מִשְׁלֵי 18

1 לְֽתַאֲוָה יְבַקֵּשׁ נִפְרָד בְּכָל־תּוּשִׁיָּה יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃

An unfriendly man pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.

2 לֹֽא־יַחְפֹּץ כְּסִיל בִּתְבוּנָה כִּי אִֽם־בְּהִתְגַּלּוֹת לִבּֽוֹ׃

A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.

3 בְּֽבוֹא־רָשָׁע בָּא גַם־בּוּז וְֽעִם־קָלוֹן חֶרְפָּֽה׃

When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.

4 מַיִם עֲמֻקִּים דִּבְרֵי פִי־אִישׁ נַחַל נֹבֵעַ מְקוֹר חָכְמָֽה׃

The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.

5 שְׂאֵת פְּנֵי־רָשָׁע לֹא־טוֹב לְהַטּוֹת צַדִּיק בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃

To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of mishpat ·justice·.

6 שִׂפְתֵי כְסִיל יָבֹאֽוּ בְרִיב וּפִיו לְֽמַהֲלֻמוֹת יִקְרָֽא׃

A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.

7 פִּֽי־כְסִיל מְחִתָּה־לוֹ וּשְׂפָתָיו מוֹקֵשׁ נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃

A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

8 דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִים וְהֵם יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.

9 גַּם מִתְרַפֶּה בִמְלַאכְתּוֹ אָח הוּא לְבַעַל מַשְׁחִֽית׃

One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.

10 מִגְדַּל־עֹז שֵׁם יְהוָה בּֽוֹ־יָרוּץ צַדִּיק וְנִשְׂגָּֽב׃

Adonai’s name is a strong tower: the upright run to him, and are safe.

11 הוֹן עָשִׁיר קִרְיַת עֻזּוֹ וּכְחוֹמָה נִשְׂגָּבָה בְּמַשְׂכִּיתֽוֹ׃

The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.

12 לִפְנֵי־שֶׁבֶר יִגְבַּהּ לֵב־אִישׁ וְלִפְנֵי כָבוֹד עֲנָוֽ͏ָה׃

Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before kavod ·weighty glory· is humility.

13 מֵשִׁיב דָּבָר בְּטֶרֶם יִשְׁמָע אִוֶּלֶת הִיא־לוֹ וּכְלִמָּֽה׃

He who gives answer before he sh'ma ·hears obeys·, that is folly and shame to him.

14 רֽוּחַ־אִישׁ יְכַלְכֵּל מַחֲלֵהוּ וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה מִי יִשָּׂאֶֽנָּה׃

A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?

15 לֵב נָבוֹן יִקְנֶה־דָּעַת וְאֹזֶן חֲכָמִים תְּבַקֶּשׁ־דָּֽעַת׃

The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

16 מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ וְלִפְנֵי גְדֹלִים יַנְחֶֽנּוּ׃

A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.

17 צַדִּיק הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּרִיבוֹ יבא־וּבָֽא־רֵעֵהוּ וַחֲקָרֽוֹ׃

He who pleads his cause first seems right; until another comes and questions him.

18 מִדְיָנִים יַשְׁבִּית הַגּוֹרָל וּבֵין עֲצוּמִים יַפְרִֽיד׃

The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.

19 אָח נִפְשָׁע מִקִּרְיַת־עֹז ומדונים וּמִדְיָנִים כִּבְרִיחַ אַרְמֽוֹן׃

A brother rebelled against to break away from authority thus breaking relationship is more difficult than a fortified city; and disputes are like the bars of a fortress.

20 מִפְּרִי פִי־אִישׁ תִּשְׂבַּע בִּטְנוֹ תְּבוּאַת שְׂפָתָיו יִשְׂבָּֽע׃

A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.

21 מָוֶת וְחַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשׁוֹן וְאֹהֲבֶיהָ יֹאכַל פִּרְיָֽהּ׃

Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who 'ahav ·affectionately love· it will eat its fruit.

22 מָצָא אִשָּׁה מָצָא טוֹב וַיָּפֶק רָצוֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃

Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of Adonai.

23 תַּחֲנוּנִים יְדַבֶּר־רָשׁ וְעָשִׁיר יַעֲנֶה עַזּֽוֹת׃

The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.

24 אִישׁ רֵעִים לְהִתְרֹעֵעַ וְיֵשׁ אֹהֵב דָּבֵק מֵאָֽח׃

A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a 'ahav ·affectionate lover, friend· who sticks closer than a brother.