מִשְׁלֵי 26

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

As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so, unbecoming to a dullard is honour.

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

As a sparrow in wandering, as a swallow in flying, so, a causeless curse, shall not alight.

3 שׁוֹט לַסּוּס מֶתֶג לַחֲמוֹר וְשֵׁבֶט לְגֵו כְּסִילִֽים׃

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of dullards.

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

Do not answer a dullard, according to his folly, lest, even thou thyself, become like him;

5 עֲנֵה כְסִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶה חָכָם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

Answer a dullard according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.

6 מְקַצֶּה רַגְלַיִם חָמָס שֹׁתֶה שֹׁלֵחַ דְּבָרִים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃

One who cutteth off feet, one who drinketh down wrong, is he who sendeth a message by the hand of a dullard.

7 דַּלְיוּ שֹׁקַיִם מִפִּסֵּחַ וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִֽים׃

Useless are the legs of the lame, and a proverb, in the mouth of a dullard.

8 כִּצְרוֹר אֶבֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָה כֵּן־נוֹתֵן לִכְסִיל כָּבֽוֹד׃

Like tying a stone to a sling, so, is he that giveth honour, to a dullard.

9 חוֹחַ עָלָה בְיַד־שִׁכּוֹר וּמָשָׁל בְּפִי כְסִילִֽים׃

A brier cometh into the hand of a drunken-man, a proverb into the mouth of dullards.

10 רַב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־כֹּל וְשֹׂכֵר כְּסִיל וְשֹׂכֵר עֹבְרִֽים׃

[As] an archer who woundeth every thing, [so] one who hireth a dullard, and a drunkard crossing the sea.

11 כְּכֶלֶב שָׁב עַל־קֵאוֹ כְּסִיל שׁוֹנֶה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃

As, a dog, returneth onto his own vomit, a dullard, repeateth his folly.

12 רָאִיתָ אִישׁ חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו תִּקְוָה לִכְסִיל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eye, —more hope of a dullard, than of him!

13 אָמַר עָצֵל שַׁחַל בַּדָּרֶךְ אֲרִי בֵּין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃

Saith the sluggard, A roaring lion in the road! A tearing lion in the midst of the broadways.

14 הַדֶּלֶת תִּסּוֹב עַל־צִירָהּ וְעָצֵל עַל־מִטָּתֽוֹ׃

The door, turneth on its hinges, and, the sluggard, upon his bed.

15 טָמַן עָצֵל יָדוֹ בַּצַּלָּחַת נִלְאָה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָהּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃

The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

16 חָכָם עָצֵל בְּעֵינָיו מִשִּׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טָֽעַם׃

Wiser is the sluggard in his own eyes, than, seven persons, who can answer with judgment.

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

As he who layeth hold of the ears of a dog, is a passer-by, who giveth vent to his wrath over a quarrel, not his!

18 כְּֽמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶה זִקִּים חִצִּים וָמָֽוֶת׃

As a madman throwing firebrands, arrows and death,

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

So, is a man who deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Was not, I, in sport?

20 בְּאֶפֶס עֵצִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵשׁ וּבְאֵין נִרְגָּן יִשְׁתֹּק מָדֽוֹן׃

Without wood a fire is quenched, and, where there is no tattler, strife is hushed.

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

Black coal to burning blocks, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man, for kindling strife.

22 דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִים וְהֵם יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

the words of a tattler, are dainties, they, therefore go down into the chambers of the inner man.

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

Dross silver overlaid upon earthenware, so are burning lips, with a mischievous heart:

24 בשפתו בִּשְׂפָתָיו יִנָּכֵר שׂוֹנֵא וּבְקִרְבּוֹ יָשִׁית מִרְמָֽה׃

With his lips, the hater dissembleth, but, within himself, he layeth up deceit:

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

Though he make gracious his voice, do not trust him, for, seven abominations, are in his heart:

26 תִּכַּסֶּה שִׂנְאָה בְּמַשָּׁאוֹן תִּגָּלֶה רָעָתוֹ בְקָהָֽל׃

Hatred may clothe itself with guile, his wickedness shall be disclosed in the convocation.

27 כֹּֽרֶה־שַּׁחַת בָּהּ יִפֹּל וְגֹלֵל אֶבֶן אֵלָיו תָּשֽׁוּב׃

He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, shall fall, and, he that rolleth a stone, upon himself, shall it return.

28 לְֽשׁוֹן־שֶׁקֶר יִשְׂנָא דַכָּיו וּפֶה חָלָק יַעֲשֶׂה מִדְחֶֽה׃

A false tongue, hateth them who are crushed by it, and, a flattering mouth, worketh occasion of stumbling.