Tanach · Writings

Proverbs 19/משלי י״ט

אטֽוֹב־רָ֭שׁ הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֑וֹ מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁ שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו וְה֣וּא כְסִֽיל׃

1Better a pauper who lives blamelesslyThan one who speaks perversely and is a dullard.

בגַּ֤ם בְּלֹא־דַ֣עַת נֶ֣פֶשׁ לֹא־ט֑וֹב וְאָ֖ץ בְּרַגְלַ֣יִם חוֹטֵֽא׃

2A person without knowledge is surely not good;One who moves hurriedly blunders.

גאִוֶּ֣לֶת אָ֭דָם תְּסַלֵּ֣ף דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְעַל־יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה יִזְעַ֥ף לִבּֽוֹ׃

3Mortals’ folly subverts their way,And their hearts rage against GOD.

דה֗וֹן יֹ֭סִיף רֵעִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְ֝דָ֗ל מֵרֵעֵ֥הוּ יִפָּרֵֽד׃

4Wealth makes many friends,But a pauper is left friendless.

העֵ֣ד שְׁ֭קָרִים לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶ֑ה וְיָפִ֥יחַ כְּ֝זָבִ֗ים לֹ֣א יִמָּלֵֽט׃

5A false witness will not go unpunished;One who testifies lies will not escape.

ורַ֭בִּים יְחַלּ֣וּ פְנֵֽי־נָדִ֑יב וְכׇל־הָ֝רֵ֗עַ לְאִ֣ישׁ מַתָּֽן׃

6Many court the favor of a noble,And all are the friends of a man who dispenses gifts.

זכׇּ֥ל־אֲחֵי־רָ֨שׁ׀ שְֽׂנֵאֻ֗הוּ אַ֤ף כִּ֣י מְ֭רֵעֵהוּ רָחֲק֣וּ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ מְרַדֵּ֖ף אֲמָרִ֣ים (לא) [לוֹ־]הֵֽמָּה׃

7The poor are despised even by their kin;How much more are they shunned by their friends!One who pursues words—they are of no avail.^a

חקֹֽנֶה־לֵּ֭ב אֹהֵ֣ב נַפְשׁ֑וֹ שֹׁמֵ֥ר תְּ֝בוּנָ֗ה לִמְצֹא־טֽוֹב׃

8Those who acquire wisdom are their own best friend;They preserve understanding and attain happiness.

טעֵ֣ד שְׁ֭קָרִים לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶ֑ה וְיָפִ֖יחַ כְּזָבִ֣ים יֹאבֵֽד׃

9A false witness will not go unpunished;One who testifies falsely is doomed.

ילֹא־נָאוֶ֣ה לִכְסִ֣יל תַּעֲנ֑וּג אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־לְעֶ֤בֶד׀ מְשֹׁ֬ל בְּשָׂרִֽים׃

10Luxury is not fitting for a dullard,Much less that a servant rule over princes.

יאשֵׂ֣כֶל אָ֭דָם הֶאֱרִ֣יךְ אַפּ֑וֹ וְ֝תִפְאַרְתּ֗וֹ עֲבֹ֣ר עַל־פָּֽשַׁע׃

11People show intelligence by their forbearance;It is their glory when they overlook an offense.

יבנַ֣הַם כַּ֭כְּפִיר זַ֣עַף מֶ֑לֶךְ וּכְטַ֖ל עַל־עֵ֣שֶׂב רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃

12The rage of a king is like the roar of a lion;His favor is like dew upon the grass.

יגהַוֺּ֣ת לְ֭אָבִיו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וְדֶ֥לֶף טֹ֝רֵ֗ד מִדְיְנֵ֥י אִשָּֽׁה׃

13A stupid son is a calamity to his father;The nagging of a wife is like the endless dripping of water.

ידבַּ֣יִת וָ֭הוֹן נַחֲלַ֣ת אָב֑וֹת וּ֝מֵיְהֹוָ֗ה אִשָּׁ֥ה מַשְׂכָּֽלֶת׃

14Property and riches are bequeathed by fathers,But an efficient^b wife comes from GOD.

