מִשְׁלֵי 21

1 פַּלְגֵי־מַ֣יִם לֶב־מֶ֭לֶךְ בְּיַד־יְהוָ֑ה עַֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֖ר יַחְפֹּ֣ץ יַטֶּֽנּוּ׃

The Lord directs the king's decisions like a stream of water that he sends whichever way he wants.

2 כָּֽל־דֶּרֶךְ־אִ֭ישׁ יָשָׁ֣ר בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן לִבּ֣וֹת יְהוָֽה׃

People think that whatever they do is fine, but the Lord looks at their motives.

3 עֲ֭שֹׂה צְדָקָ֣ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט נִבְחָ֖ר לַיהוָ֣ה מִזָּֽבַח׃

Doing what's right and fair pleases the Lord more than sacrifices.

4 רוּם־עֵ֭ינַיִם וּרְחַב־לֵ֑ב נִ֖ר רְשָׁעִ֣ים חַטָּֽאת׃

Pride and arrogance are the sins the wicked live by.

5 מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת חָ֭רוּץ אַךְ־לְמוֹתָ֑ר וְכָל־אָ֝֗ץ אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃

Those who plan ahead and work hard will have plenty, while those who act rashly end up poor.

6 פֹּ֣עַל א֭וֹצָרוֹת בִּלְשׁ֣וֹן שָׁ֑קֶר הֶ֥בֶל נִ֝דָּ֗ף מְבַקְשֵׁי־מָֽוֶת׃

Money made by lies is like smoke in the wind—a chase that ends in death.

7 שֹׁד־רְשָׁעִ֥ים יְגוֹרֵ֑ם כִּ֥י מֵ֝אֲנ֗וּ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

The destruction caused by the wicked will destroy them, for they refuse to do what's right.

8 הֲפַכְפַּ֬ךְ דֶּ֣רֶךְ אִ֣ישׁ וָזָ֑ר וְ֝זַ֗ךְ יָשָׁ֥ר פָּעֳלֽוֹ׃

Guilty people live crooked lives, but the innocent follow straight paths.

9 ט֗וֹב לָשֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־פִּנַּת־גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים וּבֵ֥ית חָֽבֶר׃

It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.

10 נֶ֣פֶשׁ רָ֭שָׁע אִוְּתָה־רָ֑ע לֹא־יֻחַ֖ן בְּעֵינָ֣יו רֵעֵֽהוּ׃

Evil people love to do wrong, they don't care what pain they cause anyone.

11 בַּעְנָשׁ־לֵ֭ץ יֶחְכַּם־פֶּ֑תִי וּבְהַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְ֝חָכָ֗ם יִקַּח־דָּֽעַת׃

When a mocker is punished, an immature person can learn wisdom. When the wise are educated, they gain knowledge.

12 מַשְׂכִּ֣יל צַ֭דִּיק לְבֵ֣ית רָשָׁ֑ע מְסַלֵּ֖ף רְשָׁעִ֣ים לָרָֽע׃

The God of justice sees what happens in the homes of the wicked, and brings the wicked down in disaster.

13 אֹטֵ֣ם אָ֭זְנוֹ מִזַּעֲקַת־דָּ֑ל גַּֽם־ה֥וּא יִ֝קְרָ֗א וְלֹ֣א יֵעָנֶֽה׃

If you refuse to hear the cries of the poor, your cries won't be heard either.

14 מַתָּ֣ן בַּ֭סֵּתֶר יִכְפֶּה־אָ֑ף וְשֹׁ֥חַד בַּ֝חֵ֗ק חֵמָ֥ה עַזָּֽה׃

A gift given in secret calms down anger, and a hidden bribe soothes furious rage.

15 שִׂמְחָ֣ה לַ֭צַּדִּיק עֲשׂ֣וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃

When justice is done, the good are happy, but it brings terror to those who do evil.

16 אָדָ֗ם תּ֭וֹעֶה מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ הַשְׂכֵּ֑ל בִּקְהַ֖ל רְפָאִ֣ים יָנֽוּחַ׃

Anyone who wanders away from the path of understanding ends up with the dead.

