Proverbs 21
31 verses · Hebrew with nikud, English alongside · tap 🔊 to hear a verse
פַּלְגֵי־מַ֣יִם לֶב־מֶ֭לֶךְ בְּיַד־יְהֹוָ֑ה עַֽל־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֖ר יַחְפֹּ֣ץ יַטֶּֽנּוּ׃
palge-mayim lev-melekh beyad-Adonai al-kol-asher yakhpots yattennu
Like channeled water is the mind of the king in GOD’s hand— For it is directed according to God’s wishes.
כׇּֽל־דֶּרֶךְ־אִ֭ישׁ יָשָׁ֣ר בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן לִבּ֣וֹת יְהֹוָֽה׃
kol-derekh-ish yashar be'enayw vetokhen libbot Adonai
People look approvingly on their own ways, But GOD probes the mind.
עֲ֭שֹׂה צְדָקָ֣ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט נִבְחָ֖ר לַיהֹוָ֣ה מִזָּֽבַח׃
asoh tsedaqah umishpat nivkhar la-Adonai mizzavakh
To do what is right and just Is more desired by GOD than sacrifice.
רוּם־עֵ֭ינַיִם וּרְחַב־לֵ֑ב נִ֖ר רְשָׁעִ֣ים חַטָּֽאת׃
rum-enayim urekhav-lev nir resha'im khattat
Haughty looks, a proud heart— The tillage of the wicked is sinful.
מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת חָ֭רוּץ אַךְ־לְמוֹתָ֑ר וְכׇל־אָ֝֗ץ אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃
makhshevot kharuts akh-lemotar vekhol-ats akh-lemakhsor
The plans of the diligent make only for gain; All rash haste makes only for loss.
פֹּ֣עַל אֹ֭צָרוֹת בִּלְשׁ֣וֹן שָׁ֑קֶר הֶ֥בֶל נִ֝דָּ֗ף מְבַקְשֵׁי־מָֽוֶת׃
po'al otsarot bilshon shaqer hevel niddaf mevaqshe-mavet
Treasures acquired by a lying tongue Are like driven vapor, heading for extinction.
שֹׁד־רְשָׁעִ֥ים יְגוֹרֵ֑ם כִּ֥י מֵ֝אֲנ֗וּ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
shod-resha'im yegorem ki me'anu la'asot mishpat
The violence of the wicked sweeps them away, For they refuse to act justly.
הֲפַכְפַּ֬ךְ דֶּ֣רֶךְ אִ֣ישׁ וָזָ֑ר וְ֝זַ֗ךְ יָשָׁ֥ר פׇּעֳלֽוֹ׃
hafakhpakh derekh ish vazar vezakh yashar po'olo
A person’s way may be tortuous and strange, Though their actions are blameless and proper.
ט֗וֹב לָשֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־פִּנַּת־גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים וּבֵ֥ית חָֽבֶר׃
tov lashevet al-pinnat-gag me'eshet midyanim uvet khaver
Dwelling in the corner of a roof is better Than a contentious wife in a spacious house.
נֶ֣פֶשׁ רָ֭שָׁע אִוְּתָה־רָ֑ע לֹֽא־יֻחַ֖ן בְּעֵינָ֣יו רֵעֵֽהוּ׃
nefesh rasha ivvetah-ra lo-yukhan be'enayw re'ehu
The desire of the wicked is set upon evil; Their neighbors find no favor in their eyes.
בַּֽעֲנׇשׁ־לֵ֭ץ יֶחְכַּם־פֶּ֑תִי וּבְהַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְ֝חָכָ֗ם יִקַּח־דָּֽעַת׃
ba'anosh-lets yekhkam-peti uvehaskil lekhakham yiqqakh-da'at
When scoffers are punished, the simple are edified; When sages are taught, they gain insight.
מַשְׂכִּ֣יל צַ֭דִּיק לְבֵ֣ית רָשָׁ֑ע מְסַלֵּ֖ף רְשָׁעִ֣ים לָרָֽע׃
maskil tsaddiq levet rasha mesallef resha'im lara
The Righteous One observes the house of a wicked person— And subverts the wicked to their ruin.
אֹטֵ֣ם אׇ֭זְנוֹ מִזַּעֲקַת־דָּ֑ל גַּֽם־ה֥וּא יִ֝קְרָ֗א וְלֹ֣א יֵעָנֶֽה׃
otem ozno mizza'aqat-dal gam-hu yiqra velo ye'aneh
One who turns a deaf ear to the cry of the wretched Will likewise call and not be answered.
מַתָּ֣ן בַּ֭סֵּתֶר יִכְפֶּה־אָ֑ף וְשֹׁ֥חַד בַּ֝חֵ֗ק חֵמָ֥ה עַזָּֽה׃
mattan basseter yikhpeh-af veshokhad bakheq khemah azzah
A gift in secret subdues anger, A present in private, fierce rage.
שִׂמְחָ֣ה לַ֭צַּדִּיק עֲשׂ֣וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃
simkhah latsaddiq asot mishpat umekhittah lefo'ale aven
Justice done is a joy to the righteous, To evildoers, ruination.
