TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 18
Translation and Transliteration of
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1He who isolates himself pursues his desires; He disdains all competence.
l'-ta-a-VAH y'-va-KE-sh nip-RAHD b'-kol tu-shi-YAH yit-ga-LA
אלְֽ֭תַאֲוָה יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ נִפְרָ֑ד בְּכׇל־תּ֝וּשִׁיָּ֗ה יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃
2The fool does not desire understanding, But only to air his thoughts.
lo-yakh-POTZ ke-SIL bi-t'vu-NAH, ki im b'-hit-ga-LOT li-BO
בלֹא־יַחְפֹּ֣ץ כְּ֭סִיל בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה כִּ֝֗י אִֽם־בְּהִתְגַּלּ֥וֹת לִבּֽוֹ׃
3Comes the wicked man comes derision, And with the rogue, contempt.
b'-vo RA-sha ba GAM-buz v'-im ka-LOn kher-PAH
גבְּֽבוֹא־רָ֭שָׁע בָּ֣א גַם־בּ֑וּז וְֽעִם־קָל֥וֹן חֶרְפָּֽה׃
4The words a man speaks are deep waters, A flowing stream, a fountain of wisdom.
ma-YIM a-MU-kim di-v'-REI fi-ISH na-KHAL no-VAY-a m'-KOR khokh-MAH
דמַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים דִּבְרֵ֣י פִי־אִ֑ישׁ נַ֥חַל נֹ֝בֵ֗עַ מְק֣וֹר חׇכְמָֽה׃
5It is not right to be partial to the guilty And subvert the innocent in judgment.
SE-et p'-NEI ra-SHA lo-TOV l'-ha-TOT tza-DEEK ba-mish-PAT
השְׂאֵ֣ת פְּנֵֽי־רָשָׁ֣ע לֹא־ט֑וֹב לְהַטּ֥וֹת צַ֝דִּ֗יק בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃
6The words of a fool lead to strife; His speech invites blows.
Sif-tei k'-SIL ya-VO-u b'-REEV, u-phi-V l'-ma-ha-LU-mot yi-k'-RA.
ושִׂפְתֵ֣י כְ֭סִיל יָבֹ֣אוּ בְרִ֑יב וּ֝פִ֗יו לְֽמַהֲלֻמ֥וֹת יִקְרָֽא׃
7The fool's speech is his ruin; His words are a trap for him.
pi-KH'-sil m'-khi-TAH-lo u-s'-fa-TAV mo-KAYSH naf-SHO
זפִּֽי־כְ֭סִיל מְחִתָּה־ל֑וֹ וּ֝שְׂפָתָ֗יו מוֹקֵ֥שׁ נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
8The words of a querulous man are bruising; They penetrate one's inmost parts.
di-v'-REI nir-GAN k'-mi-t'-la-ha-MEEM v'-HEM yar-DU chad-rei-va-TEN
חדִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
9One who is slack in his work Is a brother to a vandal.
gam mit-ra-PEH vi-m'-la-KH'-to, a-KH hu l'-va-AL mash-KHEET
טגַּ֭ם מִתְרַפֶּ֣ה בִמְלַאכְתּ֑וֹ אָ֥ח ה֝֗וּא לְבַ֣עַל מַשְׁחִֽית׃
10The name of Hashem is a tower of strength To which the righteous man runs and is safe.
mi-GADAL-OZ, SHEM a-do-NAI, BO ya-RUTZ tza-DIK v'-nish-GAV
ימִגְדַּל־עֹ֭ז שֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה בּֽוֹ־יָר֖וּץ צַדִּ֣יק וְנִשְׂגָּֽב׃
11The wealth of a rich man is his fortress; In his fancy it is a protective wall.
hon a-SHEER kir-YAT u-ZO, u-k'-ho-MAH nish-GA-VAH b'-mas-KI-to
יאה֣וֹן עָ֭שִׁיר קִרְיַ֣ת עֻזּ֑וֹ וּכְחוֹמָ֥ה נִ֝שְׂגָּבָ֗ה בְּמַשְׂכִּתֽוֹ׃
12Before ruin a man's heart is proud; Humility goes before honor.
li-f'-NEI she-VAYR yig-BAH lev-EESH v'-li-f'-NEI ka-VOD a-na-VAH
יבלִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֭בֶר יִגְבַּ֣הּ לֶב־אִ֑ישׁ וְלִפְנֵ֖י כָב֣וֹד עֲנָוָֽה׃
13To answer a man before hearing him out Is foolish and disgraceful.
m'-SHEEV da-VAR b'-TE-rem yish-MA, i-VE-let hi-LO u-k'-li-MAH
יגמֵשִׁ֣יב דָּ֭בָר בְּטֶ֣רֶם יִשְׁמָ֑ע אִוֶּ֥לֶת הִיא־ל֝֗וֹ וּכְלִמָּֽה׃
14A man's spirit can sustain him through illness; But low spirits—who can bear them?
