מִשְׁלֵי 24
| אל-תקנא באנשי רעה ואל-תתאו להיות אתם | 1 |
Have no envy for evil men, or any desire to be with them:
| כי-שד יהגה לבם ועמל שפתיהם תדברנה | 2 |
For the purposes of their hearts are destruction, and their lips are talking of trouble.
| בחכמה יבנה בית ובתבונה יתכונן | 3 |
The building of a house is by wisdom, and by reason it is made strong:
| ובדעת חדרים ימלאו-- כל-הון יקר ונעים | 4 |
And by knowledge its rooms are full of all dear and pleasing things.
| גבר-חכם בעוז ואיש-דעת מאמץ-כח | 5 |
A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.
| כי בתחבלות תעשה-לך מלחמה ותשועה ברב יועץ | 6 |
For by wise guiding you will overcome in war: and in a number of wise guides there is salvation.
| ראמות לאויל חכמות בשער לא יפתח-פיהו | 7 |
Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.
| מחשב להרע-- לו בעל-מזמות יקראו | 8 |
He whose purposes are bad will be named a man of evil designs.
| זמת אולת חטאת ותועבת לאדם לץ | 9 |
The purpose of the foolish is sin: and the hater of authority is disgusting to others.
| התרפית ביום צרה-- צר כחכה | 10 |
If you give way in the day of trouble, your strength is small.
| הצל לקחים למות ומטים להרג אם-תחשוך | 11 |
Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.
| כי-תאמר-- הן לא-ידענו-זה הלא-תכן לבות הוא-יבין ונצר נפשך הוא ידע והשיב לאדם כפעלו | 12 |
If you say, See, we had no knowledge of this: does not the tester of hearts give thought to it? and he who keeps your soul, has he no knowledge of it? and will he not give to every man the reward of his work?
| אכל-בני דבש כי-טוב ונפת מתוק על-חכך | 13 |
My son, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which is sweet to your taste:
| כן דעה חכמה--לנפשך אם-מצאת ויש אחרית ותקותך לא תכרת | 14 |
So let your desire be for wisdom: if you have it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
| אל-תארב רשע לנוה צדיק אל-תשדד רבצו | 15 |
Do not keep a secret watch, O evil-doer, against the fields of the upright man, or send destruction on his resting-place:
| כי שבע יפול צדיק וקם ורשעים יכשלו ברעה | 16 |
For an upright man, after falling seven times, will get up again: but trouble is the downfall of the evil.
| בנפל אויביך (אויבך) אל-תשמח ובכשלו אל-יגל לבך | 17 |
Do not be glad at the fall of your hater, and let not your heart have joy at his downfall:
| פן-יראה יהוה ורע בעיניו והשיב מעליו אפו | 18 |
For fear that the Lord may see it, and it may be evil in his eyes, and his wrath may be turned away from him.
| אל-תתחר במרעים אל-תקנא ברשעים | 19 |
Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:
| כי לא-תהיה אחרית לרע נר רשעים ידעך | 20 |
For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.
| ירא-את-יהוה בני ומלך עם-שונים אל-תתערב | 21 |
My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:
| כי-פתאם יקום אידם ופיד שניהם מי יודע | 22 |
For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?
| גם-אלה לחכמים הכר-פנים במשפט בל-טוב | 23 |
These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.
| אמר לרשע--צדיק אתה יקבהו עמים יזעמוהו לאמים | 24 |
He who says to the evil-doer, You are upright, will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
| ולמוכיחים ינעם ועליהם תבוא ברכת-טוב | 25 |
But those who say sharp words to him will have delight, and a blessing of good will come on them.
| שפתים ישק משיב דברים נכחים | 26 |
He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.
| הכן בחוץ מלאכתך--ועתדה בשדה לך אחר ובנית ביתך | 27 |
Put your work in order outside, and make it ready in the field; and after that, see to the building of your house.
| אל-תהי עד-חנם ברעך והפתית בשפתיך | 28 |
Do not be a violent witness against your neighbour, or let your lips say what is false.
| אל-תאמר--כאשר עשה-לי כן אעשה-לו אשיב לאיש כפעלו | 29 |
Say not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will give the man the reward of his work.
| על-שדה איש-עצל עברתי ועל-כרם אדם חסר-לב | 30 |
I went by the field of the hater of work, and by the vine-garden of the man without sense;
| והנה עלה כלו קמשנים--כסו פניו חרלים וגדר אבניו נהרסה | 31 |
And it was all full of thorns, and covered with waste plants, and its stone wall was broken down.
| ואחזה אנכי אשית לבי ראיתי לקחתי מוסר | 32 |
Then looking at it, I gave thought: I saw, and I got teaching from it.
| מעט שנות מעט תנומות מעט חבק ידים לשכב | 33 |
A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
| ובא-מתהלך רישך ומחסריך כאיש מגן | 34 |
So loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.
