1 פַּלְגֵי־מַיִם לֶב־מֶלֶךְ בְּיַד־יְהוָה עַל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ יַטֶּנּוּ | 1 Like a stream is the king's heart in the hand of the LORD; wherever it pleases him, he directs it. |
2 כָּל־דֶּרֶךְ־אִישׁ יָשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו וְתֹכֵן לִבֹּות יְהוָה | 2 All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes, but it is the LORD who proves hearts. |
3 עֲשֹׂה צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט נִבְחָר לַיהוָה מִזָּבַח | 3 To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. |
4 רוּם־עֵינַיִם וּרְחַב־לֵב נִר רְשָׁעִים חַטָּאת | 4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart-- the tillage of the wicked is sin. |
5 מַחְשְׁבֹות חָרוּץ אַךְ־לְמֹותָר וְכָל־אָץ אַךְ־לְמַחְסֹור | 5 The plans of the diligent are sure of profit, but all rash haste leads certainly to poverty. |
6 פֹּעַל אֹוצָרֹות בִּלְשֹׁון שָׁקֶר הֶבֶל נִדָּף מְבַקְשֵׁי־מָוֶת | 6 He who makes a fortune by a lying tongue is chasing a bubble over deadly snares. |
7 שֹׁד־רְשָׁעִים יְגֹורֵם כִּי מֵאֲנוּ לַעֲשֹׂות מִשְׁפָּט | 7 The oppression of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is right. |
8 הֲפַכְפַּךְ דֶּרֶךְ אִישׁ וָזָר וְזַךְ יָשָׁר פָּעֳלֹו | 8 The way of the culprit is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is right. |
9 טֹוב לָשֶׁבֶת עַל־פִּנַּת־גָּג מֵאֵשֶׁת מִדְיָנִים וּבֵית חָבֶר | 9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop than in a roomy house with a quarrelsome woman. |
10 נֶפֶשׁ רָשָׁע אִוְּתָה־רָע לֹא־יֻחַן בְּעֵינָיו רֵעֵהוּ | 10 The soul of the wicked man desires evil; his neighbor finds no pity in his eyes. |
11 בַּעְנָשׁ־לֵץ יֶחְכַּם־פֶּתִי וּבְהַשְׂכִּיל לְחָכָם יִקַּח־דָּעַת | 11 When the arrogant man is punished, the simple are the wiser; when the wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge. |
12 מַשְׂכִּיל צַדִּיק לְבֵית רָשָׁע מְסַלֵּף רְשָׁעִים לָרָע | 12 The just man appraises the house of the wicked: there is one who brings down the wicked to ruin. |
13 אֹטֵם אָזְנֹו מִזַּעֲקַת־דָּל גַּם־הוּא יִקְרָא וְלֹא יֵעָנֶה | 13 He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will himself also call and not be heard. |
14 מַתָּן בַּסֵּתֶר יִכְפֶּה־אָף וְשֹׁחַד בַּחֵק חֵמָה עַזָּה | 14 A secret gift allays anger, and a concealed present, violent wrath. |
15 שִׂמְחָה לַצַּדִּיק עֲשֹׂות מִשְׁפָּט וּמְחִתָּה לְפֹעֲלֵי אָוֶן | 15 To practice justice is a joy for the just, but terror for evildoers. |
16 אָדָם תֹּועֶה מִדֶּרֶךְ הַשְׂכֵּל בִּקְהַל רְפָאִים יָנוּחַ | 16 The man who strays from the way of good sense will abide in the assembly of the shades. |
17 אִישׁ מַחְסֹור אֹהֵב שִׂמְחָה אֹהֵב יַיִן־וָשֶׁמֶן לֹא יַעֲשִׁיר | 17 He who loves pleasure will suffer want; he who loves wine and perfume will not be rich. |
18 כֹּפֶר לַצַּדִּיק רָשָׁע וְתַחַת יְשָׁרִים בֹּוגֵד | 18 The wicked man serves as ransom for the just, and the faithless man for the righteous. |
19 טֹוב שֶׁבֶת בְּאֶרֶץ־מִדְבָּר מֵאֵשֶׁת [מְדֹונִים כ] (מִדְיָנִים ק) וָכָעַס | 19 It is better to dwell in a wilderness than with a quarrelsome and vexatious wife. |
20 אֹוצָר ׀ נֶחְמָד וָשֶׁמֶן בִּנְוֵה חָכָם וּכְסִיל אָדָם יְבַלְּעֶנּוּ | 20 Precious treasure remains in the house of the wise, but the fool consumes it. |
21 רֹדֵף צְדָקָה וָחָסֶד יִמְצָא חַיִּים צְדָקָה וְכָבֹוד | 21 He who pursues justice and kindness will find life and honor. |
22 עִיר גִּבֹּרִים עָלָה חָכָם וַיֹּרֶד עֹז מִבְטֶחָה | 22 The wise man storms a city of the mighty, and overthrows the stronghold in which it trusts. |
23 שֹׁמֵר פִּיו וּלְשֹׁונֹו שֹׁמֵר מִצָּרֹות נַפְשֹׁו | 23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from trouble. |
24 זֵד יָהִיר לֵץ שְׁמֹו עֹושֶׂה בְּעֶבְרַת זָדֹון | 24 Arrogant is the name for the man of overbearing pride who acts with scornful effrontery. |
25 תַּאֲוַת עָצֵל תְּמִיתֶנּוּ כִּי־מֵאֲנוּ יָדָיו לַעֲשֹׂות | 25 The sluggard's propensity slays him, for his hands refuse to work. |
26 כָּל־הַיֹּום הִתְאַוָּה תַאֲוָה וְצַדִּיק יִתֵּן וְלֹא יַחְשֹׂךְ | 26 Some are consumed with avarice all the day, but the just man gives unsparingly. |
27 זֶבַח רְשָׁעִים תֹּועֵבָה אַף כִּי־בְזִמָּה יְבִיאֶנּוּ | 27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, the more so when they offer it with a bad intention. |
28 עֵד־כְּזָבִים יֹאבֵד וְאִישׁ ומֵעַ לָנֶצַח יְדַבֵּר | 28 The false witness will perish, but he who listens will finally have his say. |
29 הֵעֵז אִישׁ רָשָׁע בְּפָנָיו וְיָשָׁר הוּא ׀ [יָכִין כ] (יָבִין ק) [דְּרָכָיו כ] (דַּרְכֹּו׃ ק) | 29 The wicked man is brazenfaced, but the upright man pays heed to his ways. |
30 אֵין חָכְמָה וְאֵין תְּבוּנָה וְאֵין עֵצָה לְנֶגֶד יְהוָה׃ פ | 30 There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel, against the LORD. |
31 סוּס מוּכָן לְיֹום מִלְחָמָה וְלַיהוָה הַתְּשׁוּעָה | 31 The horse is equipped for the day of battle, but victory is the LORD'S. |