1 Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: --

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

2 The honour of God `is' to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.

2 כְּבֹ֣ד אֱ֭לֹהִים הַסְתֵּ֣ר דָּבָ֑ר וּכְבֹ֥ד מְ֝לָכִ֗ים חֲקֹ֣ר דָּבָֽר׃

3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings -- `are' unsearchable.

3 שָׁמַ֣יִם לָ֭רוּם וָאָ֣רֶץ לָעֹ֑מֶק וְלֵ֥ב מְ֝לָכִ֗ים אֵ֣ין חֵֽקֶר׃

4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,

4 הָגֹ֣ו סִיגִ֣ים מִכָּ֑סֶף וַיֵּצֵ֖א לַצֹּרֵ֣ף כֶּֽלִי׃

5 Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.

5 הָגֹ֣ו רָ֭שָׁע לִפְנֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ וְיִכֹּ֖ון בַּצֶּ֣דֶק כִּסְאֹֽו׃

6 Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.

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

7 For better `that' he hath said to thee, `Come thou up hither,' Than `that' he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine eyes have seen.

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

8 Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?

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

9 Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,

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

10 Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.

10 פֶּֽן־יְחַסֶּדְךָ֥ שֹׁמֵ֑עַ וְ֝דִבָּתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תָשֽׁוּב׃

11 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, `Is' the word spoken at its fit times.

11 תַּפּוּחֵ֣י זָ֭הָב בְּמַשְׂכִּיֹּ֥ות כָּ֑סֶף דָּ֝בָ֗ר דָּבֻ֥ר עַל־אָפְנָֽיו׃

12 A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, `Is' the wise reprover to an attentive ear.

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

13 As a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, `So is' a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And the soul of his masters he refresheth.

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

14 Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, `Is' a man boasting himself in a false gift.

14 נְשִׂיאִ֣ים וְ֭רוּחַ וְגֶ֣שֶׁם אָ֑יִן אִ֥ישׁ מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ל בְּמַתַּת־שָֽׁקֶר׃

15 By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.

15 בְּאֹ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם יְפֻתֶּ֣ה קָצִ֑ין וְלָשֹׁ֥ון רַ֝כָּ֗ה תִּשְׁבָּר־גָּֽרֶם׃

16 Honey thou hast found -- eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated `with' it, and hast vomited it.

16 דְּבַ֣שׁ מָ֭צָאתָ אֱכֹ֣ל דַּיֶּ֑ךָּ פֶּן־תִּ֝שְׂבָּעֶ֗נּוּ וַהֲקֵֽאתֹֽו׃

17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated `with' thee, and have hated thee.

17 הֹקַ֣ר רַ֭גְלְךָ מִבֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֑ךָ פֶּן־יִ֝שְׂבָּעֲךָ֗ וּשְׂנֵאֶֽךָ׃

18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, `Is' the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.

18 מֵפִ֣יץ וְ֭חֶרֶב וְחֵ֣ץ שָׁנ֑וּן אִ֥ישׁ עֹנֶ֥ה בְ֝רֵעֵ֗הוּ עֵ֣ד שָֽׁקֶר׃

19 A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, `Is' the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.

19 שֵׁ֣ן רֹ֭עָה וְרֶ֣גֶל מוּעָ֑דֶת מִבְטָ֥ח בֹּ֝וגֵ֗ד בְּיֹ֣ום צָרָֽה׃

20 Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, `Is as' vinegar on nitre, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.

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

21 If he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.

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

22 For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.

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

23 A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue -- indignant faces.

23 ר֣וּחַ צָ֭פֹון תְּחֹ֣ולֵֽל גָּ֑שֶׁם וּפָנִ֥ים נִ֝זְעָמִ֗ים לְשֹׁ֣ון סָֽתֶר׃

24 Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than `with' a woman of contentions, and a house of company.

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

25 `As' cold waters for a weary soul, So `is' a good report from a far country.

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

26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, `Is' the righteous falling before the wicked.

26 מַעְיָ֣ן נִ֭רְפָּשׂ וּמָקֹ֣ור מָשְׁחָ֑ת צַ֝דִּ֗יק מָ֣ט לִפְנֵֽי־רָשָֽׁע׃

27 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour -- honour.

27 אָ֘כֹ֤ל דְּבַ֣שׁ הַרְבֹּ֣ות לֹא־טֹ֑וב וְחֵ֖קֶר כְּבֹדָ֣ם כָּבֹֽוד׃

28 A city broken down without walls, `Is' a man without restraint over his spirit!

28 עִ֣יר פְּ֭רוּצָה אֵ֣ין חֹומָ֑ה אִ֝֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֵ֖ין מַעְצָ֣ר לְרוּחֹֽו׃