מִשְׁלֵי 14

1 חַכְמוֹת נָשִׁים בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ וְאִוֶּלֶת בְּיָדֶיהָ תֶהֶרְסֶֽנּוּ׃

Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

2 הוֹלֵךְ בְּיָשְׁרוֹ יְרֵא יְהוָה וּנְלוֹז דְּרָכָיו בּוֹזֵֽהוּ׃

He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.

3 בְּֽפִי־אֱוִיל חֹטֶר גַּאֲוָה וְשִׂפְתֵי חֲכָמִים תִּשְׁמוּרֵֽם׃

The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.

4 בְּאֵין אֲלָפִים אֵבוּס בָּר וְרָב־תְּבוּאוֹת בְּכֹחַ שֽׁוֹר׃

Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

5 עֵד אֱמוּנִים לֹא יְכַזֵּב וְיָפִיחַ כְּזָבִים עֵד שָֽׁקֶר׃

A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies.

6 בִּקֶּשׁ־לֵץ חָכְמָה וָאָיִן וְדַעַת לְנָבוֹן נָקָֽל׃

A scoffer seeks wisdom, and doesn’t find it, but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.

7 לֵךְ מִנֶּגֶד לְאִישׁ כְּסִיל וּבַל־יָדַעְתָּ שִׂפְתֵי־דָֽעַת׃

Stay away from a foolish man, for you won’t find knowledge on his lips.

8 חָכְמַת עָרוּם הָבִין דַּרְכּוֹ וְאִוֶּלֶת כְּסִילִים מִרְמָֽה׃

The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.

9 אֱוִלִים יָלִיץ אָשָׁם וּבֵין יְשָׁרִים רָצֽוֹן׃

Fools mock at making atonement for sins, but amongst the upright there is good will.

10 לֵב יוֹדֵעַ מָרַּת נַפְשׁוֹ וּבְשִׂמְחָתוֹ לֹא־יִתְעָרַב זָֽר׃

The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger.

11 בֵּית רְשָׁעִים יִשָּׁמֵד וְאֹהֶל יְשָׁרִים יַפְרִֽיחַ׃

The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.

12 יֵשׁ דֶּרֶךְ יָשָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִישׁ וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת׃

There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

13 גַּם־בִּשְׂחוֹק יִכְאַב־לֵב וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ שִׂמְחָה תוּגָֽה׃

Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful, and mirth may end in heaviness.

14 מִדְּרָכָיו יִשְׂבַּע סוּג לֵב וּמֵעָלָיו אִישׁ טֽוֹב׃

The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways; likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.

15 פֶּתִי יַאֲמִין לְכָל־דָּבָר וְעָרוּם יָבִין לַאֲשֻׁרֽוֹ׃

A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways.

16 חָכָם יָרֵא וְסָר מֵרָע וּכְסִיל מִתְעַבֵּר וּבוֹטֵֽחַ׃

A wise man fears and shuns evil, but the fool is hot headed and reckless.

17 קְֽצַר־אַפַּיִם יַעֲשֶׂה אִוֶּלֶת וְאִישׁ מְזִמּוֹת יִשָּׂנֵֽא׃

He who is quick to become angry will commit folly, and a crafty man is hated.

18 נָחֲלוּ פְתָאיִם אִוֶּלֶת וַֽעֲרוּמִים יַכְתִּרוּ דָֽעַת׃

The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

19 שַׁחוּ רָעִים לִפְנֵי טוֹבִים וּרְשָׁעִים עַֽל־שַׁעֲרֵי צַדִּֽיק׃

The evil bow down before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20 גַּם־לְרֵעֵהוּ יִשָּׂנֵא רָשׁ וְאֹהֲבֵי עָשִׁיר רַבִּֽים׃

The poor person is shunned even by his own neighbour, but the rich person has many friends.

21 בָּז־לְרֵעֵהוּ חוֹטֵא וּמְחוֹנֵן עניים עֲנָוִים אַשְׁרָֽיו׃

He who despises his neighbour sins, but he who has pity on the poor is blessed.

22 הֲ‍ֽלוֹא־יִתְעוּ חֹרְשֵׁי רָע וְחֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת חֹרְשֵׁי טֽוֹב׃

Don’t they go astray who plot evil? But love and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.

23 בְּכָל־עֶצֶב יִהְיֶה מוֹתָר וּדְבַר־שְׂפָתַיִם אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃

In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.

24 עֲטֶרֶת חֲכָמִים עָשְׁרָם אִוֶּלֶת כְּסִילִים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools crowns them with folly.

25 מַצִּיל נְפָשׁוֹת עֵד אֱמֶת וְיָפִחַ כְּזָבִים מִרְמָֽה׃

A truthful witness saves souls, but a false witness is deceitful.

26 בְּיִרְאַת יְהוָה מִבְטַח־עֹז וּלְבָנָיו יִהְיֶה מַחְסֶֽה׃

In the fear of the LORD is a secure fortress, and he will be a refuge for his children.

27 יִרְאַת יְהוָה מְקוֹר חַיִּים לָסוּר מִמֹּקְשֵׁי מָֽוֶת׃

The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning people from the snares of death.

28 בְּרָב־עָם הַדְרַת־מֶלֶךְ וּבְאֶפֶס לְאֹם מְחִתַּת רָזֽוֹן׃

In the multitude of people is the king’s glory, but in the lack of people is the destruction of the prince.

29 אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם רַב־תְּבוּנָה וּקְצַר־רוּחַ מֵרִים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper displays folly.

30 חַיֵּי בְשָׂרִים לֵב מַרְפֵּא וּרְקַב עֲצָמוֹת קִנְאָֽה׃

The life of the body is a heart at peace, but envy rots the bones.

31 עֹשֵֽׁק דָּל חֵרֵף עֹשֵׂהוּ וּמְכַבְּדוֹ חֹנֵן אֶבְיֽוֹן׃

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honours him.

32 בְּֽרָעָתוֹ יִדָּחֶה רָשָׁע וְחֹסֶה בְמוֹתוֹ צַדּֽ͏ִיק׃

The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge.

33 בְּלֵב נָבוֹן תָּנוּחַ חָכְמָה וּבְקֶרֶב כְּסִילִים תִּוָּדֵֽעַ׃

Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, and is even made known in the inward part of fools.

34 צְדָקָה תְרֽוֹמֵֽם־גּוֹי וְחֶסֶד לְאֻמִּים חַטָּֽאת׃

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

35 רְֽצוֹן־מֶלֶךְ לְעֶבֶד מַשְׂכִּיל וְעֶבְרָתוֹ תִּהְיֶה מֵבִֽישׁ׃

The king’s favour is towards a servant who deals wisely, but his wrath is towards one who causes shame.