1A good nameשֵׁ֭םShemH8034is more desirableנִבְחָ֣רniv.CharH977than greatרָ֑בRavH7227richesמֵעֹ֣שֶׁרme.'O.sherH6239;favorחֵ֣ןchenH2580is betterטֽוֹב׃TovH2896than silverמִכֶּ֥סֶףmi.Ke.sefH3701and goldוּ֝מִזָּהָ֗בu.mi.za.HavH2091.
2The richעָשִׁ֣יר'a.ShirH6223and the poorוָרָ֣שׁva.RashH7326have this in commonנִפְגָּ֑שׁוּnif.Ga.shuH6298:The LORDיְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068isMakerעֹשֵׂ֖ה'o.SehH6213of them allכֻלָּ֣םkhu.LamH3605.
3The prudentעָר֤וּם׀'a.RumH6175seeרָאָ֣הra.'AhH7200dangerרָעָ֣הra.'AhH7451and take coverוְנִסְתָּ֑רve.yi.sa.terH5641,but the simpleוּ֝פְתָיִ֗יםu.fe.ta.YimH6612keep goingעָבְר֥וּ'a.ve.RuH5674and suffer the consequencesוְֽנֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ׃Ve.ne.'e.Na.shuH6064.
4The rewardsעֵ֣קֶב'E.kevH6118of humilityעֲ֭נָוָה'A.na.vahH6038andthe fearיִרְאַ֣תyir.'AtH3374of the LORDיְהוָ֑הYah.wehH3068arewealthעֹ֖שֶׁר'O.sherH6239and honorוְכָב֣וֹדve.kha.VodH3519and lifeוְחַיִּֽים׃ve.chai.YimH2416.
5Thornsצִנִּ֣יםtzi.NimH6791and snaresפַּ֭חִיםPa.chimH6341lieon the pathבְּדֶ֣רֶךְbe.De.rekhH1870of the perverseעִקֵּ֑שׁ'i.KeshH6141;he who guardsשׁוֹמֵ֥רsho.MerH8104his soulנַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹnaf.ShoH5315stays farיִרְחַ֥קyir.ChakH7368from them.
6Train upחֲנֹ֣ךְcha.NokhH2596a childלַ֭נַּעַרLa.na.'arH5288inעַל־'al-H5921the wayדַרְכּ֑וֹdar.KoH1870he should goפִּ֣יpiH6310,andגַּ֥םgamH1571whenכִּֽי־ki-H3588he is oldיַ֝זְקִ֗יןyaz.KinH2204he will notלֹֽא־lo'-H3808departיָס֥וּרya.SurH5493from itמִמֶּֽנָּה׃mi.Me.nahH4480.
7The richעָ֭שִׁיר'A.shirH6223ruleיִמְשׁ֑וֹלyim.SholH4910over the poorבְּרָשִׁ֣יםbe.ra.ShimH7326,and the borrowerלֹ֝וֶ֗ה לְאִ֣ישׁlo.Veh le.'IshH3867H376is slaveוְעֶ֥בֶדve.'E.vedH5650to the lenderמַלְוֶֽה׃mal.VehH3867.
8He who sowsזוֹרֵ֣עַzo.Re.a'H2232injusticeעַ֭וְלָה'Av.lahH5766will reap disasterיִקְצָר אָ֑וֶןyik.tzor- 'A.venH7114H205,and the rodוְשֵׁ֖בֶטve.She.vetH7626of his furyעֶבְרָת֣וֹev.ra.ToH5678will be destroyedיִכְלֶֽה׃yikh.LehH3615.
9A generousטֽוֹב־ עַ֭יִן ה֣וּאtov- 'A.yin hu'H2896H5869H1931manwill be blessedיְבֹרָ֑ךְye.vo.RakhH1288,forכִּֽי־ki-H3588he sharesנָתַ֖ןna.TanH5414his breadמִלַּחְמ֣וֹmi.lach.MoH3899with the poorלַדָּֽל׃la.DalH1800.
