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Hebrew Study Bible

1Better is a dry crust of bread where there is quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.

1ט֤וֹב פַּ֣ת חֲ֭רֵבָה וְשַׁלְוָה־ בָ֑הּ מִ֝בַּ֗יִת מָלֵ֥א זִבְחֵי־ רִֽיב׃

2A servant who acts wisely will rule over an heir who behaves shamefully, and will share the inheritance along with the relatives.

2עֶֽבֶד־ מַשְׂכִּ֗יל יִ֭מְשֹׁל בְּבֵ֣ן מֵבִ֑ישׁ וּבְת֥וֹךְ אַ֝חִ֗ים יַחֲלֹ֥ק נַחֲלָֽה׃

3The crucible is for refining silver and the furnace is for gold, likewise the LORD tests hearts.

3מַצְרֵ֣ף לַ֭כֶּסֶף וְכ֣וּר לַזָּהָ֑ב וּבֹחֵ֖ן לִבּ֣וֹת יְהוָֽה׃

4One who acts wickedly pays attention to evil counsel; a liar listens to a malicious tongue.

4מֵ֭רַע מַקְשִׁ֣יב עַל־ שְׂפַת־ אָ֑וֶן שֶׁ֥קֶר מֵ֝זִין עַל־ לְשׁ֥וֹן הַוֺּֽת׃

5The one who mocks the poor insults his Creator; whoever rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished.

5לֹעֵ֣ג לָ֭רָשׁ חֵרֵ֣ף עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ שָׂמֵ֥חַ לְ֝אֵ֗יד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃

6Grandchildren are like a crown to the elderly, and the glory of children is their parents.

6עֲטֶ֣רֶת זְ֭קֵנִים בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְתִפְאֶ֖רֶת בָּנִ֣ים אֲבוֹתָֽם׃

7Excessive speech is not becoming for a fool; how much less are lies for a ruler!

7לֹא־ נָאוָ֣ה לְנָבָ֣ל שְׂפַת־ יֶ֑תֶר אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־ לְנָדִ֥יב שְׂפַת־ שָֽׁקֶר׃

8A bribe works like a charm for the one who offers it; in whatever he does he succeeds.

8אֶֽבֶן־ חֵ֣ן הַ֭שֹּׁחַד בְּעֵינֵ֣י בְעָלָ֑יו אֶֽל־ כָּל־ אֲשֶׁ֖ר יִפְנֶ֣ה יַשְׂכִּֽיל׃

9The one who forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends.

9מְֽכַסֶּה־ פֶּ֭שַׁע מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אַהֲבָ֑ה וְשֹׁנֶ֥ה בְ֝דָבָ֗ר מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃

10A rebuke makes a greater impression on a discerning person than a hundred blows on a fool.

10תֵּ֣חַת גְּעָרָ֣ה בְמֵבִ֑ין מֵהַכּ֖וֹת כְּסִ֣יל מֵאָֽה׃

11An evil person seeks only rebellion, and so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

11אַךְ־ מְרִ֥י יְבַקֶּשׁ־ רָ֑ע וּמַלְאָ֥ךְ אַ֝כְזָרִ֗י יְשֻׁלַּח־ בּֽוֹ׃

12It is better for a person to meet a mother bear being robbed of her cubs, than to encounter a fool in his folly.

12פָּג֬וֹשׁ דֹּ֣ב שַׁכּ֣וּל בְּאִ֑ישׁ וְאַל־ כְּ֝סִ֗יל בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃

13As for the one who repays evil for good, evil will not leave his house.

13מֵשִׁ֣יב רָ֭עָה תַּ֣חַת טוֹבָ֑ה לֹא־ [תמיש] (תָמ֥וּשׁ) רָ֝עָ֗ה מִבֵּיתֽוֹ׃

14Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; stop it before strife breaks out!

14פּ֣וֹטֵֽר מַ֭יִם רֵאשִׁ֣ית מָד֑וֹן וְלִפְנֵ֥י הִ֝תְגַּלַּ֗ע הָרִ֥יב נְטֽוֹשׁ׃

15The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent--both of them are an abomination to the LORD.

15מַצְדִּ֣יק רָ֭שָׁע וּמַרְשִׁ֣יעַ צַדִּ֑יק תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

16Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no intention of acquiring wisdom?

16לָמָּה־ זֶּ֣ה מְחִ֣יר בְּיַד־ כְּסִ֑יל לִקְנ֖וֹת חָכְמָ֣ה וְלֶב־ אָֽיִן׃

17A friend loves at all times, and a relative is born to help in adversity.

17בְּכָל־ עֵ֭ת אֹהֵ֣ב הָרֵ֑עַ וְאָ֥ח לְ֝צָרָ֗ה יִוָּלֵֽד׃

18The one who lacks wisdom strikes hands in pledge, and puts up financial security for his neighbor.

18אָדָ֣ם חֲסַר־ לֵ֭ב תּוֹקֵ֣עַ כָּ֑ף עֹרֵ֥ב עֲ֝רֻבָּ֗ה לִפְנֵ֥י רֵעֵֽהוּ׃

19The one who loves a quarrel loves transgression; whoever builds his gate high seeks destruction.

19אֹ֣הֵֽב פֶּ֭שַׁע אֹהֵ֣ב מַצָּ֑ה מַגְבִּ֥יהַּ פִּ֝תְח֗וֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־ שָֽׁבֶר׃

20The one who has a perverse heart does not find good, and the one who is deceitful in speech falls into trouble.

20עִקֶּשׁ־ לֵ֭ב לֹ֣א יִמְצָא־ ט֑וֹב וְנֶהְפָּ֥ךְ בִּ֝לְשׁוֹנ֗וֹ יִפּ֥וֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃

21Whoever brings a fool into the world does so to his grief, and the father of a fool has no joy.

21יֹלֵ֣ד כְּ֭סִיל לְת֣וּגָה ל֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־ יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח אֲבִ֣י נָבָֽל׃

22A cheerful heart brings good healing, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

22לֵ֣ב שָׂ֭מֵחַ יֵיטִ֣ב גֵּהָ֑ה וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־ גָּֽרֶם׃

23A wicked person receives a bribe secretly to pervert the ways of justice.

23שֹׁ֣חַד מֵ֭חֵיק רָשָׁ֣ע יִקָּ֑ח לְ֝הַטּ֗וֹת אָרְח֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

24Wisdom is directly in front of the discerning person, but the eyes of a fool run to the ends of the earth.

24אֶת־ פְּנֵ֣י מֵבִ֣ין חָכְמָ֑ה וְעֵינֵ֥י כְ֝סִ֗יל בִּקְצֵה־ אָֽרֶץ׃

25A foolish child is a grief to his father, and bitterness to the mother who bore him.

25כַּ֣עַס לְ֭אָבִיו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וּ֝מֶ֗מֶר לְיוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃

26It is terrible to punish a righteous person, and to flog honorable men is wrong.

26גַּ֤ם עֲנ֣וֹשׁ לַצַּדִּ֣יק לֹא־ ט֑וֹב לְהַכּ֖וֹת נְדִיבִ֣ים עַל־ יֹֽשֶׁר׃

27The truly wise person restrains his words, and the one who stays calm is discerning.

27חוֹשֵׂ֣ךְ אֲ֭מָרָיו יוֹדֵ֣עַ דָּ֑עַת [וקר־] (יְקַר־) ר֝֗וּחַ אִ֣ישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה׃

28Even a fool who remains silent is considered wise, and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning.

28גַּ֤ם אֱוִ֣יל מַ֭חֲרִישׁ חָכָ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב אֹטֵ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֣יו נָבֽוֹן׃

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