Chapter 26

1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest-time, So honor is not fitting for a dullard.

ka-SHE-leg ba-ka-YITZ v'-ka-ma-TAR ba-ka-TZIR, KEN lo-NA-veh lik-SIL ka-VOD

אכַּשֶּׁ֤לֶג ׀ בַּקַּ֗יִץ וְכַמָּטָ֥ר בַּקָּצִ֑יר כֵּ֤ן לֹֽא־נָאוֶ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃

2As a sparrow must flit and a swallow fly, So a gratuitous curse must backfire.

ka-tzi-POR la-NUD ka-d'-ROR la-UF khen kil-LAT chi-NAM (LO) [LO] ta-VO

בכַּצִּפּ֣וֹר לָ֭נוּד כַּדְּר֣וֹר לָע֑וּף כֵּ֥ן קִֽלְלַ֥ת חִ֝נָּ֗ם (לא) [ל֣וֹ] תָבֹֽא׃

3A whip for a horse and a bridle for a donkey, And a rod for the back of dullards.

SHOT la-SUS, ME-TEG la-CHA-MOR, v'-SHE-vet le-GEV ke-SI-lim.

גשׁ֣וֹט לַ֭סּוּס מֶ֣תֶג לַחֲמ֑וֹר וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃

4Do not answer a dullard in accord with his folly, Else you will become like him.

al-TA-an k'-SIL k'-i-vul-TO pen-tish-VEH-lo gam-a-TAH

דאַל־תַּ֣עַן כְּ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁוֶה־לּ֥וֹ גַם־אָֽתָּה׃

5Answer a dullard in accord with his folly, Else he will think himself wise.

a-NEH k'-SEEL k'-i-vul-TO pen yi-HEH kha-KHAM b'-ay-NAV

העֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

6He who sends a message by a dullard Will wear out legs and must put up with lawlessness.

m'-ka-TSEH rag-LA-yim KHA-mas sho-TEH sho-LE-akh d'-va-RIM b'-yad-K'-seel

ומְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם חָמָ֣ס שֹׁתֶ֑ה שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל׃

7As legs hang limp on a cripple, So is a proverb in the mouth of dullards.

dal-YU sho-KA-yim mi-pi-SE-akh u-ma-SHAL b'-fi k'-si-LIM

זדַּלְי֣וּ שֹׁ֭קַיִם מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

8Like a pebble in a sling, So is paying honor to a dullard.

ki-TZ'-ror EV-en b'-mar-GE-mah, ken-no-TEN likh-SIL ka-VOD

חכִּצְר֣וֹר אֶ֭בֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה כֵּן־נוֹתֵ֖ן לִכְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד׃

9As a thorn comes to the hand of a drunkard, So a proverb to the mouth of a dullard.

KHO-akh a-LAH b'-yad shi-KOR u-ma-SHAL b'-fi k'-see-LEEM

טח֭וֹחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־שִׁכּ֑וֹר וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃

10A master can produce anything, But he who hires a dullard is as one who hires transients.

RAV me-KHO-lel-KOL v'-so-KHER ke-SIL v'-so-KHER o-ve-RIM

ירַ֥ב מְחוֹלֵֽל־כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃

11As a dog returns to his vomit, So a dullard repeats his folly.

k'-khe-LEV shav al ke-O, k'-SEEYL sho-NEH v'-i-vul-TO

יאכְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־קֵא֑וֹ כְּ֝סִ֗יל שׁוֹנֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃

12If you see a man who thinks himself wise, There is more hope for a dullard than for him.

ra-EE-ta EESH kha-KHAM b'-ay-NAV tik-VAH likh-SEEL mi-ME-nu

יברָאִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

13A lazy man says, “There's a cub on the road, a lion in the squares.”

a-MAR a-TSEL sha-KHAL ba-DA-rekh a-REE bein ha-r'-kho-VOT

יגאָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל שַׁ֣חַל בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ אֲ֝רִ֗י בֵּ֣ין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃

14The door turns on its hinge, And the lazy man on his bed.

ha-DE-let ti-SOV al-tzi-RAH v'-a-TSEL al-mi-TA-to

ידהַ֭דֶּלֶת תִּסּ֣וֹב עַל־צִירָ֑הּ וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל עַל־מִטָּתֽוֹ׃

15The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; He will not even bring it to his mouth.

ta-MAN a-TSEL ya-DO ba-tza-LA-khat ni-LA-a la-ha-SHI-va el-PI-u

טוטָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת נִ֝לְאָ֗ה לַהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֶל־פִּֽיו׃

16The lazy man thinks himself wiser Than seven men who give good advice.

