TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 19
Translation and Transliteration of
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1Better a poor man who lives blamelessly Than one who speaks perversely and is a dullard.
אטוֹב־רָשׁ הוֹלֵךְ בְּתֻמּוֹ מֵעִקֵּשׁ שְׂפָתָיו וְהוּא כְסִיל׃
2A person without knowledge is surely not good; He who moves hurriedly blunders.
בגַּם בְּלֹא־דַעַת נֶפֶשׁ לֹא־טוֹב וְאָץ בְּרַגְלַיִם חוֹטֵא׃
3A man's folly subverts his way, And his heart rages against Hashem.
גאִוֶּלֶת אָדָם תְּסַלֵּף דַּרְכּוֹ וְעַל־יְהֹוָה יִזְעַף לִבּוֹ׃
4Wealth makes many friends, But a poor man loses his last friend.
דהוֹן יֹסִיף רֵעִים רַבִּים וְדָל מֵרֵעהוּ יִפָּרֵד׃
5A false witness will not go unpunished; He who testifies lies will not escape.
העֵד שְׁקָרִים לֹא יִנָּקֶה וְיָפִיחַ כְּזָבִים לֹא יִמָּלֵט׃
6Many court the favor of a great man, And all are the friends of a dispenser of gifts.
ורַבִּים יְחַלּוּ פְנֵי־נָדִיב וְכָל־הָרֵעַ לְאִישׁ מַתָּן׃
7All the brothers of a poor man despise him; How much more is he shunned by his friends! He who pursues words—they are of no avail.
זכָּל אֲחֵי־רָשׁ שְׂנֵאֻהוּ אַף כִּי מְרֵעֵהוּ רָחֲקוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מְרַדֵּף אֲמָרִים לא־[לוֹ־] הֵמָּה׃
8He who acquires wisdom is his own best friend; He preserves understanding and attains happiness.
חקֹנֶה־לֵּב אֹהֵב נַפְשׁוֹ שֹׁמֵר תְּבוּנָה לִמְצֹא־טוֹב׃
9A false witness will not go unpunished; He who testifies falsely is doomed.
טעֵד שְׁקָרִים לֹא יִנָּקֶה וְיָפִיחַ כְּזָבִים יֹאבֵד׃
10Luxury is not fitting for a dullard, Much less that a servant rule over princes.
ילֹא־נָאוֶה לִכְסִיל תַּעֲנוּג אַף כִּי־לְעֶבֶד מְשֹׁל בְּשָׂרִים׃
11A man shows intelligence by his forebearance; It is his glory when he overlooks an offense.
יאשֵׂכֶל אָדָם הֶאֱרִיךְ אַפּוֹ וְתִפאַרְתּוֹ עֲבֹר עַל־פָּשַׁע׃
12The rage of a king is like the roar of a lion; His favor is like dew upon the grass.
NA-ham ka-k'-FEER ZA-af ME-lekh ukh-TAL al AY-sev r'-tzo-NO
יבנַהַם כַּכְּפִיר זַעַף מֶלֶךְ וּכְטַל עַל־עֵשֶׂב רְצוֹנוֹ׃
19:12 His favor is like dew upon the grass
Morning dew near Beit Shemesh
Often, when the Bible mentions a king, it is a metaphor for Hashem Himself. Here, God’s anger is likened to a lion’s roar. A roar is frightening, but serves as a warning to its prey that the lion is present, and clever prey can escape. So too, Hashem’s anger is intended to warn us to correct our ways before it is too late. His blessing, however, is like dew which nurtures the grass. Unlike rain, which is a blessing but can also be destructive, dew serves only to help the grass grow. Similarly, the Lord’s favor serves only to nurture, not to harm us.
13A stupid son is a calamity to his father; The nagging of a wife is like the endless dripping of water.
יגהַוּׂת לְאָבִיו בֵּן כְּסִיל וְדֶלֶף טֹרֵד מִדְיְנֵי אִשָּׁה׃
14Property and riches are bequeathed by fathers, But an efficient wife comes from Hashem.
ידבַּיִת וָהוֹן נַחֲלַת אָבוֹת וּמֵיְהֹוָה אִשָּׁה מַשְׂכָּלֶת׃
15Laziness induces sleep, And a negligent person will go hungry.
טועַצְלָה תַּפִּיל תַּרְדֵּמָה וְנֶפֶשׁ רְמִיָּה תִרְעָב׃
16He who has regard for his life pays regard to commandments; He who is heedless of his ways will die.
טזשֹׁמֵר מִצְוָה שֹׁמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ בּוֹזֵה דְרָכָיו יומת [יָמוּת׃]
17He who is generous to the poor makes a loan to Hashem; He will repay him his due.
יזמַלְוֵה יְהֹוָה חוֹנֵן דָּל וּגְמֻלוֹ יְשַׁלֶּם־לוֹ׃
18Discipline your son while there is still hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.
יחיַסֵּר בִּנְךָ כִּי־יֵשׁ תִּקְוָה וְאֶל־הֲמִיתוֹ אַל־תִּשָּׂא נַפְשֶׁךָ׃
19A hot-tempered man incurs punishment; If you try to save him you will only make it worse.
יטגרל־[גְּדָל־] חֵמָה נֹשֵׂא עֹנֶשׁ כִּי אִם־תַּצִּיל וְעוֹד תּוֹסִף׃
20Listen to advice and accept discipline In order that you may be wise in the end.
כשְׁמַע עֵצָה וְקַבֵּל מוּסָר לְמַעַן תֶּחְכַּם בְּאַחֲרִיתֶךָ׃
21Many designs are in a man's mind, But it is Hashem's plan that is accomplished.
כארַבּוֹת מַחֲשָׁבוֹת בְּלֶב־אִישׁ וַעֲצַת יְהֹוָה הִיא תָקוּם׃
22Greed is a reproach to a man; Better be poor than a liar.
כבתַּאֲוַת אָדָם חַסְדּוֹ וְטוֹב־רָשׁ מֵאִישׁ כָּזָב׃
23He who fears Hashem earns life; He shall abide in contentment, Free from misfortune.
כגיִרְאַת יְהֹוָה לְחַיִּים וְשָׂבֵעַ יָלִין בַּל־יִפָּקֶד רָע׃
24The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; He will not even bring it to his mouth.
כדטָמַן עָצֵל יָדוֹ בַּצַּלָּחַת גַּם־אֶל־פִּיהוּ לֹא יְשִׁיבֶנָּה׃
25Beat the scoffer and the simple will become clever; Reprove an intelligent man and he gains knowledge.
כהלֵץ תַּכֶּה וּפֶתִי יַעְרִם וְהוֹכִיחַ לְנָבוֹן יָבִין דָּעַת׃
26A son who causes shame and disgrace Plunders his father, puts his mother to flight.
כומְשַׁדֶּד־אָב יַבְרִיחַ אֵם בֵּן מֵבִישׁ וּמַחְפִּיר׃
27My son, cease to stray from words of knowledge And receive discipline.
כזחַדַל־בְּנִי לִשְׁמֹעַ מוּסָר לִשְׁגוֹת מֵאִמְרֵי־דָעַת׃
28A malicious witness scoffs at justice, And the speech of the wicked conceals mischief.
כחעֵד בְּלִיַּעַל יָלִיץ מִשְׁפָּט וּפִי רְשָׁעִים יְבַלַּע־אָוֶן׃
29Punishments are in store for scoffers And blows for the backs of dullards.
כטנָכוֹנוּ לַלֵּצִים שְׁפָטִים וּמַהֲלֻמוֹת לְגֵו כְּסִילִים׃
