Silence and Speech

¹ There is a reproof that is not timely; and there is a man who keeps silent but is wise.

² How much better it is to reprove than to stay angry!

³ And the one who confesses his fault will be kept from loss.

⁴ Like a eunuch’s desire to violate a maiden is a man who executes judgements by violence.

⁵ There is one who by keeping silent is found wise, while another is detested for being too talkative.

⁶ There is one who keeps silent because he has no answer, while another keeps silent because he knows when to speak.

⁷ A wise person will be silent until the right moment, but a braggart and fool goes beyond the right moment.

⁸ Whoever uses too many words will be loathed, and whoever usurps the right to speak will be hated.

Paradoxes

⁹ There is success for a man in adversity, and there is a windfall that results in a loss.

¹⁰ There is a gift that profits you nothing, and there is a gift that brings a double return.

¹¹ There are losses because of glory, and there is a person who has raised his head from humble circumstances.

¹² There is a person who buys much for a little, but pays for it seven times over.

¹³ The wise man makes himself beloved through his words, but the courtesies of fools are wasted. ¹⁴ A fool’s gift will profit you nothing, for he has many eyes instead of one.

¹⁵ He gives little and upbraids much, he opens his mouth like a herald; today he lends and tomorrow he asks for it back; such a one is a hateful person.

¹⁶ A fool will say, “I have no friend, and there is no gratitude for my good deeds.” Those who eat his bread are wicked in their speech:

¹⁷ how many will ridicule him, and how often!

Inappropriate Speech

¹⁸ A slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the tongue; so the downfall of the wicked will occur speedily.

¹⁹ An ungracious man is like a story told at the wrong time, which is continually on the lips of the ignorant.

²⁰ A proverb from a fool’s lips will be rejected, for he does not tell it at its proper time.

²¹ There is a person who is prevented from sinning by his poverty, so when he rests he feels no remorse.

²² There is a person who destroys his life on account of shame and who will destroy it from his foolish look.

²³ There is a person who for shame makes promises to a friend and needlessly made him an enemy.

Lying

²⁴ A lie is an ugly blot on a person; it is continually on the lips of the ignorant.

²⁵ A thief is preferable to a habitual liar, but both will inherit ruin.

²⁶ The disposition of a liar brings disgrace, and his shame is ever with him.

Proverbial Sayings

²⁷ One who is wise in speech will advance himself, and a sensible person will please great ones.

²⁸ Whoever cultivates the soil will heap up his harvest, and whoever pleases the great will atone for injustice.

²⁹ Presents and gifts blind the eyes of the wise; like a muzzle on the mouth they avert reproofs.

³⁰ Hidden wisdom and unseen treasure, what advantage is there in either of them?

³¹ Better is the person who hides his folly than the person who hides his wisdom.