָּפוּחַ, וְאַל תִּתְעַלֵּם מִמְּדֻכְדַּךְ נָפֶשׁ.
Vex not the spirit (?) of the soul that lacketh; And hide not thyself from one that is crushed (?) in soul.
ψυχὴν πεινῶσαν μὴ λυπήσῃς, καὶ μὴ παροργίσῃς ἄνδρα ἐν ἀπορίᾳ αὐτοῦ.
Make not a hungry soul sorrowful; Neither provoke a man in his distress.
3
אַל [תַּחְמִיר] מְעֵי דָךְ, וְקֶרֶב עָנִי אַל תַּכְאִיב.
Trouble not the bowels of him that is humbled; And pain not the inward part of the poor.
Καρδίαν παροργισμένην μὴ προσταράξῃς, καὶ μὴ παρελκύσῃς δόσιν προσδεομένου.
Add not more trouble to a heart that is vexed; And defer not to give to him that is in need.
4
אַל תִּמְנַע מַתָּן מִמִּסְכֵּנֶךָ, וְלֹא תִבְזֶה שְׁאֵלוֹת דָּל, וְלֹא תִתֵּן לוֹ מָקוֹם לְקַלְלֶךָ.
Withhold not a gift from thy needy; And thou shalt not despise the supplications of the miserable; And thou shalt not give him place to curse thee.
Ἱκέτην θλιβόμενον μὴ ἀπαναίνου, καὶ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπὸ πτωχοῦ.
Reject not the supplication of the afflicted; Neither turn away thy face from a poor man.
5
צוֹעֵק מַר רוּחַ בִּכְאֵב נַפְשׁוֹ, וּבְקוֹל צַעֲקָתוֹ יִשְׁמַע צוּרוֹ.
He that is bitter of spirit crieth in the anguish of his soul; And his Rock (H) shall hear the voice of his cry.
Ἀπὸ δεομένου μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς ὀφθαλμόν, καὶ μὴ δῷς τόπον ἀνθρώπῳ καταράσασθαί σε.
Turn not away thine eye from the needy, And give him none occasion to curse thee:
6
הַאֲהֵב נַפְשְׁךָ לָעֵדָה, וּלְשִׁלְטוֹן עוֹד הַאֲכֵף רֹאשׁ.
Make thyself (?) beloved of the congregation; And to a potentate moreover bow the head.
Καταρωμένου γάρ σε ἐν πικρίᾳ ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, τῆς δεήσεως αὐτοῦ ἐπακούσεται ὁ ποιήσας αὐτόν.
For if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul, His prayer shall be heard of him that made him.
7
Προσφιλῆ συναγωγῇ σεαυτὸν ποίει, καὶ μεγιστᾶνι ταπεινοῦ τὴν κεφαλήν σου.
Get thyself the love of the congregation, And bow thy head to a great man.
8
הַט לֶעָנִי אָזְנֶךָ, וַהֲשִׁיבֵהוּ שָׁלוֹם בַּעֲנָוָה. הוֹשַׁע מוּצָק מִמְּצִיקָיו, וְאַל תָּקוֹץ רוּחֲךָ בְּמִשְׁפַט יֹשֶׁר.
Incline thine ear to the poor; And answer him Peace with meekness. Save the oppressed from his oppressors; And let not thy spirit loathe right judgement.
Κλῖνον πτωχῷ τὸ οὖς σου, καὶ ἀποκρίθητι αὐτῷ εἰρηνικὰ ἐν πρᾳΰτητι.
Let it not grieve thee to bow down thine ear to the poor, And give him a friendly answer with meekness.
9
הֱיֵה כְאָב לִיתוֹמִים, וּתְמוּר בַּעַל לְאַלְמָנוֹת.
Be as a father to orphans; And instead of a husband to widows.
Ἐξελοῦ ἀδικούμενον ἐκ χειρὸς ἀδικοῦντος, καὶ μὴ ὀλιγοψυχήσῃς ἐν τῷ κρίνειν σε.
