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Chapter 26
Similitudes and Instructions
1
Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,… honor does not befit a fool.
𐤊𐤔𐤋𐤂 𐤁𐤒𐤉𐤑 𐤅𐤊𐤌𐤈𐤓 𐤁𐤒𐤑𐤉𐤓 𐤊𐤍 𐤊𐤁𐤅𐤃 𐤋𐤀 𐤍𐤀𐤅𐤄 𐤋𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋
כַּשֶּׁ֤לֶג׀ בַּקַּ֗יִץ וְכַמָּטָ֥ר בַּקָּצִ֑יר כֵּ֤ן כָּבֽוֹד׃ לֹא־ נָאוֶ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל kaš·še·leḡ baq·qa·yiṣ wə·ḵam·mā·ṭār baq·qā·ṣîr kên kā·ḇō·wḏ lō- nā·weh liḵ·sîl — WLC · 1
2
Like a fluttering sparrow or darting… swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
𐤋𐤍𐤅𐤃 𐤊𐤑𐤐𐤅𐤓 𐤋𐤏𐤅𐤐 𐤊𐤍 𐤊𐤃𐤓𐤅𐤓 𐤇𐤍𐤌 𐤒𐤋𐤋𐤕 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤁𐤀
לָ֭נוּד כַּצִּפּ֣וֹר לָע֑וּף כֵּ֥ן כַּדְּר֣וֹר חִ֝נָּ֗ם קִֽלְלַ֥ת לֹא תָבֹֽא׃ lā·nūḏ kaṣ·ṣip·pō·wr lā·‘ūp̄ kên kad·də·rō·wr ḥin·nām qil·laṯ lō ṯā·ḇō — WLC · 2
3
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
𐤔𐤅𐤈 𐤋𐤎𐤅𐤎 𐤌𐤕𐤂 𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤔𐤁𐤈 𐤋𐤂𐤅 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤌
שׁ֣וֹט לַ֭סּוּס מֶ֣תֶג לַחֲמ֑וֹר וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט לְגֵ֣ו כְּסִילִֽים׃ šō·wṭ las·sūs me·ṯeḡ la·ḥă·mō·wr wə·šê·ḇeṭ lə·ḡêw kə·sî·lîm — WLC · 3
4
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him…
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤏𐤍 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤊𐤀𐤅𐤋𐤕𐤅 𐤐𐤍 𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤄 𐤋𐤅 𐤂𐤌
אַל־ תַּ֣עַן כְּ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּֽן־ אָֽתָּה׃ תִּשְׁוֶה־ לּ֥וֹ גַם־ ’al- ta·‘an kə·sîl kə·’iw·wal·tōw pen- ’āt·tāh tiš·weh- lōw ḡam- — WLC · 4
5
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
𐤏𐤍𐤄 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤊𐤀𐤅𐤋𐤕𐤅 𐤐𐤍 𐤉𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤁𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤅
עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּן־ יִהְיֶ֖ה חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ ‘ă·nêh ḵə·sîl kə·’iw·wal·tōw pen- yih·yeh ḥā·ḵām bə·‘ê·nāw — WLC · 5
6
Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
𐤌𐤒𐤑𐤄 𐤓𐤂𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤕𐤄 𐤇𐤌𐤎 𐤔𐤋𐤇 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤉𐤃 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋
מְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם שֹׁתֶ֑ה חָמָ֣ס שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־ כְּסִֽיל׃ mə·qaṣ·ṣeh raḡ·la·yim šō·ṯeh ḥā·mās šō·lê·aḥ də·ḇā·rîm bə·yaḏ- kə·sîl — WLC · 6
7
Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
𐤌𐤐𐤎𐤇 𐤔𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤃𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤌𐤔𐤋 𐤁𐤐𐤉 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤌
מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ שֹׁ֭קַיִם דַּלְי֣וּ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃ mip·pis·sê·aḥ šō·qa·yim dal·yū ū·mā·šāl bə·p̄î ḵə·sî·lîm — WLC · 7
8
Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
𐤊𐤑𐤓𐤅𐤓 𐤀𐤁𐤍 𐤁𐤌𐤓𐤂𐤌𐤄 𐤊𐤍 𐤍𐤅𐤕𐤍 𐤊𐤁𐤅𐤃 𐤋𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋
כִּצְר֣וֹר אֶ֭בֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה כֵּן־ נוֹתֵ֖ן כָּבֽוֹד׃ לִכְסִ֣יל kiṣ·rō·wr ’e·ḇen bə·mar·gê·māh kên- nō·w·ṯên kā·ḇō·wḏ liḵ·sîl — WLC · 8
9
[Like] a thorn [that] goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
𐤇𐤅𐤇 𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤁𐤉𐤃 𐤔𐤊𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤌𐤔𐤋 𐤁𐤐𐤉 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤌
ח֭וֹחַ עָלָ֣ה בְיַד־ שִׁכּ֑וֹר וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃ ḥō·w·aḥ ‘ā·lāh ḇə·yaḏ- šik·kō·wr ū·mā·šāl bə·p̄î ḵə·sî·lîm — WLC · 9
10
Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.
