< Proverbs 26 >

1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest; so honor is not seemly for a fool.
כַּשֶּׁלֶג ׀ בַּקַּיִץ וְכַמָּטָר בַּקָּצִיר כֵּן לֹא־נָאוֶה לִכְסִיל כָּבֽוֹד׃
2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
כַּצִּפּוֹר לָנוּד כַּדְּרוֹר לָעוּף כֵּן קִֽלְלַת חִנָּם לא לוֹ תָבֹֽא׃
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.
שׁוֹט לַסּוּס מֶתֶג לַחֲמוֹר וְשֵׁבֶט לְגֵו כְּסִילִֽים׃
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like him.
אַל־תַּעַן כְּסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לּוֹ גַם־אָֽתָּה׃
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
עֲנֵה כְסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶה חָכָם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃
6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, [and] drinketh damage.
מְקַצֶּה רַגְלַיִם חָמָס שֹׁתֶה שֹׁלֵחַ דְּבָרִים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃
7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so [is] a parable in the mouth of fools.
דַּלְיוּ שֹׁקַיִם מִפִּסֵּחַ וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִֽים׃
8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so [is] he that giveth honor to a fool.
כִּצְרוֹר אֶבֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָה כֵּן־נוֹתֵן לִכְסִיל כָּבֽוֹד׃
9 [As] a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so [is] a parable in the mouth of fools.
חוֹחַ עָלָה בְיַד־שִׁכּוֹר וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִֽים׃
10 The great [God] that formed all [things] both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
רַב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־כֹּל וְשֹׂכֵר כְּסִיל וְשֹׂכֵר עֹבְרִֽים׃
11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, [so] a fool returneth to his folly.
כְּכֶלֶב שָׁב עַל־קֵאוֹ כְּסִיל שׁוֹנֶה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃
12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? [there is] more hope of a fool than of him.
רָאִיתָ אִישׁ חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו תִּקְוָה לִכְסִיל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
13 The slothful [man] saith, [There is] a lion in the way; a lion [is] in the streets.
אָמַר עָצֵל שַׁחַל בַּדָּרֶךְ אֲרִי בֵּין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃
14 [As] the door turneth upon its hinges, so [doth] the slothful upon his bed.
הַדֶּלֶת תִּסּוֹב עַל־צִירָהּ וְעָצֵל עַל־מִטָּתֽוֹ׃
15 The slothful hideth [his] hand in [his] bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
טָמַן עָצֵל יָדוֹ בַּצַּלָּחַת נִלְאָה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָהּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃
16 The sluggard [is] wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
חָכָם עָצֵל בְּעֵינָיו מִשִּׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טָֽעַם׃
17 He that passeth by, [and] meddleth with strife [belonging] not to him, [is like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.
מַחֲזִיק בְּאָזְנֵי־כָלֶב עֹבֵר מִתְעַבֵּר עַל־רִיב לֹּֽא־לֽוֹ׃
18 As a mad [man] who casteth fire-brands, arrows, and death,
כְּֽמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶה זִקִּים חִצִּים וָמָֽוֶת׃
19 So [is] the man [that] deceiveth his neighbor, and saith, Am not I in sport?
כֵּֽן־אִישׁ רִמָּה אֶת־רֵעֵהוּ וְאָמַר הֲ‍ֽלֹא־מְשַׂחֵק אָֽנִי׃
20 Where no wood is, [there] the fire goeth out: so where [there is] no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth.
בְּאֶפֶס עֵצִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵשׁ וּבְאֵין נִרְגָּן יִשְׁתֹּק מָדֽוֹן׃
21 [As] coals [are] to burning coals, and wood to fire; so [is] a contentious man to kindle strife.
פֶּחָם לְגֶחָלִים וְעֵצִים לְאֵשׁ וְאִישׁ מדונים מִדְיָנִים לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃
22 The words of a tale-bearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִים וְהֵם יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
23 Burning lips and a wicked heart [are like] a potsherd covered with silver dross.
כֶּסֶף סִיגִים מְצֻפֶּה עַל־חָרֶשׂ שְׂפָתַיִם דֹּלְקִים וְלֶב־רָֽע׃
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
בשפתו בִּשְׂפָתָיו יִנָּכֵר שׂוֹנֵא וּבְקִרְבּוֹ יָשִׁית מִרְמָֽה׃
25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for [there are] seven abominations in his heart.
כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּן קוֹלוֹ אַל־תַּֽאֲמֶן־בּוֹ כִּי שֶׁבַע תּוֹעֵבוֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃
26 [Whose] hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shown before the [whole] congregation.
תִּכַּסֶּה שִׂנְאָה בְּמַשָּׁאוֹן תִּגָּלֶה רָעָתוֹ בְקָהָֽל׃
27 Whoever diggeth a pit shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
כֹּֽרֶה־שַּׁחַת בָּהּ יִפֹּל וְגֹלֵל אֶבֶן אֵלָיו תָּשֽׁוּב׃
28 A lying tongue hateth [those that are] afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
לְֽשׁוֹן־שֶׁקֶר יִשְׂנָא דַכָּיו וּפֶה חָלָק יַעֲשֶׂה מִדְחֶֽה׃

< Proverbs 26 >