What Bends and What Breaks.

אִ֣ישׁ תּ֭וֹכָחוֹת מַקְשֶׁה־עֹ֑רֶף פֶּ֥תַע יִ֝שָּׁבֵ֗ר וְאֵ֣ין מַרְפֵּֽא׃

He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.

בִּרְב֣וֹת צַ֭דִּיקִים יִשְׂמַ֣ח הָעָ֑ם וּבִמְשֹׁ֥ל רָ֝שָׁ֗ע יֵאָ֥נַֽח עָֽם׃

[2] When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.

אִֽישׁ־אֹהֵ֣ב חָ֭כְמָה יְשַׂמַּ֣ח אָבִ֑יו וְרֹעֶ֥ה ז֝וֹנ֗וֹת יְאַבֶּד־הֽוֹן׃

[3] He who loves wisdom makes his father glad, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

מֶ֗לֶךְ בְּ֭מִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִ֣יד אָ֑רֶץ וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּרוּמ֣וֹת יֶֽהֶרְסֶֽנָּה׃

[4] By justice a king builds up the land, but he who exacts gifts tears it down.

גֶּ֭בֶר מַחֲלִ֣יק עַל־רֵעֵ֑הוּ רֶ֝֗שֶׁת פּוֹרֵ֥שׂ עַל־פְּעָמָֽיו׃

[5] A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.

בְּפֶ֤שַֽׁע אִ֣ישׁ רָ֣ע מוֹקֵ֑שׁ וְ֝צַדִּ֗יק יָר֥וּן וְשָׂמֵֽחַ׃

[6] An evil man is ensnared in his transgression, but a righteous man sings and rejoices.

יֹדֵ֣עַ צַ֭דִּיק דִּ֣ין דַּלִּ֑ים רָ֝שָׁ֗ע לֹא־יָבִ֥ין דָּֽעַת׃

[7] A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.

אַנְשֵׁ֣י לָ֭צוֹן יָפִ֣יחוּ קִרְיָ֑ה וַ֝חֲכָמִ֗ים יָשִׁ֥יבוּ אָֽף׃

[8] Scoffers set a city aflame, but the wise turn away wrath.

אִֽישׁ־חָכָ֗ם נִ֭שְׁפָּט אֶת־אִ֣ישׁ אֱוִ֑יל וְרָגַ֥ז וְ֝שָׂחַ֗ק וְאֵ֣ין נָֽחַת׃

[9] If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.

אַנְשֵׁ֣י דָ֭מִים יִשְׂנְאוּ־תָ֑ם וִֽ֝ישָׁרִ֗ים יְבַקְשׁ֥וּ נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃

[10] Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless and seek the life of the upright.

כָּל־ר֭וּחוֹ יוֹצִ֣יא כְסִ֑יל וְ֝חָכָ֗ם בְּאָח֥וֹר יְשַׁבְּחֶֽנָּה׃

[11] A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.

מֹ֭שֵׁל מַקְשִׁ֣יב עַל־דְּבַר־שָׁ֑קֶר כָּֽל־מְשָׁרְתָ֥יו רְשָׁעִֽים׃

[12] If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked.

רָ֤שׁ וְאִ֣ישׁ תְּכָכִ֣ים נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ מֵ֤אִיר־עֵינֵ֖י שְׁנֵיהֶ֣ם יְהוָֽה׃

[13] The poor man and the oppressor meet together; the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.

מֶ֤לֶךְ שׁוֹפֵ֣ט בֶּֽאֱמֶ֣ת דַּלִּ֑ים כִּ֝סְא֗וֹ לָעַ֥ד יִכּֽוֹן׃

[14] If a king faithfully judges the poor, his throne will be established forever.

שֵׁ֣בֶט וְ֭תוֹכַחַת יִתֵּ֣ן חָכְמָ֑ה וְנַ֥עַר מְ֝שֻׁלָּ֗ח מֵבִ֥ישׁ אִמּֽוֹ׃

[15] The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

בִּרְב֣וֹת רְ֭שָׁעִים יִרְבֶּה־פָּ֑שַׁע וְ֝צַדִּיקִ֗ים בְּֽמַפַּלְתָּ֥ם יִרְאֽוּ׃

[16] When the wicked increase, transgression increases, but the righteous will look upon their downfall.

יַסֵּ֣ר בִּ֭נְךָ וִֽינִיחֶ֑ךָ וְיִתֵּ֖ן מַעֲדַנִּ֣ים לְנַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ פ

[17] Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.

בְּאֵ֣ין חָ֭זוֹן יִפָּ֣רַֽע עָ֑ם וְשֹׁמֵ֖ר תּוֹרָ֣ה אַשְׁרֵֽהוּ׃

[18] Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.

בִּ֭דְבָרִים לֹא־יִוָּ֣סֶר עָ֑בֶד כִּֽי־יָ֝בִ֗ין וְאֵ֣ין מַעֲנֶֽה׃

[19] By mere words a servant is not disciplined, for though he understands, he will not respond.

חָזִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ אָ֣ץ בִּדְבָרָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

[20] Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

מְפַנֵּ֣ק מִנֹּ֣עַר עַבְדּ֑וֹ וְ֝אַחֲרִית֗וֹ יִהְיֶ֥ה מָנֽוֹן׃

[21] Whoever pampers his servant from childhood will in the end find him his heir.

אִֽישׁ־אַ֭ף יְגָרֶ֣ה מָד֑וֹן וּבַ֖עַל חֵמָ֣ה רַב־פָּֽשַׁע׃

[22] A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.

גַּאֲוַ֣ת אָ֭דָם תַּשְׁפִּילֶ֑נּוּ וּשְׁפַל־ר֝֗וּחַ יִתְמֹ֥ךְ כָּבֽוֹד׃

[23] One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

חוֹלֵ֣ק עִם־גַּ֭נָּב שׂוֹנֵ֣א נַפְשׁ֑וֹ אָלָ֥ה יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע וְלֹ֣א יַגִּֽיד׃

[24] The partner of a thief hates his own life; he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.

חֶרְדַּ֣ת אָ֭דָם יִתֵּ֣ן מוֹקֵ֑שׁ וּבוֹטֵ֖חַ בַּיהוָ֣ה יְשֻׂגָּֽב׃

[25] The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

רַ֭בִּים מְבַקְשִׁ֣ים פְּנֵי־מוֹשֵׁ֑ל וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה מִשְׁפַּט־אִֽישׁ׃

[26] Many seek the face of a ruler, but it is from the Lord that a man gets justice.

תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת צַ֭דִּיקִים אִ֣ישׁ עָ֑וֶל וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת רָשָׁ֣ע יְשַׁר־דָּֽרֶךְ׃ פ

[27] An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.