Proverbs 20
Proverbs on drink, kings, and honest dealing
לֵץ הַיַּין הֹמֶה שֵׁכָר וְכָל-שֹׁגֶה בּוֹ לֹא יֶחְכָּֽם׃
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
נַהַם כַּכְּפִיר אֵימַת מֶלֶךְ מִתְעַבְּרוֹ חוֹטֵא נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
כָּבוֹד לָאִישׁ שֶׁבֶת מֵרִיב וְכָל-אֱוִיל יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
מֵחֹרֶף עָצֵל לֹא-יַחֲרֹשׁ (ישאל) וְשָׁאַל בַּקָּצִיר וָאָֽיִן׃
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
מַיִם עֲמֻקִּים עֵצָה בְלֶב-אִישׁ וְאִישׁ תְּבוּנָה יִדְלֶֽנָּה׃
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
רָב-אָדָם יִקְרָא אִישׁ חַסְדּוֹ וְאִישׁ אֱמוּנִים מִי יִמְצָֽא׃
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּתֻמּוֹ צַדִּיק אַשְׁרֵי בָנָיו אַחֲרָֽיו׃
The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
מֶלֶךְ יוֹשֵׁב עַל-כִּסֵּא-דִין מְזָרֶה בְעֵינָיו כָּל-רָֽע׃
A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
מִֽי-יֹאמַר זִכִּיתִי לִבִּי טָהַרְתִּי מֵחַטָּאתִֽי׃
Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
אֶבֶן וָאֶבֶן אֵיפָה וְאֵיפָה תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה גַּם-שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.
גַּם בְּמַעֲלָלָיו יִתְנַכֶּר-נָעַר אִם-זַךְ וְאִם-יָשָׁר פָּעֳלֽוֹ׃
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
אֹזֶן שֹׁמַעַת וְעַיִן רֹאָה יְהוָה עָשָׂה גַם-שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
אַל-תֶּֽאֱהַב שֵׁנָה פֶּן-תִּוָּרֵשׁ פְּקַח עֵינֶיךָ שְֽׂבַֽע-לָֽחֶם׃
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
רַע רַע יֹאמַר הַקּוֹנֶה וְאֹזֵל לוֹ אָז יִתְהַלָּֽל׃
It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
יֵשׁ זָהָב וְרָב-פְּנִינִים וּכְלִי יְקָר שִׂפְתֵי-דָֽעַת׃
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
לְֽקַח-בִּגְדוֹ כִּי-עָרַב זָר וּבְעַד (נכרים) נָכְרִיָּה חַבְלֵֽהוּ׃
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
עָרֵב לָאִישׁ לֶחֶם שָׁקֶר וְאַחַר יִמָּֽלֵא-פִיהוּ חָצָֽץ׃
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
מַחֲשָׁבוֹת בְּעֵצָה תִכּוֹן וּבְתַחְבֻּלוֹת עֲשֵׂה מִלְחָמָֽה׃
Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
גּֽוֹלֶה-סּוֹד הוֹלֵךְ רָכִיל וּלְפֹתֶה שְׂפָתָיו לֹא תִתְעָרָֽב׃
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
מְקַלֵּל אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ יִֽדְעַךְ נֵרוֹ (באישון) בֶּאֱשׁוּן חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
נַחֲלָה (מבחלת) מְבֹהֶלֶת בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ לֹא תְבֹרָֽךְ׃
An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
אַל-תֹּאמַר אֲשַׁלְּמָה-רָע קַוֵּה לַֽיהוָה וְיֹשַֽׁע לָֽךְ׃
Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה אֶבֶן וָאָבֶן וּמֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה לֹא-טֽוֹב׃
Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
מֵיְהוָה מִצְעֲדֵי-גָבֶר וְאָדָם מַה-יָּבִין דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃
Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
מוֹקֵשׁ אָדָם יָלַע קֹדֶשׁ וְאַחַר נְדָרִים לְבַקֵּֽר׃
It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry.
מְזָרֶה רְשָׁעִים מֶלֶךְ חָכָם וַיָּשֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶם אוֹפָֽן׃
A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
נֵר יְהוָה נִשְׁמַת אָדָם חֹפֵשׂ כָּל-חַדְרֵי-בָֽטֶן׃
The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת יִצְּרוּ-מֶלֶךְ וְסָעַד בַּחֶסֶד כִּסְאֽוֹ׃
Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
תִּפְאֶרֶת בַּחוּרִים כֹּחָם וַהֲדַר זְקֵנִים שֵׂיבָֽה׃
The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
חַבֻּרוֹת פֶּצַע (תמריק) תַּמְרוּק בְּרָע וּמַכּוֹת חַדְרֵי-בָֽטֶן׃
The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.