Similitudes and Instructions
1 כַּשֶּׁ֤לֶג׀ (Like the snow) בַּקַּ֗יִץ (in the summer), וְכַמָּטָ֥ר (and like the rain) בַּקָּצִ֑יר (in the harvest),
כֵּ֤ן (so) לֹא־ (not) נָאוֶ֖ה (is fitting) לִכְסִ֣יל (for a fool) כָּבֽוֹד׃ (honor).
2 כַּצִּפּ֣וֹר (Like the sparrow) לָ֭נוּד (in fluttering), כַּדְּר֣וֹר (like the swallow) לָע֑וּף (in flying),
כֵּ֥ן (so) קִֽלְלַ֥ת (a curse) חִ֝נָּ֗ם (without cause) לֹא (not) תָבֹֽא׃ (does come).
3 שׁ֣וֹט (A whip) לַ֭סּוּס (for the horse), מֶ֣תֶג (a bridle) לַחֲמ֑וֹר (for the donkey),
וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט (and a rod) לְגֵ֣ו (for the back) כְּסִילִֽים׃ (of fools)!
4 אַל־ (Do not) תַּ֣עַן (answer) כְּ֭סִיל (a fool) כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ (according to his folly),
פֶּֽן־ (lest) תִּשְׁוֶה־ (you be likened) לּ֥וֹ (to him) גַם־ (even) אָֽתָּה׃ (you).
5 עֲנֵ֣ה (Answer) כְ֭סִיל (a fool) כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ (according to his folly),
פֶּן־ (lest) יִהְיֶ֖ה (he become) חָכָ֣ם (wise) בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ (in his eyes).
6 מְקַצֶּ֣ה (Cutting off) רַ֭גְלַיִם (feet), חָמָ֣ס (violence). שֹׁתֶ֑ה (Drinking)
שֹׁלֵ֖חַ (is sending) דְּבָרִ֣ים (a message) בְּיַד־ (by the hand) כְּסִֽיל׃ (of a fool).
7 דַּלְי֣וּ (Hanging limp) שֹׁ֭קַיִם (legs) מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ (from lameness)
וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל (is a proverb) בְּפִ֣י (in the mouth) כְסִילִֽים׃ (of fools).
8 כִּצְר֣וֹר (Binding up) אֶ֭בֶן (a stone) בְּמַרְגֵּמָ֑ה (in a sling),
כֵּן־ (so) נוֹתֵ֖ן (is giving) לִכְסִ֣יל (to a fool) כָּבֽוֹד׃ (honor).
9 ח֭וֹחַ (A thorn) עָלָ֣ה (that goes) בְיַד־ (into the hand) שִׁכּ֑וֹר (of a drunkard),
וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל (so is a proverb) בְּפִ֣י (in the mouth) כְסִילִֽים׃ (of fools).
10 רַ֥ב (An archer) מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־ (piercing) כֹּ֑ל (anything),
וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר (so is hiring) כְּ֝סִ֗יל (a fool), וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר (or hiring) עֹבְרִֽים׃ (those passing by).
11 כְּ֭כֶלֶב (Like a dog) שָׁ֣ב (returning) עַל־ (to) קֵא֑וֹ (its vomit),
כְּ֝סִ֗יל (is a fool) שׁוֹנֶ֥ה (repeating) בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃ (his folly).
12 רָאִ֗יתָ (Do you see) אִ֭ישׁ (a man) חָכָ֣ם (wise) בְּעֵינָ֑יו (in his eyes)?
תִּקְוָ֖ה (Hope) לִכְסִ֣יל (is for a fool) מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ (more than him).
13 אָמַ֣ר (Says) עָ֭צֵל (a lazy one), שַׁ֣חַל (A lion) בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ (is in the road)!
אֲ֝רִ֗י (A fierce lion) בֵּ֣ין (is in) הָרְחֹבֽוֹת׃ (the broad places).
14 הַ֭דֶּלֶת (The door) תִּסּ֣וֹב (that turns about) עַל־ (on) צִירָ֑הּ (its hinges)—
וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל (so is a lazy one) עַל־ (upon) מִטָּתֽוֹ׃ (his bed).
15 טָ֘מַ֤ן (Hides) עָצֵ֣ל (a lazy one) יָ֭דוֹ (his hand) בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת (in the bowl);
נִ֝לְאָ֗ה (it wearies him) לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ (to bring it back) אֶל־ (to) פִּֽיו׃ (his mouth).
