מִשְׁלֵי 20
| לץ היין המה שכר וכל שגה בו לא יחכם׃ | 1 |
Wine makes men foolish, and strong drink makes men come to blows; and whoever comes into error through these is not wise.
| נהם ככפיר אימת מלך מתעברו חוטא נפשו׃ | 2 |
The wrath of a king is like the loud cry of a lion: he who makes him angry does wrong against himself.
| כבוד לאיש שבת מריב וכל אויל יתגלע׃ | 3 |
It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war.
| מחרף עצל לא יחרש ישאל בקציר ואין׃ | 4 |
The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing.
| מים עמקים עצה בלב איש ואיש תבונה ידלנה׃ | 5 |
The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out.
| רב אדם יקרא איש חסדו ואיש אמונים מי ימצא׃ | 6 |
Most men make no secret of their kind acts: but where is a man of good faith to be seen?
| מתהלך בתמו צדיק אשרי בניו אחריו׃ | 7 |
An upright man goes on in his righteousness: happy are his children after him!
| מלך יושב על כסא דין מזרה בעיניו כל רע׃ | 8 |
A king on the seat of judging puts to flight all evil with his eyes.
| מי יאמר זכיתי לבי טהרתי מחטאתי׃ | 9 |
Who is able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin?
| אבן ואבן איפה ואיפה תועבת יהוה גם שניהם׃ | 10 |
Unequal weights and unequal measures, they are all disgusting to the Lord.
| גם במעלליו יתנכר נער אם זך ואם ישר פעלו׃ | 11 |
Even a child may be judged by his doings, if his work is free from sin and if it is right.
| אזן שמעת ועין ראה יהוה עשה גם שניהם׃ | 12 |
The hearing ear and the seeing eye are equally the Lord's work.
| אל תאהב שנה פן תורש פקח עיניך שבע לחם׃ | 13 |
Do not be a lover of sleep, or you will become poor: keep your eyes open, and you will have bread enough.
| רע רע יאמר הקונה ואזל לו אז יתהלל׃ | 14 |
A poor thing, a poor thing, says he who is giving money for goods: but when he has gone on his way, then he makes clear his pride in what he has got.
| יש זהב ורב פנינים וכלי יקר שפתי דעת׃ | 15 |
There is gold and a store of corals: but the lips of knowledge are a jewel of great price.
| לקח בגדו כי ערב זר ובעד נכרים חבלהו׃ | 16 |
Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.
| ערב לאיש לחם שקר ואחר ימלא פיהו חצץ׃ | 17 |
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but after, his mouth will be full of sand.
| מחשבות בעצה תכון ובתחבלות עשה מלחמה׃ | 18 |
Every purpose is put into effect by wise help: and by wise guiding make war.
| גולה סוד הולך רכיל ולפתה שפתיו לא תתערב׃ | 19 |
He who goes about talking of the business of others gives away secrets: so have nothing to do with him whose lips are open wide.
| מקלל אביו ואמו ידעך נרו באישון חשך׃ | 20 |
If anyone puts a curse on his father or his mother, his light will be put out in the blackest night.
| נחלה מבחלת בראשנה ואחריתה לא תברך׃ | 21 |
A heritage may be got quickly at first, but the end of it will not be a blessing.
| אל תאמר אשלמה רע קוה ליהוה וישע לך׃ | 22 |
Do not say, I will give punishment for evil: go on waiting for the Lord, and he will be your saviour.
| תועבת יהוה אבן ואבן ומאזני מרמה לא טוב׃ | 23 |
Unequal weights are disgusting to the Lord, and false scales are not good.
| מיהוה מצעדי גבר ואדם מה יבין דרכו׃ | 24 |
A man's steps are of the Lord; how then may a man have knowledge of his way?
| מוקש אדם ילע קדש ואחר נדרים לבקר׃ | 25 |
It is a danger to a man to say without thought, It is holy, and, after taking his oaths, to be questioning if it is necessary to keep them.
| מזרה רשעים מלך חכם וישב עליהם אופן׃ | 26 |
A wise king puts evil-doers to flight, and makes their evil-doing come back on them.
| נר יהוה נשמת אדם חפש כל חדרי בטן׃ | 27 |
The Lord keeps watch over the spirit of man, searching all the deepest parts of the body.
| חסד ואמת יצרו מלך וסעד בחסד כסאו׃ | 28 |
Mercy and good faith keep the king safe, and the seat of his power is based on upright acts.
| תפארת בחורים כחם והדר זקנים שיבה׃ | 29 |
The glory of young men is their strength, and the honour of old men is their grey hairs.
| חברות פצע תמריק ברע ומכות חדרי בטן׃ | 30 |
By the wounds of the rod evil is taken away, and blows make clean the deepest parts of the body.
