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Chapter 25
More Proverbs of Solomon
1
These [are] additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:
𐤀𐤋𐤄 𐤂𐤌 𐤌𐤔𐤋𐤉 𐤔𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤄𐤏𐤕𐤉𐤒𐤅 𐤀𐤍𐤔𐤉 𐤇𐤆𐤒𐤉𐤄 𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤄
אֵ֭לֶּה גַּם־ מִשְׁלֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶ֝עְתִּ֗יקוּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י׀ חִזְקִיָּ֬ה מֶֽלֶךְ־ יְהוּדָֽה׃ ’êl·leh gam- miš·lê šə·lō·mōh ’ă·šer he‘·tî·qū ’an·šê ḥiz·qî·yāh me·leḵ- yə·hū·ḏāh — WLC · 1
2
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out…
𐤊𐤁𐤃 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤎𐤕𐤓 𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤅𐤊𐤁𐤃 𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤇𐤒𐤓 𐤃𐤁𐤓
כְּבֹ֣ד אֱ֭לֹהִים הַסְתֵּ֣ר דָּבָ֑ר וּכְבֹ֥ד מְ֝לָכִ֗ים חֲקֹ֣ר דָּבָֽר׃ kə·ḇōḏ ’ĕ·lō·hîm has·têr dā·ḇār ū·ḵə·ḇōḏ mə·lā·ḵîm ḥă·qōr dā·ḇār — WLC · 2
3
As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.
𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤓𐤅𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤋𐤏𐤌𐤒 𐤅𐤋𐤁 𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤇𐤒𐤓
שָׁמַ֣יִם לָ֭רוּם וָאָ֣רֶץ לָעֹ֑מֶק וְלֵ֥ב מְ֝לָכִ֗ים אֵ֣ין חֵֽקֶר׃ šā·ma·yim lā·rūm wā·’ā·reṣ lā·‘ō·meq wə·lêḇ mə·lā·ḵîm ’ên ḥê·qer — WLC · 3
4
Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.
𐤄𐤂𐤅 𐤎𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤊𐤎𐤐 𐤊𐤋𐤉 𐤋𐤑𐤓𐤐 𐤅𐤉𐤑𐤀
הָג֣וֹ סִיגִ֣ים מִכָּ֑סֶף כֶּֽלִי׃ לַצֹּרֵ֣ף וַיֵּצֵ֖א hā·ḡōw sî·ḡîm mik·kā·sep̄ ke·lî laṣ·ṣō·rêp̄ way·yê·ṣê — WLC · 4
5
Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
𐤄𐤂𐤅 𐤓𐤔𐤏 𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤊𐤎𐤀𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤊𐤅𐤍 𐤁𐤑𐤃𐤒
הָג֣וֹ רָ֭שָׁע מֶ֑לֶךְ לִפְנֵי־ כִּסְאֽוֹ׃ וְיִכּ֖וֹן בַּצֶּ֣דֶק hā·ḡōw rā·šā‘ me·leḵ lip̄·nê- kis·’ōw wə·yik·kō·wn baṣ·ṣe·ḏeq — WLC · 5
6
Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great [men];
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤕𐤄𐤃𐤓 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤏𐤌𐤃 𐤅𐤁𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤂𐤃𐤋𐤉𐤌
אַל־ תִּתְהַדַּ֥ר לִפְנֵי־ מֶ֑לֶךְ אַֽל־ תַּעֲמֹֽד׃ וּבִמְק֥וֹם גְּ֝דֹלִ֗ים ’al- tiṯ·had·dar lip̄·nê- me·leḵ ’al- ta·‘ă·mōḏ ū·ḇim·qō·wm gə·ḏō·lîm — WLC · 6
7
for it is better to be told…, “Come up here!” than to be demoted in the presence of the prince. Even what you have seen with your own eyes,
𐤊𐤉 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤊 𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤌𐤄𐤔𐤐𐤉𐤋𐤊 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤍𐤃𐤉𐤁 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤓𐤀𐤅 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤊
כִּ֤י ט֥וֹב אֲמָר־ לְךָ֗ עֲֽלֵ֫ה הֵ֥נָּה מֵֽ֭הַשְׁפִּ֣ילְךָ לִפְנֵ֣י נָדִ֑יב אֲשֶׁ֖ר רָא֣וּ עֵינֶֽיךָ׃ kî ṭō·wḇ ’ă·mār- lə·ḵā ‘ălêh hên·nāh mê·haš·pî·lə·ḵā lip̄·nê nā·ḏîḇ ’ă·šer rā·’ū ‘ê·ne·ḵā — WLC · 7
8
do not bring hastily to court. Otherwise, what will you do in the end when your neighbor puts you to shame -?
