1 Stūrgalvis dara, kas tam tīk, –
ik labam padomam viņš pretī!
2 Netīko muļķis pēc saprašanas –
ka tik izrādīt savu prātu!
3 Līdzi ļaunumam nāk negods
un kauna darbiem – kauns!
4 Kā dziļi ūdeņi ir vārdi mutē,
kā brāzmaina straume ir gudrības avots.
5 Aizstāvēt ļaundari, tas nav labi –
atņemt taisnajam viņa tiesu!
6 Muļķa lūpas rieš ķildu,
un viņa mute prasās kūliena.
7 Muļķa mute viņam par postu,
un viņa lūpas – slazds viņa dzīvībai.
8 Tenkotāja vārdi kā gardi kumosi –
glumi ieslīd pašā sirds dibenā!
9 Kas laisks darbā –
tas maitātājam miesīgs brālis!
10 Stiprs tornis ir Kunga vārds,
turp skrien taisnais un – glābts!
11 Bagāto mantība viņiem kā cietoksnis
un kā augsts mūris – tā tie domā!
12 Papriekš augstprātība, tad posts,
papriekš pazemība, tad gods!
13 Ja kāds atbild, pirms uzklausījis, –
tā viņa muļķība, tas viņa negods!
14 Cilvēka gars spēj uzveikt kaites,
bet salauztu garu – kurš to spēj nest?!
15 Vieda sirds gūst zināšanas,
un gudro ausis meklē zināšanas.
16 Dāvana pašķir cilvēkam ceļu
un noved viņu diženo priekšā.
17 Šķiet taisns, kas pirmais runā tiesā!
Bet nāk otrs – un apstrīd viņu.
18 Loze izšķir strīdus
un lemj tiesu starp varenajiem.
19 Sadusmots brālis – cietāks par cietoksni,
un ķildas ir kā pils vārtu aizšaujamie!
20 Cik mute prot izrunāt, tik vēderam sāta,
cik lūpas gūst, tik pašam tiek.
21 Nāve un dzīvība – mēles varā,
kas lolo mēli, bauda tās augļus!
22 Kas atradis sievu, atradis laimi
un iemantojis Kunga labvēlību!
23 Laipnīgi nabags runā –
bagātais atbild nīgri.
24 Kam draugu daudz, tas izputēs!
Bet gadās draugs, kas tuvāks par brāli.
1 People who do not get along with others are interested only in themselves; they will disagree with what everyone else knows is right.
2 A fool does not care whether he understands a thing or not; all he wants to do is show how smart he is.
3 Sin and shame go together. Lose your honor, and you will get scorn in its place.
4 A person's words can be a source of wisdom, deep as the ocean, fresh as a flowing stream.
5 It is not right to favor the guilty and keep the innocent from receiving justice.
6 When some fool starts an argument, he is asking for a beating.
7 When a fool speaks, he is ruining himself; he gets caught in the trap of his own words.
8 Gossip is so tasty—how we love to swallow it!
9 A lazy person is as bad as someone who is destructive.
10 The Lord is like a strong tower, where the righteous can go and be safe. 11 Rich people, however, imagine that their wealth protects them like high, strong walls around a city.
12 No one is respected unless he is humble; arrogant people are on the way to ruin.
13 Listen before you answer. If you don't, you are being stupid and insulting.
14 Your will to live can sustain you when you are sick, but if you lose it, your last hope is gone.
15 Intelligent people are always eager and ready to learn.
16 Do you want to meet an important person? Take a gift and it will be easy.
17 The first person to speak in court always seems right until his opponent begins to question him.
18 If two powerful people are opposing each other in court, casting lots can settle the issue.
19 Help your relatives and they will protect you like a strong city wall, but if you quarrel with them, they will close their doors to you.
20 You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say. 21 What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words.
22 Find a wife and you find a good thing; it shows that the Lord is good to you.
23 When the poor speak, they have to be polite, but when the rich answer, they are rude.
24 Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than brothers.
