מִשְׁלֵי 26

1 כַּשֶּׁלֶג ׀ בַּקַּיִץ וְכַמָּטָר בַּקָּצִיר כֵּן לֹא־נָאוֶה לִכְסִיל כָּבֽוֹד׃

Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

2 כַּצִּפּוֹר לָנוּד כַּדְּרוֹר לָעוּף כֵּן קִֽלְלַת חִנָּם לא לוֹ תָבֹֽא׃

Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn't come to rest.

3 שׁוֹט לַסּוּס מֶתֶג לַחֲמוֹר וְשֵׁבֶט לְגֵו כְּסִילִֽים׃

A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.

4 אַל־תַּעַן כְּסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לּוֹ גַם־אָֽתָּה׃

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.

5 עֲנֵה כְסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶה חָכָם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

6 מְקַצֶּה רַגְלַיִם חָמָס שֹׁתֶה שֹׁלֵחַ דְּבָרִים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃

One who sends a message by the hand of a fool is cutting off feet and drinking violence.

7 דַּלְיוּ שֹׁקַיִם מִפִּסֵּחַ וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִֽים׃

Like the legs of the lame that hang loose: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

8 כִּצְרוֹר אֶבֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָה כֵּן־נוֹתֵן לִכְסִיל כָּבֽוֹד׃

As one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool.

9 חוֹחַ עָלָה בְיַד־שִׁכּוֹר וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִֽים׃

Like a thornbush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

10 רַב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־כֹּל וְשֹׂכֵר כְּסִיל וְשֹׂכֵר עֹבְרִֽים׃

As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.

11 כְּכֶלֶב שָׁב עַל־קֵאוֹ כְּסִיל שׁוֹנֶה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃

As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.

12 רָאִיתָ אִישׁ חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו תִּקְוָה לִכְסִיל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

13 אָמַר עָצֵל שַׁחַל בַּדָּרֶךְ אֲרִי בֵּין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃

The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road. A fierce lion roams the streets."

14 הַדֶּלֶת תִּסּוֹב עַל־צִירָהּ וְעָצֵל עַל־מִטָּתֽוֹ׃

As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.

15 טָמַן עָצֵל יָדוֹ בַּצַּלָּחַת נִלְאָה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָהּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

16 חָכָם עָצֵל בְּעֵינָיו מִשִּׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טָֽעַם׃

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.

17 מַחֲזִיק בְּאָזְנֵי־כָלֶב עֹבֵר מִתְעַבֵּר עַל־רִיב לֹּֽא־לֽוֹ׃

Like one who grabs a dog's ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.

18 כְּֽמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶה זִקִּים חִצִּים וָמָֽוֶת׃

Like a madman who shoots firebrands, arrows, and death,

19 כֵּֽן־אִישׁ רִמָּה אֶת־רֵעֵהוּ וְאָמַר הֲ‍ֽלֹא־מְשַׂחֵק אָֽנִי׃

is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "Am I not joking?"

20 בְּאֶפֶס עֵצִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵשׁ וּבְאֵין נִרְגָּן יִשְׁתֹּק מָדֽוֹן׃

Without wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, contention ceases.

21 פֶּחָם לְגֶחָלִים וְעֵצִים לְאֵשׁ וְאִישׁ מדונים מִדְיָנִים לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃

As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.

22 דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִים וְהֵם יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

The words of a gossip are as tasty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.

23 כֶּסֶף סִיגִים מְצֻפֶּה עַל־חָרֶשׂ שְׂפָתַיִם דֹּלְקִים וְלֶב־רָֽע׃

Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.

24 בשפתו בִּשְׂפָתָיו יִנָּכֵר שׂוֹנֵא וּבְקִרְבּוֹ יָשִׁית מִרְמָֽה׃

A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart.

25 כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּן קוֹלוֹ אַל־תַּֽאֲמֶן־בּוֹ כִּי שֶׁבַע תּוֹעֵבוֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃

When his speech is charming, do not believe him; for there are seven abominations in his heart.

26 תִּכַּסֶּה שִׂנְאָה בְּמַשָּׁאוֹן תִּגָּלֶה רָעָתוֹ בְקָהָֽל׃

His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27 כֹּֽרֶה־שַּׁחַת בָּהּ יִפֹּל וְגֹלֵל אֶבֶן אֵלָיו תָּשֽׁוּב׃

Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.

28 לְֽשׁוֹן־שֶׁקֶר יִשְׂנָא דַכָּיו וּפֶה חָלָק יַעֲשֶׂה מִדְחֶֽה׃

A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.