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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 12

Translation and Transliteration of 

1He who loves discipline loves knowledge; He who spurns reproof is a brutish man.

o-HEV mu-SAR o-HEV da-AT v'-so-NAY to-KHA-khat ba-AR

אאֹהֵ֣ב מ֭וּסָר אֹ֣הֵֽב דָּ֑עַת וְשׂוֹנֵ֖א תוֹכַ֣חַת בָּֽעַר׃

2A good man earns the favor of Hashem, A man of intrigues, His condemnation.

TOV ya-FIK ra-TZON me-a-do-NAI v'-ISH m'-ZI-mot yar-SHI-a

בט֗וֹב יָפִ֣יק רָ֭צוֹן מֵיְהֹוָ֑ה וְאִ֖ישׁ מְזִמּ֣וֹת יַרְשִֽׁיעַ׃

3A man cannot be established in wickedness, But the root of the righteous will not be shaken loose.

lo-yi-KON a-DAM b'-re-SHA, v'-SHO-resh tza-DEE-KEEM bal-yi-MOT

גלֹא־יִכּ֣וֹן אָדָ֣ם בְּרֶ֑שַׁע וְשֹׁ֥רֶשׁ צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים בַּל־יִמּֽוֹט׃

4A capable wife is a crown for her husband, But an incompetent one is like rot in his bones.

e-SHET-kha-YIL a-TE-ret ba-a-LAH u-k'-ra-KAV b'-a-tz'-mo-TAV m'-vi-SHAH

דאֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל עֲטֶ֣רֶת בַּעְלָ֑הּ וּכְרָקָ֖ב בְּעַצְמוֹתָ֣יו מְבִישָֽׁה׃

5The purposes of the righteous are justice, The schemes of the wicked are deceit.

ma-kh'-she-VOT tza-DEE-KEEM mish-PAT takh-BU-lot r'-sha-EEM mir-MAH

המַחְשְׁב֣וֹת צַדִּיקִ֣ים מִשְׁפָּ֑ט תַּחְבֻּל֖וֹת רְשָׁעִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃

6The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush, But the speech of the upright saves them.

di-v'-RAY r'-sha-EEM e-rov-DAM u-fee y'-sha-REEM ya-tsee-LEM

ודִּבְרֵ֣י רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֱרׇב־דָּ֑ם וּפִ֥י יְ֝שָׁרִ֗ים יַצִּילֵֽם׃

7Overturn the wicked and they are gone, But the house of the righteous will endure.

ha-FOKH r'-sha-EEM v'-AY-nam u-VEYT tza-DEE-keem ya-a-MOD

זהָפ֣וֹךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים וְאֵינָ֑ם וּבֵ֖ית צַדִּיקִ֣ים יַעֲמֹֽד׃

8A man is commended according to his intelligence; A twisted mind is held up to contempt.

l'-fi-sikh-LO ye-hu-LAL-eesh, v'-na-a-VEH-lev yi-h'-yeh la-BOOZ

חלְֽפִי־שִׂ֭כְלוֹ יְהֻלַּל־אִ֑ישׁ וְנַעֲוֵה־לֵ֝֗ב יִהְיֶ֥ה לָבֽוּז׃

9Better to be lightly esteemed and have a servant Than to put on airs and have no food.

TOV ni-KLEH v'-E-ved LO mi-mi-tka-BED va-cha-SAR la-KHEM

טט֣וֹב נִ֭קְלֶה וְעֶ֣בֶד ל֑וֹ מִ֝מִּתְכַּבֵּ֗ד וַחֲסַר־לָֽחֶם׃

10A righteous man knows the needs of his beast, But the compassion of the wicked is cruelty.

yo-DE-a tza-DEEK NE-fesh b'-hem-TO, v'-ra-cha-MAY r'-sha-EEM akh-za-REE

ייוֹדֵ֣עַ צַ֭דִּיק נֶ֣פֶשׁ בְּהֶמְתּ֑וֹ וְֽרַחֲמֵ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים אַכְזָרִֽי׃

