Do Not Envy

Saying 20

1  אַל־ (Not) תְּ֭קַנֵּא (do be envious) בְּאַנְשֵׁ֣י (of men) רָעָ֑ה (of evil),

וְאַל־ (and do not) תִּתְאָו (do desire) לִהְי֥וֹת (to be) אִתָּֽם׃ (with them).

2  כִּי־ (For) שֹׁ֭ד (violence) יֶהְגֶּ֣ה (devises) לִבָּ֑ם (their heart),

וְ֝עָמָ֗ל (and trouble) שִׂפְתֵיהֶ֥ם (their lips) תְּדַבֵּֽרְנָה׃ (speak).

Saying 21

3  בְּ֭חָכְמָה (By wisdom) יִבָּ֣נֶה (is built) בָּ֑יִת (a house),

וּ֝בִתְבוּנָ֗ה (and by understanding) יִתְכּוֹנָֽן׃ (it is established).

4  וּ֭בְדַעַת (And by knowledge) חֲדָרִ֣ים (the rooms) יִמָּלְא֑וּ (are filled)

כָּל־ (with all) ה֖וֹן (wealth) יָקָ֣ר (precious) וְנָעִֽים׃ (and pleasant).

Saying 22

5  גֶּֽבֶר־ (A man) חָכָ֥ם (of wisdom) בַּע֑וֹז (is strong),

וְאִֽישׁ־ (and a man) דַּ֝֗עַת (of knowledge) מְאַמֶּץ־ (strengthens) כֹּֽחַ׃ (power).

6  כִּ֣י (For) בְ֭תַחְבֻּלוֹת (by wise counsel) תַּעֲשֶׂה־ (you can fashion) לְּךָ֣ (for yourself) מִלְחָמָ֑ה (the battle),

וּ֝תְשׁוּעָ֗ה (and victory) בְּרֹ֣ב (is in a multitude) יוֹעֵֽץ׃ (counselors).

Saying 23

7  רָאמ֣וֹת (High) לֶֽאֱוִ֣יל (for a fool) חָכְמ֑וֹת (is wisdom);

בַּ֝שַּׁ֗עַר (in the gate) לֹ֣א (not) יִפְתַּח־ (does he open) פִּֽיהוּ׃ (his mouth).

Saying 24

8  מְחַשֵּׁ֥ב (One planning) לְהָרֵ֑עַ (to do evil),

ל֝֗וֹ (him) בַּֽעַל־ (a master) מְזִמּ֥וֹת (of wicked plots) יִקְרָֽאוּ׃ (they will call).

9  זִמַּ֣ת (The plotting) אִוֶּ֣לֶת (of foolishness) חַטָּ֑את (is sin),

וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת (and an abomination) לְאָדָ֣ם (to man) לֵֽץ׃ (is onemocking).

Saying 25

10  הִ֭תְרַפִּיתָ (If you slacken) בְּי֥וֹם (in the day) צָרָ֗ה (of distress),

צַ֣ר (then narrow is) כֹּחֶֽכָה׃ (your power).

11  הַ֭צֵּל (Deliver) לְקֻחִ֣ים (those being led away) לַמָּ֑וֶת (to death)

וּמָטִ֥ים (and those stumbling) לַ֝הֶ֗רֶג (to the slaughter)— אִם־ (if only) תַּחְשֽׂוֹךְ׃ (you would hold back).

12  כִּֽי־ (If) תֹאמַ֗ר (you say), הֵן֮ (Behold) לֹא־ (not) יָדַ֪עְנ֫וּ (did we know) זֶ֥ה (this),

הֲ‍ֽלֹא־ (not) תֹ֘כֵ֤ן (the One weighing) לִבּ֨וֹת׀ (hearts) הֽוּא־ (Himself) יָבִ֗ין (does know it)?

וְנֹצֵ֣ר (And the One watching over) נַ֭פְשְׁךָ (your soul), ה֣וּא (Himself) יֵדָ֑ע (know it)?

