מִשְׁלֵי 26
| כשלג בקיץ--וכמטר בקציר כן לא-נאוה לכסיל כבוד | 1 |
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so a fool does not deserve honor.
| כצפור לנוד כדרור לעוף-- כן קללת חנם לא (לו) תבא | 2 |
As the sparrow flitters and the swallow darts when they fly, so an undeserved curse does not alight.
| שוט לסוס מתג לחמור ושבט לגו כסילים | 3 |
A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey and a rod is for the back of fools.
| אל-תען כסיל כאולתו פן-תשוה-לו גם-אתה | 4 |
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will become like him.
| ענה כסיל כאולתו פן-יהיה חכם בעיניו | 5 |
Answer a fool and join in on his folly, so he will not become wise in his own eyes.
| מקצה רגלים חמס שתה-- שלח דברים ביד-כסיל | 6 |
Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
| דליו שקים מפסח ומשל בפי כסילים | 7 |
Like the legs of a paralytic which hang down is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
| כצרור אבן במרגמה-- כן-נותן לכסיל כבוד | 8 |
Like tying a stone in a sling is giving honor to a fool.
| חוח עלה ביד-שכור ומשל בפי כסילים | 9 |
Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
| רב מחולל-כל ושכר כסיל ושכר עברים | 10 |
Like an archer who wounds all those around him is one who hires a fool or hires anyone who passes by.
| ככלב שב על-קאו-- כסיל שונה באולתו | 11 |
As a dog returns to his own vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.
| ראית--איש חכם בעיניו תקוה לכסיל ממנו | 12 |
Do you see someone who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
| אמר עצל שחל בדרך ארי בין הרחבות | 13 |
The lazy person says, “There is a lion on the road! There is a lion between the open places!”
| הדלת תסוב על-צירה ועצל על-מטתו | 14 |
As the door turns on its hinges, so is the lazy person upon his bed.
| טמן עצל ידו בצלחת נלאה להשיבה אל-פיו | 15 |
The lazy person puts his hand into the dish and yet he has no strength to lift it up to his mouth.
| חכם עצל בעיניו-- משבעה משיבי טעם | 16 |
The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who respond with good judgment.
| מחזיק באזני-כלב-- עבר מתעבר על-ריב לא-לו | 17 |
Like one who takes hold of the ears of a dog, is a passerby who becomes angry at a dispute that is not his own.
| כמתלהלה הירה זקים-- חצים ומות | 18 |
Like a madman who shoots burning arrows,
| כן-איש רמה את-רעהו ואמר הלא-משחק אני | 19 |
is the one who deceives his neighbor and says, “Was I not telling a joke?”
| באפס עצים תכבה-אש ובאין נרגן ישתק מדון | 20 |
For lack of wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no gossiper quarreling ceases.
| פחם לגחלים ועצים לאש ואיש מדונים (מדינים) לחרחר-ריב | 21 |
As charcoal is to burning coals and wood is to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
| דברי נרגן כמתלהמים והם ירדו חדרי-בטן | 22 |
The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
| כסף סיגים מצפה על-חרש-- שפתים דלקים ולב-רע | 23 |
Like the glaze overlaying an earthen vessel so are burning lips and an evil heart.
| בשפתו ינכר שונא ובקרבו ישית מרמה | 24 |
One who hates others disguises his feelings with his lips and he lays up deceit within himself.
| כי-יחנן קולו אל-תאמן-בו כי שבע תועבות בלבו | 25 |
He will speak graciously, but do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
| תכסה שנאה במשאון תגלה רעתו בקהל | 26 |
Though his hatred is covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
| כרה-שחת בה יפול וגולל אבן אליו תשוב | 27 |
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it and the stone will roll back on the one who pushed it.
| לשון-שקר ישנא דכיו ופה חלק יעשה מדחה | 28 |
A lying tongue hates the people it crushes and a flattering mouth brings about ruin.