טועַ֭צְלָה תַּפִּ֣יל תַּרְדֵּמָ֑ה וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ רְמִיָּ֣ה תִרְעָֽב׃

15Laziness induces sleep,And a negligent person will go hungry.

טזשֹׁמֵ֣ר מִ֭צְוָה שֹׁמֵ֣ר נַפְשׁ֑וֹ בּוֹזֵ֖ה דְרָכָ֣יו (יומת) [יָמֽוּת]׃

16Those who have regard for their lives pay regard to commandments;Those who are heedless of their ways will die.

יזמַלְוֵ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה ח֣וֹנֵֽן דָּ֑ל וּ֝גְמֻל֗וֹ יְשַׁלֶּם־לֽוֹ׃

17Those who are generous to the poor make a loan to GOD—They will receive their due.

יחיַסֵּ֣ר בִּ֭נְךָ כִּֽי־יֵ֣שׁ תִּקְוָ֑ה וְאֶל־הֲ֝מִית֗וֹ אַל־תִּשָּׂ֥א נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

18Discipline your son while there is still hope,And^c do not set your heart on his destruction.^d

יט(גרל) [גְּֽדׇל־]חֵ֭מָה נֹ֣שֵׂא עֹ֑נֶשׁ כִּ֥י אִם־תַּ֝צִּ֗יל וְע֣וֹד תּוֹסִֽף׃

19A hot-tempered man incurs punishment;If you try to save him you will only make it worse.^e

כשְׁמַ֣ע עֵ֭צָה וְקַבֵּ֣ל מוּסָ֑ר לְ֝מַ֗עַן תֶּחְכַּ֥ם בְּאַחֲרִיתֶֽךָ׃

20Listen to advice and accept disciplineIn order that you may be wise in the end.

כארַבּ֣וֹת מַחֲשָׁב֣וֹת בְּלֶב־אִ֑ישׁ וַעֲצַ֥ת יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה הִ֣יא תָקֽוּם׃

21Many designs are in a person’s mind,But it is GOD’s plan that is accomplished.

כבתַּאֲוַ֣ת אָדָ֣ם חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְטֽוֹב־רָ֝֗שׁ מֵאִ֥ישׁ כָּזָֽב׃

22Greed is a reproach to a man;^f Better be poor than a deceitful man.

כגיִרְאַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֣ה לְחַיִּ֑ים וְשָׂבֵ֥עַ יָ֝לִ֗ין בַּל־יִפָּ֥קֶד רָֽע׃

23One who fears GOD earns life,And shall abide in contentment,^g Free from misfortune.

כדטָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת גַּם־אֶל־פִּ֝֗יהוּ לֹ֣א יְשִׁיבֶֽנָּה׃

24A sluggard buries a hand in the bowl,And will not even bring it to the mouth.

כהלֵ֣ץ תַּ֭כֶּה וּפֶ֣תִי יַעְרִ֑ם וְהוֹכִ֥יחַ לְ֝נָב֗וֹן יָבִ֥ין דָּֽעַת׃

25Beat scoffers and the simple will become clever;Reprove the intelligent and they gain knowledge.

כומְֽשַׁדֶּד־אָ֭ב יַבְרִ֣יחַ אֵ֑ם בֵּ֝֗ן מֵבִ֥ישׁ וּמַחְפִּֽיר׃

26A son who causes shame and disgracePlunders his father, puts his mother to flight.

כזחֲֽדַל־בְּ֭נִי לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ מוּסָ֑ר לִ֝שְׁג֗וֹת מֵאִמְרֵי־דָֽעַת׃

27My son, cease to stray from words of knowledgeAnd receive discipline.

כחעֵ֣ד בְּ֭לִיַּעַל יָלִ֣יץ מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יְבַלַּע־אָֽוֶן׃

28A malicious witness scoffs at justice,And the speech of the wicked conceals mischief.

כטנָכ֣וֹנוּ לַלֵּצִ֣ים שְׁפָטִ֑ים וּ֝מַהֲלֻמ֗וֹת לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃

29Punishments are in store for scoffersAnd blows for the backs of dullards.