מִשְׁלֵי 17
| טֹ֤וב פַּ֣ת חֲ֭רֵבָה וְשַׁלְוָה־בָ֑הּ מִ֝בַּ֗יִת מָלֵ֥א זִבְחֵי־רִֽיב׃ | 1 |
Better to eat a dry scrap in peace than to feast in a house full of people arguing.
| עֶֽבֶד־מַשְׂכִּ֗יל יִ֭מְשֹׁל בְּבֵ֣ן מֵבִ֑ישׁ וּבְתֹ֥וךְ אַ֝חִ֗ים יַחֲלֹ֥ק נַחֲלָֽה׃ | 2 |
A servant who acts wisely will be put in charge of a disgraced son, and will share the family inheritance with the brothers.
| מַצְרֵ֣ף לַ֭כֶּסֶף וְכ֣וּר לַזָּהָ֑ב וּבֹחֵ֖ן לִבֹּ֣ות יְהוָֽה׃ | 3 |
A crucible tests silver, and a furnace tests gold, but the Lord tests the attitude of mind.
| מֵ֭רַע מַקְשִׁ֣יב עַל־שְׂפַת־אָ֑וֶן שֶׁ֥קֶר מֵ֝זִין עַל־לְשֹׁ֥ון הַוֹּֽת׃ | 4 |
Evil people listen to spiteful talk, and liars pay attention to malicious words.
| לֹעֵ֣ג לָ֭רָשׁ חֵרֵ֣ף עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ שָׂמֵ֥חַ לְ֝אֵ֗יד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃ | 5 |
Anyone who oppresses the poor insults their Maker, and anyone who enjoys the suffering of others will be punished.
| עֲטֶ֣רֶת זְ֭קֵנִים בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְתִפְאֶ֖רֶת בָּנִ֣ים אֲבֹותָֽם׃ | 6 |
Old people are proud of their grandchildren, and children are proud of their parents.
| לֹא־נָאוָ֣ה לְנָבָ֣ל שְׂפַת־יֶ֑תֶר אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־לְנָדִ֥יב שְׂפַת־שָֽׁקֶר׃ | 7 |
Fine words don't suit stupid people, how much less are lies suited to a ruler.
| אֶֽבֶן־חֵ֣ן הַ֭שֹּׁחַד בְּעֵינֵ֣י בְעָלָ֑יו אֶֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֖ר יִפְנֶ֣ה יַשְׂכִּֽיל׃ | 8 |
Whoever gives a bribe thinks it's a magical stone—that wherever they turn they'll have success!
| מְֽכַסֶּה־פֶּ֭שַׁע מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אַהֲבָ֑ה וְשֹׁנֶ֥ה בְ֝דָבָ֗ר מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃ | 9 |
If you forgive a wrong you encourage friendship, but if you keep talking about it you'll lose your friend.
| תֵּ֣חַת גְּעָרָ֣ה בְמֵבִ֑ין מֵהַכֹּ֖ות כְּסִ֣יל מֵאָֽה׃ | 10 |
A reprimand hits a thinking person more than one hundred blows hit someone stupid.
| אַךְ־מְרִ֥י יְבַקֶּשׁ־רָ֑ע וּמַלְאָ֥ךְ אַ֝כְזָרִ֗י יְשֻׁלַּח־בֹּֽו׃ | 11 |
Evil people are only looking to rebel, so a cruel messenger will be sent to attack them.
| פָּגֹ֬ושׁ דֹּ֣ב שַׁכּ֣וּל בְּאִ֑ישׁ וְאַל־כְּ֝סִ֗יל בְּאִוַּלְתֹּֽו׃ | 12 |
Better to meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs than a stupid person and their foolishness.
| מֵשִׁ֣יב רָ֭עָה תַּ֣חַת טֹובָ֑ה לֹא־תָמִישׁ (תָמ֥וּשׁ) רָ֝עָ֗ה מִבֵּיתֹֽו׃ | 13 |
If you repay evil for good, evil will never leave your house.
