< Proverbs 20 >

1 Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
לֵץ הַיַּין הֹמֶה שֵׁכָר וְכָל־שֹׁגֶה בּוֹ לֹא יֶחְכָּֽם׃
2 The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
נַהַם כַּכְּפִיר אֵימַת מֶלֶךְ מִתְעַבְּרוֹ חוֹטֵא נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
3 It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarrelling.
כָּבוֹד לָאִישׁ שֶׁבֶת מֵרִיב וְכָל־אֱוִיל יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃
4 The sluggard will not plough by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
מֵחֹרֶף עָצֵל לֹא־יַחֲרֹשׁ ישאל וְשָׁאַל בַּקָּצִיר וָאָֽיִן׃
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
מַיִם עֲמֻקִּים עֵצָה בְלֶב־אִישׁ וְאִישׁ תְּבוּנָה יִדְלֶֽנָּה׃
6 Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?
רָב־אָדָם יִקְרָא אִישׁ חַסְדּוֹ וְאִישׁ אֱמוּנִים מִי יִמְצָֽא׃
7 A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.
מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּתֻמּוֹ צַדִּיק אַשְׁרֵי בָנָיו אַחֲרָֽיו׃
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgement scatters away all evil with his eyes.
מֶלֶךְ יוֹשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא־דִין מְזָרֶה בְעֵינָיו כָּל־רָֽע׃
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin”?
מִֽי־יֹאמַר זִכִּיתִי לִבִּי טָהַרְתִּי מֵחַטָּאתִֽי׃
10 Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
אֶבֶן וָאֶבֶן אֵיפָה וְאֵיפָה תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
11 Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.
גַּם בְּמַעֲלָלָיו יִתְנַכֶּר־נָעַר אִם־זַךְ וְאִם־יָשָׁר פָּעֳלֽוֹ׃
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD has made even both of them.
אֹזֶן שֹׁמַעַת וְעַיִן רֹאָה יְהוָה עָשָׂה גַם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
13 Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
אַל־תֶּֽאֱהַב שֵׁנָה פֶּן־תִּוָּרֵשׁ פְּקַח עֵינֶיךָ שְֽׂבַֽע־לָֽחֶם׃
14 “It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
רַע רַע יֹאמַר הַקּוֹנֶה וְאֹזֵל לוֹ אָז יִתְהַלָּֽל׃
15 There is gold and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
יֵשׁ זָהָב וְרָב־פְּנִינִים וּכְלִי יְקָר שִׂפְתֵי־דָֽעַת׃
16 Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.
לְֽקַח־בִּגְדוֹ כִּי־עָרַב זָר וּבְעַד נכרים נָכְרִיָּה חַבְלֵֽהוּ׃
17 Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
עָרֵב לָאִישׁ לֶחֶם שָׁקֶר וְאַחַר יִמָּֽלֵא־פִיהוּ חָצָֽץ׃
18 Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!
מַחֲשָׁבוֹת בְּעֵצָה תִכּוֹן וּבְתַחְבֻּלוֹת עֲשֵׂה מִלְחָמָֽה׃
19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
גּֽוֹלֶה־סּוֹד הוֹלֵךְ רָכִיל וּלְפֹתֶה שְׂפָתָיו לֹא תִתְעָרָֽב׃
20 Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
מְקַלֵּל אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ יִֽדְעַךְ נֵרוֹ באישון בֶּאֱשׁוּן חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
21 An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning won’t be blessed in the end.
נַחֲלָה מבחלת מְבֹהֶלֶת בָּרִאשֹׁנָה וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ לֹא תְבֹרָֽךְ׃
22 Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for the LORD, and he will save you.
אַל־תֹּאמַר אֲשַׁלְּמָה־רָע קַוֵּה לַֽיהוָה וְיֹשַֽׁע לָֽךְ׃
23 The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.
תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה אֶבֶן וָאָבֶן וּמֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה לֹא־טֽוֹב׃
24 A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?
מֵיהוָה מִצְעֲדֵי־גָבֶר וְאָדָם מַה־יָּבִין דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃
25 It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.
מוֹקֵשׁ אָדָם יָלַע קֹדֶשׁ וְאַחַר נְדָרִים לְבַקֵּֽר׃
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.
מְזָרֶה רְשָׁעִים מֶלֶךְ חָכָם וַיָּשֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶם אוֹפָֽן׃
27 The spirit of man is the LORD’s lamp, searching all his innermost parts.
נֵר יְהוָה נִשְׁמַת אָדָם חֹפֵשׂ כָּל־חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
28 Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.
חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת יִצְּרוּ־מֶלֶךְ וְסָעַד בַּחֶסֶד כִּסְאֽוֹ׃
29 The glory of young men is their strength. The splendour of old men is their grey hair.
תִּפְאֶרֶת בַּחוּרִים כֹּחָם וַהֲדַר זְקֵנִים שֵׂיבָֽה׃
30 Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.
חַבֻּרוֹת פֶּצַע תמריק תַּמְרוּק בְּרָע וּמַכּוֹת חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

< Proverbs 20 >