Proverbs 28
28 verses · Hebrew with nikud, English alongside · tap 🔊 to hear a verse
נָ֣סוּ וְאֵין־רֹדֵ֣ף רָשָׁ֑ע וְ֝צַדִּיקִ֗ים כִּכְפִ֥יר יִבְטָֽח׃
nasu ve'en-rodef rasha vetsaddiqim kikhfir yivtakh
A wicked person flees though no one gives chase, But the righteous are as confident as a lion.
בְּפֶ֣שַֽׁע אֶ֭רֶץ רַבִּ֣ים שָׂרֶ֑יהָ וּבְאָדָ֥ם מֵבִ֥ין יֹ֝דֵ֗עַ כֵּ֣ן יַאֲרִֽיךְ׃
befesha erets rabbim sareha uve'adam mevin yodea ken ya'arikh
When there is rebellion in the land, many are its rulers; But with someone who has understanding and knowledge, stability will last.
גֶּֽבֶר־רָ֭שׁ וְעֹשֵׁ֣ק דַּלִּ֑ים מָטָ֥ר סֹ֝חֵ֗ף וְאֵ֣ין לָֽחֶם׃
gever-rash ve'osheq dallim matar sokhef ve'en lakhem
A poor man who withholds what is due to the wretched Is like a destructive rain that leaves no food.
עֹזְבֵ֣י ת֭וֹרָה יְהַלְל֣וּ רָשָׁ֑ע וְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י ת֝וֹרָ֗ה יִתְגָּ֥רוּ בָֽם׃ {פ}
ozeve torah yehalelu rasha veshomere torah yitgaru vam
Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked, But those who heed instruction fight them.
אַנְשֵׁי־רָ֭ע לֹא־יָבִ֣ינוּ מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּמְבַקְשֵׁ֥י יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה יָבִ֥ינוּ כֹֽל׃
anshe-ra lo-yavinu mishpat umevaqshe Adonai yavinu khol
The wicked cannot discern judgment, But those who seek GOD discern all things.
טֽוֹב־רָ֭שׁ הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֑וֹ מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁ דְּ֝רָכַ֗יִם וְה֣וּא עָשִֽׁיר׃
tov-rash holekh betummo me'iqqesh derakhayim vehu ashir
Better is a poor man who lives blamelessly Than a rich man whose ways are crooked.
נוֹצֵ֣ר תּ֭וֹרָה בֵּ֣ן מֵבִ֑ין וְרֹעֶ֥ה ז֝וֹלְלִ֗ים יַכְלִ֥ים אָבִֽיו׃
notser torah ben mevin vero'eh zolelim yakhlim aviv
An intelligent son heeds instruction, But he who keeps company with gluttons disgraces his father.
מַרְבֶּ֣ה ה֭וֹנוֹ בְּנֶ֣שֶׁךְ (ובתרבית) [וְתַרְבִּ֑ית] לְחוֹנֵ֖ן דַּלִּ֣ים יִקְבְּצֶֽנּוּ׃
marbeh hono beneshekh (vvtrvyt) [vetarbit] lekhonen dallim yiqbetsennu
He who increases his wealth by loans at discount or interest Amasses it for one who is generous to the poor.
מֵסִ֣יר אׇ֭זְנוֹ מִשְּׁמֹ֣עַ תּוֹרָ֑ה גַּ֥ם תְּ֝פִלָּת֗וֹ תּוֹעֵבָֽה׃
mesir ozno mishemoa torah gam tefillato to'evah
He who turns a deaf ear to instruction— His prayer is an abomination.
מַשְׁגֶּ֤ה יְשָׁרִ֨ים ׀ בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ רָ֗ע בִּשְׁחוּת֥וֹ הֽוּא־יִפּ֑וֹל וּ֝תְמִימִ֗ים יִנְחֲלוּ־טֽוֹב׃ {פ}
mashgeh yesharim bederekh ra bishkhuto hu-yippol utemimim yinkhalu-tov
He who misleads the upright into an evil course Will fall into his own pit, But the blameless will prosper.
חָכָ֣ם בְּ֭עֵינָיו אִ֣ישׁ עָשִׁ֑יר וְדַ֖ל מֵבִ֣ין יַחְקְרֶֽנּוּ׃
khakham be'enayw ish ashir vedal mevin yakhqerennu
A rich man is clever in his own eyes, But a perceptive pauper can see through him.
בַּעֲלֹ֣ץ צַ֭דִּיקִים רַבָּ֣ה תִפְאָ֑רֶת וּבְק֥וּם רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יְחֻפַּ֥שׂ אָדָֽם׃
ba'alots tsaddiqim rabbah tifaret uvequm resha'im yekhuppas adam
When the righteous exult there is great glory, But when the wicked rise up, everyone makes themselves scarce.
מְכַסֶּ֣ה פְ֭שָׁעָיו לֹ֣א יַצְלִ֑יחַ וּמוֹדֶ֖ה וְעֹזֵ֣ב יְרֻחָֽם׃
mekhasseh fesha'ayw lo yatsliakh umodeh ve'ozev yerukham
No one who covers up faults will succeed; One who confesses and gives them up will find mercy.
אַשְׁרֵ֣י אָ֭דָם מְפַחֵ֣ד תָּמִ֑יד וּמַקְשֶׁ֥ה לִ֝בּ֗וֹ יִפּ֥וֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃
ashre adam mefakhed tamid umaqsheh libbo yippol bera'ah
Happy is the person who is anxious always, But one who is hard-hearted falls into misfortune.
