A wise son hears his father’s instruction: but a scorner does not accept rebuke.

A wise son [loves] the mussar of [his] father, but a scoffer does not hear [i.e., accept] rebuke.

A man shall eat good from the fruit of his mouth: but the desire of the faithless is for violence.

From the fruit of a man's mouth [i.e., as the reward of his Torah], he will eat good [(in this world, with the principal remaining for the world to come)], but the desire of the faithless is violence.

He who guards his mouth keeps his life: but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.

He who guards his mouth guards his soul; he who opens wide his lips [(to speak his fill, always)], it is breaking to him.

The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be richly supplied.

The soul of the sluggard lusts [for everything] and has nothing, but the soul of the just [(who eat of the toil of their hands)] is fatted.

A righteous man hates lying: but a wicked man is vile, and comes to shame.

The righteous one hates a false report, but the wicked one shames and sullies [(men with it)].

Righteousness keeps him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

Charity will guard him who walks in innocence, but [his] wickedness will pervert the sinner.

There is one who pretends to be rich, yet has nothing: there is another who pretends to be poor, yet has great riches.

Some flaunt wealth, having nothing, and others [flaunt] poverty, having great wealth.

The ransom of a man’s life are his riches: but the poor hears no threat.

A man's wealth [(when giving charity)] may redeem his soul — [but only] when the poor man hears no rebuke [in receiving it].

The light of the righteous rejoices: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

The light [i.e., the soul] of the righteous will rejoice, but the lamp of the wicked will flicker out.

Only by pride comes contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

Only by the willful is strife fomented, but among those who take counsel, there is wisdom [(and peace)].

Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathers by labour shall increase.

Wealth [i.e., Torah] [accumulated] in "bundles" will diminish, but that gathered by the hand [i.e., by patient study and review] will increase.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

A drawn out hope [i.e., trusting in vain to one's friend)] sickens the heart, but a tree of life is desire attained.

He who despises the word shall be punished; but he who fears the commandment shall be rewarded.

One who cheapens a thing [(of Torah)] will be taken in pledge for it, but he who fears a mitzvah will be paid [i.e., rewarded].

The Tora of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

The Torah of the wise man is a well of life, [(teaching him)] to turn away from the snares of death [i.e., sins].

Good understanding gives grace: but the way of the faithless is rough.

Right understanding invests one with grace, but the way of the faithless is strong [i.e., severe to him and to others].

In everything a prudent man acts with knowledge: but a fool lays bare his folly.

Every wise man proceeds with discretion, but the fool broadcasts [his] folly.

A wicked messenger falls into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.

A wicked messenger will fall into evil [(e.g., Bilam [Numbers 22:35])], but the faithful emissary [(Moses)] enhances [(his commission)].

Poverty and shame come to him who refuses instruction: but he who heeds reproof shall be honoured.

Poverty and shame [come to him] who casts aside mussar, but he who heeds rebuke will be honored.

A desire subdued is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.

Lust realized is sweet to the soul — [wherefore] it is the abomination of fools to turn away from evil.

He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall suffer harm.

He who walks with the wise will grow wise, but the befriender of fools will be broken.

Evil pursues sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repaid.

[Their] evil will pursue the sinners [(until they are destroyed by it)], and the righteous will be paid [i.e., rewarded] by [their] good.

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children: but the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

The good [man] bequeaths [(his merits and his wealth)] to [his] grandchildren, but the wealth of the sinner is secreted for the righteous one.

Much food is in the well tilled acre of the poor: but sometimes ruin comes for want of judgment.

Much food [comes to the world through] the plowing of the poor [i.e., Much Torah is produced by the disciples ("the poor"), whose teachers ("the rich") "plow" them with pilpul (dialectic)], but there are [those of them] who perish for lack of judgment [i.e., for improper deportment].

He that spares his rod hates his son: but he that loves him chastises him early.

He who spares his rod [will come] to hate his child [(for improper deportment)], but he who loves him chastises him betimes.

The righteous eats to satisfy his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall feel want.

The righteous one eats to [(what he perceives as)] the satiety of his soul, but the stomach of the wicked [(in their mind)] is [always] lacking.