𐤓𐤁 𐤌𐤇𐤅𐤋𐤋 𐤊𐤋 𐤅𐤔𐤊𐤓 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤅𐤔𐤊𐤓 𐤏𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤌
רַ֥ב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־ כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃ raḇ mə·ḥō·w·lêl- kōl wə·śō·ḵêr kə·sîl wə·śō·ḵêr ‘ō·ḇə·rîm — WLC · 10
11
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
𐤊𐤊𐤋𐤁 𐤔𐤁 𐤏𐤋 𐤒𐤀𐤅 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤔𐤅𐤍𐤄 𐤁𐤀𐤅𐤋𐤕𐤅
כְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־ קֵא֑וֹ כְּ֝סִ֗יל שׁוֹנֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃ kə·ḵe·leḇ šāḇ ‘al- qê·’ōw kə·sîl šō·w·neh ḇə·’iw·wal·tōw — WLC · 11
12
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤕 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤁𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤕𐤒𐤅𐤄 𐤋𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤅
רָאִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ rā·’î·ṯā ’îš ḥā·ḵām bə·‘ê·nāw tiq·wāh liḵ·sîl mim·men·nū — WLC · 12
13
The slacker says, “A lion [is] in the road! A fierce lion [roams] the public square!”
𐤏𐤑𐤋 𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤔𐤇𐤋 𐤁𐤃𐤓𐤊 𐤀𐤓𐤉 𐤁𐤉𐤍 𐤄𐤓𐤇𐤁𐤅𐤕
עָ֭צֵל אָמַ֣ר שַׁ֣חַל בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ אֲ֝רִ֗י בֵּ֣ין הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃ ‘ā·ṣêl ’ā·mar ša·ḥal bad·dā·reḵ ’ă·rî bên hā·rə·ḥō·ḇō·wṯ — WLC · 13
14
[As] a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker [turns] on his bed.
𐤄𐤃𐤋𐤕 𐤕𐤎𐤅𐤁 𐤏𐤋 𐤑𐤉𐤓𐤄 𐤅𐤏𐤑𐤋 𐤏𐤋 𐤌𐤈𐤕𐤅
הַ֭דֶּלֶת תִּסּ֣וֹב עַל־ צִירָ֑הּ וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל עַל־ מִטָּתֽוֹ׃ had·de·leṯ tis·sō·wḇ ‘al- ṣî·rāh wə·‘ā·ṣêl ‘al- miṭ·ṭā·ṯōw — WLC · 14
15
The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
𐤏𐤑𐤋 𐤈𐤌𐤍 𐤉𐤃𐤅 𐤁𐤑𐤋𐤇𐤕 𐤍𐤋𐤀𐤄 𐤋𐤄𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤄 𐤀𐤋 𐤐𐤉𐤅
עָצֵ֣ל טָ֘מַ֤ן יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת נִ֝לְאָ֗ה לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֶל־ פִּֽיו׃ ‘ā·ṣêl ṭā·man yā·ḏōw baṣ·ṣal·lā·ḥaṯ nil·’āh la·hă·šî·ḇāh ’el- pîw — WLC · 15
16
The slacker [is] wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.
