מִשְׁלֵי 18

1 לְֽ֭תַאֲוָה יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ נִפְרָ֑ד בְּכָל־תּ֝וּשִׁיָּ֗ה יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃

For [an object of] desire he who is separated doth seek, With all wisdom he intermeddleth.

2 לֹֽא־יַחְפֹּ֣ץ כְּ֭סִיל בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה כִּ֝֗י אִֽם־בְּהִתְגַּלּ֥וֹת לִבּֽוֹ׃

A fool delighteth not in understanding, But — in uncovering his heart.

3 בְּֽבוֹא־רָ֭שָׁע בָּ֣א גַם־בּ֑וּז וְֽעִם־קָל֥וֹן חֶרְפָּֽה׃

With the coming of the wicked come also hath contempt, And with shame — reproach.

4 מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים דִּבְרֵ֣י פִי־אִ֑ישׁ נַ֥חַל נֹ֝בֵ֗עַ מְק֣וֹר חָכְמָֽה׃

Deep waters [are] the words of a man's mouth, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.

5 שְׂאֵ֣ת פְּנֵי־רָשָׁ֣ע לֹא־ט֑וֹב לְהַטּ֥וֹת צַ֝דִּ֗יק בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃

Acceptance of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.

6 שִׂפְתֵ֣י כְ֭סִיל יָבֹ֣אֽוּ בְרִ֑יב וּ֝פִ֗יו לְֽמַהֲלֻמ֥וֹת יִקְרָֽא׃

The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth for stripes calleth.

7 פִּֽי־כְ֭סִיל מְחִתָּה־ל֑וֹ וּ֝שְׂפָתָ֗יו מוֹקֵ֥שׁ נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃

The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.

8 דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.

9 גַּ֭ם מִתְרַפֶּ֣ה בִמְלַאכְתּ֑וֹ אָ֥ח ה֝֗וּא לְבַ֣עַל מַשְׁחִֽית׃

He also that is remiss in his work, A brother he [is] to a destroyer.

10 מִגְדַּל־עֹ֭ז שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה בּֽוֹ־יָר֖וּץ צַדִּ֣יק וְנִשְׂגָּֽב׃

A tower of strength [is] the name of Jehovah, Into it the righteous runneth, and is set on high.

11 ה֣וֹן עָ֭שִׁיר קִרְיַ֣ת עֻזּ֑וֹ וּכְחוֹמָ֥ה נִ֝שְׂגָּבָ֗ה בְּמַשְׂכִּיתֽוֹ׃

The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.

12 לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֭בֶר יִגְבַּ֣הּ לֵב־אִ֑ישׁ וְלִפְנֵ֖י כָב֣וֹד עֲנָוָֽה׃

Before destruction the heart of man is high, And before honour [is] humility.

13 מֵשִׁ֣יב דָּ֭בָר בְּטֶ֣רֶם יִשְׁמָ֑ע אִוֶּ֥לֶת הִיא־ל֝֗וֹ וּכְלִמָּֽה׃

Whoso is answering a matter before he heareth, Folly it is to him and shame.

14 רֽוּחַ־אִ֭ישׁ יְכַלְכֵּ֣ל מַחֲלֵ֑הוּ וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה מִ֣י יִשָּׂאֶֽנָּה׃

The spirit of a man sustaineth his sickness, And a smitten spirit who doth bear?

15 לֵ֣ב נָ֭בוֹן יִקְנֶה־דָּ֑עַת וְאֹ֥זֶן חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים תְּבַקֶּשׁ־דָּֽעַת׃

The heart of the intelligent getteth knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

16 מַתָּ֣ן אָ֭דָם יַרְחִ֣יב ל֑וֹ וְלִפְנֵ֖י גְדֹלִ֣ים יַנְחֶֽנּוּ׃

The gift of a man maketh room for him, And before the great it leadeth him.

17 צַדִּ֣יק הָרִאשׁ֣וֹן בְּרִיב֑וֹ וּבָֽא רֵ֝עֵ֗הוּ וַחֲקָרֽוֹ׃

Righteous [is] the first in his own cause, His neighbour cometh and hath searched him.

18 מִ֭דְיָנִים יַשְׁבִּ֣ית הַגּוֹרָ֑ל וּבֵ֖ין עֲצוּמִ֣ים יַפְרִֽיד׃

The lot causeth contentions to cease, And between the mighty it separateth.

19 אָ֗ח נִפְשָׁ֥ע מִקִּרְיַת־עֹ֑ז וּ֝מִדְיָנִ֗ים כִּבְרִ֥יחַ אַרְמֽוֹן׃

A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.

20 מִפְּרִ֣י פִי־אִ֭ישׁ תִּשְׂבַּ֣ע בִּטְנ֑וֹ תְּבוּאַ֖ת שְׂפָתָ֣יו יִשְׂבָּֽע׃

From the fruit of a man's mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.

21 מָ֣וֶת וְ֭חַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשׁ֑וֹן וְ֝אֹהֲבֶ֗יהָ יֹאכַ֥ל פִּרְיָֽהּ׃

Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.

22 מָצָ֣א אִ֭שָּׁה מָ֣צָא ט֑וֹב וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צ֗וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃

[Whoso] hath found a wife hath found good, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.

23 תַּחֲנוּנִ֥ים יְדַבֶּר־רָ֑שׁ וְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר יַעֲנֶ֥ה עַזּֽוֹת׃

[With] supplications doth the poor speak, And the rich answereth fierce things.

24 אִ֣ישׁ רֵ֭עִים לְהִתְרֹעֵ֑עַ וְיֵ֥שׁ אֹ֝הֵ֗ב דָּבֵ֥ק מֵאָֽח׃

A man with friends [is] to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!