11He who lovesאֹהֵ֥ב'o.HevH157a pure heartטְהָר לֵ֑בte.hor- LevH2889H3820and graciousחֵ֥ןchenH2580lipsשְׂ֝פָתָ֗יוSe.fa.TavH8193will havethe kingמֶֽלֶךְ׃Me.lekhH4428for a friendרֵעֵ֥הוּre.'E.huH7453.
12The LORD’sיְ֭הוָהYah.wehH3068eyesעֵינֵ֣י'ei.NeiH5869keep watch overנָ֣צְרוּNa.tze.ruH5341knowledgeדָ֑עַתDa.'atH1847,but He frustratesוַ֝יְסַלֵּ֗ףvay.sa.LefH5557the wordsדִּבְרֵ֥יdiv.ReiH1697of the faithlessבֹגֵֽד׃vo.GedH898.
13The slackerעָ֭צֵל'A.tzelH6102saysאָמַ֣ר'a.MarH559, “There isa lionאֲרִ֣י'a.RiH738outsideבַח֑וּץva.ChutzH2351!I will be slainאֵֽרָצֵֽחַ׃'E.ra.Tze.achH7523inבְּת֥וֹךְbe.TokhH8432the streetsרְ֝חֹב֗וֹתre.cho.VotH7339!”
14The mouthפִּ֣יpiH6310of an adulteressזָר֑וֹתza.RotH2114is a deepעֲ֭מֻקָּה'A.mu.kahH6013pitשׁוּחָ֣הshu.ChahH7745;he who is under the wrathזְע֥וּםze.'UmH2194of the LORDיְ֝הוָ֗הYah.wehH3068will fallיִפָּלyi.pol-H5307into itשָֽׁם׃ShamH8033.
15Foolishnessאִ֭וֶּלֶת'I.ve.letH200isbound upקְשׁוּרָ֣הke.shu.RahH7194in the heartבְלֶב־ve.lev-H3820of a childנָ֑עַרNa.'arH5288, butthe rodשֵׁ֥בֶטShe.vetH7626of disciplineמ֝וּסָ֗רmu.SarH4148drives it farיַרְחִיקֶ֥נָּהyar.chi.Ke.nahH7368from himמִמֶּֽנּוּ׃mi.Me.nuH4480.
Thirty Sayings of the Wise
Saying 1
16Oppressingעֹ֣שֵֽׁק'O.shekH6231the poorדָּ֭לdalH1800to enrichלְהַרְבּ֣וֹתle.har.BotH7235oneselfor giving giftsנֹתֵ֥ןno.TenH5414to the richלְ֝עָשִׁ֗ירle.'a.ShirH6223willsurely leadאַךְ־'akh-H389to povertyלְמַחְסֽוֹר׃le.mach.SorH4270.
17Inclineהַ֥טhatH5186your earאָזְנְךָ֗'a.ze.ne.KhaH241and hearוּ֭שְׁמַעU.she.ma'H8085the wordsדִּבְרֵ֣יdiv.ReiH1697of the wiseחֲכָמִ֑יםcha.kha.MimH2450—applyתָּשִׁ֥יתta.ShitH7896your mindוְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ve.li.be.khaH3820to my knowledgeלְדַעְתִּֽי׃le.da'.TiH1847—
18forכִּֽי־ki-H3588it is pleasingנָ֭עִיםNa.'imH5273whenכִּֽי־ki-H3588you keep themתִשְׁמְרֵ֣םtish.me.RemH8104within youבְּבִטְנֶ֑ךָ יִכֹּ֥נוּbe.vit.Ne.kha yi.Ko.nuH990H3559and they are constantlyיַ֝חְדָּ֗וyach.DavH3162onעַל־'al-H5921your lipsשְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃se.fa.Tei.khaH8193.
19So that your trustמִבְטַחֶ֑ךָmiv.ta.Che.khaH4009may beלִהְי֣וֹתlih.YotH1961in the LORDבַּ֭יהוָהba.Yah.wehH3068,I instruct youהוֹדַעְתִּ֖יךָho.da'.Ti.khaH3045todayהַיּ֣וֹםhai.YomH3117—yesאַף־'af-H637,youאָֽתָּה׃'A.tahH859.
