מִשְׁלֵי 26
| כשלג בקיץ וכמטר בקציר כן לא נאוה לכסיל כבוד׃ | 1 |
In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish.
| כצפור לנוד כדרור לעוף כן קללת חנם לא תבא׃ | 2 |
Like a bird flying away to another place, and like a sparrow that hurries away freely, so also a curse uttered against someone without cause will pass away.
| שוט לסוס מתג לחמור ושבט לגו כסילים׃ | 3 |
A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent.
| אל תען כסיל כאולתו פן תשוה לו גם אתה׃ | 4 |
Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.
| ענה כסיל כאולתו פן יהיה חכם בעיניו׃ | 5 |
Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
| מקצה רגלים חמס שתה שלח דברים ביד כסיל׃ | 6 |
Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
| דליו שקים מפסח ומשל בפי כסילים׃ | 7 |
In the manner of a lame man who has beautiful legs to no purpose, so also is a parable unfit for the mouth of the foolish.
| כצרור אבן במרגמה כן נותן לכסיל כבוד׃ | 8 |
Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish.
| חוח עלה ביד שכור ומשל בפי כסילים׃ | 9 |
In the manner of a thorn, if it were to spring up from the hand of a drunkard, so also is a parable in the mouth of the foolish.
| רב מחולל כל ושכר כסיל ושכר עברים׃ | 10 |
Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.
| ככלב שב על קאו כסיל שונה באולתו׃ | 11 |
Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.
| ראית איש חכם בעיניו תקוה לכסיל ממנו׃ | 12 |
Have you seen a man who seems wise to himself? There will be greater hope held for the unwise than for him.
| אמר עצל שחל בדרך ארי בין הרחבות׃ | 13 |
The lazy one says, “There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.”
| הדלת תסוב על צירה ועצל על מטתו׃ | 14 |
Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.
| טמן עצל ידו בצלחת נלאה להשיבה אל פיו׃ | 15 |
The lazy one conceals his hand under his arms, and it is a labor for him to move it to his mouth.
| חכם עצל בעיניו משבעה משיבי טעם׃ | 16 |
The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.
| מחזיק באזני כלב עבר מתעבר על ריב לא לו׃ | 17 |
Just like one who takes hold of a dog by the ears, so also is he who crosses impatiently and meddles in the quarrels of another.
| כמתלהלה הירה זקים חצים ומות׃ | 18 |
Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,
| כן איש רמה את רעהו ואמר הלא משחק אני׃ | 19 |
so also is the man who harms his friend by deceitfulness. And when he has been apprehended, he says, “I did it jokingly.”
| באפס עצים תכבה אש ובאין נרגן ישתק מדון׃ | 20 |
When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled.
| פחם לגחלים ועצים לאש ואיש מדונים לחרחר ריב׃ | 21 |
Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels.
| דברי נרגן כמתלהמים והם ירדו חדרי בטן׃ | 22 |
The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self.
| כסף סיגים מצפה על חרש שפתים דלקים ולב רע׃ | 23 |
In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart.
| בשפתו ינכר שונא ובקרבו ישית מרמה׃ | 24 |
An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit.
| כי יחנן קולו אל תאמן בו כי שבע תועבות בלבו׃ | 25 |
When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.
| תכסה שנאה במשאון תגלה רעתו בקהל׃ | 26 |
Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.
| כרה שחת בה יפל וגלל אבן אליו תשוב׃ | 27 |
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.
| לשון שקר ישנא דכיו ופה חלק יעשה מדחה׃ | 28 |
A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.
