Proverbs 20 מִשְׁלֵי
Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917
1לֵ֣ץ הַ֭יַּין הֹמֶ֣ה שֵׁכָ֑ר וְכָל־שֹׁ֥גֶה בּ֝֗וֹ לֹ֣א יֶחְכָּֽם׃
letz hayyayn home shekhar vekhal-shoge bo lo yechkam
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is riotous; and whosoever reeleth thereby is not wise.
2נַ֣הַם כַּ֭כְּפִיר אֵ֣ימַת מֶ֑לֶךְ מִ֝תְעַבְּר֗וֹ חוֹטֵ֥א נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
naham kakkefir emat melekh mit'abbero chote nafsho
The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: He that provoketh him to anger forfeiteth his life.
3כָּב֣וֹד לָ֭אִישׁ שֶׁ֣בֶת מֵרִ֑יב וְכָל־אֱ֝וִ֗יל יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃
kavod la'ish shevet meriv vekhal-evil yitgalla'
It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be snarling.
4מֵ֭חֹרֶף עָצֵ֣ל לֹא־יַחֲרֹ֑שׁ ישאל [וְשָׁאַ֖ל] בַּקָּצִ֣יר וָאָֽיִן׃
mechoref atzel lo-yacharosh vesha'al bakkatzir va'ayin
The sluggard will not plow when winter setteth in; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים עֵצָ֣ה בְלֶב־אִ֑ישׁ וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּבוּנָ֣ה יִדְלֶֽנָּה׃
mayim amukkim etza velev-ish ve'ish tevuna yidlenna
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out. .
6רָב־אָדָ֗ם יִ֭קְרָא אִ֣ישׁ חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְאִ֥ישׁ אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים מִ֣י יִמְצָֽא׃
rav-adam yikra ish chasdo ve'ish emunim mi yimtza
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness; but a faithful man who can find?
7מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֣וֹ צַדִּ֑יק אַשְׁרֵ֖י בָנָ֣יו אַחֲרָֽיו׃
mithallekh betummo tzaddik ashre vanav acharav
He that walketh in his integrity as a just man, happy are his children after him.
8מֶ֗לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֥ב עַל־כִּסֵּא־דִ֑ין מְזָרֶ֖ה בְעֵינָ֣יו כָּל־רָֽע׃
melekh yoshev al-kisse-din mezare ve'enav kal-ra'
A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9מִֽי־יֹ֭אמַר זִכִּ֣יתִי לִבִּ֑י טָ֝הַ֗רְתִּי מֵחַטָּאתִֽי׃
mi-yomar zikkiti libbi taharti mechattati
Who can say: ‘I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin’?
10אֶ֣בֶן וָ֭אֶבֶן אֵיפָ֣ה וְאֵיפָ֑ה תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
even va'even efa ve'efa to'avat ADONAI gam-shenehem
Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them alike are abomination to the LORD.
11גַּ֣ם בְּ֭מַעֲלָלָיו יִתְנַכֶּר־נָ֑עַר אִם־זַ֖ךְ וְאִם־יָשָׁ֣ר פָּעֳלֽוֹ׃
gam bema'alalav yitnakker-na'ar im-zakh ve'im-yashar pa'olo
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12אֹ֣זֶן שֹׁ֭מַעַת וְעַ֣יִן רֹאָ֑ה יְ֝הוָ֗ה עָשָׂ֥ה גַם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
ozen shoma'at ve'ayin ro'a ADONAI asa gam-shenehem
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
13אַל־תֶּֽאֱהַ֣ב שֵׁ֭נָה פֶּן־תִּוָּרֵ֑שׁ פְּקַ֖ח עֵינֶ֣יךָ שְֽׂבַֽע־לָֽחֶם׃
al-te'ehav shena pen-tivvaresh pekach enekha seva'-lachem
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt have bread in plenty.
14רַ֣ע רַ֭ע יֹאמַ֣ר הַקּוֹנֶ֑ה וְאֹזֵ֥ל ל֝֗וֹ אָ֣ז יִתְהַלָּֽל׃
ra' ra' yomar hakkone ve'ozel lo az yithallal
’It is bad, it is bad’, saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15יֵ֣שׁ זָ֭הָב וְרָב־פְּנִינִ֑ים וּכְלִ֥י יְ֝קָ֗ר שִׂפְתֵי־דָֽעַת׃
yesh zahav verav-peninim ukheli yekar sifte-da'at
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16לְֽקַח־בִּ֭גְדוֹ כִּי־עָ֣רַב זָ֑ר וּבְעַ֖ד נכרים [נָכְרִיָּ֣ה] חַבְלֵֽהוּ׃
lekach-bigdo ki-arav zar uve'ad nakhriyya chavlehu
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge that is surety for an alien woman.
