Proverbs 21 (Mishlei) in Hebrew and English

21:1The king’s heart is in the hand of Hashem, as the rivers of water: He turns it whithersoever He will.

אפַּלְגֵי־מַ֣יִם לֶב־מֶ֭לֶךְ בְּיַד־יְהוָ֑ה עַֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֖ר יַחְפֹּ֣ץ יַטֶּֽנּוּ׃

21:2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but Hashem ponders the hearts.

בכָּֽל־דֶּרֶךְ־אִ֭ישׁ יָשָׁ֣ר בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן לִבּ֣וֹת יְהוָֽה׃

21:3To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to Hashem than sacrifice.

געֲ֭שֹׂה צְדָקָ֣ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט נִבְחָ֖ר לַיהוָ֣ה מִזָּֽבַח׃

21:4An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

דרוּם־עֵ֭ינַיִם וּרְחַב־לֵ֑ב נִ֖ר רְשָׁעִ֣ים חַטָּֽאת׃

21:5The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

המַחְשְׁב֣וֹת חָ֭רוּץ אַךְ־לְמוֹתָ֑ר וְכָל־אָ֝֗ץ אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃

21:6The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

ופֹּ֣עַל א֭וֹצָרוֹת בִּלְשׁ֣וֹן שָׁ֑קֶר הֶ֥בֶל נִ֝דָּ֗ף מְבַקְשֵׁי־מָֽוֶת׃

21:7The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

זשֹׁד־רְשָׁעִ֥ים יְגוֹרֵ֑ם כִּ֥י מֵ֝אֲנ֗וּ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

21:8The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

חהֲפַכְפַּ֬ךְ דֶּ֣רֶךְ אִ֣ישׁ וָזָ֑ר וְ֝זַ֗ךְ יָשָׁ֥ר פָּעֳלֽוֹ׃

21:9It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

טט֗וֹב לָשֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־פִּנַּת־גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים וּבֵ֥ית חָֽבֶר׃

21:10The soul of the wicked desires evil: his neighbour finds no favour in his eyes.

ינֶ֣פֶשׁ רָ֭שָׁע אִוְּתָה־רָ֑ע לֹא־יֻחַ֖ן בְּעֵינָ֣יו רֵעֵֽהוּ׃

21:11When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

יאבַּעְנָשׁ־לֵ֭ץ יֶחְכַּם־פֶּ֑תִי וּבְהַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְ֝חָכָ֗ם יִקַּח־דָּֽעַת׃

21:12The righteous man wisely considers the house of the wicked: but God overthrows the wicked for their wickedness.

יבמַשְׂכִּ֣יל צַ֭דִּיק לְבֵ֣ית רָשָׁ֑ע מְסַלֵּ֖ף רְשָׁעִ֣ים לָרָֽע׃

21:13Whoso stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

יגאֹטֵ֣ם אָ֭זְנוֹ מִזַּעֲקַת־דָּ֑ל גַּֽם־ה֥וּא יִ֝קְרָ֗א וְלֹ֣א יֵעָנֶֽה׃

21:14A gift in secret pacifies anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.

ידמַתָּ֣ן בַּ֭סֵּתֶר יִכְפֶּה־אָ֑ף וְשֹׁ֥חַד בַּ֝חֵ֗ק חֵמָ֥ה עַזָּֽה׃

21:15It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

טושִׂמְחָ֣ה לַ֭צַּדִּיק עֲשׂ֣וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃

21:16The man that wanders out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

טזאָדָ֗ם תּ֭וֹעֶה מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ הַשְׂכֵּ֑ל בִּקְהַ֖ל רְפָאִ֣ים יָנֽוּחַ׃

21:17He that loves pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loves wine and oil shall not be rich.

יזאִ֣ישׁ מַ֭חְסוֹר אֹהֵ֣ב שִׂמְחָ֑ה אֹהֵ֥ב יַֽיִן־וָ֝שֶׁ֗מֶן לֹ֣א יַעֲשִֽׁיר׃

21:18The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.

יחכֹּ֣פֶר לַצַּדִּ֣יק רָשָׁ֑ע וְתַ֖חַת יְשָׁרִ֣ים בּוֹגֵֽד׃

21:19It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

יטט֗וֹב שֶׁ֥בֶת בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְבָּ֑ר מֵאֵ֖שֶׁת מִדְיָנִ֣ים (כתיב מדונים) וָכָֽעַס׃

21:20There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spends it up.

כאוֹצָ֤ר ׀ נֶחְמָ֣ד וָ֭שֶׁמֶן בִּנְוֵ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וּכְסִ֖יל אָדָ֣ם יְבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃

21:21He that follows after righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honour.

כארֹ֭דֵף צְדָקָ֣ה וָחָ֑סֶד יִמְצָ֥א חַ֝יִּ֗ים צְדָקָ֥ה וְכָבֽוֹד׃

21:22A wise man scales the city of the mighty, and casts down the strength of the confidence thereof.

כבעִ֣יר גִּ֭בֹּרִים עָלָ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וַ֝יֹּ֗רֶד עֹ֣ז מִבְטֶחָֽה׃

21:23Whoso keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

כגשֹׁמֵ֣ר פִּ֭יו וּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹ שֹׁמֵ֖ר מִצָּר֣וֹת נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃

21:24Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who deals in proud wrath.

כדזֵ֣ד יָ֭הִיר לֵ֣ץ שְׁמ֑וֹ ע֝וֹשֶׂ֗ה בְּעֶבְרַ֥ת זָדֽוֹן׃

21:25The desire of the slothful kills him; for his hands refuse to labour.

כהתַּאֲוַ֣ת עָצֵ֣ל תְּמִיתֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־מֵאֲנ֖וּ יָדָ֣יו לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃

21:26He covets greedily all the day long: but the righteous gives and spares not.

כוכָּל־הַ֭יּוֹם הִתְאַוָּ֣ה תַאֲוָ֑ה וְצַדִּ֥יק יִ֝תֵּ֗ן וְלֹ֣א יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃

21:27The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind?

כזזֶ֣בַח רְ֭שָׁעִים תּוֹעֵבָ֑ה אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־בְזִמָּ֥ה יְבִיאֶֽנּוּ׃

21:28A false witness shall perish: but the man that hears speaks constantly.

כחעֵד־כְּזָבִ֥ים יֹאבֵ֑ד וְאִ֥ישׁ שׁ֝וֹמֵ֗עַ לָנֶ֥צַח יְדַבֵּֽר׃

21:29A wicked man hardens his face: but as for the upright, he considers his way.

כטהֵעֵ֬ז אִ֣ישׁ רָשָׁ֣ע בְּפָנָ֑יו וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר ה֤וּא ׀ יָבִ֬ין (כתיב יכין) דַּרְכּֽוֹ (כתיב דרכיו)׃

21:30There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Hashem.

לאֵ֣ין חָ֭כְמָה וְאֵ֣ין תְּבוּנָ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין עֵ֝צָ֗ה לְנֶ֣גֶד יְהוָֽה׃

21:31The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of Hashem.

לאס֗וּס מ֭וּכָן לְי֣וֹם מִלְחָמָ֑ה וְ֝לַֽיהוָ֗ה הַתְּשׁוּעָֽה׃