מִשְׁלֵי 18
| לְֽ֭תַאֲוָה יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ נִפְרָ֑ד בְּכָל־תּ֝וּשִׁיָּ֗ה יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃ | 1 |
Selfish people only please themselves, they attack anything that makes good sense.
| לֹֽא־יַחְפֹּ֣ץ כְּ֭סִיל בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה כִּ֝֗י אִֽם־בְּהִתְגַּלֹּ֥ות לִבֹּֽו׃ | 2 |
Stupid people have no interest in trying to understand, they only want to express their opinions.
| בְּֽבֹוא־רָ֭שָׁע בָּ֣א גַם־בּ֑וּז וְֽעִם־קָלֹ֥ון חֶרְפָּֽה׃ | 3 |
With wickedness comes contempt; with dishonor comes disgrace.
| מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים דִּבְרֵ֣י פִי־אִ֑ישׁ נַ֥חַל נֹ֝בֵ֗עַ מְקֹ֣ור חָכְמָֽה׃ | 4 |
People's words can be profound like deep waters, a gushing stream that is the source of wisdom.
| שְׂאֵ֣ת פְּנֵי־רָשָׁ֣ע לֹא־טֹ֑וב לְהַטֹּ֥ות צַ֝דִּ֗יק בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ | 5 |
It's not right to show favoritism to the guilty and rob the innocent of justice.
| שִׂפְתֵ֣י כְ֭סִיל יָבֹ֣אֽוּ בְרִ֑יב וּ֝פִ֗יו לְֽמַהֲלֻמֹ֥ות יִקְרָֽא׃ | 6 |
What stupid people say gets them into fights, as if they're asking for a beating.
| פִּֽי־כְ֭סִיל מְחִתָּה־לֹ֑ו וּ֝שְׂפָתָ֗יו מֹוקֵ֥שׁ נַפְשֹֽׁו׃ | 7 |
Stupid people are caught out by what they say; their own words trap them.
| דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃ | 8 |
Listening to gossip is like gulping down bites of your favorite food—they go deep down inside you.
| גַּ֭ם מִתְרַפֶּ֣ה בִמְלַאכְתֹּ֑ו אָ֥ח ה֝֗וּא לְבַ֣עַל מַשְׁחִֽית׃ | 9 |
Laziness and destruction are brothers.
| מִגְדַּל־עֹ֭ז שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה בֹּֽו־יָר֖וּץ צַדִּ֣יק וְנִשְׂגָּֽב׃ | 10 |
The Lord is a protective tower that good people can run to and be safe.
| הֹ֣ון עָ֭שִׁיר קִרְיַ֣ת עֻזֹּ֑ו וּכְחֹומָ֥ה נִ֝שְׂגָּבָ֗ה בְּמַשְׂכִּיתֹֽו׃ | 11 |
Rich people see their wealth as a fortified town—it's like a high wall in their imagination.
| לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֭בֶר יִגְבַּ֣הּ לֵב־אִ֑ישׁ וְלִפְנֵ֖י כָבֹ֣וד עֲנָוֽ͏ָה׃ | 12 |
Pride leads to destruction; humility goes before honor.
| מֵשִׁ֣יב דָּ֭בָר בְּטֶ֣רֶם יִשְׁמָ֑ע אִוֶּ֥לֶת הִיא־לֹ֝֗ו וּכְלִמָּֽה׃ | 13 |
Replying before hearing is stupidity and shame.
| רֽוּחַ־אִ֭ישׁ יְכַלְכֵּ֣ל מַחֲלֵ֑הוּ וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה מִ֣י יִשָּׂאֶֽנָּה׃ | 14 |
With a brave spirit you can put up with sickness, but if it's crushed, you can't bear it.
| לֵ֣ב נָ֭בֹון יִקְנֶה־דָּ֑עַת וְאֹ֥זֶן חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים תְּבַקֶּשׁ־דָּֽעַת׃ | 15 |
An intelligent mind acquires knowledge; the wise are ready to hear knowledge.
| מַתָּ֣ן אָ֭דָם יַרְחִ֣יב לֹ֑ו וְלִפְנֵ֖י גְדֹלִ֣ים יַנְחֶֽנּוּ׃ | 16 |
A gift opens doors for you, and gets you into the presence of important people.
| צַדִּ֣יק הָרִאשֹׁ֣ון בְּרִיבֹ֑ו יָבֹא־ (וּבָֽא)־רֵ֝עֵ֗הוּ וַחֲקָרֹֽו׃ | 17 |
The first person to plead a case sounds right until someone comes to cross-examine them.
| מִ֭דְיָנִים יַשְׁבִּ֣ית הַגֹּורָ֑ל וּבֵ֖ין עֲצוּמִ֣ים יַפְרִֽיד׃ | 18 |
Casting lots can end disputes and decide between powerful people.
| אָ֗ח נִפְשָׁ֥ע מִקִּרְיַת־עֹ֑ז וּמְדֹונִים (וּ֝מִדְיָנִ֗ים) כִּבְרִ֥יחַ אַרְמֹֽון׃ | 19 |
A brother you've offended is harder to win back than a fortified town. Arguments keep people apart like bars on the doors of a fortress.
| מִפְּרִ֣י פִי־אִ֭ישׁ תִּשְׂבַּ֣ע בִּטְנֹ֑ו תְּבוּאַ֖ת שְׂפָתָ֣יו יִשְׂבָּֽע׃ | 20 |
Make sure you're satisfied with what you say—you have to live with your words.
| מָ֣וֶת וְ֭חַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשֹׁ֑ון וְ֝אֹהֲבֶ֗יהָ יֹאכַ֥ל פִּרְיָֽהּ׃ | 21 |
What you say has the power to bring life or to kill; those who love talking will have to deal with the consequences.
| מָצָ֣א אִ֭שָּׁה מָ֣צָא טֹ֑וב וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צֹ֗ון מֵיְהוָֽה׃ | 22 |
If you find a wife, that's great, and you'll be blessed by the Lord.
| תַּחֲנוּנִ֥ים יְדַבֶּר־רָ֑שׁ וְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר יַעֲנֶ֥ה עַזֹּֽות׃ | 23 |
The poor beg for mercy, but the rich reply harshly.
| אִ֣ישׁ רֵ֭עִים לְהִתְרֹעֵ֑עַ וְיֵ֥שׁ אֹ֝הֵ֗ב דָּבֵ֥ק מֵאָֽח׃ | 24 |
Some friends give up on you, but there's a friend who stays closer to you than a brother.
