Old/New Testament
25 These are also mishlei Sh’lomo, which the anashim of Chizkiyah Melech Yehudah copied out:
2 It is the Kavod Elohim to conceal a thing, but the kavod melachim is to search out a matter.
3 The Shomayim for height, and Eretz for depth, so the lev melachim is unsearchable.
4 Take away the dross from the kesef, and there shall come forth a vessel for the tzoref (silversmith);
5 Take away the rasha from before Melech, and his kisse shall be established in tzedek.
6 Do not exalt thyself in the presence of Melech, and stand not in the makom (place) of gedolim;
7 For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up here, than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the noble whom thine eynayim have seen.
8 Go not forth hastily to bring a lawsuit, lest thou know not what to do in the acharit thereof, when thy re’a hath put thee to shame.
9 Plead thy cause with thy re’a himself; and betray not a sod (confidence) to another,
10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and the evil report of thee never depart.
11 A word aptly spoken is like tapukhim (apples) of zahav in settings of kesef.
12 As a nezem (earring) of zahav, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a mochi’ach chacham (a wise reprover) upon an obedient ozen.
13 As the cold of sheleg (snow) in the yom katzir (day of harvest), so is a tzir ne’eman (faithful envoy) to them that send him; for he refresheth the nefesh of his adonim.
14 He who boasteth falsely of giving is like clouds and ruach (wind) without geshem (rain).
15 By forbearance is a katzin (ruler) persuaded, and a gentle lashon breaketh the bone.
16 Hast thou found devash? Eat only as much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it out.
17 Let thy regel (foot) seldom be in thy neighbor’s bais; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.
18 An ish that beareth ed sheker (false witness) against his re’a is a club, and a cherev, and a sharp khetz (arrow).
19 Confidence in a boged in the yom tzarah is like a shen ra’ah (bad tooth), and a regel out of joint.
20 As he that taketh away a beged (garment) on a cold day, and as chometz (vinegar) upon lye, so is he that singeth shirim (songs) to a lev rah (heavy heart, i.e., depressed person).
21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him lechem to eat, and if he be thirsty, give him mayim to drink;
22 For so shalt thou heap hot coals upon his rosh, and Hashem shall reward thee.
23 The ruach tzafon (north wind) brings forth geshem; so doth a lashon seter (backbiting tongue) bring an angry countenance.
24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the gag (roof), than in a bais shared with a quarrelsome isha.
25 As cold mayim to a weary nefesh, so is good news from a far country.
26 A tzaddik who falters before the rasha is like a muddy spring, and a polluted makor (fountain).
27 It is not tov to eat much devash; so for men to seek their own kavod is not glory.
28 He that hath no rule over his own ruach is like an ir that is broken down, and without a chomah (wall).
26 As sheleg (snow) in kayitz (summer), and as matar (rain) at katzir (harvest), so kavod is not fitting for a kesil (fool).
2 As the tzippor in its fluttering, as the swallow in its flying, so the kelelah (curse) without cause shall not alight.
3 A shot (whip) for the sus, a bridle for the chamor, and a shevet for the back of kesilim.
4 Answer not a kesil (fool) according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a kesil (fool) according to his folly, lest he be chacham in his own eyes.
6 He that sendeth a message by the yad of a kesil (fool) cutteth off the raglayim, and drinketh chamas.
7 The legs of the pisei’ach (lame man) hang limp; so is a mashal in the peh (mouth) of kesilim.
8 As he that bindeth an even (stone) in a sling, so is he that giveth kavod to a kesil (fool).
9 As a thornbush goeth up into the yad of a shikkor, so is a mashal in the peh (mouth) of kesilim.
10 Like an archer wounding all, so is he that hireth the kesil (fool), or hireth the passerby.
11 As a kelev returneth to his vomit, so a kesil (fool) returneth to his folly.
12 Seest thou an ish chacham in his own eyes? There is more tikvah (hope) for a kesil (fool) than for him.
13 The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) saith, There is a lion in the derech; an ari is in the rechovot.
