< Proverbs 21 >

1 [Like] channels of water, is the heart of a king, in the hand of Yahweh, —whithersoever he will, he turneth it.
פַּלְגֵי־מַ֣יִם לֶב־מֶ֭לֶךְ בְּיַד־יְהוָ֑ה עַֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֖ר יַחְפֹּ֣ץ יַטֶּֽנּוּ׃
2 Every way of a man, may be right in his own eyes, but, he that testeth hearts, is Yahweh.
כָּֽל־דֶּרֶךְ־אִ֭ישׁ יָשָׁ֣ר בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן לִבֹּ֣ות יְהוָֽה׃
3 To do righteousness and justice, is more choice to Yahweh than sacrifice.
עֲ֭שֹׂה צְדָקָ֣ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט נִבְחָ֖ר לַיהוָ֣ה מִזָּֽבַח׃
4 Loftiness of eyes, and ambition of heart—the lamp of the lawless, are sin.
רוּם־עֵ֭ינַיִם וּרְחַב־לֵ֑ב נִ֖ר רְשָׁעִ֣ים חַטָּֽאת׃
5 The plans of the diligent, tend only to abundance, but, of every one that is urgent, only to want.
מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ות חָ֭רוּץ אַךְ־לְמֹותָ֑ר וְכָל־אָ֝֗ץ אַךְ־לְמַחְסֹֽור׃
6 The gaining of treasures with a tongue of falsehood, is a vapour driven away, [they who seek them] seek death,
פֹּ֣עַל אֹ֭וצָרֹות בִּלְשֹׁ֣ון שָׁ֑קֶר הֶ֥בֶל נִ֝דָּ֗ף מְבַקְשֵׁי־מָֽוֶת׃
7 The violence of the lawless, shall drag them away, —because they have refused to do justice.
שֹׁד־רְשָׁעִ֥ים יְגֹורֵ֑ם כִּ֥י מֵ֝אֲנ֗וּ לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
8 Crooked is the way of a guilty man, but, as for the pure, straight is his dealing.
הֲפַכְפַּ֬ךְ דֶּ֣רֶךְ אִ֣ישׁ וָזָ֑ר וְ֝זַ֗ךְ יָשָׁ֥ר פָּעֳלֹֽו׃
9 Better to dwell on the corner of the roof, than a quarrelsome wife, and a house in common.
טֹ֗וב לָשֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־פִּנַּת־גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים וּבֵ֥ית חָֽבֶר׃
10 The soul of the lawless man, craveth mischief, his own friend, findeth no favour in his eyes.
נֶ֣פֶשׁ רָ֭שָׁע אִוְּתָה־רָ֑ע לֹא־יֻחַ֖ן בְּעֵינָ֣יו רֵעֵֽהוּ׃
11 When the scoffer is punished, the simple, becometh wise, when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
בַּעְנָשׁ־לֵ֭ץ יֶחְכַּם־פֶּ֑תִי וּבְהַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְ֝חָכָ֗ם יִקַּח־דָּֽעַת׃
12 The Righteous One observeth the house of the lawless, —He is ready to cast down lawless men into misfortune.
מַשְׂכִּ֣יל צַ֭דִּיק לְבֵ֣ית רָשָׁ֑ע מְסַלֵּ֖ף רְשָׁעִ֣ים לָרָֽע׃
13 He that shutteth his ear from the cry of the poor, even he, shall call, and not be answered.
אֹטֵ֣ם אָ֭זְנֹו מִזַּעֲקַת־דָּ֑ל גַּֽם־ה֥וּא יִ֝קְרָ֗א וְלֹ֣א יֵעָנֶֽה׃
14 A gift in secret, quencheth anger, and, a present in the bosom, mighty wrath.
מַתָּ֣ן בַּ֭סֵּתֶר יִכְפֶּה־אָ֑ף וְשֹׁ֥חַד בַּ֝חֵ֗ק חֵמָ֥ה עַזָּֽה׃
15 It is a joy, to a righteous man, to do justice, but, dismay, to the workers of iniquity.
שִׂמְחָ֣ה לַ֭צַּדִּיק עֲשֹׂ֣ות מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃
