TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 11
Translation and Transliteration of
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1False scales are an abomination to Hashem; An honest weight pleases Him.
אמֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה תּוֹעֲבַת יְהֹוָה וְאֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה רְצוֹנוֹ׃
2When arrogance appears, disgrace follows, But wisdom is with those who are unassuming.
בבָּא־זָדוֹן וַיָּבֹא קָלוֹן וְאֶת־צְנוּעִים חָכְמָה׃
3The integrity of the upright guides them; The deviousness of the treacherous leads them to ruin.
גתֻּמַּת יְשָׁרִים תַּנְחֵם וְסֶלֶף בּוֹגְדִים ושדם [יְשָׁדֵּם׃]
4Wealth is of no avail on the day of wrath, But righteousness saves from death.
דלֹא־יוֹעִיל הוֹן בְּיוֹם עֶבְרָה וּצְדָקָה תַּצִּיל מִמָּוֶת׃
5The righteousness of the blameless man smooths his way, But the wicked man is felled by his wickedness.
הצִדְקַת תָּמִים תְּיַשֵּׁר דַּרְכּוֹ וּבְרִשְׁעָתוֹ יִפֹּל רָשָׁע׃
6The righteousness of the upright saves them, But the treacherous are trapped by their malice.
וצִדְקַת יְשָׁרִים תַּצִּילֵם וּבְהַוַּת בֹּגְדִים יִלָּכֵדוּ׃
7At death the hopes of a wicked man are doomed, And the ambition of evil men comes to nothing.
זבְּמוֹת אָדָם רָשָׁע תֹּאבַד תִּקְוָה וְתוֹחֶלֶת אוֹנִים אָבָדָה׃
8The righteous man is rescued from trouble And the wicked man takes his place.
חצַדִּיק מִצָּרָה נֶחֱלָץ וַיָּבֹא רָשָׁע תַּחְתָּיו׃
9The impious man destroys his neighbor through speech, But through their knowledge the righteous are rescued.
טבְּפֶה חָנֵף יַשְׁחִת רֵעֵהוּ וּבְדַעַת צַדִּיקִים יֵחָלֵצוּ׃
10When the righteous prosper the city exults; When the wicked perish there are shouts of joy.
יבְּטוּב צַדִּיקִים תַּעֲלֹץ קִרְיָה וּבַאֲבֹד רְשָׁעִים רִנָּה׃
11A city is built up by the blessing of the upright, But it is torn down by the speech of the wicked.
יאבְּבִרְכַּת יְשָׁרִים תָּרוּם קָרֶת וּבְפִי רְשָׁעִים תֵּהָרֵס׃
12He who speaks contemptuously of his fellowman is devoid of sense; A prudent man keeps his peace.
יבבָּז־לְרֵעֵהוּ חֲסַר־לֵב וְאִישׁ תְּבוּנוֹת יַחֲרִישׁ׃
13A base fellow gives away secrets, But a trustworthy soul keeps a confidence.
יגהוֹלֵךְ רָכִיל מְגַלֶּה־סּוֹד וְנֶאֱמַן־רוּחַ מְכַסֶּה דָבָר׃
14For want of strategy an army falls, But victory comes with much planning.
ידבְּאֵין תַּחְבֻּלוֹת יִפָּל־עָם וּתְשׁוּעָה בְּרֹב יוֹעֵץ׃
15Harm awaits him who stands surety for another; He who spurns pledging shall be secure.
טורַע־יֵרוֹעַ כִּי־עָרַב זָר וְשֹׂנֵא תֹקְעִים בּוֹטֵחַ׃
16A graceful woman obtains honor; Ruthless men obtain wealth.
טזאֵשֶׁת־חֵן תִּתְמֹךְ כָּבוֹד וְעָרִיצִים יִתְמְכוּ־עֹשֶׁר׃
17A kindly man benefits himself; A cruel man makes trouble for himself.
יזגֹּמֵל נַפְשׁוֹ אִישׁ חָסֶד וְעֹכֵר שְׁאֵרוֹ אַכְזָרִי׃
18The wicked man earns illusory wages, But he who sows righteousness has a true reward.