אֲֽרִי־נֹ֭הֵם וְדֹ֣ב שׁוֹקֵ֑ק מוֹשֵׁ֥ל רָ֝שָׁ֗ע עַ֣ל עַם־דָּֽל׃
ari-nohem vedov shoqeq moshel rasha al am-dal
A roaring lion and a prowling bear Is a wicked man ruling a helpless people.
נָגִ֗יד חֲסַ֣ר תְּ֭בוּנוֹת וְרַ֥ב מַעֲשַׁקּ֑וֹת (שנאי) [שֹׂ֥נֵא] בֶ֝֗צַע יַאֲרִ֥יךְ יָמִֽים׃ {פ}
nagid khasar tevunot verav ma'ashaqqot (shny) [sone] vetsa ya'arikh yamim
A prince who lacks understanding is very oppressive; One who spurns ill-gotten gains will live long.
אָ֭דָם עָשֻׁ֣ק בְּדַם־נָ֑פֶשׁ עַד־בּ֥וֹר יָ֝נ֗וּס אַל־יִתְמְכוּ־בֽוֹ׃
adam ashuq bedam-nafesh ad-bor yanus al-yitmekhu-vo
Anyone oppressed by bloodguilt will flee to a pit; Let none offer support.
הוֹלֵ֣ךְ תָּ֭מִים יִוָּשֵׁ֑עַ וְנֶעְקַ֥שׁ דְּ֝רָכַ֗יִם יִפּ֥וֹל בְּאֶחָֽת׃
holekh tamim yivvashea veneqash derakhayim yippol be'ekhat
One who lives blamelessly will be delivered, But one whose ways are crooked will fall all at once.
עֹבֵ֣ד אַ֭דְמָתוֹ יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־לָ֑חֶם וּמְרַדֵּ֥ף רֵ֝יקִ֗ים יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־רִֽישׁ׃
oved admato yisba-lakhem umeraddef reqim yisba-rish
Those who till their land will have food in plenty, But those who pursue vanities will have poverty in plenty.
אִ֣ישׁ אֱ֭מוּנוֹת רַב־בְּרָכ֑וֹת וְאָ֥ץ לְ֝הַעֲשִׁ֗יר לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃
ish emunot rav-berakhot ve'ats leha'ashir lo yinnaqeh
A dependable man will receive many blessings, But one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.
הַֽכֵּר־פָּנִ֥ים לֹא־ט֑וֹב וְעַל־פַּת־לֶ֝֗חֶם יִפְשַׁע־גָּֽבֶר׃
hakker-panim lo-tov ve'al-pat-lekhem yifsha-gaver
To be partial is not right; Even one who is valiant may do wrong for a piece of bread.
נִ֥בְהָֽל־לַה֗וֹן אִ֭ישׁ רַ֣ע עָ֑יִן וְלֹא־יֵ֝דַ֗ע כִּי־חֶ֥סֶר יְבֹאֶֽנּוּ׃
nivhal-lahon ish ra ayin velo-yeda ki-kheser yevo'ennu
A miserly man runs after wealth; He does not realize that loss will overtake it.
מ֘וֹכִ֤יחַ אָדָ֣ם אַ֭חֲרַי חֵ֣ן יִמְצָ֑א מִֽמַּחֲלִ֥יק לָשֽׁוֹן׃
mokhiakh adam akharay khen yimtsa mimmakhaliq lashon
One who reproves a person will in the end Find more favor than a flatterer.
גּוֹזֵ֤ל ׀ אָ֘בִ֤יו וְאִמּ֗וֹ וְאֹמֵ֥ר אֵֽין־פָּ֑שַׁע חָבֵ֥ר ה֝֗וּא לְאִ֣ישׁ מַשְׁחִֽית׃
gozel aviv ve'immo ve'omer en-pasha khaver hu le'ish mashkhit
Anyone who robs their father and mother and says, “It is no offense,” Is the companion to a vandal.
רְחַב־נֶ֭פֶשׁ יְגָרֶ֣ה מָד֑וֹן וּבֹטֵ֖חַ עַל־יְהֹוָ֣ה יְדֻשָּֽׁן׃
rekhav-nefesh yegareh madon uvoteakh al-Adonai yedushan
A gaping maw provokes quarrels, But one who trusts GOD shall enjoy prosperity.
בּוֹטֵ֣חַ בְּ֭לִבּוֹ ה֣וּא כְסִ֑יל וְהוֹלֵ֥ךְ בְּ֝חׇכְמָ֗ה ה֣וּא יִמָּלֵֽט׃
boteakh belibbo hu khesil veholekh bekhokhmah hu yimmalet
Those who trust their own instincts are dullards, But those who live by wisdom shall escape.
נוֹתֵ֣ן לָ֭רָשׁ אֵ֣ין מַחְס֑וֹר וּמַעְלִ֥ים עֵ֝ינָ֗יו רַב־מְאֵרֽוֹת׃
noten larash en makhsor umalim enayw rav-me'erot
Those who give to the poor will not be in want, But those who turn a blind eye will be roundly cursed.
בְּק֣וּם רְ֭שָׁעִים יִסָּתֵ֣ר אָדָ֑ם וּ֝בְאׇבְדָ֗ם יִרְבּ֥וּ צַדִּיקִֽים׃
bequm resha'im yissater adam uve'ovdam yirbu tsaddiqim
When the wicked rise up, everyone goes into hiding, But when they perish the righteous increase.
Hebrew text and English translation from Sefaria, under their Creative Commons licence.
Yaacov, native Jerusalemite
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