The Chapter That Reads You.

טֽוֹב־רָ֭שׁ הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֑וֹ מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁ שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו וְה֣וּא כְסִֽיל׃

Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.

גַּ֤ם בְּלֹא־דַ֣עַת נֶ֣פֶשׁ לֹא־ט֑וֹב וְאָ֖ץ בְּרַגְלַ֣יִם חוֹטֵֽא׃

[2] Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.

אִוֶּ֣לֶת אָ֭דָם תְּסַלֵּ֣ף דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְעַל־יְ֝הוָ֗ה יִזְעַ֥ף לִבּֽוֹ׃

[3] When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord .

ה֗וֹן יֹ֭סִיף רֵעִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְ֝דָ֗ל מֵרֵ֥עהוּ יִפָּרֵֽד׃

[4] Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.

עֵ֣ד שְׁ֭קָרִים לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶ֑ה וְיָפִ֥יחַ כְּ֝זָבִ֗ים לֹ֣א יִמָּלֵֽט׃

[5] A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.

רַ֭בִּים יְחַלּ֣וּ פְנֵֽי־נָדִ֑יב וְכָל־הָ֝רֵ֗עַ לְאִ֣ישׁ מַתָּֽן׃

[6] Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.

כָּ֥ל אֲחֵי־רָ֨שׁ׀ שְֽׂנֵאֻ֗הוּ אַ֤ף כִּ֣י מְ֭רֵעֵהוּ רָחֲק֣וּ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ מְרַדֵּ֖ף אֲמָרִ֣ים ׳לֹא־לוֹ־הֵֽמָּה׃׳

[7] All a poor man's brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them.

קֹֽנֶה־לֵּ֭ב אֹהֵ֣ב נַפְשׁ֑וֹ שֹׁמֵ֥ר תְּ֝בוּנָ֗ה לִמְצֹא־טֽוֹב׃

[8] Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good.

עֵ֣ד שְׁ֭קָרִים לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶ֑ה וְיָפִ֖יחַ כְּזָבִ֣ים יֹאבֵֽד׃ פ

[9] A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.

לֹֽא־נָאוֶ֣ה לִכְסִ֣יל תַּעֲנ֑וּג אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־לְעֶ֤בֶד׀ מְשֹׁ֬ל בְּשָׂרִֽים׃

[10] It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes.

שֵׂ֣כֶל אָ֭דָם הֶאֱרִ֣יךְ אַפּ֑וֹ וְ֝תִפאַרְתּ֗וֹ עֲבֹ֣ר עַל־פָּֽשַׁע׃

[11] Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

נַ֣הַם כַּ֭כְּפִיר זַ֣עַף מֶ֑לֶךְ וּכְטַ֖ל עַל־עֵ֣שֶׂב רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃

[12] A king's wrath is like the growling of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

הַוֺּ֣ת לְ֭אָבִיו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וְדֶ֥לֶף טֹ֝רֵ֗ד מִדְיְנֵ֥י אִשָּֽׁה׃

[13] A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife's quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.

בַּ֣יִת וָ֭הוֹן נַחֲלַ֣ת אָב֑וֹת וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה אִשָּׁ֥ה מַשְׂכָּֽלֶת׃

[14] House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord .

עַ֭צְלָה תַּפִּ֣יל תַּרְדֵּמָ֑ה וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ רְמִיָּ֣ה תִרְעָֽב׃

[15] Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.

שֹׁמֵ֣ר מִ֭צְוָה שֹׁמֵ֣ר נַפְשׁ֑וֹ בּוֹזֵ֖ה דְרָכָ֣יו ׳יוּמָת׳ ״יָמֽוּת׃״

[16] Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises his ways will die.

מַלְוֵ֣ה יְ֭הוָה ח֣וֹנֵֽן דָּ֑ל וּ֝גְמֻל֗וֹ יְשַׁלֶּם־לֽוֹ׃

[17] Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord , and he will repay him for his deed.

יַסֵּ֣ר בִּ֭נְךָ כִּי־יֵ֣שׁ תִּקְוָ֑ה וְאֶל־הֲ֝מִית֗וֹ אַל־תִּשָּׂ֥א נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

[18] Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.

׳גְּרָל־גְּֽדָל־חֵ֭מָה׳ נֹ֣שֵׂא עֹ֑נֶשׁ כִּ֥י אִם־תַּ֝צִּ֗יל וְע֣וֹד תּוֹסִֽף׃

[19] A man of great wrath will pay the penalty, for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.

שְׁמַ֣ע עֵ֭צָה וְקַבֵּ֣ל מוּסָ֑ר לְ֝מַ֗עַן תֶּחְכַּ֥ם בְּאַחֲרִיתֶֽךָ׃

[20] Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

רַבּ֣וֹת מַחֲשָׁב֣וֹת בְּלֶב־אִ֑ישׁ וַעֲצַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה הִ֣יא תָקֽוּם׃

[21] Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

תַּאֲוַ֣ת אָדָ֣ם חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְטֽוֹב־רָ֝שׁ מֵאִ֥ישׁ כָּזָֽב׃

[22] What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar.

יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֣ה לְחַיִּ֑ים וְשָׂבֵ֥עַ יָ֝לִ֗ין בַּל־יִפָּ֥קֶד רָֽע׃

[23] The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.

טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת גַּם־אֶל־פִּ֝֗יהוּ לֹ֣א יְשִׁיבֶֽנָּה׃

[24] The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.

לֵ֣ץ תַּ֭כֶּה וּפֶ֣תִי יַעְרִ֑ם וְהוֹכִ֥יחַ לְ֝נָב֗וֹן יָבִ֥ין דָּֽעַת׃

[25] Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.

מְֽשַׁדֶּד־אָ֭ב יַבְרִ֣יחַ אֵ֑ם בֵּ֝֗ן מֵבִ֥ישׁ וּמַחְפִּֽיר׃

[26] He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach.

חַֽדַל־בְּ֭נִי לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ מוּסָ֑ר לִ֝שְׁג֗וֹת מֵֽאִמְרֵי־דָֽעַת׃

[27] Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

עֵ֣ד בְּ֭לִיַּעַל יָלִ֣יץ מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יְבַלַּע־אָֽוֶן׃

[28] A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

נָכ֣וֹנוּ לַלֵּצִ֣ים שְׁפָטִ֑ים וּ֝מַהֲלֻמ֗וֹת לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃

[29] Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and beating for the backs of fools.