Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
1 לֵ֣ץ הַ֭יַּין הֹמֶ֣ה שֵׁכָ֑ר וְכָל־שֹׁ֥גֶה בּ֝֗וֹ לֹ֣א יֶחְכָּֽם׃
2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
2 נַ֣הַם כַּ֭כְּפִיר אֵ֣ימַת מֶ֑לֶךְ מִ֝תְעַבְּר֗וֹ חוֹטֵ֥א נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
3 כָּב֣וֹד לָ֭אִישׁ שֶׁ֣בֶת מֵרִ֑יב וְכָל־אֱ֝וִ֗יל יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
4 מֵ֭חֹרֶף עָצֵ֣ל לֹא־יַחֲרֹ֑שׁ *ישאל **וְשָׁאַ֖ל בַּקָּצִ֣יר וָאָֽיִן׃
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
5 מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים עֵצָ֣ה בְלֶב־אִ֑ישׁ וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּבוּנָ֣ה יִדְלֶֽנָּה׃
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
6 רָב־אָדָ֗ם יִ֭קְרָא אִ֣ישׁ חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְאִ֥ישׁ אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים מִ֣י יִמְצָֽא׃
7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
7 מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֣וֹ צַדִּ֑יק אַשְׁרֵ֖י בָנָ֣יו אַחֲרָֽיו׃
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
8 מֶ֗לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֥ב עַל־כִּסֵּא־דִ֑ין מְזָרֶ֖ה בְעֵינָ֣יו כָּל־רָֽע׃
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
9 מִֽי־יֹ֭אמַר זִכִּ֣יתִי לִבִּ֑י טָ֝הַ֗רְתִּי מֵחַטָּאתִֽי׃
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.
10 אֶ֣בֶן וָ֭אֶבֶן אֵיפָ֣ה וְאֵיפָ֑ה תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
11 גַּ֣ם בְּ֭מַעֲלָלָיו יִתְנַכֶּר־נָ֑עַר אִם־זַ֖ךְ וְאִם־יָשָׁ֣ר פָּעֳלֽוֹ׃
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.
12 אֹ֣זֶן שֹׁ֭מַעַת וְעַ֣יִן רֹאָ֑ה יְ֝הוָ֗ה עָשָׂ֥ה גַם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
13 אַל־תֶּֽאֱהַ֣ב שֵׁ֭נָה פֶּן־תִּוָּרֵ֑שׁ פְּקַ֖ח עֵינֶ֣יךָ שְֽׂבַֽע־לָֽחֶם׃
14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
14 רַ֣ע רַ֭ע יֹאמַ֣ר הַקּוֹנֶ֑ה וְאֹזֵ֥ל ל֝֗וֹ אָ֣ז יִתְהַלָּֽל׃
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
15 יֵ֣שׁ זָ֭הָב וְרָב־פְּנִינִ֑ים וּכְלִ֥י יְ֝קָ֗ר שִׂפְתֵי־דָֽעַת׃
16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
16 לְֽקַח־בִּ֭גְדוֹ כִּי־עָ֣רַב זָ֑ר וּבְעַ֖ד *נכרים **נָכְרִיָּ֣ה חַבְלֵֽהוּ׃
17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
17 עָרֵ֣ב לָ֭אִישׁ לֶ֣חֶם שָׁ֑קֶר וְ֝אַחַ֗ר יִמָּֽלֵא־פִ֥יהוּ חָצָֽץ׃
18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
18 מַ֭חֲשָׁבוֹת בְּעֵצָ֣ה תִכּ֑וֹן וּ֝בְתַחְבֻּל֗וֹת עֲשֵׂ֣ה מִלְחָמָֽה׃
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
19 גּֽוֹלֶה־סּ֭וֹד הוֹלֵ֣ךְ רָכִ֑יל וּלְפֹתֶ֥ה שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִתְעָרָֽב׃
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
20 מְ֭קַלֵּל אָבִ֣יו וְאִמּ֑וֹ יִֽדְעַ֥ךְ נֵ֝ר֗וֹ *באישון **בֶּאֱשׁ֥וּן חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
21 נַ֭חֲלָה *מבחלת **מְבֹהֶ֣לֶת בָּרִאשֹׁנָ֑ה וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ לֹ֣א תְבֹרָֽךְ׃
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.
22 אַל־תֹּאמַ֥ר אֲשַׁלְּמָה־רָ֑ע קַוֵּ֥ה לַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה וְיֹ֣שַֽׁע לָֽךְ׃
23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good.
23 תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה אֶ֣בֶן וָאָ֑בֶן וּמֹאזְנֵ֖י מִרְמָ֣ה לֹא־טֽוֹב׃
24 Man's goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?
24 מֵיהוָ֥ה מִצְעֲדֵי־גָ֑בֶר וְ֝אָדָ֗ם מַה־יָּבִ֥ין דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃
25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
25 מוֹקֵ֣שׁ אָ֭דָם יָ֣לַע קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְאַחַ֖ר נְדָרִ֣ים לְבַקֵּֽר׃
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
26 מְזָרֶ֣ה רְ֭שָׁעִים מֶ֣לֶךְ חָכָ֑ם וַיָּ֖שֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם אוֹפָֽן׃
27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
27 נֵ֣ר יְ֭הוָה נִשְׁמַ֣ת אָדָ֑ם חֹ֝פֵ֗שׂ כָּל־חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
28 חֶ֣סֶד וֶ֭אֱמֶת יִצְּרוּ־מֶ֑לֶךְ וְסָעַ֖ד בַּחֶ֣סֶד כִּסְאֽוֹ׃
29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
29 תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת בַּחוּרִ֣ים כֹּחָ֑ם וַהֲדַ֖ר זְקֵנִ֣ים שֵׂיבָֽה׃
30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
30 חַבֻּר֣וֹת פֶּ֭צַע *תמריק **תַּמְר֣וּק בְּרָ֑ע וּ֝מַכּ֗וֹת חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
About the Hebrew Text
The Hebrew text displayed here follows the Westminster Leningrad Codex.