The Lines That Read You Back.

מִשְׁלֵ֗י שְׁלֹ֫מֹ֥ה פ בֵּ֣ן חָ֭כָם יְשַׂמַּח־אָ֑ב וּבֵ֥ן כְּ֝סִ֗יל תּוּגַ֥ת אִמּֽוֹ׃

The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

לֹא־י֭וֹעִילוּ אוֹצְר֣וֹת רֶ֑שַׁע וּ֝צְדָקָ֗ה תַּצִּ֥יל מִמָּֽוֶת׃

[2] Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.

לֹֽא־יַרְעִ֣יב יְ֭הוָה נֶ֣פֶשׁ צַדִּ֑יק וְהַוַּ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים יֶהְדֹּֽף׃

[3] The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

רָ֗אשׁ עֹשֶׂ֥ה כַף־רְמִיָּ֑ה וְיַ֖ד חָרוּצִ֣ים תַּעֲשִֽׁיר׃

[4] A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

אֹגֵ֣ר בַּ֭קַּיִץ בֵּ֣ן מַשְׂכִּ֑יל נִרְדָּ֥ם בַּ֝קָּצִ֗יר בֵּ֣ן מֵבִֽישׁ׃

[5] He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.

בְּ֭רָכוֹת לְרֹ֣אשׁ צַדִּ֑יק וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יְכַסֶּ֥ה חָמָֽס׃

[6] Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

זֵ֣כֶר צַ֭דִּיק לִבְרָכָ֑ה וְשֵׁ֖ם רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִרְקָֽב׃

[7] The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.

חֲכַם־לֵ֭ב יִקַּ֣ח מִצְוֺ֑ת וֶאֱוִ֥יל שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם יִלָּבֵֽט׃

[8] The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בַּ֭תֹּם יֵ֣לֶךְ בֶּ֑טַח וּמְעַקֵּ֥שׁ דְּ֝רָכָ֗יו יִוָּדֵֽעַ׃

[9] Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

קֹ֣רֵֽץ עַ֭יִן יִתֵּ֣ן עַצָּ֑בֶת וֶאֱוִ֥יל שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם יִלָּבֵֽט׃

[10] Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin.

מְק֣וֹר חַ֭יִּים פִּ֣י צַדִּ֑יק וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יְכַסֶּ֥ה חָמָֽס׃

[11] The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

שִׂ֭נְאָה תְּעוֹרֵ֣ר מְדָנִ֑ים וְעַ֥ל כָּל־פְּ֝שָׁעִ֗ים תְּכַסֶּ֥ה אַהֲבָֽה׃

[12] Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

בְּשִׂפְתֵ֣י נָ֭בוֹן תִּמָּצֵ֣א חָכְמָ֑ה וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו חֲסַר־לֵֽב׃

[13] On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.

חֲכָמִ֥ים יִצְפְּנוּ־דָ֑עַת וּפִֽי־אֱ֝וִיל מְחִתָּ֥ה קְרֹבָֽה׃

[14] The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.

ה֣וֹן עָ֭שִׁיר קִרְיַ֣ת עֻזּ֑וֹ מְחִתַּ֖ת דַּלִּ֣ים רֵישָֽׁם׃

[15] A rich man's wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin.

פְּעֻלַּ֣ת צַדִּ֣יק לְחַיִּ֑ים תְּבוּאַ֖ת רָשָׁ֣ע לְחַטָּֽאת׃

[16] The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin.

אֹ֣רַח לְ֭חַיִּים שׁוֹמֵ֣ר מוּסָ֑ר וְעוֹזֵ֖ב תּוֹכַ֣חַת מַתְעֶֽה׃

[17] Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.

מְכַסֶּ֣ה שִׂ֭נְאָה שִׂפְתֵי־שָׁ֑קֶר וּמוֹצִ֥א דִ֝בָּ֗ה ה֣וּא כְסִֽיל׃

[18] The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.

בְּרֹ֣ב דְּ֭בָרִים לֹ֣א יֶחְדַּל־פָּ֑שַׁע וְחֹשֵׂ֖ךְ שְׂפָתָ֣יו מַשְׂכִּֽיל׃

[19] When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

כֶּ֣סֶף נִ֭בְחָר לְשׁ֣וֹן צַדִּ֑יק לֵ֖ב רְשָׁעִ֣ים כִּמְעָֽט׃

[20] The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth.

שִׂפְתֵ֣י צַ֭דִּיק יִרְע֣וּ רַבִּ֑ים וֶֽ֝אֱוִילִ֗ים בַּחֲסַר־לֵ֥ב יָמֽוּתוּ׃

[21] The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.

בִּרְכַּ֣ת יְ֭הוָה הִ֣יא תַעֲשִׁ֑יר וְלֹֽא־יוֹסִ֖ף עֶ֣צֶב עִמָּֽהּ׃

[22] The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

כִּשְׂח֣וֹק לִ֭כְסִיל עֲשׂ֣וֹת זִמָּ֑ה וְ֝חָכְמָ֗ה לְאִ֣ישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה׃

[23] Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

מְגוֹרַ֣ת רָ֭שָׁע הִ֣יא תְבוֹאֶ֑נּוּ וְתַאֲוַ֖ת צַדִּיקִ֣ים יִתֵּֽן׃

[24] What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.

כַּעֲב֣וֹר ס֭וּפָה וְאֵ֣ין רָשָׁ֑ע וְ֝צַדִּ֗יק יְס֣וֹד עוֹלָֽם׃

[25] When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever.

כַּחֹ֤מֶץ׀ לַשִּׁנַּ֗יִם וְכֶעָשָׁ֥ן לָעֵינָ֑יִם כֵּ֥ן הֶ֝עָצֵ֗ל לְשֹׁלְחָֽיו׃

[26] Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.

יִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה תּוֹסִ֣יף יָמִ֑ים וּשְׁנ֖וֹת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תִּקְצֹֽרְנָה׃

[27] The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.

תּוֹחֶ֣לֶת צַדִּיקִ֣ים שִׂמְחָ֑ה וְתִקְוַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תֹּאבֵֽד׃

[28] The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

מָע֣וֹז לַ֭תֹּם דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהוָ֑ה וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃

[29] The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers.

צַדִּ֣יק לְעוֹלָ֣ם בַּל־יִמּ֑וֹט וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים לֹ֣א יִשְׁכְּנוּ־אָֽרֶץ׃

[30] The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land.

פִּֽי־צַ֭דִּיק יָנ֣וּב חָכְמָ֑ה וּלְשׁ֥וֹן תַּ֝הְפֻּכ֗וֹת תִּכָּרֵֽת׃

[31] The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

שִׂפְתֵ֣י צַ֭דִּיק יֵדְע֣וּן רָצ֑וֹן וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים תַּהְפֻּכֽוֹת׃

[32] The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.