1 A man who separates himself seeks his own ta’avah (desire);

he defies all tushiyyah (wisdom, sound judgment).

2 A kesil (fool) hath no delight in tevunah (understanding),

but only in airing out his lev (mind, opinions).

3 When the rashah cometh, then cometh also contempt,

and with dishonor, cherpah (reproach, disgrace).

4 The devarim of a manʼs mouth are deep mayim;

the makor chochmah is a flowing stream.

5 It is not tov to show partiality to the rashah,

to subvert the tzaddik in mishpat.

6 The sfatayim (lips) of a kesil enter into contention,

and his peh (mouth) inviteth blows.

7 The peh (mouth) of a kesil is his undoing,

and his sfatayim (lips) are the mokesh (snare) of his nefesh.

8 The devarim of a nirgan (gossip, talebearer, slanderer) are like mitlachamim (delicious tidbits),

and they go down into the innermost parts of the beten (belly).

9 He also that is slack in his work

is brother to him that is ba’al mashchit (master of destruction).

10 The Shem of Hashem is a strong migdal (tower),

the tzaddik runneth into it, and is safe.

11 The oisherʼs wealth is his strong city,

and is a high chomah in his own conceit.

12 Before shever (destruction) the lev ish is haughty,

and before kavod is anavah (humility).

13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it,

it is folly and kelimmah (reproach, shame) unto him.

14 The ruach ish will sustain him in sickness,

but a crushed ruach who can bear?