14 As the delet (door) turneth upon its hinges, so doth the atzel (sluggard, lazy one) upon his mittah (bed).
15 The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) hideth his yad in his dish; it’s too tiring to bring it back to his peh (mouth) again.
16 The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) is chacham in his own eyes, more than seven that give an excellent answer.
17 He that passeth by, and meddleth in a quarrel that doth not belong to him, is like one that taketh a kelev by the oznayim.
18 As a mad man who shooteth firebrands, khitzim (arrows), and mavet,
19 So is the ish that deceiveth his re’a, and saith, Am I not just having a laugh?
20 Where no wood is, there the eish goeth out; so where there is no nirgan (gossip, slanderer, talebearer), the strife dieth down.
21 As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to eish; so is a contentious ish to kindle strife.
22 The devarim of a nirgan (gossip, slanderer, talebearer) are like tasty morsels, and they go down into the innermost chambers of the beten.
23 Fervent sfatayim (lips) and a lev rah are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
24 He that hateth disguises it with his sfatayim (lips), and within harboreth mirmah (deceit);
25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not; for there are sheva to’avot in his lev.
26 Whose hatred is covered by guile, yet his wickedness shall be exposed before the whole kahal.
27 He who diggeth a shachat (pit) shall fall therein, and he that rolleth an even (stone), it will roll back upon him.
28 A lashon sheker hateth those that are crushed by it; and a flattering peh (mouth) worketh ruin.
9 Concerning your Messianic avodas kodesh sherut for the Kadoshim [2C 8:4,20] it is superfluous for me to send you this iggeret.
2 For I have da’as of your readiness to involve yourself in Messianic Jewish ministry and this is the subject of my glorying to the Macedonians, saying that Achaia has been prepared since last shanah and your kanous has been mezarez (a spur into action) to most of them.
3 And I am sending the Achim b’Moshiach lest our glorying on behalf of you should be made empty in this respect, that you be ready, as I was saying you would be,
4 Lest perhaps if some Macedonians should come with me and they find you unprepared, we should have bushah, to say nothing of you, in this situation.
5 Therefore, I considered it necessary to encourage the Achim b’Moshiach, that they should go on ahead to you and, having arranged in advance the bountiful terumah (contribution) of the havtacha you made previously so that this matanah would be ready so as to be a bracha and not an exaction.
6 Note this: the one sowing sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one sowing for a bracha of bounty will also reap a bracha of bounty. [MISHLE 11:24,25; 22:9]
7 Each of you should give as he has decided previously in his lev (heart), not giving bedieved (begrudgingly) nor out of necessity; for Hashem loves a cheerful giver. [SHEMOT 25:2; DEVARIM 15:10; MISHLE 22:8 TARGUM HASHIVIM]
8 And Hashem is able to cause to abound to you all Chen v’Chesed Hashem that in everything, always, having all sufficiency, you may abound to every mitzvah.
9 As it has been written, PIZAR NATAN LAEVYONIM TZIDKATO OMEDET LA’AD "He scattered, he gave to the poor, His Righteousness endures forever." [Ps 112:9 Mal 3:10]
10 Now the one supplying ZERA (seed) to the sower and LECHEM for okhel (food) [YESHAYAH 55:10] will supply and will multiply your zera and will increase the p’ri of the Tzedek of you; [Hos 10:12 TARGUM HASHIVIM]
11 You will be enriched in every ma’aseh chesed to all generosity, which produces through us hodayah (thanksgiving) to Hashem; [2C 1:11; 4:15]
12 Because the avodas kodesh of this tzedakah is not only filling up the things lacking of the Kadoshim, [2C 8:14] but is also abounding through hodayah rabbah (much thanksgiving) to Hashem;
13 Through the proof of this Messianic Jewish sherut you bring kavod to Hashem on the basis of your submission to your Ani Ma’amin Hoda’a confession of the Besuras HaGeulah of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and on the basis of the generosity of your terumah (contribution) to them and to all kol Bnei Adam;
14 And, reciprocally, the Messianic Jews in Yerushalayim will daven in intercession for you, having great ahavah in Moshiach for you, because of the surpassing Chen v’Chesed Hashem upon you.
15 Baruch Hashem for his indescribable matanah!
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International