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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. .

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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?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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20:18

מַחֲשָׁבוֹת בְּעֵצָה תִכּוֹן וּבְתַחְבֻּלוֹת עֲשֵׂה מִלְחָמָה׃

Every purpose is established by counsel; and with good advice carry on war.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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