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤑𐤀 𐤌𐤄𐤓 𐤋𐤓𐤁 𐤐𐤍 𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤁𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤕𐤄 𐤓𐤏𐤊 𐤁𐤄𐤊𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤕𐤊
אַל־ תֵּצֵ֥א מַ֫הֵ֥ר לָרִ֗ב פֶּ֣ן מַה־ תַּ֭עֲשֶׂה בְּאַחֲרִיתָ֑הּ רֵעֶֽךָ׃ בְּהַכְלִ֖ים אֹתְךָ֣ ’al- tê·ṣê ma·hêr lā·riḇ pen mah- ta·‘ă·śeh bə·’a·ḥă·rî·ṯāh rê·‘e·ḵā bə·haḵ·lîm ’ō·ṯə·ḵā — WLC · 8
9
Argue your case with your neighbor without betraying another’s confidence,
𐤓𐤉𐤁𐤊 𐤓𐤉𐤁 𐤀𐤕 𐤓𐤏𐤊 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤂𐤋 𐤀𐤇𐤓 𐤅𐤎𐤅𐤃
רִֽ֭יבְךָ רִ֣יב אֶת־ רֵעֶ֑ךָ אַל־ תְּגָֽל׃ אַחֵ֣ר וְס֖וֹד rî·ḇə·ḵā rîḇ ’eṯ- rê·‘e·ḵā ’al- tə·ḡāl ’a·ḥêr wə·sō·wḏ — WLC · 9
10
lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your infamy never go away.
𐤐𐤍 𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤉𐤇𐤎𐤃𐤊 𐤅𐤃𐤁𐤕𐤊 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤁
פֶּֽן־ שֹׁמֵ֑עַ יְחַסֶּדְךָ֥ וְ֝דִבָּתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תָשֽׁוּב׃ pen- šō·mê·a‘ yə·ḥas·seḏ·ḵā wə·ḏib·bā·ṯə·ḵā lō ṯā·šūḇ — WLC · 10
11
A word vvv fitly spoken [is like] apples of gold in settings of silver.
𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤏𐤋 𐤀𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤕𐤐𐤅𐤇𐤉 𐤆𐤄𐤁 𐤁𐤌𐤔𐤊𐤉𐤅𐤕 𐤊𐤎𐤐
דָּ֝בָ֗ר עַל־ אָפְנָֽיו׃ דָּבֻ֥ר תַּפּוּחֵ֣י זָ֭הָב בְּמַשְׂכִּיּ֥וֹת כָּ֑סֶף dā·ḇār ‘al- ’ā·p̄ə·nāw dā·ḇur tap·pū·ḥê zā·hāḇ bə·maś·kî·yō·wṯ kā·sep̄ — WLC · 11
12
[Like] an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.
𐤍𐤆𐤌 𐤆𐤄𐤁 𐤅𐤇𐤋𐤉 𐤊𐤕𐤌 𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤌𐤅𐤊𐤉𐤇 𐤏𐤋 𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤕 𐤀𐤆𐤍
נֶ֣זֶם זָ֭הָב וַחֲלִי־ כָ֑תֶם חָ֝כָ֗ם מוֹכִ֥יחַ עַל־ שֹׁמָֽעַת׃ אֹ֥זֶן ne·zem zā·hāḇ wa·ḥă·lî- ḵā·ṯem ḥā·ḵām mō·w·ḵî·aḥ ‘al- šō·mā·‘aṯ ’ō·zen — WLC · 12
13
Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest [is] a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.
