Christian Standard Bible

Hebrew Study Bible

1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor is inappropriate for a fool.

1כַּשֶּׁ֤לֶג ׀ בַּקַּ֗יִץ וְכַמָּטָ֥ר בַּקָּצִ֑יר כֵּ֤ן לֹא־ נָאוֶ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃

2Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow, an undeserved curse goes nowhere.

2כַּצִּפּ֣וֹר לָ֭נוּד כַּדְּר֣וֹר לָע֑וּף כֵּ֥ן קִֽלְלַ֥ת חִ֝נָּ֗ם [לא] (ל֣וֹ) תָבֹֽא׃

3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools.

3שׁ֣וֹט לַ֭סּוּס מֶ֣תֶג לַחֲמ֑וֹר וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃

4Don't answer a fool according to his foolishness or you'll be like him yourself.

4אַל־ תַּ֣עַן כְּ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּֽן־ תִּשְׁוֶה־ לּ֥וֹ גַם־ אָֽתָּה׃

5Answer a fool according to his foolishness or he'll become wise in his own eyes.

5עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּן־ יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

6The one who sends a message by a fool's hand cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

6מְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם חָמָ֣ס שֹׁתֶ֑ה שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־ כְּסִֽיל׃

7A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like lame legs that hang limp.

7דַּלְי֣וּ שֹׁ֭קַיִם מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

8Giving honor to a fool is like binding a stone in a sling.

8כִּצְר֣וֹר אֶ֭בֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה כֵּן־ נוֹתֵ֖ן לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃

9A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a stick with thorns, brandished by the hand of a drunkard.

9ח֭וֹחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־ שִׁכּ֑וֹר וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

10The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by is like an archer who wounds everyone.

10רַ֥ב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־ כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃

11As a dog returns to its vomit, so also a fool repeats his foolishness.

11כְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־ קֵא֑וֹ כְּ֝סִ֗יל שׁוֹנֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃

12Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

12רָאִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

13The slacker says, "There's a lion in the road--a lion in the public square!"

13אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל שַׁ֣חַל בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ אֲ֝רִ֗י בֵּ֣ין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃

14A door turns on its hinges, and a slacker, on his bed.

14הַ֭דֶּלֶת תִּסּ֣וֹב עַל־ צִירָ֑הּ וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל עַל־ מִטָּתֽוֹ׃

15The slacker buries his hand in the bowl; he is too weary to bring it to his mouth!

15טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת נִ֝לְאָ֗ה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֶל־ פִּֽיו׃

16In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser than seven who can answer sensibly.

16חָכָ֣ם עָצֵ֣ל בְּעֵינָ֑יו מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃

17A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that's not his is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.

17מַחֲזִ֥יק בְּאָזְנֵי־ כָ֑לֶב עֹבֵ֥ר מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר עַל־ רִ֥יב לֹּֽא־ לֽוֹ׃

18Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,

18כְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶ֥ה זִקִּ֗ים חִצִּ֥ים וָמָֽוֶת׃

19so is the person who deceives his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!"

19כֵּֽן־ אִ֭ישׁ רִמָּ֣ה אֶת־ רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אָמַ֗ר הֲ‍ֽלֹא־ מְשַׂחֵ֥ק אָֽנִי׃

20Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down.

20בְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים תִּכְבֶּה־ אֵ֑שׁ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק מָדֽוֹן׃

21As charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

21פֶּחָ֣ם לְ֭גֶחָלִים וְעֵצִ֣ים לְאֵ֑שׁ וְאִ֥ישׁ [מדונים] (מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים) לְחַרְחַר־ רִֽיב׃ פ

22A gossip's words are like choice food that goes down to one's innermost being.

22דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־ בָֽטֶן׃

23Smooth lips with an evil heart are like glaze on an earthen vessel.

23כֶּ֣סֶף סִ֭יגִים מְצֻפֶּ֣ה עַל־ חָ֑רֶשׂ שְׂפָתַ֖יִם דֹּלְקִ֣ים וְלֶב־ רָֽע׃

24A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit within.

24[בשפתו] (בִּ֭שְׂפָתָיו) יִנָּכֵ֣ר שׂוֹנֵ֑א וּ֝בְקִרְבּ֗וֹ יָשִׁ֥ית מִרְמָֽה׃

25When he speaks graciously, don't believe him, for there are seven detestable things in his heart.

25כִּֽי־ יְחַנֵּ֣ן ק֭וֹלוֹ אַל־ תַּֽאֲמֶן־ בּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י שֶׁ֖בַע תּוֹעֵב֣וֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃

26Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his evil will be revealed in the assembly.

26תִּכַּסֶּ֣ה שִׂ֭נְאָה בְּמַשָּׁא֑וֹן תִּגָּלֶ֖ה רָעָת֣וֹ בְקָהָֽל׃

27The one who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever rolls a stone--it will come back on him.

27כֹּֽרֶה־ שַּׁ֭חַת בָּ֣הּ יִפֹּ֑ל וְגֹ֥לֵ֥ל אֶ֝בֶן אֵלָ֥יו תָּשֽׁוּב׃

28A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.

28לְֽשׁוֹן־ שֶׁ֭קֶר יִשְׂנָ֣א דַכָּ֑יו וּפֶ֥ה חָ֝לָ֗ק יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה מִדְחֶֽה׃

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.