𐤏𐤑𐤋 𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤁𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤌𐤔𐤁𐤏𐤄 𐤌𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤉 𐤈𐤏𐤌
עָצֵ֣ל חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינָ֑יו מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃ ‘ā·ṣêl ḥā·ḵām bə·‘ê·nāw miš·šiḇ·‘āh mə·šî·ḇê ṭā·‘am — WLC · 16
17
Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
𐤌𐤇𐤆𐤉𐤒 𐤊𐤋𐤁 𐤁𐤀𐤆𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤁𐤓 𐤌𐤕𐤏𐤁𐤓 𐤏𐤋 𐤓𐤉𐤁 𐤋𐤀 𐤋𐤅
מַחֲזִ֥יק כָ֑לֶב בְּאָזְנֵי־ עֹבֵ֥ר מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר עַל־ רִ֥יב לֹּֽא־ לֽוֹ׃ ma·ḥă·zîq ḵā·leḇ bə·’ā·zə·nê- ‘ō·ḇêr miṯ·‘ab·bêr ‘al- rîḇ lō- lōw — WLC · 17
18
Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,
𐤊𐤌𐤕𐤋𐤄𐤋𐤄 𐤄𐤉𐤓𐤄 𐤆𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤇𐤑𐤉𐤌
כְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶ֥ה זִקִּ֗ים וָמָֽוֶת׃ חִצִּ֥ים kə·miṯ·lah·lê·ah hay·yō·reh ziq·qîm wā·mā·weṯ ḥiṣ·ṣîm — WLC · 18
19
so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
𐤊𐤍 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤓𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤕 𐤓𐤏𐤄𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤋𐤀 𐤌𐤔𐤇𐤒
כֵּֽן־ אִ֭ישׁ רִמָּ֣ה אֶת־ רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אָמַ֗ר אָֽנִי׃ הֲֽלֹא־ מְשַׂחֵ֥ק kên- ’îš rim·māh ’eṯ- rê·‘ê·hū wə·’ā·mar ’ā·nî hălō- mə·śa·ḥêq — WLC · 19
20
Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
𐤁𐤀𐤐𐤎 𐤏𐤑𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤔 𐤕𐤊𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤁𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤍𐤓𐤂𐤍 𐤌𐤃𐤅𐤍 𐤉𐤔𐤕𐤒
בְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים אֵ֑שׁ תִּכְבֶּה־ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן מָדֽוֹן׃ יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק bə·’e·p̄es ‘ê·ṣîm ’êš tiḵ·beh- ū·ḇə·’ên nir·gān mā·ḏō·wn yiš·tōq — WLC · 20
21
Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
𐤐𐤇𐤌 𐤋𐤂𐤇𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤏𐤑𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤀𐤔 𐤌𐤃𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤋𐤇𐤓𐤇𐤓 𐤓𐤉𐤁𐤐
פֶּחָ֣ם לְ֭גֶחָלִים וְעֵצִ֣ים לְאֵ֑שׁ מְדוֹנִים וְאִ֥ישׁ לְחַרְחַר־ רִֽיב׃פ pe·ḥām lə·ḡe·ḥā·lîm wə·‘ê·ṣîm lə·’êš mə·ḏō·nīm wə·’îš lə·ḥar·ḥar- rîḇ — WLC · 21
22
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being…
𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤍𐤓𐤂𐤍 𐤊𐤌𐤕𐤋𐤄𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤄𐤌 𐤉𐤓𐤃𐤅 𐤇𐤃𐤓𐤉 𐤁𐤈𐤍
דִּבְרֵ֣י נִ֭רְגָּן כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים וְ֝הֵ֗ם יָרְד֥וּ חַדְרֵי־ בָֽטֶן׃ diḇ·rê nir·gān kə·miṯ·la·hă·mîm wə·hêm yā·rə·ḏū ḥaḏ·rê- ḇā·ṭen — WLC · 22
23
Like glaze… covering… an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.
