edited by rabbi tuly weisz

Edited by Rabbi Tuly Weisz

The Israel Bible: ProverbsFirst Edition, 2018

Menorah BooksAn imprint of Koren Publishers Jerusalem Ltd.

POB 8531, New Milford, CT 06776-8531, USA& POB 4044, Jerusalem 9104001, Israel

www.menorahbooks.com

The Israel Bible was produced by Israel365 in cooperation with Teach for Israel and is used with permission from

Teach for Israel. All rights reserved.

The English translation was adapted by Israel365 from the JPS Tanakh. Copyright © 1985 by the Jewish Publication Society. All rights reserved.

Cover image: © Shutterstock - http://www.shutterstock.com/

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by

any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except in the case

of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

The Israel Bible is a holy book that contains the name of God and should be treated with respect.

https://www.setharonstam.com/

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Table of Contents

iv Credits v Acknowledgements viii Aleph Bet Chart ix Introduction xv Foreward xviii Blessing Before and After Reading the Torah

19 The Book of Proverbs 77 Biographies of The Israel Bible Scholars 79 Bibliography 90 List of Transliterated Words in The Israel Bible 105 Photo Credits 106 Chart of the Hebrew Months and their Holidays 109 Map of Modern-Day Israel and its Neighbors 110 List of Prime Ministers of the State of Israel 111 Prayer for the State of Israel 114 Prayer for the Welfare of Israel’s Soldiers 116 Hatikvah

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Credits

Commentary and introductions for The Israel Bible were written by the following scholars:

Bereishit (Genesis): Rabbi Tuly Weisz Shemot (Exodus): Rabbi Tuly Weisz Vayikra (Leviticus): Shira Schechter Bamidbar (Numbers): Shira Schechter Devarim (Deuteronomy): Shira Schechter Yehoshua ( Joshua): Rabbi Shmuel Jablon Shoftim ( Judges): Rabbi Shmuel Jablon Shmuel (Samuel): Rabbi Shmuel Jablon Melachim (Kings): Rabbi Shmuel Jablon Yeshayahu (Isaiah): Rabbi Yaakov Beasley Yirmiyahu ( Jeremiah): Rabbi Yaakov Beasley Yechezkel (Ezekiel): Rabbi Yaakov Beasley Trei Asar (The Twelve Prophets) Rabbi Yaakov Beasley Tehillim (Psalms): Rabbi Avi Baumol Mishlei (Proverbs): Ahuva Balofsky Iyov ( Job): Alexander Jacob Tsykin Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs): Batya Markowitz Rut (Ruth): Rabbi Tuly Weisz Eicha (Lamentations): Rabbi Noam Shapiro Kohelet (Ecclesiastes): Batya Markowitz Esther (Esther): Batya Markowitz Daniel (Daniel): Batya Markowitz Ezra v’Nechemya (Ezra and Nehemiah): Josh Even-Chen Divrei Hayamim (Chronicles): Alexander Jacob Tsykin

Maps Editor: Lorien Balofsky Associate Editor: Shira Schechter Editor: Rabbi Tuly Weisz

Production Management: Avishai Magence Commentary Editor: Rabbi Alan Haber Copy Editing: Efrat Gross Typesetting: Estie Dishon Cover Design: Tani Bayer Icon Design: Eliyahu Misgav

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Acknowledgements

Producing a Tanakh is a massive undertaking that requires a tremendous team of “wise students,” as the Hebrew expression goes. The Israel Bible would never have seen the light of day without the herculean efforts of numerous contributors.

First and foremost, SHIRA SCHECHTER dedicated several years as associate editor of The Israel Bible and saw the project through from beginning till end. With a perfect balance of meticulousness and fear of Heaven, she carefully supervised all aspects of research, development, editing and production. Shira’s innate appreciation for Hebrew grammar along with her sharp eye and love for the subject matter, can be felt on every page.

Thank you to the esteemed scholars who contributed their immense Tanakh knowledge to this groundbreaking initiative: RABBIS AVI BAUMOL, YAAKOV BEASLEY, SHMUEL JABLON AND ALEXANDER JACOB TSYKIN, AHUVA BALOFSKY, JOSH EVEN-CHEN, and BATYA MARKOWITZ. The breadth of your Torah scholarship, along with your love for Israel, served as a constant inspiration.

I would like to thank the devoted staff of Israel365 for their vast and varied contributions to The Israel Bible in the five years since we naively asked each other, “How hard could it be to create a brand new Tanakh?”

First, to LORIEN BALOFSKY who was there in the beginning and designed the first versions of The Israel Bible along with many features of this volume, including the maps. And to all the other creative geniuses: MAAYAN HOFFMAN, TSIVYA FOX, ORLY GIBSON and SHLOMO VILE. To the brilliant strategic team SHIFRA GOLDMEIER, AYAL KELLMAN, STEVEN GOLDSTEIN, SIMONE SOMERS, GILA HALPERN, MAZZ WHITE and CLARINDA YUVIENCO. To the truth-seeking reporters and editors of Breaking Israel News, ABRA FORMAN, ELIYAHU ADAM BERKOWITZ, JONATHAN BENEDEK, RIVKAH LAMBERT ADLER and ELIANA RUDEE. And a special yasher koach to SHLOMO SCHREIBMAN whose acumen enabled this important effort to continue.

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I would also like to acknowledge our “alumni” whose skills and personali-ties shaped The Israel Bible over the years: JILLIAN EZEKIEL, RACHAEL PLATT and ALIZA ABRAHAMOVITZ.

A major debt of gratitude is owed to my trusted friends and advisors ROBERT FROHLINGER, RAFI COHEN and ARIEL GOLDBERG, whose wise counsel continues to guide Israel365.

Thank you to the faculty of the Yeshiva for the Nations RABBIS SHIMON APISDORF, ELAN ADLER, YISHAI FLEISHER and MOSHE LICHTMAN who taught me a deep appreciation for Eretz Yisrael when I was his student, and SHARON NIV.

Teach for Israel made possible the research and writing of The Israel Bible and I would like to thank the board of directors for their years of friendship and encouragement: NOAM LIPSHITZ, SCOTT OSBORNE, MARC SINGER and DAVID SWAGGERTY.

I am indebted to the spiritual mentorship of RABBI SHLOMO RISKIN and DAVID NEKRUTMAN of the Center for Jewish Christian Understanding and Cooperation for their pioneering work and for contributing the foreward to The Israel Bible.

Every page of this volume testifies to the impressive skill of the profes-sionals at Koren Publishers Jerusalem including MATTHEW MILLER, YEHOSHUA MILLER, RABBI AVISHAI MAGENCE, RABBI ALAN HABER, YEHUDIT SINGER, ESTIE DISHON, TANI BAYER and ASHIRAH YOSEFAH of their Menorah imprint. As Israel’s foremost Bible publishers, Koren represents a heritage of excellence and it was an honor to collaborate on this important undertaking with their prodigious staff.

Thanks to RABBI BARRY SCHWARTZ and LEIF MILLIKEN for their assistance in providing the well respected New Jewish Publication Society English translation for inclusion in this volume.

In addition to its many unique features, The Israel Bible is the first Tanakh to be financed through crowdfunding. I can’t thank enough the close to 1,000 contributors of our online campaign who enthusiastically supported our idea and waited patiently for its publication. While many Jews and non-Jews from all over the world eagerly participated with great generosity, a sincere thank you is to a special and humble friend of Israel from Nigeria. I am greatly appreciative of the gift in honor of EKPE NDIYO EKPE by his loving son.

Over the years, I have had many mentors, teachers and rabbis who deeply impacted me and taught me a love for Torah. I have been fortunate to benefit from many, yet would like to thank RABBI ZEVULUN CHARLOP, dean of

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the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary for our private study sessions and his enthusiasm for my work in general and this initiative in particular.

I would like to acknowledge the influence of my two grandfathers, RABBI DAVID STAVSKY AND GEORGE WEISZ, both of blessed memory. In very different ways, my grandfathers equally taught invaluable lessons of hard work and self-sacrifice on behalf of Torah. My grandmothers, PEPPI WEISZ and RUTH STAVSKY and ROSALIND DOMBROFF have assumed the role of beloved matriarchs to our family, and should be blessed with longevity.

My in-laws, RHONDA and DR. TOM WEISS, are like parents to me and have provided loving encouragement and much appreciated support. They should see much “nachas” from all their children and grandchildren.

I would like to thank my own precious children who were my real inspiration for The Israel Bible. Feeding off their wide-eyed enthusiasm in learning the holy words of the Torah in school — and in Hebrew no less — I felt invigorated to immerse myself in our ancient heritage. With eternal gratitude to Hashem, I am fortunate for the opportunity each day “to teach these words to my children,” SHAINDEE, BELLA, DOVID, TZOFIA and AMITAI.

My ultimate thanks are reserved for my beloved wife, ABBY, for her steadfast support. Anything I have achieved is to her credit. Certainly, that is true for The Israel Bible, which only came about through her guiding our family to fulfilling our dream of making Aliyah. May all the blessings that emerge from the study of The Israel Bible reward her with her innermost prayer: that our children always embrace the eternal values of the Torah of Israel.

Finally, all my colleagues in producing this volume join me in offering our profound thanksgiving to the Almighty for permitting us to help spread love for the Land and the People of Israel. May the God of Israel continue His blessings so that The Israel Bible shapes the minds and hearts of all His children for generations to come.

Naphtali “Tuly” WeiszRamat Beit Shemesh, Israel

Shevat 5778 / February 2018

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Aleph Bet Chart

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Introduction

The Hebrew Bible is commonly known as the Tanakh which stands for Torah (the Five Books of Moses), Neviim (the Prophets) and Ketuvim (the Writings). The Tanakh consists of 24 books that are considered by Jews to be the word of God. While these books have been referred to as the “Old Testament,” many Jews reject this label since it implies the replacement of the Hebrew Bible with something newer and prefer the more authentic Jewish name.

The Tanakh is not only the most important book known to man, it is God’s word that is perfect and absolute. It is therefore a daunting undertaking to publish an edition of the Tanakh, and the responsibilities are awesome. There is no room for error or carelessness in dealing with the eternal word of God. Further, upon embarking on such a serious initiative, we ask ourselves if our efforts are gratuitous. Considering the many editions of the Bible in print, is there truly a need for yet another one?

While there are numerous Bibles in circulation today, its most central aspect — the Land of Israel – has often been overlooked. References to Israel appear on nearly every page, and the city of Jerusalem is specifically referred to hundreds of times throughout the Bible. The essential link between Israel and Torah is emphasized repeatedly in verses such as, “For instruction (Torah) shall come forth from Tzion, the word of Hashem from Yerushalayim” (Micah 4:2).

The miraculous return of the People of Israel to the Land of Israel in our own generation, and the celebration of the State of Israel’s 70th anniversary this year provides the perfect moment for a new volume to fill this void in biblical literature. The Israel Bible includes many special features elucidating God’s focus on Israel throughout Tanakh and there are many additional, multimedia features available on our website WWW.THEISRAELBIBLE.COM.

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Ordering and Presentation — In presenting The Israel Bible, our goal is to spread awareness of the biblical significance of the Land of Israel as well as the Jewish people’s eternal connection to the land, based on the text of the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. We aim to honor “the God, the People and the Land of Israel” from an Orthodox Jewish perspective. To that end, The Israel Bible follows the traditional Jewish ordering of the books and the customary Hebrew division of chapters. Therefore, for example, we count 24 books of Tanakh with Sefer Divrei Hayamim (Chronicles) appearing last. It is our hope that our rich content will speak to all Jews and non-Jews who appreciate Israel as the God given land of the Jewish people.

English Translation — Throughout history, Jews have studied the Bible in Hebrew, as any form of translation would miss much of the nuance of the original holy tongue in which Torah has been transmitted since the days of Moses. However, as many Jews settled in America in the 19th Century, the need for an English translation became necessary. To be sure, there were already English translations prepared over the centuries by Christians, but in the words of the original editors of the Jewish Publication Society ( JPS), “The Jew cannot afford to have his Bible translation prepared for him by others. He cannot have it as a gift, even as he cannot borrow his soul from others.”

JPS set out in the late 1800’s to publish an authoritative English transla-tion “in the spirit of Jewish tradition.” It was compiled over decades by some of the leading Jewish scholars of the time. They formed committees and sub-committees to compare existing English versions, considering medieval and modern Jewish commentators. The monumental JPS translation, originally published in 1917, has been updated in recent years and The Israel Bible is proud to utilize the 1984 New Jewish Publication Society (NJPS) version with its modern, clear language, as well as its wide-ranging acceptance as an accurate and high-quality translation. We applied the NJPS translation verba-tim, except for a select list of nouns, which we replaced with their traditional Hebrew names. This is true even when we found the NJPS translation to be different than the popular translation of a word or phrase and when the NJPS switched the order of the text for the sake of clarity (see, for example, Ezekiel 24:22-24).

Hebrew Transliteration — To give our readers an authentic Tanakh experi-ence, every verse that has commentary is transliterated from Hebrew into English. The Hebrew alphabet chart includes our standards for transliteration

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and pronunciation of Hebrew verses, enabling readers of The Israel Bible to decipher key biblical passages in the holy language. Readers can hear the en-tire Bible read in Hebrew on our website WWW.THEISRAELBIBLE.COM.

There are various standards when it comes to transliterating Hebrew words into English letters. While we have relied primarily on the classical Hebrew transliteration, we have occasionally deviated for the sake of simplicity, clarity and to reflect common usage.

In addition to whole verses, we have also transliterated many proper nouns in the English translation so that our readers can learn the names of key biblical figures and locations in their Hebrew form. As a rule, we chose to transliterate names of people that were central in the establishment and functioning of the nation of Israel, as well as significant places in the Holy Land. Therefore, regarding Adam’s sons, for example, only Shet (Seth) is transliterated since it was from him that Noach (Noah) and ultimately Avraham (Abraham) descended. For this reason, there might be verses or sections of The Israel Bible that contains multiple names and only some of them are transliterated.

For the same reason, we have transliterated the names of the books of Tanakh when referring to them in our introductions and commentary. When referencing a specific chapter or verse, however, we use the English names of the books in our citations for clarity. We also transliterated ideas and concepts that are central to Judaism such as Shabbat (Sabbath), the names of the Jewish holidays and the Beit Hamikdash (Temple), as well as biblical measurements. Finally, the name of God is transliterated. Out of respect, Orthodox Jews generally refer to the Lord as Hashem, which literally means ‘the Name.’ Referring to God as Hashem reminds us that we feel close to Him but also recognize our distance at the same time. To stress this moniker, we transliterated both the Tetragrammaton as well as the name Elohim as Hashem.

Study Notes — Our unique commentary was compiled by Orthodox Jewish scholars who live in Israel. It is an anthology in the sense that most of the commentary is not original, but draws from traditional teachings of early Jewish Sages and modern rabbinic commentators. We also include quotations from individuals who have played a significant part in the past century of modern Israeli history including Israeli prime ministers, poets and military leaders.

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Our commentary can be broken into four categories, three of which are identified by an icon at the beginning of the study note:

Israel lessons are indicated with an icon bearing the map of Israel and focus on the Land of Israel and the modern State of Israel.

Jewish lessons are indicated with a Torah scroll and teach a concept in Judaism or a classic idea from rabbinic thought.

Hebrew lessons are represented by an icon bearing the letter aleph and focus on the meaning of a Hebrew word or phrase.

All other comments are considered general comments and are not assigned an icon.

Supplemental Material — In addition to our unique translation and original commentary, The Israel Bible offers supplementary material to enrich the learning experience of our readers. Before every book of Tanakh, we provide an introduction, as well as information, generally in the form of a map, a chart or a list, which is central to the specific book.

Maps — As the purpose of The Israel Bible is to highlight the biblical significance of the Land of Israel, significant time was spent researching and preparing maps to bring the physical contours of the holy land to life with great accuracy. However, since there is a lack of information regarding the precise locations of certain ancient cities, some of the places on our maps are approximate or subject to debate. In these cases, we followed the opinion that we are most comfortable with, but acknowledge that there is room for disagreement. We continue to produce new maps, which are available on our website WWW.THEISRAELBIBLE.COM/MAPS.

Torah Readings — The Torah is not just a work that is studied privately, it is also read out loud in synagogue. Every Shabbat and holiday a portion of the Torah is read, as well as a related section from Neviim, the prophets, called the haftarah. For this reason, we included the blessings recited before and after the reading of the Torah. Readers can always find the current week’s Torah portion by visiting WWW.THEISRAELBIBLE.COM/WEEKLY-TORAH-PORTION. In this volume, we indicate where a new Torah portion begins by highlighting the Hebrew verse number with a gray box so readers can follow along with the communal Torah readings. Furthermore, we have included prayers for the State of Israel and the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces

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(IDF) that are generally recited following the Torah reading in synagogue. It is our constant prayer that God watch over the State of Israel and the members of the IDF, who defend Israel every hour of every day.

