מִשְׁלֵי 24

1 אַל־תְּ֭קַנֵּא בְּאַנְשֵׁ֣י רָעָ֑ה וְאַל־תִּתְאָו (תִּ֝תְאָ֗יו) לִהְיֹ֥ות אִתָּֽם׃

Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:

2 כִּי־שֹׁ֖ד יֶהְגֶּ֣ה לִבָּ֑ם וְ֝עָמָ֗ל שִׂפְתֵיהֶ֥ם תְּדַבֵּֽרְנָה׃

Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.

3 בְּ֭חָכְמָה יִבָּ֣נֶה בָּ֑יִת וּ֝בִתְבוּנָ֗ה יִתְכֹּונָֽן׃

By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.

4 וּ֭בְדַעַת חֲדָרִ֣ים יִמָּלְא֑וּ כָּל־הֹ֖ון יָקָ֣ר וְנָעִֽים׃

By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.

5 גֶּֽבֶר־חָכָ֥ם בַּעֹ֑וז וְאִֽישׁ־דַּ֝֗עַת מְאַמֶּץ־כֹּֽחַ׃

A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.

6 כִּ֣י בְ֭תַחְבֻּלֹות תַּעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֣ מִלְחָמָ֑ה וּ֝תְשׁוּעָ֗ה בְּרֹ֣ב יֹועֵֽץ׃

Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.

7 רָאמֹ֣ות לֶֽאֱוִ֣יל חָכְמֹ֑ות בַּ֝שַּׁ֗עַר לֹ֣א יִפְתַּח־פִּֽיהוּ׃

Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.

8 מְחַשֵּׁ֥ב לְהָרֵ֑עַ לֹ֝֗ו בַּֽעַל־מְזִמֹּ֥ות יִקְרָֽאוּ׃

He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.

9 זִמַּ֣ת אִוֶּ֣לֶת חַטָּ֑את וְתֹועֲבַ֖ת לְאָדָ֣ם לֵֽץ׃

The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.

10 הִ֭תְרַפִּיתָ בְּיֹ֥ום צָרָ֗ה צַ֣ר כֹּחֶֽכָה׃

If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.

11 הַ֭צֵּל לְקֻחִ֣ים לַמָּ֑וֶת וּמָטִ֥ים לַ֝הֶ֗רֶג אִם־תַּחְשֹֽׂוךְ׃

Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.

12 כִּֽי־תֹאמַ֗ר הֵן֮ לֹא־יָדַ֪עְנ֫וּ זֶ֥ה הֲ‍ֽלֹא־תֹ֘כֵ֤ן לִבֹּ֨ות ׀ הֽוּא־יָבִ֗ין וְנֹצֵ֣ר נַ֭פְשְׁךָ ה֣וּא יֵדָ֑ע וְהֵשִׁ֖יב לְאָדָ֣ם כְּפָעֳלֹֽו׃

If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.

13 אֱכָל־בְּנִ֣י דְבַ֣שׁ כִּי־טֹ֑וב וְנֹ֥פֶת מָ֝תֹ֗וק עַל־חִכֶּֽךָ׃

Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:

14 כֵּ֤ן ׀ דְּעֶ֥ה חָכְמָ֗ה לְנַ֫פְשֶׁ֥ךָ אִם־מָ֭צָאתָ וְיֵ֣שׁ אַחֲרִ֑ית וְ֝תִקְוָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תִכָּרֵֽת׃ פ

So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.

15 אַל־תֶּאֱרֹ֣ב רָ֭שָׁע לִנְוֵ֣ה צַדִּ֑יק אַֽל־תְּשַׁדֵּ֥ד רִבְצֹֽו׃

Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.

16 כִּ֤י שֶׁ֨בַע ׀ יִפֹּ֣ול צַדִּ֣יק וָקָ֑ם וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ בְרָעָֽה׃

For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.

