מִשְׁלֵי 17
| טוֹב פַּת חֲרֵבָה וְשַׁלְוָה־בָהּ מִבַּיִת מָלֵא זִבְחֵי־רִֽיב׃ | 1 |
Better a dry morsel, and peace therewith, than a house full of contentious sacrifices.
| עֶֽבֶד־מַשְׂכִּיל יִמְשֹׁל בְּבֵן מֵבִישׁ וּבְתוֹךְ אַחִים יַחֲלֹק נַחֲלָֽה׃ | 2 |
A prudent servant, shall rule over a son who causeth shame, and, in the midst of brothers, shall he share the inheritance.
| מַצְרֵף לַכֶּסֶף וְכוּר לַזָּהָב וּבֹחֵן לִבּוֹת יְהוָֽה׃ | 3 |
Fining-pot for silver, crucible for gold, but, he that trieth hearts, is Yahweh.
| מֵרַע מַקְשִׁיב עַל־שְׂפַת־אָוֶן שֶׁקֶר מֵזִין עַל־לְשׁוֹן הַוֺּֽת׃ | 4 |
Discord, giveth heed to the aggrieving lip, —Falsehood, giveth ear to the destroying tongue.
| לֹעֵג לָרָשׁ חֵרֵף עֹשֵׂהוּ שָׂמֵחַ לְאֵיד לֹא יִנָּקֶֽה׃ | 5 |
He that mocketh the poor, hath reproached his Maker, He that maketh merry at distress, shall not be held innocent.
| עֲטֶרֶת זְקֵנִים בְּנֵי בָנִים וְתִפְאֶרֶת בָּנִים אֲבוֹתָֽם׃ | 6 |
The crown of old men, consists of children’s children, and the adornment of children, is their fathers.
| לֹא־נָאוָה לְנָבָל שְׂפַת־יֶתֶר אַף כִּֽי־לְנָדִיב שְׂפַת־שָֽׁקֶר׃ | 7 |
Unseemly in an unworthy man, is the lip of excellence, much more, in one of noble mind, the lip of falsehood.
| אֶֽבֶן־חֵן הַשֹּׁחַד בְּעֵינֵי בְעָלָיו אֶֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יִפְנֶה יַשְׂכִּֽיל׃ | 8 |
A gift, in the eyes of its owner, is, a stone of beauty, whithersoever it turneth, it bringeth prosperity.
| מְֽכַסֶּה־פֶּשַׁע מְבַקֵּשׁ אַהֲבָה וְשֹׁנֶה בְדָבָר מַפְרִיד אַלּֽוּף׃ | 9 |
He that hideth a transgression, seeketh love, but, he that repeateth a matter, separateth intimate friends.
| תֵּחַת גְּעָרָה בְמֵבִין מֵהַכּוֹת כְּסִיל מֵאָֽה׃ | 10 |
A reproof sinketh more deeply into an intelligent man than a hundred stripes, into a dullard!
| אַךְ־מְרִי יְבַקֶּשׁ־רָע וּמַלְאָךְ אַכְזָרִי יְשֻׁלַּח־בּֽוֹ׃ | 11 |
Nothing less than rebellion, doth a wicked man seek, and, a relentless messenger, shall be sent out against him.
| פָּגוֹשׁ דֹּב שַׁכּוּל בְּאִישׁ וְאַל־כְּסִיל בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃ | 12 |
Let a bereaved bear encounter man, rather than a dullard, with his folly!
| מֵשִׁיב רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה לֹא־תמיש תָמוּשׁ רָעָה מִבֵּיתֽוֹ׃ | 13 |
He that returneth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
| פּוֹטֵֽר מַיִם רֵאשִׁית מָדוֹן וְלִפְנֵי הִתְגַּלַּע הָרִיב נְטֽוֹשׁ׃ | 14 |
A letting forth of water, is the beginning of strife, therefore, before it breaketh out, abandon, contention.
| מַצְדִּיק רָשָׁע וּמַרְשִׁיעַ צַדִּיק תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ | 15 |
He that justifieth the lawless, and he that condemneth the righteous, an abomination to Yahweh, are they, both.
| לָמָּה־זֶּה מְחִיר בְּיַד־כְּסִיל לִקְנוֹת חָכְמָה וְלֶב־אָֽיִן׃ | 16 |
Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a dullard? that he who is without sense, may acquire wisdom.
| בְּכָל־עֵת אֹהֵב הָרֵעַ וְאָח לְצָרָה יִוָּלֵֽד׃ | 17 |
At all times, doth a friend love, and, a brother for distress, must be born.
| אָדָם חֲסַר־לֵב תּוֹקֵעַ כָּף עֹרֵב עֲרֻבָּה לִפְנֵי רֵעֵֽהוּ׃ | 18 |
A man lacking sense, is one who striketh hands, giving security, before his neighbour.
| אֹהֵֽב פֶּשַׁע אֹהֵב מַצָּה מַגְבִּיהַּ פִּתְחוֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־שָֽׁבֶר׃ | 19 |
A lover of transgression, is one who loveth strife, he that heighteneth his door, seeketh grievous harm.
| עִקֶּשׁ־לֵב לֹא יִמְצָא־טוֹב וְנֶהְפָּךְ בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ יִפּוֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃ | 20 |
The crooked in heart, shall not find good, and, he that is perverse with his tongue, shall fall into wickedness.
| יֹלֵד כְּסִיל לְתוּגָה לוֹ וְלֹֽא־יִשְׂמַח אֲבִי נָבָֽל׃ | 21 |
He that begetteth a dullard, it is to his own grief, neither can the father of the base, rejoice.
| לֵב שָׂמֵחַ יֵיטִב גֵּהָה וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃ | 22 |
A joyful heart, worketh an excellent cure, —but, a stricken spirit, drieth up the bone.
| שֹׁחַד מֵחֵיק רָשָׁע יִקָּח לְהַטּוֹת אָרְחוֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ | 23 |
A bribe out of his bosom, doth a lawless man take, to pervert the ways of justice.
| אֶת־פְּנֵי מֵבִין חָכְמָה וְעֵינֵי כְסִיל בִּקְצֵה־אָֽרֶץ׃ | 24 |
Before the face of the discerning, is wisdom, but, the eyes of a dullard, are in the ends of the earth.
| כַּעַס לְאָבִיו בֵּן כְּסִיל וּמֶמֶר לְיוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃ | 25 |
A vexation to his father, is the son that is a dullard, and a bitterness, to her that bare him.
| גַּם עֲנוֹשׁ לַצַּדִּיק לֹא־טוֹב לְהַכּוֹת נְדִיבִים עַל־יֹֽשֶׁר׃ | 26 |
Surely, to chastise the righteous, is not good, to smite the noble-minded for equity.
| חוֹשֵׂךְ אֲמָרָיו יוֹדֵעַ דָּעַת וקר־יְקַר־רוּחַ אִישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה׃ | 27 |
Sparing of his words, is one who valueth knowledge, and, of a thoughtful spirit, is a man of intelligence.
| גַּם אֱוִיל מַחֲרִישׁ חָכָם יֵחָשֵׁב אֹטֵם שְׂפָתָיו נָבֽוֹן׃ | 28 |
Even a fool, holding his peace, is accounted, wise, —He that closeth his lips, [is thought] to have understanding.