In 1948, the State of Israel was created providing a modern answer to Isaiah’s ancient question, “Is a nation born all at once?” (Isaiah 66:8). We are now in the 70th year of God’s miraculous restoration of the People of Israel to the Land of Israel. Jewish wisdom teaches that 70 is a significant number: Moshe (Moses) translated the Torah into 70 languages for all 70 nations of the world. From our very origins, the Jewish people were meant to be a light unto the 70 nations, spreading God’s truth to the masses.

In the seven decades since the modern rebirth of the the State of Israel, God’s plan has been unfolding with unprecedented speed, dramatic highs and heart-breaking lows. Never has Israel been at the forefront of the world’s attention as it is in our generation. Efforts to vilify the Jewish State seem to spread every day across the globe. At the same time, so does the growing movement of millions of non-Jewish biblical Zionists who stand with the nation of Israel as an expression of their commitment to God’s word. As we seek to understand the clash of these two conflicting worldviews, the need for The Israel Bible has never been so important.

Standing on the great shoulders of those who came before us and emanating from the land that has always served as the birthplace for the Bible, we conclude with a heartfelt prayer: May the Almighty bless our efforts in offering this Tanakh to influence the hearts, minds and actions of its readers. In this way, it is our hope to spread God’s name so that the publication of The Israel Bible brings us one step closer to the final redemption of Israel and the entire world.

Rabbi Tuly WeiszEditor, The Israel Bible

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Foreward

The mandate to study God’s word daily is interestingly not found in the Five Books of Moses (Pentateuch), but rather in the first book of our prophetic writings: “Let not this Book of the Teaching cease from your lips, but recite it day and night, so that you may observe faithfully all that is written in it. Only then will you prosper in your undertakings and only then will you be successful” ( Joshua 1:8). Charged with bringing the Israelites into the land covenantally promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God ensures Joshua of His protection if the nation observes His ways as dictated in the Divine constitution known as the Torah.

In Jewish tradition, Joshua (1:8) is directly linked with Deuteronomy (11:14), “You shall gather in your new grain and wine, and oil.”1 Our Sages deduced from this scriptural combination the importance of merging Torah study with a profession. Completely dedicating oneself to the study of Torah without having the financial means to sustain this lifestyle can lead one to eventually straying from observance of God’s will. Poverty and crime can have an intimate relationship.

We must also be careful that our work does not affect our daily study of Scripture. The addiction of becoming a workaholic and not making Torah study a priority can also lead one into temptations that can violate our personal relationship with Him as well as our fellow human beings. The goal is to achieve a healthy balance between our study of God’s word and our daily work.

The Deuteronomic verse quoted above is part of the second section of the Shema2 that discusses the concept of reward and punishment. Sanctifying God by fulfilling His commandments results in the Land of Israel practically benefitting from rains that occur in the right season and reaping the abundance from the fields. However, if the nation follows pagan gods and practices, the consequences are devastating – famine and death. The Land of Israel is intrinsically linked with the keeping of the Torah. Covenant Land comes with covenant responsibility.

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Born into slavery, Joshua is now leading His people into the Promised Land. More than 500 years separates him from his ancestral forefather Abraham. The historical narratives that took place between Abraham leaving everything behind to follow God in Genesis 12 and the death of Moses in the last chapter of Deuteronomy are filled with intrigue, suspense, joy, sorrow and hope. What began as a family is now a nation actualizing its mission to be a kingdom of priests to the world. However, for the Israelites to succeed in the Land of Israel, they must see the Torah as the only compass to direct their lives.

The biblical episodes after our first entry into the land are well known. Our ancestors’ triumphs and sins are all on public record. We learned the harsh reality of Leviticus (18:28) “So let not the land spew you out for defiling it as it spewed out the nation that came before you.” Twice, we lost the privilege to be stewards of the Land of Israel and to fulfill our nation state mandate to be a light to the world. However, when the annals of history were ready to archive the Jewish people after the Holocaust, God kept His covenantal promise and gathered us from the four corners of the globe to come home. The year 1948 was a game changer. Biblical prophecies were and are being realized. We are now living in the birth pangs of the messianic era.

In our morning prayers, we recite a series of blessings over the Torah that include petitioning God to have a sweet tooth for His word, to study it without any ulterior motive and to have Him to teach it to us. They are some congregations that invoke the following liturgical prayer after the completion of these blessings: May the Torah be my faith and El Shaddai my help. Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and all time.

According to Jewish tradition, the neglect of not blessing the Torah before engaging in its study was one of the reasons for the destruction of the Temple.3 This is deduced from the redundancy of words in Jeremiah (9:12) that talks about Israel not following God: “…Because they forsook the teaching I had set before them. They did not obey Me and they did not follow it [did not make a blessing before studying it].” Our inability to properly cherish God’s greatest gift to the world, the Torah, led to our eventual exile from our land.

The State of Israel will celebrate its 70th birthday this year. On Israel’s Independence Day, Jews around the world recite Psalms 113-118 to express our gratitude to God for His Divine hand in helping establish the State of

3. Babylonian Talmud Nedarim 81a

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Israel. We have learned from our past and realize the privilege to see firsthand the land, people and Torah operating all together in our generation.

When Rabbi Tuly Weisz approached me about his intent to publish The Israel Bible that would highlight commentary about the special relationship between the land and people, I saw this project as another way to publicly demonstrate our appreciation to God for having the State of Israel. In addition, it is another educational tool to ensure biblical literacy. If we are to truly enjoy the Land of Israel, it is incumbent upon us to continually study the Torah. Isaiah once prophesied that the Jewish people would return to Zion with songs, “crowned with everlasting joy” (35:10). The Israel Bible provides us the lyrical content to express our joy in living in the land that God calls holy.

Rabbi Shlomo RiskinChief Rabbi of Efrat

Founder of the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding & Cooperation (CJCUC)

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Blessing Before Reading the Torah:The one who has been called up to the Torah says:

רכו את יי המברך -ba-r’-KHU et a-do-NAI ham בvo-RAKH

Bless Hashem, the one who is blessed

The Congregation responds:

Blessed is Hashem, the one who is blessed, for all eternity

ba-RUKH a-do-NAI ham-vo-RAKH l’-o-LAM va-ED

רוך יי המברך בלעולם ועד

The one who has been called up to the Torah continues:

רוך יי המברך בלעולם ועד

ba-RUKH a-do-NAI ham-vo-RAKH l’-o-LAM va-ED

Blessed is Hashem, the one who is blessed, for all eternity

ה יי רוך את ba-RUKH a-TAH a-do-NAIBlessed are you, Hashemב

-e-lo-HAY-nu ME-lekh ha-oאלהינו מלך העולםLAM

Our God, King of the universe

נו חר ב ר ב a-SHER BA-khar BA-nuWho has chosen us אש

ים ל העמ mi-KOL ha-a-MEEMFrom among all the nationsמכ

v’-NA-tan LA-nuAnd has given usונתן לנו

et to-ra-TOHis Torahאת תורתו

ה יי רוך את ba-RUKH a-TAH a-do-NAIBlessed are you, Hashem ב

no-TAYN ha-to-RAHGiver of the Torahנותן התורה

Blessing After Reading the Torah:

Blessed are you, Hashem ba-RUKH a-TAH a-do-NAI ה יי רוך את בOur God, King of the universe

e-lo-HAY-nu ME-lekh ha-o-LAM

אלהינו מלך העולם

Who has given us a-SHER NA-tan LA-nu ר נתן לנו אשThe Torah of truth to-RAT e-MET תורת אמתAnd planted eternal life within us

v’-kha-YAY o-LAM na-TA b’-to-KHAY-nu

י עולם נטע וחיתוכנו ב

Blessed are you, Hashem ba-RUKH a-TAH a-do-NAI ה יי רוך את בGiver of the Torah no-TAYN ha-to-RAH נותן התורה

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Sefer Mishlei The Book of ProverbsIntroduction and commentary by Ahuva Balofsky

The name of this book of wisdom, Mishlei, is translated to English as ‘Proverbs,’ but that is perhaps too limited a designation. The Hebrew word mashal, from which the name Mishlei is derived, is more akin to an extended metaphor than a pithy saying.

Sefer Mishlei contains the collected wisdom of Shlomo, the wisest king to sit on the throne in Yerushalayim. In Melachim I 3:5-14, the Bible relates how this son of King David achieved such greatness. Hashem appeared to Shlomo in a dream and offered him whatever his heart desired. Young King Shlomo asked only for the wisdom to guide God’s people in righteousness. So pleased was the Lord with Shlomo’s request that He granted Shlomo’s wish and, in addition, also gave him great wealth and success.

Sefer Mishlei refers to the fear of Hashem as “the beginning of wisdom” (1:7), noting that recognition of His hand in the world is the source of all understanding. It admonishes the wise to seek out similar companions and to avoid the fool and the temptress, promising reward for the hard-working and dedicated, and suffering for the lazy and the wicked.

On the surface, the lessons of Sefer Mishlei seem straightforward, but in his own introduction to the book, King Shlomo promises that great secrets lie behind his words. The metaphors in the text can be understood both literally and figuratively, and can be projected onto a number of different situations.

Throughout the text, wisdom is personified as a righteous woman, while temptation is represented by the harlot. King Shlomo tells the reader that Hashem founded creation itself on wisdom, making order out of the chaos. That wisdom has been understood to be God’s Torah, and following its precepts will earn the faithful His reward.

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Later chapters of Sefer Mishlei cite Agur son of Yakeh and King Lemuel as sources for the parables contained within. Jewish tradition considers both to be monikers for King Shlomo, as Agur means “compiler” and Lemuel means “for God”.

The final chapter of the book, chapter 31, includes the beautiful passage entitled “A Woman of Valor.” This poem, like everything else in Sefer Mishlei, can be understood literally, as a description of the ideal woman. However, in Jewish tradition it has been explained as a reference to the matriarch Sara, the Torah or even the Shabbat. In fact, it is customary in many Jewish homes to sing this poem on Friday night around the Shabbat table, while welcoming the Sabbath Queen. According to Metzudat David, Shlomo chose to end his book of wisdom with a praise of the woman of valor as a tribute to his mother, Batsheva, from whom who learned much of the wisdom contained within.

List of Opinions Regarding When Shlomo (Solomon) Authored his Biblical Books

King Shlomo authored three of the books of Tanakh: Mishlei, Shir Hashirim and Kohelet. The first two are attributed to him explicitly (Proverbs 1:1, Song of Songs 1:1). The third is attributed to Kohelet son of David (Ecclesiastes 1:1) who the Sages tell us was Shlomo. There are several possible sequences offered by the Sages regarding the order in which he wrote these books (Shir Hashirim Rabba 1:10).

1. Shlomo wrote Mishlei before Shir Hashirim and Kohelet. This approach is based on the verse in Sefer Melachim I 5:12 which mentions Shlomo’s proverbs before his songs.

2. Shlomo wrote them all around the same time.

3. Shlomo wrote his books following the pattern of human experience. In his youth, when one is more likely to fall passionately in love and write emotional love songs, Shlomo authored Shir Hashirim. He wrote Mishlei as a mature adult when one is most likely to develop parables of wisdom. Finally, Kohelet was written in his old age when one is likely to be more serious and somber and to see the vanity in the world.

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Mishlei/ProverbsChapter 1

Proverbs

משליפרק א

1:7 The fear of Hashem is the beginning of knowledge Sefer Mishlei contains the collected wisdom of Shlomo, the wisest king to sit on the throne in Israel. This verse sets the tone for the entire book of Mishlei. Once King Solomon has

set out his purpose — to impart wisdom — in writing, he begins by identifying fear of Hashem as the root of that wisdom. Without awe of God, knowledge is empty and can be twisted for any number of negative purposes.

1 1 The proverbs of Shlomo son of David, king of Yisrael:

ראל׃ וד מלך יש למה בן־ד לי ש מש א א2 For learning wisdom and discipline; For

understanding words of discernment;לדעת חכמה ומוסר להבין אמרי בינה׃ ב

3 For acquiring the discipline for success, Righteousness, justice, and equity;

ט פ ל צדק ומש כ לקחת מוסר השרים׃ ומיש

ג

4 For endowing the simple with shrewdness, The young with knowledge and foresight.

עת לתת לפתאים ערמה לנער דה׃ ומזמ

ד

5 The wise man, hearing them, will gain more wisdom; The discerning man will learn to be adroit;

לות חב מע חכם ויוסף לקח ונבון ת ישיקנה׃

ה

6 For understanding proverb and epigram, The words of the wise and their riddles.

ברי חכמים ל ומליצה ד להבין משוחידתם׃

ו

7 The fear of Hashem is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and discipline.

עת חכמה ית ד יראת יהוה ראשזו׃ ומוסר אוילים ב

ז

yir-AT a-do-NAI ray-SHEET DA-at khokh-MAH u-mu-SAR e-vee-LEEM BA-zu

8 My son, heed the discipline of your father, And do not forsake the instruction of your mother;

טש תורת ני מוסר אביך ואל־ת מע ב שך׃ אמ

ח

9 For they are a graceful wreath upon your head, A necklace about your throat.

ך וענקים י לוית חן הם לראש כרתיך׃ לגרג

ט

10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield; אים אל־תבא׃ ני אם־יפתוך חט ב י

11 If they say, “Come with us, Let us set an ambush to shed blood, Let us lie in wait for the innocent (Without cause!)

נו נארבה לדם אם־יאמרו לכה אתם׃ נה לנקי חנ נצפ

יא

12 Like Sheol, let us swallow them alive; Whole, like those who go down into the Pit.

יורדי ים ותמימים כ אול חי ש נבלעם כבור׃

יב

13 We shall obtain every precious treasure; We shall fill our homes with loot.

לל׃ ינו ש א בת ל־הון יקר נמצא נמל כ יג

14 Throw in your lot with us; We shall all have a common purse.”

יס אחד יהיה תוכנו כ יל ב פ גורלך תנו׃ לכל

יד

15 My son, do not set out with them; Keep your feet from their path.

ם מנע רגלך דרך את לך ב ני אל־ת בתיבתם׃ מנ

טו

16 For their feet run to evil; They hurry to shed blood. ך־ פ י רגליהם לרע ירוצו וימהרו לש כם׃ ד

טז

Proverbs

22

משליפרק א

ProverbsMishlei/ProverbsChapter 1

17 In the eyes of every winged creature The outspread net means nothing.

על עיני כל־ב ת ב ם מזרה הרש י־חנ כנף׃ כ

יז

18 But they lie in ambush for their own blood; They lie in wait for their own lives.

נו לנפשתם׃ והם לדמם יארבו יצפ יח

19 Such is the fate of all who pursue unjust gain; It takes the life of its possessor.

צע את־נפש ל־בצע ב ן ארחות כ כח׃ עליו יק ב

יט

20 Wisdom cries aloud in the streets, Raises her voice in the squares.

ן ת רחבות ת ה ב רנ חוץ ת חכמות בקולה׃

כ

21 At the head of the busy streets she calls; At the entrance of the gates, in the city, she speaks out:

ערים פתחי ש קרא ב ראש המיות ת בעיר אמריה תאמר׃ ב

כא

22 “How long will you simple ones love simplicity, You scoffers be eager to scoff, You dullards hate knowledge?

