New Living Translation

Hebrew Study Bible

1Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and a fool.

1טֽוֹב־ רָ֭שׁ הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֑וֹ מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁ שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו וְה֣וּא כְסִֽיל׃

2Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.

2גַּ֤ם בְּלֹא־ דַ֣עַת נֶ֣פֶשׁ לֹא־ ט֑וֹב וְאָ֖ץ בְּרַגְלַ֣יִם חוֹטֵֽא׃

3People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.

3אִוֶּ֣לֶת אָ֭דָם תְּסַלֵּ֣ף דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְעַל־ יְ֝הוָ֗ה יִזְעַ֥ף לִבּֽוֹ׃

4Wealth makes many “friends”; poverty drives them all away.

4ה֗וֹן יֹ֭סִיף רֵעִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְ֝דָ֗ל מֵרֵ֥עהוּ‪‬ יִפָּרֵֽד׃

5A false witness will not go unpunished, nor will a liar escape.

5עֵ֣ד שְׁ֭קָרִים לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶ֑ה וְיָפִ֥יחַ כְּ֝זָבִ֗ים לֹ֣א יִמָּלֵֽט׃

6Many seek favors from a ruler; everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!

6רַ֭בִּים יְחַלּ֣וּ פְנֵֽי־ נָדִ֑יב וְכָל־ הָ֝רֵ֗עַ לְאִ֣ישׁ מַתָּֽן׃

7The relatives of the poor despise them; how much more will their friends avoid them! Though the poor plead with them, their friends are gone.

7כָּ֥ל אֲחֵי־ רָ֨שׁ ׀ שְֽׂנֵאֻ֗הוּ אַ֤ף כִּ֣י מְ֭רֵעֵהוּ רָחֲק֣וּ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ מְרַדֵּ֖ף אֲמָרִ֣ים [לא־] (לוֹ־) הֵֽמָּה׃

8To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.

8קֹֽנֶה־ לֵּ֭ב אֹהֵ֣ב נַפְשׁ֑וֹ שֹׁמֵ֥ר תְּ֝בוּנָ֗ה לִמְצֹא־ טֽוֹב׃

9A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed.

9עֵ֣ד שְׁ֭קָרִים לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶ֑ה וְיָפִ֖יחַ כְּזָבִ֣ים יֹאבֵֽד׃ פ

10It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury or for a slave to rule over princes!

10לֹֽא־ נָאוֶ֣ה לִכְסִ֣יל תַּעֲנ֑וּג אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־ לְעֶ֤בֶד ׀ מְשֹׁ֬ל בְּשָׂרִֽים׃

11Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.

11שֵׂ֣כֶל אָ֭דָם הֶאֱרִ֣יךְ אַפּ֑וֹ וְ֝תִפאַרְתּ֗וֹ‪‬ עֲבֹ֣ר עַל־ פָּֽשַׁע׃

12The king’s anger is like a lion’s roar, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

12נַ֣הַם כַּ֭כְּפִיר זַ֣עַף מֶ֑לֶךְ וּכְטַ֖ל עַל־ עֵ֣שֶׂב רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃

13A foolish child is a calamity to a father; a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.

13הַוֺּ֣ת לְ֭אָבִיו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וְדֶ֥לֶף טֹ֝רֵ֗ד מִדְיְנֵ֥י אִשָּֽׁה׃

14Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the LORD can give an understanding wife.

14בַּ֣יִת וָ֭הוֹן נַחֲלַ֣ת אָב֑וֹת וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה אִשָּׁ֥ה מַשְׂכָּֽלֶת׃

15Lazy people sleep soundly, but idleness leaves them hungry.

15עַ֭צְלָה תַּפִּ֣יל תַּרְדֵּמָ֑ה וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ רְמִיָּ֣ה תִרְעָֽב׃

16Keep the commandments and keep your life; despising them leads to death.

16שֹׁמֵ֣ר מִ֭צְוָה שֹׁמֵ֣ר נַפְשׁ֑וֹ בּוֹזֵ֖ה דְרָכָ֣יו [יומת] (יָמֽוּת׃)

17If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD— and he will repay you!

17מַלְוֵ֣ה יְ֭הוָה ח֣וֹנֵֽן דָּ֑ל וּ֝גְמֻל֗וֹ יְשַׁלֶּם־ לֽוֹ׃

18Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise you will ruin their lives.

18יַסֵּ֣ר בִּ֭נְךָ כִּי־ יֵ֣שׁ תִּקְוָ֑ה וְאֶל־ הֲ֝מִית֗וֹ אַל־ תִּשָּׂ֥א נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

19Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty. If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again.

19[גרל־] (גְּֽדָל־) חֵ֭מָה נֹ֣שֵׂא עֹ֑נֶשׁ כִּ֥י אִם־ תַּ֝צִּ֗יל וְע֣וֹד תּוֹסִֽף׃

20Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.

20שְׁמַ֣ע עֵ֭צָה וְקַבֵּ֣ל מוּסָ֑ר לְ֝מַ֗עַן תֶּחְכַּ֥ם בְּאַחֲרִיתֶֽךָ׃

21You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.

21רַבּ֣וֹת מַחֲשָׁב֣וֹת בְּלֶב־ אִ֑ישׁ וַעֲצַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה הִ֣יא תָקֽוּם׃

22Loyalty makes a person attractive. It is better to be poor than dishonest.

22תַּאֲוַ֣ת אָדָ֣ם חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְטֽוֹב־ רָ֝שׁ מֵאִ֥ישׁ כָּזָֽב׃

23Fear of the LORD leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm.

23יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֣ה לְחַיִּ֑ים וְשָׂבֵ֥עַ יָ֝לִ֗ין בַּל־ יִפָּ֥קֶד רָֽע׃

24Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their mouth.

24טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת גַּם־ אֶל־ פִּ֝֗יהוּ לֹ֣א יְשִׁיבֶֽנָּה׃

25If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser.

25לֵ֣ץ תַּ֭כֶּה וּפֶ֣תִי יַעְרִ֑ם וְהוֹכִ֥יחַ לְ֝נָב֗וֹן יָבִ֥ין דָּֽעַת׃

26Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother are an embarrassment and a public disgrace.

26מְֽשַׁדֶּד־ אָ֭ב יַבְרִ֣יחַ אֵ֑ם בֵּ֝֗ן מֵבִ֥ישׁ וּמַחְפִּֽיר׃

27If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will turn your back on knowledge.

27חַֽדַל־ בְּ֭נִי‪‬ לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ מוּסָ֑ר לִ֝שְׁג֗וֹת מֵֽאִמְרֵי־ דָֽעַת׃

28A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice; the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

28עֵ֣ד בְּ֭לִיַּעַל יָלִ֣יץ מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יְבַלַּע־ אָֽוֶן׃

29Punishment is made for mockers, and the backs of fools are made to be beaten.

29נָכ֣וֹנוּ לַלֵּצִ֣ים שְׁפָטִ֑ים וּ֝מַהֲלֻמ֗וֹת לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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