KHAKHAM a-TSEL b'-ay-NAV, mi-SHEE-va m'-shi-VEI ta-AM.

טזחָכָ֣ם עָצֵ֣ל בְּעֵינָ֑יו מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃

17A passerby who gets embroiled in someone else's quarrel Is like one who seizes a dog by its ears.

ma-cha-ZEEK b'-o-z'-NAY kha-LEV o-VAYR mit-a-BAYR al REEV lo-LO

יזמַחֲזִ֥יק בְּאׇזְנֵי־כָ֑לֶב עֹבֵ֥ר מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר עַל־רִ֥יב לֹּא־לֽוֹ׃

18Like a madman scattering deadly firebrands, arrows,

k'-mi-t'-la-LEH-ha ha-YO-reh zi-KIM khit-SEEM va-MA-vet

יחכְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶ֥ה זִקִּ֗ים חִצִּ֥ים וָמָֽוֶת׃

19Is one who cheats his fellow and says, “I was only joking.”

KEN-ISH ri-MAH et-re-E-hu, v'-A-MAR ha-LO m'-sa-KHEK a-NEE.

יטכֵּֽן־אִ֭ישׁ רִמָּ֣ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אָמַ֗ר הֲֽלֹא־מְשַׂחֵ֥ק אָֽנִי׃

20For lack of wood a fire goes out, And without a querulous man contention is stilled.

b'-E-fes ay-TZEEM tikh-beh AYSH uv-AYN nir-GAN yish-TOK ma-DON

כבְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵ֑שׁ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק מָדֽוֹן׃

21Charcoal for embers and wood for a fire And a contentious man for kindling strife.

PE-kham le-ge-KHA-leem v'-e-TZEEM le-ESH v'-ISH (mi-do-NEEM) [mid-YA-neem] le-khar-KHAR-reev. {PE}

כאפֶּחָ֣ם לְ֭גֶחָלִים וְעֵצִ֣ים לְאֵ֑שׁ וְאִ֥ישׁ (מדונים) [מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים] לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃

22The 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

כבדִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

23Base silver laid over earthenware Are ardent lips with an evil mind.

KE-sef SI-gim m'-Tzu-PEH al-KHA-resh, se-FA-ta-YIM dol-KIM v'-LEV ra

כגכֶּ֣סֶף סִ֭יגִים מְצֻפֶּ֣ה עַל־חָ֑רֶשׂ שְׂפָתַ֖יִם דֹּלְקִ֣ים וְלֶב־רָֽע׃

24An enemy dissembles with his speech, Inwardly he harbors deceit.

bi-sfa-TAV yi-na-KHER so-NE u-ve-kir-BO ya-SHEET mir-MAH

כדבִּ֭שְׂפָתָו יִנָּכֵ֣ר שׂוֹנֵ֑א וּ֝בְקִרְבּ֗וֹ יָשִׁ֥ית מִרְמָֽה׃

25Though he be fair-spoken do not trust him, For seven abominations are in his mind.

ki-y'-kha-NAYN ko-LO al-ta-a-MEN bo, ki SHE-va to-E-vot b'-li-BO

כהכִּֽי־יְחַנֵּ֣ן ק֭וֹלוֹ אַל־תַּאֲמֶן־בּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י שֶׁ֖בַע תּוֹעֵב֣וֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃

26His hatred may be concealed by dissimulation, But his evil will be exposed to public view.

ti-KA-seh sin-AH b'-ma-SHA-on ti-GA-leh ra-A-to b'-ka-HAL

כותִּכַּסֶּ֣ה שִׂ֭נְאָה בְּמַשָּׁא֑וֹן תִּגָּלֶ֖ה רָֽעָת֣וֹ בְקָהָֽל׃

27He who digs a pit will fall in it, And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.

ko-REH sha-KHAT ba YI-pol, ve-go-LEL e-VEN e-LA-yav ta-SHU-v

כזכֹּֽרֶה־שַּׁ֭חַת בָּ֣הּ יִפּ֑וֹל וְג֥וֹלֵֽל אֶ֝֗בֶן אֵלָ֥יו תָּשֽׁוּב׃

28A lying tongue hates those crushed by it; Smooth speech throws one down.

l'-SHON she-KER yis-NAH da-KA-yav u-fe kha-LAK ya-a-SEH mid-KHEH

כחלְֽשׁוֹן־שֶׁ֭קֶר יִשְׂנָ֣א דַכָּ֑יו וּפֶ֥ה חָ֝לָ֗ק יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה מִדְחֶֽה׃