מִשְׁלֵי 16

1 לְאָדָ֥ם מַֽעַרְכֵי־לֵ֑ב וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה מַעֲנֵ֥ה לָשֹֽׁון׃

2 כָּֽל־דַּרְכֵי־אִ֭ישׁ זַ֣ךְ בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן רוּחֹ֣ות יְהוָֽה׃

All the works of the humble [man] are manifest with God; but the ungodly shall perish in an evil day.

3 גֹּ֣ל אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ וְ֝יִכֹּ֗נוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃

4 כֹּ֤ל פָּעַ֣ל יְ֭הוָה לַֽמַּעֲנֵ֑הוּ וְגַם־רָ֝שָׁ֗ע לְיֹ֣ום רָעָֽה׃

5 תֹּועֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה כָּל־גְּבַהּ־לֵ֑ב יָ֥ד לְ֝יָ֗ד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃

Every one that is proud in heart is unclean before God, and he that unjustly strikes hands with hand shall not be held guiltless. The beginning of a good way is to do justly; and it is more acceptable with God than to offer sacrifices. He that seeks the Lord shall find knowledge with righteousness: and they that rightly seek him shall find peace. All of the works of the Lord [are done] with righteousness; and the ungodly [man] is kept for the evil day.

6 בְּחֶ֣סֶד וֶ֭אֱמֶת יְכֻפַּ֣ר עָוֹ֑ן וּבְיִרְאַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה ס֣וּר מֵרָֽע׃

7 בִּרְצֹ֣ות יְ֭הוָה דַּרְכֵי־אִ֑ישׁ גַּם־אֹ֝ויְבָ֗יו יַשְׁלִ֥ם אִתֹּֽו׃

8 טֹוב־מְ֭עַט בִּצְדָקָ֑ה מֵרֹ֥ב תְּ֝בוּאֹ֗ות בְּלֹ֣א מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

9 לֵ֣ב אָ֭דָם יְחַשֵּׁ֣ב דַּרְכֹּ֑ו וַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה יָכִ֥ין צַעֲדֹֽו׃

10 קֶ֤סֶם ׀ עַֽל־שִׂפְתֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ בְּ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט לֹ֣א יִמְעַל־פִּֽיו׃

[There is] an oracle upon the lips of a king; and his mouth shall not err in judgement.

11 פֶּ֤לֶס ׀ וּמֹאזְנֵ֣י מִ֭שְׁפָּט לַֽיהוָ֑ה מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗הוּ כָּל־אַבְנֵי־כִֽיס׃

The poise of the balance is righteousness with the Lord; and his works are righteous measures.

12 תֹּועֲבַ֣ת מְ֭לָכִים עֲשֹׂ֣ות רֶ֑שַׁע כִּ֥י בִ֝צְדָקָ֗ה יִכֹּ֥ון כִּסֵּֽא׃

An evil-doer is an abomination to a king; for the throne of rule is established by righteousness.

13 רְצֹ֣ון מְ֭לָכִים שִׂפְתֵי־צֶ֑דֶק וְדֹבֵ֖ר יְשָׁרִ֣ים יֶאֱהָֽב׃

Righteous lips are acceptable to a king; and he loves right words.

14 חֲמַת־מֶ֥לֶךְ מַלְאֲכֵי־מָ֑וֶת וְאִ֖ישׁ חָכָ֣ם יְכַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃

The anger of a king is a messenger of death; but a wise man will pacify him.

15 בְּאֹור־פְּנֵי־מֶ֥לֶךְ חַיִּ֑ים וּ֝רְצֹונֹ֗ו כְּעָ֣ב מַלְקֹֽושׁ׃

The son of a king is in the light of life; and they that are in favour with him are as a cloud of latter rain.

16 קְֽנֹה־חָכְמָ֗ה מַה־טֹּ֥וב מֵחָר֑וּץ וּקְנֹ֥ות בִּ֝ינָ֗ה נִבְחָ֥ר מִכָּֽסֶף׃

The brood of wisdom is more to be chosen than gold, and the brood of prudence more to be chosen than silver.

17 מְסִלַּ֣ת יְ֭שָׁרִים ס֣וּר מֵרָ֑ע שֹׁמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשֹׁ֗ו נֹצֵ֥ר דַּרְכֹּֽו׃

The paths of life turn aside from evil; and the ways of righteousness are length of life. He that receives instruction shall be in prosperity; and he that regards reproofs shall be made wise. He that keeps his ways, preserves his own soul; and he that loves his life will spare his mouth.

