< Proverbs 26 >

1 As dew in harvest, and as rain in summer, so honour is not [seemly] for a fool.
כַּשֶּׁלֶג ׀ בַּקַּיִץ וְכַמָּטָר בַּקָּצִיר כֵּן לֹֽא־נָאוֶה לִכְסִיל כָּבֽוֹד׃
2 As birds and sparrows fly, so a curse shall not come upon any one without a cause.
כַּצִּפּוֹר לָנוּד כַּדְּרוֹר לָעוּף כֵּן קִֽלְלַת חִנָּם (לא) [לוֹ] תָבֹֽא׃
3 As a whip for a horse, and a goad for an ass, so [is] a rod for a simple nation.
שׁוֹט לַסּוּס מֶתֶג לַחֲמוֹר וְשֵׁבֶט לְגֵו כְּסִילִֽים׃
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you become like him.
אַל־תַּעַן כְּסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לּוֹ גַם־אָֽתָּה׃
5 Yet answer a fool according to his folly, lest he seem wise in his own conceit.
עֲנֵה כְסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶה חָכָם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃
6 He that sends a message by a foolish messenger procures for himself a reproach from his own ways.
מְקַצֶּה רַגְלַיִם חָמָס שֹׁתֶה שֹׁלֵחַ דְּבָרִים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃
7 [As well] take away the motion of the legs, as transgression from the mouth of fools.
דַּלְיוּ שֹׁקַיִם מִפִּסֵּחַ וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִֽים׃
8 He that binds up a stone in a sling, is like one that gives glory to a fool.
כִּצְרוֹר אֶבֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָה כֵּן־נוֹתֵן לִכְסִיל כָּבֽוֹד׃
9 Thorns grow in the hand of a drunkard, and servitude in the hand of fools.
חוֹחַ עָלָה בְיַד־שִׁכּוֹר וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִֽים׃
10 All the flesh of fools endures much hardship; for their fury is brought to nothing.
רַב מְחוֹלֵֽל־כֹּל וְשֹׂכֵר כְּסִיל וְשֹׂכֵר עֹבְרִֽים׃
11 As when a dog goes to his own vomit, and becomes abominable, so is fool who returns in his wickedness to his own sin. [There is a shame that brings sin: and there is a shame [that is] glory and grace.]
כְּכֶלֶב שָׁב עַל־קֵאוֹ כְּסִיל שׁוֹנֶה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃
12 I have seen a man who seemed to himself to be wise; but a fool had more hope than he.
רָאִיתָ אִישׁ חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו תִּקְוָה לִכְסִיל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
13 A sluggard when sent on a journey says, [There is] a lion in the ways, and [there are] murderers in the streets.
אָמַר עָצֵל שַׁחַל בַּדָּרֶךְ אֲרִי בֵּין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃
14 As a door turns on the hinge, so does a sluggard on his bed.
הַדֶּלֶת תִּסּוֹב עַל־צִירָהּ וְעָצֵל עַל־מִטָּתֽוֹ׃
15 A sluggard having hid his hand in his bosom, will not be able to bring it up to his mouth.
טָמַן עָצֵל יָדוֹ בַּצַּלָּחַת נִלְאָה לַהֲשִׁיבָהּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃
16 A sluggard seems to himself wiser than one who most satisfactorily brings back a message.
חָכָם עָצֵל בְּעֵינָיו מִשִּׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טָֽעַם׃
17 As he that lays hold of a dog's tail, so is he that makes himself the champion of another's cause.
מַחֲזִיק בְּאׇזְנֵי־כָלֶב עֹבֵר מִתְעַבֵּר עַל־רִיב לֹּא־לֽוֹ׃
18 As those who need correction put forth [fair] words to men, and he that first falls in with the proposal will be overthrown;
כְּֽמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶה זִקִּים חִצִּים וָמָֽוֶת׃
19 so are all that lay wait for their own friends, and when they are discovered, say, I did it in jest.
כֵּֽן־אִישׁ רִמָּה אֶת־רֵעֵהוּ וְאָמַר הֲֽלֹא־מְשַׂחֵק אָֽנִי׃
20 With much wood fire increases; but where there is not a double-minded man, strife ceases.
בְּאֶפֶס עֵצִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵשׁ וּבְאֵין נִרְגָּן יִשְׁתֹּק מָדֽוֹן׃
21 A hearth for coals, and wood for fire; and railing man for the tumult of strife.
פֶּחָם לְגֶחָלִים וְעֵצִים לְאֵשׁ וְאִישׁ (מדונים) [מִדְיָנִים] לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃
22 The words of cunning knaves are soft; but they strike [even] to the inmost parts of the bowels.
דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִים וְהֵם יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
23 Silver dishonestly given is to be considered as a potsherd: smooth lips cover a grievous heart.
כֶּסֶף סִיגִים מְצֻפֶּה עַל־חָרֶשׂ שְׂפָתַיִם דֹּלְקִים וְלֶב־רָֽע׃
24 A weeping enemy promises all things with his lips, but in his heart he contrives deceit.
בִּשְׂפָתָו יִנָּכֵר שׂוֹנֵא וּבְקִרְבּוֹ יָשִׁית מִרְמָֽה׃
25 Though [your] enemy entreat you with a loud voice, consent not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּן קוֹלוֹ אַל־תַּאֲמֶן־בּוֹ כִּי שֶׁבַע תּוֹעֵבוֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃
26 He that hides enmity frames deceit: but being easily discerned, exposes his own sins in the public assemblies.
תִּכַּסֶּה שִׂנְאָה בְּמַשָּׁאוֹן תִּגָּלֶה רָֽעָתוֹ בְקָהָֽל׃
27 He that digs a pit for his neighbour shall fall into it: and he that rolls a stone, rolls it upon himself.
כֹּֽרֶה־שַּׁחַת בָּהּ יִפּוֹל וְגוֹלֵֽל אֶבֶן אֵלָיו תָּשֽׁוּב׃
28 A lying tongue hates the truth; and an unguarded mouth causes tumults.
לְֽשׁוֹן־שֶׁקֶר יִשְׂנָא דַכָּיו וּפֶה חָלָק יַעֲשֶׂה מִדְחֶֽה׃

< Proverbs 26 >