אהבו פתי ולצים תים ת עד־מתי פנאו־דעת׃ לצון חמדו להם וכסילים יש

כב

23 You are indifferent to my rebuke; I will now speak my mind to you, And let you know my thoughts.

יעה לכם ה אב י הנ שובו לתוכחת תרוחי אודיעה דברי אתכם׃

כג

24 Since you refused me when I called, And paid no heed when I extended my hand,

מאנו נטיתי ידי ואין יען קראתי ותיב׃ מקש

כד

25 You spurned all my advice, And would not hear my rebuke,

י לא פרעו כל־עצתי ותוכחת ותאביתם׃

כה

26 I will laugh at your calamity, And mock when terror comes upon you,

בא חק אלעג ב אידכם אש ם־אני ב גכם׃ פחד

כו

27 When terror comes like a disaster, And calamity arrives like a whirlwind, When trouble and distress come upon you.

כם חד בא כשאוה ]כשואה [ פ בבא עליכם סופה יאתה ב ואידכם כ

צרה וצוקה׃

כז

28 Then they shall call me but I will not answer; They shall seek me but not find me.

חרנני ולא אז יקראנני ולא אענה ישימצאנני׃

כח

29 Because they hated knowledge, And did not choose fear of Hashem;

נאו דעת ויראת יהוה לא י־ש חת כ תבחרו׃

כט

30 They refused my advice, And disdained all my rebukes,

י׃ ל־תוכחת לא־אבו לעצתי נאצו כ ל

31 They shall eat the fruit of their ways, And have their fill of their own counsels.

ם וממעצתיהם רי דרכ ויאכלו מפעו׃ ב יש

לא

32 The tranquillity of the simple will kill them, And the complacency of dullards will destroy them.

לות הרגם וש תים ת י משובת פ כדם׃ אב סילים ת כ

לב

33 But he who listens to me will dwell in safety, Untroubled by the terror of misfortune.”

חד אנן מפ טח וש ן־ב כ ושמע לי ישרעה׃

לג

23


Proverbs

משליפרק ב

2 1 My son, if you accept my words And treasure up my commandments;

צפן ח אמרי ומצותי ת ק ני אם־ת בך׃ את

ב א2 If you make your ear attentive to wisdom And your

mind open to discernment;ך ה לב ט יב לחכמה אזנך ת להקש

בונה׃ לתב

3 If you call to understanding And cry aloud to discernment,

ן ת בונה ת ינה תקרא לת י אם לב כקולך׃

ג

4 If you seek it as you do silver And search for it as for treasures,

טמונים סף וכמ ה ככ נ בקש אם־תה׃ נ ש חפ ת

ד

5 Then you will understand the fear of Hashem And attain knowledge of Hashem.

בין יראת יהוה ודעת אלהים אז תמצא׃ ת

ה

6 For Hashem grants wisdom; Knowledge and discernment are by His decree.

עת ותבונה׃ יו ד ן חכמה מפ י־יהוה ית כ ו

7 He reserves ability for the upright And is a shield for those who live blamelessly,

ה מגן י רים תוש וצפן ]יצפן[ לישלהלכי תם׃

ז

8 Guarding the paths of justice, Protecting the way of those loyal to Him.

ט ודרך חסידו פ לנצר ארחות משמר׃ ]חסידיו[ יש

ח

9 You will then understand what is right, just, And equitable—every good course.

ל־ רים כ ט ומיש פ בין צדק ומש אז תל־טוב׃ מעג

ט

10 For wisdom will enter your mind And knowledge will delight you.

ך ך ודעת לנפש י־תבוא חכמה בלב כינעם׃

י

11 Foresight will protect you, And discernment will guard you.

ה׃ בונה תנצרכ מר עליך ת ש ה ת מזמ יא

12 It will save you from the way of evil men, From men who speak duplicity,

ר רך רע מאיש מדב ילך מד להצכות׃ הפ ת

יב

13 Who leave the paths of rectitude To follow the ways of darkness,

דרכי־ ר ללכת ב העזבים ארחות ישך׃ חש

יג

14 Who rejoice in doing evil And exult in the duplicity of evil men,

כות תהפ מחים לעשות רע יגילו ב השרע׃

יד

15 Men whose paths are crooked And who are devious in their course.

ים ונלוזים ש ר ארחתיהם עק אשלותם׃ מעג ב

טו

16 It will save you from the forbidden woman, From the alien woman whose talk is smooth,

ה אמריה כרי ה זרה מנ ילך מאש להצהחליקה׃

טז

17 Who forsakes the companion of her youth And disregards the covenant of her God.

רית העזבת אלוף נעוריה ואת־בכחה׃ אלהיה ש

יז

18 Her house sinks down to Death, And her course leads to the shades.

יתה ואל־רפאים חה אל־מות ב י ש כלתיה׃ מעג

יח

19 All who go to her cannot return And find again the paths of life.

יגו ארחות איה לא ישובון ולא־יש ל־ב כים׃ חי

יט

24

משליפרק ג


2:21 For the upright will inhabit the earth The word eretz, translated here as ‘earth,’ also means

‘land.’ According to Yehuda Keel, author of the Da’at Mikra commentary on Sefer Mishlei, this is a reference to the Land of Israel. In this verse, King Shlomo reminds us of Hashem’s promise to the Israelites in the desert, that if they walk in His ways, they will remain in the land which He has given them (see Deuteronomy 4:1). Eretz Yisrael is promised to those who remain steadfast in their commitment to God’s words, not only in deed, but also in thought.

3:9 With the best of all your income Reisheet kol t’vuatecha (ראשית כל תבואתך), translated here as ‘the best of all your income,’ literally means ‘the first of your grain.’ Offering the first of our crops to God reminds us how much we owe Him. It is easy to forget how much Hashem has given us, as we get caught up in our own efforts towards success. God commands us to bring the first of our harvest each year to the Beit Hamikdash in Yerushalayim (see Deuteronomy 26:2), to remind us that He is behind everything that happens to us, and the constant source of our success.

The seven species from which the first fruit offering was brought

20 So follow the way of the good And keep to the paths of the just.

דרך טובים וארחות לך ב למען תמר׃ ש יקים ת צד

כ

21 For the upright will inhabit the earth, The blameless will remain in it.

תרו נו ארץ ותמימים יו כ רים יש י־יש כבה׃

כא

kee y’-sha-REEM yish-k’-nu A-retz ut-mee-MEEM yi-va-t’-RU VAH

22 While the wicked will vanish from the land And the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

חו רתו ובוגדים יס עים מארץ יכ ורשה׃ נ ממ

כב

3 1 My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your mind retain my commandments;

ח ומצותי יצר כ ש ני תורתי אל־ת בך׃ לב

ג א2 For they will bestow on you length of days, Years of

life and well-being.לום ים וש נות חי י ארך ימים וש כ

יוסיפו לך׃ב

3 Let fidelity and steadfastness not leave you; Bind them about your throat, Write them on the tablet of your mind,

רם על־ חסד ואמת אל־יעזבך קשך׃ תבם על־לוח לב רותיך כ רג ג

ג

4 And you will find favor and approbation In the eyes of Hashem and man.

עיני אלהים כל־טוב ב ומצא־חן ושואדם׃

ד

5 Trust in Hashem with all your heart, And do not rely on your own understanding.

ינתך ך ואל־ב כל־לב טח אל־יהוה ב בען׃ ש אל־ת

ה

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths smooth.

ר ארחתיך׃ רכיך דעהו והוא ייש כל־ד ב ו

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear Hashem and shun evil.

עיניך ירא את־יהוה הי חכם ב אל־תוסור מרע׃

ז

8 It will be a cure for your body, A tonic for your bones.

קוי לעצמותיך׃ ך וש ר הי לש רפאות ת ח

9 Honor Hashem with your wealth, With the best of all your income,

ל־ ית כ ד את־יהוה מהונך ומראש ב כבואתך׃ ת

ט

ka-BAYD et a-do-NAI may-ho-NE-kha u-may-ray-SHEET kol t’-vu-a-TE-kha

10 And your barns will be filled with grain, Your vats will burst with new wine.

בע ותירוש יקביך לאו אסמיך ש וימיפרצו׃

י

25


Proverbs

משליפרק ג

11 Do not reject the discipline of Hashem, my son; Do not abhor His rebuke.

קץ מאס ואל־ת ני אל־ת מוסר יהוה בתוכחתו׃ ב

יא

12 For whom Hashem loves, He rebukes, As a father the son whom he favors.

ר יאהב יהוה יוכיח וכאב י את אש כן ירצה׃ את־ב

יב

13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, The man who attains understanding.

רי אדם מצא חכמה ואדם יפיק אשבונה׃ ת

יג

14 Her value in trade is better than silver, Her yield, greater than gold.

סף ומחרוץ חר־כ י טוב סחרה מס כבואתה׃ ת

יד

15 She is more precious than rubies; All of your goods cannot equal her.

נינים[ וכל־ יקרה היא מפניים ]מפוו־בה׃ חפציך לא יש

טו

16 In her right hand is length of days, In her left, riches and honor.

ר מאולה עש ש ימינה ב ארך ימים בוכבוד׃

טז

17 Her ways are pleasant ways, And all her paths, peaceful.

רכיה דרכי־נעם וכל־נתיבותיה דלום׃ ש

יז

18 She is a tree of life to those who grasp her, And whoever holds on to her is happy.

ה ותמכיה חזיקים ב ים היא למ עץ־חיר׃ מאש

יח

19 Hashem founded the earth by wisdom; He established the heavens by understanding;

מים חכמה יסד־ארץ כונן ש יהוה בתבונה׃ ב

יט

20 By His knowledge the depths burst apart, And the skies distilled dew.

חקים הומות נבקעו וש דעתו ת בירעפו־טל׃

כ

21 My son, do not lose sight of them; Hold on to resourcefulness and foresight.

ה׃ ה ומזמ י ש ני אל־ילזו מעיניך נצר ת ב כא

22 They will give life to your spirit And grace to your throat.

רתיך׃ ך וחן לגרג ים לנפש ויהיו חי כב

23 Then you will go your way safely And not injure your feet.

ך ורגלך לא תגוף׃ רכ לך לבטח ד אז ת כג

24 When you lie down you will be unafraid; You will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

כבת וערבה ב לא־תפחד וש כ ש אם־תנתך׃ ש

כד

25 You will not fear sudden terror Or the disaster that comes upon the wicked,

את תאם ומש חד פ ירא מפ אל־תי תבא׃ עים כ רש

כה

26 For Hashem will be your trust; He will keep your feet from being caught.

מר רגלך י־יהוה יהיה בכסלך וש ככד׃ מל

כו

27 Do not withhold good from one who deserves it When you have the power to do it [for him].

היות לאל עליו ב מנע־טוב מב אל־תידיך ]ידך[ לעשות׃

כז

28 Do not say to your fellow, “Come back again; I’ll give it to you tomorrow,” when you have it with you.

אל־תאמר לרעיך ]לרעך [ לך ושוב ך׃ ן ויש את ומחר את

כח

29 Do not devise harm against your fellow Who lives trustfully with you.

ב חרש על־רעך רעה והוא־יוש אל־תך׃ לבטח את

כט

26

משליפרק ד


4:3 Once I was a son to my father Although this verse can be understood literally, it also contains a parable. The speaker represents the Nation of Israel, described in the Bible (Exodus 4:22) as Hashem’s firstborn son. It is to that chosen child that God imparts the wisdom

of His Torah, just as a father imparts precious wisdom to his son (see verse 4). Like the child in this verse, the Nation of Israel received the Torah at a tender stage, shortly after being released from the bondage of Egypt.

30 Do not quarrel with a man for no cause, When he has done you no harm.

ם אם־ ריב[ עם־אדם חנ אל־תרוב ]תלא גמלך רעה׃

ל

31 Do not envy a lawless man, Or choose any of his ways;

בחר איש חמס ואל־ת א ב קנ אל־תרכיו׃ כל־ד ב

לא

32 For the devious man is an abomination to Hashem, But He is intimate with the straightforward.

רים סודו׃ י תועבת יהוה נלוז ואת־יש כ לב

33 The curse of Hashem is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the abode of the righteous.

יקים ע ונוה צד בית רש מארת יהוה ביברך׃

לג

34 At scoffers He scoffs, But to the lowly He shows grace.

צים הוא־יליץ ולעניים אם־ללן־חן׃ ]ולענוים[ ית

לד

35 The wise shall obtain honor, But dullards get disgrace as their portion.

בוד חכמים ינחלו וכסילים מרים כקלון׃

לה

4 1 Sons, heed the discipline of a father; Listen and learn discernment,

יבו לדעת מעו בנים מוסר אב והקש שינה׃ ב

ד א2 For I give you good instruction; Do not forsake my

teaching.י לכם תורתי אל־ י לקח טוב נתת כ

עזבו׃ תב

3 Once I was a son to my father, The tender darling of my mother.

י׃ י־בן הייתי לאבי רך ויחיד לפני אמ כ ג

kee VAYN ha-YEE-tee l’-a-VEE RAKH v’-ya-KHEED lif-NAY i-MEE

4 He instructed me and said to me, “Let your mind hold on to my words; Keep my commandments and you will live.

מר ך ש ברי לב וירני ויאמר לי יתמך־דמצותי וחיה׃

ד

5 Acquire wisdom, acquire discernment; Do not forget and do not swerve from my words.

ח ואל־ כ ש קנה חכמה קנה בינה אל־תט מאמרי־פי׃ ת

ה

6 Do not forsake her and she will guard you; Love her and she will protect you.

רך׃ מרך אהבה ותצ עזבה ותש אל־ת ו

7 The beginning of wisdom is—acquire wisdom; With all your acquisitions, acquire discernment.

ית חכמה קנה חכמה ובכל־קנינך ראשקנה בינה׃

ז

8 Hug her to you and she will exalt you; She will bring you honor if you embrace her.

ה׃ קנ י תחב דך כ כב סלסלה ותרוממך ת ח

9 She will adorn your head with a graceful wreath; Crown you with a glorious diadem.”

פארת ך לוית־חן עטרת ת ן לראש ת תנך׃ מג ת

ט

10 My son, heed and take in my words, And you will have many years of life.

נות ני וקח אמרי וירבו לך ש מע ב שים׃ חי

י

27


Proverbs

משליפרק ה

11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom; I guide you in straight courses.

יך דרך חכמה הרתיך הדרכת בר׃ לי־יש מעג ב

יא

12 You will walk without breaking stride; When you run, you will not stumble.

רוץ לא ך לא־יצר צעדך ואם־ת לכת בל׃ ש תכ

יב

13 Hold fast to discipline; do not let go; Keep it; it is your life.

י־היא רה כ רף נצ מוסר אל־ת החזק ביך׃ חי

יג

14 Do not enter on the path of the wicked; Do not walk on the way of evil men.

ר אש בא ואל־ת עים אל־ת ארח רש בדרך רעים׃ ב

יד

15 Avoid it; do not pass through it; Turn away from it; pass it by.

טה מעליו עבר־בו ש רעהו אל־ת פועבור׃

טו

16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done evil; Unless they make someone fall they are robbed of sleep.

נתם נו אם־לא ירעו ונגזלה ש י לא יש כילו׃[ אם־לא יכשולו ]יכש

טז

17 They eat the bread of wickedness And drink the wine of lawlessness.

תו׃ ע ויין חמסים יש י לחמו לחם רש כ יז

18 The path of the righteous is like radiant sunlight, Ever brightening until noon.

אור נגה הולך ואור יקים כ וארח צדעד־נכון היום׃

יח

19 The way of the wicked is all darkness; They do not know what will make them stumble.

ה מ אפלה לא ידעו ב עים כ רך רש דלו׃ ש יכ

יט

20 My son, listen to my speech; Incline your ear to my words.

יבה לאמרי הט־אזנך׃ ני לדברי הקש ב כ

21 Do not lose sight of them; Keep them in your mind.

תוך לבבך׃ מרם ב יזו מעיניך ש אל־יל כא

22 They are life to him who finds them, Healing for his whole body.

רו ש ים הם למצאיהם ולכל־ב י־חי כא׃ מרפ

כב

23 More than all that you guard, guard your mind, For it is the source of life.

נו תוצאות י־ממ ך כ מר נצר לב ל־מש מכים׃ חי

כג

24 Put crooked speech away from you; Keep devious talk far from you.

פתים ה ולזות ש שות פ ך עק הסר ממך׃ הרחק ממ

כד

25 Let your eyes look forward, Your gaze be straight ahead.

רו יך ייש יטו ועפעפ עיניך לנכח יבך׃ נגד

כה

26 Survey the course you take, And all your ways will prosper.

רכיך יכנו׃ ל רגלך וכל־ד ס מעג ל פ כו

27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; Keep your feet from evil.

מאול הסר רגלך מרע׃ ט־ימין וש אל־ת כז

5 1 My son, listen to my wisdom; Incline your ear to my insight,

יבה לתבונתי הט־ ני לחכמתי הקש באזנך׃

ה א2 That you may have foresight, While your lips hold

fast to knowledge.פתיך ינצרו׃ מר מזמות ודעת ש לש ב

28

משליפרק ה


5:18 Find joy in the wife of your youth King Shlomo compares the wife of one’s youth to a

fountain, a source of life-giving water, because she is a source of continued life through the children she bears. Water is a precious commodity in Israel, as rain falls in

unpredictable and sometimes limited quantities, and only in its season. Being dependent on the Lord for rain ensures that His children must maintain a close connection with Him in the Land of Israel, and recognize the He is the true source of life and all of its blessings.

