1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.
7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.
11 Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?
12 A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.
13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.
17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.
20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.
21 Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.
22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
23 A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!
24 The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.
25 The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow.
26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.
27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.
28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
29 The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat.
31 The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.
32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.
33 The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
<html><b>but if there is perverseness in it, it causes destruction by wind</b> When one is perverse with his tongue, it will ultimately bring upon him destruction that comes from the east wind, which is prepared to mete out retribution upon the wicked, as it is stated (Ex. 14:21): “with a strong east wind”; (Jer. 18: 17): “Like an east wind I will scatter them”; and (Ps. 48:8): “With an east wind, You break the ships of Tarshish.”</html>
<html><b>The house of a righteous man possesses great strength</b> The Temple that David the Righteous built is a great strength and a mighty tower for Israel. <b>but it becomes ruined with the bringing of the wicked man</b> But with the bringing of the idols that Manasseh brought into it, it was ruined.</html>
<html><b>The lips of the wise crown knowledge</b> יזרו, they crown knowledge, as in (Ex. 25: “a gold crown (זר).” <b>is not so</b> It is not true gold.</html>
<html><b>The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination of the Lord</b> Balak and Balaam. <b>but the prayer of the upright</b> This is Moses.</html>
<html><b>Harsh discipline will come to him who forsakes the way</b> Harsh suffering is ready for him who transgresses the way of the Holy One, blessed be He.</html>
<html><b>The grave and Destruction are opposite the Lord</b> It is revealed to Him all that are therein. <b>surely people’s hearts</b> This is an inference from a major to a minor.</html>
<html><b>A merry heart makes a cheerful face</b> If you cheer up the heart of the Holy One, blessed be He, by following His ways, He will show you a cheerful face to do your will, but if you sadden Him, He will show you a breaking spirit, as it is stated (Gen. 6:6f): “And He became saddened to His heart. And the Lord said, ‘I will erase man, etc.’“ <b>a breaking spirit</b> (Talant in Old French, explained in Ecc. 1:6) a spirit of fury.</html>
<html><b>All the days of a poor man are wretched</b> Even Sabbaths and festivals, as Samuel said. A change of diet is the beginning of intestinal disorders. <b>but he who has a cheerful heart</b> One whose heart is cheerful with his wealth. <b>always has a feast</b> All his years seem to him like days of feasting to teach you that a person should be happy with his lot (Avoth 4:1). And our Sages expounded [on this] in the chapter entitled Chelek (Sanh. 100b, 101a).</html>
<html><b>Better a little with the fear of the Lord, than a great treasury and turmoil with it</b> The voice of people shouting that the treasury was made from robbery and violence, as in (Amos 3:9): “And see great confusions within it and people being oppressed in its midst.”</html>
<html><b>than a fattened ox</b> To feed him fat meat and to show him an angry countenance. than a fattened ox אבוס. An ox into whose mouth they stuff the food against his will, in order to fatten him. Likewise (I Kings 5:3): “fatted (אבוסים) fowl.” And it can be explained allegorically as referring to the handful—the little bit offered up by the poor—[being better] than an ox for a sin-offering offered up by a wicked man. Another explanation: <b>Better a repast of herbs</b> To give a poor man. <b>where there is love</b> To show him a friendly countenance.</html>
<html><b>A man of wrath stirs up quarrel</b> A man who has no control over his anger, to be slow to anger, stirs up quarrels. <b>but he who is slow to anger</b> Who does not hasten to take revenge and to quarrel. <b>abates strife</b> It ends and abates by itself.</html>
<html><b>The way of a lazy man is like a hedge of thorns</b> In his eyes, it appears as though the roads are fenced before him with a fence of thorns. <b>like a hedge of</b> Heb. כמשכת. A fence, as in (Isa. 5:5): “I will remove its hedge (משוכתו).” <b>thorns</b> Heb. חדק, thorns. but the path of the upright is even סללה, trodden and cleared. The Midrash Aggadah (Pesikta d’Rav Kahana 11a) states: The way of Esau is like a thorn entangled in a fleece of wool. If you extract it from here, it catches on here. Likewise, no one can extricate himself from his false accusations without money.</html>
<html><b>A wise son makes his father happy, but a foolish person despises his mother</b> He causes people to despise his mother.</html>
<html><b>Folly is joy</b> It is joy for the one devoid of sense.</html>
<html><b>Plans are foiled for lack of counsel</b> Without counsel, the plan will not be established.</html>
<html><b>A man has joy with the response of his mouth</b> According to its apparent meaning: Through a soft answer and gentle speech, people love him. Our Sages expounded it as referring to those who memorize the Torah; if they utter an answer with their mouth, they will remember it and rejoice with it. <b>and how good is a word in time!</b> They ask concerning the laws of Passover and the laws of Sukkoth in their season.</html>
<html><b>The path of life is above the intelligent person</b> As in (Isa. 6:2): “Seraphim stood above for Him.” Before the wise man, the path of life is arrayed and prepared.</html>
<html><b>troubles his own house</b> he who is greedy of gain. <b>but he who hates gifts will live</b> Since he hates gifts, he surely hates robbery.</html>
<html><b>The heart of a righteous man thinks to answer</b> He will think and understand what to answer before replying.</html>
<html><b>The light of the eyes</b> in Torah. <b>makes the heart happy</b> when they ask him something, and he knows what to answer. According to its simple meaning, it is to be interpreted according to its apparent meaning: A thing that is a delight to the sight of the eyes makes the heart happy and cleanses the sadness of the heart, such as a vegetable garden and flowing rivers.</html>
<html><b>and before honor there is humility</b> Humility causes honor to come.</html>