מִשְׁלֵי 17
| טוֹב פַּת חֲרֵבָה וְשַׁלְוָה־בָהּ מִבַּיִת מָלֵא זִבְחֵי־רִֽיב׃ | 1 |
Better is a dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife.
| עֶֽבֶד־מַשְׂכִּיל יִמְשֹׁל בְּבֵן מֵבִישׁ וּבְתוֹךְ אַחִים יַחֲלֹק נַחֲלָֽה׃ | 2 |
A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame, and shall have a part in the inheritance amongst the brothers.
| מַצְרֵף לַכֶּסֶף וְכוּר לַזָּהָב וּבֹחֵן לִבּוֹת יְהוָֽה׃ | 3 |
The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the hearts.
| מֵרַע מַקְשִׁיב עַל־שְׂפַת־אָוֶן שֶׁקֶר מֵזִין עַל־לְשׁוֹן הַוֺּֽת׃ | 4 |
An evildoer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
| לֹעֵג לָרָשׁ חֵרֵף עֹשֵׂהוּ שָׂמֵחַ לְאֵיד לֹא יִנָּקֶֽה׃ | 5 |
Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
| עֲטֶרֶת זְקֵנִים בְּנֵי בָנִים וְתִפְאֶרֶת בָּנִים אֲבוֹתָֽם׃ | 6 |
Children’s children are the crown of old men; the glory of children is their parents.
| לֹא־נָאוָה לְנָבָל שְׂפַת־יֶתֶר אַף כִּֽי־לְנָדִיב שְׂפַת־שָֽׁקֶר׃ | 7 |
Excellent speech isn’t fitting for a fool, much less do lying lips fit a prince.
| אֶֽבֶן־חֵן הַשֹּׁחַד בְּעֵינֵי בְעָלָיו אֶֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יִפְנֶה יַשְׂכִּֽיל׃ | 8 |
A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers.
| מְֽכַסֶּה־פֶּשַׁע מְבַקֵּשׁ אַהֲבָה וְשֹׁנֶה בְדָבָר מַפְרִיד אַלּֽוּף׃ | 9 |
He who covers an offence promotes love; but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.
| תֵּחַת גְּעָרָה בְמֵבִין מֵהַכּוֹת כְּסִיל מֵאָֽה׃ | 10 |
A rebuke enters deeper into one who has understanding than a hundred lashes into a fool.
| אַךְ־מְרִי יְבַקֶּשׁ־רָע וּמַלְאָךְ אַכְזָרִי יְשֻׁלַּח־בּֽוֹ׃ | 11 |
An evil man seeks only rebellion; therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
| פָּגוֹשׁ דֹּב שַׁכּוּל בְּאִישׁ וְאַל־כְּסִיל בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃ | 12 |
Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
| מֵשִׁיב רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה לֹא־תמיש תָמוּשׁ רָעָה מִבֵּיתֽוֹ׃ | 13 |
Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
| פּוֹטֵֽר מַיִם רֵאשִׁית מָדוֹן וְלִפְנֵי הִתְגַּלַּע הָרִיב נְטֽוֹשׁ׃ | 14 |
The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarrelling breaks out.
| מַצְדִּיק רָשָׁע וּמַרְשִׁיעַ צַדִּיק תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ | 15 |
He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
| לָמָּה־זֶּה מְחִיר בְּיַד־כְּסִיל לִקְנוֹת חָכְמָה וְלֶב־אָֽיִן׃ | 16 |
Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, since he has no understanding?
| בְּכָל־עֵת אֹהֵב הָרֵעַ וְאָח לְצָרָה יִוָּלֵֽד׃ | 17 |
A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.
| אָדָם חֲסַר־לֵב תּוֹקֵעַ כָּף עֹרֵב עֲרֻבָּה לִפְנֵי רֵעֵֽהוּ׃ | 18 |
A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbour.
| אֹהֵֽב פֶּשַׁע אֹהֵב מַצָּה מַגְבִּיהַּ פִּתְחוֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־שָֽׁבֶר׃ | 19 |
He who loves disobedience loves strife. One who builds a high gate seeks destruction.
| עִקֶּשׁ־לֵב לֹא יִמְצָא־טוֹב וְנֶהְפָּךְ בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ יִפּוֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃ | 20 |
One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity, and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.
| יֹלֵד כְּסִיל לְתוּגָה לוֹ וְלֹֽא־יִשְׂמַח אֲבִי נָבָֽל׃ | 21 |
He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.
| לֵב שָׂמֵחַ יֵיטִב גֵּהָה וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃ | 22 |
A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
| שֹׁחַד מֵחֵיק רָשָׁע יִקָּח לְהַטּוֹת אָרְחוֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ | 23 |
A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice.
| אֶת־פְּנֵי מֵבִין חָכְמָה וְעֵינֵי כְסִיל בִּקְצֵה־אָֽרֶץ׃ | 24 |
Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
| כַּעַס לְאָבִיו בֵּן כְּסִיל וּמֶמֶר לְיוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃ | 25 |
A foolish son brings grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him.
| גַּם עֲנוֹשׁ לַצַּדִּיק לֹא־טוֹב לְהַכּוֹת נְדִיבִים עַל־יֹֽשֶׁר׃ | 26 |
Also to punish the righteous is not good, nor to flog officials for their integrity.
| חוֹשֵׂךְ אֲמָרָיו יוֹדֵעַ דָּעַת וקר־יְקַר־רוּחַ אִישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה׃ | 27 |
He who spares his words has knowledge. He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.
| גַּם אֱוִיל מַחֲרִישׁ חָכָם יֵחָשֵׁב אֹטֵם שְׂפָתָיו נָבֽוֹן׃ | 28 |
Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.