אָדָ֗ם תּ֭וֹעֶה מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ הַשְׂכֵּ֑ל בִּקְהַ֖ל רְפָאִ֣ים יָנֽוּחַ׃
adam to'eh midderekh haskel biqhal refa'im yanuakh
One who strays from the path of prudence Will rest in the company of ghosts.
אִ֣ישׁ מַ֭חְסוֹר אֹהֵ֣ב שִׂמְחָ֑ה אֹהֵ֥ב יַֽיִן־וָ֝שֶׁ֗מֶן לֹ֣א יַעֲשִֽׁיר׃
ish makhsor ohev simkhah ohev yayin-vashemen lo ya'ashir
A man who loves pleasure comes to want; He who loves wine and oil does not grow rich.
כֹּ֣פֶר לַצַּדִּ֣יק רָשָׁ֑ע וְתַ֖חַת יְשָׁרִ֣ים בּוֹגֵֽד׃
kofer latsaddiq rasha vetakhat yesharim boged
The wicked are the ransom of the righteous; The traitor comes in place of the upright.
ט֗וֹב שֶׁ֥בֶת בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְבָּ֑ר מֵאֵ֖שֶׁת (מדונים) [מִדְיָנִ֣ים] וָכָֽעַס׃
tov shevet be'erets-midbar me'eshet (mdvnym) [midyanim] vakha'as
It is better to live in the desert Than with a contentious, vexatious wife.
אוֹצָ֤ר ׀ נֶחְמָ֣ד וָ֭שֶׁמֶן בִּנְוֵ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וּכְסִ֖יל אָדָ֣ם יְבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃
otsar nekhmad vashemen binveh khakham ukhesil adam yevalle'ennu
Precious treasure and oil are in the house of a wise man, And a fool of a man will run through them.
רֹ֭דֵף צְדָקָ֣ה וָחָ֑סֶד יִמְצָ֥א חַ֝יִּ֗ים צְדָקָ֥ה וְכָבֽוֹד׃
rodef tsedaqah vakhased yimtsa khayyim tsedaqah vekhavod
One who strives to do good and kind deeds Attains life, success, and honor.
עִ֣יר גִּ֭בֹּרִים עָלָ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וַ֝יֹּ֗רֶד עֹ֣ז מִבְטֶחָֽהֿ׃
ir gibborim alah khakham vayyored oz mivtekhah
One wise man prevailed over a city of warriors And brought down its mighty stronghold.
שֹׁמֵ֣ר פִּ֭יו וּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹ שֹׁמֵ֖ר מִצָּר֣וֹת נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
shomer piv uleshono shomer mitsarot nafsho
One who watches over mouth and tongue Keeps out of trouble.
זֵ֣ד יָ֭הִיר לֵ֣ץ שְׁמ֑וֹ ע֝וֹשֶׂ֗ה בְּעֶבְרַ֥ת זָדֽוֹן׃
zed yahir lets shemo oseh be'evrat zadon
The proud, insolent person, named scoffer, Acts in a frenzy of insolence.
תַּאֲוַ֣ת עָצֵ֣ל תְּמִיתֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־מֵאֲנ֖וּ יָדָ֣יו לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃
ta'avat atsel temitennu ki-me'anu yadayw la'asot
The cravings of sluggards are fatal, For their hands refuse to work.
כׇּל־הַ֭יּוֹם הִתְאַוָּ֣ה תַאֲוָ֑ה וְצַדִּ֥יק יִ֝תֵּ֗ן וְלֹ֣א יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃
kol-hayyom hitavvah ta'avah vetsaddiq yitten velo yakhsokh
All day long they are seized with craving While the righteous give without stint.
זֶ֣בַח רְ֭שָׁעִים תּוֹעֵבָ֑ה אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־בְזִמָּ֥ה יְבִיאֶֽנּוּ׃
zevakh resha'im to'evah af ki-vezimmah yevi'ennu
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, The more so when offered in depravity.
עֵד־כְּזָבִ֥ים יֹאבֵ֑ד וְאִ֥ישׁ שׁ֝וֹמֵ֗עַ לָנֶ֥צַח יְדַבֵּֽר׃
ed-kezavim yoved ve'ish shomea lanetsakh yedabber
A false witness is doomed, But a man who listens will testify with success.
הֵעֵ֬ז אִ֣ישׁ רָשָׁ֣ע בְּפָנָ֑יו וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר ה֤וּא ׀ (יכין דרכיו) [יָבִ֬ין דַּרְכּֽוֹ]׃
he'ez ish rasha befanayw veyashar hu (ykhyn drkhyv) [yavin darko]
The wicked man is brazen-faced; The upright man discerns his course.
אֵ֣ין חׇ֭כְמָה וְאֵ֣ין תְּבוּנָ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין עֵ֝צָ֗ה לְנֶ֣גֶד יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
en khokhmah ve'en tevunah ve'en etsah leneged Adonai
No wisdom, no prudence, and no counsel Can prevail against GOD.
ס֗וּס מ֭וּכָן לְי֣וֹם מִלְחָמָ֑ה וְ֝לַיהֹוָ֗ה הַתְּשׁוּעָֽה׃
sus mukhan leyom milkhamah ve-Adonai hatteshu'ah
The horse is readied for the day of battle, But victory comes from GOD.
Hebrew text and English translation from Sefaria, under their Creative Commons licence.
Yaacov, native Jerusalemite
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