Proverbs 12 (Mishlei) in Hebrew and English

12:1Whoso loves instruction loves knowledge: but he that hates reproof is brutish.

אאֹהֵ֣ב מ֭וּסָר אֹ֣הֵֽב דָּ֑עַת וְשֹׂנֵ֖א תוֹכַ֣חַת בָּֽעַר׃

12:2A good man obtains favour of Hashem: but a man of wicked devices will He condemn.

בט֗וֹב יָפִ֣יק רָ֭צוֹן מֵיְהוָ֑ה וְאִ֖ישׁ מְזִמּ֣וֹת יַרְשִֽׁיעַ׃

12:3A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

גלֹא־יִכּ֣וֹן אָדָ֣ם בְּרֶ֑שַׁע וְשֹׁ֥רֶשׁ צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים בַּל־יִמּֽוֹט׃

12:4A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that makes ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

דאֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל עֲטֶ֣רֶת בַּעְלָ֑הּ וּכְרָקָ֖ב בְּעַצְמוֹתָ֣יו מְבִישָֽׁה׃

12:5The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.

המַחְשְׁב֣וֹת צַדִּיקִ֣ים מִשְׁפָּ֑ט תַּחְבֻּל֖וֹת רְשָׁעִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃

12:6The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

ודִּבְרֵ֣י רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֱרָב־דָּ֑ם וּפִ֥י יְ֝שָׁרִ֗ים יַצִּילֵֽם׃

12:7The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

זהָפ֣וֹךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים וְאֵינָ֑ם וּבֵ֖ית צַדִּיקִ֣ים יַעֲמֹֽד׃

12:8A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.

חלְֽפִי־שִׂ֭כְלוֹ יְהֻלַּל־אִ֑ישׁ וְנַעֲוֵה־לֵ֝֗ב יִהְיֶ֥ה לָבֽוּז׃

12:9He that is despised, and has a servant, is better than he that honours himself, and lacks bread.

טט֣וֹב נִ֭קְלֶה וְעֶ֣בֶד ל֑וֹ מִ֝מְּתַכַּבֵּ֗ד וַחֲסַר־לָֽחֶם׃

12:10A righteous man regards the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

ייוֹדֵ֣עַ צַ֭דִּיק נֶ֣פֶשׁ בְּהֶמְתּ֑וֹ וְֽרַחֲמֵ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים אַכְזָרִֽי׃

12:11He that tills his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that follows vain persons is void of understanding.

יאעֹבֵ֣ד אַ֭דְמָתוֹ יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־לָ֑חֶם וּמְרַדֵּ֖ף רֵיקִ֣ים חֲסַר־לֵֽב׃

12:12The wicked desires the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yields fruit.

יבחָמַ֣ד רָ֭שָׁע מְצ֣וֹד רָעִ֑ים וְשֹׁ֖רֶשׁ צַדִּיקִ֣ים יִתֵּֽן׃

12:13The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

יגבְּפֶ֣שַׁע שְׂ֭פָתַיִם מוֹקֵ֣שׁ רָ֑ע וַיֵּצֵ֖א מִצָּרָ֣ה צַדִּֽיק׃

12:14A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompense of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him.

ידמִפְּרִ֣י פִי־אִ֭ישׁ יִשְׂבַּע־ט֑וֹב וּגְמ֥וּל יְדֵי־אָ֝דָ֗ם יָשִׁ֥יב (כתיב ישוב) לֽוֹ׃

12:15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkens unto counsel is wise.

טודֶּ֣רֶךְ אֱ֭וִיל יָשָׁ֣ר בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְשֹׁמֵ֖עַ לְעֵצָ֣ה חָכָֽם׃

12:16A fool’s wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covers shame.

טזאֱוִ֗יל בַּ֭יּוֹם יִוָּדַ֣ע כַּעְס֑וֹ וְכֹסֶ֖ה קָל֣וֹן עָרֽוּם׃

12:17He that speaks truth shows forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.

יזיָפִ֣יחַ אֱ֭מוּנָה יַגִּ֣יד צֶ֑דֶק וְעֵ֖ד שְׁקָרִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃

12:18There is that speaks like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

יחיֵ֣שׁ בּ֭וֹטֶה כְּמַדְקְר֣וֹת חָ֑רֶב וּלְשׁ֖וֹן חֲכָמִ֣ים מַרְפֵּֽא׃

12:19The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

יטשְֽׂפַת־אֱ֭מֶת תִּכּ֣וֹן לָעַ֑ד וְעַד־אַ֝רְגִּ֗יעָה לְשׁ֣וֹן שָֽׁקֶר׃

12:20Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.

כמִ֭רְמָה בְּלֶב־חֹ֣רְשֵׁי רָ֑ע וּֽלְיֹעֲצֵ֖י שָׁל֣וֹם שִׂמְחָֽה׃

12:21There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.

כאלֹא־יְאֻנֶּ֣ה לַצַּדִּ֣יק כָּל־אָ֑וֶן וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים מָ֣לְאוּ רָֽע׃

12:22Lying lips are abomination to Hashem: but they that deal truly are His delight.

כבתּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה שִׂפְתֵי־שָׁ֑קֶר וְעֹשֵׂ֖י אֱמוּנָ֣ה רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃

12:23A prudent man conceals knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.

כגאָדָ֣ם עָ֭רוּם כֹּ֣סֶה דָּ֑עַת וְלֵ֥ב כְּ֝סִילִ֗ים יִקְרָ֥א אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

12:24The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

כדיַד־חָרוּצִ֥ים תִּמְשׁ֑וֹל ו֝רְמִיָּ֗ה תִּהְיֶ֥ה לָמַֽס׃

12:25Heaviness in the heart of man makes it stoop: but a good word makes it glad.

כהדְּאָגָ֣ה בְלֶב־אִ֣ישׁ יַשְׁחֶ֑נָּה וְדָבָ֖ר ט֣וֹב יְשַׂמְּחֶֽנָּה׃

12:26The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduces them.

כויָתֵ֣ר מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ צַדִּ֑יק וְדֶ֖רֶךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים תַּתְעֵֽם׃

12:27The slothful man roasts not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.

כזלֹא־יַחֲרֹ֣ךְ רְמִיָּ֣ה צֵיד֑וֹ וְהוֹן־אָדָ֖ם יָקָ֣ר חָרֽוּץ׃

12:28In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

כחבְּאֹֽרַח־צְדָקָ֥ה חַיִּ֑ים וְדֶ֖רֶךְ נְתִיבָ֣ה אַל־מָֽוֶת׃