מִשְׁלֵי 28

1 נָסוּ וְאֵין־רֹדֵף רָשָׁע וְצַדִּיקִים כִּכְפִיר יִבְטָֽח׃

The wicked flee when no one pursues; but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

2 בְּפֶשַֽׁע אֶרֶץ רַבִּים שָׂרֶיהָ וּבְאָדָם מֵבִין יֹדֵעַ כֵּן יַאֲרִֽיךְ׃

In rebellion, a land has many rulers, but order is maintained by a man of understanding and knowledge.

3 גֶּבֶר רָשׁ וְעֹשֵׁק דַּלִּים מָטָר סֹחֵף וְאֵין לָֽחֶם׃

A needy man who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain which leaves no crops.

4 עֹזְבֵי תוֹרָה יְהַֽלְלוּ רָשָׁע וְשֹׁמְרֵי תוֹרָה יִתְגָּרוּ בָֽם׃

Those who forsake the law praise the wicked; but those who keep the law contend with them.

5 אַנְשֵׁי־רָע לֹא־יָבִינוּ מִשְׁפָּט וּמְבַקְשֵׁי יְהוָה יָבִינוּ כֹֽל׃

Evil men don’t understand justice; but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.

6 טֽוֹב־רָשׁ הוֹלֵךְ בְּתֻמּוֹ מֵעִקֵּשׁ דְּרָכַיִם וְהוּא עָשִֽׁיר׃

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his ways, and he is rich.

7 נוֹצֵר תּוֹרָה בֵּן מֵבִין וְרֹעֶה זֽוֹלְלִים יַכְלִים אָבִֽיו׃

Whoever keeps the law is a wise son; but he who is a companion of gluttons shames his father.

8 מַרְבֶּה הוֹנוֹ בְּנֶשֶׁךְ ובתרבית וְתַרְבִּית לְחוֹנֵן דַּלִּים יִקְבְּצֶֽנּוּ׃

He who increases his wealth by excessive interest gathers it for one who has pity on the poor.

9 מֵסִיר אָזְנוֹ מִשְּׁמֹעַ תּוֹרָה גַּֽם־תְּפִלָּתוֹ תּוֹעֵבָֽה׃

He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

10 מַשְׁגֶּה יְשָׁרִים ׀ בְּדֶרֶךְ רָע בִּשְׁחוּתוֹ הֽוּא־יִפּוֹל וּתְמִימִים יִנְחֲלוּ־טֽוֹב׃

Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, he will fall into his own trap; but the blameless will inherit good.

11 חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו אִישׁ עָשִׁיר וְדַל מֵבִין יַחְקְרֶֽנּוּ׃

The rich man is wise in his own eyes; but the poor who has understanding sees through him.

12 בַּעֲלֹץ צַדִּיקִים רַבָּה תִפְאָרֶת וּבְקוּם רְשָׁעִים יְחֻפַּשׂ אָדָֽם׃

When the righteous triumph, there is great glory; but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.

13 מְכַסֶּה פְשָׁעָיו לֹא יַצְלִיחַ וּמוֹדֶה וְעֹזֵב יְרֻחָֽם׃

He who conceals his sins doesn’t prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

14 אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם מְפַחֵד תָּמִיד וּמַקְשֶׁה לִבּוֹ יִפּוֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃

Blessed is the man who always fears; but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

15 אֲרִי־נֹהֵם וְדֹב שׁוֹקֵק מֹשֵׁל רָשָׁע עַל עַם־דָּֽל׃

As a roaring lion or a charging bear, so is a wicked ruler over helpless people.

16 נָגִיד חֲסַר תְּבוּנוֹת וְרַב מַעֲשַׁקּוֹת שנאי שֹׂנֵא בֶצַע יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִֽים׃

A tyrannical ruler lacks judgement. One who hates ill-gotten gain will have long days.

17 אָדָם עָשֻׁק בְּדַם־נָפֶשׁ עַד־בּוֹר יָנוּס אַל־יִתְמְכוּ־בֽוֹ׃

A man who is tormented by blood guilt will be a fugitive until death. No one will support him.

18 הוֹלֵךְ תָּמִים יִוָּשֵׁעַ וְנֶעְקַשׁ דְּרָכַיִם יִפּוֹל בְּאֶחָֽת׃

Whoever walks blamelessly is kept safe; but one with perverse ways will fall suddenly.

19 עֹבֵד אַדְמָתוֹ יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־לָחֶם וּמְרַדֵּף רֵקִים יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־רִֽישׁ׃

One who works his land will have an abundance of food; but one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

20 אִישׁ אֱמוּנוֹת רַב־בְּרָכוֹת וְאָץ לְהַעֲשִׁיר לֹא יִנָּקֶֽה׃

A faithful man is rich with blessings; but one who is eager to be rich will not go unpunished.

21 הַֽכֵּר־פָּנִים לֹא־טוֹב וְעַל־פַּת־לֶחֶם יִפְשַׁע־גָּֽבֶר׃

To show partiality is not good, yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

22 נִֽבֳהָל לַהוֹן אִישׁ רַע עָיִן וְלֹֽא־יֵדַע כִּי־חֶסֶר יְבֹאֶֽנּוּ׃

A stingy man hurries after riches, and doesn’t know that poverty waits for him.

23 מוֹכִיחַ אָדָם אַחֲרַי חֵן יִמְצָא מִֽמַּחֲלִיק לָשֽׁוֹן׃

One who rebukes a man will afterward find more favour than one who flatters with the tongue.

24 גּוֹזֵל ׀ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ וְאֹמֵר אֵֽין־פָּשַׁע חָבֵר הוּא לְאִישׁ מַשְׁחִֽית׃

Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, “It’s not wrong,” is a partner with a destroyer.

25 רְחַב־נֶפֶשׁ יְגָרֶה מָדוֹן וּבוֹטֵחַ עַל־יְהוָה יְדֻשָּֽׁן׃

One who is greedy stirs up strife; but one who trusts in the LORD will prosper.

26 בּוֹטֵחַ בְּלִבּוֹ הוּא כְסִיל וְהוֹלֵךְ בְּחָכְמָה הוּא יִמָּלֵֽט׃

One who trusts in himself is a fool; but one who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

27 נוֹתֵן לָרָשׁ אֵין מַחְסוֹר וּמַעְלִים עֵינָיו רַב־מְאֵרֽוֹת׃

One who gives to the poor has no lack; but one who closes his eyes will have many curses.

28 בְּקוּם רְשָׁעִים יִסָּתֵר אָדָם וּבְאָבְדָם יִרְבּוּ צַדִּיקִֽים׃

When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous thrive.