א גַּם-אֵלֶּה, מִשְׁלֵי שְׁלֹמֹה-- אֲשֶׁר הֶעְתִּיקוּ, אַנְשֵׁי חִזְקִיָּה מֶלֶךְ-יְהוּדָה. 1 These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
ב כְּבֹד אֱלֹהִים, הַסְתֵּר דָּבָר; וּכְבֹד מְלָכִים, חֲקֹר דָּבָר. 2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
ג שָׁמַיִם לָרוּם, וָאָרֶץ לָעֹמֶק; וְלֵב מְלָכִים, אֵין חֵקֶר. 3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
ה הָגוֹ רָשָׁע, לִפְנֵי-מֶלֶךְ; וְיִכּוֹן בַּצֶּדֶק כִּסְאוֹ. 5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
ז כִּי טוֹב אֲמָר-לְךָ, עֲלֵה-הֵנָּה: מֵהַשְׁפִּילְךָ, לִפְנֵי נָדִיב--אֲשֶׁר רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ. 7 For better is it that it be said unto thee: 'Come up hither', than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom thine eyes have seen.
ח אַל-תֵּצֵא לָרִב, מַהֵר: פֶּן מַה-תַּעֲשֶׂה, בְּאַחֲרִיתָהּ--בְּהַכְלִים אֹתְךָ רֵעֶךָ. 8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
י פֶּן-יְחַסֶּדְךָ שֹׁמֵעַ; וְדִבָּתְךָ, לֹא תָשׁוּב. 10 Lest he that heareth it revile thee, and thine infamy turn not away.
יא תַּפּוּחֵי זָהָב, בְּמַשְׂכִּיּוֹת כָּסֶף-- דָּבָר, דָּבֻר עַל-אָפְנָיו. 11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
יב נֶזֶם זָהָב, וַחֲלִי-כָתֶם-- מוֹכִיחַ חָכָם, עַל-אֹזֶן שֹׁמָעַת. 12 As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
יד נְשִׂיאִים וְרוּחַ, וְגֶשֶׁם אָיִן-- אִישׁ מִתְהַלֵּל, בְּמַתַּת-שָׁקֶר. 14 As vapours and wind without rain, so is he that boasteth himself of a false gift.
טו בְּאֹרֶךְ אַפַּיִם, יְפֻתֶּה קָצִין; וְלָשׁוֹן רַכָּה, תִּשְׁבָּר-גָּרֶם. 15 By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
טז דְּבַשׁ מָצָאתָ, אֱכֹל דַּיֶּךָּ: פֶּן-תִּשְׂבָּעֶנּוּ, וַהֲקֵאתוֹ. 16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
יז הֹקַר רַגְלְךָ, מִבֵּית רֵעֶךָ: פֶּן-יִשְׂבָּעֲךָ, וּשְׂנֵאֶךָ. 17 Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbour's house; lest he be sated with thee, and hate thee.
יח מֵפִיץ וְחֶרֶב, וְחֵץ שָׁנוּן-- אִישׁ עֹנֶה בְרֵעֵהוּ, עֵד שָׁקֶר. 18 As a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, so is a man that beareth false witness against his neighbour.
יט שֵׁן רֹעָה, וְרֶגֶל מוּעָדֶת-- מִבְטָח בּוֹגֵד, בְּיוֹם צָרָה. 19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
כב כִּי גֶחָלִים--אַתָּה, חֹתֶה עַל-רֹאשׁוֹ; וַיהוָה, יְשַׁלֶּם-לָךְ. 22 For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD will reward thee.
כג רוּחַ צָפוֹן, תְּחוֹלֵל גָּשֶׁם; וּפָנִים נִזְעָמִים, לְשׁוֹן סָתֶר. 23 The north wind bringeth forth rain, and a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
כד טוֹב, שֶׁבֶת עַל-פִּנַּת-גָּג-- מֵאֵשֶׁת מדונים (מִדְיָנִים), וּבֵית חָבֶר. 24 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than in a house in common with a contentious woman.
כה מַיִם קָרִים, עַל-נֶפֶשׁ עֲיֵפָה; וּשְׁמוּעָה טוֹבָה, מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחָק. 25 As cold waters to a faint soul, so is good news from a far country.
כו מַעְיָן נִרְפָּשׂ, וּמָקוֹר מָשְׁחָת-- צַדִּיק, מָט לִפְנֵי-רָשָׁע. 26 As a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, so is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
כז אָכֹל דְּבַשׁ הַרְבּוֹת לֹא-טוֹב; וְחֵקֶר כְּבֹדָם כָּבוֹד. 27 It is not good to eat much honey; so for men to search out their own glory is not glory.
כח עִיר פְּרוּצָה, אֵין חוֹמָה-- אִישׁ, אֲשֶׁר אֵין מַעְצָר לְרוּחוֹ. 28 Like a city broken down and without a wall, so is he whose spirit is without restraint.