1 סְבָבֻנִי בְכַחַשׁ אֶפְרַיִם וּבְמִרְמָה בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוּדָה עֹד רָד עִם־אֵל וְעִם־קְדֹושִׁים נֶאֱמָן | 1 If thou do good, know to whom thou dost it, and there shall be much thanks for thy good deeds. |
2 אֶפְרַיִם רֹעֶה רוּחַ וְרֹדֵף קָדִים כָּל־הַיֹּום כָּזָב וָשֹׁד יַרְבֶּה וּבְרִית עִם־אַשּׁוּר יִכְרֹתוּ וְשֶׁמֶן לְמִצְרַיִם יוּבָל | 2 Do good to the just, and thou shalt find great recompense: and if not of him, assuredly of the Lord. |
3 וְרִיב לַיהוָה עִם־יְהוּדָה וְלִפְקֹד עַל־יַעֲקֹב כִּדְרָכָיו כְּמַעֲלָלָיו יָשִׁיב לֹו | 3 For there is no good for him that is always occupied in evil, and that giveth no alms: for the Highest hateth sinners, and hath mercy on the penitent. |
4 בַּבֶּטֶן עָקַב אֶת־אָחִיו וּבְאֹונֹו שָׂרָה אֶת־אֱלֹהִים | 4 Give to the merciful and uphold not the sinner: God will repay vengeance to the ungodly and to sinners, and keep them against the day of vengeance. |
5 וָיָּשַׂר אֶל־מַלְאָךְ וַיֻּכָל בָּכָה וַיִּתְחַנֶּן־לֹו בֵּית־אֵל יִמְצָאֶנּוּ וְשָׁם יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ | 5 Give to the good, and receive not a sinner. |
6 וַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הַצְּבָאֹות יְהוָה זִכְרֹו | 6 Do good to the humble, and give not to the ungodly: hold back thy bread, and give it not to him, lest thereby he overmaster thee. |
7 וְאַתָּה בֵּאלֹהֶיךָ תָשׁוּב חֶסֶד וּמִשְׁפָּט שְׁמֹר וְקַוֵּה אֶל־אֱלֹהֶיךָ תָּמִיד | 7 For thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou shalt have done to him: for the Highest also hateth sinners, and will repay vengeance to the ungodly. |
8 כְּנַעַן בְּיָדֹו מֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה לַעֲשֹׁק אָהֵב | 8 A friend shall not be known in prosperity, and an enemy shall not 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, his enemies are grieved: and a friend is known in his adversity. |
10 וְאָנֹכִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם עֹד אֹושִׁיבְךָ בָאֳהָלִים כִּימֵי מֹועֵד | 10 Never trust thy enemy: for as a brass pot his wickedness rusteth: |
11 וְדִבַּרְתִּי עַל־הַנְּבִיאִים וְאָנֹכִי חָזֹון הִרְבֵּיתִי וּבְיַד הַנְּבִיאִים אֲדַמֶּה | 11 ,11Though he humble himself and go crouching, yet take good heed and beware of him. |
12 אִם־גִּלְעָד אָוֶן אַךְ־שָׁוְא הָיוּ בַּגִּלְגָּל שְׁוָרִים זִבֵּחוּ גַּם מִזְבְּחֹותָם כְּגַלִּים עַל תַּלְמֵי שָׂדָי | 12 Set him not by thee, neither let him sit on thy right hand, lest he turn into thy place, and seek to take thy seat: and at the last thou acknowledge my words, and be pricked with my sayings. |
13 וַיִּבְרַח יַעֲקֹב שְׂדֵה אֲרָם וַיַּעֲבֹד יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאִשָּׁה וּבְאִשָּׁה שָׁמָר | 13 Who will pity an enchanter struck by a serpent, or any that come near wild beasts? so is it with him that keepeth company with a wicked man, and is involved in his sins. |
14 וּבְנָבִיא הֶעֱלָה יְהוָה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם וּבְנָבִיא נִשְׁמָר | 14 For an hour he will abide with thee: but if thou begin to decline, he will not endure it. |
15 הִכְעִיס אֶפְרַיִם תַּמְרוּרִים וְדָמָיו עָלָיו יִטֹּושׁ וְחֶרְפָּתֹו יָשִׁיב לֹו אֲדֹנָיו | 15 An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he lieth in wait, to throw thee into a pit. |
| 16 An enemy weepeth with his eyes: but if he find an opportunity he will not be satisfied with blood: |
| 17 And if evils come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first. |
| 18 An enemy hath tears in his eyes, and while he pretendeth to help thee, will undermine thy feet. |
| 19 He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance. |