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Chapter 20
Wine Is a Mocker
1
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤋𐤑 𐤔𐤊𐤓 𐤄𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤔𐤂𐤄 𐤁𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤇𐤊𐤌
הַ֭יַּין לֵ֣ץ שֵׁכָ֑ר הֹמֶ֣ה וְכָל־ שֹׁ֥גֶה בּ֝֗וֹ לֹ֣א יֶחְכָּֽם׃ hay·yayn lêṣ šê·ḵār hō·meh wə·ḵāl šō·ḡeh bōw lō yeḥ·kām — WLC · 1
2
The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes [him] forfeits his own life.
𐤀𐤉𐤌𐤕 𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤍𐤄𐤌 𐤊𐤊𐤐𐤉𐤓 𐤌𐤕𐤏𐤁𐤓𐤅 𐤇𐤅𐤈𐤀 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤅
אֵ֣ימַת מֶ֑לֶךְ נַ֣הַם כַּ֭כְּפִיר מִ֝תְעַבְּר֗וֹ חוֹטֵ֥א נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ ’ê·maṯ me·leḵ na·ham kak·kə·p̄îr miṯ·‘ab·bə·rōw ḥō·w·ṭê nap̄·šōw — WLC · 2
3
It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.
𐤊𐤁𐤅𐤃 𐤋𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤔𐤁𐤕 𐤌𐤓𐤉𐤁 𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤀𐤅𐤉𐤋 𐤉𐤕𐤂𐤋𐤏
כָּב֣וֹד לָ֭אִישׁ שֶׁ֣בֶת מֵרִ֑יב וְכָל־ אֱ֝וִ֗יל יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃ kā·ḇō·wḏ lā·’îš še·ḇeṯ mê·rîḇ wə·ḵāl ’ĕ·wîl yiṯ·gal·lā‘ — WLC · 3
4
The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.
𐤏𐤑𐤋 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤇𐤓𐤔 𐤌𐤇𐤓𐤐 𐤁𐤒𐤑𐤉𐤓 𐤉𐤔𐤀𐤋 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍
עָצֵ֣ל לֹא־ יַחֲרֹ֑שׁ מֵ֭חֹרֶף בַּקָּצִ֣יר יִשְׁאַל וָאָֽיִן׃ ‘ā·ṣêl lō- ya·ḥă·rōš mê·ḥō·rep̄ baq·qā·ṣîr yiš·ʾal wā·’ā·yin — WLC · 4
5
The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.
𐤏𐤑𐤄 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤁𐤋𐤁 𐤏𐤌𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤕𐤁𐤅𐤍𐤄 𐤉𐤃𐤋𐤍𐤄
עֵצָ֣ה אִ֑ישׁ בְלֶב־ עֲ֭מֻקִּים מַ֣יִם וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּבוּנָ֣ה יִדְלֶֽנָּה׃ ‘ê·ṣāh ’îš ḇə·leḇ- ‘ă·muq·qîm ma·yim wə·’îš tə·ḇū·nāh yiḏ·len·nāh — WLC · 5
6
Many a man proclaims his loving devotion, but who can find a trustworthy man?
𐤓𐤁 𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤉𐤒𐤓𐤀 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤇𐤎𐤃𐤅 𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤌𐤑𐤀 𐤀𐤌𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤔
רָב־ אָדָ֗ם יִ֭קְרָא אִ֣ישׁ חַסְדּ֑וֹ מִ֣י יִמְצָֽא׃ אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים וְאִ֥ישׁ rāḇ- ’ā·ḏām yiq·rā ’îš ḥas·dōw mî yim·ṣā ’ĕ·mū·nîm wə·’îš — WLC · 6
7
The righteous man walks with integrity; blessed [are] his children after him.
𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 𐤌𐤕𐤄𐤋𐤊 𐤁𐤕𐤌𐤅 𐤀𐤔𐤓𐤉 𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤅
צַדִּ֑יק מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֣וֹ אַשְׁרֵ֖י בָנָ֣יו אַחֲרָֽיו׃ ṣad·dîq miṯ·hal·lêḵ bə·ṯum·mōw ’aš·rê ḇā·nāw ’a·ḥă·rāw — WLC · 7
8
A king who sits on a throne to judge sifts out all evil with his eyes.
𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤉𐤅𐤔𐤁 𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤎𐤀 𐤃𐤉𐤍 𐤌𐤆𐤓𐤄 𐤊𐤋 𐤓𐤏 𐤁𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤅
מֶ֗לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֥ב עַל־ כִּסֵּא־ דִ֑ין מְזָרֶ֖ה כָּל־ רָֽע׃ בְעֵינָ֣יו me·leḵ yō·wō·šêḇ ‘al- kis·sê- ḏîn mə·zā·reh kāl- rā‘ ḇə·‘ê·nāw — WLC · 8
9
Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?
𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤁𐤉 𐤆𐤊𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤈𐤄𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤌𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤕𐤉
מִֽי־ יֹ֭אמַר לִבִּ֑י זִכִּ֣יתִי טָ֝הַ֗רְתִּי מֵחַטָּאתִֽי׃ mî- yō·mar lib·bî zik·kî·ṯî ṭā·har·tî mê·ḥaṭ·ṭā·ṯî — WLC · 9
10
Differing weights and unequal measures… both are detestable to the LORD…
𐤀𐤁𐤍 𐤅𐤀𐤁𐤍 𐤀𐤉𐤐𐤄 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤐𐤄 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤕𐤅𐤏𐤁𐤕 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤂𐤌
אֶ֣בֶן וָ֭אֶבֶן אֵיפָ֣ה וְאֵיפָ֑ה שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־ ’e·ḇen wā·’e·ḇen ’ê·p̄āh wə·’ê·p̄āh šə·nê·hem tō·w·‘ă·ḇaṯ Yah·weh gam- — WLC · 10
11
Even a young man is known by his actions— whether his conduct is pure… and upright.
𐤂𐤌 𐤍𐤏𐤓 𐤉𐤕𐤍𐤊𐤓 𐤁𐤌𐤏𐤋𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤀𐤌 𐤐𐤏𐤋𐤅 𐤆𐤊 𐤅𐤀𐤌 𐤉𐤔𐤓
גַּ֣ם נָ֑עַר יִתְנַכֶּר־ בְּ֭מַעֲלָלָיו אִם־ פָּעֳלֽוֹ׃ זַ֖ךְ וְאִם־ יָשָׁ֣ר gam nā·‘ar yiṯ·nak·ker- bə·ma·‘ă·lā·lāw ’im- pā·‘o·lōw zaḵ wə·’im- yā·šār — WLC · 11
12
Ears that hear and eyes that see— the LORD has made them… both.
𐤀𐤆𐤍 𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤕 𐤅𐤏𐤉𐤍 𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤂𐤌 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤌
אֹ֣זֶן שֹׁ֭מַעַת וְעַ֣יִן רֹאָ֑ה יְ֝הוָ֗ה עָשָׂ֥ה גַם־ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ ’ō·zen šō·mēr wə·‘a·yin rō·’āh Yah·weh ‘ā·śāh ḡam- šə·nê·hem — WLC · 12
13
Do not love sleep, or you will grow poor; open your eyes, [and] you will have plenty of food.
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤀𐤄𐤁 𐤔𐤍𐤄 𐤐𐤍 𐤕𐤅𐤓𐤔 𐤐𐤒𐤇 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤔𐤁𐤏 𐤋𐤇𐤌
אַל־ תֶּֽאֱהַ֣ב שֵׁ֭נָה פֶּן־ תִּוָּרֵ֑שׁ פְּקַ֖ח עֵינֶ֣יךָ שְֽׂבַֽע־ לָֽחֶם׃ ’al- te·’ĕ·haḇ šē·nāh pen- tiw·wā·rêš pə·qaḥ ‘ê·ne·ḵā śə·ḇa‘- lā·ḥem — WLC · 13
14
“Worthless, worthless!” says the buyer, but on the way out he gloats.
𐤓𐤏 𐤓𐤏 𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤄𐤒𐤅𐤍𐤄 𐤅𐤀𐤆𐤋 𐤋𐤅 𐤀𐤆 𐤉𐤕𐤄𐤋𐤋
רַ֣ע רַ֭ע יֹאמַ֣ר הַקּוֹנֶ֑ה וְאֹזֵ֥ל ל֝֗וֹ אָ֣ז יִתְהַלָּֽל׃ ra‘ ra‘ yō·mar haq·qō·w·neh wə·’ō·zêl lōw ’āz yiṯ·hal·lāl — WLC · 14
15
There is an abundance of gold [and] rubies, but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.
𐤉𐤔 𐤅𐤓𐤁 𐤆𐤄𐤁 𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤐𐤕𐤉 𐤃𐤏𐤕 𐤉𐤒𐤓 𐤅𐤊𐤋𐤉
יֵ֣שׁ וְרָב־ זָ֭הָב פְּנִינִ֑ים שִׂפְתֵי־ דָֽעַת׃ יְ֝קָ֗ר וּכְלִ֥י yêš wə·rāḇ- zā·hāḇ pə·nî·nîm śip̄·ṯê- ḏā·‘aṯ yə·qār ū·ḵə·lî — WLC · 15
16
Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
𐤋𐤒𐤇 𐤁𐤂𐤃𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤓𐤁 𐤆𐤓 𐤇𐤁𐤋𐤄𐤅 𐤅𐤁𐤏𐤃 𐤍𐤊𐤓𐤉𐤌
לְֽקַח־ בִּ֭גְדוֹ כִּי־ עָ֣רַב זָ֑ר חַבְלֵֽהוּ׃ וּבְעַ֖ד נָכְרִים lə·qaḥ- biḡ·ḏōw kî- ‘ā·raḇ zār ḥaḇ·lê·hū ū·ḇə·‘aḏ nå̄·ḵə·rīm — WLC · 16
17
Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.
