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Hebrew Study Bible

1Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

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

2Like a fluttering bird or like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause does not come to rest.

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

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

3שׁ֣וֹט לַ֭סּוּס מֶ֣תֶג לַחֲמ֑וֹר וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃

4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you yourself also be like him.

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

5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own estimation.

5עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּן־ יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

6Like cutting off the feet or drinking violence, so is sending a message by the hand of a fool.

6מְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם חָמָ֣ס שֹׁתֶ֑ה שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־ כְּסִֽיל׃

7Like legs that hang limp from the lame, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

7דַּלְי֣וּ שֹׁ֭קַיִם מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

8Like tying a stone in a sling, so is giving honor to a fool.

8כִּצְר֣וֹר אֶ֭בֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה כֵּן־ נוֹתֵ֖ן לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃

9Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

9ח֭וֹחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־ שִׁכּ֑וֹר וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

10Like an archer who wounds at random, so is the one who hires a fool or hires any passer-by.

10רַ֥ב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־ כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃

11Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

11כְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־ קֵא֑וֹ כְּ֝סִ֗יל שׁוֹנֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃

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

12רָאִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

13The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! A lion in the streets!"

13אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל שַׁ֣חַל בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ אֲ֝רִ֗י בֵּ֣ין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃

14Like a door that turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.

14הַ֭דֶּלֶת תִּסּ֣וֹב עַל־ צִירָ֑הּ וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל עַל־ מִטָּתֽוֹ׃

15The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

15טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת נִ֝לְאָ֗ה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֶל־ פִּֽיו׃

16The sluggard is wiser in his own estimation than seven people who respond with good sense.

16חָכָ֣ם עָצֵ֣ל בְּעֵינָ֑יו מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃

17Like one who grabs a wild dog by the ears, so is the person passing by who becomes furious over a quarrel not his own.

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

18Like a madman who shoots firebrands and deadly arrows,

18כְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶ֥ה זִקִּ֗ים חִצִּ֥ים וָמָֽוֶת׃

19so is a person who deceives his neighbor, and says, "Was I not only joking?"

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

20Where there is no wood, a fire goes out, and where there is no gossip, contention ceases.

20בְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים תִּכְבֶּה־ אֵ֑שׁ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק מָדֽוֹן׃

21Like charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious person to kindle strife.

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

22The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into a person's innermost being.

22דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־ בָֽטֶן׃

23Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.

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

24The one who hates others disguises it with his lips, but he stores up deceit within him.

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

25When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations within him.

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

26Though his hatred may be concealed by deceit, his evil will be uncovered in the assembly.

26תִּכַּסֶּ֣ה שִׂ֭נְאָה בְּמַשָּׁא֑וֹן תִּגָּלֶ֖ה רָעָת֣וֹ בְקָהָֽל׃

27The one who digs a pit will fall into it; the one who rolls a stone--it will come back on him.

27כֹּֽרֶה־ שַּׁ֭חַת בָּ֣הּ יִפֹּ֑ל וְגֹ֥לֵ֥ל אֶ֝בֶן אֵלָ֥יו תָּשֽׁוּב׃

28A lying tongue hates those crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin.

28לְֽשׁוֹן־ שֶׁ֭קֶר יִשְׂנָ֣א דַכָּ֑יו וּפֶ֥ה חָ֝לָ֗ק יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה מִדְחֶֽה׃

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