Proverbs 20 מִשְׁלֵי פרק כ׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with transliteration and English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Proverbs 20 in the interlinear reader for roots and notes, or listen to it read aloud in Hebrew.

1. 1

   לֵץletsis a mockerהַיַּיִןhay/YA/yinwineהֹמֶהho/MEa brawlerשֵׁכָרshe/KHARstrong drinkוְכׇל־שֹׁגֶהve/KHOL-SHO/geand whoever is led astrayבּוֹboin itלֹאlois notיֶחְכָּם׃yech/KAMwise

   Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

2. 2

   נַהַםNA/hamis a roaringכַּכְּפִירkak/ke/FIRlike the young lionאֵימַתE/matthe terror ofמֶלֶךְME/lekha kingמִתְעַבְּרוֹmit/ab/be/ROhe who provokes himחוֹטֵאcho/TEsins againstנַפְשׁוֹ׃naf/SHOhis own soul

   The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.

3. 3

   כָּבוֹדka/VODhonorלָאִישׁla/ISHfor a manשֶׁבֶתSHE/vetto keep awayמֵרִיבme/RIVfrom strifeוְכׇל־אֱוִילve/KHOL-e/VILbut every foolיִתְגַּלָּע׃yit/gal/LAwill break out

   It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

4. 4

   מֵחֹרֶףme/CHO/refbecause of winterעָצֵלa/TSELthe sluggardלֹא־יַחֲרֹשׁlo-ya/cha/ROSHdoes not plow(ישאל)yashl[וְשָׁאַל]ve/sha/ALhe will begבַּקָּצִירbak/ka/TSIRin harvestוָאָיִן׃va/A/yinand have nothing

   The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

5. 5

   מַיִםMA/yimare watersעֲמֻקִּיםa/muk/KIMdeepעֵצָהe/TSAcounselבְלֶב־אִישׁve/LEV-ishin the heart of a manוְאִישׁve/ISHbut a man ofתְּבוּנָהte/vu/NAunderstandingיִדְלֶנָּה׃yid/LEN/nawill draw it out

   Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

6. 6

   רׇב־אָדָםrov-a/DAMmany menיִקְרָאyik/RAproclaimאִישׁisheachחַסְדּוֹchas/DOhis own kindnessוְאִישׁve/ISHbut a manאֱמוּנִיםe/mu/NIMfaithfulמִיmiwhoיִמְצָא׃yim/TSAcan find

   Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

7. 7

   מִתְהַלֵּךְmit/hal/LEKHwalksבְּתֻמּוֹbe/tum/MOin his integrityצַדִּיקtsad/DIKthe righteousאַשְׁרֵיash/REblessed areבָנָיוva/NAYVhis sonsאַחֲרָיו׃a/cha/RAYVafter him

   The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

8. 8

   מֶלֶךְME/lekha kingיוֹשֵׁבyo/SHEVwho sitsעַל־כִּסֵּא־דִיןal-kis/SE-dinon the throne of judgmentמְזָרֶהme/za/REscattersבְעֵינָיוve/e/NAYVwith his eyesכׇּל־רָע׃kol-raall evil

   A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

9. 9

   מִי־יֹאמַרmi-yo/MARwho can sayזִכִּיתִיzik/KI/tiI have kept pureלִבִּיlib/BImy heartטָהַרְתִּיta/HAR/tiI am cleanמֵחַטָּאתִי׃me/chat/ta/TIfrom my sin

   Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

10. 10

    אֶבֶןE/vena weightוָאֶבֶןva/E/venand a weightאֵיפָהe/FAan ephahוְאֵיפָהve/e/FAand an ephahתּוֹעֲבַתto/a/VATan abomination toיְהֹוָהAdonaithe LORDגַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶם׃gam-she/ne/HEMboth of them

    Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.

11. 11

    גַּםgamevenבְּמַעֲלָלָיוbe/ma/a/la/LAYVby his deedsיִתְנַכֶּר־נָעַרyit/nak/KER-NA/ara child makes himself knownאִם־זַךְim-zakhwhether pureוְאִם־יָשָׁרve/IM-ya/SHARand whether rightפׇּעֳלוֹ׃po/o/LOis his work

    Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

12. 12

    אֹזֶןO/zenthe earשֹׁמַעַתsho/MA/atthat hearsוְעַיִןve/A/yinand the eyeרֹאָהro/Athat seesיְהֹוָהAdonaithe LORDעָשָׂהa/SAhas madeגַם־שְׁנֵיהֶם׃gam-she/ne/HEMboth of them

    The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

13. 13

    אַל־תֶּאֱהַבal-te/e/HAVdo not loveשֵׁנָהshe/NAsleepפֶּן־תִּוָּרֵשׁpen-tiv/va/RESHlest you come to povertyפְּקַחpe/KACHopenעֵינֶיךָe/NE/khayour eyesשְׂבַע־לָחֶם׃se/VA-LA/chembe satisfied with bread

    Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

14. 14

    רַעrabadרַעrabadיֹאמַרyo/MARhe saysהַקּוֹנֶהhak/ko/NEthe buyerוְאֹזֵלve/o/ZELbut when he goes awayלוֹlohis wayאָזazthenיִתְהַלָּל׃yit/hal/LALhe boasts

    It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

15. 15

    יֵשׁyeshthere isזָהָבza/HAVgoldוְרׇב־פְּנִינִיםve/ROV-pe/ni/NIMand a multitude of rubiesוּכְלִיu/khe/LIbut a vessel ofיְקָרye/KARpreciousnessשִׂפְתֵי־דָעַת׃sif/TE-DA/atare the lips of knowledge