17עָרֵ֣ב לָ֭אִישׁ לֶ֣חֶם שָׁ֑קֶר וְ֝אַחַ֗ר יִמָּֽלֵא־פִ֥יהוּ חָצָֽץ׃
arev la'ish lechem shaker ve'achar yimmale-fihu chatzatz
Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18מַ֭חֲשָׁבוֹת בְּעֵצָ֣ה תִכּ֑וֹן וּ֝בְתַחְבֻּל֗וֹת עֲשֵׂ֣ה מִלְחָמָֽה׃
machashavot be'etza tikkon uvetachbulot ase milchama
Every purpose is established by counsel; and with good advice carry on war.
19גּֽוֹלֶה־סּ֭וֹד הוֹלֵ֣ךְ רָכִ֑יל וּלְפֹתֶ֥ה שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִתְעָרָֽב׃
gole-sod holekh rakhil ulefote sefatav lo tit'arav
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth wide his lips.
20מְ֭קַלֵּל אָבִ֣יו וְאִמּ֑וֹ יִֽדְעַ֥ךְ נֵ֝ר֗וֹ באישון [בֶּאֱשׁ֥וּן] חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
mekallel aviv ve'immo yid'akh nero be'eshun choshekh
Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in the blackest darkness.
21נַ֭חֲלָה מבחלת [מְבֹהֶ֣לֶת] בָּרִאשֹׁנָ֑ה וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ לֹ֣א תְבֹרָֽךְ׃
nachala mevohelet barishona ve'acharitah lo tevorakh
An estate may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22אַל־תֹּאמַ֥ר אֲשַׁלְּמָה־רָ֑ע קַוֵּ֥ה לַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה וְיֹ֣שַֽׁע לָֽךְ׃
al-tomar ashallema-ra' kavve laADONAI veyosha' lakh
Say not thou: ‘I will requite evil’; wait for the LORD, and He will save thee.
23תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה אֶ֣בֶן וָאָ֑בֶן וּמֹאזְנֵ֖י מִרְמָ֣ה לֹא־טֽוֹב׃
to'avat ADONAI even va'aven umozne mirma lo-tov
Divers weights are an abomination to the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
24מֵיהוָ֥ה מִצְעֲדֵי־גָ֑בֶר וְ֝אָדָ֗ם מַה־יָּבִ֥ין דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃
meADONAI mitz'ade-gaver ve'adam ma-yavin darko
A man’s goings are of the LORD; how then can man look to his way?
25מוֹקֵ֣שׁ אָ֭דָם יָ֣לַע קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְאַחַ֖ר נְדָרִ֣ים לְבַקֵּֽר׃
mokesh adam yala' kodesh ve'achar nedarim levakker
It is a snare to a man rashly to say: ‘Holy’, and after vows to make inquiry.
26מְזָרֶ֣ה רְ֭שָׁעִים מֶ֣לֶךְ חָכָ֑ם וַיָּ֖שֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם אוֹפָֽן׃
mezare resha'im melekh chakham vayyashev alehem ofan
A wise king sifteth the wicked, and turneth the wheel over them.
27נֵ֣ר יְ֭הוָה נִשְׁמַ֣ת אָדָ֑ם חֹ֝פֵ֗שׂ כָּל־חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
ner ADONAI nishmat adam chofes kal-chadre-vaten
The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the inward parts.
28חֶ֣סֶד וֶ֭אֱמֶת יִצְּרוּ־מֶ֑לֶךְ וְסָעַ֖ד בַּחֶ֣סֶד כִּסְאֽוֹ׃
chesed ve'emet yitzeru-melekh vesa'ad bachesed kiso
Mercy and truth preserve the king; and his throne is upheld by mercy.
29תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת בַּחוּרִ֣ים כֹּחָ֑ם וַהֲדַ֖ר זְקֵנִ֣ים שֵׂיבָֽה׃
tif'eret bachurim kocham vahadar zekenim seva
The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the hoary head.
30חַבֻּר֣וֹת פֶּ֭צַע תמריק [תַּמְר֣וּק] בְּרָ֑ע וּ֝מַכּ֗וֹת חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
chabburot petza' tamruk bera' umakkot chadre-vaten
Sharp wounds cleanse away evil; So do stripes that reach the inward parts.
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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.