3 For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey; Her mouth is smoother than oil;

פתי זרה וחלק טפנה ש י נפת ת כה׃ מן חכ מש

ג

4 But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.

חרב ה כ ענה חד ואחריתה מרה כליות׃ פ

ד

5 Her feet go down to Death; Her steps take hold of Sheol.

אול צעדיה רגליה ירדות מות שיתמכו׃

ה

6 She does not chart a path of life; Her course meanders for lack of knowledge.

לתיה ס נעו מעג פל ן־ת ים פ ארח חילא תדע׃

ו

7 So now, sons, pay heed to me, And do not swerve from the words of my mouth.

סורו מעו־לי ואל־ת ה בנים ש ועתמאמרי־פי׃

ז

8 Keep yourself far away from her; Do not come near the doorway of her house

קרב אל־ ך ואל־ת הרחק מעליה דרכיתה׃ תח ב פ

ח

9 Lest you give up your vigor to others, Your years to a ruthless one;

נתיך ן לאחרים הודך וש ת ן־ת פלאכזרי׃

ט

10 Lest strangers eat their fill of your strength, And your toil be for the house of another;

בית עו זרים כחך ועצביך ב ב ן־יש פנכרי׃

י

11 And in the end you roar, When your flesh and body are consumed,

רך ש כלות ב ונהמת באחריתך בארך׃ וש

יא

12 And say, “O how I hated discipline, And heartily spurned rebuke.

נאתי מוסר ותוכחת ואמרת איך שי׃ נאץ לב

יב

13 I did not pay heed to my teachers, Or incline my ear to my instructors.

די לא־ קול מורי ולמלמ י ב מעת ולא־שיתי אזני׃ הט

יג

14 Soon I was in dire trouble Amidst the assembled congregation.”

תוך קהל מעט הייתי בכל־רע ב כועדה׃

יד

15 Drink water from your own cistern, Running water from your own well.

ארך׃ תה־מים מבורך ונזלים מתוך ב ש טו

16 Your springs will gush forth In streams in the public squares.

לגי־ רחבות פ יפוצו מעינתיך חוצה במים׃

טז

17 They will be yours alone, Others having no part with you.

ך׃ ך ואין לזרים את יהיו־לך לבד יז

18 Let your fountain be blessed; Find joy in the wife of your youth—

ת מח מאש יהי־מקורך ברוך ושנעורך׃

יח

y’-HEE m’-ko-r’-KHA va-RUKH us-MAKH may-AY-shet n’-u-RE-kha

29


Proverbs

משליפרק ו

19 A loving doe, a graceful mountain goat. Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be infatuated with love of her always.

ך יה ירו ד לת אהבים ויעלת־חן ד איה תמיד׃ ג ש אהבתה ת בכל־עת ב

יט

20 Why be infatuated, my son, with a forbidden woman? Why clasp the bosom of an alien woman?

ק חק ה בני בזרה ותחב ג ה תש ולמה׃ נכרי

כ

21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of Hashem; He surveys his entire course.

רכי־איש וכל־ י נכח עיני יהוה ד כס׃ לתיו מפל מעג

כא

22 The wicked man will be trapped in his iniquities; He will be caught up in the ropes of his sin.

ע ובחבלי דנו את־הרש עוונותיו ילכמך׃ אתו ית חט

כב

23 He will die for lack of discipline, Infatuated by his great folly.

לתו אין מוסר וברב או הוא ימות בה׃ ג יש

כג

6 1 My son, if you have stood surety for your fellow, Given your hand for another,

יך׃ פ ר כ קעת לז ני אם־ערבת לרעך ת ב ו א2 You have been trapped by the words of your

mouth, Snared by the words of your mouth.אמרי־ דת ב ת באמרי־פיך נלכ נוקש

פיך׃ב

3 Do this, then, my son, to extricate yourself, For you have come into the power of your fellow: Go grovel—and badger your fellow;

י באת צל כ ני והנ ה זאת אפוא ב עשס ורהב רעיך׃ בכף־רעך לך התרפ

ג

4 Give your eyes no sleep, Your pupils no slumber. נה לעיניך ותנומה ן ש ת אל־תיך׃ לעפעפ

ד

5 Save yourself like a deer out of the hand [of a hunter], Like a bird out of the hand of a fowler.

ד יקוש׃ ד וכצפור מי צבי מי צל כ הנ ה

6 Lazybones, go to the ant; Study its ways and learn. לך־אל־נמלה עצל ראה דרכיה וחכם׃ ו

7 Without leaders, officers, or rulers, ל׃ ר אין־לה קצין שטר ומש אש ז

8 It lays up its stores during the summer, Gathers in its food at the harvest.

ציר יץ לחמה אגרה בק ק כין ב תמאכלה׃

ח

9 How long will you lie there, lazybones; When will you wake from your sleep?

קום ב מתי ת כ ש עד־מתי עצל תנתך׃ מש

ט

10 A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber, A bit more hugging yourself in bed,

ק נומות מעט חב נות מעט ת מעט שב׃ כ ידים לש

י

11 And poverty will come calling upon you, And want, like a man with a shield.

איש ך ומחסרך כ ך ראש ובא־כמהלמגן׃

יא

12 A scoundrel, an evil man Lives by crooked speech, שות על איש און הולך עק לי אדם בה׃ פ

יב

13 Winking his eyes, Shuffling his feet, Pointing his finger.

רגלו מרה עינו מלל ב קרץ בעתיו׃ אצב ב

יג

14 Duplicity is in his heart; He plots evil all the time; He incites quarrels.

כל־עת לבו חרש רע ב כות ב הפ תח׃ ל מדנים ]מדינים[ יש

יד

30

משליפרק ו


6:23 For the commandment is a lamp, the teaching is a light The Talmud (Bava Batra 4a)

quotes this verse in a passage explaining why the wicked King Herod was motivated to renovate and beautify the second Beit Hamikdash. Herod had engaged in a murderous rampage against the leading rabbis of his generation, only to regret his evil actions after he came to know and respect the Sage Bava ben Buta. “What can I do to repent my evil ways?” King Herod

begged Bava. Quoting this verse, Bava responded, “You who extinguished the light of the world by killing so many Torah scholars, can atone by bringing more light into the world.” Herod listened to the rabbi and immediately embarked upon a massive architectural project, restoring the glory of the Beit Hamikdash, and causing the second Temple to surpass even the beauty of the first Temple built by King Shlomo. In this way, he strengthened the light emanating to the world. Model of Herod’s

Temple, Jerusalem

15 Therefore calamity will come upon him without warning; Suddenly he will be broken beyond repair.

בר תע יש תאם יבוא אידו פ ן פ על־כא׃ ואין מרפ

טו

16 Six things Hashem hates; Seven are an abomination to Him:

בע תועבות נא יהוה וש ה ש ש־הנ ש]תועבת[ נפשו׃

טז

17 A haughty bearing, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,

קר וידים שפכות עינים רמות לשון שם־נקי׃ ד

יז

18 A mind that hatches evil plots, Feet quick to run to evil,

בות און רגלים ממהרות לב חרש מחשלרוץ לרעה׃

יח

19 A false witness testifying lies, And one who incites brothers to quarrel.

ח מדנים ל קר ומש זבים עד ש יפיח כין אחים׃ ב

יט

20 My son, keep your father’s commandment; Do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

טש תורת ני מצות אביך ואל־ת נצר בך׃ אמ

כ

21 Tie them over your heart always; Bind them around your throat.

ך תמיד ענדם על־ רם על־לב קשרתך׃ רג ג

כא

22 When you walk it will lead you; When you lie down it will watch over you; And when you are awake it will talk with you.

מר ש ך ת כב ש נחה אתך ב כך ת התהל ביחך׃ עליך והקיצות היא תש

כב

23 For the commandment is a lamp, The teaching is a light, And the way to life is the rebuke that disciplines.

ים י נר מצוה ותורה אור ודרך חי כתוכחות מוסר׃

כג

KEE NAYR mitz-VAH v’-TO-rah OR v’-DE-rekh kha-YEEM to-kh’-KHOT mu-SAR

24 It will keep you from an evil woman, From the smooth tongue of a forbidden woman.

ת רע מחלקת לשון מרך מאש לשה׃ נכרי

כד

25 Do not lust for her beauty Or let her captivate you with her eyes.

חך ק לבבך ואל־ת חמד יפיה ב אל־תיה׃ עפעפ ב

כה

26 The last loaf of bread will go for a harlot; A married woman will snare a person of honor.

ר לחם כ ה זונה עד־כ י בעד־אש כת איש נפש יקרה תצוד׃ ואש

כו

27 Can a man rake embers into his bosom Without burning his clothes?

חיקו ובגדיו לא ה איש אש ב היחתרפנה׃ תש

כז

31


Proverbs

משליפרק ז

28 Can a man walk on live coals Without scorching his feet?

חלים ורגליו לא ך איש על־הג אם־יהלוינה׃ תכ

כח

29 It is the same with one who sleeps with his fellow’s wife; None who touches her will go unpunished.

ל־ קה כ ת רעהו לא ינ א אל־אש ן הב כה׃ הנגע ב

כט

30 A thief is not held in contempt For stealing to appease his hunger;

י א נפשו כ י יגנוב למל ב כ נ לא־יבוזו לגירעב׃

ל

31 Yet if caught he must pay sevenfold; He must give up all he owns.

ל־הון בעתים את־כ ם ש ל ונמצא ישן׃ יתו ית ב

לא

32 He who commits adultery is devoid of sense; Only one who would destroy himself does such a thing.

חית נפשו הוא ה חסר־לב מש נאף אשה׃ נ יעש

לב

33 He will meet with disease and disgrace; His reproach will never be expunged.

חה׃ תו לא תמ נגע־וקלון ימצא וחרפ לג

34 The fury of the husband will be passionate; He will show no pity on his day of vengeance.

יום בר ולא־יחמול ב י־קנאה חמת־ג כנקם׃

לד

35 He will not have regard for any ransom; He will refuse your bribe, however great.

י ני כל־כפר ולא־יאבה כ א פ לא־ישה־שחד׃ תרב

לה

7 1 My son, heed my words; And store up my commandments with you.

ך׃ צפן את מר אמרי ומצותי ת ני ש ב ז א2 Keep my commandments and live, My teaching, as

the apple of your eye.אישון מר מצותי וחיה ותורתי כ ש

עיניך׃ב

3 Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your mind.

תבם על־לוח עתיך כ רם על־אצב קשך׃ לב

ג

4 Say to Wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call Understanding a kinswoman.

ינה אמר לחכמה אחתי את ומדע לבתקרא׃

ד

5 She will guard you from a forbidden woman; From an alien woman whose talk is smooth.

ה אמריה כרי ה זרה מנ מרך מאש לשהחליקה׃

ה

6 From the window of my house, Through my lattice, I looked out

י׃ קפת י נש נב עד אש יתי ב חלון ב י ב כ ו

7 And saw among the simple, Noticed among the youths, A lad devoid of sense.

נים נער תאים אבינה בב וארא בפחסר־לב׃

ז

8 He was crossing the street near her corner, Walking toward her house

יתה ה ודרך ב נ וק אצל פ ש עבר ביצעד׃

ח

9 In the dusk of evening, In the dark hours of night. אישון לילה ואפלה׃ ערב יום ב ף־ב נש ב ט

10 A woman comes toward him Dressed like a harlot, with set purpose.

ית זונה ונצרת ה לקראתו ש ה אש והנלב׃

י

11 She is bustling and restive; She is never at home. נו כ ביתה לא־יש ה היא וסררת ב המירגליה׃

יא

12 Now in the street, now in the square, She lurks at every corner.

ל־ רחבות ואצל כ עם ב חוץ פ עם ב פה תארב׃ נ פ

יב

32

משליפרק ז


7:14 Sacrifice of well-being The sacrifice of well-being is often called the ‘peace-offering’ based

on its Hebrew name, korban sh’lamim (קרבן שלמים), which is related to the Hebrew word shalom (שלום), ‘peace.’ According to Jewish tradition, it is called this because the korban sh’lamim symbolizes peace and unity, as it is the only offering that is shared by all relevant parties: Hashem, via the portions burned on the altar, and the priest and the owner of the sacrifice

who each consume part of the meat. It is not a coincidence that this is also the only offering that is not restricted to the Beit Hamikdash, but may be eaten anywhere in the city of Jerusalem. The Hebrew name for Jerusalem, Yerushalayim, also has the word shalom at its root, and indeed, Jerusalem is known as ir shel shalom, the city of peace. Yerushalayim is meant to be the source for all peace on earth, and is therefore closely connected with the well-being offering. קרבן שלמים

Jerusalem

13 She lays hold of him and kisses him; Brazenly she says to him,

קה־לו העזה פניה והחזיקה בו ונשותאמר לו׃

יג

14 “I had to make a sacrifice of well-being; Today I fulfilled my vows.

י נדרי׃ מת ל למים עלי היום ש זבחי ש יד

ziv-KHAY sh’-la-MEEM a-LAI ha-YOM shi-LAM-tee n’-da-RAI

15 Therefore I have come out to you, Seeking you, and have found you.

ניך חר פ ן יצאתי לקראתך לש על־כואמצאך׃

טו

16 I have decked my couch with covers Of dyed Egyptian linen;

י חטבות אטון י ערש ים רבדת מרבדמצרים׃

טז

17 I have sprinkled my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

מון׃ בי מר אהלים וקנ כ י מש נפת יז

18 Let us drink our fill of love till morning; Let us delight in amorous embrace.

סה לכה נרוה דדים עד־הבקר נתעלאהבים׃ ב

יח

19 For the man of the house is away; He is off on a distant journey.

דרך ביתו הלך ב י אין האיש ב כמרחוק׃

יט

20 He took his bag of money with him And will return only at mid-month.”

סא ידו ליום הכ סף לקח ב צרור־הכיבא ביתו׃

כ

21 She sways him with her eloquence, Turns him aside with her smooth talk.

פתיה חלק ש רב לקחה ב תו ב הטיחנו׃ ד ת

כא

22 Thoughtlessly he follows her, Like an ox going to the slaughter, Like a fool to the stocks for punishment—

שור אל־טבח תאם כ הולך אחריה פיבוא וכעכס אל־מוסר אויל׃

כב

23 Until the arrow pierces his liver. He is like a bird rushing into a trap, Not knowing his life is at stake.

ח מהר צפור אל־פ בדו כ ח חץ כ עד יפלי־בנפשו הוא׃ ולא־ידע כ

כג

24 Now, sons, listen to me; Pay attention to my words; יבו מעו־לי והקש ה בנים ש ועתלאמרי־פי׃

כד

25 Let your mind not wander down her ways; Do not stray onto her paths.

תע ך אל־ת רכיה לב ט אל־ד אל־ישנתיבותיה׃ ב

כה

26 For many are those she has struck dead, And numerous are her victims.

ל־ ילה ועצמים כ ים חללים הפ י־רב כהרגיה׃

כו

33


Proverbs

משליפרק ח

27 Her house is a highway to Sheol Leading down to Death’s inner chambers.

יתה ירדות אל־חדרי־ אול ב רכי ש דמות׃

כז

8 1 It is Wisdom calling, Understanding raising her voice.

ן קולה׃ ת הלא־חכמה תקרא ותבונה ת ח א2 She takes her stand at the topmost heights, By the

wayside, at the crossroads,ית נתיבות ראש־מרומים עלי־דרך ב ב

בה׃ נצב

3 Near the gates at the city entrance; At the entryways, she shouts,

ערים לפי־קרת מבוא פתחים ליד־שה׃ רנ ת

ג

4 “O men, I call to you; My cry is to all mankind. ני ים אקרא וקולי אל־ב אליכם אישאדם׃

ד

5 O simple ones, learn shrewdness; O dullards, instruct your minds.

הבינו פתאים ערמה וכסילים הבינו לב׃

ה

6 Listen, for I speak noble things; Uprightness comes from my lips;

פתי ח ש ר ומפת י־נגידים אדב מעו כ שרים׃ מיש

ו

7 My mouth utters truth; Wickedness is abhorrent to my lips.

פתי י ותועבת ש ה חכ י־אמת יהג כע׃ רש

ז

8 All my words are just, None of them perverse or crooked;

ל הם נפת ל־אמרי־פי אין ב צדק כ בש׃ ועק

ח

9 All are straightforward to the intelligent man, And right to those who have attained knowledge.

רים למצאי בין ויש ם נכחים למ ל כדעת׃

ט

10 Accept my discipline rather than silver, Knowledge rather than choice gold.

סף ודעת מחרוץ קחו־מוסרי ואל־כנבחר׃

י

11 For wisdom is better than rubies; No goods can equal her.

נינים וכל־חפצים י־טובה חכמה מפ כוו־בה׃ לא יש

יא

12 “I, Wisdom, live with Prudence; I attain knowledge and foresight.

