TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 29

1One oft reproved may become stiffnecked, But he will be suddenly broken beyond repair.

אאִישׁ תּוֹכָחוֹת מַקְשֶׁה־עֹרֶף פֶּתַע יִשָּׁבֵר וְאֵין מַרְפֵּא׃

2When the righteous become great the people rejoice, But when the wicked dominate the people groan.

בבִּרְבוֹת צַדִּיקִים יִשְׂמַח הָעָם וּבִמְשֹׁל רָשָׁע יֵאָנַח עָם׃

3A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, But he who keeps company with harlots will lose his wealth.

גאִישׁ־אֹהֵב חָכְמָה יְשַׂמַּח אָבִיו וְרֹעֶה זוֹנוֹת יְאַבֶּד־הוֹן׃

4By justice a king sustains the land, But a fraudulent man tears it down.

דמֶלֶךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִיד אָרֶץ וְאִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת יֶהֶרְסֶנָּה׃

5A man who flatters his fellow Spreads a net for his feet.

הגֶּבֶר מַחֲלִיק עַל־רֵעֵהוּ רֶשֶׁת פּוֹרֵשׂ עַל־פְּעָמָיו׃

6An evil man's offenses are a trap for himself, But the righteous sing out joyously.

ובְּפֶשַׁע אִישׁ רָע מוֹקֵשׁ וְצַדִּיק יָרוּן וְשָׂמֵחַ׃

7A righteous man is concerned with the cause of the wretched; A wicked man cannot understand such concern.

זיֹדֵעַ צַדִּיק דִּין דַּלִּים רָשָׁע לֹא־יָבִין דָּעַת׃

8Scoffers inflame a city, But the wise allay anger.

חאַנְשֵׁי לָצוֹן יָפִיחוּ קִרְיָה וַחֲכָמִים יָשִׁיבוּ אָף׃

9When a wise man enters into litigation with a fool There is ranting and ridicule, but no satisfaction.

טאִישׁ־חָכָם נִשְׁפָּט אֶת־אִישׁ אֱוִיל וְרָגַז וְשָׂחַק וְאֵין נָחַת׃

10Bloodthirsty men detest the blameless, But the upright seek them out.

יאַנְשֵׁי דָמִים יִשְׂנְאוּ־תָם וִישָׁרִים יְבַקְשׁוּ נַפְשׁוֹ׃

11A dullard vents all his rage, But a wise man calms it down.

יאכָּל־רוּחוֹ יוֹצִיא כְסִיל וְחָכָם בְּאָחוֹר יְשַׁבְּחֶנָּה׃

12A ruler who listens to lies, All his ministers will be wicked.

יבמֹשֵׁל מַקְשִׁיב עַל־דְּבַר־שָׁקֶר כָּל־מְשָׁרְתָיו רְשָׁעִים׃

13A poor man and a fraudulent man meet; Hashem gives luster to the eyes of both.

יגרָשׁ וְאִישׁ תְּכָכִים נִפְגָּשׁוּ מֵאִיר־עֵינֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם יְהֹוָה׃

14A king who judges the wretched honestly, His throne will be established forever.

ידמֶלֶךְ שׁוֹפֵט בֶּאֱמֶת דַּלִּים כִּסְאוֹ לָעַד יִכּוֹן׃

15Rod and reproof produce wisdom, But a lad out of control is a disgrace to his mother.

טושֵׁבֶט וְתוֹכַחַת יִתֵּן חָכְמָה וְנַעַר מְשֻׁלָּח מֵבִישׁ אִמּוֹ׃

16When the wicked increase, offenses increase, But the righteous will see their downfall.

טזבִּרְבוֹת רְשָׁעִים יִרְבֶּה־פָּשַׁע וְצַדִּיקִים בְּמַפַּלְתָּם יִרְאוּ׃

17Discipline your son and he will give you peace; He will gratify you with dainties.

יזיַסֵּר בִּנְךָ וִינִיחֶךָ וְיִתֵּן מַעֲדַנִּים לְנַפְשֶׁךָ׃

18For lack of vision a people lose restraint, But happy is he who heeds instruction.

יחבְּאֵין חָזוֹן יִפָּרַע עָם וְשֹׁמֵר תּוֹרָה אַשְׁרֵהוּ׃

19A slave cannot be disciplined by words; Though he may comprehend, he does not respond.

יטבִּדְבָרִים לֹא־יִוָּסֶר עָבֶד כִּי־יָבִין וְאֵין מַעֲנֶה׃

20If you see a man hasty in speech, There is more hope for a fool than for him.

כחָזִיתָ אִישׁ אָץ בִּדְבָרָיו תִּקְוָה לִכְסִיל מִמֶּנּוּ׃

21A slave pampered from youth Will come to a bad end.

כאמְפַנֵּק מִנֹּעַר עַבְדּוֹ וְאַחֲרִיתוֹ יִהְיֶה מָנוֹן׃

22An angry man provokes a quarrel; A hot-tempered man commits many offenses.

כבאִישׁ־אַף יְגָרֶה מָדוֹן וּבַעַל חֵמָה רַב־פָּשַׁע׃

23A man's pride will humiliate him, But a humble man will obtain honor.

ga-a-VAT a-DAM tash-pee-LE-nu ush-fal RU-akh yit-MOKH ka-VOD

כגגַּאֲוַת אָדָם תַּשְׁפִּילֶנּוּ וּשְׁפַל־רוּחַ יִתְמֹךְ כָּבוֹד׃

 29:23   But a humble man will obtain honor

Honor is a funny thing. One who seeks it out is unlikely to earn it from others, but one who rejects it is likely to earn his fellows’ respect. As the Sages of the Talmud teach (Eiruvin 13b), “One who chases after honor, honor eludes him; but one who runs away from honor, honor clings to him.”

24He who shares with a thief is his own enemy; He hears the imprecation and does not tell.

כדחוֹלֵק עִם־גַּנָּב שׂוֹנֵא נַפְשׁוֹ אָלָה יִשְׁמַע וְלֹא יַגִּיד׃

25A man's fears become a trap for him, But he who trusts in Hashem shall be safeguarded.

כהחֶרְדַּת אָדָם יִתֵּן מוֹקֵשׁ וּבוֹטֵחַ בַּיהֹוָה יְשֻׂגָּב׃

26Many seek audience with a ruler, But it is from Hashem that a man gets justice.

כורַבִּים מְבַקְשִׁים פְּנֵי־מוֹשֵׁל וּמֵיְהֹוָה מִשְׁפַּט־אִישׁ׃

27The unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, And he whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.

כזתּוֹעֲבַת צַדִּיקִים אִישׁ עָוֶל וְתוֹעֲבַת רָשָׁע יְשַׁר־דָּרֶךְ׃