מִשְׁלֵי 12

1 אֹהֵ֣ב מ֭וּסָר אֹ֣הֵֽב דָּ֑עַת וְשֹׂנֵ֖א תוֹכַ֣חַת בָּֽעַר׃

If you love knowledge, you will love discipline. Anyone who hates being corrected is stupid!

2 ט֗וֹב יָפִ֣יק רָ֭צוֹן מֵיְהוָ֑ה וְאִ֖ישׁ מְזִמּ֣וֹת יַרְשִֽׁיעַ׃

The Lord blesses the good, but he condemns anyone with evil schemes.

3 לֹא־יִכּ֣וֹן אָדָ֣ם בְּרֶ֑שַׁע וְשֹׁ֥רֶשׁ צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים בַּל־יִמּֽוֹט׃

Wickedness doesn't provide security, but those who live right are deeply rooted and cannot be moved.

4 אֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל עֲטֶ֣רֶת בַּעְלָ֑הּ וּכְרָקָ֖ב בְּעַצְמוֹתָ֣יו מְבִישָֽׁה׃

A good wife is a crown for her husband, but one who brings shame is like rot in his bones.

5 מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת צַדִּיקִ֣ים מִשְׁפָּ֑ט תַּחְבֻּל֖וֹת רְשָׁעִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃

Good people make plans that are fair, but the advice of the wicked is deceptive.

6 דִּבְרֵ֣י רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֱרָב־דָּ֑ם וּפִ֥י יְ֝שָׁרִ֗ים יַצִּילֵֽם׃

The words of the wicked are like a violent ambush, but those of honest people save them.

7 הָפ֣וֹךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים וְאֵינָ֑ם וּבֵ֖ית צַדִּיקִ֣ים יַעֲמֹֽד׃

The wicked are destroyed, and they're gone, but the family of the good stands firm.

8 לְֽפִי־שִׂ֭כְלוֹ יְהֻלַּל־אִ֑ישׁ וְנַעֲוֵה־לֵ֝֗ב יִהְיֶ֥ה לָבֽוּז׃

People are appreciated for talking sense, but those with perverted minds are despised.

9 ט֣וֹב נִ֭קְלֶה וְעֶ֣בֶד ל֑וֹ מִ֝מְּתַכַּבֵּ֗ד וַחֲסַר־לָֽחֶם׃

Better to be a humble man serving himself than a boastful man who has nothing to eat.

10 יוֹדֵ֣עַ צַ֭דִּיק נֶ֣פֶשׁ בְּהֶמְתּ֑וֹ וְֽרַחֲמֵ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים אַכְזָרִֽי׃

Good people look after their animals, but the care given by wicked is really cruelty.

11 עֹבֵ֣ד אַ֭דְמָתוֹ יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־לָ֑חֶם וּמְרַדֵּ֖ף רֵיקִ֣ים חֲסַר־לֵֽב׃

If you cultivate the land you'll have plenty of food, but if you chase after worthless things you're stupid.

12 חָמַ֣ד רָ֭שָׁע מְצ֣וֹד רָעִ֑ים וְשֹׁ֖רֶשׁ צַדִּיקִ֣ים יִתֵּֽן׃

Wicked people long for ill-gotten gains, but good people are productive themselves.

13 בְּפֶ֣שַׁע שְׂ֭פָתַיִם מוֹקֵ֣שׁ רָ֑ע וַיֵּצֵ֖א מִצָּרָ֣ה צַדִּֽיק׃

The wicked trap themselves by their own sinful words, but good people escape trouble.

14 מִפְּרִ֣י פִי־אִ֭ישׁ יִשְׂבַּע־ט֑וֹב וּגְמ֥וּל יְדֵי־אָ֝דָ֗ם יָשִׁ֥יב לֽוֹ׃

What you say brings you rewards, and your work returns to bless you.

15 דֶּ֣רֶךְ אֱ֭וִיל יָשָׁ֣ר בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְשֹׁמֵ֖עַ לְעֵצָ֣ה חָכָֽם׃

Stupid people think they're on the right track, but if you're wise you listen to advice.

16 אֱוִ֗יל בַּ֭יּוֹם יִוָּדַ֣ע כַּעְס֑וֹ וְכֹסֶ֖ה קָל֣וֹן עָרֽוּם׃

Stupid people get angry immediately, but if you're sensible you ignore an insult.

17 יָפִ֣יחַ אֱ֭מוּנָה יַגִּ֣יד צֶ֑דֶק וְעֵ֖ד שְׁקָרִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃

Whoever tells the truth is being honest, but a false witness tells lies.

18 יֵ֣שׁ בּ֭וֹטֶה כְּמַדְקְר֣וֹת חָ֑רֶב וּלְשׁ֖וֹן חֲכָמִ֣ים מַרְפֵּֽא׃

Some people's hasty words cut like a knife, but the words of the wise bring healing.

19 שְֽׂפַת־אֱ֭מֶת תִּכּ֣וֹן לָעַ֑ד וְעַד־אַ֝רְגִּ֗יעָה לְשׁ֣וֹן שָֽׁקֶר׃

Words of truth last forever, but lies are gone in a moment.

20 מִ֭רְמָה בְּלֶב־חֹ֣רְשֵׁי רָ֑ע וּֽלְיֹעֲצֵ֖י שָׁל֣וֹם שִׂמְחָֽה׃

Deceit is in the mind of those planning evil, but those who plan peace have joy.

21 לֹא־יְאֻנֶּ֣ה לַצַּדִּ֣יק כָּל־אָ֑וֶן וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים מָ֣לְאוּ רָֽע׃

No harm comes to the good, but trouble fills the wicked.

22 תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה שִׂפְתֵי־שָׁ֑קֶר וְעֹשֵׂ֖י אֱמוּנָ֣ה רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃

The Lord hates liars but is happy with those who are trustworthy.

23 אָדָ֣ם עָ֭רוּם כֹּ֣סֶה דָּ֑עַת וְלֵ֥ב כְּ֝סִילִ֗ים יִקְרָ֥א אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

If you're sensible, you don't show off your knowledge, but stupid people announce their stupidity.

24 יַד־חָרוּצִ֥ים תִּמְשׁ֑וֹל ו֝רְמִיָּ֗ה תִּהְיֶ֥ה לָמַֽס׃

Hard work brings leadership, but laziness brings slavery.

25 דְּאָגָ֣ה בְלֶב־אִ֣ישׁ יַשְׁחֶ֑נָּה וְדָבָ֖ר ט֣וֹב יְשַׂמְּחֶֽנָּה׃

If you're anxious, you're weighed down, but an encouraging word will cheer you up.

26 יָתֵ֣ר מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ צַדִּ֑יק וְדֶ֖רֶךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים תַּתְעֵֽם׃

Good people look out for their friends, but the way the wicked live leads them astray.

27 לֹא־יַחֲרֹ֣ךְ רְמִיָּ֣ה צֵיד֑וֹ וְהוֹן־אָדָ֖ם יָקָ֣ר חָרֽוּץ׃

Lazy people don't catch their prey, but if you work hard you can become rich.

28 בְּאֹֽרַח־צְדָקָ֥ה חַיִּ֑ים וְדֶ֖רֶךְ נְתִיבָ֣ה אַל־מָֽוֶת׃

The path of right leads to life, it doesn't lead to death.