1 These are more wise sayings of Solomon, copied out by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah.

1 גַּם־אֵ֭לֶּה מִשְׁלֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶ֝עְתִּ֗יקוּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י׀ חִזְקִיָּ֬ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָֽה׃

2 It is the glory of God to keep a thing secret: but the glory of kings is to have it searched out.

2 כְּבֹ֣ד אֱ֭לֹהִים הַסְתֵּ֣ר דָּבָ֑ר וּכְבֹ֥ד מְ֝לָכִ֗ים חֲקֹ֣ר דָּבָֽר׃

3 The heaven is high and the earth is deep, and the hearts of kings may not be searched out.

3 שָׁמַ֣יִם לָ֭רוּם וָאָ֣רֶץ לָעֹ֑מֶק וְלֵ֥ב מְ֝לָכִ֗ים אֵ֣ין חֵֽקֶר׃

4 Take away the waste from silver, and a vessel will come out for the silver-worker.

4 הָגֹ֣ו סִיגִ֣ים מִכָּ֑סֶף וַיֵּצֵ֖א לַצֹּרֵ֣ף כֶּֽלִי׃

5 Take away evil-doers from before the king, and the seat of his power will be made strong in righteousness.

5 הָגֹ֣ו רָ֭שָׁע לִפְנֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ וְיִכֹּ֖ון בַּצֶּ֣דֶק כִּסְאֹֽו׃

6 Do not take glory for yourself before the king, and do not put yourself in the place of the great:

6 אַל־תִּתְהַדַּ֥ר לִפְנֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ וּבִמְקֹ֥ום גְּ֝דֹלִ֗ים אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹֽד׃

7 For it is better to have it said to you, Come up here; than for you to be put down in a lower place before the ruler.

7 כִּ֤י טֹ֥וב אֲמָר־לְךָ֗ עֲ‍ֽלֵ֫ה הֵ֥נָּה מֵֽ֭הַשְׁפִּ֣ילְךָ לִפְנֵ֣י נָדִ֑יב אֲשֶׁ֖ר רָא֣וּ עֵינֶֽיךָ׃

8 Do not be quick to go to law about what you have seen, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbour has put you to shame?

8 אַל־תֵּצֵ֥א לָרִ֗ב מַ֫הֵ֥ר פֶּ֣ן מַה־תַּ֭עֲשֶׂה בְּאַחֲרִיתָ֑הּ בְּהַכְלִ֖ים אֹתְךָ֣ רֵעֶֽךָ׃

9 Have a talk with your neighbour himself about your cause, but do not give away the secret of another:

9 רִֽ֭יבְךָ רִ֣יב אֶת־רֵעֶ֑ךָ וְסֹ֖וד אַחֵ֣ר אַל־תְּגָֽל׃

10 Or your hearer may say evil of you, and your shame will not be turned away.

10 פֶּֽן־יְחַסֶּדְךָ֥ שֹׁמֵ֑עַ וְ֝דִבָּתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תָשֽׁוּב׃

11 A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a network of silver.

11 תַּפּוּחֵ֣י זָ֭הָב בְּמַשְׂכִּיֹּ֥ות כָּ֑סֶף דָּ֝בָ֗ר דָּבֻ֥ר עַל־אָפְנָֽיו׃

12 Like a nose-ring of gold and an ornament of the best gold, is a wise man who says sharp words to an ear ready to give attention.

12 נֶ֣זֶם זָ֭הָב וַחֲלִי־כָ֑תֶם מֹוכִ֥יחַ חָ֝כָ֗ם עַל־אֹ֥זֶן שֹׁמָֽעַת׃

13 As the cold of snow in the time of grain-cutting, so is a true servant to those who send him; for he gives new life to the soul of his master.

13 כְּצִנַּת־שֶׁ֨לֶג׀ בְּיֹ֬ום קָצִ֗יר צִ֣יר נֶ֭אֱמָן לְשֹׁלְחָ֑יו וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ אֲדֹנָ֣יו יָשִֽׁיב׃

14 As clouds and wind without rain, so is one who takes credit for an offering he has not given.

14 נְשִׂיאִ֣ים וְ֭רוּחַ וְגֶ֣שֶׁם אָ֑יִן אִ֥ישׁ מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ל בְּמַתַּת־שָֽׁקֶר׃

15 A judge is moved by one who for a long time undergoes wrongs without protest, and by a soft tongue even bone is broken.