י ערמה ודעת מזמות כנת א ני־חכמה שאמצא׃

יב

13 To fear Hashem is to hate evil; I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, And duplicity in speech.

אה וגאון ודרך נאת רע ג יראת יהוה שנאתי׃ כות ש רע ופי תהפ

יג

14 Mine are counsel and resourcefulness; I am understanding; courage is mine.

ה אני בינה לי גבורה׃ י לי־עצה ותוש יד

15 Through me kings reign And rulers decree just laws;

י מלכים ימלכו ורוזנים יחקקו צדק׃ ב טו

16 Through me princes rule, Great men and all the righteous judges.

ל־שפטי רים ישרו ונדיבים כ י ש בצדק׃

טז

17 Those who love me I love, And those who seek me will find me.

חרי אני אהביה ]אהבי[ אהב ומשימצאנני׃

יז

18 Riches and honor belong to me, Enduring wealth and success.

י הון עתק וצדקה׃ ר־וכבוד את עש יח

34

משליפרק ח


8:22 The beginning of His course The wisdom of the Torah is described in this verse as the

“beginning of His course.” The Hebrew word for ‘beginning,’ reishit (ראשית), is also used to describe the Children of Israel, called reisheet t’vuato, ‘the first-fruits of His [Hashem’s] harvest’ (Jeremiah 2:3), and it is also

the first word of Sefer Bereishit, describing the creation of the world. The Sages connect the three uses of this word and teach that Hashem created the world for the sake of Israel and of the Torah. God created a world in which the Children of Israel are to follow the Torah, and thereby serve as a model for the rest of the nations.

ראשית

19 My fruit is better than gold, fine gold, And my produce better than choice silver.

סף ז ותבואתי מכ ריי מחרוץ ומפ טוב פנבחר׃

יט

20 I walk on the way of righteousness, On the paths of justice.

תוך נתיבות ך ב ארח־צדקה אהל בט׃ פ מש

כ

21 I endow those who love me with substance; I will fill their treasuries.

א׃ להנחיל אהבי יש ואצרתיהם אמל כא

22 “Hashem created me at the beginning of His course As the first of His works of old.

רכו קדם מפעליו ית ד יהוה קנני ראשמאז׃

כב

a-do-NAI ka-NA-nee ray-SHEET dar-KO KE-dem mif-a-LAV may-AZ

23 In the distant past I was fashioned, At the beginning, at the origin of earth.

דמי־ארץ׃ י מראש מק כת מעולם נס כג

24 There was still no deep when I was brought forth, No springs rich in water;

אין מעינות י ב המות חוללת אין־ת בי־מים׃ ד נכב

כד

25 Before [the foundation of] the mountains were sunk, Before the hills I was born.

עו לפני גבעות טרם הרים הטב בי׃ חוללת

כה

26 He had not yet made earth and fields, Or the world’s first clumps of clay.

ה ארץ וחוצות וראש עד־לא עשבל׃ עפרות ת

כו

27 I was there when He set the heavens into place; When He fixed the horizon upon the deep;

חוקו חוג על־ ם אני ב מים ש הכינו ש בני תהום׃ פ

כז

28 When He made the heavens above firm, And the fountains of the deep gushed forth;

עזוז עינות על ב חקים ממ צו ש אמ בהום׃ ת

כח

29 When He assigned the sea its limits, So that its waters never transgress His command; When He fixed the foundations of the earth,

ם חקו ומים לא יעברו־פיו שומו לי בחוקו מוסדי ארץ׃ ב

כט

30 I was with Him as a confidant, A source of delight every day, Rejoicing before Him at all times,

עים עש ואהיה אצלו אמון ואהיה שכל־עת׃ חקת לפניו ב יום יום מש

ל

31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world, Finding delight with mankind.

עי את־ עש תבל ארצו וש חקת ב משני אדם׃ ב

לא

32 Now, sons, listen to me; Happy are they who keep my ways.

רכי רי ד מעו־לי ואש ה בנים ש ועתמרו׃ יש

לב

33 Heed discipline and become wise; Do not spurn it. פרעו׃ מעו מוסר וחכמו ואל־ת ש לג

34 Happy is the man who listens to me, Coming early to my gates each day, Waiting outside my doors.

לתתי קד על־ד רי אדם שמע לי לש אשתחי׃ מר מזוזת פ יום יום לש

לד

35


Proverbs

משליפרק ט

9:1 She has hewn her seven pillars The number seven is a recurring motif in the Bible, typically

representing nature. It is used in the book of Mishlei as a way of expressing multitudes, so here it means wisdom has many pillars. According to the medieval commenta-

tor Rashi, in this context the number seven represents the seven days of creation. When Hashem created the world, the “house” referred to in the first half of this verse, He created it with wisdom.Rashi

(1040-1105)

35 For he who finds me finds life And obtains favor from Hashem.

פק רצון ים וי י מצאי מצאי ]מצא[ חי כמיהוה׃

לה

36 But he who misses me destroys himself; All who hate me love death.”

נאי אהבו ל־מש וחטאי חמס נפשו כמות׃

לו

9 1 Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn her seven pillars.

נתה ביתה חצבה עמודיה חכמות בבעה׃ ש

ט אkhokh-MOT ba-n’-TAH vay-TAH kha-tz’-VAH a-mu-DE-ha shiv-AH

2 She has prepared the feast, Mixed the wine, And also set the table.

טבחה טבחה מסכה יינה אף ערכה לחנה׃ ש

ב

3 She has sent out her maids to announce On the heights of the town,

י מרמי פ לחה נערתיה תקרא על־ג שקרת׃

ג

4 “Let the simple enter here”; To those devoid of sense she says,

ה חסר־לב אמרה לו׃ מי־פתי יסר הנ ד

5 “Come, eat my food And drink the wine that I have mixed;

י׃ יין מסכת תו ב לכו לחמו בלחמי וש ה

6 Give up simpleness and live, Walk in the way of understanding.”

ינה׃ דרך ב רו ב עזבו פתאים וחיו ואש ו

7 To correct a scoffer, Or rebuke a wicked man for his blemish, Is to call down abuse on oneself.*

ע יסר לץ לקח לו קלון ומוכיח לרשמומו׃

ז

8 Do not rebuke a scoffer, for he will hate you; Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

נאך הוכח לחכם ן־יש אל־תוכח לץ פויאהבך׃

ח

9 Instruct a wise man, and he will grow wiser; Teach a righteous man, and he will gain in learning.

יק ם־עוד הודע לצד ן לחכם ויחכ תויוסף לקח׃

ט

10 The beginning of wisdom is fear of Hashem, And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

ת חכמה יראת יהוה ודעת חל תינה׃ ים ב קדש

י

11 For through me your days will increase, And years be added to your life.

נות ך ש י־בי ירבו ימיך ויוסיפו ל כים׃ חי

יא

12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; If you are a scoffer, you bear it alone.

ך ך ולצת לבד אם־חכמת חכמת לא׃ תש

יב

13 The stupid woman bustles about; She is simple and knows nothing.

תיות ובל־ידעה ה פ סילות המי ת כ אשה׃ מ

יג

14 She sits in the doorway of her house, Or on a chair at the heights of the town,

א מרמי ס יתה על־כ בה לפתח ב וישקרת׃

יד

* clauses transposed for clarity

36

משליפרק י


15 Calling to all the wayfarers Who go about their own affairs,

רים ארחותם׃ לקרא לעברי־דרך המיש טו

16 “Let the simple enter here”; And to those devoid of sense she says,

ה וחסר־לב ואמרה לו׃ מי־פתי יסר הנ טז

17 “Stolen waters are sweet, And bread eaten furtively is tasty.”

קו ולחם סתרים נובים ימת מים־גינעם׃

יז

18 He does not know that the shades are there, That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

אול עמקי ש ם ב י־רפאים ש ולא־ידע כקראיה׃

יח

10 1 The proverbs of Shlomo: A wise son brings joy to his father; A dull son is his mother’s sorrow.

ח־אב ובן מ ן חכם יש למה ב לי ש משסיל תוגת אמו׃ כ

י א2 Ill-gotten wealth is of no avail, But righteousness

saves from death.יל צ ע וצדקה ת לא־יועילו אוצרות רש

ות׃ ממב

3 Hashem will not let the righteous go hungry, But He denies the wicked what they crave.

ת יק והו לא־ירעיב יהוה נפש צדעים יהדף׃ רש

ג

4 Negligent hands cause poverty, But diligent hands enrich.

ה ויד חרוצים ה כף־רמי ראש עשיר׃ עש ת

ד

5 He who lays in stores during the summer is a capable son, But he who sleeps during the harvest is an incompetent.

ן ציר ב ק ם ב יל נרד כ ן מש יץ ב ק אגר במביש׃

ה

6 Blessings light upon the head of the righteous, But lawlessness covers the mouth of the wicked.

ה עים יכס יק ופי רש רכות לראש צד בחמס׃

ו

7 The name of the righteous is invoked in blessing, But the fame of the wicked rots.

עים ירקב׃ ם רש יק לברכה וש זכר צד ז

8 He whose heart is wise accepts commands, But he whose speech is foolish comes to grief.

פתים ח מצות ואויל ש חכם־לב יקבט׃ יל

ח

9 He who lives blamelessly lives safely, But he who walks a crooked path will be found out.

רכיו ש ד טח ומעק תם ילך ב הולך בדע׃ יו

ט

10 He who winks his eye causes sorrow; He whose speech is foolish comes to grief.

פתים בת ואויל ש ן עצ קרץ עין יתבט׃ יל

י

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But lawlessness covers the mouth of the wicked.

ה עים יכס יק ופי רש י צד ים פ מקור חיחמס׃

יא

12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers up all faults. עים ש ל־פ עורר מדנים ועל כ נאה ת שה אהבה׃ כס ת

יב

13 Wisdom is to be found on the lips of the intelligent, But a rod is ready for the back of the senseless.

בט לגו צא חכמה וש מ פתי נבון ת ש בחסר־לב׃

יג

14 The wise store up knowledge; The mouth of the fool is an imminent ruin.

ה נו־דעת ופי־אויל מחת חכמים יצפקרבה׃

יד

15 The wealth of a rich man is his fortress; The poverty of the poor is his ruin.

ים ל ת ד יר קרית עזו מחת הון עשם׃ ריש

טו

37


Proverbs

משליפרק י

10:22 It is the blessing of Hashem that enriches In Sefer Devarim (11:10-12), the Torah describes

how the Promised Land is different from Egypt. In Egypt, one could water his crops from the Nile by using his foot to easily direct water to his fields, but in the Land of Israel, the eyes of Hashem are on the land. It is only through His blessings, as our verse says, that the

land enriches and provides its fruits. Modern Israel has compensated for its lack of natural water resources and limited rainfall through great technological break-throughs such as water recycling and desalination. Nevertheless, we must always remember that even with great technology and innovation, “it is the bless-ing of Hashem that enriches.”

Granot water desalination plant

16 The labor of the righteous man makes for life; The produce of the wicked man makes for want.

ע בואת רש ים ת יק לחי ת צד על פאת׃ לחט

טז

17 He who follows discipline shows the way to life, But he who ignores reproof leads astray.

ים שומר מוסר ועוזב תוכחת ארח לחימתעה׃

יז

18 He who conceals hatred has lying lips, While he who speaks forth slander is a dullard.

ה קר ומוצא דב פתי־ש נאה ש ה ש מכסהוא כסיל׃

יח

19 Where there is much talking, there is no lack of transgressing, But he who curbs his tongue shows sense.

ך ע וחש ש ל־פ ברים לא יחד רב ד ביל׃ כ פתיו מש ש

יט

20 The tongue of a righteous man is choice silver, But the mind of the wicked is of little worth.

עים יק לב רש סף נבחר לשון צד כמעט׃ כ

כ

21 The lips of the righteous sustain many, But fools die for lack of sense.

ים ואוילים יק ירעו רב פתי צד שחסר־לב ימותו׃ ב

כא

22 It is the blessing of Hashem that enriches, And no toil can increase it.

יר ולא־יוסף ת יהוה היא תעש רכ בה׃ עצב עמ

כב

bir-KAT a-do-NAI HEE ta-a-SHEER v’-LO yo-SIF E-tzev i-MAH

23 As mischief is sport for the dullard, So is wisdom for the man of understanding.

ה וחכמה חוק לכסיל עשות זמ ש כבונה׃ לאיש ת

כג

24 What the wicked man plots overtakes him; What the righteous desire is granted.

ע היא תבואנו ותאות מגורת רשן׃ יקים ית צד

כד

25 When the storm passes the wicked man is gone, But the righteous is an everlasting foundation.

יק יסוד ע וצד עבור סופה ואין רש כעולם׃

כה

26 Like vinegar to the teeth, Like smoke to the eyes, Is a lazy man to those who send him on a mission.

ן העצל ן לעינים כ ים וכעש נ חמץ לש כלשלחיו׃

כו

27 The fear of Hashem prolongs life, While the years of the wicked will be shortened.

עים נות רש יראת יהוה תוסיף ימים ושקצרנה׃ ת

כז

28 The righteous can look forward to joy, But the hope of the wicked is doomed.

מחה ותקות יקים ש תוחלת צדעים תאבד׃ רש

כח

29 The way of Hashem is a stronghold for the blameless, But a ruin for evildoers.

ה לפעלי רך יהוה ומחת מעוז לתם דאון׃

כט

30 The righteous will never be shaken; The wicked will not inhabit the earth.

עים לא ל־ימוט ורש יק לעולם ב צדנו־ארץ׃ כ יש

ל

38

משליפרק יא


31 The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom, But the treacherous tongue shall be cut off.

כות הפ יק ינוב חכמה ולשון ת י־צד פרת׃ כ ת

לא

32 The lips of the righteous know what is pleasing; The mouth of the wicked [knows] duplicity.

עים יק ידעון רצון ופי רש פתי צד שכות׃ הפ ת

לב

11 1 False scales are an abomination to Hashem; An honest weight pleases Him.

מאזני מרמה תועבת יהוה ואבן למה רצונו׃ ש

יא א2 When arrogance appears, disgrace follows, But

wisdom is with those who are unassuming.בא קלון ואת־צנועים א־זדון וי ב

חכמה׃ב

3 The integrity of the upright guides them; The deviousness of the treacherous leads them to ruin.

נחם וסלף בוגדים רים ת ת יש מ תם׃[ ד ושדם ]יש

ג

4 Wealth is of no avail on the day of wrath, But righteousness saves from death.

יל צ יום עברה וצדקה ת לא־יועיל הון בות׃ ממ

ד

5 The righteousness of the blameless man smooths his way, But the wicked man is felled by his wickedness.

עתו רכו וברש ר ד יש מים ת צדקת תע׃ יפל רש

ה

6 The righteousness of the upright saves them, But the treacherous are trapped by their malice.

ת בגדים ילם ובהו צ רים ת צדקת ישכדו׃ יל

ו

7 At death the hopes of a wicked man are doomed, And the ambition of evil men comes to nothing.

קוה ותוחלת ע תאבד ת מות אדם רש באונים אבדה׃

ז

8 The righteous man is rescued from trouble And the wicked man takes his place.

יו׃ חת ע ת בא רש רה נחלץ וי יק מצ צד ח

9 The impious man destroys his neighbor through speech, But through their knowledge the righteous are rescued.

יקים חת רעהו ובדעת צד פה חנף יש ביחלצו׃

ט

10 When the righteous prosper the city exults; When the wicked perish there are shouts of joy.

עלץ קריה ובאבד יקים ת טוב צד בה׃ עים רנ רש

י

11 A city is built up by the blessing of the upright, But it is torn down by the speech of the wicked.

רום קרת ובפי רים ת ת יש ברכ בהרס׃ עים ת רש

יא

12 He who speaks contemptuously of his fellowman is devoid of sense; A prudent man keeps his peace.

בונות ז־לרעהו חסר־לב ואיש ת ביחריש׃

יב

13 A base fellow gives away secrets, But a trustworthy soul keeps a confidence.

ה־סוד ונאמן־רוח הולך רכיל מגלה דבר׃ מכס

יג

14 For want of strategy an army falls, But victory comes with much planning.

רב ל־עם ותשועה ב לות יפ חב אין ת ביועץ׃

יד

15 Harm awaits him who stands surety for another; He who spurns pledging shall be secure.

י־ערב זר ושנא תקעים רע־ירוע כבוטח׃

טו

16 A graceful woman obtains honor; Ruthless men obtain wealth.

בוד ועריצים יתמכו־ תמך כ ת־חן ת אשר׃ עש

טז

39


Proverbs

משליפרק יא

11:26 He who withholds grain earns the curses of the people The Bible commands the Israelites

to set aside a certain portion of their crops, grown in the Land of Israel, for the poor. The corners of their fields, the forgotten sheaves and the grains that fall during harvest are all to be left for the needy (Leviticus 19:9-10, Deuteronomy 24:19). In Megillat Rut, Boaz sustains his

community in this manner and Rut, the poor widow, gathers in his field (chapter 2). This biblical imperative is still practiced in Israel today. Each season, farmers throughout Israel leave over millions of pounds of produce from their fields, which are collected by volunteers and distributed to poor people all over the country.

