מִשְׁלֵי 17
| ט֤וֹב פַּ֣ת חֲ֭רֵבָה וְשַׁלְוָה־בָ֑הּ מִ֝בַּ֗יִת מָלֵ֥א זִבְחֵי־רִֽיב׃ | 1 |
Better is a dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife.
| עֶֽבֶד־מַשְׂכִּ֗יל יִ֭מְשֹׁל בְּבֵ֣ן מֵבִ֑ישׁ וּבְת֥וֹךְ אַ֝חִ֗ים יַחֲלֹ֥ק נַחֲלָֽה׃ | 2 |
A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame, and shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers.
| מַצְרֵ֣ף לַ֭כֶּסֶף וְכ֣וּר לַזָּהָ֑ב וּבֹחֵ֖ן לִבּ֣וֹת יְהוָֽה׃ | 3 |
The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but Yahweh tests the hearts.
| מֵ֭רַע מַקְשִׁ֣יב עַל־שְׂפַת־אָ֑וֶן שֶׁ֥קֶר מֵ֝זִין עַל־לְשׁ֥וֹן הַוֹּֽת׃ | 4 |
An evildoer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
| לֹעֵ֣ג לָ֭רָשׁ חֵרֵ֣ף עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ שָׂמֵ֥חַ לְ֝אֵ֗יד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃ | 5 |
Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
| עֲטֶ֣רֶת זְ֭קֵנִים בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְתִפְאֶ֖רֶת בָּנִ֣ים אֲבוֹתָֽם׃ | 6 |
Children’s children are the crown of old men; the glory of children is their parents.
| לֹא־נָאוָ֣ה לְנָבָ֣ל שְׂפַת־יֶ֑תֶר אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־לְנָדִ֥יב שְׂפַת־שָֽׁקֶר׃ | 7 |
Excellent speech isn’t fitting for a fool, much less do lying lips fit a prince.
| אֶֽבֶן־חֵ֣ן הַ֭שֹּׁחַד בְּעֵינֵ֣י בְעָלָ֑יו אֶֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֖ר יִפְנֶ֣ה יַשְׂכִּֽיל׃ | 8 |
A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers.
| מְֽכַסֶּה־פֶּ֭שַׁע מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אַהֲבָ֑ה וְשֹׁנֶ֥ה בְ֝דָבָ֗ר מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃ | 9 |
He who covers an offense promotes love; but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.
| תֵּ֣חַת גְּעָרָ֣ה בְמֵבִ֑ין מֵהַכּ֖וֹת כְּסִ֣יל מֵאָֽה׃ | 10 |
A rebuke enters deeper into one who has understanding than a hundred lashes into a fool.
| אַךְ־מְרִ֥י יְבַקֶּשׁ־רָ֑ע וּמַלְאָ֥ךְ אַ֝כְזָרִ֗י יְשֻׁלַּח־בּֽוֹ׃ | 11 |
An evil man seeks only rebellion; therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
| פָּג֬וֹשׁ דֹּ֣ב שַׁכּ֣וּל בְּאִ֑ישׁ וְאַל־כְּ֝סִ֗יל בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃ | 12 |
Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
| מֵשִׁ֣יב רָ֭עָה תַּ֣חַת טוֹבָ֑ה לֹא־תָמ֥וּשׁ רָ֝עָ֗ה מִבֵּיתֽוֹ׃ | 13 |
Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
| פּ֣וֹטֵֽר מַ֭יִם רֵאשִׁ֣ית מָד֑וֹן וְלִפְנֵ֥י הִ֝תְגַּלַּ֗ע הָרִ֥יב נְטֽוֹשׁ׃ | 14 |
The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarreling breaks out.
| מַצְדִּ֣יק רָ֭שָׁע וּמַרְשִׁ֣יעַ צַדִּ֑יק תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ | 15 |
He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
| לָמָּה־זֶּ֣ה מְחִ֣יר בְּיַד־כְּסִ֑יל לִקְנ֖וֹת חָכְמָ֣ה וְלֶב־אָֽיִן׃ | 16 |
Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, since he has no understanding?
| בְּכָל־עֵ֭ת אֹהֵ֣ב הָרֵ֑עַ וְאָ֥ח לְ֝צָרָ֗ה יִוָּלֵֽד׃ | 17 |
A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.
| אָדָ֣ם חֲסַר־לֵ֭ב תּוֹקֵ֣עַ כָּ֑ף עֹרֵ֥ב עֲ֝רֻבָּ֗ה לִפְנֵ֥י רֵעֵֽהוּ׃ | 18 |
A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.
| אֹ֣הֵֽב פֶּ֭שַׁע אֹהֵ֣ב מַצָּ֑ה מַגְבִּ֥יהַּ פִּ֝תְח֗וֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־שָֽׁבֶר׃ | 19 |
He who loves disobedience loves strife. One who builds a high gate seeks destruction.
| עִקֶּשׁ־לֵ֭ב לֹ֣א יִמְצָא־ט֑וֹב וְנֶהְפָּ֥ךְ בִּ֝לְשׁוֹנ֗וֹ יִפּ֥וֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃ | 20 |
One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity, and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.
| יֹלֵ֣ד כְּ֭סִיל לְת֣וּגָה ל֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח אֲבִ֣י נָבָֽל׃ | 21 |
He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.
| לֵ֣ב שָׂ֭מֵחַ יֵיטִ֣ב גֵּהָ֑ה וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃ | 22 |
A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
| שֹׁ֣חַד מֵ֭חֵיק רָשָׁ֣ע יִקָּ֑ח לְ֝הַטּ֗וֹת אָרְח֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ | 23 |
A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice.
| אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י מֵבִ֣ין חָכְמָ֑ה וְעֵינֵ֥י כְ֝סִ֗יל בִּקְצֵה־אָֽרֶץ׃ | 24 |
Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
| כַּ֣עַס לְ֭אָבִיו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וּ֝מֶ֗מֶר לְיוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃ | 25 |
A foolish son brings grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him.
| גַּ֤ם עֲנ֣וֹשׁ לַצַּדִּ֣יק לֹא־ט֑וֹב לְהַכּ֖וֹת נְדִיבִ֣ים עַל־יֹֽשֶׁר׃ | 26 |
Also to punish the righteous is not good, nor to flog officials for their integrity.
| חוֹשֵׂ֣ךְ אֲ֭מָרָיו יוֹדֵ֣עַ דָּ֑עַת יְקַר ר֝֗וּחַ אִ֣ישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה׃ | 27 |
He who spares his words has knowledge. He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.
| גַּ֤ם אֱוִ֣יל מַ֭חֲרִישׁ חָכָ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב אֹטֵ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֣יו נָבֽוֹן׃ | 28 |
Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.
