מִשְׁלֵי 19
| טוב-רש הולך בתמו-- מעקש שפתיו והוא כסיל | 1 |
Better to be poor but honest than stupid and tell lies.
| גם בלא-דעת נפש לא-טוב ואץ ברגלים חוטא | 2 |
It's not good to be someone who doesn't think. If you rush, things go wrong.
| אולת אדם תסלף דרכו ועל-יהוה יזעף לבו | 3 |
People mess up their lives by their own stupidity, and then get angry with the Lord.
| הון--יסיף רעים רבים ודל מרעהו יפרד | 4 |
If you're rich, you get a lot of friends, but if you're poor, you lose any friends you had.
| עד שקרים לא ינקה ויפיח כזבים לא ימלט | 5 |
A false witness will be punished; liars won't get away with their lies.
| רבים יחלו פני-נדיב וכל-הרע לאיש מתן | 6 |
Many ask favors from important people, and everyone's a friend of the generous.
| כל אחי-רש שנאהו-- אף כי מרעהו רחקו ממנו מרדף אמרים לא- (לו-) המה | 7 |
If a poor man's relatives can't stand him, how much more will his friends avoid him! He tries to talk with them but they don't listen.
| קנה-לב אהב נפשו שמר תבונה למצא-טוב | 8 |
If you become wise, you have good self-esteem; if you learn good sense you'll be successful.
| עד שקרים לא ינקה ויפיח כזבים יאבד | 9 |
A false witness will be punished; people who tell lies will perish.
| לא-נאוה לכסיל תענוג אף כי-לעבד משל בשרים | 10 |
It's not right for stupid people to live in luxury, and it's even worse for a slave to rule over leaders.
| שכל אדם האריך אפו ותפארתו עבר על-פשע | 11 |
If you have good sense you'll be slow to get angry; you gain respect by forgiving wrongs.
| נהם ככפיר זעף מלך וכטל על-עשב רצונו | 12 |
When a king gets angry, he sounds like a roaring lion; but his kindness is as soft as dew on the grass.
| הות לאביו בן כסיל ודלף טרד מדיני אשה | 13 |
A stupid son makes his father miserable, and an argumentative wife is like dripping that never stops.
| בית והון נחלת אבות ומיהוה אשה משכלת | 14 |
You inherit a house and wealth from your father, but a sensible wife is a gift from the Lord.
| עצלה תפיל תרדמה ונפש רמיה תרעב | 15 |
Lazy people are often fast asleep, but idleness means they're hungry.
| שמר מצוה שמר נפשו בוזה דרכיו יומת (ימות) | 16 |
Keep the commandments, and you'll live; despise them and you'll die.
| מלוה יהוה חונן דל וגמלו ישלם-לו | 17 |
If you're kind to the poor, you're lending to the Lord, and he will repay you well for what you've done.
| יסר בנך כי-יש תקוה ואל-המיתו אל-תשא נפשך | 18 |
Discipline your son while there's still hope, but don't kill him.
| גרל- (גדל-) חמה נשא ענש כי אם-תציל ועוד תוסף | 19 |
People who often get angry have to pay the penalty; if you help them, you'll have to do it again.
| שמע עצה וקבל מוסר-- למען תחכם באחריתך | 20 |
Listen to advice and accept instruction so that you'll eventually become wise.
| רבות מחשבות בלב-איש ועצת יהוה היא תקום | 21 |
Human beings make many plans in their minds, but the final decision is the Lord's.
| תאות אדם חסדו וטוב-רש מאיש כזב | 22 |
The most desirable thing in anyone is trustworthy love; it is better to be poor than a liar.
| יראת יהוה לחיים ושבע ילין בל-יפקד רע | 23 |
Honoring the Lord is life, and you will rest contentedly, safe from harm.
| טמן עצל ידו בצלחת גם-אל-פיהו לא ישיבנה | 24 |
Lazy people put their hands in a dish, and won't even lift the food to their mouths.
| לץ תכה ופתי יערם והוכיח לנבון יבין דעת | 25 |
If you punish someone who mocks, you may help an immature person to learn. Correct the wise, and they become wiser.
| משדד-אב יבריח אם-- בן מביש ומחפיר | 26 |
A son who abuses his father and chases away his mother brings shame and disgrace.
| חדל-בני לשמע מוסר לשגות מאמרי-דעת | 27 |
My son, stop listening to my instruction and you'll soon give up following wisdom.
| עד בליעל יליץ משפט ופי רשעים יבלע-און | 28 |
A crooked witness makes a mockery of justice; and the wicked wolf down evil.
| נכונו ללצים שפטים ומהלמות לגו כסילים | 29 |
Punishment is ready for those who mock; flogging is ready for the backs of the stupid.
