מִשְׁלֵי 23
| כי-תשב ללחום את-מושל-- בין תבין את-אשר לפניך | 1 |
When you sit down for a meal with a ruler, look carefully at what is placed before you,
| ושמת שכין בלעך-- אם-בעל נפש אתה | 2 |
and cut down if you have a big appetite.
| אל-תתאו למטעמותיו והוא לחם כזבים | 3 |
Don't be greedy for his fancy food, for it's offered with deceptive motives.
| אל-תיגע להעשיר מבינתך חדל | 4 |
Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich—be wise enough not to bother!
| התעוף (התעיף) עיניך בו ואיננו כי עשה יעשה-לו כנפים כנשר ועיף (יעוף) השמים | 5 |
It disappears in the blink of an eye, suddenly growing wings and flying off into the sky like an eagle.
| אל-תלחם--את-לחם רע עין ואל-תתאו למטעמתיו | 6 |
Don't accept meal invitations from miserly people; don't be greedy for their fancy food,
| כי כמו שער בנפשו-- כן-הוא אכול ושתה יאמר לך ולבו בל-עמך | 7 |
for what they're thinking inside is what they really are. They say, “Come on, eat and drink!”—but in their minds they don't really care about you.
| פתך-אכלת תקיאנה ושחת דבריך הנעימים | 8 |
You'll vomit up the little pieces you've eaten, and your kind words of appreciation will be wasted.
| באזני כסיל אל-תדבר כי-יבוז לשכל מליך | 9 |
Don't talk to stupid people because they'll ridicule your wise words.
| אל-תסג גבול עולם ובשדי יתומים אל-תבא | 10 |
Don't move ancient boundary markers, and don't encroach on fields belonging to orphans,
| כי-גאלם חזק הוא-יריב את-ריבם אתך | 11 |
for their Protector is powerful and he will plead their case against you.
| הביאה למוסר לבך ואזנך לאמרי-דעת | 12 |
Focus your mind on instruction; listen intently to words of knowledge.
| אל-תמנע מנער מוסר כי-תכנו בשבט לא ימות | 13 |
Don't keep from disciplining your children—a beating won't kill them.
| אתה בשבט תכנו ונפשו משאול תציל (Sheol h7585) | 14 |
If you use physical correction you can save them from death. (Sheol h7585)
| בני אם-חכם לבך-- ישמח לבי גם-אני | 15 |
My son, if you think wisely then I'll be happy;
| ותעלזנה כליותי-- בדבר שפתיך מישרים | 16 |
I'll be delighted when you say what's right.
| אל-יקנא לבך בחטאים כי אם-ביראת-יהוה כל-היום | 17 |
Don't think enviously of sinners, but always remember to honor the Lord,
| כי אם-יש אחרית ותקותך לא תכרת | 18 |
for there's definitely a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
| שמע-אתה בני וחכם ואשר בדרך לבך | 19 |
Pay attention, my son, and be wise; make sure your mind concentrates on following the right way.
| אל-תהי בסבאי-יין-- בזללי בשר למו | 20 |
Don't join in with people who drink too much wine or who stuff themselves with meat.
| כי-סבא וזולל יורש וקרעים תלביש נומה | 21 |
For people who get drunk and overeat lose all they've got, and they spend so much time dozing that all they have left to wear is rags.
| שמע לאביך זה ילדך ואל-תבוז כי-זקנה אמך | 22 |
Pay attention to your father, and don't disregard your mother when she's old.
| אמת קנה ואל-תמכר חכמה ומוסר ובינה | 23 |
Invest in truth—and don't sell it! Invest in wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
| גול (גיל) יגיל אבי צדיק יולד (ויולד) חכם וישמח- (ישמח-) בו | 24 |
Children who do right make their fathers very happy; a wise son brings joy to his father.
| ישמח-אביך ואמך ותגל יולדתך | 25 |
Make your father and mother happy; bring joy to her who gave birth to you.
| תנה-בני לבך לי ועיניך דרכי תרצנה (תצרנה) | 26 |
My son, give me your undivided attention, and cheerfully follow my example.
| כי-שוחה עמקה זונה ובאר צרה נכריה | 27 |
A prostitute is like being trapped in a pit; an immoral woman is like getting stuck a narrow well,
| אף-היא כחתף תארב ובוגדים באדם תוסף | 28 |
Like a robber, she lies in wait ready to ambush men and make more of them unfaithful to their wives.
| למי אוי למי אבוי למי מדונים (מדינים) למי שיח-- למי פצעים חנם למי חכללות עינים | 29 |
Who's in trouble? Who's in pain? Who's arguing? Who's complaining? Who's injured for no reason? Who's got bloodshot eyes?
| למאחרים על-היין-- לבאים לחקר ממסך | 30 |
—those who spend a long time drinking wine, those who are always trying some new cocktail.
| אל-תרא יין כי יתאדם כי-יתן בכיס (בכוס) עינו יתהלך במישרים | 31 |
Don't let the look of wine tempt you—how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smooth it feels as it goes down.
| אחריתו כנחש ישך וכצפעני יפרש | 32 |
In the end it bites like a serpent, it stings like a snake.
| עיניך יראו זרות ולבך ידבר תהפכות | 33 |
You'll hallucinate, seeing strange things, and your confused mind will make you say all kinds of craziness.
| והיית כשכב בלב-ים וכשכב בראש חבל | 34 |
You'll stumble around like you're on the rolling ocean, you'll be tossed about like someone lying down at the top of a ship's mast, saying,
| הכוני בל-חליתי-- הלמוני בל-ידעתי מתי אקיץ אוסיף אבקשנו עוד | 35 |
“People punched me, but it didn't hurt me; they beat me, but I didn't feel a thing. I've got to get up because I need another drink.”