𐤊𐤑𐤍𐤕 𐤔𐤋𐤂 𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤒𐤑𐤉𐤓 𐤍𐤀𐤌𐤍 𐤑𐤉𐤓 𐤋𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤐 𐤅𐤍𐤐𐤔 𐤀𐤃𐤍𐤉𐤅
כְּצִנַּת־ שֶׁ֨לֶג׀ בְּי֬וֹם קָצִ֗יר נֶ֭אֱמָן צִ֣יר לְשֹׁלְחָ֑יו יָשִֽׁיב׃פ וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ אֲדֹנָ֣יו kə·ṣin·naṯ- še·leḡ bə·yō·wm qā·ṣîr ne·’ĕ·mān ṣîr lə·šō·lə·ḥāw yā·šîḇ wə·ne·p̄eš ’ă·ḏō·nāw — WLC · 13
14
[Like] clouds and wind without rain [is] the man who boasts of gifts never given.
𐤍𐤔𐤉𐤀𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤅𐤂𐤔𐤌 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤌𐤕𐤄𐤋𐤋 𐤁𐤌𐤕𐤕 𐤔𐤒𐤓
נְשִׂיאִ֣ים וְ֭רוּחַ אָ֑יִן וְגֶ֣שֶׁם אִ֥ישׁ מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ל בְּמַתַּת־ שָֽׁקֶר׃ nə·śî·’îm wə·rū·aḥ ’ā·yin wə·ḡe·šem ’îš miṯ·hal·lêl bə·mat·taṯ- šā·qer — WLC · 14
15
Through patience… a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
𐤁𐤀𐤓𐤊 𐤀𐤐𐤉𐤌 𐤒𐤑𐤉𐤍 𐤉𐤐𐤕𐤄 𐤓𐤊𐤄 𐤅𐤋𐤔𐤅𐤍 𐤕𐤔𐤁𐤓 𐤂𐤓𐤌
בְּאֹ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם קָצִ֑ין יְפֻתֶּ֣ה רַ֝כָּ֗ה וְלָשׁ֥וֹן תִּשְׁבָּר־ גָּֽרֶם׃ bə·’ō·reḵ ’ap·pa·yim qā·ṣîn yə·p̄ut·teh rak·kāh wə·lā·šō·wn tiš·bār- gā·rem — WLC · 15
16
If you find honey, eat just what you need, lest you have too much and vomit it up.
𐤌𐤑𐤀𐤕 𐤃𐤁𐤔 𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤃𐤉𐤊 𐤐𐤍 𐤕𐤔𐤁𐤏𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤄𐤒𐤀𐤕𐤅
מָ֭צָאתָ דְּבַ֣שׁ אֱכֹ֣ל דַּיֶּ֑ךָּ פֶּן־ תִּ֝שְׂבָּעֶ֗נּוּ וַהֲקֵֽאתֽוֹ׃ mā·ṣā·ṯā də·ḇaš ’ĕ·ḵōl day·ye·kā pen- tiś·bā·‘en·nū wa·hă·qê·ṯōw — WLC · 16
17
Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he grow weary and hate you.