11He who tills his land shall have food in plenty, But he who pursues vanities is devoid of sense.

o-VAYD ad-ma-TO yis-ba LA-chem um-ra-DAYF ray-KEEM cha-sar LAYV

יאעֹבֵ֣ד אַ֭דְמָתוֹ יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־לָ֑חֶם וּמְרַדֵּ֖ף רֵיקִ֣ים חֲסַר־לֵֽב׃

 12:11   He who tills his land shall have food in plenty

Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook (1865-1935)

Israel was intended to be an agrarian society, therefore in this verse, farming is seen as a worthy pursuit. The Bible strengthens the people’s connection to the Land of Israel through various agricultural celebrations, commemorations and obligations. Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook points out that it is not these laws, unique to Eretz Yisrael, which make the land holy. Rather, it is the intrinsic holiness of the land that inspires these special agricultural commandments.

12The wicked covet the catch of evil men; The root of the righteous yields [fruit].

kha-MAD ra-SHA m'-TZOD ra-EEM v'-SHO-reSH tza-DEE-KEEM yi-TEN

יבחָמַ֣ד רָ֭שָׁע מְצ֣וֹד רָעִ֑ים וְשֹׁ֖רֶשׁ צַדִּיקִ֣ים יִתֵּֽן׃

13Sinful speech is a trap for the evil man, But the righteous escapes from trouble.

b'-pe-SHA sa-fa-TA-yim mo-KAYSH ra, va-YAY-tzay mi-tza-RAH tza-DEEK

יגבְּפֶ֣שַׁע שְׂ֭פָתַיִם מוֹקֵ֣שׁ רָ֑ע וַיֵּצֵ֖א מִצָּרָ֣ה צַדִּֽיק׃

14A man gets his fill of good from the fruit of his speech; One is repaid in kind for one's deeds.

mi-p'-REE fee-ISH yis-BA tov u-g'-MUL y'-day a-DAM (ya-SHOV) [ya-SHEEV] lo

ידמִפְּרִ֣י פִי־אִ֭ישׁ יִשְׂבַּע־ט֑וֹב וּגְמ֥וּל יְדֵי־אָ֝דָ֗ם (ישוב) [יָשִׁ֥יב] לֽוֹ׃

15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; But the wise man accepts advice.

de-REKH e-VIL ya-SHAR b'-ay-NA-yav v'-sho-ME-a l'-ay-TZA cha-KHAM

טודֶּ֣רֶךְ אֱ֭וִיל יָשָׁ֣ר בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְשֹׁמֵ֖עַ לְעֵצָ֣ה חָכָֽם׃

16A fool's vexation is known at once, But a clever man conceals his humiliation.

e-VIL ba-YOM yi-va-DA ka-a-SO, v'-ko-SEH ka-LOn a-RUM

טזאֱוִ֗יל בַּ֭יּוֹם יִוָּדַ֣ע כַּעְס֑וֹ וְכֹסֶ֖ה קָל֣וֹן עָרֽוּם׃

17He who testifies faithfully tells the truth, But a false witness, deceit.

ya-FEE-akh e-MU-nah ya-GEED tze-DEK v'-ED sh'-ka-RIM mir-MAH

יזיָפִ֣יחַ אֱ֭מוּנָה יַגִּ֣יד צֶ֑דֶק וְעֵ֖ד שְׁקָרִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃

18There is blunt talk like sword-thrusts, But the speech of the wise is healing.

