Proverbs 26 מִשְׁלֵי
Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917
1כַּשֶּׁ֤לֶג ׀ בַּקַּ֗יִץ וְכַמָּטָ֥ר בַּקָּצִ֑יר כֵּ֤ן לֹא־נָאוֶ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃
kasheleg bakkayitz vekhammatar bakkatzir ken lo-nave likhsil kavod
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour is not seemly for a fool.
2כַּצִּפּ֣וֹר לָ֭נוּד כַּדְּר֣וֹר לָע֑וּף כֵּ֥ן קִֽלְלַ֥ת חִ֝נָּ֗ם לא [ל֣וֹ] תָבֹֽא׃
katzippor lanud kadderor la'uf ken killat chinnam lo tavo
As the wandering sparrow, as the flying swallow, So the curse that is causeless shall come home. .
3שׁ֣וֹט לַ֭סּוּס מֶ֣תֶג לַחֲמ֑וֹר וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃
shot lassus meteg lachamor veshevet legev kesilim
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, And a rod for the back of fools.
4אַל־תַּ֣עַן כְּ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לּ֥וֹ גַם־אָֽתָּה׃
al-ta'an kesil ke'ivvalto pen-tishve-lo gam-atta
Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou also be like unto him.
5עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃
ane khesil ke'ivvalto pen-yihye chakham be'enav
Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6מְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם חָמָ֣ס שֹׁתֶ֑ה שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃
mekatze raglayim chamas shote sholeach devarim beyad-kesil
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool Cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh damage.
7דַּלְי֣וּ שֹׁ֭קַיִם מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃
dalyu shokayim mippisseach umashal befi khesilim
The legs hang limp from the lame; So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8כִּצְר֣וֹר אֶ֭בֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה כֵּן־נוֹתֵ֖ן לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃
kitzror even bemargema ken-noten likhsil kavod
As a small stone in a heap of stones, So is he that giveth honour to a fool.
9ח֭וֹחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־שִׁכּ֑וֹר וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃
choach ala veyad-shikkor umashal befi khesilim
As a thorn that cometh into the hand of a drunkard, So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10רַ֥ב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃
rav mecholel-kol vesokher kesil vesokher ovrim
A master performeth all things; But he that stoppeth a fool is as one that stoppeth a flood.
11כְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־קֵא֑וֹ כְּ֝סִ֗יל שׁוֹנֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃
kekhelev shav al-keo kesil shone ve'ivvalto
As a dog that returneth to his vomit, So is a fool that repeateth his folly.
12רָאִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
ra'ita ish chakham be'enav tikva likhsil mimmennu
Seest thou a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
13אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל שַׁ֣חַל בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ אֲ֝רִ֗י בֵּ֣ין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃
amar atzel shachal baddarekh ari ben harchovot
The sluggard saith: ‘There is a lion in the way; Yea, a lion is in the streets.’
14הַ֭דֶּלֶת תִּסּ֣וֹב עַל־צִירָ֑הּ וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל עַל־מִטָּתֽוֹ׃
haddelet tissov al-tzirah ve'atzel al-mittato
The door is turning upon its hinges, And the sluggard is still upon his bed.
15טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת נִ֝לְאָ֗ה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃
taman atzel yado batzallachat nil'a lahashivah el-piv
The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish; It wearieth him to bring it back to his mouth.
16חָכָ֣ם עָצֵ֣ל בְּעֵינָ֑יו מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃
chakham atzel be'enav mishiv'a meshive ta'am
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men that give wise answer.
17מַחֲזִ֥יק בְּאָזְנֵי־כָ֑לֶב עֹבֵ֥ר מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר עַל־רִ֥יב לֹּֽא־לֽוֹ׃
machazik be'azne-khalev over mit'abber al-riv lo-lo
He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife not his own, Is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18כְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶ֥ה זִקִּ֗ים חִצִּ֥ים וָמָֽוֶת׃
kemitlahleah hayyore zikkim chitzim vamavet
As a madman who casteth firebrands, Arrows, and death;
19כֵּֽן־אִ֭ישׁ רִמָּ֣ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אָמַ֗ר הֲֽלֹא־מְשַׂחֵ֥ק אָֽנִי׃
ken-ish rimma et-re'ehu ve'amar halo-mesachek ani
So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, And saith: ‘Am not I in sport?’
20בְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵ֑שׁ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק מָדֽוֹן׃
be'efes etzim tikhbe-esh uve'en nirgan yishtok madon
Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
21פֶּחָ֣ם לְ֭גֶחָלִים וְעֵצִ֣ים לְאֵ֑שׁ וְאִ֥ישׁ מדונים [מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים] לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃
pecham legechalim ve'etzim le'esh ve'ish midyanim lecharchar-riv
As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22דִּבְרֵ֣י 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 body.
23כֶּ֣סֶף סִ֭יגִים מְצֻפֶּ֣ה עַל־חָ֑רֶשׂ שְׂפָתַ֖יִם דֹּלְקִ֣ים וְלֶב־רָֽע׃
kesef sigim metzuppe al-chares sefatayim dolkim velev-ra'
Burning lips and a wicked heart Are like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
24בשפתו [בִּ֭שְׂפָתָיו] יִנָּכֵ֣ר שׂוֹנֵ֑א וּ֝בְקִרְבּ֗וֹ יָשִׁ֥ית מִרְמָֽה׃
bisfatav yinnakher sone uvekirbo yashit mirma
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, But he layeth up deceit within him.
25כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּ֣ן ק֭וֹלוֹ אַל־תַּֽאֲמֶן־בּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י שֶׁ֖בַע תּוֹעֵב֣וֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃
ki-yechannen kolo al-ta'amen-bo ki sheva' to'evot belibbo
When he speaketh fair, Believe him not; For there are seven abominations in his heart.
26תִּכַּסֶּ֣ה שִׂ֭נְאָה בְּמַשָּׁא֑וֹן תִּגָּלֶ֖ה רָעָת֣וֹ בְקָהָֽל׃
tikkasse sin'a bemashaon tiggale ra'ato vekahal
Though his hatred be concealed with deceit, His wickedness shall be revealed before the congregation.
27כֹּֽרֶה־שַּׁ֭חַת בָּ֣הּ יִפֹּ֑ל וְגֹ֥לֵ֥ל אֶ֝בֶן אֵלָ֥יו תָּשֽׁוּב׃
kore-shachat bah yippol vegolel even elav tashuv
Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; And he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
28לְֽשׁוֹן־שֶׁ֭קֶר יִשְׂנָ֣א דַכָּ֑יו וּפֶ֥ה חָ֝לָ֗ק יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה מִדְחֶֽה׃
leshon-sheker yisna dakkav ufe chalak ya'ase midche
A lying tongue hateth those that are crushed by it; And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Sister sites
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.