מִשְׁלֵי 28
| נָ֣סוּ וְאֵין־רֹדֵ֣ף רָשָׁ֑ע וְ֝צַדִּיקִ֗ים כִּכְפִ֥יר יִבְטָֽח׃ | 1 |
The wicked run away even when no one is chasing them, but the good have the trusting boldness of lions.
| בְּפֶ֣שַֽׁע אֶ֭רֶץ רַבִּ֣ים שָׂרֶ֑יהָ וּבְאָדָ֥ם מֵבִ֥ין יֹ֝דֵ֗עַ כֵּ֣ן יַאֲרִֽיךְ׃ | 2 |
When a country is in rebellion, it has many rulers, but a ruler who is wise and knowledgeable provides strength and continuity.
| גֶּ֣בֶר רָ֭שׁ וְעֹשֵׁ֣ק דַּלִּ֑ים מָטָ֥ר סֹ֝חֵ֗ף וְאֵ֣ין לָֽחֶם׃ | 3 |
When someone poor oppresses the poor, it's like heavy rain that beats down the crops.
| עֹזְבֵ֣י ת֭וֹרָה יְהַֽלְל֣וּ רָשָׁ֑ע וְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י ת֝וֹרָ֗ה יִתְגָּ֥רוּ בָֽם׃ פ | 4 |
People who reject the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law fight against them.
| אַנְשֵׁי־רָ֭ע לֹא־יָבִ֣ינוּ מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּמְבַקְשֵׁ֥י יְ֝הוָ֗ה יָבִ֥ינוּ כֹֽל׃ | 5 |
Evil people understand nothing about justice, but those who follow the Lord understand it completely.
| טֽוֹב־רָ֭שׁ הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֑וֹ מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁ דְּ֝רָכַ֗יִם וְה֣וּא עָשִֽׁיר׃ | 6 |
Better to be poor and have integrity than to be devious and rich.
| נוֹצֵ֣ר תּ֭וֹרָה בֵּ֣ן מֵבִ֑ין וְרֹעֶה זֽ֝וֹלְלִ֗ים יַכְלִ֥ים אָבִֽיו׃ | 7 |
If you keep the law, you're a wise son, but if you keep bad company you shame your father.
| מַרְבֶּ֣ה ה֭וֹנוֹ בְּנֶ֣שֶׁךְ ובתרבית לְחוֹנֵ֖ן דַּלִּ֣ים יִקְבְּצֶֽנּוּ׃ | 8 |
Anyone who gets rich through charging interest and profiteering is only storing it up for someone who is kind to the poor.
| מֵסִ֣יר אָ֭זְנוֹ מִשְּׁמֹ֣עַ תּוֹרָ֑ה גַּֽם־תְּ֝פִלָּת֗וֹ תּוֹעֵבָֽה׃ | 9 |
God hates the prayers of people who disregard the law.
| מַשְׁגֶּ֤ה יְשָׁרִ֨ים ׀ בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ רָ֗ע בִּשְׁחוּת֥וֹ הֽוּא־יִפּ֑וֹל וּ֝תְמִימִ֗ים יִנְחֲלוּ־טֽוֹב ׃ | 10 |
Those who lead good people astray into evil ways will fall into their own traps, but the innocent will receive a good reward.
| חָכָ֣ם בְּ֭עֵינָיו אִ֣ישׁ עָשִׁ֑יר וְדַ֖ל מֵבִ֣ין יַחְקְרֶֽנּוּ׃ | 11 |
The rich see themselves as wise, but poor people with insight see right through them.
| בַּעֲלֹ֣ץ צַ֭דִּיקִים רַבָּ֣ה תִפְאָ֑רֶת וּבְק֥וּם רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יְחֻפַּ֥שׂ אָדָֽם׃ | 12 |
When good people win, everyone celebrates, but when the wicked come to power, people hide.
| מְכַסֶּ֣ה פְ֭שָׁעָיו לֹ֣א יַצְלִ֑יחַ וּמוֹדֶ֖ה וְעֹזֵ֣ב יְרֻחָֽם׃ | 13 |
People who hide their sins won't succeed, but those who confess and renounce their sins will be shown kindness.
| אַשְׁרֵ֣י אָ֭דָם מְפַחֵ֣ד תָּמִ֑יד וּמַקְשֶׁ֥ה לִ֝בּ֗וֹ יִפּ֥וֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃ | 14 |
Blessed are those who always respect the Lord, but those who are stubborn end up in a lot of trouble.
