TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 14
Translation and Transliteration of
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1The wisest of women builds her house, But folly tears it down with its own hands.
אחַכְמוֹת נָשִׁים בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ וְאִוֶּלֶת בְּיָדֶיהָ תֶהֶרְסֶנּוּ׃
2He who maintains his integrity fears Hashem; A man of devious ways scorns Him.
בהוֹלֵךְ בְּיָשְׁרוֹ יְרֵא יְהֹוָה וּנְלוֹז דְּרָכָיו בּוֹזֵהוּ׃
3In the mouth of a fool is a rod of haughtiness, But the lips of the wise protect them.
גבְּפִי־אֱוִיל חֹטֶר גַּאֲוָה וְשִׂפְתֵי חֲכָמִים תִּשְׁמוּרֵם׃
4If there are no oxen the crib is clean, But a rich harvest comes through the strength of the ox.
דבְּאֵין אֲלָפִים אֵבוּס בָּר וְרָב־תְּבוּאוֹת בְּכֹחַ שׁוֹר׃
5An honest witness will not lie; A false witness testifies lies.
העֵד אֱמוּנִים לֹא יְכַזֵּב וְיָפִיחַ כְּזָבִים עֵד שָׁקֶר׃
6A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, But knowledge comes easily to the intelligent man.
ובִּקֶּשׁ־לֵץ חָכְמָה וָאָיִן וְדַעַת לְנָבוֹן נָקָל׃
7Keep your distance from a dullard, For you will not learn wise speech.
זלֵךְ מִנֶּגֶד לְאִישׁ כְּסִיל וּבַל־יָדַעְתָּ שִׂפְתֵי־דָעַת׃
8It is the wisdom of a clever man to understand his course; But the stupidity of the dullard is delusion.
חחָכְמַת עָרוּם הָבִין דַּרְכּוֹ וְאִוֶּלֶת כְּסִילִים מִרְמָה׃
9Reparations mediate between fools, Between the upright, good will.
טאֱוִלִים יָלִיץ אָשָׁם וּבֵין יְשָׁרִים רָצוֹן׃
10The heart alone knows its bitterness, And no outsider can share in its joy.
ילֵב יוֹדֵעַ מָרַּת נַפְשׁוֹ וּבְשִׂמְחָתוֹ לֹא־יִתְעָרַב זָר׃
11The house of the wicked will be demolished, But the tent of the upright will flourish.
יאבֵּית רְשָׁעִים יִשָּׁמֵד וְאֹהֶל יְשָׁרִים יַפְרִיחַ׃
12A road may seem right to a man, But in the end it is a road to death.
יביֵשׁ דֶּרֶךְ יָשָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִישׁ וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ דַּרְכֵי־מָוֶת׃
13The heart may ache even in laughter, And joy may end in grief.
יגגַּם־בִּשְׂחוֹק יִכְאַב־לֵב וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ שִׂמְחָה תוּגָה׃
14An unprincipled man reaps the fruits of his ways; A good man, of his deeds.
ידמִדְּרָכָיו יִשְׂבַּע סוּג לֵב וּמֵעָלָיו אִישׁ טוֹב׃
15A simple person believes anything; A clever man ponders his course.
טופֶּתִי יַאֲמִין לְכָל־דָּבָר וְעָרוּם יָבִין לַאֲשֻׁרוֹ׃
16A wise man is diffident and shuns evil, But a dullard rushes in confidently.
טזחָכָם יָרֵא וְסָר מֵרָע וּכְסִיל מִתְעַבֵּר וּבוֹטֵחַ׃
17An impatient man commits folly; A man of intrigues will be hated.
יזקְצַר־אַפַּיִם יַעֲשֶׂה אִוֶּלֶת וְאִישׁ מְזִמּוֹת יִשָּׂנֵא׃
18Folly is the lot of the simple, But clever men glory in knowledge.
יחנָחֲלוּ פְתָאיִם אִוֶּלֶת וַעֲרוּמִים יַכְתִּרוּ דָעַת׃
19Evil men are brought low before the good, So are the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
יטשַׁחוּ רָעִים לִפְנֵי טוֹבִים וּרְשָׁעִים עַל־שַׁעֲרֵי צַדִּיק׃
20A pauper is despised even by his peers, But a rich man has many friends.