| פֹּ֣וטֵֽר מַ֭יִם רֵאשִׁ֣ית מָדֹ֑ון וְלִפְנֵ֥י הִ֝תְגַּלַּ֗ע הָרִ֥יב נְטֹֽושׁ׃ | 14 |
The beginning of a quarrel is like the first leak in a water dam, so drop it before a major argument bursts out.
| מַצְדִּ֣יק רָ֭שָׁע וּמַרְשִׁ֣יעַ צַדִּ֑יק תֹּועֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ | 15 |
The Lord hates it when the wicked are acquitted and the innocent condemned.
| לָמָּה־זֶּ֣ה מְחִ֣יר בְּיַד־כְּסִ֑יל לִקְנֹ֖ות חָכְמָ֣ה וְלֶב־אָֽיִן׃ | 16 |
Is there any point in stupid people trying to buy wisdom when they don't want to learn?
| בְּכָל־עֵ֭ת אֹהֵ֣ב הָרֵ֑עַ וְאָ֥ח לְ֝צָרָ֗ה יִוָּלֵֽד׃ | 17 |
A true friend is always there to love you, and family provides help when troubles come.
| אָדָ֣ם חֲסַר־לֵ֭ב תֹּוקֵ֣עַ כָּ֑ף עֹרֵ֥ב עֲ֝רֻבָּ֗ה לִפְנֵ֥י רֵעֵֽהוּ׃ | 18 |
It's not a wise idea to make a pledge and guarantee a neighbor's debt.
| אֹ֣הֵֽב פֶּ֭שַׁע אֹהֵ֣ב מַצָּ֑ה מַגְבִּ֥יהַּ פִּ֝תְחֹ֗ו מְבַקֶּשׁ־שָֽׁבֶר׃ | 19 |
People who love sin like to argue; those who build high gates invite destruction.
| עִקֶּשׁ־לֵ֭ב לֹ֣א יִמְצָא־טֹ֑וב וְנֶהְפָּ֥ךְ בִּ֝לְשֹׁונֹ֗ו יִפֹּ֥ול בְּרָעָֽה׃ | 20 |
People with warped minds don't succeed; those who tell lies get into trouble.
| יֹלֵ֣ד כְּ֭סִיל לְת֣וּגָה לֹ֑ו וְלֹֽא־יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח אֲבִ֣י נָבָֽל׃ | 21 |
A stupid son brings grief to his father; the father of a child who does stupid things has no joy.
| לֵ֣ב שָׂ֭מֵחַ יֵיטִ֣ב גֵּהָ֑ה וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃ | 22 |
A cheerful attitude is like good medicine, but discouragement makes you sick.
| שֹׁ֣חַד מֵ֭חֵיק רָשָׁ֣ע יִקָּ֑ח לְ֝הַטֹּ֗ות אָרְחֹ֥ות מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ | 23 |
The wicked take hidden bribes to pervert the course of justice.
| אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י מֵבִ֣ין חָכְמָ֑ה וְעֵינֵ֥י כְ֝סִ֗יל בִּקְצֵה־אָֽרֶץ׃ | 24 |
Sensible people focus on wisdom, but the eyes of stupid people are always wandering.
| כַּ֣עַס לְ֭אָבִיו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וּ֝מֶ֗מֶר לְיֹולַדְתֹּֽו׃ | 25 |
A stupid son brings grief to his father and sadness to his mother who gave birth to him.
| גַּ֤ם עֲנֹ֣ושׁ לַצַּדִּ֣יק לֹא־טֹ֑וב לְהַכֹּ֖ות נְדִיבִ֣ים עַל־יֹֽשֶׁר׃ | 26 |
It's not right to impose a fine on someone who's innocent or to flog good leaders for their honesty.
| חֹושֵׂ֣ךְ אֲ֭מָרָיו יֹודֵ֣עַ דָּ֑עַת וְקַר־ (יְקַר)־ר֝֗וּחַ אִ֣ישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה׃ | 27 |
If you're wise, you'll be careful what you say; and if you're sensible, you'll keep your temper.
| גַּ֤ם אֱוִ֣יל מַ֭חֲרִישׁ חָכָ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב אֹטֵ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֣יו נָבֹֽון׃ | 28 |
Even stupid people who keep quiet are considered wise; if they don't say anything they appear intelligent.
