1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

1 גַּם־אֵ֭לֶּה מִשְׁלֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶ֝עְתִּ֗יקוּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י׀ חִזְקִיָּ֬ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָֽה׃

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.

2 כְּבֹ֣ד אֱ֭לֹהִים הַסְתֵּ֣ר דָּבָ֑ר וּכְבֹ֥ד מְ֝לָכִ֗ים חֲקֹ֣ר דָּבָֽר׃

3 The heaven for hight, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

3 שָׁמַ֣יִם לָ֭רוּם וָאָ֣רֶץ לָעֹ֑מֶק וְלֵ֥ב מְ֝לָכִ֗ים אֵ֣ין חֵֽקֶר׃

4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

4 הָגֹ֣ו סִיגִ֣ים מִכָּ֑סֶף וַיֵּצֵ֖א לַצֹּרֵ֣ף כֶּֽלִי׃

5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

5 הָגֹ֣ו רָ֭שָׁע לִפְנֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ וְיִכֹּ֖ון בַּצֶּ֣דֶק כִּסְאֹֽו׃

6 Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:

6 אַל־תִּתְהַדַּ֥ר לִפְנֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ וּבִמְקֹ֥ום גְּ֝דֹלִ֗ים אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹֽד׃

7 For better it is that it be said to thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thy eyes have seen.

7 כִּ֤י טֹ֥וב אֲמָר־לְךָ֗ עֲ‍ֽלֵ֫ה הֵ֥נָּה מֵֽ֭הַשְׁפִּ֣ילְךָ לִפְנֵ֣י נָדִ֑יב אֲשֶׁ֖ר רָא֣וּ עֵינֶֽיךָ׃

8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.

8 אַל־תֵּצֵ֥א לָרִ֗ב מַ֫הֵ֥ר פֶּ֣ן מַה־תַּ֭עֲשֶׂה בְּאַחֲרִיתָ֑הּ בְּהַכְלִ֖ים אֹתְךָ֣ רֵעֶֽךָ׃

9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself; and reveal not a secret to another:

9 רִֽ֭יבְךָ רִ֣יב אֶת־רֵעֶ֑ךָ וְסֹ֖וד אַחֵ֣ר אַל־תְּגָֽל׃

10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thy infamy turn not away.

10 פֶּֽן־יְחַסֶּדְךָ֥ שֹׁמֵ֑עַ וְ֝דִבָּתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תָשֽׁוּב׃

11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

11 תַּפּוּחֵ֣י זָ֭הָב בְּמַשְׂכִּיֹּ֥ות כָּ֑סֶף דָּ֝בָ֗ר דָּבֻ֥ר עַל־אָפְנָֽיו׃

12 As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

12 נֶ֣זֶם זָ֭הָב וַחֲלִי־כָ֑תֶם מֹוכִ֥יחַ חָ֝כָ֗ם עַל־אֹ֥זֶן שֹׁמָֽעַת׃

13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.

13 כְּצִנַּת־שֶׁ֨לֶג׀ בְּיֹ֬ום קָצִ֗יר צִ֣יר נֶ֭אֱמָן לְשֹׁלְחָ֑יו וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ אֲדֹנָ֣יו יָשִֽׁיב׃

14 Whoever boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

14 נְשִׂיאִ֣ים וְ֭רוּחַ וְגֶ֣שֶׁם אָ֑יִן אִ֥ישׁ מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ל בְּמַתַּת־שָֽׁקֶר׃

15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

15 בְּאֹ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם יְפֻתֶּ֣ה קָצִ֑ין וְלָשֹׁ֥ון רַ֝כָּ֗ה תִּשְׁבָּר־גָּֽרֶם׃

16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled with it, and vomit it.

16 דְּבַ֣שׁ מָ֭צָאתָ אֱכֹ֣ל דַּיֶּ֑ךָּ פֶּן־תִּ֝שְׂבָּעֶ֗נּוּ וַהֲקֵֽאתֹֽו׃

17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbor's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

17 הֹקַ֣ר רַ֭גְלְךָ מִבֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֑ךָ פֶּן־יִ֝שְׂבָּעֲךָ֗ וּשְׂנֵאֶֽךָ׃

18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

18 מֵפִ֣יץ וְ֭חֶרֶב וְחֵ֣ץ שָׁנ֑וּן אִ֥ישׁ עֹנֶ֥ה בְ֝רֵעֵ֗הוּ עֵ֣ד שָֽׁקֶר׃

19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

19 שֵׁ֣ן רֹ֭עָה וְרֶ֣גֶל מוּעָ֑דֶת מִבְטָ֥ח בֹּ֝וגֵ֗ד בְּיֹ֣ום צָרָֽה׃

20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre; so is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.

20 מַ֥עֲדֶה בֶּ֨גֶד׀ בְּיֹ֣ום קָ֭רָה חֹ֣מֶץ עַל־נָ֑תֶר וְשָׁ֥ר בַּ֝שִּׁרִ֗ים עַ֣ל לֶב־רָֽע׃

21 If thy enemy shall hunger, give him bread to eat; and if he shall thirst, give him water to drink:

21 אִם־רָעֵ֣ב נַאֲךָ הַאֲכִלֵ֣הוּ לָ֑חֶם וְאִם־צָ֝מֵ֗א הַשְׁקֵ֥הוּ מָֽיִם׃

22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD will reward thee.

22 כִּ֤י גֶֽחָלִ֗ים אַ֭תָּה חֹתֶ֣ה עַל־רֹאשֹׁ֑ו וַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה יְשַׁלֶּם־לָֽךְ׃

23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

23 ר֣וּחַ צָ֭פֹון תְּחֹ֣ולֵֽל גָּ֑שֶׁם וּפָנִ֥ים נִ֝זְעָמִ֗ים לְשֹׁ֣ון סָֽתֶר׃

24 It is better to dwell in a corner of the house-top, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

24 טֹ֗וב שֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־פִּנַּת־גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת מִדֹונִים מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים וּבֵ֥ית חָֽבֶר׃

25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

25 מַ֣יִם קָ֭רִים עַל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ עֲיֵפָ֑ה וּשְׁמוּעָ֥ה טֹ֝ובָ֗ה מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מֶרְחָֽק׃

26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a turbid fountain, and a corrupt spring.

26 מַעְיָ֣ן נִ֭רְפָּשׂ וּמָקֹ֣ור מָשְׁחָ֑ת צַ֝דִּ֗יק מָ֣ט לִפְנֵֽי־רָשָֽׁע׃

27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

27 אָ֘כֹ֤ל דְּבַ֣שׁ הַרְבֹּ֣ות לֹא־טֹ֑וב וְחֵ֖קֶר כְּבֹדָ֣ם כָּבֹֽוד׃

28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

28 עִ֣יר פְּ֭רוּצָה אֵ֣ין חֹומָ֑ה אִ֝֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֵ֖ין מַעְצָ֣ר לְרוּחֹֽו׃