Deliver him that suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressor; And be not fainthearted when thou sittest in judgment.
10
וְאֵל יִקְרָאֲךָ בֵּן, וְיָחְנְךָ וְיַצִּילְךָ מִשָׁחַת.
And God shall call thee Son; And shall be gracious to thee, and deliver thee from the pit.
Γίνου ὀρφανοῖς ὡς πατὴρ, καὶ ἀντὶ ἀνδρὸς τῇ μητρὶ αὐτῶν· καὶ ἔσῃ ὡς υἱὸς ὑψίστου, καὶ ἀγαπήσει σε μᾶλλον ἡ μήτηρ σου.
Be as a father unto the fatherless, And instead of a husband unto their mother: So shalt thou be as the son of the most High, And he shall love thee more than thy mother doth.
11
חָכְמוֹת לִמְּדָה בָנֶיהָ, וְתָעִיד לְכָל מְבִינִים בָּהּ.
Wisdom teacheth (H) her sons; And testifieth (H) to all that attend to her.
Ἡ σοφία υἱοὺς ἑαυτῇ ἀνύψωσε, καὶ ἐπιλαμβάνεται τῶν ζητούντων αὐτήν·
Wisdom exalteth her children, And layeth hold of them that seek her.
12
אֹהֲבֶיהָ אָהֲבוּ חַיִּים, וּמְבַקְשֶׁיהָ יָפִיקוּ רָצוֹן מֵיהֹוָה.
They that love her love life; And they that seek her shall obtain favour from the Lord.
ὁ ἀγαπῶν αὐτὴν ἀγαπᾷ ζωὴν, καὶ οἱ ὀρθρίζοντες πρὸς αὐτὴν ἐμπλησθήσονται εὐφροσύνης.
He that loveth her loveth life; And they that seek to her early shall be filled with joy.
13
וְתֹמְכֶיהָ יִמְצְאוּ כָבוֹד מֵיהֹוָה, וְיֻחַנּוּ בְּבִרְכַּת יְהֹוָה.
And they that retain her shall find honour from the Lord; And shall have grace shewed them by the blessing of the Lord.
Ὁ κρατῶν αὐτῆς κληρονομήσει δόξαν, καὶ οὗ εἰσπορεύεται εὐλογήσει Κύριος.
He that holdeth her fast shall inherit glory; And wheresoever she entereth, the Lord will bless.
14
מְשָׁרְתֵי קֹדֶשׁ מְשָׁרְתֶיהָ, וֵאלֹהִים בֵּית [מוֹשָׁבָהּ אָהֵב].
Ministers of holiness are her ministers; And God loveth them that love her (?).
Οἱ λατρεύοντες αὐτῇ λειτουργήσουσιν Ἁγίῳ, καὶ τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτὴν ἀγαπᾷ ὁ Κύριος.
They that serve her shall minister to the Holy One: And them that love her the Lord doth love.
15
שׁוֹמֵעַ לִי יִשׁפֹּט אֱמֶת, וּמַאֲזִין לִי יִיחַן בַּחֲדָרַי מִבָּיִת.
He that heareth me shall judge truth (G nations); And he that giveth ear to me shall dwell in my chamber within.
Ὁ ὑπακούων αὐτῆς κρινεῖ ἔθνη, καὶ ὁ προσελθὼν αὐτῇ κατασκηνώσει πεποιθώς.
Whoso giveth ear unto her shall judge the nations: And he that attendeth unto her shall dwell securely.
16
כִּי בְהִתְנַכֵּר אֵלֵךְ עִמּוֹ, וּלְפָנִים אֶבְחָרֶנּוּ בְנִסְיוֹנוֹת.
For I will go with him, making myself strange; And at the first I (H he) will try him with temptations.
Ἐὰν ἐμπιστεύσῃς, κατακληρονομήσεις αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐν κατασχέσει ἔσονται αἱ γενεαὶ αὐτοῦ.
If a man commit himself unto her, he shall inherit her; And his generation shall hold her in possession.
