Proverbs 20 — TOJB

20Verse 1The yayin is a mocker, strong drink a brawler;
and whosoever is seduced to be led astray thereby is not wise.
^{Verse 2}The wrath of a melech is as the roaring of a lion;
he who provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own nefesh.
^{Verse 3}It is kavod for an ish to cease from strife,
but any fool can start a quarrel.
^{Verse 4}The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) will not plow by reason of choref (winter, cold);
therefore shall he beg at katzir (harvest), and have nothing.
^{Verse 5}Etzah (purpose)⁺in the lev ish is like deep mayim,
but an ish tevunah will draw it out.
^{Verse 6}Rav adam will proclaim every one his own chesed,
but an ish emunim (faithful man, loyal man) who can find one?
^{Verse 7}The tzaddik walketh in his tohm (integrity, guilelessness);
his banim after him are blessed.
^{Verse 8}A melech that sitteth in the kisse din (throne of judgment)
winnows out all rah with his eynayim.
^{Verse 9}Who can say, I have made my lev pure,
I am tahor from my chattat?
^{Verse 10}Differing weights, and differing measures,
both of them are alike to'evah to Hashem.
^{Verse 11}Even a na'ar (child) is known by his ways,
whether his conduct be pure, and whether it be yashar (right).
^{Verse 12}The hearing ozen, and the seeing ayin,
Hashem hath made even both of them.
^{Verse 13}Love not sheynah (sleep), lest thou come to poverty;
open thine eynayim, and thou shalt have enough lechem.
^{Verse 14}It is good for nothing, it is naught, saith the koneh (buyer),
but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
^{Verse 15}There is zahav, and a multitude of rubies,
but the sfatayim (lips) of da'as are a precious jewel.
^{Verse 16}Take his garment that is guaranty for a zar (stranger),
and hold it as his pledge for a nokhriyah (foreign woman, strange woman, seductress).
^{Verse 17}Lechem from sheker (deceit) is sweet to an ish,
but afterwards his peh (mouth) shall be filled with gravel.
^{Verse 18}Every plan is established by etzah,
and with tachbulot (guidance) wage milchamah.
^{Verse 19}He that goeth about as a rakhil (gossip, slanderer, talebearer) revealeth secrets;
therefore associate not with the babbler.
^{Verse 20}He who curseth aviv or immo,
his ner (lamp) shall be put out in deep choshech.
^{Verse 21}A nachalah (inheritance) may be gotten hastily at the rishonah (beginning);
but the acharit (latter end) thereof shall not have a bracha.
^{Verse 22}Say not thou, I will pay back rah;
but wait on Hashem, and He shall save thee.
^{Verse 23}Differing weights are a to'evah unto Hashem,
and scales of mirmah (deceit) are not tov.
^{Verse 24}The steps of a gever are from Hashem;
how can an adam then understand his own derech (way, lifeʼs course)?
^{Verse 25}It is a mokesh adam to devote rashly as kodesh,
and after nedarim (vows) to reconsider his consecration.
^{Verse 26}A melech chacham winnows out the resha'im
and bringeth the ofan (threshing wheel) over them.
^{Verse 27}The neshamah of adam is the ner (light) of Hashem,
searching all the innermost beten.
^{Verse 28}Chesed and emes guard the Melech,
and his kisse is upheld by chesed.
^{Verse 29}The tiferet (glory) of bochurim is their ko'ach (strength),
and the hadar (splendor) of zekenim is the silvery head.
^{Verse 30}Blows that wound cleanseth away rah;
so do beatings the innermost beten.