The People You Already Know.

כַּשֶּׁ֤לֶג׀ בַּקַּ֗יִץ וְכַמָּטָ֥ר בַּקָּצִ֑יר כֵּ֤ן לֹא־נָאוֶ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃

Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

כַּצִּפּ֣וֹר לָ֭נוּד כַּדְּר֣וֹר לָע֑וּף כֵּ֥ן קִֽלְלַ֥ת חִ֝נָּ֗ם ׳לֹא׳ ״ל֣וֹ״ תָבֹֽא׃

[2] Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.

שׁ֣וֹט לַ֭סּוּס מֶ֣תֶג לַחֲמ֑וֹר וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃

[3] A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.

אַל־תַּ֣עַן כְּ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לּ֥וֹ גַם־אָֽתָּה׃

[4] Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.

עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

[5] Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

מְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם חָמָ֣ס שֹׁתֶ֑ה שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃

[6] Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

דַּלְי֣וּ שֹׁ֭קַיִם מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

[7] Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

כִּצְר֣וֹר אֶ֭בֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה כֵּן־נוֹתֵ֖ן לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃

[8] Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool.

ח֭וֹחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־שִׁכּ֑וֹר וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

[9] Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

רַ֥ב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃

[10] Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.

כְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־קֵא֑וֹ כְּ֝סִ֗יל שׁוֹנֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃

[11] Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.

רָאִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

[12] Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל שַׁ֣חַל בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ אֲ֝רִ֗י בֵּ֣ין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃

[13] The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!”

הַ֭דֶּלֶת תִּסּ֣וֹב עַל־צִירָ֑הּ וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל עַל־מִטָּתֽוֹ׃

[14] As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.

טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת נִ֝לְאָ֗ה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃

[15] The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.

חָכָ֣ם עָצֵ֣ל בְּעֵינָ֑יו מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃

[16] The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.

מַחֲזִ֥יק בְּאָזְנֵי־כָ֑לֶב עֹבֵ֥ר מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר עַל־רִ֥יב לֹּֽא־לֽוֹ׃

[17] Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.

כְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶ֥ה זִקִּ֗ים חִצִּ֥ים וָמָֽוֶת׃

[18] Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death

כֵּֽן־אִ֭ישׁ רִמָּ֣ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אָמַ֗ר הֲ‍ֽלֹא־מְשַׂחֵ֥ק אָֽנִי׃

[19] is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!”

בְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵ֑שׁ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק מָדֽוֹן׃

[20] For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

פֶּחָ֣ם לְ֭גֶחָלִים וְעֵצִ֣ים לְאֵ֑שׁ וְאִ֥ישׁ ׳מְדוֹנִים׳ ״מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים״ לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃ פ

[21] As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

[22] The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

כֶּ֣סֶף סִ֭יגִים מְצֻפֶּ֣ה עַל־חָ֑רֶשׂ שְׂפָתַ֖יִם דֹּלְקִ֣ים וְלֶב־רָֽע׃

[23] Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart.

׳בִּשְׂפָתוֹ׳ ״בִּ֭שְׂפָתָיו״ יִנָּכֵ֣ר שׂוֹנֵ֑א וּ֝בְקִרְבּ֗וֹ יָשִׁ֥ית מִרְמָֽה׃

[24] Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart;

כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּ֣ן ק֭וֹלוֹ אַל־תַּֽאֲמֶן־בּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י שֶׁ֖בַע תּוֹעֵב֣וֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃

[25] when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart;

תִּכַּסֶּ֣ה שִׂ֭נְאָה בְּמַשָּׁא֑וֹן תִּגָּלֶ֖ה רָעָת֣וֹ בְקָהָֽל׃

[26] though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

כֹּֽרֶה־שַּׁ֭חַת בָּ֣הּ יִפֹּ֑ל וְגֹ֥לֵ֥ל אֶ֝בֶן אֵלָ֥יו תָּשֽׁוּב׃

[27] Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

לְֽשׁוֹן־שֶׁ֭קֶר יִשְׂנָ֣א דַכָּ֑יו וּפֶ֥ה חָ֝לָ֗ק יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה מִדְחֶֽה׃

[28] A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.