𐤄𐤒𐤓 𐤓𐤂𐤋𐤊 𐤓𐤏𐤊 𐤌𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤐𐤍 𐤉𐤔𐤁𐤏𐤊 𐤅𐤔𐤍𐤀𐤊
הֹקַ֣ר רַ֭גְלְךָ רֵעֶ֑ךָ מִבֵּ֣ית פֶּן־ יִ֝שְׂבָּעֲךָ֗ וּשְׂנֵאֶֽךָ׃ hō·qar raḡ·lə·ḵā rê·‘e·ḵā mib·bêṯ pen- yiś·bā·‘ă·ḵā ū·śə·nê·’e·ḵā — WLC · 17
18
[Like] a club or sword or sharp arrow [is] a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
𐤌𐤐𐤉𐤑 𐤅𐤇𐤓𐤁 𐤔𐤍𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤇𐤑 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤏𐤍𐤄 𐤔𐤒𐤓 𐤏𐤃 𐤁𐤓𐤏𐤄𐤅
מֵפִ֣יץ וְ֭חֶרֶב שָׁנ֑וּן וְחֵ֣ץ אִ֥ישׁ עֹנֶ֥ה שָֽׁקֶר׃ עֵ֣ד בְ֝רֵעֵ֗הוּ mê·p̄îṣ wə·ḥe·reḇ šā·nūn wə·ḥêṣ ’îš ‘ō·neh šā·qer ‘êḏ ḇə·rê·‘ê·hū — WLC · 18
19
[Like] a broken tooth or a foot out of joint is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.
𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤔𐤍 𐤅𐤓𐤂𐤋 𐤌𐤅𐤏𐤃𐤕 𐤌𐤁𐤈𐤇 𐤁𐤅𐤂𐤃 𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤑𐤓𐤄
רֹ֭עָה שֵׁ֣ן וְרֶ֣גֶל מוּעָ֑דֶת מִבְטָ֥ח בּ֝וֹגֵ֗ד בְּי֣וֹם צָרָֽה׃ rō·‘āh šên wə·re·ḡel mū·‘ā·ḏeṯ miḇ·ṭāḥ bō·w·ḡêḏ bə·yō·wm ṣā·rāh — WLC · 19
20
[Like] one who removes a garment on a cold day or vinegar poured on a wound [is] one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
𐤌𐤏𐤃𐤄 𐤁𐤂𐤃 𐤒𐤓𐤄 𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤇𐤌𐤑 𐤏𐤋 𐤍𐤕𐤓 𐤅𐤔𐤓 𐤁𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤋 𐤓𐤏𐤐 𐤋𐤁
מַ֥עֲדֶה בֶּ֨גֶד׀ קָ֭רָה בְּי֣וֹם חֹ֣מֶץ עַל־ נָ֑תֶר וְשָׁ֥ר בַּ֝שִּׁרִ֗ים עַ֣ל רָֽע׃פ לֶב־ ma·‘ă·ḏeh be·ḡeḏ qā·rāh bə·yō·wm ḥō·meṣ ‘al- nā·ṯer wə·šār baš·ši·rîm ‘al rā‘ leḇ- — WLC · 20
21
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
𐤀𐤌 𐤔𐤍𐤀𐤊 𐤓𐤏𐤁 𐤋𐤇𐤌 𐤄𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤄𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤌 𐤑𐤌𐤀 𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤔𐤒𐤄𐤅
אִם־ שֹׂ֭נַאֲךָ רָעֵ֣ב לָ֑חֶם הַאֲכִלֵ֣הוּ וְאִם־ צָ֝מֵ֗א מָֽיִם׃ הַשְׁקֵ֥הוּ ’im- śō·na·ʾă·k̲ā rā·‘êḇ lā·ḥem ha·’ă·ḵi·lê·hū wə·’im- ṣā·mê mā·yim haš·qê·hū — WLC · 21
22
For [in so doing], you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.
𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤇𐤕𐤄 𐤂𐤇𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤋 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤉𐤔𐤋𐤌 𐤋𐤊
כִּ֤י אַ֭תָּה חֹתֶ֣ה גֶֽחָלִ֗ים עַל־ רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה יְשַׁלֶּם־ לָֽךְ׃ kî ’at·tāh ḥō·ṯeh ḡe·ḥā·lîm ‘al- rō·šōw Yah·weh yə·šal·lem- lāḵ — WLC · 22
23
As the north wind brings forth rain, so a backbiting tongue [brings] angry looks.
