Proverbs 18 מִשְׁלֵי
Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917
1לְֽ֭תַאֲוָה יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ נִפְרָ֑ד בְּכָל־תּ֝וּשִׁיָּ֗ה יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃
leta'ava yevakkesh nifrad bekhal-tushiyya yitgalla'
He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire, And snarlest against all sound wisdom.
2לֹֽא־יַחְפֹּ֣ץ כְּ֭סִיל בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה כִּ֝֗י אִֽם־בְּהִתְגַּלּ֥וֹת לִבּֽוֹ׃
lo-yachpotz kesil bitvuna ki im-behitgallot libbo
A fool hath no delight in understanding, But only that his heart may lay itself bare.
3בְּֽבוֹא־רָ֭שָׁע בָּ֣א גַם־בּ֑וּז וְֽעִם־קָל֥וֹן חֶרְפָּֽה׃
bevo-rasha' ba gam-buz ve'im-kalon cherpa
When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt, And with ignominy reproach.
4מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים דִּבְרֵ֣י פִי־אִ֑ישׁ נַ֥חַל נֹ֝בֵ֗עַ מְק֣וֹר חָכְמָֽה׃
mayim amukkim divre fi-ish nachal novea mekor chakhma
The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters; A flowing brook, a fountain of wisdom.
5שְׂאֵ֣ת פְּנֵי־רָשָׁ֣ע לֹא־ט֑וֹב לְהַטּ֥וֹת צַ֝דִּ֗יק בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃
se'et pene-rasha' lo-tov lehattot tzaddik bammishpat
It is not good to respect the person of the wicked, So as to turn aside the righteous in judgment.
6שִׂפְתֵ֣י כְ֭סִיל יָבֹ֣אֽוּ בְרִ֑יב וּ֝פִ֗יו לְֽמַהֲלֻמ֥וֹת יִקְרָֽא׃
sifte khesil yavou veriv ufiv lemahalumot yikra
A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calleth for strokes.
7פִּֽי־כְ֭סִיל מְחִתָּה־ל֑וֹ וּ֝שְׂפָתָ֗יו מוֹקֵ֥שׁ נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
pi-khesil mechitta-lo usefatav mokesh nafsho
A fool’s mouth is his ruin, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
8דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
divre nirgan kemitlahamim vehem yardu chadre-vaten
The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
9גַּ֭ם מִתְרַפֶּ֣ה בִמְלַאכְתּ֑וֹ אָ֥ח ה֝֗וּא לְבַ֣עַל מַשְׁחִֽית׃
gam mitrappe vimlakhto ach hu leva'al mashchit
Even one that is slack in his work Is brother to him that is a destroyer. .
10מִגְדַּל־עֹ֭ז שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה בּֽוֹ־יָר֖וּץ צַדִּ֣יק וְנִשְׂגָּֽב׃
migdal-oz shem ADONAI bo-yarutz tzaddik venisgav
The name of the LORD is a strong tower: The righteous runneth into it, and is set up on high.
11ה֣וֹן עָ֭שִׁיר קִרְיַ֣ת עֻזּ֑וֹ וּכְחוֹמָ֥ה נִ֝שְׂגָּבָ֗ה בְּמַשְׂכִּיתֽוֹ׃
hon ashir kiryat uzzo ukhechoma nisgava bemaskito
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And as a high wall in his own conceit.
12לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֭בֶר יִגְבַּ֣הּ לֵב־אִ֑ישׁ וְלִפְנֵ֖י כָב֣וֹד עֲנָוָֽה׃
lifne-shever yigbah lev-ish velifne khavod anava
Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honour goeth humility.
13מֵשִׁ֣יב דָּ֭בָר בְּטֶ֣רֶם יִשְׁמָ֑ע אִוֶּ֥לֶת הִיא־ל֝֗וֹ וּכְלִמָּֽה׃
meshiv davar beterem yishma' ivvelet hi-lo ukhelimma
He that giveth answer before he heareth, It is folly and confusion unto him.
14רֽוּחַ־אִ֭ישׁ יְכַלְכֵּ֣ל מַחֲלֵ֑הוּ וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה מִ֣י יִשָּׂאֶֽנָּה׃
ruach-ish yekhalkel machalehu veruach nekhe'a mi yissa'enna
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; But a broken spirit who can bear?
15לֵ֣ב נָ֭בוֹן יִקְנֶה־דָּ֑עַת וְאֹ֥זֶן חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים תְּבַקֶּשׁ־דָּֽעַת׃
lev navon yikne-da'at ve'ozen chakhamim tevakkesh-da'at
The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16מַתָּ֣ן אָ֭דָם יַרְחִ֣יב ל֑וֹ וְלִפְנֵ֖י גְדֹלִ֣ים יַנְחֶֽנּוּ׃
mattan adam yarchiv lo velifne gedolim yanchennu
A man’s gift maketh room for him, And bringeth him before great men.
17צַדִּ֣יק הָרִאשׁ֣וֹן בְּרִיב֑וֹ יבא [וּבָֽא]־רֵ֝עֵ֗הוּ וַחֲקָרֽוֹ׃
tzaddik harishon berivo uva-re'ehu vachakaro
He that pleadeth his cause first seemeth just; But his neighbour cometh and searcheth him out.
18מִ֭דְיָנִים יַשְׁבִּ֣ית הַגּוֹרָ֑ל וּבֵ֖ין עֲצוּמִ֣ים יַפְרִֽיד׃
midyanim yashbit haggoral uven atzumim yafrid
The lot causeth strife to cease, And parteth asunder the contentious.
19אָ֗ח נִפְשָׁ֥ע מִקִּרְיַת־עֹ֑ז ומדונים [וּ֝מִדְיָנִ֗ים] כִּבְרִ֥יחַ אַרְמֽוֹן׃
ach nifsha' mikkiryat-oz umidyanim kivriach armon
A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city; And their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
20מִפְּרִ֣י פִי־אִ֭ישׁ תִּשְׂבַּ֣ע בִּטְנ֑וֹ תְּבוּאַ֖ת שְׂפָתָ֣יו יִשְׂבָּֽע׃
mipperi fi-ish tisba' bitno tevu'at sefatav yisba'
A man’s belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; With the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied.
21מָ֣וֶת וְ֭חַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשׁ֑וֹן וְ֝אֹהֲבֶ֗יהָ יֹאכַ֥ל פִּרְיָֽהּ׃
mavet vechayyim beyad-lashon ve'ohaveha yokhal piryah
Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that indulge it shall eat the fruit thereof.
22מָצָ֣א אִ֭שָּׁה מָ֣צָא ט֑וֹב וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צ֗וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃
matza isha matza tov vayyafek ratzon meADONAI
Whoso findeth a wife findeth a great good, And obtaineth favour of the LORD.
23תַּחֲנוּנִ֥ים יְדַבֶּר־רָ֑שׁ וְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר יַעֲנֶ֥ה עַזּֽוֹת׃
tachanunim yedabber-rash ve'ashir ya'ane azzot
The poor useth entreaties; But the rich answereth impudently.
24אִ֣ישׁ רֵ֭עִים לְהִתְרֹעֵ֑עַ וְיֵ֥שׁ אֹ֝הֵ֗ב דָּבֵ֥ק מֵאָֽח׃
ish re'im lehitro'ea veyesh ohev davek me'ach
There are friends that one hath to his own hurt; But there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
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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.