17 A kindly man benefits himself; A cruel man makes trouble for himself.

ארו גמל נפשו איש חסד ועכר שאכזרי׃

יז

18 The wicked man earns illusory wages, But he who sows righteousness has a true reward.

קר וזרע צדקה ת־ש ה פעל ע עש רשכר אמת׃ ש

יח

19 Righteousness is a prop of life, But to pursue evil leads to death.

ף רעה למותו׃ ים ומרד ן־צדקה לחי כ יט

20 Men of crooked mind are an abomination to Hashem, But those whose way is blameless please Him.

מימי י־לב ורצונו ת ש תועבת יהוה עקדרך׃

כ

21 Assuredly, the evil man will not escape, But the offspring of the righteous will be safe.

יקים ע וזרע צד קה ר יד ליד לא־יננמלט׃

כא

22 Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig Is a beautiful woman bereft of sense.

ה יפה וסרת אף חזיר אש נזם זהב בטעם׃

כב

23 What the righteous desire can only be good; What the wicked hope for [stirs] wrath.

עים קות רש יקים אך־טוב ת אות צד תעברה׃

כג

24 One man gives generously and ends with more; Another stints on doing the right thing and incurs a loss.

ר אך־ ך מיש ר ונוסף עוד וחוש יש מפזלמחסור׃

כד

25 A generous person enjoys prosperity; He who satisfies others shall himself be sated.

ם־הוא יורא׃ ן ומרוה ג רכה תדש נפש־ב כה

26 He who withholds grain earns the curses of the people, But blessings are on the head of the one who dispenses it.

בהו לאום וברכה לראש ר יק מנע ביר׃ ב מש

כו

mo-NAY-a BAR yi-k’-VU-hu l’-OM uv-ra-KHAH l’-ROSH mash-BEER

27 He who earnestly seeks what is good pursues what is pleasing; He who is bent on evil, upon him it shall come.

ש רצון ודרש רעה שחר טוב יבקתבואנו׃

כז

28 He who trusts in his wealth shall fall, But the righteous shall flourish like foliage.

יקים רו הוא יפל וכעלה צד עש בוטח ביפרחו׃

כח

29 He who makes trouble for his household shall inherit the wind; A fool is a slave to the wise-hearted.

יתו ינחל־רוח ועבד אויל עוכר בלחכם־לב׃

כט

40

משליפרק יב


12:11 He who tills his land shall have food in plenty Israel was intended to be an agrarian

society, therefore in this verse, farming is seen as a worthy pursuit. The Bible strengthens the people’s connection to the Land of Israel through various agricultural

celebrations, commemorations and obligations. Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook points out that it is not these laws, unique to Eretz Yisrael, which make the land holy. Rather, it is the intrinsic holiness of the land that inspires these special agricultural commandments.

Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook

(1865-1935)

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; A wise man captivates people.

ים ולקח נפשות חכם׃ יק עץ חי רי־צד פ ל

31 If the righteous on earth get their deserts, How much more the wicked man and the sinner.

ע י־רש ם אף כ ל ארץ יש יק ב הן צדוחוטא׃

לא

12 1 He who loves discipline loves knowledge; He who spurns reproof is a brutish man.

עת ושנא תוכחת אהב מוסר אהב דער׃ ב

יב א2 A good man earns the favor of Hashem, A man of

intrigues, His condemnation.טוב יפיק רצון מיהוה ואיש מזמות

יע׃ ירשב

3 A man cannot be established in wickedness, But the root of the righteous will not be shaken loose.

יקים ע ושרש צד רש לא־יכון אדם בל־ימוט׃ ב

ג

4 A capable wife is a crown for her husband, But an incompetent one is like rot in his bones.

עלה וכרקב ת־חיל עטרת ב אשה׃ עצמותיו מביש ב

ד

5 The purposes of the righteous are justice, The schemes of the wicked are deceit.

לות חב ט ת פ יקים מש בות צד מחשעים מרמה׃ רש

ה

6 The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush, But the speech of the upright saves them.

רים ם ופי יש עים ארב־ד ברי רש דילם׃ יצ

ו

7 Overturn the wicked and they are gone, But the house of the righteous will endure.

יקים עים ואינם ובית צד הפוך רשיעמד׃

ז

8 A man is commended according to his intelligence; A twisted mind is held up to contempt.

ל־איש ונעוה־לב יהיה כלו יהל לפי־שלבוז׃

ח

9 Better to be lightly esteemed and have a servant Than to put on airs and have no food.

ד וחסר־ ב תכ טוב נקלה ועבד לו ממלחם׃

ט

10 A righteous man knows the needs of his beast, But the compassion of the wicked is cruelty.

עים המתו ורחמי רש יק נפש ב יודע צדאכזרי׃

י

11 He who tills his land shall have food in plenty, But he who pursues vanities is devoid of sense.

ף ע־לחם ומרד ב עבד אדמתו ישריקים חסר־לב׃

יא

o-VAYD ad-ma-TO yis-ba LA-chem um-ra-DAYF ray-KEEM cha-sar LAYV

12 The wicked covet the catch of evil men; The root of the righteous yields [fruit].

יקים ע מצוד רעים ושרש צד חמד רשן׃ ית

יב

13 Sinful speech is a trap for the evil man, But the righteous escapes from trouble.

רה צא מצ פתים מוקש רע וי ע ש פש ביק׃ צד

יג

14 A man gets his fill of good from the fruit of his speech; One is repaid in kind for one’s deeds.

ע־טוב וגמול ידי־ ב רי פי־איש יש מפיב[ לו׃ אדם ישוב ]יש

יד

41


Proverbs

משליפרק יג

15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; But the wise man accepts advice.

עיניו ושמע לעצה ר ב רך אויל יש דחכם׃

טו

16 A fool’s vexation is known at once, But a clever man conceals his humiliation.

עסו וכסה קלון דע כ יום יו אויל בערום׃

טז

17 He who testifies faithfully tells the truth, But a false witness, deceit.

קרים יד צדק ועד ש יפיח אמונה יגמרמה׃

יז

18 There is blunt talk like sword-thrusts, But the speech of the wise is healing.

מדקרות חרב ולשון חכמים יש בוטה כא׃ מרפ

יח

19 Truthful speech abides forever, A lying tongue for but a moment.

יעה כון לעד ועד־ארג פת־אמת ת שקר׃ לשון ש

יט

20 Deceit is in the minds of those who plot evil; For those who plan good there is joy.

לום י רע וליעצי ש לב־חרש מרמה במחה׃ ש

כ

21 No harm befalls the righteous, But the wicked have their fill of misfortune.

עים ל־און ורש יק כ ד ה לצ לא־יאנמלאו רע׃

כא

22 Lying speech is an abomination to Hashem, But those who act faithfully please Him.

י אמונה קר ועש פתי־ש תועבת יהוה שרצונו׃

כב

23 A clever man conceals what he knows, But the mind of a dullard cries out folly.

סילים עת ולב כ אדם ערום כסה דלת׃ יקרא או

כג

24 The hand of the diligent wields authority; The negligent are held in subjection.

היה למס׃ ה ת משול ורמי יד־חרוצים ת כד

25 If there is anxiety in a man’s mind let him quash it, And turn it into joy with a good word.

ה ודבר טוב חנ אגה בלב־איש יש דה׃ חנ מ יש

כה

26 A righteous man gives his friend direction, But the way of the wicked leads astray.

עים יק ודרך רש יתר מרעהו צדתעם׃ ת

כו

27 A negligent man never has game to roast; A diligent man has precious wealth.

ה צידו והון־אדם יקר לא־יחרך רמיחרוץ׃

כז

28 The road of righteousness leads to life; By way of its path there is no death.

ים ודרך נתיבה אל־ ארח־צדקה חי במות׃

כח

13 1 A wise son—it is through the discipline of his father; A scoffer—he never heard reproof.

ערה׃ מע ג ן חכם מוסר אב ולץ לא־ש ב יג א2 A man enjoys good from the fruit of his speech;

But out of the throat of the treacherous comes lawlessness.

רי פי־איש יאכל טוב ונפש בגדים מפחמס׃

ב

3 He who guards his tongue preserves his life; He who opens wide his lips, it is his ruin.

פתיו ק ש יו שמר נפשו פש נצר פה־לו׃ מחת

ג

4 A lazy man craves, but has nothing; The diligent shall feast on rich fare.

ה ואין נפשו עצל ונפש חרצים מתאון׃ דש ת

ד

42

משליפרק יג


5 A righteous man hates lies; The wicked man is vile and disgraceful.

ע יבאיש יק ורש נא צד קר יש בר־ש דיר׃ ויחפ

ה

6 Righteousness protects him whose way is blameless; Wickedness subverts the sinner.

ף סל עה ת רך ורש ם־ד צר ת צדקה תאת׃ חט

ו

7 One man pretends to be rich and has nothing; Another professes to be poor and has much wealth.

ש והון ר ואין כל מתרוש יש מתעשרב׃

ז

8 Riches are ransom for a man’s life, The poor never heard a reproof.

מע רו ורש לא־ש כפר נפש־איש עשערה׃ ג

ח

9 The light of the righteous is radiant; The lamp of the wicked is extinguished.

עים ידעך׃ מח ונר רש יקים יש אור־צד ט

10 Arrogance yields nothing but strife; Wisdom belongs to those who seek advice.

ה ואת־נועצים ן מצ זדון ית רק־בחכמה׃

י

11 Wealth may dwindle to less than nothing, But he who gathers little by little increases it.

ה׃ הון מהבל ימעט וקבץ על־יד ירב יא

12 Hope deferred sickens the heart, But desire realized is a tree of life.

ים כה מחלה־לב ועץ חי תוחלת ממשאוה באה׃ ת

יב

13 He who disdains a precept will be injured thereby; He who respects a command will be rewarded.

ז לדבר יחבל לו וירא מצוה הוא בם׃ ל יש

יג

14 The instruction of a wise man is a fountain of life, Enabling one to avoid deadly snares.

י ים לסור ממקש תורת חכם מקור חימות׃

יד

15 Good sense wins favor; The way of treacherous men is unchanging.

ן־חן ודרך בגדים איתן׃ כל־טוב ית ש טו

16 Every clever man acts knowledgeably, But a dullard exposes his stupidity.

ה בדעת וכסיל יפרש ל־ערום יעש כלת׃ או

טז

17 Harm befalls a wicked messenger; A faithful courier brings healing.

רע וציר אמונים ע יפל ב מלאך רשא׃ מרפ

יז

18 Poverty and humiliation are for him who spurns discipline; But he who takes reproof to heart gets honor.

ריש וקלון פורע מוסר ושומר תוכחת ד׃ יכב

יח

19 Desire realized is sweet to the soul; To turn away from evil is abhorrent to the stupid.

ערב לנפש ותועבת אוה נהיה ת תסילים סור מרע׃ כ

יט

20 He who keeps company with the wise becomes wise, But he who consorts with dullards comes to grief.

הלוך ]הולך[ את־חכמים וחכם ם[ ורעה כסילים ירוע׃ ]יחכ

כ

21 Misfortune pursues sinners, But the righteous are well rewarded.

יקים ף רעה ואת־צד רד אים ת חטם־טוב׃ ל יש

כא

43


Proverbs

משליפרק יד

13:22 A good man has what to bequeath to his grand-children A righteous man leaves more than a physical inheritance for his children and grandchildren, as the merit of his good deeds is also bequeathed to them. By contrast, though, the sinner’s wealth will ultimately

pass to more worthy hands. The greatest inheritance left to the Jewish people is the Land of Israel, not to be squandered or given away, but passed to down to their children’s children for eternity.

22 A good man has what to bequeath to his grandchildren, For the wealth of sinners is stored up for the righteous.

יק חיל ד ני־בנים וצפון לצ טוב ינחיל בחוטא׃

כב

TOV yan-KHEEL b’-nay va-NEEM v’-tza-FUN la-tza-DEEK KHAYL kho-TAY

23 The tillage of the poor yields much food; But substance is swept away for lack of moderation.

לא ה ב ים ויש נספ רב־אכל ניר ראשט׃ פ מש

כג

24 He who spares the rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him early.

חרו בטו שונא בנו ואהבו ש ך ש חושמוסר׃

כד

25 The righteous man eats to his heart’s content, But the belly of the wicked is empty.

עים יק אכל לשבע נפשו ובטן רש צדחסר׃ ת

כה

14 1 The wisest of women builds her house, But folly tears it down with its own hands.

לת נתה ביתה ואו ים ב חכמות נשידיה תהרסנו׃ ב

יד א2 He who maintains his integrity fears Hashem; A

man of devious ways scorns Him.רכיו רו ירא יהוה ונלוז ד יש הולך ב

בוזהו׃ב

3 In the mouth of a fool is a rod of haughtiness, But the lips of the wise protect them.

פתי חכמים אוה וש פי־אויל חטר ג במורם׃ ש ת

ג

4 If there are no oxen the crib is clean, But a rich harvest comes through the strength of the ox.

בואות ר ורב־ת אין אלפים אבוס ב בכח שור׃ ב

ד

5 An honest witness will not lie; A false witness testifies lies.

זבים עד ב ויפיח כ עד אמונים לא יכזקר׃ ש

ה

6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, But knowledge comes easily to the intelligent man.

ש־לץ חכמה ואין ודעת לנבון נקל׃ ק ב ו

7 Keep your distance from a dullard, For you will not learn wise speech.

סיל ובל־ידעת גד לאיש כ לך מנפתי־דעת׃ ש

ז

8 It is the wisdom of a clever man to understand his course; But the stupidity of the dullard is delusion.

סילים לת כ רכו ואו חכמת ערום הבין דמרמה׃

ח

9 Reparations mediate between fools, Between the upright, good will.

רים רצון׃ ם ובין יש אולים יליץ אש ט

10 The heart alone knows its bitterness, And no outsider can share in its joy.

מחתו לא־ ת נפשו ובש לב יודע מריתערב זר׃

י

11 The house of the wicked will be demolished, But the tent of the upright will flourish.

רים מד ואהל יש עים יש ית רש ביפריח׃

יא

44

משליפרק יד


14:28 A numerous people is the glory of a king This verse is frequently understood in reference

to Hashem Himself. His glory is increased when the multitudes of His people follow His ways, bringing Him a

12 A road may seem right to a man, But in the end it is a road to death.

ר לפני־איש ואחריתה רך יש יש דרכי־מות׃ ד

יב

13 The heart may ache even in laughter, And joy may end in grief.

מחה חוק יכאב־לב ואחריתה ש ש ם־ב גתוגה׃

יג

14 An unprincipled man reaps the fruits of his ways; A good man, of his deeds.

ע סוג לב ומעליו איש ב רכיו יש מדטוב׃

יד

15 A simple person believes anything; A clever man ponders his course.

בר וערום יבין תי יאמין לכל־ד פרו׃ לאש

טו

16 A wise man is diffident and shuns evil, But a dullard rushes in confidently.

ר חכם ירא וסר מרע וכסיל מתעבובוטח׃

טז

17 An impatient man commits folly; A man of intrigues will be hated.

לת ואיש מזמות ה או ים יעש קצר־אפנא׃ יש

יז

18 Folly is the lot of the simple, But clever men glory in knowledge.

רו לת וערומים יכת נחלו פתאים אודעת׃

יח

19 Evil men are brought low before the good, So are the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

עים על־ חו רעים לפני טובים ורש שיק׃ ערי צד ש

יט

20 A pauper is despised even by his peers, But a rich man has many friends.

יר נא רש ואהבי עש ם־לרעהו יש גים׃ רב

כ

21 He who despises his fellow is wrong; He who shows pity for the lowly is happy.

ז־לרעהו חוטא ומחונן עניים ]ענוים[ בריו׃ אש

כא

22 Surely those who plan evil go astray, While those who plan good earn steadfast love.

י רע וחסד ואמת ה לוא־יתעו חרשי טוב׃ חרש

כב

23 From all toil there is some gain, But idle chatter is pure loss.

פתים כל־עצב יהיה מותר ודבר־ש באך־למחסור׃

כג

24 The ornament of the wise is their wealth; The stupidity of dullards is stupidity.

סילים לת כ רם או עטרת חכמים עשלת׃ או

כד

25 A truthful witness saves lives; He who testifies lies [spreads] deceit.

זבים יל נפשות עד אמת ויפח כ מצמרמה׃

כה

26 Fear of Hashem is a stronghold, A refuge for a man’s children.

יראת יהוה מבטח־עז ולבניו יהיה במחסה׃

כו

27 Fear of Hashem is a fountain of life, Enabling one to avoid deadly snares.

י ים לסור ממקש יראת יהוה מקור חימות׃

כז

28 A numerous people is the glory of a king; Without a nation a ruler is ruined.

רב־עם הדרת־מלך ובאפס לאם בת רזון׃ מחת

כח

b’-rov AM had-rat ME-lekh uv-E-fes l’-OM m’-khi-TAT ra-ZON

45


Proverbs

משליפרק טו

good name in the eyes of the world. Based on this verse, Jewish tradition teaches that if a person has a choice of houses of worship in which he could pray, it is preferable to worship God in the larger congregation, for “A numerous people is the glory of a king.” The ultimate expression of God’s glory, however, can be learned from its inverse: The greatest disgrace to Hashem’s glory is when

the Children of Israel are isolated, scattered and exiled from the land. The greatest glory to the King of Kings, therefore, is the return of the People of Israel to the Land of Israel in large numbers. How fortunate is our generation that has seen millions of Jews from the four corners of the world return en masse to live in Israel, thereby bringing glory to the King of Kings.

