< Proverbs 26 >

1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour [is] not comely for a fool.
כַּשֶּׁלֶג ׀ בַּקַּיִץ וְכַמָּטָר בַּקָּצִיר כֵּן לֹא־נָאוֶה לִכְסִיל כָּבֽוֹד׃
2 As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause doth not come.
כַּצִּפּוֹר לָנוּד כַּדְּרוֹר לָעוּף כֵּן קִֽלְלַת חִנָּם לא לוֹ תָבֹֽא׃
3 A whip is for a horse, a bridle for an ass, And a rod for the back of fools.
שׁוֹט לַסּוּס מֶתֶג לַחֲמוֹר וְשֵׁבֶט לְגֵו כְּסִילִֽים׃
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou be like to him — even thou.
אַל־תַּעַן כְּסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לּוֹ גַם־אָֽתָּה׃
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
עֲנֵה כְסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶה חָכָם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃
6 He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
מְקַצֶּה רַגְלַיִם חָמָס שֹׁתֶה שֹׁלֵחַ דְּבָרִים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃
7 Weak have been the two legs of the lame, And a parable in the mouth of fools.
דַּלְיוּ שֹׁקַיִם מִפִּסֵּחַ וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִֽים׃
8 As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honour to a fool.
כִּצְרוֹר אֶבֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָה כֵּן־נוֹתֵן לִכְסִיל כָּבֽוֹד׃
9 A thorn hath gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And a parable in the mouth of fools.
חוֹחַ עָלָה בְיַד־שִׁכּוֹר וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִֽים׃
10 Great [is] the Former of all, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
רַב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־כֹּל וְשֹׂכֵר כְּסִיל וְשֹׂכֵר עֹבְרִֽים׃
11 As a dog hath returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
כְּכֶלֶב שָׁב עַל־קֵאוֹ כְּסִיל שׁוֹנֶה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃
12 Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
רָאִיתָ אִישׁ חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו תִּקְוָה לִכְסִיל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
13 The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.'
אָמַר עָצֵל שַׁחַל בַּדָּרֶךְ אֲרִי בֵּין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃
14 The door turneth round on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
הַדֶּלֶת תִּסּוֹב עַל־צִירָהּ וְעָצֵל עַל־מִטָּתֽוֹ׃
15 The slothful hath hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
טָמַן עָצֵל יָדוֹ בַּצַּלָּחַת נִלְאָה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָהּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃
16 Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
חָכָם עָצֵל בְּעֵינָיו מִשִּׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טָֽעַם׃
17 Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife not his own.
מַחֲזִיק בְּאָזְנֵי־כָלֶב עֹבֵר מִתְעַבֵּר עַל־רִיב לֹּֽא־לֽוֹ׃
18 As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
כְּֽמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶה זִקִּים חִצִּים וָמָֽוֶת׃
19 So hath a man deceived his neighbour, And hath said, 'Am not I playing?'
כֵּֽן־אִישׁ רִמָּה אֶת־רֵעֵהוּ וְאָמַר הֲ‍ֽלֹא־מְשַׂחֵק אָֽנִי׃
20 Without wood is fire going out, And without a tale-bearer, contention ceaseth,
בְּאֶפֶס עֵצִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵשׁ וּבְאֵין נִרְגָּן יִשְׁתֹּק מָדֽוֹן׃
21 Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
פֶּחָם לְגֶחָלִים וְעֵצִים לְאֵשׁ וְאִישׁ מדונים מִדְיָנִים לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃
22 The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִים וְהֵם יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
23 Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
כֶּסֶף סִיגִים מְצֻפֶּה עַל־חָרֶשׂ שְׂפָתַיִם דֹּלְקִים וְלֶב־רָֽע׃
24 By his lips doth a hater dissemble, And in his heart he placeth deceit,
בשפתו בִּשְׂפָתָיו יִנָּכֵר שׂוֹנֵא וּבְקִרְבּוֹ יָשִׁית מִרְמָֽה׃
25 When his voice is gracious trust not in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּן קוֹלוֹ אַל־תַּֽאֲמֶן־בּוֹ כִּי שֶׁבַע תּוֹעֵבוֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃
26 Hatred is covered by deceit, Revealed is its wickedness in an assembly.
תִּכַּסֶּה שִׂנְאָה בְּמַשָּׁאוֹן תִּגָּלֶה רָעָתוֹ בְקָהָֽל׃
27 Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And the roller of a stone, to him it turneth.
כֹּֽרֶה־שַּׁחַת בָּהּ יִפֹּל וְגֹלֵל אֶבֶן אֵלָיו תָּשֽׁוּב׃
28 A lying tongue hateth its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth worketh an overthrow!
לְֽשׁוֹן־שֶׁקֶר יִשְׂנָא דַכָּיו וּפֶה חָלָק יַעֲשֶׂה מִדְחֶֽה׃

< Proverbs 26 >