17
וְעַד עֵת יִמָּלֵא לִבּוֹ בִּי, אָשׁוּב אֲאַשְּׁרֶנּוֹ וְגָלִיתִי לוֹ מִסְתָּרִי.
And what time his heart is filled with me; I will turn and direct him, And reveal unto him of my secrets.
Ὅτι διεστραμμένως πορεύεται μετʼ αὐτοῦ ἐν πρώτοις· φόβον δὲ καὶ δειλίαν ἐπάξει ἐπʼ αὐτὸν, καὶ βασανίσει αὐτὸν ἐν παιδιᾷ αὐτῆς, ἕως οὗ ἐμπιστεύσῃ τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πειράσῃ αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς δικαιώμασιν αὐτῆς.
For at the first she will walk with him by crooked ways, And bring fear and dread upon him, And torment him with her discipline, Until she may trust his soul, And try him by her laws.
18
אִם יָסוּר וּנְטוֹתֵיהוּ, וַאֲסַרְתִיהוּ בָאֲסוּרִים.
If he turn away and decline from me (?), I will train him with fetters ( or restraints).
Καὶ πάλιν ἐπανήξει κατʼ εὐθεῖαν πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ εὐφρανεῖ αὐτὸν, καὶ ἀποκαλύψει αὐτῷ τὰ κρυπτὰ αὐτῆς.
Then will she return the straight way unto him, And comfort him, and show him her secrets.
19
אִם יָסוּר מֵאַחֲרַי אַשׁלִיכֶנּוּ, וְאַסְגִּירֶנּוּ לַשֹׁדְדִים.
If he turn away from after me, I will cast him off, and deliver him to the spoilers.
Ἐὰν ἀποπλανηθῇ, ἐγκαταλείψει αὐτὸν, καὶ παραδώσει αὐτὸν εἰς χεῖρας πτώσεως αὐτοῦ.
But if he go wrong, she will forsake him, And give him over to his own ruin.
20
בְּנִי עֵת הָמוֹן שְׁמֹר וּפְחַד מִרָע, וְאֶל נַפְשְׁךָ אַל תֵּבוֹשׁ.
My son, observe season and time (?); And fear evil, and be not shamefaced unto thyself.
Συντήρησον καιρὸν καὶ φύλαξαι ἀπὸ πονηροῦ, καὶ περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς σου μὴ αἰσχυνθῇς.
Observe the opportunity, and beware of evil; And be not ashamed when it concerneth thy soul.
21
כִּי יֵשׁ בֹּשֶׁת מַשְׂאֵת עָוֹן, וְיֵשׁ בֹּשֶׁת כָּבוֹד וָחֵן.
For there is a shame (?) that ladeth with iniquity; And there is a shame that is honour and grace.
Ἔστι γὰρ αἰσχύνη ἐπάγουσα ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ ἔστιν αἰσχύνη δόξα καὶ χάρις.
For there is a shame that bringeth sin; And there is a shame which is glory and grace.
22
אַל תִּשָּׂא פָנֶיךָ עַל נַפְשֶׁךָ, וְאַל תִּכָּשֵׁל לְמִכְשׁוֹלֶיךָ.
Have not respect of thine own person; And stumble (H) not at thine offences.
Μὴ λάβῃς πρόσωπον κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς σου, καὶ μὴ ἐντραπῇς εἰς πτῶσίν σου.
Accept no person against thy soul, And let not the reverence of any man cause thee to fall.
23
Μὴ κωλύσῃς λόγον ἐν καιρῷ σωτηρίας,
And refrain not to speak, when there is occasion to do good, And hide not thy wisdom in her beauty.
24
אַל תִּמְנַע דִּבֵּר בָּעוֹלָם, וְאַל תַּצְפִּין אֶת חָכְמָתֶךָ. כִּי בְאֹמֶר נוֹדַעַת חָכְמָה, וּתְבוּנָה בְּמַעֲנֵה לָשׁוֹן.
Withhold not a word ( or to speak) in season (?); Nor ever conceal thy wisdom. For by speech wisdom is made known; And understanding by the answer of the tongue.
