1The king’sמֶ֭לֶךְMe.lekhH4428heartלֶב־lev-H3820is a waterwayפַּלְגֵי־ מַ֣יִםpal.gei- Ma.yimH6388H4325in the handבְּיַד־be.yad-H3027of the LORDיְהוָ֑הYah.wehH3068;He directs itיַטֶּֽנּוּ׃ya.Te.nuH5186whereעַֽל־ כָּל־'al- kol-H5921H3605אֲשֶׁ֖ר'a.SherH834He pleasesיַחְפֹּ֣ץyach.PotzH2654.
2Allכָּֽל־kal-H3605a man’sאִ֭ישׁ'ishH376waysדֶּרֶךְ־de.rekh-H1870seemבְּעֵינָ֑יוbe.'ei.NavH5869right to himיָשָׁ֣רya.SharH3477,but the LORDיְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068weighsוְתֹכֵ֖ןve.to.KhenH8505the heartלִבּ֣וֹתli.BotH3826.
3To doעֲ֭שֹׂה'A.sohH6213righteousnessצְדָקָ֣הtze.da.KahH6666and justiceוּמִשְׁפָּ֑טu.mish.PatH4941is more desirableנִבְחָ֖רniv.CharH977to the LORDלַיהוָ֣הla.Yah.wehH3068than sacrificeמִזָּֽבַח׃mi.Za.vachH2077.
4Haughtyרוּם־rum-H7312eyesעֵ֭ינַיִם'Ei.na.yimH5869and a proudוּרְחַב־u.re.chav-H7342heartלֵ֑בLevH3820—the guidesנִ֖רnirH5216of the wickedרְשָׁעִ֣יםre.sha.'ImH7563—aresinחַטָּֽאת׃cha.TatH2403.
5The plansמַחְשְׁב֣וֹתmach.she.VotH4284of the diligentחָ֭רוּץCha.rutzH2742אַךְ־'akh-H389bring plentyלְמוֹתָ֑רle.mo.TarH4195,as surelyאַךְ־'akh-H389וְכָל־ve.kholH3605as hasteאָ֝֗ץ'AtzH213leadsto povertyלְמַחְסֽוֹר׃le.mach.SorH4270.
6Makingפֹּ֣עַלPo.'alH6467a fortuneא֭וֹצָרוֹת'o.tza.rotH214by a lyingשָׁ֑קֶרSha.kerH8267tongueבִּלְשׁ֣וֹןbil.ShonH3956is a vanishingנִ֝דָּ֗ףni.DafH5086mistהֶ֥בֶלHe.velH1892,a deadlyמָֽוֶת׃Ma.vetH4194pursuitמְבַקְשֵׁי־me.vak.shei-H1245.
7The violenceשֹׁד־shod-H7701of the wickedרְשָׁעִ֥יםre.sha.'ImH7563will sweep them awayיְגוֹרֵ֑םye.go.RemH1641becauseכִּ֥יkiH3588they refuseמֵ֝אֲנ֗וּme.'a.NuH3985to doלַעֲשׂ֥וֹתla.'a.SotH6213what is justמִשְׁפָּֽט׃mish.PatH4941.
8The wayדֶּ֣רֶךְDe.rekhH1870of a guiltyוָזָ֑רva.ZarH2054manאִ֣ישׁ'ishH376is crookedהֲפַכְפַּ֬ךְha.fakh.PakhH2019,but the conductפָּעֳלֽוֹ׃po.'o.LoH6467of the innocentוְ֝זַ֗ךְve.ZakhH2134is uprightיָשָׁ֥רya.SharH3477.
9Betterט֗וֹבTovH2896to liveלָשֶׁ֥בֶתla.She.vetH3427onעַל־'al-H5921a cornerפִּנַּת־pi.nat-H6438of the roofגָּ֑גGagH1406than to shareH2267a houseוּבֵ֥יתu.VeitH1004with a quarrelsomeמִ֝דְיָנִ֗יםmid.ya.NimH4079wifeמֵאֵ֥שֶׁתme.'E.shetH802.
10The soulנֶ֣פֶשׁNe.feshH5315of the wickedרָ֭שָׁעRa.sho'H7563mancravesאִוְּתָה־'i.ve.tah-H183evilרָ֑עRa'H7451;his neighborרֵעֵֽהוּ׃re.'E.huH7453finds no favorלֹא־ יֻחַ֖ןlo'- yu.ChanH2603H3808in his eyesבְּעֵינָ֣יוbe.'ei.NavH5869.
