The Words of the Sages: The Thirty Maxims
Chapter 22
17Incline your ear and listen to the words of the sages;
Pay attention to my wisdom.
18It is good that you store them inside you,
And that all of them be constantly on your lips,
19That you may put your trust in the Lord.
I let you know today—yes, you—
20Indeed, I wrote down for you a threefold lore,
Wise counsel,
21To let you know truly reliable words,
That you may give a faithful reply to him who sent you.
22Do not rob the wretched because he is wretched;
Do not crush the poor man in the gate;
23For the Lord will take up their cause
And despoil those who despoil them of life.
24Do not associate with an irascible man,
Or go about with one who is hot-tempered,
25Lest you learn his ways
And find yourself ensnared.
26Do not be one of those who give their hand,
Who stand surety for debts,
27Lest your bed be taken from under you
When you have no money to pay.
28Do not remove the ancient boundary stone
That your ancestors set up.
29See a man skilled at his work—
He shall attend upon kings;
He shall not attend upon obscure men.
Chapter 23
1When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
Consider well who is before you.
2Thrust a knife into your gullet
If you have a large appetite.
3Do not crave for his dainties,
For they are counterfeit food.
4Do not toil to gain wealth;
Have the sense to desist.
5You see it, then it is gone;
It grows wings and flies away,
Like an eagle, heavenward.
6Do not eat of a stingy man’s food;
Do not crave for his dainties;
7He is like one keeping accounts;
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
But he does not really mean it.
8The morsel you eat you will vomit;
You will waste your courteous words.
9Do not speak to a dullard,
For he will disdain your sensible words.
10Do not remove ancient boundary stones;
Do not encroach upon the field of orphans,
11For they have a mighty Kinsman,
And He will surely take up their cause with you.
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12Apply your mind to discipline
And your ears to wise sayings.
13Do not withhold discipline from a child;
If you beat him with a rod he will not die.
14Beat him with a rod
And you will save him from the grave.
15My son, if your mind gets wisdom,
My mind, too, will be gladdened.
16I shall rejoice with all my heart
When your lips speak right things.
17Do not envy sinners in your heart,
But only God-fearing men, at all times,
18For then you will have a future,
And your hope will never fail.
19Listen, my son, and get wisdom;
Lead your mind in a [proper] path.
20Do not be of those who guzzle wine,
Or glut themselves on meat;
21For guzzlers and gluttons will be impoverished,
And drowsing will clothe you in tatters.
22Listen to your father who begot you;
Do not disdain your mother when she is old.
23Buy truth and never sell it,
And wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
24The father of a righteous man will exult;
He who begets a wise son will rejoice in him.
25Your father and mother will rejoice;
She who bore you will exult.
26Give your mind to me, my son;
Let your eyes watch my ways.
27A harlot is a deep pit;
A forbiddenawoman is a narrow well.
28She too lies in wait as if for prey,
And destroys the unfaithful among men.
29Who cries, “Woe!” who, “Alas!”;
Who has quarrels, who complaints;
Who has wounds without cause;
Who has bleary eyes?
30Those whom wine keeps till the small hours,
Those who gather to drain the cups.
31Do not ogle that red wine
As it lends its color to the cup,
As it flows on smoothly;
32In the end, it bites like a snake;
It spits like a basilisk.
33Your eyes will see strange sights;
Your heart will speak distorted things.
34You will be like one lying in bed on high seas,
Like one lying on top of the rigging.
35“They struck me, but I felt no hurt;
They beat me, but I was unaware;
As often as I wake,
I go after it again.”
Chapter 24
1Do not envy evil men;
Do not desire to be with them;
2For their hearts talk violence,
And their lips speak mischief.
3A house is built by wisdom,
And is established by understanding;
4By knowledge are its rooms filled
With all precious and beautiful things.
5A wise man is strength;
A knowledgeable man exerts power;
6For by stratagems you wage war,
And victory comes with much planning.
7Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;
He does not open his mouth in the gate.
8He who lays plans to do harm
Is called by men a schemer.
9The schemes of folly are sin,
And a scoffer is an abomination to men.
10If you showed yourself slack in time of trouble,
Wanting in power,
11If you refrained from rescuing those taken off to death,
Those condemned to slaughter—
12If you say, “We knew nothing of it,”
Surely He who fathoms hearts will discern [the truth],
He who watches over your life will know it,
And He will pay each man as he deserves.
13My son, eat honey, for it is good;
Let its sweet drops be on your palate.
14Know: such is wisdom for your soul;
If you attain it, there is a future;
Your hope will not be cut off.
15Wicked man! Do not lurk by the home of the righteous man;
Do no violence to his dwelling.
16Seven times the righteous man falls and gets up,
While the wicked are tripped by one misfortune.
17If your enemy falls, do not exult;
If he trips, let your heart not rejoice,
18Lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
And avert His wrath from him.
19Do not be vexed by evildoers;
Do not be incensed by the wicked;
20For there is no future for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked goes out.
21Fear the Lord, my son, and the king,
And do not mix with dissenters,
22For disaster comes from them suddenly;
The doom both decree who can foreknow?
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Notes
Lit. “alien.”
Credits
Reprinted from Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures by permission of the University of Nebraska Press. Copyright 1985 by the Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 1.
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