< Proverbs 26 >

1 In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish.
כשלג בקיץ וכמטר בקציר כן לא נאוה לכסיל כבוד׃
2 Like a bird flying away to another place, and like a sparrow that hurries away freely, so also a curse uttered against someone without cause will pass away.
כצפור לנוד כדרור לעוף כן קללת חנם לא תבא׃
3 A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent.
שוט לסוס מתג לחמור ושבט לגו כסילים׃
4 Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.
אל תען כסיל כאולתו פן תשוה לו גם אתה׃
5 Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
ענה כסיל כאולתו פן יהיה חכם בעיניו׃
6 Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
מקצה רגלים חמס שתה שלח דברים ביד כסיל׃
7 In the manner of a lame man who has beautiful legs to no purpose, so also is a parable unfit for the mouth of the foolish.
דליו שקים מפסח ומשל בפי כסילים׃
8 Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish.
כצרור אבן במרגמה כן נותן לכסיל כבוד׃
9 In the manner of a thorn, if it were to spring up from the hand of a drunkard, so also is a parable in the mouth of the foolish.
חוח עלה ביד שכור ומשל בפי כסילים׃
10 Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.
רב מחולל כל ושכר כסיל ושכר עברים׃
11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.
ככלב שב על קאו כסיל שונה באולתו׃
12 Have you seen a man who seems wise to himself? There will be greater hope held for the unwise than for him.
ראית איש חכם בעיניו תקוה לכסיל ממנו׃
13 The lazy one says, “There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.”
אמר עצל שחל בדרך ארי בין הרחבות׃
14 Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.
הדלת תסוב על צירה ועצל על מטתו׃
15 The lazy one conceals his hand under his arms, and it is a labor for him to move it to his mouth.
טמן עצל ידו בצלחת נלאה להשיבה אל פיו׃
16 The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.
חכם עצל בעיניו משבעה משיבי טעם׃
17 Just like one who takes hold of a dog by the ears, so also is he who crosses impatiently and meddles in the quarrels of another.
מחזיק באזני כלב עבר מתעבר על ריב לא לו׃
18 Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,
כמתלהלה הירה זקים חצים ומות׃
19 so also is the man who harms his friend by deceitfulness. And when he has been apprehended, he says, “I did it jokingly.”
כן איש רמה את רעהו ואמר הלא משחק אני׃
20 When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled.
באפס עצים תכבה אש ובאין נרגן ישתק מדון׃
21 Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels.
פחם לגחלים ועצים לאש ואיש מדונים לחרחר ריב׃
22 The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self.
דברי נרגן כמתלהמים והם ירדו חדרי בטן׃
23 In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart.
כסף סיגים מצפה על חרש שפתים דלקים ולב רע׃
24 An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit.
בשפתו ינכר שונא ובקרבו ישית מרמה׃
25 When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.
כי יחנן קולו אל תאמן בו כי שבע תועבות בלבו׃
26 Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.
תכסה שנאה במשאון תגלה רעתו בקהל׃
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.
כרה שחת בה יפל וגלל אבן אליו תשוב׃
28 A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.
לשון שקר ישנא דכיו ופה חלק יעשה מדחה׃

< Proverbs 26 >