International Standard Version

Hebrew Study Bible

1Dry crumbs in peace are better than a full meal with strife.

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

2A prudent servant will rule in place of a disgraceful son and will share in the inheritance among brothers.

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

3The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold— but the LORD assays hearts.

3מַצְרֵ֣ף לַ֭כֶּסֶף וְכ֣וּר לַזָּהָ֑ב וּבֹחֵ֖ן לִבּ֣וֹת יְהוָֽה׃

4Whoever practices evil pays attention to wicked speech, and the liar listens to malicious talk.

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

5Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their maker, and whoever is happy about disaster will not go unpunished.

5לֹעֵ֣ג לָ֭רָשׁ חֵרֵ֣ף עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ שָׂמֵ֥חַ לְ֝אֵ֗יד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃

6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the pride of children is their parents.

6עֲטֶ֣רֶת זְ֭קֵנִים בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְתִפְאֶ֖רֶת בָּנִ֣ים אֲבוֹתָֽם׃

7Appropriate speech is inconsistent with the fool; how much more are deceitful statements with a prince!

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

8A bribe works wonders in the eyes of its giver; wherever he turns he prospers.

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

9Anyone who overlooks an offense promotes love, but someone who gossips separates close friends.

9מְֽכַסֶּה־ פֶּ֭שַׁע מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אַהֲבָ֑ה וְשֹׁנֶ֥ה בְ֝דָבָ֗ר מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃

10A rebuke is more effective with a man of understanding than a hundred lashes to a fool.

10תֵּ֣חַת גְּעָרָ֣ה בְמֵבִ֑ין מֵהַכּ֖וֹת כְּסִ֣יל מֵאָֽה׃

11A rebellious person seeks evil; a cruel emissary will be sent to oppose him.

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

12It's better to meet a mother bear who has lost her cubs than a fool in his stupidity.

12פָּג֬וֹשׁ דֹּ֣ב שַׁכּ֣וּל בְּאִ֑ישׁ וְאַל־ כְּ֝סִ֗יל בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃

13The person who repays good with evil will never see evil leave his home.

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

14Starting a quarrel is like spilling water— so drop the dispute before it escalates.

14פּ֣וֹטֵֽר מַ֭יִם רֵאשִׁ֣ית מָד֑וֹן וְלִפְנֵ֥י הִ֝תְגַּלַּ֗ע הָרִ֥יב נְטֽוֹשׁ׃

15Exonerating the wicked and condemning the righteous are both detestable to the LORD.

15מַצְדִּ֣יק רָ֭שָׁע וּמַרְשִׁ֣יעַ צַדִּ֑יק תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

16What is this? A fool has enough money to buy wisdom, but is senseless?

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

17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is there for times of trouble.

17בְּכָל־ עֵ֭ת אֹהֵ֣ב הָרֵ֑עַ וְאָ֥ח לְ֝צָרָ֗ה יִוָּלֵֽד׃

18A man who lacks sense cosigns a loan, becoming a guarantor for his neighbor.

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

19The person who loves transgression loves strife; the person who builds a high gate invites destruction.

19אֹ֣הֵֽב פֶּ֭שַׁע אֹהֵ֣ב מַצָּ֑ה מַגְבִּ֥יהַּ פִּ֝תְח֗וֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־ שָֽׁבֶר׃

20The person whose mind is perverse does not find good, and anyone with perverted speech falls into trouble.

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

21The man who fathers a fool does so to his sorrow— the father of a fool has no joy.

21יֹלֵ֣ד כְּ֭סִיל לְת֣וּגָה ל֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־ יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח אֲבִ֣י נָבָֽל׃

22A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit drains one's strength.

22לֵ֣ב שָׂ֭מֵחַ יֵיטִ֣ב גֵּהָ֑ה וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־ גָּֽרֶם׃

23The wicked man takes a bribe in secret in order to pervert the course of justice.

23שֹׁ֣חַד מֵ֭חֵיק רָשָׁ֣ע יִקָּ֑ח לְ֝הַטּ֗וֹת אָרְח֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

24A person with understanding has wisdom as his objective, but a fool looks only to earthly goals.

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

25A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to his mother.

25כַּ֣עַס לְ֭אָבִיו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וּ֝מֶ֗מֶר לְיוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃

26Furthermore, it isn't good to fine the righteous, or to beat an official because of his uprightness.

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

27Whoever controls what he says is knowledgeable; anyone who has a calm spirit is a man of understanding.

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

28Even a fool is thought to be wise when he remains silent; he is thought to be prudent when he keeps his mouth shut.

28גַּ֤ם אֱוִ֣יל מַ֭חֲרִישׁ חָכָ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב אֹטֵ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֣יו נָבֽוֹן׃

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

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