מִשְׁלֵי 22

1 נִבְחָ֣ר שֵׁ֭ם מֵעֹ֣שֶׁר רָ֑ב מִכֶּ֥סֶף וּ֝מִזָּהָ֗ב חֵ֣ן טֹֽוב׃

A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving 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 the maker of them all.

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

The shrewd see danger and take cover, but the naive keep on going and suffer for it.

4 עֵ֣קֶב עֲ֭נָוָה יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֖שֶׁר וְכָבֹ֣וד וְחַיִּֽים׃

The result of humility and the fear of the LORD is wealth, honor, and life.

5 צִנִּ֣ים פַּ֭חִים בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ עִקֵּ֑שׁ שֹׁומֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשֹׁ֗ו יִרְחַ֥ק מֵהֶֽם׃

Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked: whoever guards his soul stays from them.

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

Train 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. The borrower is servant to the lender.

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

He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will fail. God blesses a cheerful and generous person, but the vanity of his deeds he will bring to an end.

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

He who has a generous eye will be blessed; for he shares his food with the poor.

10 גָּ֣רֵֽשׁ לֵ֭ץ וְיֵצֵ֣א מָדֹ֑ון וְ֝יִשְׁבֹּ֗ת דִּ֣ין וְקָלֹֽון׃

Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.

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

He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king's friend.

12 עֵינֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה נָ֣צְרוּ דָ֑עַת וַ֝יְסַלֵּ֗ף דִּבְרֵ֥י בֹגֵֽד׃

The eyes of the LORD watch over knowledge; but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

13 אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל אֲרִ֣י בַח֑וּץ בְּתֹ֥וךְ רְ֝חֹבֹ֗ות אֵֽרָצֵֽחַ׃

The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside. I will be killed 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 LORD's wrath will fall into it.

15 אִ֭וֶּלֶת קְשׁוּרָ֣ה בְלֶב־נָ֑עַר שֵׁ֥בֶט מ֝וּסָ֗ר יַרְחִיקֶ֥נָּה מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child: the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

16 עֹ֣שֵֽׁק דָּ֭ל לְהַרְבֹּ֣ות לֹ֑ו נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר אַךְ־לְמַחְסֹֽור׃

Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.

17 הַ֥ט אָזְנְךָ֗ וּ֭שְׁמַע דִּבְרֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֑ים וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ תָּשִׁ֥ית לְדַעְתִּֽי׃

The words of the wise: Incline your ear and hear my words, and apply your heart to my instruction.

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

For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.

19 לִהְיֹ֣ות בַּ֭יהוָה מִבְטַחֶ֑ךָ הֹודַעְתִּ֖יךָ הַיֹּ֣ום אַף־אָֽתָּה׃

That your trust may be in the LORD, I teach you today, even you.

20 הֲלֹ֤א כָתַ֣בְתִּי לְ֭ךָ שִׁלְשֹׁום (שָׁלִישִׁ֑ים) בְּמֹ֖ועֵצֹ֣ת וָדָֽעַת׃

Haven't I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,

21 לְהֹודִֽיעֲךָ֗ קֹ֭שְׁטְ אִמְרֵ֣י אֱמֶ֑ת לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֲמָרִ֥ים אֱ֝מֶ֗ת לְשֹׁלְחֶֽיךָ׃ פ

To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?

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

Do not exploit the poor, because he is poor; and do not crush the needy in court;

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

for the LORD will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.

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

Do not befriend a hot-tempered man, and do not associate with one who harbors anger:

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

lest you learn his ways, and ensnare your soul.

26 אַל־תְּהִ֥י בְתֹֽקְעֵי־כָ֑ף בַּ֝עֹרְבִ֗ים מַשָּׁאֹֽות׃

Do not be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.

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

If you do not have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?

28 אַל־תַּ֭סֵּג גְּב֣וּל עֹולָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עָשׂ֣וּ אֲבֹותֶֽיךָ׃

Do not move the ancient boundary stone, which your fathers have set up.

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

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won't serve obscure men.