וְהֵשִׁ֖יב (And He has rendered) לְאָדָ֣ם (to each man) כְּפָעֳלֽוֹ׃ (according to his work).

Saying 26

13  אֱכָל־ (Eat), בְּנִ֣י (my son), דְבַ֣שׁ (honey), כִּי־ (for) ט֑וֹב (it is good),

וְנֹ֥פֶת (and the honeycomb) מָ֝ת֗וֹק (is sweet) עַל־ (upon) חִכֶּֽךָ׃ (your palate).

14  כֵּ֤ן׀ (Therefore) דְּעֶ֥ה (Know) חָכְמָ֗ה (that wisdom is sweet) לְנַ֫פְשֶׁ֥ךָ (to your soul),

אִם־ (if) מָ֭צָאתָ (you have found it) וְיֵ֣שׁ (and there is) אַחֲרִ֑ית (a posterity),

וְ֝תִקְוָתְךָ֗ (and your hope) לֹ֣א (not) תִכָּרֵֽת׃פ (will be cut off).

Saying 27

15  אַל־ (Do not) תֶּאֱרֹ֣ב (lie in wait), רָ֭שָׁע (like a wicked one), לִנְוֵ֣ה (against the abode) צַדִּ֑יק (of the righteous);

אַֽל־ (not) תְּשַׁדֵּ֥ד (do spoil) רִבְצוֹ׃ (his resting place);

16  כִּ֤י (for) שֶׁ֨בַע׀ (seven times) יִפּ֣וֹל (may fall) צַדִּ֣יק (the righteous) וָקָ֑ם (and rise up);

וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים (and the wicked) יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ (shall stumble) בְרָעָֽה׃ (into evil).

Saying 28

17  בִּנְפֹ֣ל (At the falling of) אוֹיְבֶיךָ (your enemy), אַל־ (not) תִּשְׂמָ֑ח (should you be glad)

וּ֝בִכָּשְׁל֗וֹ (and in his stumbling) אַל־ (not) יָגֵ֥ל (let rejoice) לִבֶּֽךָ׃ (your heart),

18  פֶּן־ (lest) יִרְאֶ֣ה (should see) יְ֭הוָה (YHWH) וְרַ֣ע (and it be evil) בְּעֵינָ֑יו (in His eyes),

וְהֵשִׁ֖יב (and He turns away) מֵעָלָ֣יו (from him) אַפּֽוֹ׃ (His anger).

Saying 29

19  אַל־ (Do not) תִּתְחַ֥ר (fret) בַּמְּרֵעִ֑ים (at the evildoers)

אַל־ (and not) תְּ֝קַנֵּ֗א (do be envious) בָּרְשָׁעִֽים׃ (of the wicked),

20  כִּ֤י׀ (for) לֹֽא־ (not) תִהְיֶ֣ה (is there) אַחֲרִ֣ית (a posterity) לָרָ֑ע (for an evil one);

נֵ֖ר (and the lamp) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (of the wicked ones) יִדְעָֽךְ׃ (will be extinguished).

Saying 30

21  יְרָֽא־ (Fear) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH), בְּנִ֣י (my son), וָמֶ֑לֶךְ (and the king);

עִם־ (with) שׁוֹנִ֑ים (ones who change) אַל־ (do not) תִּתְעָרָֽב׃ (pledge yourself).

22  כִּֽי־ (For) פִ֭תְאֹם (suddenly) יָק֣וּם (will arise) אֵידָ֑ם (their downfall),

וּפִ֥יד (and the ruin) שְׁ֝נֵיהֶ֗ם (of them both)— מִ֣י (who) יוֹדֵֽעַ׃ס (knows)?

Further Sayings of the Wise

23  גַּם־ (Also) אֵ֥לֶּה (these) לַֽחֲכָמִ֑ים (are of the wise ones):

הַֽכֵּר־ (The recognizing of) פָּנִ֖ים (faces) בְּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט (in giving judgment),

בַּל־ (is not) טֽוֹב׃ (good).