29 Patience results in much understanding; Impatience gets folly as its portion.

בונה וקצר־רוח מרים ים רב־ת ארך אפלת׃ או

כט

30 A calm disposition gives bodily health; Passion is rot to the bones.

א ורקב עצמות רים לב מרפ י בש חיקנאה׃

ל

31 He who withholds what is due to the poor affronts his Maker; He who shows pity for the needy honors Him.

דו חנן הו ומכב ל חרף עש ק־ד עשאביון׃

לא

32 The wicked man is felled by his own evil; The righteous man finds security in his death.

יק׃ ע וחסה במותו צד חה רש רעתו יד ב לב

33 Wisdom rests quietly in the mind of a prudent man, But among dullards it makes itself known.

סילים נוח חכמה ובקרב כ לב נבון ת בדע׃ ו ת

לג

34 Righteousness exalts a nation; Sin is a reproach to any people.

ים צדקה תרומם־גוי וחסד לאמאת׃ חט

לד

35 The king favors a capable servant; He rages at an incompetent one.

היה יל ועברתו ת כ רצון־מלך לעבד משמביש׃

לה

15 1 A gentle response allays wrath; A harsh word provokes anger.

יב חמה ודבר־עצב יעלה־ ך יש מענה־ראף׃

טו א2 The tongue of the wise produces much knowledge,

But the mouth of dullards pours out folly.עת ופי כסילים יטיב ד לשון חכמים ת

לת׃ יע או יבב

3 The eyes of Hashem are everywhere, Observing the bad and the good.

כל־מקום עיני יהוה צפות רעים בוטובים׃

ג

4 A healing tongue is a tree of life, But a devious one makes for a broken spirit.

בר ה ש ים וסלף ב א לשון עץ חי מרפרוח׃ ב

ד

5 A fool spurns the discipline of his father, But one who heeds reproof becomes clever.

אויל ינאץ מוסר אביו ושמר תוכחת יערם׃

ה

6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, But in the harvest of the wicked there is trouble.

ע יק חסן רב ובתבואת רש ית צד ברת׃ נעכ

ו

7 The lips of the wise disseminate knowledge; Not so the minds of dullards.

סילים פתי חכמים יזרו דעת ולב כ שלא־כן׃

ז

8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Hashem, But the prayer of the upright pleases Him.

ת עים תועבת יהוה ותפל זבח רשרים רצונו׃ יש

ח

46

משליפרק טו


15:16 Better a little with fear of Hashem Shlomo presents the reader an understanding of true value. It is better to have only a little, accompanied by faith in Hashem, than to have much wealth, but suffer from inner turmoil and doubt. This eternal truth is especially

evident in today’s celebrity culture, where so many people who seem to have it all suffer publicly from depression and family instability. In contrast to the constant and empty pursuit of fame and fortune, King Shlomo teaches “better a little with fear of Hashem.”

9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to Hashem, But He loves him who pursues righteousness.

ף צדקה ע ומרד רך רש תועבת יהוה דיאהב׃

ט

10 Discipline seems bad to him who forsakes the way; He who spurns reproof will die.

מוסר רע לעזב ארח שונא תוכחת ימות׃

י

11 Sheol and Abaddon lie exposed to Hashem, How much more the minds of men!

י־לבות אול ואבדון נגד יהוה אף כ שני־אדם׃ ב

יא

12 The scoffer dislikes being reproved; He will not resort to the wise.

לא יאהב־לץ הוכח לו אל־חכמים לא ילך׃

יב

13 A joyful heart makes a cheerful face; A sad heart makes a despondent mood.

בת־לב רוח נים ובעצ מח ייטב פ לב שנכאה׃

יג

14 The mind of a prudent man seeks knowledge; The mouth of the dullard pursues folly.

עת ופני ]ופי[ כסילים ש־ד לב נבון יבקלת׃ ירעה או

יד

15 All the days of a poor man are wretched, But contentment is a feast without end.

ה ת ל־ימי עני רעים וטוב־לב מש כתמיד׃

טו

16 Better a little with fear of Hashem Than great wealth with confusion.

יראת יהוה מאוצר רב טוב־מעט בומהומה בו׃

טז

tov m’-AT b’-yir-AT a-do-NAI may-o-TZAR RAV um-HU-mah VO

17 Better a meal of vegetables where there is love Than a fattened ox where there is hate.

ור ם מש טוב ארחת ירק ואהבה־שנאה־בו׃ אבוס וש

יז

18 A hot-tempered man provokes a quarrel; A patient man calms strife.

ים איש חמה יגרה מדון וארך אפקיט ריב׃ יש

יח

19 The way of a lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, But the path of the upright is paved.

רים כת חדק וארח יש מש רך עצל כ דסללה׃

יט

20 A wise son makes his father happy; A fool of a man humiliates his mother.

ח־אב וכסיל אדם בוזה מ ן חכם יש באמו׃

כ

21 Folly is joy to one devoid of sense; A prudent man walks a straight path.

בונה מחה לחסר־לב ואיש ת לת ש אור־לכת׃ ייש

כא

22 Plans are foiled for want of counsel, But they succeed through many advisers.

אין סוד וברב יועצים בות ב הפר מחשקום׃ ת

כב

23 A ready response is a joy to a man, And how good is a word rightly timed!

עתו מענה־פיו ודבר ב מחה לאיש ב שמה־טוב׃

כג

47


Proverbs

משליפרק טז

16:4 Hashem made everything for a purpose Since we know that Hashem is good, sometimes we assume that bad things happen despite Him. This verse reminds us that everything, even that which we perceive as evil, was created by God for a purpose. Though the reason is not always clear, we must look for the good that comes from every situation. The slavery in Egypt, for example, led to

the formation of the Nation of Israel, the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, and ultimately the acquisition of the Land of Israel. With this verse in mind, we can rest assured that Israel’s many enemies and the threats facing the Jewish state today are also part of Hashem’s divine plan and will lead to the greatest good: The redemption of Israel and the world.

24 For an intelligent man the path of life leads upward, In order to avoid Sheol below.

יל למען סור כ ים למעלה למש ארח חיה׃ אול מט מש

כד

25 Hashem will tear down the house of the proud, But He will establish the homestead of the widow.

בול אלמנה׃ ב ג ח יהוה ויצ אים יס ית ג ב כה

26 Evil thoughts are an abomination to Hashem, But pleasant words are pure.

בות רע וטהרים תועבת יהוה מחשאמרי־נעם׃

כו

27 He who pursues ill-gotten gain makes trouble for his household; He who spurns gifts will live long.

נת צע ושונא מת יתו בוצע ב עכר ביחיה׃

כז

28 The heart of the righteous man rehearses his answer, But the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil things.

יע עים יב ה לענות ופי רש יק יהג לב צדרעות׃

כח

29 Hashem is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

יקים ת צד עים ותפל רחוק יהוה מרשמע׃ יש

כט

30 What brightens the eye gladdens the heart; Good news puts fat on the bones.

מועה טובה ח־לב ש מ מאור־עינים ישן־עצם׃ דש ת

ל

31 He whose ear heeds the discipline of life Lodges among the wise.

קרב חכמים ים ב אזן שמעת תוכחת חילין׃ ת

לא

32 He who spurns discipline hates himself; He who heeds reproof gains understanding.

פורע מוסר מואס נפשו ושומע ב׃ תוכחת קונה ל

לב

33 The fear of Hashem is the discipline of wisdom; Humility precedes honor.

יראת יהוה מוסר חכמה ולפני כבוד ענוה׃

לג

16 1 A man may arrange his thoughts, But what he says depends on Hashem.

לאדם מערכי־לב ומיהוה מענה לשון׃ טז א2 All the ways of a man seem right to him, But

Hashem probes motives.עיניו ותכן רוחות רכי־איש זך ב ל־ד כ

יהוה׃ב

3 Entrust your affairs to Hashem, And your plans will succeed.

בתיך׃ יך ויכנו מחש גל אל־יהוה מעש ג

4 Hashem made everything for a purpose, Even the wicked for an evil day.

ע ליום ענהו וגם־רש על יהוה למ כל פרעה׃

ד

KOL pa-AL a-do-NAI l’-ma-a-NAY-hu v’-gam ra-SHA l’-YOM ra-AH

5 Every haughty person is an abomination to Hashem; Assuredly, he will not go unpunished.

בה־לב יד ליד לא ל־ג תועבת יהוה כקה׃ ינ

ה

48

משליפרק טז


6 Iniquity is expiated by loyalty and faithfulness, And evil is avoided through fear of Hashem.

ר עון וביראת יהוה חסד ואמת יכפ בסור מרע׃

ו

7 When Hashem is pleased with a man’s conduct, He may turn even his enemies into allies.

ם־אויביו רכי־איש ג רצות יהוה ד בלם אתו׃ יש

ז

8 Better a little with righteousness Than a large income with injustice.

לא בואות ב צדקה מרב ת טוב־מעט בט׃ פ מש

ח

9 A man may plot out his course, But it is Hashem who directs his steps.

רכו ויהוה יכין צעדו׃ ב ד לב אדם יחש ט

10 There is magic on the lips of the king; He cannot err in judgment.

ט לא פ מש פתי־מלך ב קסם על־שיו׃ ימעל־פ

י

11 Honest scales and balances are Hashem’s; All the weights in the bag are His work.

הו ט ליהוה מעש פ לס ומאזני מש פל־אבני־כיס׃ כ

יא

12 Wicked deeds are an abomination to kings, For the throne is established by righteousness.

י בצדקה ע כ תועבת מלכים עשות רשא׃ ס יכון כ

יב

13 Truthful speech wins the favor of kings; They love those who speak honestly.

רים פתי־צדק ודבר יש רצון מלכים שיאהב׃

יג

14 The king’s wrath is a messenger of death, But a wise man can appease it.

חמת־מלך מלאכי־מות ואיש חכם ה׃ רנ יכפ

יד

15 The king’s smile means life; His favor is like a rain cloud in spring.

עב ים ורצונו כ ני־מלך חי אור־פ במלקוש׃

טו

16 How much better to acquire wisdom than gold; To acquire understanding is preferable to silver.

קנה־חכמה מה־טוב מחרוץ וקנות סף׃ ינה נבחר מכ ב

טז

17 The highway of the upright avoids evil; He who would preserve his life watches his way.

רים סור מרע שמר נפשו ת יש מסלרכו׃ נצר ד

יז

18 Pride goes before ruin, Arrogance, before failure. לון גבה רוח׃ און ולפני כש בר ג לפני־ש יח

19 Better to be humble and among the lowly Than to share spoils with the proud.

פל־רוח את־עניים ]ענוים[ טוב שאים׃ לל את־ג ק ש מחל

יט

20 He who is adept in a matter will attain success; Happy is he who trusts in Hashem.

בר ימצא־טוב ובוטח יל על־ד כ משריו׃ יהוה אש ב

כ

21 The wise-hearted is called discerning; One whose speech is pleasing gains wisdom.

פתים רא נבון ומתק ש לחכם־לב יקיסיף לקח׃

כא

22 Good sense is a fountain of life to those who have it, And folly is the punishment of fools.

עליו ומוסר אולים כל ב ים ש מקור חילת׃ או

כב

23 The mind of the wise man makes his speech effective And increases the wisdom on his lips.

פתיו יסיף יהו ועל־ש יל פ כ לב חכם ישלקח׃

כג

24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweet to the palate and a cure for the body.

פש בש אמרי־נעם מתוק לנ צוף־דא לעצם׃ ומרפ

כד

25 A road may seem right to a man, But in the end it is a road to death.

ר לפני־איש ואחריתה רך יש יש דרכי־מות׃ ד

כה

49


Proverbs

משליפרק יז

17:6 Grandchildren are the crown of their elders This verse extols the blessing of

grandchildren, much like the passage in Sefer Tehillim (128:6). In Sefer Tehillim, however, the blessing of grandchildren is couched between references to the well-being of Yerushalayim and Eretz Yisrael: “May you share the prosperity of Yerushalayim all the days of your life, and live to see your children’s children. May all be well with Yisrael (literally, ‘may peace be upon Yisrael’)” (Psalms 128:5- 6). What is the connection between

children’s children and the welfare of Eretz Yisrael and Yerushalayim? It has been suggested that verse 5 should be understood as a command rather than a promise: See the good of Jerusalem. We must emphasize and talk about what is special and precious about the Land of Israel, instead of complaining and focusing on the negative. If that is how we relate to land, and that is what we convey and pass down to our children and grandchildren, then there is a hope for a future in which peace will be upon Israel.

26 The appetite of a laborer labors for him, Because his hunger forces him on.

י־אכף עליו נפש עמל עמלה לו כיהו׃ פ

כו

27 A scoundrel plots evil; What is on his lips is like a scorching fire.

על כרה רעה ועל־שפתיו לי איש באש צרבת׃ פתו[ כ ]ש

כז

28 A shifty man stirs up strife, And a querulous one alienates his friend.

ן מפריד ח מדון ונרג ל כות יש הפ איש תאלוף׃

כח

29 A lawless man misleads his friend, Making him take the wrong way.

דרך ה רעהו והוליכו ב איש חמס יפתלא־טוב׃

כט

30 He closes his eyes while meditating deception; He purses his lips while deciding upon evil.

כות קרץ הפ עצה עיניו לחשב תה רעה׃ ל פתיו כ ש

ל

31 Gray hair is a crown of glory; It is attained by the way of righteousness.

דרך צדקה יבה ב פארת ש עטרת תצא׃ מ ת

לא

32 Better to be forbearing than mighty, To have self-control than to conquer a city.

רוחו ל ב בור ומש ים מג טוב ארך אפמלכד עיר׃

לב

33 Lots are cast into the lap; The decision depends on Hashem.

ל־ חיק יוטל את־הגורל ומיהוה כ בטו׃ פ מש

לג

17 1 Better a dry crust with peace Than a house full of feasting with strife.

