מִשְׁלֵי 28

1 נָ֣סוּ וְאֵין־רֹדֵ֣ף רָשָׁ֑ע וְ֝צַדִּיקִ֗ים כִּכְפִ֥יר יִבְטָֽח׃

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

2 בְּפֶ֣שַֽׁע אֶ֭רֶץ רַבִּ֣ים שָׂרֶ֑יהָ וּבְאָדָ֥ם מֵבִ֥ין יֹ֝דֵ֗עַ כֵּ֣ן יַאֲרִֽיךְ׃

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

3 גֶּ֣בֶר רָ֭שׁ וְעֹשֵׁ֣ק דַּלִּ֑ים מָטָ֥ר סֹ֝חֵ֗ף וְאֵ֣ין לָֽחֶם׃

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

4 עֹזְבֵ֣י ת֭וֹרָה יְהַֽלְל֣וּ רָשָׁ֑ע וְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י ת֝וֹרָ֗ה יִתְגָּ֥רוּ בָֽם׃ פ

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

5 אַנְשֵׁי־רָ֭ע לֹא־יָבִ֣ינוּ מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּמְבַקְשֵׁ֥י יְ֝הוָ֗ה יָבִ֥ינוּ כֹֽל׃

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

6 טֽוֹב־רָ֭שׁ הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֑וֹ מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁ דְּ֝רָכַ֗יִם וְה֣וּא עָשִֽׁיר׃

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

7 נוֹצֵ֣ר תּ֭וֹרָה בֵּ֣ן מֵבִ֑ין וְרֹעֶה זֽ֝וֹלְלִ֗ים יַכְלִ֥ים אָבִֽיו׃

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

8 מַרְבֶּ֣ה ה֭וֹנוֹ בְּנֶ֣שֶׁךְ ובתרבית לְחוֹנֵ֖ן דַּלִּ֣ים יִקְבְּצֶֽנּוּ׃

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

9 מֵסִ֣יר אָ֭זְנוֹ מִשְּׁמֹ֣עַ תּוֹרָ֑ה גַּֽם־תְּ֝פִלָּת֗וֹ תּוֹעֵבָֽה׃

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

10 מַשְׁגֶּ֤ה יְשָׁרִ֨ים ׀ בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ רָ֗ע בִּשְׁחוּת֥וֹ הֽוּא־יִפּ֑וֹל וּ֝תְמִימִ֗ים 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 חָכָ֣ם בְּ֭עֵינָיו אִ֣ישׁ עָשִׁ֑יר וְדַ֖ל מֵבִ֣ין יַחְקְרֶֽנּוּ׃

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

12 בַּעֲלֹ֣ץ צַ֭דִּיקִים רַבָּ֣ה תִפְאָ֑רֶת וּבְק֥וּם רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יְחֻפַּ֥שׂ אָדָֽם׃

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

13 מְכַסֶּ֣ה פְ֭שָׁעָיו לֹ֣א יַצְלִ֑יחַ וּמוֹדֶ֖ה וְעֹזֵ֣ב יְרֻחָֽם׃

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

14 אַשְׁרֵ֣י אָ֭דָם מְפַחֵ֣ד תָּמִ֑יד וּמַקְשֶׁ֥ה לִ֝בּ֗וֹ יִפּ֥וֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃

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

15 אֲרִי־נֹ֭הֵם וְדֹ֣ב שׁוֹקֵ֑ק מֹשֵׁ֥ל רָ֝שָׁ֗ע עַ֣ל עַם־דָּֽל׃

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

16 נָגִ֗יד חֲסַ֣ר תְּ֭בוּנוֹת וְרַ֥ב מַעֲשַׁקּ֑וֹת שנאי בֶ֝֗צַע יַאֲרִ֥יךְ יָמִֽים׃ פ

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

17 אָ֭דָם עָשֻׁ֣ק בְּדַם־נָפֶשׁ עַד־בּ֥וֹר יָ֝נ֗וּס אַל־יִתְמְכוּ־בֽוֹ ׃

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

18 הוֹלֵ֣ךְ תָּ֭מִים יִוָּשֵׁ֑עַ וְנֶעְקַ֥שׁ דְּ֝רָכַ֗יִם יִפּ֥וֹל בְּאֶחָֽת׃

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

19 עֹבֵ֣ד אַ֭דְמָתוֹ יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־לָ֑חֶם וּמְרַדֵּ֥ף רֵ֝קִ֗ים 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 אִ֣ישׁ אֱ֭מוּנוֹת רַב־בְּרָכ֑וֹת וְאָ֥ץ לְ֝הַעֲשִׁ֗יר לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃

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

21 הַֽכֵּר־פָּנִ֥ים לֹא־ט֑וֹב וְעַל־פַּת־לֶ֝֗חֶם יִפְשַׁע־גָּֽבֶר׃

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

22 נִֽבֳהָ֥ל לַה֗וֹן אִ֭ישׁ רַ֣ע עָ֑יִן וְלֹֽא־יֵ֝דַע כִּי־חֶ֥סֶר יְבֹאֶֽנּוּ׃

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

23 מ֘וֹכִ֤יחַ אָדָ֣ם אַ֭חֲרַי חֵ֣ן יִמְצָ֑א מִֽמַּחֲלִ֥יק לָשֽׁוֹן׃

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

24 גּוֹזֵ֤ל ׀ אָ֘בִ֤יו וְאִמּ֗וֹ וְאֹמֵ֥ר אֵֽין־פָּ֑שַׁע חָבֵ֥ר ה֝֗וּא לְאִ֣ישׁ מַשְׁחִֽית׃

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

25 רְחַב־נֶ֭פֶשׁ יְגָרֶ֣ה מָד֑וֹן וּבוֹטֵ֖חַ עַל־יְהוָ֣ה יְדֻשָּֽׁן׃

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

26 בּוֹטֵ֣חַ בְּ֭לִבּוֹ ה֣וּא כְסִ֑יל וְהוֹלֵ֥ךְ בְּ֝חָכְמָ֗ה ה֣וּא יִמָּלֵֽט׃

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

27 נוֹתֵ֣ן לָ֭רָשׁ אֵ֣ין מַחְס֑וֹר וּמַעְלִ֥ים עֵ֝ינָ֗יו רַב־מְאֵרֽוֹת׃

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

28 בְּק֣וּם רְ֭שָׁעִים יִסָּתֵ֣ר אָדָ֑ם וּ֝בְאָבְדָ֗ם יִרְבּ֥וּ צַדִּיקִֽים׃

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