< Proverbs 26 >

1 As dew in harvest, and as rain in summer, so honour is not [seemly] for a fool.
כַּשֶּׁ֤לֶג ׀ בַּקַּ֗יִץ וְכַמָּטָ֥ר בַּקָּצִ֑יר כֵּ֤ן לֹא־נָאוֶ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃
2 As birds and sparrows fly, so a curse shall not come upon any one without a cause.
כַּצִּפּ֣וֹר לָ֭נוּד כַּדְּר֣וֹר לָע֑וּף כֵּ֥ן קִֽלְלַ֥ת חִ֝נָּ֗ם לא תָבֹֽא׃
3 As a whip for a horse, and a goad for an ass, so [is] a rod for a simple nation.
שׁ֣וֹט לַ֭סּוּס מֶ֣תֶג לַחֲמ֑וֹר וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you become like him.
אַל־תַּ֣עַן כְּ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לּ֥וֹ גַם־אָֽתָּה׃
5 Yet answer a fool according to his folly, lest he seem wise in his own conceit.
עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃
6 He that sends a message by a foolish messenger procures for himself a reproach from his own ways.
מְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם חָמָ֣ס שֹׁתֶ֑ה שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃
7 [As well] take away the motion of the legs, as transgression from the mouth of fools.
דַּלְי֣וּ שֹׁ֭קַיִם מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃
8 He that binds up a stone in a sling, is like one that gives glory to a fool.
כִּצְר֣וֹר אֶ֭בֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה כֵּן־נוֹתֵ֖ן לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃
9 Thorns grow in the hand of a drunkard, and servitude in the hand of fools.
ח֭וֹחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־שִׁכּ֑וֹר וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃
10 All the flesh of fools endures much hardship; for their fury is brought to nothing.
רַ֥ב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃
11 As when a dog goes to his own vomit, and becomes abominable, so is fool who returns in his wickedness to his own sin. [There is a shame that brings sin: and there is a shame [that is] glory and grace.]
כְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־קֵא֑וֹ כְּ֝סִ֗יל שׁוֹנֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃
12 I have seen a man who seemed to himself to be wise; but a fool had more hope than he.
רָאִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
13 A sluggard when sent on a journey says, [There is] a lion in the ways, and [there are] murderers in the streets.
אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל שַׁ֣חַל בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ אֲ֝רִ֗י בֵּ֣ין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃
14 As a door turns on the hinge, so does a sluggard on his bed.
הַ֭דֶּלֶת תִּסּ֣וֹב עַל־צִירָ֑הּ וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל עַל־מִטָּתֽוֹ׃
15 A sluggard having hid his hand in his bosom, will not be able to bring it up to his mouth.
טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת נִ֝לְאָ֗ה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃
16 A sluggard seems to himself wiser than one who most satisfactorily brings back a message.
חָכָ֣ם עָצֵ֣ל בְּעֵינָ֑יו מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃
17 As he that lays hold of a dog's tail, so is he that makes himself the champion of another's cause.
מַחֲזִ֥יק בְּאָזְנֵי־כָ֑לֶב עֹבֵ֥ר מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר עַל־רִ֥יב לֹּֽא־לֽוֹ׃
18 As those who need correction put forth [fair] words to men, and he that first falls in with the proposal will be overthrown;
כְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶ֥ה זִקִּ֗ים חִצִּ֥ים וָמָֽוֶת׃
19 so are all that lay wait for their own friends, and when they are discovered, say, I did it in jest.
כֵּֽן־אִ֭ישׁ רִמָּ֣ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אָמַ֗ר הֲֽלֹא־מְשַׂחֵ֥ק אָֽנִי׃
20 With much wood fire increases; but where there is not a double-minded man, strife ceases.
בְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵ֑שׁ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק מָדֽוֹן׃
21 A hearth for coals, and wood for fire; and railing man for the tumult of strife.
פֶּחָ֣ם לְ֭גֶחָלִים וְעֵצִ֣ים לְאֵ֑שׁ וְאִ֥ישׁ מדונים לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃ פ
22 The words of cunning knaves are soft; but they strike [even] to the inmost parts of the bowels.
דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
23 Silver dishonestly given is to be considered as a potsherd: smooth lips cover a grievous heart.
כֶּ֣סֶף סִ֭יגִים מְצֻפֶּ֣ה עַל־חָ֑רֶשׂ שְׂפָתַ֖יִם דֹּלְקִ֣ים וְלֶב־רָֽע׃
24 A weeping enemy promises all things with his lips, but in his heart he contrives deceit.
בשפתו יִנָּכֵ֣ר שׂוֹנֵ֑א וּ֝בְקִרְבּ֗וֹ יָשִׁ֥ית מִרְמָֽה׃
25 Though [your] enemy entreat you with a loud voice, consent not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּ֣ן ק֭וֹלוֹ אַל־תַּֽאֲמֶן־בּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י שֶׁ֖בַע תּוֹעֵב֣וֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃
26 He that hides enmity frames deceit: but being easily discerned, exposes his own sins in the public assemblies.
תִּכַּסֶּ֣ה שִׂ֭נְאָה בְּמַשָּׁא֑וֹן תִּגָּלֶ֖ה רָעָת֣וֹ בְקָהָֽל׃
27 He that digs a pit for his neighbour shall fall into it: and he that rolls a stone, rolls it upon himself.
כֹּֽרֶה־שַּׁ֭חַת בָּ֣הּ יִפֹּ֑ל וְגֹ֥לֵ֥ל אֶ֝בֶן אֵלָ֥יו תָּשֽׁוּב׃
28 A lying tongue hates the truth; and an unguarded mouth causes tumults.
לְֽשׁוֹן־שֶׁ֭קֶר יִשְׂנָ֣א דַכָּ֑יו וּפֶ֥ה חָ֝לָ֗ק יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה מִדְחֶֽה׃

< Proverbs 26 >