RU-akh-ISH ye-khal-KEL ma-kha-LE-hu, v'-RU-akh ne-KHE-a MI yi-sa-E-nah.
ידרֽוּחַ־אִ֭ישׁ יְכַלְכֵּ֣ל מַחֲלֵ֑הוּ וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה מִ֣י יִשָּׂאֶֽנָּה׃
15The mind of an intelligent man acquires knowledge; The ears of the wise seek out knowledge.
LEV na-VON yik-NEH-da-AT ve-O-ZEN cha-KHA-mim te-va-KESH-da-AT
טולֵ֣ב נָ֭בוֹן יִקְנֶה־דָּ֑עַת וְאֹ֥זֶן חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים תְּבַקֶּשׁ־דָּֽעַת׃
16A man's gift eases his way And gives him access to the great.
ma-TAN a-DAM yar-KHEEV LO v'-lif-NEI g'-do-LEEM yan-KHE-nu
טזמַתָּ֣ן אָ֭דָם יַרְחִ֣יב ל֑וֹ וְלִפְנֵ֖י גְדֹלִ֣ים יַנְחֶֽנּוּ׃
17The first to plead his case seems right Till the other party examines him.
Tza-DIK ha-ri-SHON b'-ri-VO (ya-VA) [u-VA-]re-E-hu va-cha-KA-ro
יזצַדִּ֣יק הָרִאשׁ֣וֹן בְּרִיב֑וֹ (יבא) [וּבָֽא־]רֵ֝עֵ֗הוּ וַחֲקָרֽוֹ׃
18The lot puts an end to strife And separates those locked in dispute.
mi-d'-YA-nim yash-BEET ha-go-RAL u-VEYN a-tsu-MEEM yaf-REED
יחמִ֭דְיָנִים יַשְׁבִּ֣ית הַגּוֹרָ֑ל וּבֵ֖ין עֲצוּמִ֣ים יַפְרִֽיד׃
19A brother offended is more formidable than a stronghold; Such strife is like the bars of a fortress.
a-KH nif-SHA mi-ki-rit-OZ (u-mid-ya-NEEM) [u-mid-YA-neem] kiv-REE-akh ar-MON
יטאָ֗ח נִפְשָׁ֥ע מִקִּרְיַת־עֹ֑ז (ומדונים) [וּ֝מִדְיָנִ֗ים] כִּבְרִ֥יחַ אַרְמֽוֹן׃
20A man's belly is filled by the fruit of his mouth; He will be filled by the produce of his lips.
mi-p'-REE fee-ISH tis-BA bi-t'-NO, t'-bu-AT s'-fa-TAV yis-BA
כמִפְּרִ֣י פִי־אִ֭ישׁ תִּשְׂבַּ֣ע בִּטְנ֑וֹ תְּבוּאַ֖ת שְׂפָתָ֣יו יִשְׂבָּֽע׃
21Death and life are in the power of the tongue; Those who love it will eat its fruit.
ma-VET v'-cha-YIM b'-yad-la-SHON v'-o-ha-VE-ha yo-KHAL pir-YAH
כאמָ֣וֶת וְ֭חַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשׁ֑וֹן וְ֝אֹהֲבֶ֗יהָ יֹאכַ֥ל פִּרְיָֽהּ׃
22He who finds a wife has found happiness And has won the favor of Hashem.
ma-TZA i-SHAH MA-tza TOV va-YA-fek ra-TZON may-a-do-NAI
כבמָצָ֣א אִ֭שָּׁה מָ֣צָא ט֑וֹב וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צ֗וֹן מֵיְהֹוָֽה׃
18:22 He who finds a wife has found happiness
This verse is a parallel to the verse in which Hashem says, “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make a fitting helper for him” (Genesis 2:18). God wants man to find a wife who will serve as his partner in life. When he does, Hashem will bless that union, as it fulfils His will. The Hebrew word for ‘man’ is eesh (איש), and the word for ‘woman’ is eeshah (אשה). The two words share two out of three Hebrew letters, א and ש. The other two letters, י and ה, spell one of the names of God. The Sages (Sotah 17a) teach that when man and woman unite in marriage and work together, the presence of the Lord resides with them.
23The poor man speaks beseechingly; The rich man's answer is harsh.
ta-cha-NU-neem y'-da-BER-rash v'-a-SHEER ya-a-NEH a-ZOT
כגתַּחֲנוּנִ֥ים יְדַבֶּר־רָ֑שׁ וְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר יַעֲנֶ֥ה עַזּֽוֹת׃
24There are companions to keep one company, And there is a friend more devoted than a brother.
eeSH re-EEM l'-hit-ro-E-a, v'-YESH o-HEV da-VAYK me-AKH
כדאִ֣ישׁ רֵ֭עִים לְהִתְרֹעֵ֑עַ וְיֵ֥שׁ אֹ֝הֵ֗ב דָּבֵ֥ק מֵאָֽח׃
