מִשְׁלֵי 18

1 לְֽ֭תַאֲוָה יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ נִפְרָ֑ד בְּכָל־תּ֝וּשִׁיָּ֗ה יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃

He who separateth himself seeketh his own desire; Against all sound discretion he rusheth on.

2 לֹֽא־יַחְפֹּ֣ץ כְּ֭סִיל בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה כִּ֝֗י אִֽם־בְּהִתְגַּלּ֥וֹת לִבּֽוֹ׃

The fool hath no delight in understanding, But rather in revealing his own mind.

3 בְּֽבוֹא־רָ֭שָׁע בָּ֣א גַם־בּ֑וּז וְֽעִם־קָל֥וֹן חֶרְפָּֽה׃

When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt; And with baseness, shame.

4 מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים דִּבְרֵ֣י פִי־אִ֑ישׁ נַ֥חַל נֹ֝בֵ֗עַ מְק֣וֹר חָכְמָֽה׃

The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, And the wellspring of wisdom is an overflowing brook.

5 שְׂאֵ֣ת פְּנֵי־רָשָׁ֣ע לֹא־ט֑וֹב לְהַטּ֥וֹת צַ֝דִּ֗יק בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃

It is not good to be partial to the wicked, So as to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

6 שִׂפְתֵ֣י כְ֭סִיל יָבֹ֣אֽוּ בְרִ֑יב וּ֝פִ֗יו לְֽמַהֲלֻמ֥וֹת יִקְרָֽא׃

The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calleth for blows.

7 פִּֽי־כְ֭סִיל מְחִתָּה־ל֑וֹ וּ֝שְׂפָתָ֗יו מוֹקֵ֥שׁ נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃

A fool's mouth is his destruction, And his lips are a snare for his life.

8 דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

The words of a talebearer are like sweet morsels; For they go down to the innermost parts of the body.

9 גַּ֭ם מִתְרַפֶּ֣ה בִמְלַאכְתּ֑וֹ אָ֥ח ה֝֗וּא לְבַ֣עַל מַשְׁחִֽית׃

Moreover, he that is slothful in his work Is brother to him that is a great waster.

10 מִגְדַּל־עֹ֭ז שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה בּֽוֹ־יָר֖וּץ צַדִּ֣יק וְנִשְׂגָּֽב׃

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runneth to it, and is safe.

11 ה֣וֹן עָ֭שִׁיר קִרְיַ֣ת עֻזּ֑וֹ וּכְחוֹמָ֥ה נִ֝שְׂגָּבָ֗ה בְּמַשְׂכִּיתֽוֹ׃

The rich man's wealth is his strong city, And as a high wall, in his own conceit.

12 לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֭בֶר יִגְבַּ֣הּ לֵב־אִ֑ישׁ וְלִפְנֵ֖י כָב֣וֹד עֲנָוָֽה׃

Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility.

13 מֵשִׁ֣יב דָּ֭בָר בְּטֶ֣רֶם יִשְׁמָ֑ע אִוֶּ֥לֶת הִיא־ל֝֗וֹ וּכְלִמָּֽה׃

He who answereth a matter before he hath heard it, It is folly and shame to him.

14 רֽוּחַ־אִ֭ישׁ יְכַלְכֵּ֣ל מַחֲלֵ֑הוּ וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה מִ֣י יִשָּׂאֶֽנָּה׃

The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; But a wounded spirit who can bear?

15 לֵ֣ב נָ֭בוֹן יִקְנֶה־דָּ֑עַת וְאֹ֥זֶן חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים תְּבַקֶּשׁ־דָּֽעַת׃

The heart of the intelligent will acquire knowledge, And the ear of the wise will seek knowledge.

16 מַתָּ֣ן אָ֭דָם יַרְחִ֣יב ל֑וֹ וְלִפְנֵ֖י גְדֹלִ֣ים יַנְחֶֽנּוּ׃

A gift maketh room for a man, And bringeth him into the presence of the great.

17 צַדִּ֣יק הָרִאשׁ֣וֹן בְּרִיב֑וֹ יבא ־רֵ֝עֵ֗הוּ וַחֲקָרֽוֹ׃

He that first pleadeth his cause appeareth just; But his opponent cometh, and searcheth him through.

18 מִ֭דְיָנִים יַשְׁבִּ֣ית הַגּוֹרָ֑ל וּבֵ֖ין עֲצוּמִ֣ים יַפְרִֽיד׃

The lot causeth contentions to cease, And parteth asunder the mighty.

19 אָ֗ח נִפְשָׁ֥ע מִקִּרְיַת־עֹ֑ז ומדונים כִּבְרִ֥יחַ אַרְמֽוֹן׃

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city; Yea, their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

20 מִפְּרִ֣י פִי־אִ֭ישׁ תִּשְׂבַּ֣ע בִּטְנ֑וֹ תְּבוּאַ֖ת שְׂפָתָ֣יו יִשְׂבָּֽע׃

With the fruit of a man's mouth shall his stomach be filled; He shall be filled with the produce of his lips.

21 מָ֣וֶת וְ֭חַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשׁ֑וֹן וְ֝אֹהֲבֶ֗יהָ יֹאכַ֥ל פִּרְיָֽהּ׃

Death and life are in the power of the tongue; They that love it shall eat its fruit.

22 מָצָ֣א אִ֭שָּׁה מָ֣צָא ט֑וֹב וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צ֗וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃

He that findeth a wife findeth a blessing, And obtaineth favor from the LORD.

23 תַּחֲנוּנִ֥ים יְדַבֶּר־רָ֑שׁ וְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר יַעֲנֶ֥ה עַזּֽוֹת׃

The poor useth entreaties; But the rich answereth roughly.

24 אִ֣ישׁ רֵ֭עִים לְהִתְרֹעֵ֑עַ וְיֵ֥שׁ אֹ֝הֵ֗ב דָּבֵ֥ק מֵאָֽח׃

A man of many friends will show himself false; Yet there is a friend who sticketh closer than a brother.