< מִשְׁלֵי 25 >
גַּם־אֵ֭לֶּה מִשְׁלֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶ֝עְתִּ֗יקוּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י ׀ חִזְקִיָּ֬ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָֽה׃ | 1 |
These, too, are parables of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transferred.
כְּבֹ֣ד אֱ֭לֹהִים הַסְתֵּ֣ר דָּבָ֑ר וּכְבֹ֥ד מְ֝לָכִ֗ים חֲקֹ֣ר דָּבָֽר׃ | 2 |
It is to the glory of God to conceal a word, and it is to the glory of kings to investigate speech.
שָׁמַ֣יִם לָ֭רוּם וָאָ֣רֶץ לָעֹ֑מֶק וְלֵ֥ב מְ֝לָכִ֗ים אֵ֣ין חֵֽקֶר׃ | 3 |
Heaven above, and earth below, and the heart of kings are each unsearchable.
הָג֣וֹ סִיגִ֣ים מִכָּ֑סֶף וַיֵּצֵ֖א לַצֹּרֵ֣ף כֶּֽלִי׃ | 4 |
Take away the tarnish from silver, and a most pure vessel will go forth.
הָג֣וֹ רָ֭שָׁע לִפְנֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ וְיִכּ֖וֹן בַּצֶּ֣דֶק כִּסְאֽוֹ׃ | 5 |
Take away impiety from the face of the king, and his throne shall be made firm by justice.
אַל־תִּתְהַדַּ֥ר לִפְנֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ וּבִמְק֥וֹם גְּ֝דֹלִ֗ים אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹֽד׃ | 6 |
Do not appear glorious before the king, and do not stand in the place of the great.
כִּ֤י ט֥וֹב אֲמָר־לְךָ֗ עֲֽלֵ֫ה הֵ֥נָּה מֵֽ֭הַשְׁפִּ֣ילְךָ לִפְנֵ֣י נָדִ֑יב אֲשֶׁ֖ר רָא֣וּ עֵינֶֽיךָ׃ | 7 |
For it is better that it should be said to you, “Ascend to here,” than that you should be humbled before the prince.
אַל־תֵּצֵ֥א לָרִ֗ב מַ֫הֵ֥ר פֶּ֣ן מַה־תַּ֭עֲשֶׂה בְּאַחֲרִיתָ֑הּ בְּהַכְלִ֖ים אֹתְךָ֣ רֵעֶֽךָ׃ | 8 |
The things that your eyes have seen, do not offer hastily in a quarrel, lest afterward you may not be able to make amends, when you have dishonored your friend.
רִֽ֭יבְךָ רִ֣יב אֶת־רֵעֶ֑ךָ וְס֖וֹד אַחֵ֣ר אַל־תְּגָֽל׃ | 9 |
Argue your case with your friend, and do not reveal the secret to an outsider,
פֶּֽן־יְחַסֶּדְךָ֥ שֹׁמֵ֑עַ וְ֝דִבָּתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תָשֽׁוּב׃ | 10 |
lest perhaps he may insult you, when he has heard it, and he might not cease to reproach you. Grace and friendship free a man; preserve these for yourself, lest you fall under reproach.
תַּפּוּחֵ֣י זָ֭הָב בְּמַשְׂכִּיּ֥וֹת כָּ֑סֶף דָּ֝בָ֗ר דָּבֻ֥ר עַל־אָפְנָֽיו׃ | 11 |
Whoever speaks a word at an opportune time is like apples of gold on beds of silver.
נֶ֣זֶם זָ֭הָב וַחֲלִי־כָ֑תֶם מוֹכִ֥יחַ חָ֝כָ֗ם עַל־אֹ֥זֶן שֹׁמָֽעַת׃ | 12 |
Whoever reproves the wise and obedient ear is like an earring of gold with a shining pearl.
כְּצִנַּת־שֶׁ֨לֶג ׀ בְּי֬וֹם קָצִ֗יר צִ֣יר נֶ֭אֱמָן לְשֹׁלְחָ֑יו וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ אֲדֹנָ֣יו יָשִֽׁיב׃ פ | 13 |
Just like the cold of snow in a time of harvest, so also is a faithful messenger to him who sent him: he causes his soul to rest.
נְשִׂיאִ֣ים וְ֭רוּחַ וְגֶ֣שֶׁם אָ֑יִן אִ֥ישׁ מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ל בְּמַתַּת־שָֽׁקֶר׃ | 14 |
A man who boasts and does not fulfill his promises is like clouds and wind, when rain does not follow.
