< Proverbs 22 >

1 A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold.
נִבְחָ֣ר שֵׁ֭ם מֵעֹ֣שֶׁר רָ֑ב מִכֶּ֥סֶף וּ֝מִזָּהָ֗ב חֵ֣ן טֽוֹב׃
2 The rich and the poor have this in common: Jehovah is the maker of them all.
עָשִׁ֣יר וָרָ֣שׁ נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ עֹשֵׂ֖ה כֻלָּ֣ם יְהוָֽה׃
3 The shrewd see danger and take cover, but the naive keep on going and suffer for it.
עָר֤וּם ׀ רָאָ֣ה רָעָ֣ה וְנִסְתָּ֑ר וּ֝פְתָיִ֗ים עָבְר֥וּ וְֽנֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ׃
4 The result of humility and the fear of Jehovah is wealth, honor, and life.
עֵ֣קֶב עֲ֭נָוָה יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֖שֶׁר וְכָב֣וֹד וְחַיִּֽים׃
5 Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked: whoever guards his soul stays from them.
צִנִּ֣ים פַּ֭חִים בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ עִקֵּ֑שׁ שׁוֹמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ יִרְחַ֥ק מֵהֶֽם׃
6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
חֲנֹ֣ךְ לַ֭נַּעַר עַל־פִּ֣י דַרְכּ֑וֹ גַּ֥ם כִּֽי־יַ֝זְקִ֗ין לֹֽא־יָס֥וּר מִמֶּֽנָּה׃
7 The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender.
עָ֭שִׁיר בְּרָשִׁ֣ים יִמְשׁ֑וֹל וְעֶ֥בֶד לֹ֝וֶ֗ה לְאִ֣ישׁ מַלְוֶֽה׃
8 He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will fail. God blesses a cheerful and generous person, but the vanity of his deeds he will bring to an end.
זוֹרֵ֣עַ עַ֭וְלָה יִקְצָר אָ֑וֶן וְשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָת֣וֹ יִכְלֶֽה׃
9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed; for he shares his food with the poor.
טֽוֹב־עַ֭יִן ה֣וּא יְבֹרָ֑ךְ כִּֽי־נָתַ֖ן מִלַּחְמ֣וֹ לַדָּֽל׃
10 Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.
גָּ֣רֵֽשׁ לֵ֭ץ וְיֵצֵ֣א מָד֑וֹן וְ֝יִשְׁבֹּ֗ת דִּ֣ין וְקָלֽוֹן׃
11 He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king's friend.
אֹהֵ֥ב טְהָר לֵ֑ב חֵ֥ן שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו רֵעֵ֥הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ׃
12 The eyes of Jehovah watch over knowledge; but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
עֵינֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה נָ֣צְרוּ דָ֑עַת וַ֝יְסַלֵּ֗ף דִּבְרֵ֥י בֹגֵֽד׃
13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside. I will be killed in the streets."
אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל אֲרִ֣י בַח֑וּץ בְּת֥וֹךְ רְ֝חֹב֗וֹת אֵֽרָצֵֽחַ׃
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit: he who is under Jehovah's wrath will fall into it.
שׁוּחָ֣ה עֲ֭מֻקָּה פִּ֣י זָר֑וֹת זְע֥וּם יְ֝הוָ֗ה יִפָּל שָֽׁם׃
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child: the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
אִ֭וֶּלֶת קְשׁוּרָ֣ה בְלֶב־נָ֑עַר שֵׁ֥בֶט מ֝וּסָ֗ר יַרְחִיקֶ֥נָּה מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
16 Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.
עֹ֣שֵֽׁק דָּ֭ל לְהַרְבּ֣וֹת ל֑וֹ נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃
17 The words of the wise: Incline your ear and hear my words, and apply your heart to my instruction.
הַ֥ט אָזְנְךָ֗ וּ֭שְׁמַע דִּבְרֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֑ים וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ תָּשִׁ֥ית לְדַעְתִּֽי׃
18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
כִּֽי־נָ֭עִים כִּֽי־תִשְׁמְרֵ֣ם בְּבִטְנֶ֑ךָ יִכֹּ֥נוּ יַ֝חְדָּ֗ו עַל־שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃
19 That your trust may be in Jehovah, I teach you today, even you.
לִהְי֣וֹת בַּ֭יהוָה מִבְטַחֶ֑ךָ הוֹדַעְתִּ֖יךָ הַיּ֣וֹם אַף־אָֽתָּה׃
20 Haven't I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,
הֲלֹ֤א כָתַ֣בְתִּי לְ֭ךָ שָׁלִישִׁ֑ים בְּמ֖וֹעֵצֹ֣ת וָדָֽעַת׃
21 To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?
לְהוֹדִֽיעֲךָ֗ קֹ֭שְׁטְ אִמְרֵ֣י אֱמֶ֑ת לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֲמָרִ֥ים אֱ֝מֶ֗ת לְשֹׁלְחֶֽיךָ׃ פ
22 Do not exploit the poor, because he is poor; and do not crush the needy in court;
אַֽל־תִּגְזָל־דָּ֭ל כִּ֣י דַל־ה֑וּא וְאַל־תְּדַכֵּ֖א עָנִ֣י בַשָּֽׁעַר׃
23 for Jehovah will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.
כִּֽי־יְ֭הוָה יָרִ֣יב רִיבָ֑ם וְקָבַ֖ע אֶת־קֹבְעֵיהֶ֣ם נָֽפֶשׁ׃
24 Do not befriend a hot-tempered man, and do not associate with one who harbors anger:
אַל־תִּ֭תְרַע אֶת־בַּ֣עַל אָ֑ף וְאֶת־אִ֥ישׁ חֵ֝מוֹת לֹ֣א תָבֽוֹא׃
25 lest you learn his ways, and ensnare your soul.
פֶּן־תֶּאֱלַ֥ף אֹֽרְחֹתָ֑יו וְלָקַחְתָּ֖ מוֹקֵ֣שׁ לְנַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃
26 Do not be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.
אַל־תְּהִ֥י בְתֹֽקְעֵי־כָ֑ף בַּ֝עֹרְבִ֗ים מַשָּׁאֽוֹת׃
27 If you do not have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?
אִם־אֵֽין־לְךָ֥ לְשַׁלֵּ֑ם לָ֥מָּה יִקַּ֥ח מִ֝שְׁכָּבְךָ֗ מִתַּחְתֶּֽיךָ׃
28 Do not move the ancient boundary stone, which your fathers have set up.
אַל־תַּ֭סֵּג גְּב֣וּל עוֹלָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עָשׂ֣וּ אֲבוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won't serve obscure men.
חָזִ֡יתָ אִ֤ישׁ ׀ מָ֘הִ֤יר בִּמְלַאכְתּ֗וֹ לִֽפְנֵֽי־מְלָכִ֥ים יִתְיַצָּ֑ב בַּל־יִ֝תְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵ֥י חֲשֻׁכִּֽים׃ פ

< Proverbs 22 >