Proverbs 17 מִשְׁלֵי
Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917
1ט֤וֹב פַּ֣ת חֲ֭רֵבָה וְשַׁלְוָה־בָ֑הּ מִ֝בַּ֗יִת מָלֵ֥א זִבְחֵי־רִֽיב׃
tov pat chareva veshalva-vah mibbayit male zivche-riv
Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith, Than a house full of feasting with strife.
2עֶֽבֶד־מַשְׂכִּ֗יל יִ֭מְשֹׁל בְּבֵ֣ן מֵבִ֑ישׁ וּבְת֥וֹךְ אַ֝חִ֗ים יַחֲלֹ֥ק נַחֲלָֽה׃
eved-maskil yimshol beven mevish uvetokh achim yachalok nachala
A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that dealeth shamefully, And shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
3מַצְרֵ֣ף לַ֭כֶּסֶף וְכ֣וּר לַזָּהָ֑ב וּבֹחֵ֖ן לִבּ֣וֹת יְהוָֽה׃
matzref lakkesef vekhur lazzahav uvochen libbot ADONAI
The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But the LORD trieth the hearts. .
4מֵ֭רַע מַקְשִׁ֣יב עַל־שְׂפַת־אָ֑וֶן שֶׁ֥קֶר מֵ֝זִין עַל־לְשׁ֥וֹן הַוֺּֽת׃
mera' makshiv al-sefat-aven sheker mezin al-leshon havvot
A evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; And a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
5לֹעֵ֣ג לָ֭רָשׁ חֵרֵ֣ף עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ שָׂמֵ֥חַ לְ֝אֵ֗יד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃
lo'eg larash cheref osehu sameach le'ed lo yinnake
Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker; And he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
6עֲטֶ֣רֶת זְ֭קֵנִים בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְתִפְאֶ֖רֶת בָּנִ֣ים אֲבוֹתָֽם׃
ateret zekenim bene vanim vetif'eret banim avotam
Children’s children are the crown of old men; And the glory of children are their fathers.
7לֹא־נָאוָ֣ה לְנָבָ֣ל שְׂפַת־יֶ֑תֶר אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־לְנָדִ֥יב שְׂפַת־שָֽׁקֶר׃
lo-nava lenaval sefat-yeter af ki-lenadiv sefat-shaker
Overbearing speech becometh not a churl; Much less do lying lips a prince.
8אֶֽבֶן־חֵ֣ן הַ֭שֹּׁחַד בְּעֵינֵ֣י בְעָלָ֑יו אֶֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֖ר יִפְנֶ֣ה יַשְׂכִּֽיל׃
even-chen hashochad be'ene ve'alav el-kal-asher yifne yaskil
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; Whithersoever he turneth, he prospereth.
9מְֽכַסֶּה־פֶּ֭שַׁע מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אַהֲבָ֑ה וְשֹׁנֶ֥ה בְ֝דָבָ֗ר מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃
mekhasse-pesha' mevakkesh ahava veshone vedavar mafrid alluf
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; But he that harpeth on a matter estrangeth a familiar friend.
10תֵּ֣חַת גְּעָרָ֣ה בְמֵבִ֑ין מֵהַכּ֖וֹת כְּסִ֣יל מֵאָֽה׃
techat ge'ara vemevin mehakkot kesil me'a
A rebuke entereth deeper into a man of understanding Than a hundred stripes into a fool.
11אַךְ־מְרִ֥י יְבַקֶּשׁ־רָ֑ע וּמַלְאָ֥ךְ אַ֝כְזָרִ֗י יְשֻׁלַּח־בּֽוֹ׃
akh-meri yevakkesh-ra' umal'akh akhzari yeshullach-bo
A rebellious man seeketh only evil; Therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12פָּג֬וֹשׁ דֹּ֣ב שַׁכּ֣וּל בְּאִ֑ישׁ וְאַל־כְּ֝סִ֗יל בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃
pagosh dov shakkul be'ish ve'al-kesil be'ivvalto
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, Rather than a fool in his folly.
13מֵשִׁ֣יב רָ֭עָה תַּ֣חַת טוֹבָ֑ה לֹא־תמיש [תָמ֥וּשׁ] רָ֝עָ֗ה מִבֵּיתֽוֹ׃
meshiv ra'a tachat tova lo-tamush ra'a mibbeto
Whoso rewardeth evil for good, Evil shall not depart from his house.
