Proverbs 20 מִשְׁלֵי פרק כ׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Proverbs 20 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   לֵץscornerהַיַּיִןthe wineהֹמֶהis ragingשֵׁכָרstrong drinkוְכׇל־שֹׁגֶהand whosoever is deceivedבּוֹin itלֹאnotיֶחְכָּם׃he will become wise

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

2. 2

   נַהַםis a roaringכַּכְּפִירlike the young lionאֵימַתterror ofמֶלֶךְthe king ofמִתְעַבְּרוֹone who infuriates himחוֹטֵאa sinnerנַפְשׁוֹ׃his 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

   כָּבוֹדhonorלָאִישׁto the manשֶׁבֶתto ceaseמֵרִיבfrom strife ofוְכׇל־אֱוִילand all foolיִתְגַּלָּע׃will be meddling

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

4. 4

   מֵחֹרֶףby reason of the coldעָצֵלthe sluggardלֹא־יַחֲרֹשׁnot he plows(ישאל)[וְשָׁאַל]and he shall begבַּקָּצִירin the harvestוָאָיִן׃and have nothing

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

5. 5

   מַיִםwaterעֲמֻקִּיםdeepעֵצָהcounselבְלֶב־אִישׁin the heart of man ofוְאִישׁand a manתְּבוּנָהunderstandingיִדְלֶנָּה׃he draws out it

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

6. 6

   רׇב־אָדָםmost menיִקְרָאwill proclaimאִישׁa manחַסְדּוֹhis own goodnessוְאִישׁand a manאֱמוּנִיםfaithful peopleמִיwhoיִמְצָא׃shall find

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

7. 7

   מִתְהַלֵּךְwalkingבְּתֻמּוֹin his integrityצַדִּיקrighteousאַשְׁרֵיblessed areבָנָיוhis sonsאַחֲרָיו׃after him

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

8. 8

   מֶלֶךְthe king ofיוֹשֵׁבsittingעַל־כִּסֵּא־דִיןupon the throne of judgment ofמְזָרֶהis winnowingבְעֵינָיוwith his eyesכׇּל־רָע׃all evil

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

9. 9

   מִי־יֹאמַרwho can sayזִכִּיתִיI have kept pureלִבִּיmy heartטָהַרְתִּיI am pureמֵחַטָּאתִי׃from my sin

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

10. 10

    אֶבֶןstoneוָאֶבֶןand stoneאֵיפָהan ephahוְאֵיפָהand an ephahתּוֹעֲבַתan abomination beforeיְהֹוָהthe LORDגַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶם׃also the two

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

11. 11

    גַּםalsoבְּמַעֲלָלָיוby his deedsיִתְנַכֶּר־נָעַרa child is knownאִם־זַךְif are pureוְאִם־יָשָׁרand if rightפׇּעֳלוֹ׃his work

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

12. 12

    אֹזֶןan earשֹׁמַעַתthat hearsוְעַיִןand the eyeרֹאָהwhich seesיְהֹוָהthe LORDעָשָׂהhe didגַם־שְׁנֵיהֶם׃also the two

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

13. 13

    אַל־תֶּאֱהַבlove notשֵׁנָהsleepפֶּן־תִּוָּרֵשׁlest you should become impoverishedפְּקַחopenעֵינֶיךָyour eyesשְׂבַע־לָחֶם׃be satisfied with bread

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

14. 14

    רַעevilרַעevilיֹאמַרhe saysהַקּוֹנֶהthe buyerוְאֹזֵלand he is going awayלוֹto himאָזthenיִתְהַלָּל׃he boasts

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

15. 15

    יֵשׁthere isזָהָבgoldוְרׇב־פְּנִינִיםand a multitude of rubiesוּכְלִיand a vessel ofיְקָרpreciousשִׂפְתֵי־דָעַת׃the lips of knowledge

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

16. 16

    לְקַח־בִּגְדוֹtake his garmentכִּי־עָרַבbecause he stood surety forזָרa strangerוּבְעַדand for(נכרים)[נׇכְרִיָּה]foreignחַבְלֵהוּ׃take a pledge of him

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

17. 17

    עָרֵבis sweetלָאִישׁto the manלֶחֶםbreadשָׁקֶרfalseוְאַחַרand thenיִמָּלֵא־פִיהוּshall be filled mouth hisחָצָץ׃gravel

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

18. 18

    מַחֲשָׁבוֹתpurposesבְּעֵצָהby counselתִכּוֹןare establishedוּבְתַחְבֻּלוֹתand with good adviceעֲשֵׂהmakeמִלְחָמָה׃war

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

19. 19

    גּוֹלֶה־סּוֹדreveals secretsהוֹלֵךְgoingרָכִילa slandererוּלְפֹתֶהand with him who flattersשְׂפָתָיוhis lipsלֹאnotתִתְעָרָב׃meddle

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

20. 20

    מְקַלֵּלone who cursesאָבִיוhis fatherוְאִמּוֹand his motherיִדְעַךְshall be put outנֵרוֹhis lamp(באישון)[בֶּאֱשׁוּן]in obscureחֹשֶׁךְ׃darkness

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

21. 21

    נַחֲלָהinheritance[מְבֹהֶלֶת]hastily gainedבָּרִאשׁוֹנָהat firstוְאַחֲרִיתָהּand her endלֹאnotתְבֹרָךְ׃it will be blessed

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

22. 22

    אַל־תֹּאמַרsay notאֲשַׁלְּמָה־רָעI will repay evilקַוֵּהwaitלַיהֹוָהto the LORDוְיֹשַׁעand he shall saveלָךְ׃to you

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

23. 23

    תּוֹעֲבַתan abomination beforeיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֶבֶןstoneוָאָבֶןand a weightוּמֹאזְנֵיand scales ofמִרְמָהdeceitלֹא־טוֹב׃not good

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

24. 24

    מֵיְהֹוָהfrom the LORDמִצְעֲדֵי־גָבֶרthe steps of a manוְאָדָםand a manמַה־יָּבִיןwhat will he understandדַּרְכּוֹ׃his way

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

25. 25

    מוֹקֵשׁa snareאָדָםmanיָלַעwho devoursקֹדֶשׁholyוְאַחַרand thenנְדָרִיםthe vowsלְבַקֵּר׃to make inquiry

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

26. 26

    מְזָרֶהis winnowingרְשָׁעִיםwicked menמֶלֶךְthe king ofחָכָםwiseוַיָּשֶׁבand bringsעֲלֵיהֶםupon themאוֹפָן׃a wheel

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

27. 27

    נֵרlampיְהֹוָהthe LORDנִשְׁמַתthe spirit ofאָדָםmanחֹפֵשׂit is searchingכׇּל־חַדְרֵי־בָטֶן׃all the chambers of the womb

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

28. 28

    חֶסֶדmercyוֶאֱמֶתand truthיִצְּרוּ־מֶלֶךְpreserve the kingוְסָעַדand he sustainsבַּחֶסֶדby loyaltyכִּסְאוֹ׃his throne

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

29. 29

    תִּפְאֶרֶתthe beauty ofבַּחוּרִיםyoung menכֹּחָםtheir strengthוַהֲדַרand the splendor ofזְקֵנִיםeldersשֵׂיבָה׃gray hair

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

30. 30

    חַבֻּרוֹתwounds ofפֶּצַעbruise(תמריק)[תַּמְרוּק]are a cleansingבְּרָעevilוּמַכּוֹתand blowsחַדְרֵי־בָטֶן׃the chambers of the womb

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