𐤋𐤇𐤌 𐤔𐤒𐤓 𐤏𐤓𐤁 𐤋𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤅𐤀𐤇𐤓 𐤐𐤉𐤄𐤅 𐤉𐤌𐤋𐤀 𐤇𐤑𐤑
לֶ֣חֶם שָׁ֑קֶר עָרֵ֣ב לָ֭אִישׁ וְ֝אַחַ֗ר פִ֥יהוּ יִמָּֽלֵא־ חָצָֽץ׃ le·ḥem šā·qer ‘ā·rêḇ lā·’îš wə·’a·ḥar p̄î·hū yim·mā·lê- ḥā·ṣāṣ — WLC · 17
18
Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.
𐤕𐤊𐤅𐤍 𐤌𐤇𐤔𐤁𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤏𐤑𐤄 𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤌𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤁𐤕𐤇𐤁𐤋𐤅𐤕
תִכּ֑וֹן מַ֭חֲשָׁבוֹת בְּעֵצָ֣ה עֲשֵׂ֣ה מִלְחָמָֽה׃ וּ֝בְתַחְבֻּל֗וֹת ṯik·kō·wn ma·ḥă·šā·ḇō·wṯ bə·‘ê·ṣāh ‘ă·śêh mil·ḥā·māh ū·ḇə·ṯaḥ·bu·lō·wṯ — WLC · 18
19
He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; vvv avoid the one who babbles with his lips.
𐤂𐤅𐤋𐤄 𐤎𐤅𐤃 𐤄𐤅𐤋𐤊 𐤓𐤊𐤉𐤋 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤕𐤏𐤓𐤁 𐤅𐤋𐤐𐤕𐤄 𐤔𐤐𐤕𐤉𐤅
גּֽוֹלֶה־ סּ֭וֹד הוֹלֵ֣ךְ רָכִ֑יל לֹ֣א תִתְעָרָֽב׃ וּלְפֹתֶ֥ה שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו gō·w·leh- sō·wḏ hō·w·lêḵ rā·ḵîl lō ṯiṯ·‘ā·rāḇ ū·lə·p̄ō·ṯeh śə·p̲ā·t̲āyw — WLC · 19
20
Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.
𐤌𐤒𐤋𐤋 𐤀𐤁𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤅 𐤍𐤓𐤅 𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤊 𐤁𐤀𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤍 𐤇𐤔𐤊
מְ֭קַלֵּל אָבִ֣יו וְאִמּ֑וֹ נֵ֝ר֗וֹ יִֽדְעַ֥ךְ בְּאִישׁוֹן חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ mə·qal·lêl ’ā·ḇîw wə·’im·mōw nê·rōw yiḏ·‘aḵ bə·ʾī·šōn ḥō·šeḵ — WLC · 20
21
An inheritance gained quickly will not be blessed in the end.
𐤍𐤇𐤋𐤄 𐤌𐤁𐤇𐤋𐤕 𐤁𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤍𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤁𐤓𐤊 𐤅𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤕𐤄
נַ֭חֲלָה מְבֻחֶלֶת בָּרִאשֹׁנָ֑ה לֹ֣א תְבֹרָֽךְ׃ וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ na·ḥă·lāh mə·ḇu·ḥɛ·lɛṯ bā·ri·šō·nāh lō ṯə·ḇō·rāḵ wə·’a·ḥă·rî·ṯāh — WLC · 21
22
Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤔𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤓𐤏 𐤒𐤅𐤄 𐤋𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤏 𐤋𐤊
אַל־ תֹּאמַ֥ר אֲשַׁלְּמָה־ רָ֑ע קַוֵּ֥ה לַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה וְיֹ֣שַֽׁע לָֽךְ׃ ’al- tō·mar ’ă·šal·lə·māh- rā‘ qaw·wêh Yah·weh wə·yō·ša‘ lāḵ — WLC · 22
23
Unequal weights… are detestable to the LORD, and dishonest scales are no good.