𐤊𐤎𐤐 𐤎𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤑𐤐𐤄 𐤏𐤋 𐤇𐤓𐤔 𐤃𐤋𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤐𐤕𐤉𐤌 𐤓𐤏 𐤅𐤋𐤁
כֶּ֣סֶף סִ֭יגִים מְצֻפֶּ֣ה עַל־ חָ֑רֶשׂ דֹּלְקִ֣ים שְׂפָתַ֖יִם רָֽע׃ וְלֶב־ ke·sep̄ sî·ḡîm mə·ṣup·peh ‘al- ḥā·reś dō·lə·qîm śə·p̄ā·ṯa·yim rā‘ wə·leḇ- — WLC · 23
24
A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
𐤔𐤅𐤍𐤀 𐤉𐤍𐤊𐤓 𐤁𐤔𐤐𐤕𐤅 𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤕 𐤌𐤓𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤁𐤒𐤓𐤁𐤅
שׂוֹנֵ֑א יִנָּכֵ֣ר בִּשְׂפָתוֹ יָשִׁ֥ית מִרְמָֽה׃ וּ֝בְקִרְבּ֗וֹ śō·w·nê yin·nā·ḵêr biś·p̄å̄·ṯō yā·šîṯ mir·māh ū·ḇə·qir·bōw — WLC · 24
25
When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations [fill] his heart.
𐤊𐤉 𐤒𐤅𐤋𐤅 𐤉𐤇𐤍𐤍 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤀𐤌𐤍 𐤁𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤔𐤁𐤏 𐤕𐤅𐤏𐤁𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤋𐤁𐤅
כִּֽי־ ק֭וֹלוֹ יְחַנֵּ֣ן אַל־ תַּֽאֲמֶן־ בּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י שֶׁ֖בַע תּוֹעֵב֣וֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃ kî- qō·w·lōw yə·ḥan·nên ’al- ta·’ă·men- bōw kî še·ḇa‘ tō·w·‘ê·ḇō·wṯ bə·lib·bōw — WLC · 25
26
Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
𐤔𐤍𐤀𐤄 𐤕𐤊𐤎𐤄 𐤁𐤌𐤔𐤀𐤅𐤍 𐤓𐤏𐤕𐤅 𐤕𐤂𐤋𐤄 𐤁𐤒𐤄𐤋
שִׂ֭נְאָה תִּכַּסֶּ֣ה בְּמַשָּׁא֑וֹן רָעָת֣וֹ תִּגָּלֶ֖ה בְקָהָֽל׃ śin·ʾāh tik·kas·seh bə·maš·šā·’ō·wn rā·‘ā·ṯōw tig·gā·leh ḇə·qā·hāl — WLC · 26
27
He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
𐤊𐤓𐤄 𐤔𐤇𐤕 𐤉𐤐𐤋 𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤂𐤋𐤋 𐤀𐤁𐤍 𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤁 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤅
כֹּֽרֶה־ שַּׁ֭חַת יִפֹּ֑ל בָּ֣הּ וְגֹ֥לֵ֥ל אֶ֝בֶן תָּשֽׁוּב׃ אֵלָ֥יו kō·re·hō·ša- ša·ḥat̲ yip·pōl bāh wə·ḡō·lêl ’e·ḇen tā·šūḇ ’ê·lāw — WLC · 27
28
A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
𐤔𐤒𐤓 𐤋𐤔𐤅𐤍 𐤉𐤔𐤍𐤀 𐤃𐤊𐤉𐤅 𐤇𐤋𐤒 𐤅𐤐𐤄 𐤉𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤌𐤃𐤇𐤄
שֶׁ֭קֶר לְֽשׁוֹן־ יִשְׂנָ֣א דַכָּ֑יו חָ֝לָ֗ק וּפֶ֥ה יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה מִדְחֶֽה׃ še·qer lə·šō·w·nō·še- yiś·nā ḏak·kāw ḥā·lāq ū·p̄eh ya·‘ă·śeh miḏ·ḥeh — WLC · 28