Proverbs 22 מִשְׁלֵי פרק כ״ב

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Proverbs 22 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   נִבְחָרis rather to be chosenשֵׁםthe name ofמֵעֹשֶׁרmore than wealthרָבmuchמִכֶּסֶףthan silverוּמִזָּהָבand more than goldחֵןfavorטוֹב׃good

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

2. 2

   עָשִׁירrichוָרָשׁand the poorנִפְגָּשׁוּthey meet togetherעֹשֵׂהthe maker ofכֻלָּםall of themיְהֹוָה׃the LORD

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

3. 3

   עָרוּםcunningרָאָהhe sawרָעָהevil(ויסתר)[וְנִסְתָּר]and he hides himselfוּפְתָיִיםand the simpleעָבְרוּpassedוְנֶעֱנָשׁוּ׃and they are punished

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

4. 4

   עֵקֶבthe reward ofעֲנָוָהhumilityיִרְאַתthe fear ofיְהֹוָהthe LORDעֹשֶׁרrichesוְכָבוֹדand gloryוְחַיִּים׃and life

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

5. 5

   צִנִּיםthornsפַּחִיםsnaresבְּדֶרֶךְby the way ofעִקֵּשׁperverseשׁוֹמֵרthe keeper ofנַפְשׁוֹhis soulיִרְחַקshall be farמֵהֶם׃of them

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

6. 6

   חֲנֹךְtrainלַנַּעַרfor the ladעַל־פִּיaccording toדַרְכּוֹhis wayגַּםalsoכִּי־יַזְקִיןwhen he is oldלֹא־יָסוּרhe will not departמִמֶּנָּה׃from it

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

7. 7

   עָשִׁירrichבְּרָשִׁיםover the poorיִמְשׁוֹלhe rulesוְעֶבֶדand the servant ofלֹוֶהis borrowingלְאִישׁfor a manמַלְוֶה׃a lender

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

8. 8

   זוֹרֵעַone who sowsעַוְלָהinjustice(יקצור)[יִקְצׇר־]אָוֶןshall reap vanityוְשֵׁבֶטand a rodעֶבְרָתוֹhis furyיִכְלֶה׃shall fail

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

9. 9

   טוֹב־עַיִןhe of a bountiful eyeהוּאheיְבֹרָךְshall be blessedכִּי־נָתַןbecause gaveמִלַּחְמוֹsome of his foodלַדָּל׃to the poor person

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

10. 10

    גָּרֵשׁdrive outלֵץscornerוְיֵצֵאand shall go forthמָדוֹןstrifeוְיִשְׁבֹּתso may ceaseדִּיןcontentionוְקָלוֹן׃and shame

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

11. 11

    אֹהֵבloves(טהור)[טְהׇר־]לֵבpureness of heartחֵןfavorשְׂפָתָיוhis lipsרֵעֵהוּhis neighborמֶלֶךְ׃the king of

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

12. 12

    עֵינֵיthe eyes ofיְהֹוָהthe LORDנָצְרוּthey preserveדָעַתknowledgeוַיְסַלֵּףand he overthrowsדִּבְרֵיthe words ofבֹגֵד׃one who acts treacherously

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

13. 13

    אָמַרsaidעָצֵלthe sluggardאֲרִיa lionבַחוּץon the outsideבְּתוֹךְamongרְחֹבוֹתthe streetsאֵרָצֵחַ׃I will be killed

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

14. 14

    שׁוּחָהa pitעֲמֻקָּהdeepפִּיthe mouth ofזָרוֹתstrange womenזְעוּםone who is cursed ofיְהֹוָהthe LORD(יפול)[יִפׇּל־]שָׁם׃shall fall therein

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

15. 15

    אִוֶּלֶתfoolishnessקְשׁוּרָהis bound upבְלֶב־נָעַרin the heart of a childשֵׁבֶטthe rod ofמוּסָרdisciplineיַרְחִיקֶנָּהshall drive it farמִמֶּנּוּ׃from him

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

16. 16

    עֹשֵׁקone who oppressesדָּלthe poorלְהַרְבּוֹתto increaseלוֹto himנֹתֵןgivingלְעָשִׁירto the rich manאַךְ־לְמַחְסוֹר׃surely 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

    הַטinclineאׇזְנְךָyour earוּשְׁמַעand hearדִּבְרֵיthe words ofחֲכָמִיםwiseוְלִבְּךָand your heartתָּשִׁיתyou will setלְדַעְתִּי׃to my knowledge

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

18. 18

    כִּי־נָעִיםfor it is a pleasant thingכִּי־תִשְׁמְרֵםif you will keep themבְּבִטְנֶךָin your bellyיִכֹּנוּthey shall be fittedיַחְדָּוtogetherעַל־שְׂפָתֶיךָ׃upon your lips

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

19. 19

    לִהְיוֹתto beבַּיהֹוָהin the LORDמִבְטַחֶךָyour trustהוֹדַעְתִּיךָI teach youהַיּוֹםthe dayאַף־אָתָּה׃yea you are

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

20. 20

    הֲלֹאis it notכָתַבְתִּיI wroteלְךָfor you(שלשום)[שָׁלִישִׁים]excellent thingsבְּמֹעֵצוֹתin counselsוָדָעַת׃and knowledge

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

21. 21

    לְהוֹדִיעֲךָto make known to youקֹשְׁטְthe truth ofאִמְרֵיwords ofאֱמֶתtruthלְהָשִׁיבthat you may answerאֲמָרִיםwordsאֱמֶתtruthלְשֹׁלְחֶיךָ׃to 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־דָּלrob not the poorכִּיbecauseדַל־הוּאthe poor it isוְאַל־תְּדַכֵּאneither oppressעָנִיpoorבַשָּׁעַר׃in the gate

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

23. 23

    כִּי־יְהֹוָהfor the LORDיָרִיבwho pleads the cause ofרִיבָםtheir disputationוְקָבַעand shall spoilאֶת־קֹבְעֵיהֶםthose who rob themנָפֶשׁ׃souls

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

24. 24

    אַל־תִּתְרַעmake no friendshipאֶת־בַּעַלa man ofאָףangerוְאֶת־אִישׁand man ofחֵמוֹתrageלֹאnotתָבוֹא׃you shall go

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

25. 25

    פֶּן־תֶּאֱלַףlest you should learnאֹרְחֹתָוhis waysוְלָקַחְתָּand you will takeמוֹקֵשׁa snareלְנַפְשֶׁךָ׃for your self

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

26. 26

    אַל־תְּהִיdo not beבְתֹקְעֵי־כָףamong those who strike a palmבַּעֹרְבִיםamong those who stand surety forמַשָּׁאוֹת׃debts

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

27. 27

    אִם־אֵין־לְךָif there is no for youלְשַׁלֵּםto payלָמָּהwhyיִקַּחshould he takeמִשְׁכָּבְךָyour lying downמִתַּחְתֶּיךָ׃from under you

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

28. 28

    אַל־תַּסֵּגremove notגְּבוּלborder ofעוֹלָםeternalאֲשֶׁרwhichעָשׂוּthey didאֲבוֹתֶיךָ׃your fathers

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

29. 29

    חָזִיתָyou beheldאִישׁa manמָהִירexpertבִּמְלַאכְתּוֹin his businessלִפְנֵי־מְלָכִיםbefore kingsיִתְיַצָּבwill he take his standבַּל־יִתְיַצֵּבnot he will standלִפְנֵיbeforeחֲשֻׁכִּים׃mean men

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