מִשְׁלֵי 26

1 כַּשֶּׁ֤לֶג ׀ בַּקַּ֗יִץ וְכַמָּטָ֥ר בַּקָּצִ֑יר כֵּ֤ן לֹא־נָאוֶ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃

As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour beseemeth not a fool.

2 כַּצִּפּ֣וֹר לָ֭נוּד כַּדְּר֣וֹר לָע֑וּף כֵּ֥ן קִֽלְלַ֥ת חִ֝נָּ֗ם ל֣וֹ תָבֹֽא׃

As the sparrow for flitting about, as the swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come.

3 שׁ֣וֹט לַ֭סּוּס מֶ֣תֶג לַחֲמ֑וֹר וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

4 אַל־תַּ֣עַן כְּ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לּ֥וֹ גַם־אָֽתָּה׃

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

5 עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

6 מְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם חָמָ֣ס שֹׁתֶ֑ה שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃

He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off [his own] feet, [and] drinketh damage.

7 דַּלְי֣וּ שֹׁ֭קַיִם מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

The legs of the lame hang loose; so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8 כִּצְר֣וֹר אֶ֭בֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה כֵּן־נוֹתֵ֖ן לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃

As a bag of gems in a stoneheap, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

9 ח֭וֹחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־שִׁכּ֑וֹר וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

[As] a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10 רַ֥ב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃

A master roughly worketh every one: he both hireth the fool and hireth passers-by.

11 כְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־קֵא֑וֹ כְּ֝סִ֗יל שׁוֹנֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃

As a dog turneth back to its vomit, [so] a fool repeateth his folly.

12 רָאִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Hast thou seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

13 אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל שַׁ֣חַל בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ אֲ֝רִ֗י בֵּ֣ין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃

The sluggard saith, There is a fierce lion in the way; a lion is in the midst of the streets!

14 הַ֭דֶּלֶת תִּסּ֣וֹב עַל־צִירָ֑הּ וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל עַל־מִטָּתֽוֹ׃

[As] the door turneth upon its hinges, so the sluggard upon his bed.

15 טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת נִ֝לְאָ֗ה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃

The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish: it wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.

16 חָכָ֣ם עָצֵ֣ל בְּעֵינָ֑יו מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃

A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven [men] that answer discreetly.

17 מַחֲזִ֥יק בְּאָזְנֵי־כָ֑לֶב עֹבֵ֥ר מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר עַל־רִ֥יב לֹּֽא־לֽוֹ׃

He that passing by vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is [like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.

18 כְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶ֥ה זִקִּ֗ים חִצִּ֥ים וָמָֽוֶת׃

As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,

19 כֵּֽן־אִ֭ישׁ רִמָּ֣ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אָמַ֗ר הֲֽלֹא־מְשַׂחֵ֥ק אָֽנִי׃

so is a man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am I not in sport?

20 בְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵ֑שׁ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק מָדֽוֹן׃

Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the contention ceaseth.

21 פֶּחָ֣ם לְ֭גֶחָלִים וְעֵצִ֣ים לְאֵ֑שׁ וְאִ֥ישׁ מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃ פ

[As] coals for hot coals, and wood for fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife.

22 דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

The words of a talebearer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

23 כֶּ֣סֶף סִ֭יגִים מְצֻפֶּ֣ה עַל־חָ֑רֶשׂ שְׂפָתַ֖יִם דֹּלְקִ֣ים וְלֶב־רָֽע׃

Ardent lips, and a wicked heart, are [as] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

24 בִּ֭שְׂפָתָיו יִנָּכֵ֣ר שׂוֹנֵ֑א וּ֝בְקִרְבּ֗וֹ יָשִׁ֥ית מִרְמָֽה׃

He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him:

25 כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּ֣ן ק֭וֹלוֹ אַל־תַּֽאֲמֶן־בּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י שֶׁ֖בַע תּוֹעֵב֣וֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃

when his voice is gracious, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.

26 תִּכַּסֶּ֣ה שִׂ֭נְאָה בְּמַשָּׁא֑וֹן תִּגָּלֶ֖ה רָעָת֣וֹ בְקָהָֽל׃

Though [his] hatred is covered by dissimulation, his wickedness shall be made manifest in the congregation.

27 כֹּֽרֶה־שַּׁ֭חַת בָּ֣הּ יִפֹּ֑ל וְגֹ֥לֵ֥ל אֶ֝בֶן אֵלָ֥יו תָּשֽׁוּב׃

Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.

28 לְֽשׁוֹן־שֶׁ֭קֶר יִשְׂנָ֣א דַכָּ֑יו וּפֶ֥ה חָ֝לָ֗ק יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה מִדְחֶֽה׃

A lying tongue hateth those that are injured by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.