    There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16. 16

    לְקַח־בִּגְדוֹle/KACH-big/DOtake his garmentכִּי־עָרַבki-A/ravwhen he has become surety forזָרzara strangerוּבְעַדu/ve/ADand for(נכרים)nakharayam[נׇכְרִיָּה]nokh/riy/YAa foreign womanחַבְלֵהוּ׃chav/LE/huhold him in pledge

    Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

17. 17

    עָרֵבa/REVsweetלָאִישׁla/ISHto a manלֶחֶםLE/chemis bread ofשָׁקֶרSHA/kerfalsehoodוְאַחַרve/a/CHARbut afterwardיִמָּלֵא־פִיהוּyim/MA/le-FI/huhis mouth will be filled withחָצָץ׃cha/TSATSgravel

    Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

18. 18

    מַחֲשָׁבוֹתma/cha/sha/VOTplansבְּעֵצָהbe/e/TSAby counselתִכּוֹןtik/KONare establishedוּבְתַחְבֻּלוֹתu/ve/tach/bu/LOTand by wise guidanceעֲשֵׂהa/SEwageמִלְחָמָה׃mil/cha/MAwar

    Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

19. 19

    גּוֹלֶה־סּוֹדgo/LE-sodreveals a secretהוֹלֵךְho/LEKHhe who goes about asרָכִילra/KHILa slandererוּלְפֹתֶהu/le/fo/TEand with one who opens wideשְׂפָתָיוse/fa/TAYVhis lipsלֹאlodo notתִתְעָרָב׃tit/a/RAVassociate

    He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

20. 20

    מְקַלֵּלme/kal/LELone who cursesאָבִיוa/VIVhis fatherוְאִמּוֹve/im/MOand his motherיִדְעַךְyid/AKHwill be put outנֵרוֹne/ROhis lamp(באישון)vyashavan[בֶּאֱשׁוּן]be/e/SHUNin the blackness ofחֹשֶׁךְ׃CHO/shekhdarkness

    Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

21. 21

    נַחֲלָהna/cha/LAan inheritance[מְבֹהֶלֶת]me/vo/HE/letgotten hastilyבָּרִאשׁוֹנָהba/ri/sho/NAat the beginningוְאַחֲרִיתָהּve/a/cha/ri/TAbut its endלֹאlowill notתְבֹרָךְ׃te/vo/RAKHbe blessed

    An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

22. 22

    אַל־תֹּאמַרal-to/MARdo not sayאֲשַׁלְּמָה־רָעa/shal/le/MA-raI will repay evilקַוֵּהkav/VEwait forלַיהֹוָהla-Adonaito the LORDוְיֹשַׁעve/YO/shaand He will saveלָךְ׃lakhyou

    Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

23. 23

    תּוֹעֲבַתto/a/VATan abomination toיְהֹוָהAdonaithe LORDאֶבֶןE/vena weightוָאָבֶןva/A/venand a weightוּמֹאזְנֵיu/mo/ze/NEand scales ofמִרְמָהmir/MAdeceitלֹא־טוֹב׃lo-tovare not good

    Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.

24. 24

    מֵיְהֹוָהme-Adonaiare from the LORDמִצְעֲדֵי־גָבֶרmits/a/DE-GA/verthe steps of a manוְאָדָםve/a/DAMand a manמַה־יָּבִיןma-ya/VINhow can he understandדַּרְכּוֹ׃dar/KOhis way

    Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

25. 25

    מוֹקֵשׁmo/KESHa snare forאָדָםa/DAMa manיָלַעYA/lato say rashlyקֹדֶשׁKO/deshholyוְאַחַרve/a/CHARand afterנְדָרִיםne/da/RIMvowsלְבַקֵּר׃le/vak/KERto make inquiry

    It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

26. 26

    מְזָרֶהme/za/REwinnowsרְשָׁעִיםre/sha/IMthe wickedמֶלֶךְME/lekha kingחָכָםcha/KHAMwiseוַיָּשֶׁבvay/YA/shevand turnsעֲלֵיהֶםa/le/HEMover themאוֹפָן׃o/FANthe wheel

    A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

27. 27

    נֵרneris the lamp ofיְהֹוָהAdonaithe LORDנִשְׁמַתnish/MATthe breath ofאָדָםa/DAMa manחֹפֵשׂcho/FESsearchingכׇּל־חַדְרֵי־בָטֶן׃kol-chad/RE-VA/tenall the chambers of the belly

    The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

28. 28

    חֶסֶדCHE/sedkindnessוֶאֱמֶתve/e/METand truthיִצְּרוּ־מֶלֶךְyits/tse/RU-ME/lekhpreserve a kingוְסָעַדve/sa/ADand he upholdsבַּחֶסֶדba/CHE/sedby kindnessכִּסְאוֹ׃kis/Ohis throne

    Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

29. 29

    תִּפְאֶרֶתtif/E/retthe glory ofבַּחוּרִיםba/chu/RIMyoung menכֹּחָםko/CHAMis their strengthוַהֲדַרva/ha/DARand the splendor ofזְקֵנִיםze/ke/NIMold menשֵׂיבָה׃se/VAis gray hair

    The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.

30. 30

    חַבֻּרוֹתchab/bu/ROTthe stripes ofפֶּצַעPE/tsaa wound(תמריק)tamarayak[תַּמְרוּק]tam/RUKare a cleansingבְּרָעbe/RAfor evilוּמַכּוֹתu/mak/KOTand blowsחַדְרֵי־בָטֶן׃chad/RE-VA/tenthe chambers of the belly

    The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.