Proverbs 15 (Mishlei) in Hebrew and English

15:1A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

אמַֽעֲנֶה־רַּ֭ךְ יָשִׁ֣יב חֵמָ֑ה וּדְבַר־עֶ֝֗צֶב יַעֲלֶה־אָֽף׃

15:2The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools pours out foolishness.

בלְשׁ֣וֹן חֲ֭כָמִים תֵּיטִ֣יב דָּ֑עַת וּפִ֥י כְ֝סִילִ֗ים יַבִּ֥יעַ אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

15:3The eyes of Hashem are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

גבְּֽכָל־מָ֭קוֹם עֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה צֹ֝פ֗וֹת רָעִ֥ים וטוֹבִֽים׃

15:4A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

דמַרְפֵּ֣א לָ֭שׁוֹן עֵ֣ץ חַיִּ֑ים וְסֶ֥לֶף בָּ֝֗הּ שֶׁ֣בֶר בְּרֽוּחַ׃

15:5A fool despises his father’s instruction: but he that regards reproof is prudent.

האֱוִ֗יל יִ֭נְאַץ מוּסַ֣ר אָבִ֑יו וְשֹׁמֵ֖ר תּוֹכַ֣חַת יַעְרִֽם׃

15:6In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.

ובֵּ֣ית צַ֭דִּיק חֹ֣סֶן רָ֑ב וּבִתְבוּאַ֖ת רָשָׁ֣ע נֶעְכָּֽרֶת׃

15:7The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish does not so.

זשִׂפְתֵ֣י חֲ֭כָמִים יְזָ֣רוּ דָ֑עַת וְלֵ֖ב כְּסִילִ֣ים לֹא־כֵֽן׃

15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Hashem: but the prayer of the upright is His delight.

חזֶ֣בַח רְ֭שָׁעִים תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וּתְפִלַּ֖ת יְשָׁרִ֣ים רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃

15:9The way of the wicked is an abomination unto Hashem: but He loves him that follows after righteousness.

טתּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה דֶּ֣רֶךְ רָשָׁ֑ע וּמְרַדֵּ֖ף צְדָקָ֣ה יֶאֱהָֽב׃

15:10Correction is grievous unto him that forsakes the way: and he that hates reproof shall die.

ימוּסָ֣ר רָ֭ע לְעֹזֵ֣ב אֹ֑רַח שׂוֹנֵ֖א תוֹכַ֣חַת יָמֽוּת׃

15:11Hell and destruction are before Hashem: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?

יאשְׁא֣וֹל וַ֭אֲבַדּוֹן נֶ֣גֶד יְהוָ֑ה אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־לִבּ֥וֹת בְּֽנֵי־אָדָֽם׃

15:12A scorner loves not one that reproves him: neither will he go unto the wise.

יבלֹ֣א יֶאֱהַב־לֵ֭ץ הוֹכֵ֣חַֽ ל֑וֹ אֶל־חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים לֹ֣א יֵלֵֽךְ׃

15:13A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

יגלֵ֣ב שָׂ֭מֵחַ יֵיטִ֣ב פָּנִ֑ים וּבְעַצְּבַת־לֵ֝ב ר֣וּחַ נְכֵאָֽה׃

15:14The heart of him that has understanding seeks knowledge: but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

ידלֵ֣ב נָ֭בוֹן יְבַקֶּשׁ־דָּ֑עַת וּפִ֥י (כתיב ופני) כְ֝סִילִ֗ים יִרְעֶ֥ה אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

15:15All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

טוכָּל־יְמֵ֣י עָנִ֣י רָעִ֑ים וְטֽוֹב־לֵ֝֗ב מִשְׁתֶּ֥ה תָמִֽיד׃

15:16Better is little with the fear of Hashem than great treasure and trouble therewith.

טזטוֹב־מְ֭עַט בְּיִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה מֵאוֹצָ֥ר רָ֝֗ב וּמְה֥וּמָה בֽוֹ׃

15:17Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

יזט֤וֹב אֲרֻחַ֣ת יָ֭רָק וְאַהֲבָה־שָׁ֑ם מִשּׁ֥וֹר אָ֝ב֗וּס וְשִׂנְאָה־בֽוֹ׃

15:18A wrathful man stirs up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeases strife.

