Or you will give your honor to others,
And your years to the cruel one,

And strangers will be filled with your strength
And your hard-earned wealth will go to the house of a foreigner [who does not know God];

Do not correct a scoffer [who foolishly ridicules and takes no responsibility for his error] or he will hate you;
Correct a wise man [who learns from his error], and he will love you.

Do not love [excessive] sleep, or you will become poor;
Open your eyes [so that you can do your work] and you will be satisfied with bread.

Or you will learn his [undisciplined] ways
And get yourself trapped [in a situation from which it is hard to escape].

Or the Lord will see your gloating and be displeased,
And turn His anger away from your enemy.

Do not rush out to argue your case [before magistrates or judges];
Otherwise what will you do in the end [when your case is lost and]
When your neighbor (opponent) humiliates you?

Or he who hears it will shame you
And the rumor about you [and your action in court] will have no end.

Have you found [pleasure sweet like] honey? Eat only as much as you need,
Otherwise, being filled excessively, you vomit it.

Let your foot seldom be in your neighbor’s house,
Or he will become tired of you and hate you.

Do not answer [nor pretend to agree with the frivolous comments of] a [closed-minded] fool according to his folly,
Otherwise you, even you, will be like him.

Answer [and correct the erroneous concepts of] a fool according to his folly,
Otherwise he will be wise in his own eyes [if he thinks you agree with him].

Do not add to His words,
Or He will reprove you, and you will be found a liar.

So that I will not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or that I will not be poor and steal,
And so profane the name of my God.

Do not slander or malign a servant before his master [stay out of another’s personal life],
Or he will curse you [for your interference], and you will be found guilty.

Otherwise they drink and forget the law and its decrees,
And pervert the rights and justice of all the afflicted.