15 בְּאֹ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם יְפֻתֶּ֣ה קָצִ֑ין וְלָשֹׁ֥ון רַ֝כָּ֗ה תִּשְׁבָּר־גָּֽרֶם׃

16 If you have honey, take only as much as is enough for you; for fear that, being full of it, you may not be able to keep it down.

16 דְּבַ֣שׁ מָ֭צָאתָ אֱכֹ֣ל דַּיֶּ֑ךָּ פֶּן־תִּ֝שְׂבָּעֶ֗נּוּ וַהֲקֵֽאתֹֽו׃

17 Let not your foot be frequently in your neighbour's house, or he may get tired of you, and his feeling be turned to hate.

17 הֹקַ֣ר רַ֭גְלְךָ מִבֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֑ךָ פֶּן־יִ֝שְׂבָּעֲךָ֗ וּשְׂנֵאֶֽךָ׃

18 One who gives false witness against his neighbour is a hammer and a sword and a sharp arrow.

18 מֵפִ֣יץ וְ֭חֶרֶב וְחֵ֣ץ שָׁנ֑וּן אִ֥ישׁ עֹנֶ֥ה בְ֝רֵעֵ֗הוּ עֵ֣ד שָֽׁקֶר׃

19 Putting one's faith in a false man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a shaking foot.

19 שֵׁ֣ן רֹ֭עָה וְרֶ֣גֶל מוּעָ֑דֶת מִבְטָ֥ח בֹּ֝וגֵ֗ד בְּיֹ֣ום צָרָֽה׃

20 Like one who takes off clothing in cold weather and like acid on a wound, is he who makes melody to a sad heart.

20 מַ֥עֲדֶה בֶּ֨גֶד׀ בְּיֹ֣ום קָ֭רָה חֹ֣מֶץ עַל־נָ֑תֶר וְשָׁ֥ר בַּ֝שִּׁרִ֗ים עַ֣ל לֶב־רָֽע׃

21 If your hater is in need of food, give him bread; and if he is in need of drink, give him water:

21 אִם־רָעֵ֣ב נַאֲךָ הַאֲכִלֵ֣הוּ לָ֑חֶם וְאִם־צָ֝מֵ֗א הַשְׁקֵ֥הוּ מָֽיִם׃

22 For so you will put coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will give you your reward.

22 כִּ֤י גֶֽחָלִ֗ים אַ֭תָּה חֹתֶ֣ה עַל־רֹאשֹׁ֑ו וַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה יְשַׁלֶּם־לָֽךְ׃

23 As the north wind gives birth to rain, so is an angry face caused by a tongue saying evil secretly.

23 ר֣וּחַ צָ֭פֹון תְּחֹ֣ולֵֽל גָּ֑שֶׁם וּפָנִ֥ים נִ֝זְעָמִ֗ים לְשֹׁ֣ון סָֽתֶר׃

24 It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house.

24 טֹ֗וב שֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־פִּנַּת־גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת מִדֹונִים מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים וּבֵ֥ית חָֽבֶר׃

25 As cold water to a tired soul, so is good news from a far country.

25 מַ֣יִם קָ֭רִים עַל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ עֲיֵפָ֑ה וּשְׁמוּעָ֥ה טֹ֝ובָ֗ה מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מֶרְחָֽק׃

26 Like a troubled fountain and a dirty spring, is an upright man who has to give way before evil-doers.

26 מַעְיָ֣ן נִ֭רְפָּשׂ וּמָקֹ֣ור מָשְׁחָ֑ת צַ֝דִּ֗יק מָ֣ט לִפְנֵֽי־רָשָֽׁע׃

27 It is not good to take much honey: so he who is not looking for honour will be honoured.

27 אָ֘כֹ֤ל דְּבַ֣שׁ הַרְבֹּ֣ות לֹא־טֹ֑וב וְחֵ֖קֶר כְּבֹדָ֣ם כָּבֹֽוד׃

28 He whose spirit is uncontrolled is like an unwalled town which has been broken into.

28 עִ֣יר פְּ֭רוּצָה אֵ֣ין חֹומָ֑ה אִ֝֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֵ֖ין מַעְצָ֣ר לְרוּחֹֽו׃