𐤀𐤁𐤍 𐤅𐤀𐤁𐤍 𐤕𐤅𐤏𐤁𐤕 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤌𐤓𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤌𐤀𐤆𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤈𐤅𐤁
אֶ֣בֶן וָאָ֑בֶן תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה מִרְמָ֣ה וּמֹאזְנֵ֖י לֹא־ טֽוֹב׃ ’e·ḇen wā·’ā·ḇen tō·w·‘ă·ḇaṯ Yah·weh mir·māh ū·mō·zə·nê lō- ṭō·wḇ — WLC · 23
24
A man’s steps [are] from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?
𐤂𐤁𐤓 𐤌𐤑𐤏𐤃𐤉 𐤌𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤉𐤁𐤉𐤍 𐤃𐤓𐤊𐤅
גָ֑בֶר מִצְעֲדֵי־ מֵיהוָ֥ה מַה־ וְ֝אָדָ֗ם יָּבִ֥ין דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃ ḡā·ḇer miṣ·‘ă·ḏê- mē·h·wå̄h mah- wə·’ā·ḏām yā·ḇîn dar·kōw — WLC · 24
25
It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.
𐤌𐤅𐤒𐤔 𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤒𐤃𐤔 𐤉𐤋𐤏 𐤅𐤀𐤇𐤓 𐤋𐤁𐤒𐤓 𐤍𐤃𐤓𐤉𐤌
מוֹקֵ֣שׁ אָ֭דָם קֹ֑דֶשׁ יָ֣לַע וְאַחַ֖ר לְבַקֵּֽר׃ נְדָרִ֣ים mō·w·qêš ’ā·ḏām qō·ḏeš yā·la‘ wə·’a·ḥar lə·ḇaq·qêr nə·ḏā·rîm — WLC · 25
26
A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them.
𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤌𐤆𐤓𐤄 𐤓𐤔𐤏𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤁 𐤀𐤅𐤐𐤍 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤄𐤌
חָכָ֑ם מֶ֣לֶךְ מְזָרֶ֣ה רְ֭שָׁעִים וַיָּ֖שֶׁב אוֹפָֽן׃ עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם ḥā·ḵām me·leḵ mə·zā·reh rə·šā·‘îm way·yā·šeḇ ’ō·w·p̄ān ‘ă·lê·hem — WLC · 26
27
The spirit of a man [is] the lamp of the LORD, searching out… his inmost being…
𐤍𐤔𐤌𐤕 𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤍𐤓 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤇𐤐𐤔 𐤊𐤋 𐤇𐤃𐤓𐤉 𐤁𐤈𐤍
נִשְׁמַ֣ת אָדָ֑ם נֵ֣ר יְ֭הוָה חֹ֝פֵ֗שׂ כָּל־ חַדְרֵי־ בָֽטֶן׃ niš·maṯ ’ā·ḏām nêr Yah·weh ḥō·p̄êś kāl- ḥaḏ·rê- ḇā·ṭen — WLC · 27
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Loving devotion and faithfulness preserve a king; by these he maintains his throne.
𐤇𐤎𐤃 𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤕 𐤉𐤑𐤓𐤅 𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤁𐤇𐤎𐤃 𐤅𐤎𐤏𐤃 𐤊𐤎𐤀𐤅
חֶ֣סֶד וֶ֭אֱמֶת יִצְּרוּ־ מֶ֑לֶךְ בַּחֶ֣סֶד וְסָעַ֖ד כִּסְאֽוֹ׃ ḥe·seḏ we·’ĕ·meṯ yiṣ·ṣə·rū- me·leḵ ba·ḥe·seḏ wə·sā·‘aḏ kis·’ōw — WLC · 28
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The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.
𐤕𐤐𐤀𐤓𐤕 𐤁𐤇𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤇𐤌 𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤄𐤃𐤓 𐤆𐤒𐤍𐤉𐤌
תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת בַּחוּרִ֣ים כֹּחָ֑ם שֵׂיבָֽה׃ וַהֲדַ֖ר זְקֵנִ֣ים tip̄·’e·reṯ ba·ḥū·rîm kō·ḥām śê·ḇāh wa·hă·ḏar zə·qê·nîm — WLC · 29
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Lashes and wounds scour evil, and beatings cleanse the inmost parts…
𐤇𐤁𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤐𐤑𐤏 𐤕𐤌𐤓𐤉𐤒 𐤁𐤓𐤏 𐤅𐤌𐤊𐤅𐤕 𐤇𐤃𐤓𐤉 𐤁𐤈𐤍
חַבֻּר֣וֹת פֶּ֭צַע תַּמְרִיק בְּרָ֑ע וּ֝מַכּ֗וֹת חַדְרֵי־ בָֽטֶן׃ ḥab·bu·rō·wṯ pe·ṣa‘ tam·rīq bə·rā‘ ū·mak·kō·wṯ ḥaḏ·rê- ḇā·ṭen — WLC · 30