ἐν γὰρ λόγῳ γνωσθήσεται σοφία, καὶ παιδεία ἐν ῥήματι γλώσσης.
For by speech wisdom shall be known: And learning by the word of the tongue.
25
אַל תִּסָּרֵב עִם הָאֵל, וְאֶל אֱלֹהִים הִכָּנֵעַ.
Gainsay not the truth (H God); And submit thyself unto God.
Μὴ ἀντίλεγε τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, καὶ περὶ τῆς ἀπαιδευσίας σου ἐντράπηθι.
In nowise speak against the truth; But be abashed of the error of thine ignorance.
26
אַל תֵּבוֹשׁ לָשׁוּב מֵעָוֹן, וְאַל תַּעֲמוֹד לִפְנֵי שִׁבֹּלֶת.
Be not ashamed to turn from iniquity; And stand not against a stream.
Μὴ αἰσχυνθῇς ὁμολογῆσαι ἐφʼ ἁμαρτίαις σου, καὶ μὴ βιάζου ῥοῦν ποταμοῦ.
Be not ashamed to confess thy sins; And force not the course of the river.
27
אַל תַּצַּע לְנָבָל נַפְשֶׁךָ, וְאַל תַּאֲמֵן לִפְּנֵי מוֹשְׁלִים.
Lay not thyself down for a fool to tread upon; And be not contrary before rulers.
Καὶ μὴ ὑποστρώσῃς σεαυτὸν ἀνθρώπῳ μωρῷ, καὶ μὴ λάβῃς πρόσωπον δυνάστου.
Make not thyself an underling to a foolish man; Neither accept the person of the mighty.
28
אַל תֵּשֵׁב עִם שׁוֹפֵט עַוָּל, כִּי כַאֲשֶׁר כִּרְצוֹנוֹ תִּשְׁפּוֹט עִמּוֹ. עַד הַמָּוֶת הִנָּצֵה עַל הַצֶּדֶק, וַיהֹוָה נִלְחָם לָךְ.
Sit not with one that judgeth unrighteously; For according to his pleasure (?) thou shalt judge with him. Unto death contend (?) for justice; And the Lord shall fight for thee.
Ἕως τοῦ θανάτου ἀγώνισαι περὶ τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς πολεμήσει ὑπὲρ σοῦ.
Strive for the truth unto death, And the Lord shall fight for thee.
29
אַל תִּקָּרֵא בַּעַל שְׁתַּיִם, וְאֶל לְשׁוֹנְךָ אַל תַּרְגֵּל.
Be not called a double dealer; And slander not with (?) thy tongue.
Μὴ γίνου τραχὺς ἐν γλώσσῃ σου, καὶ νωθρὸς καὶ παρειμένος ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις σου.
Be not hasty in thy tongue, And in thy deeds slack and remiss.
30
Μὴ ἴσθι ὡς λέων ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου, καὶ φαντασιοκοπῶν ἐν τοῖς οἰκέταις σου.
Be not as a lion in thy house, Nor frantic among thy servants.
31
אַל תְּהִי גַבְהָן בִּלְשׁוֹנֶךָ, וְרָפוּי וְרָשִׁישׁ בִּמְלַאכְתֶּךָ. אַל תְּהִי כְּכֶלֶב בְּבֵיתֶךָ, וּמוּזָר וּמִתְיָרֵא בִמְלַאכְתֶּךָ. אַל תְּהִי יָדְךָ פְתוּחָה לָקַחַת, וּקְפוּצָה בְּתִתְּךָ מַתָּן.
Be not boastful with thy tongue; And slack and negligent (?) in thy business. Be not as a dog (G lion) in thine house; And strange and fearful in thy business. Let not thine hand be opened to receive; And clenched in the midst of giving.
Μὴ ἔστω ἡ χείρ σου ἐκτεταμένη εἰς τὸ λαβεῖν, καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀποδιδόναι συνεσταλμένη.
Let not thy hand be stretched out to receive, And shut when thou shouldest repay.