20Have I notהֲלֹ֤אha.Lo'H3808writtenכָתַ֣בְתִּיkha.Tav.tiH3789for youthirty sayingsH8032about counselבְּמ֖וֹעֵצֹ֣תbe.Mo.'e.TzotH4156and knowledgeוָדָֽעַת׃va.Da.'atH1847,
Saying 2
21to show youלְהוֹדִֽיעֲךָ֗le.ho.di.'a.KhaH3045trueקֹ֭שְׁטְKo.shetH7189and reliableאֱמֶ֑ת'e.MetH571wordsאִמְרֵ֣י'im.ReiH561,that you mayלְהָשִׁ֥יבle.ha.ShivH7725soundlyאֱ֝מֶ֗ת'e.MetH571answerאֲמָרִ֥ים'a.ma.RimH561those who sent youלְשֹׁלְחֶֽיךָ׃ פle.sho.le.Chei.khaH7971?
22Do notאַֽל־'al-H408robתִּגְזָל־tig.zol-H1497a poorדָּ֭לdalH1800man becauseכִּ֣יkiH3588heה֑וּאHu'H1931is poorדַל־dal-H1800,and do notוְאַל־ve.'al-H408crushתְּדַכֵּ֖אte.da.Ke'H1792the afflictedעָנִ֣י'a.NiH6041at the gateבַשָּֽׁעַר׃va.Sha.'arH8179,
Saying 3
23forכִּֽי־ki-H3588the LORDיְ֭הוָהYah.wehH3068will take upיָרִ֣יבya.RivH7378their caseרִיבָ֑םri.VamH7379and will plunderוְקָבַ֖עve.ka.Va'H6906אֶת־'et-H853those who rob themקֹבְעֵיהֶ֣ם נָֽפֶשׁ׃koe.'ei.Hem Na.feshH6906H5315.
24Do notאַל־'al-H408make friendsתִּ֭תְרַעTit.ra'H7462withאֶת־'et-H854an angryאָ֑ף'AfH639manבַּ֣עַלBa.'alH1167,and do notלֹ֣אlo'H3808associateתָבֽוֹא׃ta.Vo'H935withוְאֶת־ve.'EtH854a hot-temperedחֵ֝מוֹתChe.motH2534manאִ֥ישׁ'ishH376,
Saying 4
25orפֶּן־pen-H6435you may learnתֶּאֱלַ֥ףte.'e.LafH502his waysאֹֽרְחֹתָ֑יו'a.re.cha.tovH734and entangleוְלָקַחְתָּ֖ve.la.kach.TaH3947yourselfלְנַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃le.naf.She.khaH5315in a snareמוֹקֵ֣שׁmo.KeshH4170.
26Do notאַל־'al-H408beתְּהִ֥יte.HiH1961one who gives pledgesבְתֹֽקְעֵי־ כָ֑ףve.to.ke.'ei- KhafH8628H3709,who puts up securityבַּ֝עֹרְבִ֗יםba.'o.re.VimH6148for debtsמַשָּׁאֽוֹת׃ma.sha.'otH4859.
Saying 5
27Ifאִם־'im-H518you have nothingאֵֽין־'ein-H369with whichto payלְשַׁלֵּ֑םle.sha.LemH7999,whyלָ֥מָּהLa.mahH4100should your bedמִ֝שְׁכָּבְךָ֗mish.ka.ve.khaH4904be takenיִקַּ֥חyi.KachH3947from under youמִתַּחְתֶּֽיךָ׃mi.tach.Tei.khaH8478?
29Do you seeחָזִ֡יתָcha.Zi.taH2372a manאִ֤ישׁ׀'ishH376skilledמָ֘הִ֤ירma.HirH4106in his workבִּמְלַאכְתּ֗וֹbim.lakh.ToH4399?He will be stationedיִתְיַצָּ֑בyit.ya.TzavH3320in the presenceלִֽפְנֵֽי־lif.nei-H6440of kingsמְלָכִ֥יםme.la.KhimH4428;he will notבַּל־bal-H1077standיִ֝תְיַצֵּבYit.ya.tzevH3320beforeלִפְנֵ֥יlif.NeiH6440obscure menחֲשֻׁכִּֽים׃ פcha.shu.KimH2823.
Commentaries