מִשְׁלֵי 17
| טוֹב פַּת חֲרֵבָה וְשַׁלְוָה־בָהּ מִבַּיִת מָלֵא זִבְחֵי־רִֽיב׃ | 1 |
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of feasting [with] strife.
| עֶֽבֶד־מַשְׂכִּיל יִמְשֹׁל בְּבֵן מֵבִישׁ וּבְתוֹךְ אַחִים יַחֲלֹק נַחֲלָֽה׃ | 2 |
A wise servant shall rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren.
| מַצְרֵף לַכֶּסֶף וְכוּר לַזָּהָב וּבֹחֵן לִבּוֹת יְהוָֽה׃ | 3 |
The fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but Jehovah trieth the hearts.
| מֵרַע מַקְשִׁיב עַל־שְׂפַת־אָוֶן שֶׁקֶר מֵזִין עַל־לְשׁוֹן הַוֺּֽת׃ | 4 |
The evil-doer giveth heed to iniquitous lips; the liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
| לֹעֵג לָרָשׁ חֵרֵף עֹשֵׂהוּ שָׂמֵחַ לְאֵיד לֹא יִנָּקֶֽה׃ | 5 |
Whoso mocketh a poor [man] reproacheth his Maker; he that is glad at calamity shall not be held innocent.
| עֲטֶרֶת זְקֵנִים בְּנֵי בָנִים וְתִפְאֶרֶת בָּנִים אֲבוֹתָֽם׃ | 6 |
Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
| לֹא־נָאוָה לְנָבָל שְׂפַת־יֶתֶר אַף כִּֽי־לְנָדִיב שְׂפַת־שָֽׁקֶר׃ | 7 |
Excellent speech becometh not a vile [man]; how much less do lying lips a noble!
| אֶֽבֶן־חֵן הַשֹּׁחַד בְּעֵינֵי בְעָלָיו אֶֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יִפְנֶה יַשְׂכִּֽיל׃ | 8 |
A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of the possessor: whithersoever it turneth it prospereth.
| מְֽכַסֶּה־פֶּשַׁע מְבַקֵּשׁ אַהֲבָה וְשֹׁנֶה בְדָבָר מַפְרִיד אַלּֽוּף׃ | 9 |
He that covereth transgression seeketh love; but he that bringeth a matter up again separateth very friends.
| תֵּחַת גְּעָרָה בְמֵבִין מֵהַכּוֹת כְּסִיל מֵאָֽה׃ | 10 |
A reproof entereth more deeply into him that hath understanding than a hundred stripes into a fool.
| אַךְ־מְרִי יְבַקֶּשׁ־רָע וּמַלְאָךְ אַכְזָרִי יְשֻׁלַּח־בּֽוֹ׃ | 11 |
An evil [man] seeketh only rebellion; but a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
| פָּגוֹשׁ דֹּב שַׁכּוּל בְּאִישׁ וְאַל־כְּסִיל בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃ | 12 |
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man rather than a fool in his folly.
| מֵשִׁיב רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה לֹא־תמיש תָמוּשׁ רָעָה מִבֵּיתֽוֹ׃ | 13 |
Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
| פּוֹטֵֽר מַיִם רֵאשִׁית מָדוֹן וְלִפְנֵי הִתְגַּלַּע הָרִיב נְטֽוֹשׁ׃ | 14 |
The beginning of contention is [as] when one letteth out water; therefore leave off strife before it become vehement.
| מַצְדִּיק רָשָׁע וּמַרְשִׁיעַ צַדִּיק תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ | 15 |
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, even they both are abomination to Jehovah.
| לָמָּה־זֶּה מְחִיר בְּיַד־כְּסִיל לִקְנוֹת חָכְמָה וְלֶב־אָֽיִן׃ | 16 |
To what purpose is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing [he] hath no sense?
| בְּכָל־עֵת אֹהֵב הָרֵעַ וְאָח לְצָרָה יִוָּלֵֽד׃ | 17 |
The friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
| אָדָם חֲסַר־לֵב תּוֹקֵעַ כָּף עֹרֵב עֲרֻבָּה לִפְנֵי רֵעֵֽהוּ׃ | 18 |
A senseless man striketh hands, becoming surety for his neighbour.
| אֹהֵֽב פֶּשַׁע אֹהֵב מַצָּה מַגְבִּיהַּ פִּתְחוֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־שָֽׁבֶר׃ | 19 |
He loveth transgression that loveth a quarrel; he that maketh high his gate seeketh destruction.
| עִקֶּשׁ־לֵב לֹא יִמְצָא־טוֹב וְנֶהְפָּךְ בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ יִפּוֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃ | 20 |
He that hath a perverse heart findeth no good; and he that shifteth about with his tongue falleth into evil.
| יֹלֵד כְּסִיל לְתוּגָה לוֹ וְלֹֽא־יִשְׂמַח אֲבִי נָבָֽל׃ | 21 |
He that begetteth a fool [doeth it] to his sorrow, and the father of a vile [man] hath no joy.
| לֵב שָׂמֵחַ יֵיטִב גֵּהָה וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃ | 22 |
A joyful heart promoteth healing; but a broken spirit drieth up the bones.
| שֹׁחַד מֵחֵיק רָשָׁע יִקָּח לְהַטּוֹת אָרְחוֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ | 23 |
A wicked [man] taketh a gift out of the bosom, to pervert the paths of judgment.
| אֶת־פְּנֵי מֵבִין חָכְמָה וְעֵינֵי כְסִיל בִּקְצֵה־אָֽרֶץ׃ | 24 |
Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
| כַּעַס לְאָבִיו בֵּן כְּסִיל וּמֶמֶר לְיוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃ | 25 |
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.
| גַּם עֲנוֹשׁ לַצַּדִּיק לֹא־טוֹב לְהַכּוֹת נְדִיבִים עַל־יֹֽשֶׁר׃ | 26 |
To punish a righteous [man] is not good, nor to strike nobles because of [their] uprightness.
| חוֹשֵׂךְ אֲמָרָיו יוֹדֵעַ דָּעַת וקר־יְקַר־רוּחַ אִישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה׃ | 27 |
He that hath knowledge spareth his words; and a man of understanding is of a cool spirit.
| גַּם אֱוִיל מַחֲרִישׁ חָכָם יֵחָשֵׁב אֹטֵם שְׂפָתָיו נָבֽוֹן׃ | 28 |
Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is reckoned wise, [and] he that shutteth his lips, intelligent.