כגַּם־לְרֵעֵהוּ יִשָּׂנֵא רָשׁ וְאֹהֲבֵי עָשִׁיר רַבִּים׃
21He who despises his fellow is wrong; He who shows pity for the lowly is happy.
כאבָּז־לְרֵעֵהוּ חוֹטֵא וּמְחוֹנֵן עניים [עֲנָוִים] אַשְׁרָיו׃
22Surely those who plan evil go astray, While those who plan good earn steadfast love.
כבהֲלוֹא־יִתְעוּ חֹרְשֵׁי רָע וְחֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת חֹרְשֵׁי טוֹב׃
23From all toil there is some gain, But idle chatter is pure loss.
כגבְּכָל־עֶצֶב יִהְיֶה מוֹתָר וּדְבַר־שְׂפָתַיִם אַךְ־לְמַחְסוֹר׃
24The ornament of the wise is their wealth; The stupidity of dullards is stupidity.
כדעֲטֶרֶת חֲכָמִים עָשְׁרָם אִוֶּלֶת כְּסִילִים אִוֶּלֶת׃
25A truthful witness saves lives; He who testifies lies [spreads] deceit.
כהמַצִּיל נְפָשׁוֹת עֵד אֱמֶת וְיָפִחַ כְּזָבִים מִרְמָה׃
26Fear of Hashem is a stronghold, A refuge for a man's children.
כובְּיִרְאַת יְהֹוָה מִבְטַח־עֹז וּלְבָנָיו יִהְיֶה מַחְסֶה׃
27Fear of Hashem is a fountain of life, Enabling one to avoid deadly snares.
כזיִרְאַת יְהֹוָה מְקוֹר חַיִּים לָסוּר מִמֹּקְשֵׁי מָוֶת׃
28A numerous people is the glory of a king; Without a nation a ruler is ruined.
b'-rov AM had-rat ME-lekh uv-E-fes l'-OM m'-khi-TAT ra-ZON
כחבְּרָב־עָם הַדְרַת־מֶלֶךְ וּבְאֶפֶס לְאֹם מְחִתַּת רָזוֹן׃
14:28 A numerous people is the glory of a king
This verse is frequently understood in reference to Hashem Himself. His glory is increased when the multitudes of His people follow His ways, bringing Him a good name in the eyes of the world. Based on this verse, Jewish tradition teaches that if a person has a choice of houses of worship in which he could pray, it is preferable to worship God in the larger congregation, for “A numerous people is the glory of a king.” The ultimate expression of God’s glory, however, can be learned from its inverse: The greatest disgrace to Hashem’s glory is when the Children of Israel are isolated, scattered and exiled from the land. The greatest glory to the King of Kings, therefore, is the return of the People of Israel to the Land of Israel in large numbers. How fortunate is our generation that has seen millions of Jews from the four corners of the world return en masse to live in Israel, thereby bringing glory to the King of Kings.
29Patience results in much understanding; Impatience gets folly as its portion.
כטאֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם רַב־תְּבוּנָה וּקְצַר־רוּחַ מֵרִים אִוֶּלֶת׃
30A calm disposition gives bodily health; Passion is rot to the bones.
לחַיֵּי בְשָׂרִים לֵב מַרְפֵּא וּרְקַב עֲצָמוֹת קִנְאָה׃
31He who withholds what is due to the poor affronts his Maker; He who shows pity for the needy honors Him.
לאעֹשֵׁק־דָּל חֵרֵף עֹשֵׂהוּ וּמְכַבְּדוֹ חֹנֵן אֶבְיוֹן׃
32The wicked man is felled by his own evil; The righteous man finds security in his death.
לבבְּרָעָתוֹ יִדָּחֶה רָשָׁע וְחֹסֶה בְמוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק׃
33Wisdom rests quietly in the mind of a prudent man, But among dullards it makes itself known.
לגבְּלֵב נָבוֹן תָּנוּחַ חָכְמָה וּבְקֶרֶב כְּסִילִים תִּוָּדֵעַ׃
34Righteousness exalts a nation; Sin is a reproach to any people.
לדצְדָקָה תְרוֹמֵם־גּוֹי וְחֶסֶד לְאֻמִּים חַטָּאת׃
35The king favors a capable servant; He rages at an incompetent one.
להרְצוֹן־מֶלֶךְ לְעֶבֶד מַשְׂכִּיל וְעֶבְרָתוֹ תִּהְיֶה מֵבִישׁ׃