11When a mockerלֵ֭ץletzH3887is punishedבַּעְנָשׁ־ba'.nosh-H6064,the simpleפֶּ֑תִיPe.tiH6612gain wisdomיֶחְכַּם־yech.kam-H2449;and when a wise manלְ֝חָכָ֗םle.cha.KhamH2450is instructedוּבְהַשְׂכִּ֥ילu.ve.has.KilH7919,he acquiresיִקַּח־yi.kach-H3947knowledgeדָּֽעַת׃Da.'atH1847.
12The Righteous Oneצַ֭דִּיקTza.dikH6662considersמַשְׂכִּ֣ילmas.KilH7919the houseלְבֵ֣יתle.VeitH1004of the wickedרָשָׁ֑עra.Sha'H7563andbringsמְסַלֵּ֖ףme.sa.LefH5557the wickedרְשָׁעִ֣יםre.sha.'ImH7563to ruinלָרָֽע׃la.Ra'H7451.
13Whoever shutsאֹטֵ֣ם'o.TemH331his earsאָ֭זְנוֹ'a.ze.noH241to the cryמִזַּעֲקַת־mi.za.'a.kat-H2201of the poorדָּ֑לDalH1800,heה֥וּאhu'H1931tooגַּֽם־gam-H1571shall cry outיִ֝קְרָ֗אyik.Ra'H7121and receive no answerוְלֹ֣א יֵעָנֶֽה׃ve.Lo' ye.'a.NehH3808H6030.
14A giftמַתָּ֣ןma.TanH4976in secretבַּ֭סֵּתֶרBa.se.terH5643soothesיִכְפֶּה־yikh.peh-H3711angerאָ֑ף'AfH639,and a covertבַּ֝חֵ֗קba.ChekH2436bribeוְשֹׁ֥חַדve.Sho.chadH7810pacifiesgreatעַזָּֽה׃'a.ZahH5794wrathחֵמָ֥הche.MahH2534.
15Justiceמִשְׁפָּ֑טmish.PatH4941executedעֲשׂ֣וֹתa.SotH6213is a joyשִׂמְחָ֣הsim.ChahH8057to the righteousלַ֭צַּדִּיקLa.tza.dikH6662,but a terrorוּ֝מְחִתָּ֗הu.me.chi.TahH4288to the workersלְפֹ֣עֲלֵיle.Fo.'a.leiH6466of iniquityאָֽוֶן׃'A.venH205.
16The manאָדָ֗ם'a.DamH120who straysתּ֭וֹעֶהTo.'ehH8582from the pathמִדֶּ֣רֶךְmi.De.rekhH1870of understandingהַשְׂכֵּ֑לhas.KelH7919will restיָנֽוּחַ׃ya.Nu.achH5117in the assemblyבִּקְהַ֖לbik.HalH6951of the deadרְפָאִ֣יםre.fa.'ImH7496.
17He who lovesאֹהֵ֣ב'o.HevH157pleasureשִׂמְחָ֑הsim.ChahH8057will become poorאִ֣ישׁ מַ֭חְסוֹר'ish Mach.sorH4270H376;the one who lovesאֹהֵ֥ב'o.HevH157wineיַֽיִן־ya.yin-H3196and oilוָ֝שֶׁ֗מֶןva.She.menH8081will neverלֹ֣אlo'H3808be richיַעֲשִֽׁיר׃ya.'a.ShirH6238.
18The wickedרָשָׁ֑עra.Sha'H7563becomea ransomכֹּ֣פֶרKo.ferH3724for the righteousלַצַּדִּ֣יקla.tza.DikH6662,and the faithlessבּוֹגֵֽד׃bo.GedH898forוְתַ֖חַתve.Ta.chatH8478the uprightיְשָׁרִ֣יםye.sha.RimH3477.
19Betterט֗וֹבTovH2896to liveשֶׁ֥בֶתShe.vetH3427in the desertבְּאֶֽרֶץ־ מִדְבָּ֑רbe.'e.retz- mid.BarH776H4057than with a contentiousH4066and ill-temperedוָכָֽעַס׃va.Kha.'asH3708wifeמֵאֵ֖שֶׁתme.'E.shetH802.
