Proverbs 22 מִשְׁלֵי פרק כ״ב

Masoretic Text, word by word with transliteration and English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Proverbs 22 in the interlinear reader for roots and notes, or listen to it read aloud in Hebrew.

1. 1

   נִבְחָרniv/CHARis to be chosenשֵׁםshema nameמֵעֹשֶׁרme/O/sherrather than richesרָבravgreatמִכֶּסֶףmik/KE/sefthan silverוּמִזָּהָבu/miz/za/HAVand than goldחֵןchenfavorטוֹב׃tovis good

   A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

2. 2

   עָשִׁירa/SHIRthe richוָרָשׁva/RASHand the poorנִפְגָּשׁוּnif/GA/shumeet togetherעֹשֵׂהO/SEthe Maker ofכֻלָּםkhul/LAMthem allיְהֹוָה׃Adonaithe LORD

   The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

3. 3

   עָרוּםa/RUMthe prudentרָאָהra/Aseesרָעָהra/Aevil(ויסתר)vayasatar[וְנִסְתָּר]ve/nis/TARand he hides himselfוּפְתָיִיםu/fe/ta/YIMand the simpleעָבְרוּa/ve/RUpass onוְנֶעֱנָשׁוּ׃ve/ne/e/NA/shuand are punished

   A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

4. 4

   עֵקֶבE/kevthe reward ofעֲנָוָהa/na/VAhumilityיִרְאַתyir/ATis the fear ofיְהֹוָהAdonaithe LORDעֹשֶׁרO/sherrichesוְכָבוֹדve/kha/VODand honorוְחַיִּים׃ve/chay/YIMand life

   By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

5. 5

   צִנִּיםtsin/NIMthornsפַּחִיםpa/CHIMsnaresבְּדֶרֶךְbe/DE/rekhare in the way ofעִקֵּשׁik/KESHthe perverseשׁוֹמֵרsho/MERhe who guardsנַפְשׁוֹnaf/SHOhis soulיִרְחַקyir/CHAKwill be farמֵהֶם׃me/HEMfrom them

   Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

6. 6

   חֲנֹךְcha/NOKHtrain upלַנַּעַרlan/NA/ara childעַל־פִּיal-piaccording toדַרְכּוֹdar/KOhis wayגַּםgamevenכִּי־יַזְקִיןki-yaz/KINwhen he is oldלֹא־יָסוּרlo-ya/SURhe will not departמִמֶּנָּה׃mim/MEN/nafrom it

   Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

7. 7

   עָשִׁירa/SHIRthe richבְּרָשִׁיםbe/ra/SHIMover the poorיִמְשׁוֹלyim/SHOLrulesוְעֶבֶדve/E/vedand a servant isלֹוֶהlo/VEthe borrowerלְאִישׁle/ISHto the manמַלְוֶה׃mal/VEwho lends

   The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

8. 8

   זוֹרֵעַzo/RE/ahe who sowsעַוְלָהav/LAinjustice(יקצור)yakatsavar[יִקְצׇר־]אָוֶןyik/TSOR-A/venwill reap troubleוְשֵׁבֶטve/SHE/vetand the rod ofעֶבְרָתוֹev/ra/TOhis furyיִכְלֶה׃yikh/LEwill fail

   He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

9. 9

   טוֹב־עַיִןtov-A/yinhe who has a good eyeהוּאhuheיְבֹרָךְye/vo/RAKHwill be blessedכִּי־נָתַןki-na/TANfor he givesמִלַּחְמוֹmil/lach/MOof his breadלַדָּל׃lad/DALto the poor

   He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

10. 10

    גָּרֵשׁga/RESHdrive outלֵץletsthe scofferוְיֵצֵאve/ye/TSEand will go outמָדוֹןma/DONstrifeוְיִשְׁבֹּתve/yish/BOTand will ceaseדִּיןdinquarrelingוְקָלוֹן׃ve/ka/LONand dishonor

    Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

11. 11

    אֹהֵבo/HEVhe who loves(טהור)tahavar[טְהׇר־]לֵבte/HOR-levpurity of heartחֵןchenthe grace ofשְׂפָתָיוse/fa/TAYVhis lipsרֵעֵהוּre/E/huhis friend isמֶלֶךְ׃ME/lekhthe king

    He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

12. 12

    עֵינֵיe/NEthe eyes ofיְהֹוָהAdonaithe LORDנָצְרוּNATS/rupreserveדָעַתDA/atknowledgeוַיְסַלֵּףvay/sal/LEFbut He overthrowsדִּבְרֵיdiv/REthe words ofבֹגֵד׃vo/GEDthe treacherous

    The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

13. 13

    אָמַרa/MARsaysעָצֵלa/TSELthe sluggardאֲרִיa/RIthere is a lionבַחוּץva/CHUTSoutsideבְּתוֹךְbe/TOKHin the midst ofרְחֹבוֹתre/cho/VOTthe streetsאֵרָצֵחַ׃e/ra/TSE/achI will be killed

    The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

14. 14

    שׁוּחָהshu/CHAis a pitעֲמֻקָּהa/muk/KAdeepפִּיpithe mouth ofזָרוֹתza/ROTstrange womenזְעוּםze/UMhe who is abhorred byיְהֹוָהAdonaithe LORD(יפול)yafaval[יִפׇּל־]שָׁם׃yip/POL-shamwill fall there