24  אֹ֤מֵ֨ר׀ (One saying) לְרָשָׁע֮ (to a wicked one), צַדִּ֪יק (Are righteous) אָ֥תָּה (You)”—

יִקְּבֻ֥הוּ (will curse him) עַמִּ֑ים (peoples); יִזְעָמ֥וּהוּ (and will denounce him) לְאֻמִּֽים׃ (nations).

25  וְלַמּוֹכִיחִ֥ים (And to those reproving) יִנְעָ֑ם (it will be pleasant),

וַֽ֝עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם (and upon them) תָּב֥וֹא (will come) בִרְכַּת־ (a blessing) טֽוֹב׃ (of goodness).

26  שְׂפָתַ֥יִם (The lips)

יִשָּׁ֑ק (he kisses), מֵ֝שִׁ֗יב (the one returning) דְּבָרִ֥ים (words) נְכֹחִֽים׃ (straightforward).

27  הָ֘כֵ֤ן (Prepare) בַּח֨וּץ׀ (in the outdoors) מְלַאכְתֶּ֗ךָ (your work) וְעַתְּדָ֣הּ (and make it ready) בַּשָּׂדֶ֣ה (in the field) לָ֑ךְ (for yourself);

אַ֝חַ֗ר (afterward) וּבָנִ֥יתָ (and may build) בֵיתֶֽךָ׃פ (your house).

28  אַל־ (Not) תְּהִ֣י (shall you be) עֵד־ (a witness) חִנָּ֣ם (without cause) בְּרֵעֶ֑ךָ (against your neighbor),

וַ֝הֲפִתִּ֗יתָ (or deceive) בִּשְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃ (with your lips).

29  אַל־ (Do not) תֹּאמַ֗ר (say), כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (According to what) עָֽשָׂה־ (he has done) לִ֭י (to me), כֵּ֤ן (so) אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־ (I will do) לּ֑וֹ (to him);

אָשִׁ֖יב (I will return) לָאִ֣ישׁ (to the man) כְּפָעֳלֽוֹ׃ (according to his deed).

30  עַל־ (Near) שְׂדֵ֣ה (the field) אִישׁ־ (of a man) עָצֵ֣ל (lazy) עָבַ֑רְתִּי (I passed by),

וְעַל־ (and near) כֶּ֝֗רֶם (the vineyard) אָדָ֥ם (of a man) חֲסַר־ (lacking) לֵֽב׃ (heart).

31  וְהִנֵּ֨ה (And behold), עָ֘לָ֤ה (had come up) כֻלּ֨וֹ׀ (all over it) קִמְּשֹׂנִ֗ים (thorns);

כָּסּ֣וּ (and was covered) פָנָ֣יו (its face) חֲרֻלִּ֑ים (with nettles),

וְגֶ֖דֶר (and the wall) אֲבָנָ֣יו (of its stones) נֶהֱרָֽסָה׃ (was torn down).

32  וָֽאֶחֱזֶ֣ה (And I saw)— אָ֭נֹכִֽי (I)— אָשִׁ֣ית (I set) לִבִּ֑י (my heart);

רָ֝אִ֗יתִי (I have seen); לָקַ֥חְתִּי (I have received) מוּסָֽר׃ (instruction).

33  מְעַ֣ט (A little) שֵׁ֭נוֹת (sleep), מְעַ֣ט (a little) תְּנוּמ֑וֹת (slumber),

מְעַ֓ט׀ (a little) חִבֻּ֖ק (a folding) יָדַ֣יִם (of the hands) לִשְׁכָּֽב׃ (to rest),

34  וּבָֽא־ (has come) מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ (as one traveling) רֵישֶׁ֑ךָ (your poverty),

וּ֝מַחְסֹרֶ֗יךָ (and your needs) כְּאִ֣ישׁ (like a man) מָגֵֽן׃פ (of shield).