מִשְׁלֵי 22

1 נִבְחָ֣ר שֵׁ֭ם מֵעֹ֣שֶׁר רָ֑ב מִכֶּ֥סֶף וּ֝מִזָּהָ֗ב חֵ֣ן טֽוֹב׃

A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold—good grace.

2 עָשִׁ֣יר וָרָ֣שׁ נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ עֹשֵׂ֖ה כֻלָּ֣ם יְהוָֽה׃

Rich and poor have met together, YHWH [is] the Maker of them all.

3 עָר֤וּם ׀ רָאָ֣ה רָעָ֣ה ויסתר וּ֝פְתָיִ֗ים עָבְר֥וּ וְֽנֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ׃

The prudent has seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.

4 עֵ֣קֶב עֲ֭נָוָה יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֖שֶׁר וְכָב֣וֹד וְחַיִּֽים׃

The end of humility [is] the fear of YHWH, riches, and honor, and life.

5 צִנִּ֣ים פַּ֭חִים בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ עִקֵּ֑שׁ שׁוֹמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ יִרְחַ֥ק מֵהֶֽם׃

Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoever is keeping his soul is far from them.

6 חֲנֹ֣ךְ לַ֭נַּעַר עַל־פִּ֣י דַרְכּ֑וֹ גַּ֥ם כִּֽי־יַ֝זְקִ֗ין לֹֽא־יָס֥וּר מִמֶּֽנָּה׃

Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he does not turn from it.

7 עָ֭שִׁיר בְּרָשִׁ֣ים יִמְשׁ֑וֹל וְעֶ֥בֶד לֹ֝וֶ֗ה לְאִ֣ישׁ מַלְוֶֽה׃

The rich rules over the poor, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender.

8 זוֹרֵ֣עַ עַ֭וְלָה יקצור ־אָ֑וֶן וְשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָת֣וֹ יִכְלֶֽה׃

Whoever is sowing perverseness reaps sorrow, And the rod of his anger wears out.

9 טֽוֹב־עַ֭יִן ה֣וּא יְבֹרָ֑ךְ כִּֽי־נָתַ֖ן מִלַּחְמ֣וֹ לַדָּֽל׃

The good of eye—he is blessed, For he has given of his bread to the poor.

10 גָּ֣רֵֽשׁ לֵ֭ץ וְיֵצֵ֣א מָד֑וֹן וְ֝יִשְׁבֹּ֗ת דִּ֣ין וְקָלֽוֹן׃

Cast out a scorner—and contention goes out, And strife and shame cease.

11 אֹהֵ֥ב טהור ־לֵ֑ב חֵ֥ן שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו רֵעֵ֥הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ׃

Whoever is loving cleanness of heart, His lips [are] grace, A king [is] his friend.

12 עֵינֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה נָ֣צְרוּ דָ֑עַת וַ֝יְסַלֵּ֗ף דִּבְרֵ֥י בֹגֵֽד׃

The eyes of YHWH have kept knowledge, And He overthrows the words of the treacherous.

13 אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל אֲרִ֣י בַח֑וּץ בְּת֥וֹךְ רְ֝חֹב֗וֹת אֵֽרָצֵֽחַ׃

The slothful has said, “A lion [is] outside, I am slain in the midst of the broad places.”

14 שׁוּחָ֣ה עֲ֭מֻקָּה פִּ֣י זָר֑וֹת זְע֥וּם יְ֝הוָ֗ה יפול ־שָֽׁם׃

The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit, The abhorred of YHWH falls there.

15 אִ֭וֶּלֶת קְשׁוּרָ֣ה בְלֶב־נָ֑עַר שֵׁ֥בֶט מ֝וּסָ֗ר יַרְחִיקֶ֥נָּה מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of discipline puts it far from him.

16 עֹ֣שֵֽׁק דָּ֭ל לְהַרְבּ֣וֹת ל֑וֹ נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃

He [who] is oppressing the poor to multiply his [riches], Is giving to the rich—only to want.

17 הַ֥ט אָזְנְךָ֗ וּ֭שְׁמַע דִּבְרֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֑ים וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ תָּשִׁ֥ית לְדַעְתִּֽי׃

Incline your ear, and hear words of the wise, And set your heart to my knowledge,

18 כִּֽי־נָ֭עִים כִּֽי־תִשְׁמְרֵ֣ם בְּבִטְנֶ֑ךָ יִכֹּ֥נוּ יַ֝חְדָּ֗ו עַל־שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃

For they are pleasant when you keep them in your heart, They are prepared together for your lips.

19 לִהְי֣וֹת בַּ֭יהוָה מִבְטַחֶ֑ךָ הוֹדַעְתִּ֖יךָ הַיּ֣וֹם אַף־אָֽתָּה׃

That your trust may be in YHWH, I caused you to know today, even you.

20 הֲלֹ֤א כָתַ֣בְתִּי לְ֭ךָ שלשום בְּמ֖וֹעֵצֹ֣ת וָדָֽעַת׃

Have I not written to you three times With counsels and knowledge?

21 לְהוֹדִֽיעֲךָ֗ קֹ֭שְׁטְ אִמְרֵ֣י אֱמֶ֑ת לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֲמָרִ֥ים אֱ֝מֶ֗ת לְשֹׁלְחֶֽיךָ׃ פ

To cause you to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending you.

22 אַֽל־תִּגְזָל־דָּ֭ל כִּ֣י דַל־ה֑וּא וְאַל־תְּדַכֵּ֖א עָנִ֣י בַשָּֽׁעַר׃

Do not rob the poor because he [is] poor, And do not bruise the afflicted in the gate.

23 כִּֽי־יְ֭הוָה יָרִ֣יב רִיבָ֑ם וְקָבַ֖ע אֶת־קֹבְעֵיהֶ֣ם נָֽפֶשׁ׃

For YHWH pleads their cause, And has spoiled the soul of their spoilers.

24 אַל־תִּ֭תְרַע אֶת־בַּ֣עַל אָ֑ף וְאֶת־אִ֥ישׁ חֵ֝מוֹת לֹ֣א תָבֽוֹא׃

Do not show yourself friendly with an angry man, And do not go in with a man of fury,

25 פֶּן־תֶּאֱלַ֥ף ארחתו וְלָקַחְתָּ֖ מוֹקֵ֣שׁ לְנַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

Lest you learn his paths, And have received a snare to your soul.

26 אַל־תְּהִ֥י בְתֹֽקְעֵי־כָ֑ף בַּ֝עֹרְבִ֗ים מַשָּׁאֽוֹת׃

Do not be among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.

27 אִם־אֵֽין־לְךָ֥ לְשַׁלֵּ֑ם לָ֥מָּה יִקַּ֥ח מִ֝שְׁכָּבְךָ֗ מִתַּחְתֶּֽיךָ׃

If you have nothing to pay, Why does he take your bed from under you?

28 אַל־תַּ֭סֵּג גְּב֣וּל עוֹלָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עָשׂ֣וּ אֲבוֹתֶֽיךָ׃

Do not remove a border of ancient times, That your fathers have made.

29 חָזִ֡יתָ אִ֤ישׁ ׀ מָ֘הִ֤יר בִּמְלַאכְתּ֗וֹ לִֽפְנֵֽי־מְלָכִ֥ים יִתְיַצָּ֑ב בַּל־יִ֝תְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵ֥י חֲשֻׁכִּֽים׃ פ

Have you seen a man speedy in his business? He stations himself before kings, He does not station himself before obscure men!