    The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

15. 15

    אִוֶּלֶתiv/VE/letfollyקְשׁוּרָהke/shu/RAis bound upבְלֶב־נָעַרve/LEV-NA/arin the heart of a childשֵׁבֶטSHE/vetthe rod ofמוּסָרmu/SARdisciplineיַרְחִיקֶנָּהyar/chi/KEN/nawill drive it farמִמֶּנּוּ׃mim/MEN/nufrom him

    Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

16. 16

    עֹשֵׁקO/shekhe who oppressesדָּלdalthe poorלְהַרְבּוֹתle/har/BOTto increaseלוֹlofor himselfנֹתֵןno/TENhe who givesלְעָשִׁירle/a/SHIRto the richאַךְ־לְמַחְסוֹר׃akh-le/mach/SORsurely to want

    He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

17. 17

    הַטhatinclineאׇזְנְךָoz/ne/KHAyour earוּשְׁמַעu/she/MAand hearדִּבְרֵיdiv/REthe words ofחֲכָמִיםcha/kha/MIMthe wiseוְלִבְּךָve/lib/be/KHAand your heartתָּשִׁיתta/SHITsetלְדַעְתִּי׃le/da/TIto my knowledge

    Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

18. 18

    כִּי־נָעִיםki-na/IMfor it is pleasantכִּי־תִשְׁמְרֵםki-tish/me/REMif you keep themבְּבִטְנֶךָbe/vit/NE/khain your bellyיִכֹּנוּyik/KO/nulet them be establishedיַחְדָּוyach/DAVtogetherעַל־שְׂפָתֶיךָ׃al-se/fa/TE/khaupon your lips

    For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

19. 19

    לִהְיוֹתlih/YOTthat may beבַּיהֹוָהba-Adonaiin the LORDמִבְטַחֶךָmiv/ta/CHE/khayour trustהוֹדַעְתִּיךָho/da/TI/khaI have made known to youהַיּוֹםhay/YOMtodayאַף־אָתָּה׃af-AT/taeven you

    That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

20. 20

    הֲלֹאha/LOhave notכָתַבְתִּיkha/TAV/tiI writtenלְךָle/KHAfor you(שלשום)shalashavam[שָׁלִישִׁים]sha/li/SHIMexcellent thingsבְּמֹעֵצוֹתbe/mo/e/TSOTof counselsוָדָעַת׃va/DA/atand knowledge

    Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

21. 21

    לְהוֹדִיעֲךָle/ho/di/a/KHAto make known to youקֹשְׁטְkoshtthe certainty ofאִמְרֵיim/REthe words ofאֱמֶתe/METtruthלְהָשִׁיבle/ha/SHIVthat you may bring backאֲמָרִיםa/ma/RIMwords ofאֱמֶתe/METtruthלְשֹׁלְחֶיךָ׃le/shol/CHE/khato those who sent you

    That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

22. 22

    אַל־תִּגְזׇל־דָּלal-tig/ZOL-daldo not rob the poorכִּיkibecauseדַל־הוּאdal-huhe is poorוְאַל־תְּדַכֵּאve/AL-te/dak/KEand do not crushעָנִיa/NIthe afflictedבַשָּׁעַר׃vash/SHA/arin the gate

    Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

23. 23

    כִּי־יְהֹוָהki-Adonaifor the LORDיָרִיבya/RIVwill pleadרִיבָםri/VAMtheir causeוְקָבַעve/ka/VAand will robאֶת־קֹבְעֵיהֶםet-kov/e/HEMthose who rob themנָפֶשׁ׃NA/feshof life

    For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

24. 24

    אַל־תִּתְרַעal-tit/RAmake no friendshipאֶת־בַּעַלet-BA/alwith a master ofאָףafangerוְאֶת־אִישׁve/ET-ishand with a man ofחֵמוֹתche/MOTfuryלֹאlodo notתָבוֹא׃ta/VOgo

    Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

25. 25

    פֶּן־תֶּאֱלַףpen-te/e/LAFlest you learnאֹרְחֹתָוor/cho/TAVhis waysוְלָקַחְתָּve/la/kach/TAand getמוֹקֵשׁmo/KESHa snareלְנַפְשֶׁךָ׃le/naf/SHE/khafor your soul

    Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

26. 26

    אַל־תְּהִיal-te/HIdo not beבְתֹקְעֵי־כָףve/tok/E-khafamong those who strike handsבַּעֹרְבִיםba/or/VIMamong those who are surety forמַשָּׁאוֹת׃mash/sha/OTdebts

    Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.

27. 27

    אִם־אֵין־לְךָim-en-le/KHAif you have nothingלְשַׁלֵּםle/shal/LEMwith which to payלָמָּהLAM/mawhyיִקַּחyik/KACHshould he takeמִשְׁכָּבְךָmish/ka/ve/KHAyour bedמִתַּחְתֶּיךָ׃mit/tach/TE/khafrom under you

    If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

28. 28

    אַל־תַּסֵּגal-tas/SEGdo not moveגְּבוּלge/VULthe boundary ofעוֹלָםo/LAMoldאֲשֶׁרa/SHERwhichעָשׂוּa/SUsetאֲבוֹתֶיךָ׃a/vo/TE/khayour fathers

    Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

29. 29

    חָזִיתָcha/ZI/tado you seeאִישׁisha manמָהִירma/HIRskilledבִּמְלַאכְתּוֹbim/lakh/TOin his workלִפְנֵי־מְלָכִיםlif/NE-me/la/KHIMbefore kingsיִתְיַצָּבyit/yats/TSAVhe will standבַּל־יִתְיַצֵּבbal-yit/yats/TSEVhe will not standלִפְנֵיlif/NEbeforeחֲשֻׁכִּים׃cha/shuk/KIMobscure men

    Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.