14פּ֣וֹטֵֽר מַ֭יִם רֵאשִׁ֣ית מָד֑וֹן וְלִפְנֵ֥י הִ֝תְגַּלַּ֗ע הָרִ֥יב נְטֽוֹשׁ׃
poter mayim reshit madon velifne hitgalla' hariv netosh
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; Therefore leave off contention, before the quarrel break out.
15מַצְדִּ֣יק רָ֭שָׁע וּמַרְשִׁ֣יעַ צַדִּ֑יק תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
matzdik rasha' umarshia tzaddik to'avat ADONAI gam-shenehem
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, Even they both are an abomination to the LORD.
16לָמָּה־זֶּ֣ה מְחִ֣יר בְּיַד־כְּסִ֑יל לִקְנ֖וֹת חָכְמָ֣ה וְלֶב־אָֽיִן׃
lamma-ze mechir beyad-kesil liknot chakhma velev-ayin
Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool To buy wisdom, seeing he hath no understanding?
17בְּכָל־עֵ֭ת אֹהֵ֣ב הָרֵ֑עַ וְאָ֥ח לְ֝צָרָ֗ה יִוָּלֵֽד׃
bekhal-et ohev harea ve'ach letzara yivvaled
A friend loveth at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
18אָדָ֣ם חֲסַר־לֵ֭ב תּוֹקֵ֣עַ כָּ֑ף עֹרֵ֥ב עֲ֝רֻבָּ֗ה לִפְנֵ֥י רֵעֵֽהוּ׃
adam chasar-lev tokea kaf orev arubba lifne re'ehu
A man void of understanding is he that striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbour.
19אֹ֣הֵֽב פֶּ֭שַׁע אֹהֵ֣ב מַצָּ֑ה מַגְבִּ֥יהַּ פִּ֝תְח֗וֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־שָֽׁבֶר׃
ohev pesha' ohev matza magbiah pitcho mevakkesh-shaver
He loveth transgression that loveth strife; He that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.
20עִקֶּשׁ־לֵ֭ב לֹ֣א יִמְצָא־ט֑וֹב וְנֶהְפָּ֥ךְ בִּ֝לְשׁוֹנ֗וֹ יִפּ֥וֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃
ikkesh-lev lo yimtza-tov venehpakh bilshono yippol bera'a
He that hath a forward heart findeth no good; And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into evil.
21יֹלֵ֣ד כְּ֭סִיל לְת֣וּגָה ל֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח אֲבִ֣י נָבָֽל׃
yoled kesil letuga lo velo-yismach avi naval
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; And the father of a churl hath no joy.
22לֵ֣ב שָׂ֭מֵחַ יֵיטִ֣ב גֵּהָ֑ה וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃
lev sameach yetiv geha veruach nekhe'a teyabbesh-garem
A merry heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth the bones.
23שֹׁ֣חַד מֵ֭חֵיק רָשָׁ֣ע יִקָּ֑ח לְ֝הַטּ֗וֹת אָרְח֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
shochad mechek rasha' yikkach lehattot archot mishpat
A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of justice.
24אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י מֵבִ֣ין חָכְמָ֑ה וְעֵינֵ֥י כְ֝סִ֗יל בִּקְצֵה־אָֽרֶץ׃
et-pene mevin chakhma ve'ene khesil biktze-aretz
Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
25כַּ֣עַס לְ֭אָבִיו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וּ֝מֶ֗מֶר לְיוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃
ka'as le'aviv ben kesil umemer leyoladto
A foolish son is vexation to his father, And bitterness to her that bore him.
26גַּ֤ם עֲנ֣וֹשׁ לַצַּדִּ֣יק לֹא־ט֑וֹב לְהַכּ֖וֹת נְדִיבִ֣ים עַל־יֹֽשֶׁר׃
gam anosh latzaddik lo-tov lehakkot nedivim al-yosher
To punish also the righteous is not good, Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27חוֹשֵׂ֣ךְ אֲ֭מָרָיו יוֹדֵ֣עַ דָּ֑עַת וקר [יְקַר]־ר֝֗וּחַ אִ֣ישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה׃
chosekh amarav yodea da'at yekar-ruach ish tevuna
He that spareth his words hath knowledge; And he that husbandeth his spirit is a man of discernment.
28גַּ֤ם אֱוִ֣יל מַ֭חֲרִישׁ חָכָ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב אֹטֵ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֣יו נָבֽוֹן׃
gam evil macharish chakham yechashev otem sefatav navon
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; And he that shutteth his lips is esteemed as a man of understanding.
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Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (ketiv shown with the qere in brackets). JPS 1917 and the Hebrew use Hebrew verse numbers; the English column uses English numbering, which sometimes differs by a verse.