YAYSH BO-TEH k'-mad-k'-ROT kha-REV u-l'-SHON kha-KHA-meem mar-PAY

יחיֵ֣שׁ בּ֭וֹטֶה כְּמַדְקְר֣וֹת חָ֑רֶב וּלְשׁ֖וֹן חֲכָמִ֣ים מַרְפֵּֽא׃

19Truthful speech abides forever, A lying tongue for but a moment.

s'-fat e-MET ti-KON la-AD, v'-AD-ar-gi-AH l'-SHON sha-KER

יטשְֽׂפַת־אֱ֭מֶת תִּכּ֣וֹן לָעַ֑ד וְעַד־אַ֝רְגִּ֗יעָה לְשׁ֣וֹן שָֽׁקֶר׃

20Deceit is in the minds of those who plot evil; For those who plan good there is joy.

mir-MAH b'-LEV-kho-r'-SHEI ra, u-l'-yo-a-TZEI sha-LOM sim-KHA

כמִ֭רְמָה בְּלֶב־חֹ֣רְשֵׁי רָ֑ע וּֽלְיֹעֲצֵ֖י שָׁל֣וֹם שִׂמְחָֽה׃

21No harm befalls the righteous, But the wicked have their fill of misfortune.

lo y'-u-NEH la-tza-DEEK kol a-VEN u-r'-sha-EEM mal-OO ra

כאלֹא־יְאֻנֶּ֣ה לַצַּדִּ֣יק כׇּל־אָ֑וֶן וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים מָ֣לְאוּ רָֽע׃

22Lying speech is an abomination to Hashem, But those who act faithfully please Him.

TO-a-VAT a-do-NAI sif-tei-SHA-ker v'-o-SEI e-mu-NAH r'-TZO-no

כבתּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הֹוָה שִׂפְתֵי־שָׁ֑קֶר וְעֹשֵׂ֖י אֱמוּנָ֣ה רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃

23A clever man conceals what he knows, But the mind of a dullard cries out folly.

a-DAM a-RUM KO-seh DA-at, v'-LEV k'-see-LEEM yik-RA i-VE-let.

כגאָדָ֣ם עָ֭רוּם כֹּ֣סֶה דָּ֑עַת וְלֵ֥ב כְּ֝סִילִ֗ים יִקְרָ֥א אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

24The hand of the diligent wields authority; The negligent are held in subjection.

YAD-cha-ROOTZ-tim tim-SHOL u-RE-mi-YAH ti-HEH la-MAS

כדיַד־חָרוּצִ֥ים תִּמְשׁ֑וֹל וּ֝רְמִיָּ֗ה תִּהְיֶ֥ה לָמַֽס׃

25If there is anxiety in a man's mind let him quash it, And turn it into joy with a good word.

d'-a-GAH v'-LEV EESH yash-KHE-nah, v'-da-VAR TOV y'-sa-m'-KHE-nah.

כהדְּאָגָ֣ה בְלֶב־אִ֣ישׁ יַשְׁחֶ֑נָּה וְדָבָ֖ר ט֣וֹב יְשַׂמְּחֶֽנָּה׃

26A righteous man gives his friend direction, But the way of the wicked leads astray.

ya-TER me-RE-e-HU tza-DEEK v'-DE-rekh r'-sha-EEM tat-EM

כויָתֵ֣ר מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ צַדִּ֑יק וְדֶ֖רֶךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים תַּתְעֵֽם׃

27A negligent man never has game to roast; A diligent man has precious wealth.

lo ya-cha-ROKH r'-mi-YAH tzei-DO, v'-HON a-DAM ya-KAR cha-RUTZ

כזלֹא־יַחֲרֹ֣ךְ רְמִיָּ֣ה צֵיד֑וֹ וְהוֹן־אָדָ֖ם יָקָ֣ר חָרֽוּץ׃

28The road of righteousness leads to life; By way of its path there is no death.

b'-o-rakh-tze-da-KAH kha-YEEM v'-de-REKH ne-tee-VAH al-ma-VET

כחבְּאֹֽרַח־צְדָקָ֥ה חַיִּ֑ים וְדֶ֖רֶךְ נְתִיבָ֣הֿ אַל־מָֽוֶת׃