בְּאֹ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם יְפֻתֶּ֣ה קָצִ֑ין וְלָשׁ֥וֹן רַ֝כָּ֗ה תִּשְׁבָּר־גָּֽרֶם׃ | 15 |
By patience, a leader shall be appeased, and a soft tongue shall break hardness.
דְּבַ֣שׁ מָ֭צָאתָ אֱכֹ֣ל דַּיֶּ֑ךָּ פֶּן־תִּ֝שְׂבָּעֶ֗נּוּ וַהֲקֵֽאתֽוֹ׃ | 16 |
You have discovered honey; eat what is sufficient for you, lest perhaps, being filled up, you may vomit it.
הֹקַ֣ר רַ֭גְלְךָ מִבֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֑ךָ פֶּן־יִ֝שְׂבָּעֲךָ֗ וּשְׂנֵאֶֽךָ׃ | 17 |
Withdraw your feet from the house of your neighbor, lest, when he has had his fill, he may hate you.
מֵפִ֣יץ וְ֭חֶרֶב וְחֵ֣ץ שָׁנ֑וּן אִ֥ישׁ עֹנֶ֥ה בְ֝רֵעֵ֗הוּ עֵ֣ד שָֽׁקֶר׃ | 18 |
A man who speaks false testimony against his neighbor is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.
שֵׁ֣ן רֹ֭עָה וְרֶ֣גֶל מוּעָ֑דֶת מִבְטָ֥ח בּ֝וֹגֵ֗ד בְּי֣וֹם צָרָֽה׃ | 19 |
Whoever sets his hopes on the unfaithful in a day of anguish is like a rotten tooth and weary foot,
מַ֥עֲדֶה בֶּ֨גֶד ׀ בְּי֣וֹם קָ֭רָה חֹ֣מֶץ עַל־נָ֑תֶר וְשָׁ֥ר בַּ֝שִּׁרִ֗ים עַ֣ל לֶב־רָֽע׃ פ | 20 |
and like one who loosens his garment in cold weather. Whoever sings verses to a wicked heart is like vinegar on baking soda. Just like a moth to a garment, and a worm to wood, so too does the sadness of a man do harm to the heart.
אִם־רָעֵ֣ב שֹׂ֭נַאֲךָ הַאֲכִלֵ֣הוּ לָ֑חֶם וְאִם־צָ֝מֵ֗א הַשְׁקֵ֥הוּ מָֽיִם׃ | 21 |
If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
כִּ֤י גֶֽחָלִ֗ים אַ֭תָּה חֹתֶ֣ה עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה יְשַׁלֶּם־לָֽךְ׃ | 22 |
For you will gather hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will repay you.
ר֣וּחַ צָ֭פוֹן תְּח֣וֹלֵֽל גָּ֑שֶׁם וּפָנִ֥ים נִ֝זְעָמִ֗ים לְשׁ֣וֹן סָֽתֶר׃ | 23 |
The north wind brings forth the rain, and a sorrowful face brings forth a detracting tongue.
ט֗וֹב שֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־פִּנַּת־גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים וּבֵ֥ית חָֽבֶר׃ | 24 |
It is better to sit in a corner of the attic, than with an argumentative woman and in a shared house.
מַ֣יִם קָ֭רִים עַל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ עֲיֵפָ֑ה וּשְׁמוּעָ֥ה ט֝וֹבָ֗ה מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מֶרְחָֽק׃ | 25 |
Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so too are good reports from a far away land.
מַעְיָ֣ן נִ֭רְפָּשׂ וּמָק֣וֹר מָשְׁחָ֑ת צַ֝דִּ֗יק מָ֣ט לִפְנֵֽי־רָשָֽׁע׃ | 26 |
The just falling down before the impious is like a fountain stirred up by feet and like a corrupted spring.
אָ֘כֹ֤ל דְּבַ֣שׁ הַרְבּ֣וֹת לֹא־ט֑וֹב וְחֵ֖קֶר כְּבֹדָ֣ם כָּבֽוֹד׃ | 27 |
Just as whoever eats too much honey, it is not good for him, so also whoever is an investigator of what is majestic will be overwhelmed by glory.
עִ֣יר פְּ֭רוּצָה אֵ֣ין חוֹמָ֑ה אִ֝֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֵ֖ין מַעְצָ֣ר לְרוּחֽוֹ׃ | 28 |
Just like a city lying in the open and without surrounding walls, so also is a man who is unable to restrain his own spirit in speaking.