18 לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֥בֶר גָּאֹ֑ון וְלִפְנֵ֥י כִ֝שָּׁלֹ֗ון גֹּ֣בַהּ רֽוּחַ׃

Pride goes before destruction, and folly before a fall.

19 טֹ֣וב שְׁפַל־ר֭וּחַ אֶת־עֲנִיִּים (עֲנָוִ֑ים) מֵֽחַלֵּ֥ק שָׁ֝לָ֗ל אֶת־גֵּאִֽים׃

Better is a meek-spirited [man] with lowliness, than one who divides spoils with the proud.

20 מַשְׂכִּ֣יל עַל־דָּ֭בָר יִמְצָא־טֹ֑וב וּבֹוטֵ֖חַ בַּיהוָ֣ה אַשְׁרָֽיו׃

[He who is] skilful in business finds good: but he that trusts in God is most blessed.

21 לַחֲכַם־לֵ֭ב יִקָּרֵ֣א נָבֹ֑ון וּמֶ֥תֶק שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם יֹסִ֥יף לֶֽקַח׃

[Men] call the wise and understanding evil: but they that are pleasing in speech shall hear more.

22 מְקֹ֣ור חַ֭יִּים שֵׂ֣כֶל בְּעָלָ֑יו וּמוּסַ֖ר אֱוִלִ֣ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

Understanding is a fountain of life to its possessors; but the instruction of fools is evil.

23 לֵ֣ב חָ֭כָם יַשְׂכִּ֣יל פִּ֑יהוּ וְעַל־שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו יֹסִ֥יף לֶֽקַח׃

The heart of the wise will discern the [things which proceed] from his own mouth; and on his lips he will wear knowledge.

24 צוּף־דְּ֭בַשׁ אִמְרֵי־נֹ֑עַם מָתֹ֥וק לַ֝נֶּפֶשׁ וּמַרְפֵּ֥א לָעָֽצֶם׃

Good words are honeycombs, and the sweetness thereof is a healing of the soul.

25 יֵ֤שׁ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יָ֭שָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת׃

There are ways that seem to be right to a man, but the end of them looks to the depth of hell. (questioned)

26 נֶ֣פֶשׁ עָ֭מֵל עָ֣מְלָה לֹּ֑ו כִּֽי־אָכַ֖ף עָלָ֣יו פִּֽיהוּ׃

A man who labours, labours for himself, and drives from [him] his own ruin.

27 אִ֣ישׁ בְּ֭לִיַּעַל כֹּרֶ֣ה רָעָ֑ה וְעַל־שְׂפָתָיו (שְׂ֝פָתֹ֗ו) כְּאֵ֣שׁ צָרָֽבֶת׃

But the perverse bears destruction upon his own mouth: a foolish man digs up evil for himself, and treasures fire on his own lips.

28 אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֭הְפֻּכֹות יְשַׁלַּ֣ח מָדֹ֑ון וְ֝נִרְגָּ֗ן מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃

A perverse man spreads mischief, and will kindle a torch of deceit with mischiefs; and he separates friends.

29 אִ֣ישׁ חָ֭מָס יְפַתֶּ֣ה רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝הֹולִיכֹ֗ו בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ לֹא־טֹֽוב׃

A transgressor tries [to ensnare] friends, and leads them in ways [that are] not good.

30 עֹצֶ֣ה עֵ֭ינָיו לַחְשֹׁ֣ב תַּהְפֻּכֹ֑ות קֹרֵ֥ץ שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו כִּלָּ֥ה רָעָֽה׃

And the man that fixes his eyes devises perverse things, and marks out with his lips all evil: he is a furnace of wickedness.

31 עֲטֶ֣רֶת תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת שֵׂיבָ֑ה בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ צְ֝דָקָ֗ה תִּמָּצֵֽא׃

Old age is a crown of honour, but it is found in the ways of righteousness.

32 טֹ֤וב אֶ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם מִגִּבֹּ֑ור וּמֹשֵׁ֥ל בְּ֝רוּחֹ֗ו מִלֹּכֵ֥ד עִֽיר׃

A man slow to anger is better than a strong [man]; and he that governs [his] temper better than he that takes a city.

33 בַּ֭חֵיק יוּטַ֣ל אֶת־הַגֹּורָ֑ל וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה כָּל־מִשְׁפָּטֹֽו׃

All [evils] come upon the ungodly into [their] bosoms; but all righteous things [come] of the Lord.