| אֲרִי־נֹ֭הֵם וְדֹ֣ב שׁוֹקֵ֑ק מֹשֵׁ֥ל רָ֝שָׁ֗ע עַ֣ל עַם־דָּֽל׃ | 15 |
A wicked ruler lording it over poor people is like a roaring lion or a charging bear.
| נָגִ֗יד חֲסַ֣ר תְּ֭בוּנוֹת וְרַ֥ב מַעֲשַׁקּ֑וֹת שנאי בֶ֝֗צַע יַאֲרִ֥יךְ יָמִֽים׃ פ | 16 |
An unwise ruler thoroughly extorts his people, but one who refuses to profit illegally will live long.
| אָ֭דָם עָשֻׁ֣ק בְּדַם־נָפֶשׁ עַד־בּ֥וֹר יָ֝נ֗וּס אַל־יִתְמְכוּ־בֽוֹ ׃ | 17 |
Someone guilty of murder will go on running away from it until they die. Don't try and stop them.
| הוֹלֵ֣ךְ תָּ֭מִים יִוָּשֵׁ֑עַ וְנֶעְקַ֥שׁ דְּ֝רָכַ֗יִם יִפּ֥וֹל בְּאֶחָֽת׃ | 18 |
If you have integrity, you'll be kept safe, but if you live deviously, you'll fall.
| עֹבֵ֣ד אַ֭דְמָתוֹ יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־לָ֑חֶם וּמְרַדֵּ֥ף רֵ֝קִ֗ים יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־רִֽישׁ׃ | 19 |
If you cultivate the land you'll have plenty of food, but if you chase fantasies you'll end up with nothing.
| אִ֣ישׁ אֱ֭מוּנוֹת רַב־בְּרָכ֑וֹת וְאָ֥ץ לְ֝הַעֲשִׁ֗יר לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃ | 20 |
If you're trustworthy, you'll be richly rewarded; but if you try to get rich quick, you won't go unpunished.
| הַֽכֵּר־פָּנִ֥ים לֹא־ט֑וֹב וְעַל־פַּת־לֶ֝֗חֶם יִפְשַׁע־גָּֽבֶר׃ | 21 |
Showing favoritism isn't good, but some people will do wrong just for a piece of bread.
| נִֽבֳהָ֥ל לַה֗וֹן אִ֭ישׁ רַ֣ע עָ֑יִן וְלֹֽא־יֵ֝דַע כִּי־חֶ֥סֶר יְבֹאֶֽנּוּ׃ | 22 |
Envious people are in a rush to get rich; they don't realize they'll end up poor.
| מ֘וֹכִ֤יחַ אָדָ֣ם אַ֭חֲרַי חֵ֣ן יִמְצָ֑א מִֽמַּחֲלִ֥יק לָשֽׁוֹן׃ | 23 |
Honest criticism is appreciated later far more than flattery.
| גּוֹזֵ֤ל ׀ אָ֘בִ֤יו וְאִמּ֗וֹ וְאֹמֵ֥ר אֵֽין־פָּ֑שַׁע חָבֵ֥ר ה֝֗וּא לְאִ֣ישׁ מַשְׁחִֽית׃ | 24 |
A man who robs his father and mother, and says, “It's not a crime,” is one step away from becoming a murderer.
| רְחַב־נֶ֭פֶשׁ יְגָרֶ֣ה מָד֑וֹן וּבוֹטֵ֖חַ עַל־יְהוָ֣ה יְדֻשָּֽׁן׃ | 25 |
Greedy people stir up trouble, but those who trust in the Lord will be successful.
| בּוֹטֵ֣חַ בְּ֭לִבּוֹ ה֣וּא כְסִ֑יל וְהוֹלֵ֥ךְ בְּ֝חָכְמָ֗ה ה֣וּא יִמָּלֵֽט׃ | 26 |
People who trust their own minds are foolish, but those who follow wise ways will be kept safe.
| נוֹתֵ֣ן לָ֭רָשׁ אֵ֣ין מַחְס֑וֹר וּמַעְלִ֥ים עֵ֝ינָ֗יו רַב־מְאֵרֽוֹת׃ | 27 |
If you give to the poor, you won't be in need; but if you look the other way, you'll have many curses.
| בְּק֣וּם רְ֭שָׁעִים יִסָּתֵ֣ר אָדָ֑ם וּ֝בְאָבְדָ֗ם יִרְבּ֥וּ צַדִּיקִֽים׃ | 28 |
When the wicked come to power, people hide; but when they fall, the good do well.