יחרָשָׁע עֹשֶׂה פְעֻלַּת־שָׁקֶר וְזֹרֵעַ צְדָקָה שֶׂכֶר אֱמֶת׃
19Righteousness is a prop of life, But to pursue evil leads to death.
יטכֵּן־צְדָקָה לְחַיִּים וּמְרַדֵּף רָעָה לְמוֹתוֹ׃
20Men of crooked mind are an abomination to Hashem, But those whose way is blameless please Him.
כתּוֹעֲבַת יְהֹוָה עִקְּשֵׁי־לֵב וּרְצוֹנוֹ תְּמִימֵי דָרֶךְ׃
21Assuredly, the evil man will not escape, But the offspring of the righteous will be safe.
כאיָד לְיָד לֹא־יִנָּקֶה רָּע וְזֶרַע צַדִּיקִים נִמְלָט׃
22Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig Is a beautiful woman bereft of sense.
כבנֶזֶם זָהָב בְּאַף חֲזִיר אִשָּׁה יָפָה וְסָרַת טָעַם׃
23What the righteous desire can only be good; What the wicked hope for [stirs] wrath.
כגתַּאֲוַת צַדִּיקִים אַךְ־טוֹב תִּקְוַת רְשָׁעִים עֶבְרָה׃
24One man gives generously and ends with more; Another stints on doing the right thing and incurs a loss.
כדיֵשׁ מְפַזֵּר וְנוֹסָף עוֹד וְחוֹשֵׂךְ מִיֹּשֶׁר אַךְ־לְמַחְסוֹר׃
25A generous person enjoys prosperity; He who satisfies others shall himself be sated.
כהנֶפֶשׁ־בְּרָכָה תְדֻשָּׁן וּמַרְוֶה גַּם־הוּא יוֹרֶא׃
26He who withholds grain earns the curses of the people, But blessings are on the head of the one who dispenses it.
mo-NAY-a BAR yi-k'-VU-hu l'-OM uv-ra-KHAH l'-ROSH mash-BEER
כומֹנֵעַ בָּר יִקְּבֻהוּ לְאוֹם וּבְרָכָה לְרֹאשׁ מַשְׁבִּיר׃
11:26 He who withholds grain earns the curses of the people
Portrait of women gleaning by Jean-françois millet, 1857
The Bible commands the Israelites to set aside a certain portion of their crops, grown in the Land of Israel, for the poor. The corners of their fields, the forgotten sheaves and the grains that fall during harvest are all to be left for the needy (Leviticus 19:9-10, Deuteronomy 24:19). In Megillat Rut, Boaz sustains his community in this manner and Rut, the poor widow, gathers in his field (chapter 2). This biblical imperative is still practiced in Israel today. Each season, farmers throughout Israel leave over millions of pounds of produce from their fields, which are collected by volunteers and distributed to poor people all over the country.
27He who earnestly seeks what is good pursues what is pleasing; He who is bent on evil, upon him it shall come.
כזשֹׁחֵר טוֹב יְבַקֵּשׁ רָצוֹן וְדֹרֵשׁ רָעָה תְבוֹאֶנּוּ׃
28He who trusts in his wealth shall fall, But the righteous shall flourish like foliage.
כחבּוֹטֵחַ בְּעָשְׁרוֹ הוּא יִפֹּל וְכֶעָלֶה צַדִּיקִים יִפְרָחוּ׃
29He who makes trouble for his household shall inherit the wind; A fool is a slave to the wise-hearted.
כטעוֹכֵר בֵּיתוֹ יִנְחַל־רוּחַ וְעֶבֶד אֱוִיל לַחֲכַם־לֵב׃
30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; A wise man captivates people.
לפְּרִי־צַדִּיק עֵץ חַיִּים וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׂוֹת חָכָם׃
31If the righteous on earth get their deserts, How much more the wicked man and the sinner.
לאהֵן צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ יְשֻׁלָּם אַף כִּי־רָשָׁע וְחוֹטֵא׃
