Proverbs 20

Authored by: Traditional
20:1
לֵץ הַיַּין הֹמֶה שֵׁכָר וְכָל־שֹׁגֶה בּוֹ לֹא יֶחְכָּם׃
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is riotous; and whosoever reeleth thereby is not wise.
1
20:2
נַהַם כַּכְּפִיר אֵימַת מֶלֶךְ מִתְעַבְּרוֹ חוֹטֵא נַפְשׁוֹ׃
The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: He that provoketh him to anger forfeiteth his life.
1
20:3
כָּבוֹד לָאִישׁ שֶׁבֶת מֵרִיב וְכָל־אֱוִיל יִתְגַּלָּע׃
It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be snarling.
1
20:4
מֵחֹרֶף עָצֵל לֹא־יַחֲרֹשׁ ישאל [וְשָׁאַל] בַּקָּצִיר וָאָיִן׃
The sluggard will not plow when winter setteth in; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
1
20:5
מַיִם עֲמֻקִּים עֵצָה בְלֶב־אִישׁ וְאִישׁ תְּבוּנָה יִדְלֶנָּה׃
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out. .
1
20:6
רָב־אָדָם יִקְרָא אִישׁ חַסְדּוֹ וְאִישׁ אֱמוּנִים מִי יִמְצָא׃
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness; but a faithful man who can find?
1
20:7
מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּתֻמּוֹ צַדִּיק אַשְׁרֵי בָנָיו אַחֲרָיו׃
He that walketh in his integrity as a just man, happy are his children after him.
20:8
מֶלֶךְ יוֹשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא־דִין מְזָרֶה בְעֵינָיו כָּל־רָע׃
A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
1
20:9
מִי־יֹאמַר זִכִּיתִי לִבִּי טָהַרְתִּי מֵחַטָּאתִי׃
Who can say: ‘I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin’?
20:10
אֶבֶן וָאֶבֶן אֵיפָה וְאֵיפָה תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶם׃
Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them alike are abomination to the LORD.
20:11
גַּם בְּמַעֲלָלָיו יִתְנַכֶּר־נָעַר אִם־זַךְ וְאִם־יָשָׁר פָּעֳלוֹ׃
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
20:12
אֹזֶן שֹׁמַעַת וְעַיִן רֹאָה יְהוָה עָשָׂה גַם־שְׁנֵיהֶם׃
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
1
20:13
אַל־תֶּאֱהַב שֵׁנָה פֶּן־תִּוָּרֵשׁ פְּקַח עֵינֶיךָ שְׂבַע־לָחֶם׃
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt have bread in plenty.
1
20:14
רַע רַע יֹאמַר הַקּוֹנֶה וְאֹזֵל לוֹ אָז יִתְהַלָּל׃
’It is bad, it is bad’, saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
1
20:15
יֵשׁ זָהָב וְרָב־פְּנִינִים וּכְלִי יְקָר שִׂפְתֵי־דָעַת׃
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
20:16
לְקַח־בִּגְדוֹ כִּי־עָרַב זָר וּבְעַד נכרים [נָכְרִיָּה] חַבְלֵהוּ׃
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge that is surety for an alien woman.
20:17
עָרֵב לָאִישׁ לֶחֶם שָׁקֶר וְאַחַר יִמָּלֵא־פִיהוּ חָצָץ׃
Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
1
20:18
מַחֲשָׁבוֹת בְּעֵצָה תִכּוֹן וּבְתַחְבֻּלוֹת עֲשֵׂה מִלְחָמָה׃
Every purpose is established by counsel; and with good advice carry on war.
1
20:19
גּוֹלֶה־סּוֹד הוֹלֵךְ רָכִיל וּלְפֹתֶה שְׂפָתָיו לֹא תִתְעָרָב׃
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth wide his lips.
1
20:20
מְקַלֵּל אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ יִדְעַךְ נֵרוֹ באישון [בֶּאֱשׁוּן] חֹשֶׁךְ׃
Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in the blackest darkness.
1
20:21
נַחֲלָה מבחלת [מְבֹהֶלֶת] בָּרִאשֹׁנָה וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ לֹא תְבֹרָךְ׃
An estate may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
1
20:22
אַל־תֹּאמַר אֲשַׁלְּמָה־רָע קַוֵּה לַיהוָה וְיֹשַׁע לָךְ׃
Say not thou: ‘I will requite evil’; wait for the LORD, and He will save thee.
20:23
תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה אֶבֶן וָאָבֶן וּמֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה לֹא־טוֹב׃
Divers weights are an abomination to the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
20:24
מֵיהוָה מִצְעֲדֵי־גָבֶר וְאָדָם מַה־יָּבִין דַּרְכּוֹ׃
A man’s goings are of the LORD; how then can man look to his way?
20:25
מוֹקֵשׁ אָדָם יָלַע קֹדֶשׁ וְאַחַר נְדָרִים לְבַקֵּר׃
It is a snare to a man rashly to say: ‘Holy’, and after vows to make inquiry.
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20:26
מְזָרֶה רְשָׁעִים מֶלֶךְ חָכָם וַיָּשֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶם אוֹפָן׃
A wise king sifteth the wicked, and turneth the wheel over them.
1
20:27
נֵר יְהוָה נִשְׁמַת אָדָם חֹפֵשׂ כָּל־חַדְרֵי־בָטֶן׃
The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the inward parts.
1
20:28
חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת יִצְּרוּ־מֶלֶךְ וְסָעַד בַּחֶסֶד כִּסְאוֹ׃
Mercy and truth preserve the king; and his throne is upheld by mercy.
20:29
תִּפְאֶרֶת בַּחוּרִים כֹּחָם וַהֲדַר זְקֵנִים שֵׂיבָה׃
The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the hoary head.
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20:30
חַבֻּרוֹת פֶּצַע תמריק [תַּמְרוּק] בְּרָע וּמַכּוֹת חַדְרֵי־בָטֶן׃
Sharp wounds cleanse away evil; So do stripes that reach the inward parts.
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1
@Rashi

Rashi on Proverbs 20:17

<b>Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man</b> Adultery with a married woman.<br><br><b>but afterwards his mouth will be filled with gravel</b> Heb. חצץ, fine pebbles. Similarly, (Lam. 3:16): “And He has made my teeth grind on gravel (בחצץ).”

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