International Standard Version

Hebrew Study Bible

1Like snowfall in summer or rain at harvest time, so honor is inappropriate for a fool.

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

2Like a fluttering sparrow or a swallow in flight, a curse without cause will not alight.

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

3A whip is for the horses, a bridle is for the donkey, a rod is for the back of fools.

3שׁ֣וֹט לַ֭סּוּס מֶ֣תֶג לַחֲמ֑וֹר וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃

4Don't answer a fool according to his foolishness, or you will be just like him.

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

5Answer a fool according to his foolishness, or he will think himself to be wise.

5עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּן־ יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

6Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

6מְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם חָמָ֣ס שֹׁתֶ֑ה שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־ כְּסִֽיל׃

7Useless legs to the lame— that's what a proverb quoted by a fool is.

7דַּלְי֣וּ שֹׁ֭קַיִם מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

8Tying a stone to a sling— that's what giving honor to a fool is.

8כִּצְר֣וֹר אֶ֭בֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה כֵּן־ נוֹתֵ֖ן לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃

9A thorn in the hand of a drunkard— that's what a proverb quoted by a fool is.

9ח֭וֹחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־ שִׁכּ֑וֹר וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

10An archer who shoots at anyone— is like someone who hires a fool or anyone who passes by.

10רַ֥ב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־ כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃

11A dog that returns to its vomit is like a fool who reverts to his folly.

11כְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־ קֵא֑וֹ כְּ֝סִ֗יל שׁוֹנֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃

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

12רָאִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

13The lazy person claims, "There is a lion in the road! There's a lion in the streets!"

13אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל שַׁ֣חַל בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ אֲ֝רִ֗י בֵּ֣ין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃

14The door turns on its hinges— as does the lazy person on his bed.

14הַ֭דֶּלֶת תִּסּ֣וֹב עַל־ צִירָ֑הּ וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל עַל־ מִטָּתֽוֹ׃

15The lazy person buries his hand in the dish, but he's too tired to bring it to his mouth again.

15טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת נִ֝לְאָ֗ה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֶל־ פִּֽיו׃

16The lazy person is wiser in his own opinion than seven men who can give an appropriate response.

16חָכָ֣ם עָצֵ֣ל בְּעֵינָ֑יו מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃

17Picking up a dog by the ears— that's what someone is like who meddles in another's fight.

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

18Like the maniac who shoots fiery darts and deadly arrows—

18כְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶ֥ה זִקִּ֗ים חִצִּ֥ים וָמָֽוֶת׃

19that's what someone is like who lies to his neighbor and then says, "I was joking, wasn't I?"

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

20Without wood, the fire goes out. Without a gossip, contention stops.

20בְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים תִּכְבֶּה־ אֵ֑שׁ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק מָדֽוֹן׃

21Charcoal is to hot coals as wood is to fire; so also a quarrelsome man fuels strife.

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

22The words of a gossip are like delicate morsels; they sink down deep within.

22דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־ בָֽטֶן׃

23A clay vessel plated with a thin veneer of silver— that's what smooth lips with a wicked heart are.

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

24Someone who hates hides behind his words, harboring deceit within himself.

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

25Though he speaks graciously, don't believe him, for there are seven detestable things in his heart.

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

26Though malice disguises itself with deception, its evil will be exposed publicly.

26תִּכַּסֶּ֣ה שִׂ֭נְאָה בְּמַשָּׁא֑וֹן תִּגָּלֶ֖ה רָעָת֣וֹ בְקָהָֽל׃

27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and the stone will come back on whoever starts it rolling.

27כֹּֽרֶה־ שַּׁ֭חַת בָּ֣הּ יִפֹּ֑ל וְגֹ֥לֵ֥ל אֶ֝בֶן אֵלָ֥יו תָּשֽׁוּב׃

28A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.

28לְֽשׁוֹן־ שֶׁ֭קֶר יִשְׂנָ֣א דַכָּ֑יו וּפֶ֥ה חָ֝לָ֗ק יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה מִדְחֶֽה׃

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.