𐤑𐤐𐤅𐤍 𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤕𐤇𐤅𐤋𐤋 𐤂𐤔𐤌 𐤎𐤕𐤓 𐤋𐤔𐤅𐤍 𐤍𐤆𐤏𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤌
צָ֭פוֹן ר֣וּחַ תְּח֣וֹלֵֽל גָּ֑שֶׁם סָֽתֶר׃ לְשׁ֣וֹן נִ֝זְעָמִ֗ים וּפָנִ֥ים ṣā·p̄ō·wn rū·aḥ tə·ḥō·w·lêl gā·šem sā·ṯer lə·šō·wn niz·‘ā·mîm ū·p̄ā·nîm — WLC · 23
24
Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤔𐤁𐤕 𐤏𐤋 𐤐𐤍𐤕 𐤂𐤂 𐤇𐤁𐤓 𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤌𐤃𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤀𐤔𐤕
ט֗וֹב שֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־ פִּנַּת־ גָּ֑ג חָֽבֶר׃ וּבֵ֥ית מְדוֹנִים מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת ṭō·wḇ še·ḇeṯ ‘al- pin·naṯ- gāḡ ḥā·ḇer ū·ḇêṯ mə·ḏō·nīm mê·’ê·šeṯ — WLC · 24
25
[Like] cold water to a weary soul [is] good news from a distant land.
𐤒𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤋 𐤏𐤉𐤐𐤄 𐤍𐤐𐤔 𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤔𐤌𐤅𐤏𐤄 𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤒 𐤌𐤀𐤓𐤑
קָ֭רִים מַ֣יִם עַל־ עֲיֵפָ֑ה נֶ֣פֶשׁ ט֝וֹבָ֗ה וּשְׁמוּעָ֥ה מֶרְחָֽק׃ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ qā·rîm ma·yim ‘al- ‘ă·yê·p̄āh ne·p̄eš ṭō·w·ḇāh ū·šə·mū·‘āh mer·ḥāq mê·’e·reṣ — WLC · 25
26
Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
𐤍𐤓𐤐𐤔 𐤌𐤏𐤉𐤍 𐤌𐤔𐤇𐤕 𐤅𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤓 𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 𐤌𐤈 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤓𐤔𐤏
נִ֭רְפָּשׂ מַעְיָ֣ן מָשְׁחָ֑ת וּמָק֣וֹר צַ֝דִּ֗יק מָ֣ט לִפְנֵֽי־ רָשָֽׁע׃ nir·pāś ma‘·yān mā·šə·ḥāṯ ū·mā·qō·wr ṣad·dîq māṭ lip̄·nê- rā·šā‘ — WLC · 26
27
It is not good to eat too much honey or to search out one’s own glory…
𐤋𐤀 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤓𐤁𐤅𐤕 𐤃𐤁𐤔 𐤅𐤇𐤒𐤓 𐤊𐤁𐤃𐤌 𐤊𐤁𐤅𐤃
לֹא־ ט֑וֹב אָ֘כֹ֤ל הַרְבּ֣וֹת דְּבַ֣שׁ וְחֵ֖קֶר כְּבֹדָ֣ם כָּבֽוֹד׃ lō- ṭō·wḇ ’ā·ḵōl har·bō·wṯ də·ḇaš wə·ḥê·qer kə·ḇō·ḏām kā·ḇō·wḏ — WLC · 27
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Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who… does not control his temper.
𐤏𐤉𐤓 𐤇𐤅𐤌𐤄 𐤐𐤓𐤅𐤑𐤄 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤌𐤏𐤑𐤓 𐤋𐤓𐤅𐤇𐤅
עִ֣יר חוֹמָ֑ה פְּ֭רוּצָה אִ֝֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֵ֖ין אֵ֣ין מַעְצָ֣ר לְרוּחֽוֹ׃ ‘îr ḥō·w·māh pə·rū·ṣāh ’îš ’ă·šer ’ên ’ên ma‘·ṣār lə·rū·ḥōw — WLC · 28