17 בִּנְפֹ֣ל אֹויְבֶיךָ (אֹֽ֭ויִבְךָ) אַל־תִּשְׂמָ֑ח וּ֝בִכָּשְׁלֹ֗ו אַל־יָגֵ֥ל לִבֶּֽךָ׃

When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:

18 פֶּן־יִרְאֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה וְרַ֣ע בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְהֵשִׁ֖יב מֵעָלָ֣יו אַפֹּֽו׃

Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

19 אַל־תִּתְחַ֥ר בַּמְּרֵעִ֑ים אַל־תְּ֝קַנֵּ֗א בָּרְשָׁעִֽים׃

Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:

20 כִּ֤י ׀ לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֣ה אַחֲרִ֣ית לָרָ֑ע נֵ֖ר רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִדְעָֽךְ׃

For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

21 יְרָֽא־אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּנִ֣י וָמֶ֑לֶךְ עִם־שֹׁ֝ונִ֗ים אַל־תִּתְעָרָֽב׃

My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.

22 כִּֽי־פִ֭תְאֹם יָק֣וּם אֵידָ֑ם וּפִ֥יד שְׁ֝נֵיהֶ֗ם מִ֣י יֹודֵֽעַ׃ ס

For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?

23 גַּם־אֵ֥לֶּה לַֽחֲכָמִ֑ים הַֽכֵּר־פָּנִ֖ים בְּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט בַּל־טֹֽוב׃

These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.

24 אֹ֤מֵ֨ר ׀ לְרָשָׁע֮ צַדִּ֪יק אָ֥תָּה יִקְּבֻ֥הוּ עַמִּ֑ים יִזְעָמ֥וּהוּ לְאֻמִּֽים׃

They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.

25 וְלַמֹּוכִיחִ֥ים יִנְעָ֑ם וַֽ֝עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם תָּבֹ֥וא בִרְכַּת־טֹֽוב׃

They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.

26 שְׂפָתַ֥יִם יִשָּׁ֑ק מֵ֝שִׁ֗יב דְּבָרִ֥ים נְכֹחִֽים׃

He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.

27 הָ֘כֵ֤ן בַּח֨וּץ ׀ מְלַאכְתֶּ֗ךָ וְעַתְּדָ֣הּ בַּשָּׂדֶ֣ה לָ֑ךְ אַ֝חַ֗ר וּבָנִ֥יתָ בֵיתֶֽךָ׃ פ

Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.

28 אַל־תְּהִ֣י עֵד־חִנָּ֣ם בְּרֵעֶ֑ךָ וַ֝הֲפִתִּ֗יתָ בִּשְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃

Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.

29 אַל־תֹּאמַ֗ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָֽשָׂה־לִ֭י כֵּ֤ן אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לֹּ֑ו אָשִׁ֖יב לָאִ֣ישׁ כְּפָעֳלֹֽו׃

Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.

30 עַל־שְׂדֵ֣ה אִישׁ־עָצֵ֣ל עָבַ֑רְתִּי וְעַל־כֶּ֝֗רֶם אָדָ֥ם חֲסַר־לֵֽב׃

I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:

31 וְהִנֵּ֨ה עָ֘לָ֤ה כֻלֹּ֨ו ׀ קִמְּשֹׂנִ֗ים כָּסּ֣וּ פָנָ֣יו חֲרֻלִּ֑ים וְגֶ֖דֶר אֲבָנָ֣יו נֶהֱרָֽסָה׃

And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.

32 וָֽאֶחֱזֶ֣ה אָ֭נֹכִֽי אָשִׁ֣ית לִבִּ֑י רָ֝אִ֗יתִי לָקַ֥חְתִּי מוּסָֽר׃

Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.

33 מְעַ֣ט שֵׁ֭נֹות מְעַ֣ט תְּנוּמֹ֑ות מְעַ֓ט ׀ חִבֻּ֖ק יָדַ֣יִם לִשְׁכָּֽב׃

Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:

34 וּבָֽא־מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ רֵישֶׁ֑ךָ וּ֝מַחְסֹרֶ֗יךָ כְּאִ֣ישׁ מָגֵֽן׃ פ

And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.