מִשְׁלֵי 21
| פַּלְגֵי־מַ֣יִם לֶב־מֶ֭לֶךְ בְּיַד־יְהוָ֑ה עַֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֖ר יַחְפֹּ֣ץ יַטֶּֽנּוּ׃ | 1 |
The Lord directs the king's decisions like a stream of water that he sends whichever way he wants.
| כָּֽל־דֶּרֶךְ־אִ֭ישׁ יָשָׁ֣ר בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן לִבֹּ֣ות יְהוָֽה׃ | 2 |
People think that whatever they do is fine, but the Lord looks at their motives.
| עֲ֭שֹׂה צְדָקָ֣ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט נִבְחָ֖ר לַיהוָ֣ה מִזָּֽבַח׃ | 3 |
Doing what's right and fair pleases the Lord more than sacrifices.
| רוּם־עֵ֭ינַיִם וּרְחַב־לֵ֑ב נִ֖ר רְשָׁעִ֣ים חַטָּֽאת׃ | 4 |
Pride and arrogance are the sins the wicked live by.
| מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ות חָ֭רוּץ אַךְ־לְמֹותָ֑ר וְכָל־אָ֝֗ץ אַךְ־לְמַחְסֹֽור׃ | 5 |
Those who plan ahead and work hard will have plenty, while those who act rashly end up poor.
| פֹּ֣עַל אֹ֭וצָרֹות בִּלְשֹׁ֣ון שָׁ֑קֶר הֶ֥בֶל נִ֝דָּ֗ף מְבַקְשֵׁי־מָֽוֶת׃ | 6 |
Money made by lies is like smoke in the wind—a chase that ends in death.
| שֹׁד־רְשָׁעִ֥ים יְגֹורֵ֑ם כִּ֥י מֵ֝אֲנ֗וּ לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ | 7 |
The destruction caused by the wicked will destroy them, for they refuse to do what's right.
| הֲפַכְפַּ֬ךְ דֶּ֣רֶךְ אִ֣ישׁ וָזָ֑ר וְ֝זַ֗ךְ יָשָׁ֥ר פָּעֳלֹֽו׃ | 8 |
Guilty people live crooked lives, but the innocent follow straight paths.
| טֹ֗וב לָשֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־פִּנַּת־גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים וּבֵ֥ית חָֽבֶר׃ | 9 |
It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.
| נֶ֣פֶשׁ רָ֭שָׁע אִוְּתָה־רָ֑ע לֹא־יֻחַ֖ן בְּעֵינָ֣יו רֵעֵֽהוּ׃ | 10 |
Evil people love to do wrong, they don't care what pain they cause anyone.
| בַּעְנָשׁ־לֵ֭ץ יֶחְכַּם־פֶּ֑תִי וּבְהַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְ֝חָכָ֗ם יִקַּח־דָּֽעַת׃ | 11 |
When a mocker is punished, an immature person can learn wisdom. When the wise are educated, they gain knowledge.
| מַשְׂכִּ֣יל צַ֭דִּיק לְבֵ֣ית רָשָׁ֑ע מְסַלֵּ֖ף רְשָׁעִ֣ים לָרָֽע׃ | 12 |
The God of justice sees what happens in the homes of the wicked, and brings the wicked down in disaster.
| אֹטֵ֣ם אָ֭זְנֹו מִזַּעֲקַת־דָּ֑ל גַּֽם־ה֥וּא יִ֝קְרָ֗א וְלֹ֣א יֵעָנֶֽה׃ | 13 |
If you refuse to hear the cries of the poor, your cries won't be heard either.
| מַתָּ֣ן בַּ֭סֵּתֶר יִכְפֶּה־אָ֑ף וְשֹׁ֥חַד בַּ֝חֵ֗ק חֵמָ֥ה עַזָּֽה׃ | 14 |
A gift given in secret calms down anger, and a hidden bribe soothes furious rage.
| שִׂמְחָ֣ה לַ֭צַּדִּיק עֲשֹׂ֣ות מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃ | 15 |
When justice is done, the good are happy, but it brings terror to those who do evil.
| אָדָ֗ם תֹּ֭ועֶה מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ הַשְׂכֵּ֑ל בִּקְהַ֖ל רְפָאִ֣ים יָנֽוּחַ׃ | 16 |
Anyone who wanders away from the path of understanding ends up with the dead.
