מִשְׁלֵי 26

1 כַּשֶּׁלֶג ׀ בַּקַּיִץ וְכַמָּטָר בַּקָּצִיר כֵּן לֹֽא־נָאוֶה לִכְסִיל כָּבֽוֹד׃

As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not seemly for a fool.

2 כַּצִּפּוֹר לָנוּד כַּדְּרוֹר לָעוּף כֵּן קִֽלְלַת חִנָּם (לא) [לוֹ] תָבֹֽא׃

As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, so the curse that is causeless does not alight.

3 שׁוֹט לַסּוּס מֶתֶג לַחֲמוֹר וְשֵׁבֶט לְגֵו כְּסִילִֽים׃

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.

4 אַל־תַּעַן כְּסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לּוֹ גַם־אָֽתָּה׃

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like to him.

5 עֲנֵה כְסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶה חָכָם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

6 מְקַצֶּה רַגְלַיִם חָמָס שֹׁתֶה שֹׁלֵחַ דְּבָרִים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃

He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off the feet, and drinks injury.

7 דַּלְיוּ שֹׁקַיִם מִפִּסֵּחַ וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִֽים׃

The legs of a lame man hang loose. So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8 כִּצְרוֹר אֶבֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָה כֵּן־נוֹתֵן לִכְסִיל כָּבֽוֹד׃

As he who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool.

9 חוֹחַ עָלָה בְיַד־שִׁכּוֹר וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִֽים׃

As a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10 רַב מְחוֹלֵֽל־כֹּל וְשֹׂכֵר כְּסִיל וְשֹׂכֵר עֹבְרִֽים׃

As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool, and he who hires those who pass by.

11 כְּכֶלֶב שָׁב עַל־קֵאוֹ כְּסִיל שׁוֹנֶה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃

As a dog who returns to his vomit, is a fool who repeats his folly.

12 רָאִיתָ אִישׁ חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו תִּקְוָה לִכְסִיל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

See thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope for a fool than of him.

13 אָמַר עָצֵל שַׁחַל בַּדָּרֶךְ אֲרִי בֵּין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃

The sluggard says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

14 הַדֶּלֶת תִּסּוֹב עַל־צִירָהּ וְעָצֵל עַל־מִטָּתֽוֹ׃

The door turns upon its hinges, so does the sluggard upon his bed.

15 טָמַן עָצֵל יָדוֹ בַּצַּלָּחַת נִלְאָה לַהֲשִׁיבָהּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. It wearies him to bring it again to his mouth.

16 חָכָם עָצֵל בְּעֵינָיו מִשִּׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טָֽעַם׃

The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men who can render a reason.

17 מַחֲזִיק בְּאׇזְנֵי־כָלֶב עֹבֵר מִתְעַבֵּר עַל־רִיב לֹּא־לֽוֹ׃

He who passes by, and meddles with strife not his, is like he who takes a dog by the ears.

18 כְּֽמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶה זִקִּים חִצִּים וָמָֽוֶת׃

As a madman who casts firebrands, arrows, and death,

19 כֵּֽן־אִישׁ רִמָּה אֶת־רֵעֵהוּ וְאָמַר הֲֽלֹא־מְשַׂחֵק אָֽנִי׃

so is the man who deceives his neighbor, and says, Am I not in sport?

20 בְּאֶפֶס עֵצִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵשׁ וּבְאֵין נִרְגָּן יִשְׁתֹּק מָדֽוֹן׃

For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention ceases.

21 פֶּחָם לְגֶחָלִים וְעֵצִים לְאֵשׁ וְאִישׁ (מדונים) [מִדְיָנִים] לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃

As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife.

22 דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִים וְהֵם יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts.

23 כֶּסֶף סִיגִים מְצֻפֶּה עַל־חָרֶשׂ שְׂפָתַיִם דֹּלְקִים וְלֶב־רָֽע׃

Fervent lips and a wicked heart are an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

24 בִּשְׂפָתָו יִנָּכֵר שׂוֹנֵא וּבְקִרְבּוֹ יָשִׁית מִרְמָֽה׃

He who hates masquerades with his lips, but he lays up deceit within him.

25 כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּן קוֹלוֹ אַל־תַּאֲמֶן־בּוֹ כִּי שֶׁבַע תּוֹעֵבוֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃

When he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.

26 תִּכַּסֶּה שִׂנְאָה בְּמַשָּׁאוֹן תִּגָּלֶה רָֽעָתוֹ בְקָהָֽל׃

Though his hatred cover itself with guile, his wickedness shall be openly shown before the assembly.

27 כֹּֽרֶה־שַּׁחַת בָּהּ יִפּוֹל וְגוֹלֵֽל אֶבֶן אֵלָיו תָּשֽׁוּב׃

He who digs a pit shall fall in it, and he who rolls a stone, it shall return upon him.

28 לְֽשׁוֹן־שֶׁקֶר יִשְׂנָא דַכָּיו וּפֶה חָלָק יַעֲשֶׂה מִדְחֶֽה׃

A lying tongue hates those whom it has wounded, and a flattering mouth works ruin.