Proverbs 21 מִשְׁלֵי פרק כ״א

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Proverbs 21 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   פַּלְגֵי־מַיִםstreams of waterלֶב־מֶלֶךְthe heart of king ofבְּיַד־יְהֹוָהby the hand of the LORDעַל־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁרupon all thatיַחְפֹּץdelightsיַטֶּנּוּ׃he turns it

   The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

2. 2

   כׇּל־דֶּרֶךְ־אִישׁevery way of a manיָשָׁרrightבְּעֵינָיוin his eyesוְתֹכֵןand is weighingלִבּוֹתthe hearts ofיְהֹוָה׃the LORD

   Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

3. 3

   עֲשֹׂהto actצְדָקָהrighteousnessוּמִשְׁפָּטand judgmentנִבְחָרis more acceptableלַיהֹוָהto the LORDמִזָּבַח׃more than sacrifice

   To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

4. 4

   רוּם־עֵינַיִםa high lookוּרְחַב־לֵבand a proud heartנִרthe plowing ofרְשָׁעִיםwicked menחַטָּאת׃sin

   An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

5. 5

   מַחְשְׁבוֹתthe thoughts ofחָרוּץthe diligentאַךְ־לְמוֹתָרbut to advantageוְכׇל־אָץand everyone who is hastyאַךְ־לְמַחְסוֹר׃but to want

   The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

6. 6

   פֹּעַלthe getting ofאֹצָרוֹתtreasuresבִּלְשׁוֹןthe tongue ofשָׁקֶרfalseהֶבֶלa vanityנִדָּףtossed to and froמְבַקְשֵׁי־מָוֶת׃those who seek death

   The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

7. 7

   שֹׁד־רְשָׁעִיםthe robbery of the wickedיְגוֹרֵםshall destroy themכִּיbecauseמֵאֲנוּthey refuseלַעֲשׂוֹתto doמִשְׁפָּט׃judgment

   The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

8. 8

   הֲפַכְפַּךְis crookedדֶּרֶךְthe way ofאִישׁa manוָזָרand strangeוְזַךְand a pure personיָשָׁרrightפׇּעֳלוֹ׃his work

   The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

9. 9

   טוֹבgoodלָשֶׁבֶתto dwellעַל־פִּנַּת־גָּגupon a corner of a roofמֵאֵשֶׁתfrom the wife ofמִדְיָנִיםcontentionsוּבֵיתand house ofחָבֶר׃in common

   It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

10. 10

    נֶפֶשׁsoulרָשָׁעwickedאִוְּתָה־רָעit has desired evilלֹא־יֻחַןnot he is shown favorבְּעֵינָיוin his eyesרֵעֵהוּ׃his neighbor

    The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.

11. 11

    בַּעֲנׇשׁ־לֵץwhen the scorner is punishedיֶחְכַּם־פֶּתִיhe becomes wise a simple personוּבְהַשְׂכִּילand when is instructedלְחָכָםa wise personיִקַּח־דָּעַת׃he receives knowledge

    When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.

12. 12

    מַשְׂכִּילconsiders wiselyצַדִּיקrighteousלְבֵיתto the house ofרָשָׁעwickedמְסַלֵּףoverthrowsרְשָׁעִיםwicked menלָרָע׃for their wickedness

    The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.

13. 13

    אֹטֵםwho shutsאׇזְנוֹhis earמִזַּעֲקַת־דָּלfrom the cry of the poorגַּם־הוּאalso heיִקְרָאcallsוְלֹאand notיֵעָנֶה׃will it be answered

    Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

14. 14

    מַתָּןa giftבַּסֵּתֶרin secretיִכְפֶּה־אָףit subdues angerוְשֹׁחַדand a bribeבַּחֵקin the bosomחֵמָהwrathעַזָּה׃strong

    A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.