יחאִ֣ישׁ חֵ֭מָה יְגָרֶ֣ה מָד֑וֹן וְאֶ֥רֶך אַ֝פַּ֗יִם יַשְׁקִ֥יט רִֽיב׃

15:19The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.

יטדֶּ֣רֶךְ עָ֭צֵל כִּמְשֻׂ֣כַת חָ֑דֶק וְאֹ֖רַח יְשָׁרִ֣ים סְלֻלָֽה׃

15:20A wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish man despises his mother.

כבֵּ֣ן חָ֭כָם יְשַׂמַּח־אָ֑ב וּכְסִ֥יל אָ֝דָ֗ם בּוֹזֶ֥ה אִמּֽוֹ׃

15:21Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walks uprightly.

כאאִ֭וֶּלֶת שִׂמְחָ֣ה לַחֲסַר־לֵ֑ב וְאִ֥ישׁ תְּ֝בוּנָ֗ה יְיַשֶׁר־לָֽכֶת׃

15:22Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

כבהָפֵ֣ר מַ֭חֲשָׁבוֹת בְּאֵ֣ין ס֑וֹד וּבְרֹ֖ב יוֹעֲצִ֣ים תָּקֽוּם׃

15:23A man has joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!

כגשִׂמְחָ֣ה לָ֭אִישׁ בְּמַעֲנֵה־פִ֑יו וְדָבָ֖ר בְּעִתּ֣וֹ מַה־טּֽוֹב׃

15:24The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.

כדאֹ֣רַח חַ֭יִּים לְמַ֣עְלָה לְמַשְׂכִּ֑יל לְמַ֥עַן ס֝֗וּר מִשְּׁא֥וֹל מָֽטָּה׃

15:25Hashem will destroy the house of the proud: but He will establish the border of the widow.

כהבֵּ֣ית גֵּ֭אִים יִסַּ֥ח ׀ יְהוָ֑ה וְ֝יַצֵּ֗ב גְּב֣וּל אַלְמָנָֽה׃

15:26The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to Hashem: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.

כותּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת רָ֑ע וּ֝טְהֹרִ֗ים אִמְרֵי־נֹֽעַם׃

15:27He that is greedy of gain troubles his own house; but he that hates gifts shall live.

כזעֹכֵ֣ר בֵּ֭יתוֹ בּוֹצֵ֣עַ בָּ֑צַע וְשׂוֹנֵ֖א מַתָּנֹ֣ת יִחְיֶֽה׃

15:28The heart of the righteous studies to answer: but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

כחלֵ֣ב צַ֭דִּיק יֶהְגֶּ֣ה לַעֲנ֑וֹת וּפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יַבִּ֥יעַ רָעֽוֹת׃

15:29Hashem is far from the wicked: but He hears the prayer of the righteous.

כטרָח֣וֹק יְ֭הוָה מֵרְשָׁעִ֑ים וּתְפִלַּ֖ת צַדִּיקִ֣ים יִשְׁמָֽע׃

15:30The light of the eyes rejoices the heart: and a good report makes the bones fat.

למְֽאוֹר־עֵ֭ינַיִם יְשַׂמַּֽח־לֵ֑ב שְׁמוּעָ֥ה ט֝וֹבָ֗ה תְּדַשֶּׁן־עָֽצֶם׃

15:31The ear that hears the reproof of life abides among the wise.

לאאֹ֗זֶן שֹׁ֭מַעַת תּוֹכַ֣חַת חַיִּ֑ים בְּקֶ֖רֶב חֲכָמִ֣ים תָּלִֽין׃

15:32He that refuses instruction despises his own soul: but he that hears reproof gets understanding.

לבפּוֹרֵ֣עַ מ֭וּסָר מוֹאֵ֣ס נַפְשׁ֑וֹ וְשׁוֹמֵ֥עַ תּ֝וֹכַ֗חַת ק֣וֹנֶה לֵּֽב׃

15:33The fear of Hashem is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

לגיִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה מוּסַ֣ר חָכְמָ֑ה וְלִפְנֵ֖י כָב֣וֹד עֲנָוָֽה׃