Proverbs Monthly
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.
27 Boast not thyself of yom makhar (tomorrow), for thou hast no da’as of what a yom may bring forth.
2 Let another praise thee, and not thine own peh (mouth); a nokhri (stranger), and not thine own sfatayim (lips).
3 An even (stone) is heavy, and the chol (sand) weighty; but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both.
4 Chemah (anger) is cruel, and fury is a torrent, but who is able to stand before kinah (jealousy, envy)?
5 Open tovah tokhakhat (good, constructive reproof) is better than secret ahavah.
6 Ne’emanim (faithful) are the wounds of an ohev (friend); but deceitful the neshikot (kisses) of an enemy.
7 The full nefesh trampleth a honeycomb, but to the hungry nefesh every mar (bitter thing) is sweet.
8 As a tzippor that wandereth from her ken (nest), so is an ish that wandereth from his makom (place, home).
9 Shemen and ketoret rejoice the lev; so doth the sweet discourse of a re’a (friend) from an atzat nefesh (a counselling of the soul).
10 Thine own re’a (friend), and the re’a avicha, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s bais in the yom of thy calamity; for better is a shakhen (neighbor) that is near than a brother far off.
11 Beni (my son), be chacham, and make my lev glad, that I may answer my accusers.
12 A prudent man foreseeth ra’ah, and hideth himself; but the naïve ones trudge on, and are punished.
13 Take his beged (garment) that is collateral for a zar; seize the pledge given for surety for a nokhriyah (strange woman, foreign woman, seductress).
14 He that maketh a bracha on his re’a (friend) with a kol gadol (loud voice), rising early in the boker, it shall be counted a kelalah to him.
15 A continual dripping in a very rainy day and a quarrelsome isha are alike;
16 To restrain her is like restraining the ruach (wind), and like grasping shemen in the right hand.
17 Barzel (iron) sharpeneth barzel (iron); so one ish sharpeneth another.
18 He who is guard over the te’enah (fig tree) shall eat the p’ri (fruit) thereof, so he that is shomer over his adon shall be honored.
19 As mayim reflecteth the face, so one lev ha’adam reflects another.
20 Sheol and Avaddon are never full; so the eynayim of adam are never satisfied.
21 As the crucible is for kesef, and the furnace for zahav; so is an ish tested by the praise he receives.
22 Though thou shouldest grind a fool in the makhtesh (mortar) among grain with the pestle, yet will not his folly be removed from him.
23 Be thou diligent to know the condition of thy tzon, and look well to thy adarim (flocks).
24 For riches are not l’olam (forever); and doth the nezer (crown) endure dor vador?
25 The hay is removed, and the deshe (tender grass) showeth itself, and herbs of the harim are gathered,
26 The kevasim (lambs) are for thy clothing, and the goats are the purchase price of the sadeh.
27 And thou shalt have cholov of izzim (goats) enough for thy lechem, for the lechem of thy bais, and for the nourishment of thy na’arot (servant girls).
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International