20Preciousנֶחְמָ֣דnech.MadH2530treasuresאוֹצָ֤ר׀'o.TzarH214and oilוָ֭שֶׁמֶןVa.she.menH8081are in the dwellingבִּנְוֵ֣הbin.VehH5116of the wiseחָכָ֑םcha.KhamH2450,but a foolishוּכְסִ֖ילu.khe.SilH3684manאָדָ֣ם'a.DamH120consumes themיְבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃ye.val.le.'E.nuH1104.
21He who pursuesרֹ֭דֵףRo.defH7291righteousnessצְדָקָ֣הtze.da.KahH6666and loving devotionוָחָ֑סֶדva.Cha.sedH2617findsיִמְצָ֥אyim.Tza'H4672lifeחַ֝יִּ֗יםchai.YimH2416,righteousnessצְדָקָ֥הtze.da.KahH6666,and honorוְכָבֽוֹד׃ve.kha.VodH3519.
22A wiseחָכָ֑םcha.KhamH2450manscalesעָלָ֣ה'a.LahH5927the cityעִ֣יר'irH5892of the mightyגִּ֭בֹּרִיםGi.bo.rimH1368and pulls downוַ֝יֹּ֗רֶדvai.Yo.redH3381the strongholdעֹ֣ז'ozH5797in which they trustמִבְטֶחָֽה׃miv.te.ChahH4009.
23He who guardsשֹׁמֵ֣רsho.MerH8104his mouthפִּ֭יוpivH6310and tongueוּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹu.le.sho.NoH3956keepsשֹׁמֵ֖רsho.MerH8104his soulנַפְשֽׁוֹ׃naf.ShoH5315from distressמִצָּר֣וֹתmi.tza.RotH6869.
24Mockerלֵ֣ץletzH3887is the nameשְׁמ֑וֹshe.MoH8034of the proudזֵ֣דzedH2086and arrogant manיָ֭הִירYa.hirH3093—of him who actsע֝וֹשֶׂ֗הo.SehH6213with excessiveבְּעֶבְרַ֥תbe.'ev.RatH5678prideזָדֽוֹן׃za.DonH2087.
25The cravingתַּאֲוַ֣תta.'a.VatH8378of the slackerעָצֵ֣ל'a.TzelH6102kills himתְּמִיתֶ֑נּוּte.mi.Te.nuH4191becauseכִּֽי־ki-H3588his handsיָדָ֣יוya.DavH3027refuseמֵאֲנ֖וּme.'a.NuH3985to workלַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃la.'a.SotH6213.
26Allכָּל־kol-H3605day longהַ֭יּוֹםHai.yomH3117he covetsהִתְאַוָּ֣הhit.'a.VahH183moreתַאֲוָ֑הta.'a.VahH8378,but the righteousוְצַדִּ֥יקve.tza.DikH6662giveיִ֝תֵּ֗ןyi.TenH5414withoutוְלֹ֣אve.Lo'H3808restraintיַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃yach.SokhH2820.
27The sacrificeזֶ֣בַחZe.vachH2077of the wickedרְ֭שָׁעִיםRe.sha.'imH7563is detestableתּוֹעֵבָ֑הto.'e.VahH8441—how much more soאַ֝֗ף'AfH637whenכִּֽי־ki-H3588broughtיְבִיאֶֽנּוּ׃ye.vi.'E.nuH935with ill intentבְזִמָּ֥הve.zi.MahH2154!
28A lyingכְּזָבִ֥יםke.za.VimH3577witnessעֵד־'ed-H5707will perishיֹאבֵ֑דyo.VedH6,but the manוְאִ֥ישׁve.'IshH376who listensשׁ֝וֹמֵ֗עַSho.Me.a'H8085to truthwill speakיְדַבֵּֽר׃ye.da.BerH1696foreverלָנֶ֥צַחla.Ne.tzachH5331.
29A wickedרָשָׁ֣עra.Sha'H7563manאִ֣ישׁ'ishH376hardensהֵעֵ֬זhe.'EzH5810his faceבְּפָנָ֑יוbe.fa.NavH6440,but the uprightוְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר ה֤וּא׀ve.ya.Shar hu'H3477H1931manmakesH3559his way sureדַּרְכּֽוֹ׃de.ra.khavH1870.
31A horseס֗וּסSusH5483is preparedמ֭וּכָןMu.khonH3559for the dayלְי֣וֹםle.YomH3117of battleמִלְחָמָ֑הmil.cha.MahH4421,but victoryהַתְּשׁוּעָֽה׃ha.te.shu.'AhH8668isof the LORDוְ֝לַֽיהוָ֗הve.la.Yah.wehH3068.
Commentaries