Mishle 20

1The yayin is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; and whosoever is seduced to be led astray thereby is not wise.

2The wrath of a melech is as the roaring of a lion; he who provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own nefesh.

3It is kavod for an ish to cease from strife, but any fool can start a quarrel.

4The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) will not plow by reason of choref (winter, cold); therefore shall he beg at katzir (harvest), and have nothing.

5Etzah (purpose; T.N. see Yn 2:24-25 ) in the lev ish is like deep mayim, but an ish tevunah will draw it out.

6Rav adam will proclaim every one his own chesed, but an ish emunim (faithful man, loyal man) who can find one?

7The tzaddik walketh in his tohm (integrity, guilelessness); his banim after him are blessed.

8A melech that sitteth in the kisse din (throne of judgment) winnows out all rah with his eynayim.

9Who can say, I have made my lev pure, I am tahor from my chattat?

10Differing weights, and differing measures, both of them are alike to'evah to Hashem.

11Even a na'ar (child) is known by his ways, whether his conduct be pure, and whether it be yashar (right).

12The hearing ozen, and the seeing ayin, Hashem hath made even both of them.

13Love not sheynah (sleep), lest thou come to poverty; open thine eynayim, and thou shalt have enough lechem.

14It is good for nothing, it is naught, saith the koneh (buyer), but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

15There is zahav, and a multitude of rubies, but the sfatayim (lips) of da'as are a precious jewel.

16Take his garment that is guaranty for a zar (stranger), and hold it as his pledge for a nokhriyah (foreign woman, strange woman, seductress).

17Lechem from sheker (deceit) is sweet to an ish, but afterwards his peh (mouth) shall be filled with gravel.

18Every plan is established by etzah, and with tachbulot (guidance) wage milchamah.

19He that goeth about as a rakhil (gossip, slanderer, talebearer) revealeth secrets; therefore associate not with the babbler.

20He who curseth aviv or immo, his ner (lamp) shall be put out in deep choshech.

21A nachalah (inheritance) may be gotten hastily at the rishonah (beginning); but the acharit (latter end) thereof shall not have a bracha.

22Say not thou, I will pay back rah; but wait on Hashem, and He shall save thee.

23Differing weights are a to'evah unto Hashem, and scales of mirmah (deceit) are not tov.

24The steps of a gever are from Hashem; how can an adam then understand his own derech (way, life's course)?

25It is a mokesh adam to devote rashly as kodesh, and after nedarim (vows) to reconsider his consecration.

26A melech chacham winnows out the resha'im and bringeth the ofan (threshing wheel) over them.

27The neshamah of adam is the ner (light) of Hashem, searching all the innermost beten.

28Chesed and emes guard the Melech, and his kisse is upheld by chesed.

29The tiferet (glory) of bochurim is their ko'ach (strength), and the hadar (splendor) of zekenim is the silvery head.

30Blows that wound cleanseth away rah; so do beatings the innermost beten.