1 סְבָבֻנִי בְכַחַשׁ אֶפְרַיִם וּבְמִרְמָה בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוּדָה עֹד רָד עִם־אֵל וְעִם־קְדֹושִׁים נֶאֱמָן | 1 When thou wilt do good know to whom thou doest it; so shalt thou be thanked for thy benefits. |
2 אֶפְרַיִם רֹעֶה רוּחַ וְרֹדֵף קָדִים כָּל־הַיֹּום כָּזָב וָשֹׁד יַרְבֶּה וּבְרִית עִם־אַשּׁוּר יִכְרֹתוּ וְשֶׁמֶן לְמִצְרַיִם יוּבָל | 2 Do good to the godly man, and thou shalt find a recompence; and if not from him, yet from the most High. |
3 וְרִיב לַיהוָה עִם־יְהוּדָה וְלִפְקֹד עַל־יַעֲקֹב כִּדְרָכָיו כְּמַעֲלָלָיו יָשִׁיב לֹו | 3 There can no good come to him that is always occupied in evil, nor to him that giveth no alms. |
4 בַּבֶּטֶן עָקַב אֶת־אָחִיו וּבְאֹונֹו שָׂרָה אֶת־אֱלֹהִים | 4 Give to the godly man, and help not a sinner. |
5 וָיָּשַׂר אֶל־מַלְאָךְ וַיֻּכָל בָּכָה וַיִּתְחַנֶּן־לֹו בֵּית־אֵל יִמְצָאֶנּוּ וְשָׁם יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ | 5 Do well unto him that is lowly, but give not to the ungodly: hold back thy bread, and give it not unto him, lest he overmaster thee thereby: for [else] thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou shalt have done unto him. |
6 וַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הַצְּבָאֹות יְהוָה זִכְרֹו | 6 For the most High hateth sinners, and will repay vengeance unto the ungodly, and keepeth them against the mighty day of their punishment. |
7 וְאַתָּה בֵּאלֹהֶיךָ תָשׁוּב חֶסֶד וּמִשְׁפָּט שְׁמֹר וְקַוֵּה אֶל־אֱלֹהֶיךָ תָּמִיד | 7 Give unto the good, and help not the sinner. |
8 כְּנַעַן בְּיָדֹו מֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה לַעֲשֹׁק אָהֵב | 8 A friend cannot be known in prosperity: and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity. |
9 וַיֹּאמֶר אֶפְרַיִם אַךְ עָשַׁרְתִּי מָצָאתִי אֹון לִי כָּל־יְגִיעַי לֹא יִמְצְאוּ־לִי עָוֹן אֲשֶׁר־חֵטְא | 9 In the prosperity of a man enemies will be grieved: but in his adversity even a friend will depart. |
10 וְאָנֹכִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם עֹד אֹושִׁיבְךָ בָאֳהָלִים כִּימֵי מֹועֵד | 10 Never trust thine enemy: for like as iron rusteth, so is his wickedness. |
11 וְדִבַּרְתִּי עַל־הַנְּבִיאִים וְאָנֹכִי חָזֹון הִרְבֵּיתִי וּבְיַד הַנְּבִיאִים אֲדַמֶּה | 11 Though he humble himself, and go crouching, yet take good heed and beware of him, and thou shalt be unto him as if thou hadst wiped a lookingglass, and thou shalt know that his rust hath not been altogether wiped away. |
12 אִם־גִּלְעָד אָוֶן אַךְ־שָׁוְא הָיוּ בַּגִּלְגָּל שְׁוָרִים זִבֵּחוּ גַּם מִזְבְּחֹותָם כְּגַלִּים עַל תַּלְמֵי שָׂדָי | 12 Set him not by thee, lest, when he hath overthrown thee, he stand up in thy place; neither let him sit at thy right hand, lest he seek to take thy seat, and thou at the last remember my words, and be pricked therewith. |
13 וַיִּבְרַח יַעֲקֹב שְׂדֵה אֲרָם וַיַּעֲבֹד יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאִשָּׁה וּבְאִשָּׁה שָׁמָר | 13 Who will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent, or any such as come nigh wild beasts? |
14 וּבְנָבִיא הֶעֱלָה יְהוָה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם וּבְנָבִיא נִשְׁמָר | 14 So one that goeth to a sinner, and is defiled with him in his sins, who will pity? |
15 הִכְעִיס אֶפְרַיִם תַּמְרוּרִים וְדָמָיו עָלָיו יִטֹּושׁ וְחֶרְפָּתֹו יָשִׁיב לֹו אֲדֹנָיו | 15 For a while he will abide with thee, but if thou begin to fall, he will not tarry. |
| 16 An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he imagineth how to throw thee into a pit: he will weep with his eyes, but if he find opportunity, he will not be satisfied with blood. |
| 17 If adversity come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first; and though he pretend to help thee, yet shall he undermine thee. |
| 18 He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance. |