Textorah

A poor person’s wisdom will raise up his head, and it will seat him in the midst of nobles.

Wisdom lifteth up the head of him that is of low degree, And maketh him to sit among great men.

Do not praise a man for his appearance, and do not loathe a man ugly in look.

Commend not a man for his beauty; Neither abhor a man for his outward appearance.

Small among the flying is the bee, and first among all fruitage is her produce [honey].

The bee is little among such as fly; But her fruit is the chief of sweet things.

A lost mantle do not mock, and do not decry in the bitterness of day. [Alternative: Do not scoff at the ones whose day is bitter.] Because the works of the Lord are a wonder, and his works are hidden from humans.

Boast not of thy clothing and raiment, And exalt not thyself in the day of honor: For the works of the Lord are wonderful, And his works among men are hidden.

Many kings have sat down upon the ground; And one that was never thought of hath worn the crown.

Many oppressed ones sat on the throne; and those not thought of wrapped in a [priestly] turban. Many powerful people were dishonored greatly, and lowered too, and illustrious ones were delivered into the hands of others.

Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; And the honorable delivered into other men’s hands.

Blame not before thou hast examined the truth: Understand first, and then rebuke.

Before investigation, do not overrule; inspect internally, and then chastise [Alternative: lend]. My Son, before listening, do not answer, and in the middle of speaking, do not interrupt.

Answer not before thou hast heard the cause: Neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk.

Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not; And sit not in judgment with sinners.

If you aren't wounded, do not kindle a dispute, and in a trial of sinners, do not stand. My son, why add to your contentions? Do not multiply them; you won't be saved.

My son, meddle not with many matters: For if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent; And if thou follow after, thou shalt not obtain, Neither shalt thou escape by fleeing.

There is one that laboreth, and taketh pains, and maketh haste, And is so much the more behind.

My son, if you do not pursue, you will not attain, and if you do not search, you will not find. There exists one who toils and struggles and hurries, and nevertheless he is late. There're those who are crushed and in despair walk, lacking all, and moreover are poor. And the eyes of the Lord looked upon him for good, and shook off his dusty stench.

Again, there is another that is slow, and hath need of help, Wanting ability, and full of poverty; Yet the eye of the Lord looked upon him for good, And set him up from his low estate,

Carried up by his head and lifted him, and many were perplexed.

And lifted up his head from misery; So that many that saw it marveled at him.

Good and bad, life and death, penury and wealth are from the Lord. Wisdom, intelligence, and perceptivity are from the Lord, sin and straight paths are from the Lord. Foolishness and darkness had been created for sinners, and along with it, evil friends.

Prosperity and adversity, life and death, Poverty and riches, come of the Lord.

The estate of righteousness shall remains with his fearful, and his wants shall eternally succeed .

The gift of the Lord remaineth with the godly, And his favor bringeth prosperity forever.

There exists one who becomes rich from his suffering, and this obligates this reward:

There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, And this is the portion of his reward:

In time, he will say: “I have found rest, and now I will eat of my good.” He does not know what's to come and pass, and he'll leave them to others and die. My son, stand on your principles, and walk with it, and in your work take hold strong. Do not wonder at the doings of evil, run to the Lord, and await his light.

Whereas he saith, I have found rest, And now will eat continually of my goods; And [yet] he knoweth not what time shall come upon him, And that he must leave those things to others, and die.

Be steadfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, And wax old in thy work.

Because all is in front of the Lord eyes, to suddenly and quickly, make a needy person rich.

Marvel not at the works of sinners; But trust in the Lord, and abide in thy labor: For it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord on the sudden to make a poor man rich.

The Lord’s blessing is the righteous' lot, and in his hopeful time his good pleasure sprout.

The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly, And suddenly he maketh his blessing to flourish.

Do not say, “ill do as I wish, And if he forsakes me, what now?...

Say not, What profit is there of my service? And what good things shall I have hereafter?

Do not say, “I have enough, and what calamity can occur to me?”

Again, say not, I have enough, and possess many things, And what evil can come to me hereafter?

In a day of prosperity, you'll forget adversity, and in a day of adversity, you'll forget good, and the end of man will be on the Lord.

In the day of prosperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction: And in the day of affliction there is no more remembrance of prosperity.

For it is an easy thing unto the Lord in the day of death To reward a man according to his ways.

A bad time and you'll forget pleasure, and in a person’s end he will tell of the Lord.

The affliction of an hour maketh a man forget pleasure: And in his end his deeds shall be discovered.

Before inspecting man, to not praise him, for in his end man will be straightened [in a coffin]. Before death praise no strongman, for in his end he'll bad deeds will be known.

Judge none blessed before his death: For a man shall be known in his children.

And estrange thee to them that are dear to thee. Many have been the wounded peddlers, who accustom [similar to 'pearls;] themselves to licentiousness. [Rashi Yevamot 63b: referring to men who travel to sell women’s jewelry. Their frequent dealings with women lead their husbands to harm them. Note: Talmud breaks the sentence.] [Those who accustom themselves to licentiousness] are like a spark that ignites a coal. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit [Jeremiah 5:27]. A as a bird seized in a cage, so is the heart of haughtiness, and like a wolf ambushing his prey. What's gained by violent sinners, like a dog they come to each house wrathfully.

Bring not every man into thy house: For the deceitful man hath many trains.

So the covetous comes, increasing strife to all the inhabitants. The ambush of the gossiper is like a bear to the house of scorners, and like a spy he searches for licentiousness.

Like as a partridge taken [and kept] in a cage, so is the heart of the proud: And like as a spy, watcheth he for thy fall:

From good to bad will he turn your crowds, and on your precious things he will conspire.

For he lieth in wait, and turneth good into evil, And in things worthy praise will lay blame upon thee.

From a spark of fire coals are multiplied, and a sinful person lies in ambush for blood.

Of a spark of fire a heap of coals is kindled: And a sinful man layeth wait for blood.

Be a stranger to evil, for evil births, why an eternal blemish carry. Attach thyself not to evil, to twist your ways, your covenant overturn [sim. drop]. From a foreign neighbor, heed your way; he may tear your tranquility, and become acquainted with your valuables.

Take heed of a mischievous man, for he worketh wickedness: Lest he bring upon thee a perpetual blot.

Receive a stranger into thy house, and he will disturb thee, And turn thee out of thine own.