17 אִ֣ישׁ מַ֭חְסוֹר אֹהֵ֣ב שִׂמְחָ֑ה אֹהֵ֥ב יַֽיִן־וָ֝שֶׁ֗מֶן לֹ֣א יַעֲשִֽׁיר׃

If you love pleasure you'll become poor; if you love wine and olive oil you won't ever be rich.

18 כֹּ֣פֶר לַצַּדִּ֣יק רָשָׁ֑ע וְתַ֖חַת יְשָׁרִ֣ים בּוֹגֵֽד׃

The wicked pay the price and not the good; those who are deceitful and not those who live right.

19 ט֗וֹב שֶׁ֥בֶת בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְבָּ֑ר מֵאֵ֖שֶׁת מִדְיָנִ֣ים וָכָֽעַס׃

It's better to live in a desert than with an argumentative and bad-tempered wife.

20 אוֹצָ֤ר ׀ נֶחְמָ֣ד וָ֭שֶׁמֶן בִּנְוֵ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וּכְסִ֖יל אָדָ֣ם יְבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃

The wise hold on to their wealth and olive oil, but stupid people use up everything they have.

21 רֹ֭דֵף צְדָקָ֣ה וָחָ֑סֶד יִמְצָ֥א חַ֝יִּ֗ים צְדָקָ֥ה וְכָבֽוֹד׃

If you pursue goodness and trustworthy love, you'll find life, prosperity, and honor.

22 עִ֣יר גִּ֭בֹּרִים עָלָ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וַ֝יֹּ֗רֶד עֹ֣ז מִבְטֶחָֽה׃

The wise can overcome a city belonging to strong warriors, and tear down the fortress they trusted to protect them.

23 שֹׁמֵ֣ר פִּ֭יו וּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹ שֹׁמֵ֖ר מִצָּר֣וֹת נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃

If you watch what you say, you can save yourself a lot of trouble.

24 זֵ֣ד יָ֭הִיר לֵ֣ץ שְׁמ֑וֹ ע֝וֹשֶׂ֗ה בְּעֶבְרַ֥ת זָדֽוֹן׃

A proud, conceited, mocker—that's the name of those who act with insolent arrogance.

25 תַּאֲוַ֣ת עָצֵ֣ל תְּמִיתֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־מֵאֲנ֖וּ יָדָ֣יו לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃

Slackers die hungry because they refuse to work.

26 כָּל־הַ֭יּוֹם הִתְאַוָּ֣ה תַאֲוָ֑ה וְצַדִּ֥יק יִ֝תֵּ֗ן וְלֹ֣א יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃

Some people only want more and more all the time, but the good give generously.

27 זֶ֣בַח רְ֭שָׁעִים תּוֹעֵבָ֑ה אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־בְזִמָּ֥ה יְבִיאֶֽנּוּ׃

The sacrifices given by the wicked are obnoxious, worse still when they're offered with evil motives.

28 עֵד־כְּזָבִ֥ים יֹאבֵ֑ד וְאִ֥ישׁ שׁ֝וֹמֵ֗עַ לָנֶ֥צַח יְדַבֵּֽר׃

The lies of a false witness vanish away, but the words of a reliable witness will stand.

29 הֵעֵ֬ז אִ֣ישׁ רָשָׁ֣ע בְּפָנָ֑יו וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר ה֤וּא ׀ יָבִ֬ין דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃

The wicked act as bold as brass, but those who live right consider carefully what they're doing.

30 אֵ֣ין חָ֭כְמָה וְאֵ֣ין תְּבוּנָ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין עֵ֝צָ֗ה לְנֶ֣גֶד יְהוָֽה׃ פ

Whatever wisdom, understanding, or guidance you may have is nothing before the Lord.

31 ס֗וּס מ֭וּכָן לְי֣וֹם מִלְחָמָ֑ה וְ֝לַֽיהוָ֗ה הַתְּשׁוּעָֽה׃

You can get your horse ready for battle, but the victory is the Lord's.