1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour `is' not comely for a fool.

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

2 As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause doth not come.

2 כַּצִּפֹּ֣ור לָ֭נוּד כַּדְּרֹ֣ור לָע֑וּף כֵּ֥ן קִֽלְלַ֥ת חִ֝נָּ֗ם לֹא לֹ֣ו תָבֹֽא׃

3 A whip is for a horse, a bridle for an ass, And a rod for the back of fools.

3 שֹׁ֣וט לַ֭סּוּס מֶ֣תֶג לַחֲמֹ֑ור וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou be like to him -- even thou.

4 אַל־תַּ֣עַן כְּ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתֹּ֑ו פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לֹּ֥ו גַם־אָֽתָּה׃

5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.

5 עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתֹּ֑ו פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

6 He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.

6 מְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם חָמָ֣ס שֹׁתֶ֑ה שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃

7 Weak have been the two legs of the lame, And a parable in the mouth of fools.

7 דַּלְי֣וּ קַיִם³ מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

8 As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So `is' he who is giving honour to a fool.

8 כִּצְרֹ֣ור אֶ֭בֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה כֵּן־נֹותֵ֖ן לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֹֽוד׃

9 A thorn hath gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And a parable in the mouth of fools.

9 חֹ֭וחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־שִׁכֹּ֑ור וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

10 Great `is' the Former of all, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.

10 רַ֥ב מְחֹֽולֵֽל־כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃

11 As a dog hath returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.

11 כְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־קֵאֹ֑ו כְּ֝סִ֗יל שֹׁונֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתֹּֽו׃

12 Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!

12 רָאִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

13 The slothful hath said, `A lion `is' in the way, A lion `is' in the broad places.'

13 אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל שַׁ֣חַל בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ אֲ֝רִ֗י בֵּ֣ין הָרְחֹבֹֽות׃

14 The door turneth round on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.

14 הַ֭דֶּלֶת תִּסֹּ֣וב עַל־צִירָ֑הּ וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל עַל־מִטָּתֹֽו׃

15 The slothful hath hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.

15 טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דֹו בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת נִ֝לְאָ֗ה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃

16 Wiser `is' the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven `men' returning a reason.

16 חָכָ֣ם עָצֵ֣ל בְּעֵינָ֑יו מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃

17 Laying hold on the ears of a dog, `Is' a passer-by making himself wrath for strife not his own.

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

18 As `one' pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,

18 כְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶ֥ה זִקִּ֗ים חִצִּ֥ים וָמָֽוֶת׃

19 So hath a man deceived his neighbour, And hath said, `Am not I playing?'

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

20 Without wood is fire going out, And without a tale-bearer, contention ceaseth,

20 בְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵ֑שׁ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק מָדֹֽון׃

21 Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.

21 פֶּחָ֣ם לְ֭גֶחָלִים וְעֵצִ֣ים לְאֵ֑שׁ וְאִ֥ישׁ מִדֹונִים מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃

22 The words of a tale-bearer `are' as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down `to' the inner parts of the heart.

22 דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

23 Silver of dross spread over potsherd, `Are' burning lips and an evil heart.

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

24 By his lips doth a hater dissemble, And in his heart he placeth deceit,

24 בִּשְׂפָתֹו בִּ֭שְׂפָתָיו יִנָּכֵ֣ר שֹׂונֵ֑א וּ֝בְקִרְבֹּ֗ו יָשִׁ֥ית מִרְמָֽה׃

25 When his voice is gracious trust not in him, For seven abominations `are' in his heart.

25 כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּ֣ן קֹ֭ולֹו³ אַל־תַּֽאֲמֶן־בֹּ֑ו כִּ֤י שֶׁ֖בַע תֹּועֵבֹ֣ות בְּלִבֹּֽו׃

26 Hatred is covered by deceit, Revealed is its wickedness in an assembly.

26 תִּכַּסֶּ֣ה נְאָה בְּמַשָּׁאֹ֑ון תִּגָּלֶ֖ה רָעָתֹ֣ו בְקָהָֽל׃

27 Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And the roller of a stone, to him it turneth.

27 כֹּֽרֶהשַּ֭־חַת בָּ֣הּ יִפֹּ֑ל וְגֹ֥לֵ֥ל אֶ֝בֶן אֵלָ֥יו תָּשֽׁוּב׃

28 A lying tongue hateth its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth worketh an overthrow!

28 לְֽשֹׁוןשֶ֭־קֶר יִשְׂנָ֣א דַכָּ֑יו וּפֶ֥ה חָ֝לָ֗ק יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה מִדְחֶֽה׃