מִשְׁלֵי 26

1 כַּשֶּׁ֤לֶג ׀ בַּקַּ֗יִץ וְכַמָּטָ֥ר בַּקָּצִ֑יר כֵּ֤ן לֹא־נָאוֶ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֹֽוד׃

As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not seemly for a fool.

2 כַּצִּפֹּ֣ור לָ֭נוּד כַּדְּרֹ֣ור לָע֑וּף כֵּ֥ן קִֽלְלַ֥ת חִ֝נָּ֗ם לֹא (לֹ֣ו) תָבֹֽא׃

As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, so the curse that is causeless does not alight.

3 שֹׁ֣וט לַ֭סּוּס מֶ֣תֶג לַחֲמֹ֑ור וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.

4 אַל־תַּ֣עַן כְּ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתֹּ֑ו פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לֹּ֥ו גַם־אָֽתָּה׃

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like to him.

5 עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתֹּ֑ו פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

6 מְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם חָמָ֣ס שֹׁתֶ֑ה שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃

He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off the feet, and drinks injury.

7 דַּלְי֣וּ שֹׁ֭קַיִם מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

The legs of a lame man hang loose. So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8 כִּצְרֹ֣ור אֶ֭בֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה כֵּן־נֹותֵ֖ן לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֹֽוד׃

As he who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool.

9 חֹ֭וחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־שִׁכֹּ֑ור וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

As a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10 רַ֥ב מְחֹֽולֵֽל־כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃

As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool, and he who hires those who pass by.

11 כְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־קֵאֹ֑ו כְּ֝סִ֗יל שֹׁונֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתֹּֽו׃

As a dog who returns to his vomit, is a fool who repeats his folly.

12 רָאִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

See thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope for a fool than of him.

13 אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל שַׁ֣חַל בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ אֲ֝רִ֗י בֵּ֣ין הָרְחֹבֹֽות׃

The sluggard says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

14 הַ֭דֶּלֶת תִּסֹּ֣וב עַל־צִירָ֑הּ וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל עַל־מִטָּתֹֽו׃

The door turns upon its hinges, so does the sluggard upon his bed.

15 טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דֹו בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת נִ֝לְאָ֗ה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. It wearies him to bring it again to his mouth.

16 חָכָ֣ם עָצֵ֣ל בְּעֵינָ֑יו מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃

The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men who can render a reason.

17 מַחֲזִ֥יק בְּאָזְנֵי־כָ֑לֶב עֹבֵ֥ר מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר עַל־רִ֥יב לֹּֽא־לֹֽו׃

He who passes by, and meddles with strife not his, is like he who takes a dog by the ears.

18 כְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶ֥ה זִקִּ֗ים חִצִּ֥ים וָמָֽוֶת׃

As a madman who casts firebrands, arrows, and death,

19 כֵּֽן־אִ֭ישׁ רִמָּ֣ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אָמַ֗ר הֲ‍ֽלֹא־מְשַׂחֵ֥ק אָֽנִי׃

so is the man who deceives his neighbor, and says, Am I not in sport?

20 בְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵ֑שׁ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק מָדֹֽון׃

For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention ceases.

21 פֶּחָ֣ם לְ֭גֶחָלִים וְעֵצִ֣ים לְאֵ֑שׁ וְאִ֥ישׁ מִדֹונִים (מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים) לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃ פ

As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife.

22 דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts.

23 כֶּ֣סֶף סִ֭יגִים מְצֻפֶּ֣ה עַל־חָ֑רֶשׂ שְׂפָתַ֖יִם דֹּלְקִ֣ים וְלֶב־רָֽע׃

Fervent lips and a wicked heart are an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

24 בִּשְׂפָתֹו (בִּ֭שְׂפָתָיו) יִנָּכֵ֣ר שֹׂונֵ֑א וּ֝בְקִרְבֹּ֗ו יָשִׁ֥ית מִרְמָֽה׃

He who hates masquerades with his lips, but he lays up deceit within him.

25 כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּ֣ן קֹ֭ולֹו אַל־תַּֽאֲמֶן־בֹּ֑ו כִּ֤י שֶׁ֖בַע תֹּועֵבֹ֣ות בְּלִבֹּֽו׃

When he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.

26 תִּכַּסֶּ֣ה שִׂ֭נְאָה בְּמַשָּׁאֹ֑ון תִּגָּלֶ֖ה רָעָתֹ֣ו בְקָהָֽל׃

Though his hatred cover itself with guile, his wickedness shall be openly shown before the assembly.

27 כֹּֽרֶה־שַּׁ֭חַת בָּ֣הּ יִפֹּ֑ל וְגֹ֥לֵ֥ל אֶ֝בֶן אֵלָ֥יו תָּשֽׁוּב׃

He who digs a pit shall fall in it, and he who rolls a stone, it shall return upon him.

28 לְֽשֹׁון־שֶׁ֭קֶר יִשְׂנָ֣א דַכָּ֑יו וּפֶ֥ה חָ֝לָ֗ק יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה מִדְחֶֽה׃

A lying tongue hates those whom it has wounded, and a flattering mouth works ruin.