| אִ֣ישׁ מַ֭חְסֹור אֹהֵ֣ב שִׂמְחָ֑ה אֹהֵ֥ב יַֽיִן־וָ֝שֶׁ֗מֶן לֹ֣א יַעֲשִֽׁיר׃ | 17 |
If you love pleasure you'll become poor; if you love wine and olive oil you won't ever be rich.
| כֹּ֣פֶר לַצַּדִּ֣יק רָשָׁ֑ע וְתַ֖חַת יְשָׁרִ֣ים בֹּוגֵֽד׃ | 18 |
The wicked pay the price and not the good; those who are deceitful and not those who live right.
| טֹ֗וב שֶׁ֥בֶת בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְבָּ֑ר מֵאֵ֖שֶׁת מְדֹונִים (מִדְיָנִ֣ים) וָכָֽעַס׃ | 19 |
It's better to live in a desert than with an argumentative and bad-tempered wife.
| אֹוצָ֤ר ׀ נֶחְמָ֣ד וָ֭שֶׁמֶן בִּנְוֵ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וּכְסִ֖יל אָדָ֣ם יְבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃ | 20 |
The wise hold on to their wealth and olive oil, but stupid people use up everything they have.
| רֹ֭דֵף צְדָקָ֣ה וָחָ֑סֶד יִמְצָ֥א חַ֝יִּ֗ים צְדָקָ֥ה וְכָבֹֽוד׃ | 21 |
If you pursue goodness and trustworthy love, you'll find life, prosperity, and honor.
| עִ֣יר גִּ֭בֹּרִים עָלָ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וַ֝יֹּ֗רֶד עֹ֣ז מִבְטֶחָֽה׃ | 22 |
The wise can overcome a city belonging to strong warriors, and tear down the fortress they trusted to protect them.
| שֹׁמֵ֣ר פִּ֭יו וּלְשֹׁונֹ֑ו שֹׁמֵ֖ר מִצָּרֹ֣ות נַפְשֹֽׁו׃ | 23 |
If you watch what you say, you can save yourself a lot of trouble.
| זֵ֣ד יָ֭הִיר לֵ֣ץ שְׁמֹ֑ו עֹ֝ושֶׂ֗ה בְּעֶבְרַ֥ת זָדֹֽון׃ | 24 |
A proud, conceited, mocker—that's the name of those who act with insolent arrogance.
| תַּאֲוַ֣ת עָצֵ֣ל תְּמִיתֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־מֵאֲנ֖וּ יָדָ֣יו לַעֲשֹֽׂות׃ | 25 |
Slackers die hungry because they refuse to work.
| כָּל־הַ֭יֹּום הִתְאַוָּ֣ה תַאֲוָ֑ה וְצַדִּ֥יק יִ֝תֵּ֗ן וְלֹ֣א יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃ | 26 |
Some people only want more and more all the time, but the good give generously.
| זֶ֣בַח רְ֭שָׁעִים תֹּועֵבָ֑ה אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־בְזִמָּ֥ה יְבִיאֶֽנּוּ׃ | 27 |
The sacrifices given by the wicked are obnoxious, worse still when they're offered with evil motives.
| עֵד־כְּזָבִ֥ים יֹאבֵ֑ד וְאִ֥ישׁ שֹׁ֝ומֵ֗עַ לָנֶ֥צַח יְדַבֵּֽר׃ | 28 |
The lies of a false witness vanish away, but the words of a reliable witness will stand.
| הֵעֵ֬ז אִ֣ישׁ רָשָׁ֣ע בְּפָנָ֑יו וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר ה֤וּא ׀ יָכִין (יָבִ֬ין) דְּרָכָיו (דַּרְכֹּֽו)׃ | 29 |
The wicked act as bold as brass, but those who live right consider carefully what they're doing.
| אֵ֣ין חָ֭כְמָה וְאֵ֣ין תְּבוּנָ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין עֵ֝צָ֗ה לְנֶ֣גֶד יְהוָֽה׃ פ | 30 |
Whatever wisdom, understanding, or guidance you may have is nothing before the Lord.
| ס֗וּס מ֭וּכָן לְיֹ֣ום מִלְחָמָ֑ה וְ֝לַֽיהוָ֗ה הַתְּשׁוּעָֽה׃ | 31 |
You can get your horse ready for battle, but the victory is the Lord's.
