מִשְׁלֵי 22

1 נִבְחָר שֵׁם מֵעֹשֶׁר רָב מִכֶּסֶף וּמִזָּהָב חֵן טֽוֹב׃

A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold.

2 עָשִׁיר וָרָשׁ נִפְגָּשׁוּ עֹשֵׂה כֻלָּם יְהֹוָֽה׃

The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is the maker of them all.

3 עָרוּם ׀ רָאָה רָעָה (ויסתר) [וְנִסְתָּר] וּפְתָיִים עָבְרוּ וְֽנֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ׃

A prudent man sees danger and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

4 עֵקֶב עֲנָוָה יִרְאַת יְהֹוָה עֹשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד וְחַיִּֽים׃

The result of humility and the fear of the LORD is wealth, honor, and life.

5 צִנִּים פַּחִים בְּדֶרֶךְ עִקֵּשׁ שׁוֹמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ יִרְחַק מֵהֶֽם׃

Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked; whoever guards his soul stays far from them.

6 חֲנֹךְ לַנַּעַר עַל־פִּי דַרְכּוֹ גַּם כִּי־יַזְקִין לֹֽא־יָסוּר מִמֶּֽנָּה׃

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

7 עָשִׁיר בְּרָשִׁים יִמְשׁוֹל וְעֶבֶד לֹוֶה לְאִישׁ מַלְוֶֽה׃

The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender.

8 זוֹרֵעַ עַוְלָה (יקצור) [יִקְצׇר־]אָוֶן וְשֵׁבֶט עֶבְרָתוֹ יִכְלֶֽה׃

He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

9 טֽוֹב־עַיִן הוּא יְבֹרָךְ כִּֽי־נָתַן מִלַּחְמוֹ לַדָּֽל׃

He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

10 גָּרֵֽשׁ לֵץ וְיֵצֵא מָדוֹן וְיִשְׁבֹּת דִּין וְקָלֽוֹן׃

Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.

11 אֹהֵב (טהור) [טְהׇר־]לֵב חֵן שְׂפָתָיו רֵעֵהוּ מֶֽלֶךְ׃

He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king’s friend.

12 עֵינֵי יְהֹוָה נָצְרוּ דָעַת וַיְסַלֵּף דִּבְרֵי בֹגֵֽד׃

The LORD’s eyes watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

13 אָמַר עָצֵל אֲרִי בַחוּץ בְּתוֹךְ רְחֹבוֹת אֵרָצֵֽחַ׃

The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!”

14 שׁוּחָה עֲמֻקָּה פִּי זָרוֹת זְעוּם יְהֹוָה (יפול) [יִפׇּל־]שָֽׁם׃

The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit. He who is under the LORD’s wrath will fall into it.

15 אִוֶּלֶת קְשׁוּרָה בְלֶב־נָעַר שֵׁבֶט מוּסָר יַרְחִיקֶנָּה מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

16 עֹשֵֽׁק דָּל לְהַרְבּוֹת לוֹ נֹתֵן לְעָשִׁיר אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃

Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.

17 הַט אׇזְנְךָ וּשְׁמַע דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים וְלִבְּךָ תָּשִׁית לְדַעְתִּֽי׃

Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching.

18 כִּֽי־נָעִים כִּֽי־תִשְׁמְרֵם בְּבִטְנֶךָ יִכֹּנוּ יַחְדָּו עַל־שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃

For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.

19 לִֽהְיוֹת בַּיהֹוָה מִבְטַחֶךָ הוֹדַעְתִּיךָ הַיּוֹם אַף־אָֽתָּה׃

I teach you today, even you, so that your trust may be in the LORD.

20 הֲלֹא כָתַבְתִּֽי לְךָ (שלשום) [שָׁלִישִׁים] בְּמֹעֵצוֹת וָדָֽעַת׃

Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,

21 לְהוֹדִֽיעֲךָ קֹשְׁטְ אִמְרֵי אֱמֶת לְהָשִׁיב אֲמָרִים אֱמֶת לְשֹׁלְחֶֽיךָ׃

To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?

22 אַֽל־תִּגְזׇל־דָּל כִּי דַל־הוּא וְאַל־תְּדַכֵּא עָנִי בַשָּֽׁעַר׃

Don’t exploit the poor because he is poor; and don’t crush the needy in court;

23 כִּֽי־יְהֹוָה יָרִיב רִיבָם וְקָבַע אֶת־קֹבְעֵיהֶם נָֽפֶשׁ׃

for the LORD will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.

24 אַל־תִּתְרַע אֶת־בַּעַל אָף וְאֶת־אִישׁ חֵמוֹת לֹא תָבֽוֹא׃

Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man. Don’t associate with one who harbors anger,

25 פֶּן־תֶּאֱלַף אֹרְחֹתָו וְלָקַחְתָּ מוֹקֵשׁ לְנַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

lest you learn his ways and ensnare your soul.

26 אַל־תְּהִי בְתֹֽקְעֵי־כָף בַּעֹרְבִים מַשָּׁאֽוֹת׃

Don’t you be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.

27 אִם־אֵֽין־לְךָ לְשַׁלֵּם לָמָּה יִקַּח מִשְׁכָּבְךָ מִתַּחְתֶּֽיךָ׃

If you don’t have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?

28 אַל־תַּסֵּג גְּבוּל עוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֲבוֹתֶֽיךָ׃

Don’t move the ancient boundary stone which your fathers have set up.

29 חָזִיתָ אִישׁ ׀ מָהִיר בִּמְלַאכְתּוֹ לִֽפְנֵי־מְלָכִים יִתְיַצָּב בַּל־יִתְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵי חֲשֻׁכִּֽים׃

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.