מִשְׁלֵי 26
| כשלג בקיץ--וכמטר בקציר כן לא-נאוה לכסיל כבוד | 1 |
As dew in harvest, and as rain in summer, so honour is not [seemly] for a fool.
| כצפור לנוד כדרור לעוף-- כן קללת חנם לא (לו) תבא | 2 |
As birds and sparrows fly, so a curse shall not come upon any one without a cause.
| שוט לסוס מתג לחמור ושבט לגו כסילים | 3 |
As a whip for a horse, and a goad for an ass, so [is] a rod for a simple nation.
| אל-תען כסיל כאולתו פן-תשוה-לו גם-אתה | 4 |
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou become like him.
| ענה כסיל כאולתו פן-יהיה חכם בעיניו | 5 |
Yet answer a fool according to his folly, lest he seem wise in his own conceit.
| מקצה רגלים חמס שתה-- שלח דברים ביד-כסיל | 6 |
He that sends a message by a foolish messenger procures for himself a reproach from his own ways.
| דליו שקים מפסח ומשל בפי כסילים | 7 |
[As well] take away the motion of the legs, as transgression from the mouth of fools.
| כצרור אבן במרגמה-- כן-נותן לכסיל כבוד | 8 |
He that binds up a stone in a sling, is like one that gives glory to a fool.
| חוח עלה ביד-שכור ומשל בפי כסילים | 9 |
Thorns grow in the hand of a drunkard, and servitude in the hand of fools.
| רב מחולל-כל ושכר כסיל ושכר עברים | 10 |
All the flesh of fools endures much hardship; for their fury is brought to nought.
| ככלב שב על-קאו-- כסיל שונה באולתו | 11 |
As when a dog goes to his own vomit, and becomes abominable, so is fool who returns in his wickedness to his own sin. [There is a shame that brings sin: and there is a shame [that is] glory and grace.]
| ראית--איש חכם בעיניו תקוה לכסיל ממנו | 12 |
I have seen a man who seemed to himself to be wise; but a fool had more hope than he.
| אמר עצל שחל בדרך ארי בין הרחבות | 13 |
A sluggard when sent on a journey says, [There is] a lion in the ways, and [there are] murderers in the streets.
| הדלת תסוב על-צירה ועצל על-מטתו | 14 |
As a door turns on the hinge, so does a sluggard on his bed.
| טמן עצל ידו בצלחת נלאה להשיבה אל-פיו | 15 |
A sluggard having hid his hand in his bosom, will not be able to bring it up to his mouth.
| חכם עצל בעיניו-- משבעה משיבי טעם | 16 |
A sluggard seems to himself wiser than one who most satisfactorily brings back a message.
| מחזיק באזני-כלב-- עבר מתעבר על-ריב לא-לו | 17 |
As he that lays hold of a dog's tail, so is he that makes himself the champion of another's cause.
| כמתלהלה הירה זקים-- חצים ומות | 18 |
As those who need correction put forth [fair] words to men, and he that first falls in with the proposal will be overthrown;
| כן-איש רמה את-רעהו ואמר הלא-משחק אני | 19 |
so are all that lay wait for their own friends, and when they are discovered, say, I did it in jest.
| באפס עצים תכבה-אש ובאין נרגן ישתק מדון | 20 |
With much wood fire increases; but where there is not a double-minded man, strife ceases.
| פחם לגחלים ועצים לאש ואיש מדונים (מדינים) לחרחר-ריב | 21 |
A hearth for coals, and wood for fire; and railing man for the tumult of strife.
| דברי נרגן כמתלהמים והם ירדו חדרי-בטן | 22 |
The words of cunning knaves are soft; but they smite [even] to the inmost parts of the bowels.
| כסף סיגים מצפה על-חרש-- שפתים דלקים ולב-רע | 23 |
Silver dishonestly given is to be considered as a potsherd: smooth lips cover a grievous heart.
| בשפתו ינכר שונא ובקרבו ישית מרמה | 24 |
A weeping enemy promises all things with his lips, but in his heart he contrives deceit.
| כי-יחנן קולו אל-תאמן-בו כי שבע תועבות בלבו | 25 |
Though [thine] enemy intreat thee with a loud voice, consent not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
| תכסה שנאה במשאון תגלה רעתו בקהל | 26 |
He that hides enmity frames deceit: but being easily discerned, exposes his own sins in the public assemblies.
| כרה-שחת בה יפול וגולל אבן אליו תשוב | 27 |
He that digs a pit for his neighbour shall fall into it: and he that rolls a stone, rolls it upon himself.
| לשון-שקר ישנא דכיו ופה חלק יעשה מדחה | 28 |
A lying tongue hates the truth; and an unguarded mouth causes tumults.