15. 15

    שִׂמְחָהjoyלַצַּדִּיקunto the righteousעֲשׂוֹתto doמִשְׁפָּטjudgmentוּמְחִתָּהand destructionלְפֹעֲלֵיto the workers ofאָוֶן׃iniquity

    It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

16. 16

    אָדָםmanתּוֹעֶהwho wandersמִדֶּרֶךְfrom the way ofהַשְׂכֵּלunderstandingבִּקְהַלin the assembly ofרְפָאִיםthe shadesיָנוּחַ׃shall remain

    The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

17. 17

    אִישׁa manמַחְסוֹרa poor manאֹהֵבlovesשִׂמְחָהpleasureאֹהֵבlovesיַיִן־וָשֶׁמֶןwine and oilלֹאnotיַעֲשִׁיר׃he will gain riches

    He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

18. 18

    כֹּפֶרa ransomלַצַּדִּיקunto the righteousרָשָׁעwickedוְתַחַתand underיְשָׁרִיםthe uprightבּוֹגֵד׃the transgressor

    The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.

19. 19

    טוֹבgoodשֶׁבֶתto dwellבְּאֶרֶץ־מִדְבָּרin the land of wilderness ofמֵאֵשֶׁתfrom the wife of(מדונים)[מִדְיָנִים]contentionsוָכָעַס׃and angry

    It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

20. 20

    אוֹצָרtreasureנֶחְמָדto be desiredוָשֶׁמֶןand oilבִּנְוֵהin the habitation ofחָכָםwiseוּכְסִילand a foolאָדָםmanיְבַלְּעֶנּוּ׃spends it up

    There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

21. 21

    רֹדֵףpursuingצְדָקָהrighteousnessוָחָסֶדand loyaltyיִמְצָאshall findחַיִּיםlifeצְדָקָהrighteousnessוְכָבוֹד׃and glory

    He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.

22. 22

    עִירthe city ofגִּבֹּרִיםof the mightyעָלָהscalesחָכָםwiseוַיֹּרֶדand he brought downעֹזstrength ofמִבְטֶחָהֿ׃the confidence thereof

    A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.

23. 23

    שֹׁמֵרwho keepsפִּיוhis mouthוּלְשׁוֹנוֹand his tongueשֹׁמֵרwho keepsמִצָּרוֹתfrom afflictionsנַפְשׁוֹ׃his soul

    Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

24. 24

    זֵדproudיָהִירarrogantלֵץscornerשְׁמוֹhis nameעוֹשֶׂהwho dealsבְּעֶבְרַתin the wrath ofזָדוֹן׃pride

    Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.

25. 25

    תַּאֲוַתdesire ofעָצֵלthe sluggardתְּמִיתֶנּוּit kills himכִּי־מֵאֲנוּfor refuseיָדָיוhis handsלַעֲשׂוֹת׃to do

    The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

26. 26

    כׇּל־הַיוֹםall the dayהִתְאַוָּהhe cravesתַאֲוָהgreedilyוְצַדִּיקand righteousיִתֵּןshall giveוְלֹאand notיַחְשֹׂךְ׃spares

    He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.

27. 27

    זֶבַחsacrificeרְשָׁעִיםwicked menתּוֹעֵבָהabominationאַףmoreoverכִּי־בְזִמָּהwhen with a wicked mindיְבִיאֶנּוּ׃he will bring it

    The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

28. 28

    עֵד־כְּזָבִיםa false witnessיֹאבֵדdoes perishוְאִישׁand a manשׁוֹמֵעַwho listensלָנֶצַחconstantlyיְדַבֵּר׃speaks

    A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.

29. 29

    הֵעֵזhe hardensאִישׁa manרָשָׁעwickedבְּפָנָיוhis faceוְיָשָׁרand uprightהוּאhe(יכיןדרכיו)[יָבִיןhe directsדַּרְכּוֹ]׃his way

    A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.

30. 30

    אֵיןthere is noחׇכְמָהwisdomוְאֵיןand there is noתְּבוּנָהunderstandingוְאֵיןand there is noעֵצָהcounselלְנֶגֶדbeforeיְהֹוָה׃the LORD

    There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.

31. 31

    סוּסa horseמוּכָןpreparedלְיוֹםto dayמִלְחָמָהwarוְלַיהֹוָהand to the LORDהַתְּשׁוּעָה׃the safety

    The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.