16 חָכָ֣ם (Wiser is) עָצֵ֣ל (a lazy one) בְּעֵינָ֑יו (in his eyes)
מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה (than seven) מְשִׁ֣יבֵי (returning) טָֽעַם׃ (a reason).
17 מַחֲזִ֥יק (One grabbing hold) בְּאָזְנֵי־ (on the ears) כָ֑לֶב (of a dog) עֹבֵ֥ר (passing by)
מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר (is a passerby) עַל־ (in) רִ֥יב (a quarrel) לֹּֽא־ (not) לֽוֹ׃ (unto him).
18 כְּֽ֭מִתְלַהְלֵהַּ (Like one startling people) הַיֹּרֶ֥ה (shooting) זִקִּ֗ים (firebrands),
חִצִּ֥ים (arrows), וָמָֽוֶת׃ (and death),
19 כֵּֽן־ (so) אִ֭ישׁ (is the man) רִמָּ֣ה (who has deceived) אֶת־ (-) רֵעֵ֑הוּ (his neighbor),
וְ֝אָמַ֗ר (and he says), הֲֽלֹא־ (Am not) מְשַׂחֵ֥ק (playing) אָֽנִי׃ (I)?
20 בְּאֶ֣פֶס (With the end) עֵ֭צִים (of the wood) תִּכְבֶּה־ (is quenched) אֵ֑שׁ (the fire),
וּבְאֵ֥ין (and without) נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן (one whispering) יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק (quiets down) מָדֽוֹן׃ (strife).
21 פֶּחָ֣ם (Charcoal) לְ֭גֶחָלִים (to burning coals), וְעֵצִ֣ים (and wood) לְאֵ֑שׁ (to a fire),
וְאִ֥ישׁ (so is a man) מְדוֹנִים (of quarrels) לְחַרְחַר־ (to kindle) רִֽיב׃פ (strife).
22 דִּבְרֵ֣י (The words) נִ֭רְגָּן (of one whispering) כְּמִֽתְלַהֲמִ֑ים (are like morsels being swallowed),
וְ֝הֵ֗ם (and they even) יָרְד֥וּ (go down) חַדְרֵי־ (to the chambers) בָֽטֶן׃ (of the belly).
23 כֶּ֣סֶף (Silver) סִ֭יגִים (of dross). מְצֻפֶּ֣ה (Laid) עַל־ (over) חָ֑רֶשׂ (an earthen vessel)
שְׂפָתַ֖יִם (are lips) דֹּלְקִ֣ים (burning) וְלֶב־ (and a heart) רָֽע׃ (of evil).
24 בִּשְׂפָתוֹ (With his lips) יִנָּכֵ֣ר (disguises it) שׂוֹנֵ֑א (the one hating),
וּ֝בְקִרְבּ֗וֹ (and within himself) יָשִׁ֥ית (he places) מִרְמָֽה׃ (deceit).
25 כִּֽי־ (When) יְחַנֵּ֣ן (is favorable) ק֭וֹלוֹ (his voice), אַל־ (not) תַּֽאֲמֶן־ (should you trust) בּ֑וֹ (in him),
כִּ֤י (for) שֶׁ֖בַע (seven) תּוֹעֵב֣וֹת (abominations) בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃ (are in his heart).
26 תִּכַּסֶּ֣ה (Is concealed) שִׂ֭נְאָה (hatred) בְּמַשָּׁא֑וֹן (by deceit);
תִּגָּלֶ֖ה (will be uncovered) רָעָת֣וֹ (his wickedness) בְקָהָֽל׃ (in the assembly).
27 כֹּֽרֶה־ (The one digging) שַּׁ֭חַת (a pit), בָּ֣הּ (into it) יִפֹּ֑ל (he will fall),
וְגֹ֥לֵ֥ל (and the one rolling) אֶ֝בֶן (a stone), אֵלָ֥יו (to him) תָּשֽׁוּב׃ (it will return).
28 לְֽשׁוֹן־ (A tongue) שֶׁ֭קֶר (of deceit) יִשְׂנָ֣א (hates) דַכָּ֑יו (its oppressed ones),
וּפֶ֥ה (and a mouth) חָ֝לָ֗ק (smooth) יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה (causes) מִדְחֶֽה׃ (ruin).
