מִשְׁלֵי 22

1 נִבְחָ֣ר שֵׁ֭ם מֵעֹ֣שֶׁר רָ֑ב מִכֶּ֥סֶף וּ֝מִזָּהָ֗ב חֵ֣ן טֹֽוב׃

A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.

2 עָשִׁ֣יר וָרָ֣שׁ נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ עֹשֵׂ֖ה כֻלָּ֣ם יְהוָֽה׃

The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all.

3 עָר֤וּם ׀ רָאָ֣ה רָעָ֣ה וְיִסָּתֵר (וְנִסְתָּ֑ר) וּ֝פְתָיִ֗ים עָבְר֥וּ וְֽנֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ׃

The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.

4 עֵ֣קֶב עֲ֭נָוָה יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֖שֶׁר וְכָבֹ֣וד וְחַיִּֽים׃

The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.

5 צִנִּ֣ים פַּ֭חִים בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ עִקֵּ֑שׁ שֹׁומֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשֹׁ֗ו יִרְחַ֥ק מֵהֶֽם׃

Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul stays far from them.

6 חֲנֹ֣ךְ לַ֭נַּעַר עַל־פִּ֣י דַרְכֹּ֑ו גַּ֥ם כִּֽי־יַ֝זְקִ֗ין לֹֽא־יָס֥וּר מִמֶּֽנָּה׃

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

7 עָ֭שִׁיר בְּרָשִׁ֣ים יִמְשֹׁ֑ול וְעֶ֥בֶד לֹ֝וֶ֗ה לְאִ֣ישׁ מַלְוֶֽה׃

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

8 זֹורֵ֣עַ עַ֭וְלָה יִקְצֹור־ (יִקְצָר)־אָ֑וֶן וְשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָתֹ֣ו יִכְלֶֽה׃

He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

9 טֹֽוב־עַ֭יִן ה֣וּא יְבֹרָ֑ךְ כִּֽי־נָתַ֖ן מִלַּחְמֹ֣ו לַדָּֽל׃

A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.

10 גָּ֣רֵֽשׁ לֵ֭ץ וְיֵצֵ֣א מָדֹ֑ון וְ֝יִשְׁבֹּ֗ת דִּ֣ין וְקָלֹֽון׃

Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease.

11 אֹהֵ֥ב טְהֹור־ (טְהָר)־לֵ֑ב חֵ֥ן שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו רֵעֵ֥הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ׃

He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend.

12 עֵינֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה נָ֣צְרוּ דָ֑עַת וַ֝יְסַלֵּ֗ף דִּבְרֵ֥י בֹגֵֽד׃

The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless.

13 אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל אֲרִ֣י בַח֑וּץ בְּתֹ֥וךְ רְ֝חֹבֹ֗ות אֵֽרָצֵֽחַ׃

The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!”

14 שׁוּחָ֣ה עֲ֭מֻקָּה פִּ֣י זָרֹ֑ות זְע֥וּם יְ֝הוָ֗ה יִפֹּול־ (יִפָּל)־שָֽׁם׃

The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it.

15 אִ֭וֶּלֶת קְשׁוּרָ֣ה בְלֶב־נָ֑עַר שֵׁ֥בֶט מ֝וּסָ֗ר יַרְחִיקֶ֥נָּה מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

16 עֹ֣שֵֽׁק דָּ֭ל לְהַרְבֹּ֣ות לֹ֑ו נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר אַךְ־לְמַחְסֹֽור׃

Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.

17 הַ֥ט אָזְנְךָ֗ וּ֭שְׁמַע דִּבְרֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֑ים וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ תָּשִׁ֥ית לְדַעְתִּֽי׃

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise— apply your mind to my knowledge—

18 כִּֽי־נָ֭עִים כִּֽי־תִשְׁמְרֵ֣ם בְּבִטְנֶ֑ךָ יִכֹּ֥נוּ יַ֝חְדָּ֗ו עַל־שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃

for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips.

19 לִהְיֹ֣ות בַּ֭יהוָה מִבְטַחֶ֑ךָ הֹודַעְתִּ֖יךָ הַיֹּ֣ום אַף־אָֽתָּה׃

So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you.

20 הֲלֹ֤א כָתַ֣בְתִּי לְ֭ךָ שִׁלְשֹׁום (שָׁלִישִׁ֑ים) בְּמֹ֖ועֵצֹ֣ת וָדָֽעַת׃

Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge,

21 לְהֹודִֽיעֲךָ֗ קֹ֭שְׁטְ אִמְרֵ֣י אֱמֶ֑ת לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֲמָרִ֥ים אֱ֝מֶ֗ת לְשֹׁלְחֶֽיךָ׃ פ

to show you true and reliable words, that you may soundly answer those who sent you?

22 אַֽל־תִּגְזָל־דָּ֭ל כִּ֣י דַל־ה֑וּא וְאַל־תְּדַכֵּ֖א עָנִ֣י בַשָּֽׁעַר׃

Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate,

23 כִּֽי־יְ֭הוָה יָרִ֣יב רִיבָ֑ם וְקָבַ֖ע אֶת־קֹבְעֵיהֶ֣ם נָֽפֶשׁ׃

for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.

24 אַל־תִּ֭תְרַע אֶת־בַּ֣עַל אָ֑ף וְאֶת־אִ֥ישׁ חֵ֝מֹות לֹ֣א תָבֹֽוא׃

Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man,

25 פֶּן־תֶּאֱלַ֥ף אָרְחָתֹו (אֹֽרְחֹתָ֑יו) וְלָקַחְתָּ֖ מֹוקֵ֣שׁ לְנַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

26 אַל־תְּהִ֥י בְתֹֽקְעֵי־כָ֑ף בַּ֝עֹרְבִ֗ים מַשָּׁאֹֽות׃

Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts.

27 אִם־אֵֽין־לְךָ֥ לְשַׁלֵּ֑ם לָ֥מָּה יִקַּ֥ח מִ֝שְׁכָּבְךָ֗ מִתַּחְתֶּֽיךָ׃

If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?

28 אַל־תַּ֭סֵּג גְּב֣וּל עֹולָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עָשׂ֣וּ אֲבֹותֶֽיךָ׃

Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed.

29 חָזִ֡יתָ אִ֤ישׁ ׀ מָ֘הִ֤יר בִּמְלַאכְתֹּ֗ו לִֽפְנֵֽי־מְלָכִ֥ים יִתְיַצָּ֑ב בַּל־יִ֝תְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵ֥י חֲשֻׁכִּֽים׃ פ

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.