16 The man who wandereth from the way of discretion, in the gathered host of the shades, shall settle down.
אָדָ֗ם תֹּ֭ועֶה מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ הַשְׂכֵּ֑ל בִּקְהַ֖ל רְפָאִ֣ים יָנֽוּחַ׃
17 A needy man, shall he be that loveth merriment, the lover of wine and oil, shall not become rich.
אִ֣ישׁ מַ֭חְסֹור אֹהֵ֣ב שִׂמְחָ֑ה אֹהֵ֥ב יַֽיִן־וָ֝שֶׁ֗מֶן לֹ֣א יַעֲשִֽׁיר׃
18 A ransom for the righteous, is the lawless, and, instead of upright men, the traitor.
כֹּ֣פֶר לַצַּדִּ֣יק רָשָׁ֑ע וְתַ֖חַת יְשָׁרִ֣ים בֹּוגֵֽד׃
19 Better to dwell in a desert land, than with a woman, quarrelsome and provoking.
טֹ֗וב שֶׁ֥בֶת בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְבָּ֑ר מֵאֵ֖שֶׁת מְדֹונִים (מִדְיָנִ֣ים) וָכָֽעַס׃
20 Desirable treasure and oil, are in the home of the wise, but, a man who is a dullard, will destroy it.
אֹוצָ֤ר ׀ נֶחְמָ֣ד וָ֭שֶׁמֶן בִּנְוֵ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וּכְסִ֖יל אָדָ֣ם יְבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃
21 He that pursueth righteousness and lovingkindness, shall find life, righteousness and honour.
רֹ֭דֵף צְדָקָ֣ה וָחָ֑סֶד יִמְצָ֥א חַ֝יִּ֗ים צְדָקָ֥ה וְכָבֹֽוד׃
22 A city of heroes, doth a wise man scale, and bringeth down the strength of its confidence.
עִ֣יר גִּ֭בֹּרִים עָלָ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וַ֝יֹּ֗רֶד עֹ֣ז מִבְטֶחָֽה׃
23 He that keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth, out of distresses, his soul.
שֹׁמֵ֣ר פִּ֭יו וּלְשֹׁונֹ֑ו שֹׁמֵ֖ר מִצָּרֹ֣ות נַפְשֹֽׁו׃
24 A haughty insolent one—Scoffer is his name, is he that acteth in a transport of pride.
זֵ֣ד יָ֭הִיר לֵ֣ץ שְׁמֹ֑ו עֹ֝ושֶׂ֗ה בְּעֶבְרַ֥ת זָדֹֽון׃
25 The craving of the sluggard, killeth him, for his hands have refused to work.
תַּאֲוַ֣ת עָצֵ֣ל תְּמִיתֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־מֵאֲנ֖וּ יָדָ֣יו לַעֲשֹֽׂות׃
26 All the day, he greatly craveth, whereas, the righteous, giveth, and doth not spare.
כָּל־הַ֭יֹּום הִתְאַוָּ֣ה תַאֲוָ֑ה וְצַדִּ֥יק יִ֝תֵּ֗ן וְלֹ֣א יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃
27 The sacrifice of the lawless, is an abomination, how much more, when, with wickedness, he bringeth it in!
זֶ֣בַח רְ֭שָׁעִים תֹּועֵבָ֑ה אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־בְזִמָּ֥ה יְבִיאֶֽנּוּ׃
28 A false witness, shall perish, but, the man who hearkeneth, with abiding effect, shall speak.
עֵד־כְּזָבִ֥ים יֹאבֵ֑ד וְאִ֥ישׁ שֹׁ֝ומֵ֗עַ לָנֶ֥צַח יְדַבֵּֽר׃
29 A lawless man emboldeneth his face, but, as for the upright, he, directeth his ways.
הֵעֵ֬ז אִ֣ישׁ רָשָׁ֣ע בְּפָנָ֑יו וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר ה֤וּא ׀ יָכִין (יָבִ֬ין) דְּרָכָיו (דַּרְכֹּֽו)׃
30 There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel, to confront Yahweh.
אֵ֣ין חָ֭כְמָה וְאֵ֣ין תְּבוּנָ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין עֵ֝צָ֗ה לְנֶ֣גֶד יְהוָֽה׃ פ
31 The horse, is prepared for the day of battle, but, to Yahweh, pertaineth the victory.
ס֗וּס מ֭וּכָן לְיֹ֣ום מִלְחָמָ֑ה וְ֝לַֽיהוָ֗ה הַתְּשׁוּעָֽה׃

< Proverbs 21 >