מִשְׁלֵי 12

1 אֹהֵב מוּסָר אֹהֵֽב דָּעַת וְשֹׂנֵא תוֹכַחַת בָּֽעַר׃

Whoever is loving instruction, is loving knowledge, And whoever is hating reproof [is] brutish.

2 טוֹב יָפִיק רָצוֹן מֵיְהוָה וְאִישׁ מְזִמּוֹת יַרְשִֽׁיעַ׃

The good brings forth favor from YHWH, And the man of wicked schemes He condemns.

3 לֹא־יִכּוֹן אָדָם בְּרֶשַׁע וְשֹׁרֶשׁ צַדִּיקִים בַּל־יִמּֽוֹט׃

A man is not established by wickedness, And the root of the righteous is not moved.

4 אֵֽשֶׁת־חַיִל עֲטֶרֶת בַּעְלָהּ וּכְרָקָב בְּעַצְמוֹתָיו מְבִישָֽׁה׃

A virtuous woman [is] a crown to her husband, And as rottenness in his bones [is] one causing shame.

5 מַחְשְׁבוֹת צַדִּיקִים מִשְׁפָּט תַּחְבֻּלוֹת רְשָׁעִים מִרְמָֽה׃

The thoughts of the righteous [are] justice, The counsels of the wicked—deceit.

6 דִּבְרֵי רְשָׁעִים אֱרָב־דָּם וּפִי יְשָׁרִים יַצִּילֵֽם׃

The words of the wicked [are]: “Lay [in] wait for blood,” And the mouth of the upright delivers them.

7 הָפוֹךְ רְשָׁעִים וְאֵינָם וּבֵית צַדִּיקִים יַעֲמֹֽד׃

Overthrow the wicked, and they are not, And the house of the righteous stands.

8 לְֽפִי־שִׂכְלוֹ יְהֻלַּל־אִישׁ וְנַעֲוֵה־לֵב יִהְיֶה לָבֽוּז׃

A man is praised according to his wisdom, And the perverted of heart becomes despised.

9 טוֹב נִקְלֶה וְעֶבֶד לוֹ מִמְּתַכַּבֵּד וַחֲסַר־לָֽחֶם׃

Better [is] the lightly esteemed who has a servant, Than the self-honored who lacks bread.

10 יוֹדֵעַ צַדִּיק נֶפֶשׁ בְּהֶמְתּוֹ וְֽרַחֲמֵי רְשָׁעִים אַכְזָרִֽי׃

The righteous knows the life of his beast, And the mercies of the wicked [are] cruel.

11 עֹבֵד אַדְמָתוֹ יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־לָחֶם וּמְרַדֵּף רֵיקִים חֲסַר־לֵֽב׃

Whoever is tilling the ground is satisfied [with] bread, And whoever is pursuing vanities is lacking heart,

12 חָמַד רָשָׁע מְצוֹד רָעִים וְשֹׁרֶשׁ צַדִּיקִים יִתֵּֽן׃

The wicked has desired the net of evildoers, And the root of the righteous gives.

13 בְּפֶשַׁע שְׂפָתַיִם מוֹקֵשׁ רָע וַיֵּצֵא מִצָּרָה צַדִּֽיק׃

The snare of the wicked [is] in transgression of the lips, And the righteous goes out from distress.

14 מִפְּרִי פִי־אִישׁ יִשְׂבַּע־טוֹב וּגְמוּל יְדֵי־אָדָם ישוב יָשִׁיב לֽוֹ׃

One [is] satisfied [with] good from the fruit of the mouth, And the deed of man’s hands returns to him.

15 דֶּרֶךְ אֱוִיל יָשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו וְשֹׁמֵעַ לְעֵצָה חָכָֽם׃

The way of a fool [is] right in his own eyes, And whoever is listening to counsel [is] wise.

16 אֱוִיל בַּיּוֹם יִוָּדַע כַּעְסוֹ וְכֹסֶה קָלוֹן עָרֽוּם׃

The fool—his anger is known in a day, And the prudent is covering shame.

17 יָפִיחַ אֱמוּנָה יַגִּיד צֶדֶק וְעֵד שְׁקָרִים מִרְמָֽה׃

Whoever utters faithfulness declares righteousness, And a false witness—deceit.

18 יֵשׁ בּוֹטֶה כְּמַדְקְרוֹת חָרֶב וּלְשׁוֹן חֲכָמִים מַרְפֵּֽא׃

A rash speaker is like piercings of a sword, And the tongue of the wise is healing.

19 שְֽׂפַת־אֱמֶת תִּכּוֹן לָעַד וְעַד־אַרְגִּיעָה לְשׁוֹן שָֽׁקֶר׃

The lip of truth is established forever, And a tongue of falsehood for a moment.

20 מִרְמָה בְּלֶב־חֹרְשֵׁי רָע וּֽלְיֹעֲצֵי שָׁלוֹם שִׂמְחָֽה׃

Deceit [is] in the heart of those devising evil, But for counselors of peace—joy.

21 לֹא־יְאֻנֶּה לַצַּדִּיק כָּל־אָוֶן וּרְשָׁעִים מָלְאוּ רָֽע׃

No iniquity is desired by the righteous, And the wicked have been full of evil.

22 תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה שִׂפְתֵי־שָׁקֶר וְעֹשֵׂי אֱמוּנָה רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃

Lying lips [are] an abomination to YHWH, And steadfast doers [are] his delight.

23 אָדָם עָרוּם כֹּסֶה דָּעַת וְלֵב כְּסִילִים יִקְרָא אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

A prudent man is concealing knowledge, And the heart of fools proclaims folly.

24 יַד־חָרוּצִים תִּמְשׁוֹל ורְמִיָּה תִּהְיֶה לָמַֽס׃

The hand of the diligent rules, And slothfulness becomes tributary.

25 דְּאָגָה בְלֶב־אִישׁ יַשְׁחֶנָּה וְדָבָר טוֹב יְשַׂמְּחֶֽנָּה׃

Sorrow in the heart of a man bows down, And a good word makes him glad.

26 יָתֵר מֵרֵעֵהוּ צַדִּיק וְדֶרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים תַּתְעֵֽם׃

The righteous searches his companion, And the way of the wicked causes them to err.

27 לֹא־יַחֲרֹךְ רְמִיָּה צֵידוֹ וְהוֹן־אָדָם יָקָר חָרֽוּץ׃

The slothful does not roast his game, And the wealth of a diligent man is precious.

28 בְּאֹֽרַח־צְדָקָה חַיִּים וְדֶרֶךְ נְתִיבָה אַל־מָֽוֶת׃

In the path of righteousness [is] life, And in the way of [that] path [is] no death!