ית מלא לוה־בה מב ת חרבה וש טוב פזבחי־ריב׃

יז א2 A capable servant will dominate an incompetent

son And share the inheritance with the brothers.בן מביש ובתוך יל ימשל ב כ עבד־מש

אחים יחלק נחלה׃ב

3 For silver—the crucible; For gold—the furnace, And Hashem tests the mind.

הב ובחן לבות סף וכור לז מצרף לכיהוה׃

ג

4 An evildoer listens to mischievous talk; A liar gives ear to malicious words.

קר מזין פת־און ש יב על־ש מרע מקשעל־לשון הות׃

ד

5 He who mocks the poor affronts his Maker; He who rejoices over another’s misfortune will not go unpunished.

מח לאיד לא הו ש לעג לרש חרף עשקה׃ ינ

ה

6 Grandchildren are the crown of their elders, And the glory of children is their parents.

נים ני בנים ותפארת ב עטרת זקנים באבותם׃

ו

a-TE-ret z’-kay-NEEM b’-NAY va-NEEM v’-tif-E-ret ba-NEEM a-vo-TAM

50

משליפרק יז


7 Lofty words are not fitting for a villain; Much less lying words for a great man.

י־לנדיב פת־יתר אף כ לא־נאוה לנבל שקר׃ פת־ש ש

ז

8 A bribe seems like a charm to him who uses it; He succeeds at every turn.

ל־ עיני בעליו אל־כ חד ב אבן־חן השיל׃ כ ר יפנה יש אש

ח

9 He who seeks love overlooks faults, But he who harps on a matter alienates his friend.

ש אהבה ושנה בדבר ע מבק ש ה־פ מכסמפריד אלוף׃

ט

10 A rebuke works on an intelligent man More than one hundred blows on a fool.

סיל מאה׃ ערה במבין מהכות כ חת ג ת י

11 An evil man seeks only to rebel; A ruthless messenger will be sent against him.

ש־רע ומלאך אכזרי אך־מרי יבקח־בו׃ ל יש

יא

12 Sooner meet a bereaved she-bear Than a fool with his nonsense.

סיל איש ואל־כ כול ב גוש דב ש פלתו׃ או ב

יב

13 Evil will never depart from the house Of him who repays good with evil.

חת טובה לא־תמיש יב רעה ת משיתו׃ ]תמוש[ רעה מב

יג

14 To start a quarrel is to open a sluice; Before a dispute flares up, drop it.

ע ל ית מדון ולפני התג פוטר מים ראשהריב נטוש׃

יד

15 To acquit the guilty and convict the innocent— Both are an abomination to Hashem.

יק תועבת יע צד ע ומרש יק רש מצדניהם׃ ם־ש יהוה ג

טו

16 What good is money in the hand of a fool To purchase wisdom, when he has no mind?

סיל לקנות חכמה יד־כ ה מחיר ב ה־ז למולב־אין׃

טז

17 A friend is devoted at all times; A brother is born to share adversity.

לד׃ כל־עת אהב הרע ואח לצרה יו ב יז

18 Devoid of sense is he who gives his hand To stand surety for his fellow.

ה ף ערב ערב אדם חסר־לב תוקע כלפני רעהו׃

יח

19 He who loves transgression loves strife; He who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.

תחו יה פ ה מגב ע אהב מצ ש אהב פבר׃ ש־ש מבק

יט

20 Man of crooked mind comes to no good, And he who speaks duplicity falls into trouble.

לשונו ך ב ש־לב לא ימצא־טוב ונהפ עקרעה׃ יפול ב

כ

21 One begets a dullard to one’s own grief; The father of a villain has no joy.

מח אבי סיל לתוגה לו ולא־יש ילד כנבל׃

כא

22 A joyful heart makes for good health; Despondency dries up the bones.

ש־ יב הה ורוח נכאה ת מח ייטב ג לב שרם׃ ג

כב

23 The wicked man draws a bribe out of his bosom To pervert the course of justice.

ח להטות ארחות ע יק שחד מחיק רשט׃ פ מש

כג

24 Wisdom lies before the intelligent man; The eyes of the dullard range to the ends of the earth.

קצה־ ני מבין חכמה ועיני כסיל ב את־פארץ׃

כד

25 A stupid son is vexation for his father And a heartache for the woman who bore him.

סיל וממר ליולדתו׃ ן כ עס לאביו ב כ כה

51


Proverbs

משליפרק יח

26 To punish the innocent is surely not right, Or to flog the great for their uprightness.

יק לא־טוב להכות ד ם ענוש לצ גר׃ נדיבים על־יש

כו

27 A knowledgeable man is sparing with his words; A man of understanding is reticent.

עת וקר־]יקר־[ ך אמריו יודע ד חושבונה׃ רוח איש ת

כז

28 Even a fool, if he keeps silent, is deemed wise; Intelligent, if he seals his lips.

ב אטם ם אויל מחריש חכם יחש גפתיו נבון׃ ש

כח

18 1 He who isolates himself pursues his desires; He disdains all competence.

ה י כל־תוש ש נפרד ב לתאוה יבקע׃ ל יתג

יח א2 The fool does not desire understanding, But only

to air his thoughts.י אם־ תבונה כ סיל ב לא־יחפץ כ

לות לבו׃ התג בב

3 Comes the wicked man comes derision, And with the rogue, contempt.

א גם־בוז ועם־קלון ע ב בוא־רש בה׃ חרפ

ג

4 The words a man speaks are deep waters, A flowing stream, a fountain of wisdom.

ברי פי־איש נחל נבע ים ד מים עמקמקור חכמה׃

ד

5 It is not right to be partial to the guilty And subvert the innocent in judgment.

יק ע לא־טוב להטות צד ני־רש את פ שט׃ פ ש מ ב

ה

6 The words of a fool lead to strife; His speech invites blows.

פתי כסיל יבאו בריב ופיו למהלמות שיקרא׃

ו

7 The fool’s speech is his ruin; His words are a trap for him.

פתיו מוקש ה־לו וש י־כסיל מחת פנפשו׃

ז

8 The words of a querulous man are bruising; They penetrate one’s inmost parts.

מתלהמים והם ירדו חדרי־ ן כ ברי נרג דבטן׃

ח

9 One who is slack in his work Is a brother to a vandal.

ה במלאכתו אח הוא לבעל ם מתרפ גחית׃ מש

ט

10 The name of Hashem is a tower of strength To which the righteous man runs and is safe.

יק ם יהוה בו־ירוץ צד ל־עז ש מגדב׃ ג ונש

י

11 The wealth of a rich man is his fortress; In his fancy it is a protective wall.

בה ג יר קרית עזו וכחומה נש הון עשיתו׃ כ מש ב

יא

12 Before ruin a man’s heart is proud; Humility goes before honor.

ה לב־איש ולפני כבוד בר יגב לפני־שענוה׃

יב

13 To answer a man before hearing him out Is foolish and disgraceful.

לת היא־לו מע או טרם יש בר ב יב ד משה׃ וכלמ

יג

14 A man’s spirit can sustain him through illness; But low spirits—who can bear them?

ל מחלהו ורוח נכאה מי רוח־איש יכלכה׃ אנ יש

יד

15 The mind of an intelligent man acquires knowledge; The ears of the wise seek out knowledge.

עת ואזן חכמים לב נבון יקנה־דעת׃ ש־ד בק ת

טו

16 A man’s gift eases his way And gives him access to the great.

ן אדם ירחיב לו ולפני גדלים ינחנו׃ מת טז

52

משליפרק יט


18:22 He who finds a wife has found happiness This verse is a parallel to the verse in which

Hashem says, “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make a fitting helper for him” (Genesis 2:18). God wants man to find a wife who will serve as his partner in life. When he does, Hashem will bless that union, as it fulfils His will. The Hebrew word for ‘man’ is eesh (איש), and the

word for ‘woman’ is eeshah (אשה). The two words share two out of three Hebrew letters, א and ש. The other two letters, י and ה, spell one of the names of God. The Sages (Sotah 17a) teach that when man and woman unite in marriage and work together, the presence of the Lord resides with them.

איש אישה

17 The first to plead his case seems right Till the other party examines him.

ריבו יבא־]ובא־[ יק הראשון ב צדרעהו וחקרו׃

יז

18 The lot puts an end to strife And separates those locked in dispute.

ית הגורל ובין עצומים ב מדינים ישיפריד׃

יח

19 A brother offended is more formidable than a stronghold; Such strife is like the bars of a fortress.

רית־עז ומדונים ע מק אח נפשבריח ארמון׃ ]ומדינים[ כ

יט

20 A man’s belly is filled by the fruit of his mouth; He will be filled by the produce of his lips.

בואת טנו ת ע ב ב ש רי פי־איש ת מפע׃ ב פתיו יש ש

כ

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; Those who love it will eat its fruit.

יד־לשון ואהביה יאכל ים ב מות וחיריה׃ פ

כא

22 He who finds a wife has found happiness And has won the favor of Hashem.

פק רצון ה מצא טוב וי מצא אשמיהוה׃

כב

ma-TZA i-SHAH MA-tza TOV va-YA-fek ra-TZON may-a-do-NAI

23 The poor man speaks beseechingly; The rich man’s answer is harsh.

יר יענה עזות׃ ר־רש ועש חנונים ידב ת כג

24 There are companions to keep one company, And there is a friend more devoted than a brother.

בק איש רעים להתרעע ויש אהב דמאח׃

כד

19 1 Better a poor man who lives blamelessly Than one who speaks perversely and is a dullard.

פתיו ש ש תמו מעק טוב־רש הולך בוהוא כסיל׃

יט א2 A person without knowledge is surely not good;

He who moves hurriedly blunders.לא־דעת נפש לא־טוב ואץ ם ב ג

רגלים חוטא׃ בב

3 A man’s folly subverts his way, And his heart rages against Hashem.

רכו ועל־יהוה ף ד סל לת אדם ת אויזעף לבו׃

ג

4 Wealth makes many friends, But a poor man loses his last friend.

רד׃ ים ודל מרעהו יפ הון יסיף רעים רב ד

5 A false witness will not go unpunished; He who testifies lies will not escape.

זבים לא קה ויפיח כ קרים לא ינ עד שלט׃ ימ

ה

6 Many court the favor of a great man, And all are the friends of a dispenser of gifts.

ים יחלו פני־נדיב וכל־הרע לאיש רבן׃ מת

ו

7 All 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.

י מרעהו נאהו אף כ ל אחי־רש ש כף אמרים לא־]לו־[ נו מרד רחקו ממ

ה׃ המ

ז

53


Proverbs

משליפרק יט

19:12 His favor is like dew upon the grass 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.

Morning dew near Beit Shemesh

8 He who acquires wisdom is his own best friend; He preserves understanding and attains happiness.

בונה ב אהב נפשו שמר ת קנה־ללמצא־טוב׃

ח

9 A false witness will not go unpunished; He who testifies falsely is doomed.

זבים קה ויפיח כ קרים לא ינ עד שיאבד׃

ט

10 Luxury is not fitting for a dullard, Much less that a servant rule over princes.

י־לעבד ענוג אף כ לא־נאוה לכסיל תרים׃ ש משל ב

י

11 A man shows intelligence by his forebearance; It is his glory when he overlooks an offense.

כל אדם האריך אפו ותפארתו עבר שע׃ ש על־פ

יא

12 The rage of a king is like the roar of a lion; His favor is like dew upon the grass.

ב פיר זעף מלך וכטל על־עש כ נהם כרצונו׃

יב

NA-ham ka-k’-FEER ZA-af ME-lekh ukh-TAL al AY-sev r’-tzo-NO

13 A stupid son is a calamity to his father; The nagging of a wife is like the endless dripping of water.

סיל ודלף טרד מדיני ן כ הות לאביו בה׃ אש

יג

14 Property and riches are bequeathed by fathers, But an efficient wife comes from Hashem.

ה ית והון נחלת אבות ומיהוה אש בלת׃ כ מש

יד

15 Laziness induces sleep, And a negligent person will go hungry.

ה מה ונפש רמי רד יל ת פ עצלה תתרעב׃

טו

16 He who has regard for his life pays regard to commandments; He who is heedless of his ways will die.

שמר מצוה שמר נפשו בוזה דרכיו יומת ]ימות׃[

טז

17 He who is generous to the poor makes a loan to Hashem; He will repay him his due.

ם־לו׃ ל ל וגמלו יש מלוה יהוה חונן ד יז

18 Discipline your son while there is still hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.

קוה ואל־המיתו אל־ י־יש ת נך כ ר ב יסך׃ א נפש ש ת

יח

19 A hot-tempered man incurs punishment; If you try to save him you will only make it worse.

י אם־ א ענש כ דל־[ חמה נש גרל־]גיל ועוד תוסף׃ צ ת

יט

20 Listen to advice and accept discipline In order that you may be wise in the end.

ם חכ ל מוסר למען ת מע עצה וקב שאחריתך׃ ב

כ

21 Many designs are in a man’s mind, But it is Hashem’s plan that is accomplished.

לב־איש ועצת יהוה בות ב רבות מחשהיא תקום׃

כא

22 Greed is a reproach to a man; Better be poor than a liar.

אות אדם חסדו וטוב־רש מאיש תזב׃ כ

כב

54

משליפרק כ


23 He who fears Hashem earns life; He shall abide in contentment, Free from misfortune.

קד ל־יפ בע ילין ב ים וש יראת יהוה לחירע׃

כג

24 The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; He will not even bring it to his mouth.

יהו לא ם־אל־פ חת ג ל צ טמן עצל ידו בה׃ יבנ יש

כד

25 Beat the scoffer and the simple will become clever; Reprove an intelligent man and he gains knowledge.

ה ופתי יערם והוכיח לנבון יבין כ לץ תעת׃ ד

כה

26 A son who causes shame and disgrace Plunders his father, puts his mother to flight.

ן מביש ד־אב יבריח אם ב ד משיר׃ ומחפ

כו

27 My son, cease to stray from words of knowledge And receive discipline.

גות מאמרי־ מע מוסר לש ני לש חדל־בדעת׃

כז

28 A malicious witness scoffs at justice, And the speech of the wicked conceals mischief.

עים ט ופי רש פ על יליץ מש לי עד בע־און׃ יבל

כח

29 Punishments are in store for scoffers And blows for the backs of dullards.

פטים ומהלמות לגו צים ש נכונו ללסילים׃ כ

כט

20 1 Wine is a scoffer, strong drink a roisterer; He who is muddled by them will not grow wise.

כר וכל־שגה בו לא ין המה ש לץ הים׃ יחכ

כ א2 The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; He

who provokes his anger risks his life.רו חוטא פיר אימת מלך מתעב כ נהם כ

נפשו׃ב

3 It is honorable for a man to desist from strife, But every fool becomes embroiled.

בת מריב וכל־אויל בוד לאיש ש כע׃ ל יתג

ג

4 In winter the lazy man does not plow; At harvesttime he seeks, and finds nothing.

אל[ מחרף עצל לא־יחרש ישאל ]ושציר ואין׃ ק ב

ד

5 The designs in a man’s mind are deep waters But a man of understanding can draw them out.

ים עצה בלב־איש ואיש מים עמקה׃ בונה ידלנ ת

ה

6 He calls many a man his loyal friend, But who can find a faithful man?

רב־אדם יקרא איש חסדו ואיש אמונים מי ימצא׃

ו

7 The righteous man lives blamelessly; Happy are his children who come after him.

רי בניו אחריו׃ יק אש תמו צד ך ב מתהל ז

8 The king seated on the throne of judgment Can winnow out all evil by his glance.

א־דין מזרה בעיניו ס ב על־כ מלך יושל־רע׃ כ

ח

9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am purged of my sin”?

אתי׃ י מחט י טהרת יתי לב מי־יאמר זכ ט

10 False weights and false measures, Both are an abomination to Hashem.

אבן ואבן איפה ואיפה תועבת יהוה ניהם׃ ם־ש ג

י

11 A child may be dissembling in his behavior Even though his actions are blameless and proper.

ר־נער אם־זך ואם־ מעלליו יתנכ ם ב געלו׃ ר פ יש

יא

12 The ear that hears, the eye that sees— Hashem made them both.

ה גם־ אזן שמעת ועין ראה יהוה עשניהם׃ ש

יב

55


Proverbs

משליפרק כ

20:22 Put your hope in Hashem and He will deliver you Sometimes we see wrongdoing in this

world, and it bothers us. This verse teaches that it is not up to man to avenge evil, rather, this is Hashem’s duty. However, the fourteenth-century sage Rabbi Levi ben Gershon, better known as Ralbag, points out that we

should not wish for God’s vengeance against our enemies, but only for salvation from their harm. Similarly, the Talmud (Berachot 10a) comments, regarding the verse in Sefer Tehillim (104:35), that we should not pray for our enemies’ demise, but for them to repent of their evil ways.

13 Do not love sleep lest you be impoverished; Keep your eyes open and you will have plenty of food.

קח עיניך רש פ ו ן־ת נה פ אהב ש אל־תבע־לחם׃ ש

יג

14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, But having moved off, he congratulates himself.

רע רע יאמר הקונה ואזל לו אז ל׃ יתהל

יד

15 Gold is plentiful, jewels abundant, But wise speech is a precious object.

פתי־ נינים וכלי יקר ש יש זהב ורב־פדעת׃

טו

16 Seize his garment, for he stood surety for another; Take it as a pledge, [for he stood surety] for an unfamiliar woman.

י־ערב זר ובעד נכרים גדו כ לקח־בה[ חבלהו׃ ]נכרי

טז

17 Bread gained by fraud may be tasty to a man, But later his mouth will be filled with gravel.

לא־ קר ואחר ימ ערב לאיש לחם שפיהו חצץ׃

יז

18 Plans laid in council will succeed; Wage war with stratagems.

ה לות עש עצה תכון ובתחב בות ב מחשמלחמה׃

יח

19 He who gives away secrets is a base fellow; Do not take up with a garrulous man.

פתיו גולה־סוד הולך רכיל ולפתה שלא תתערב׃

יט

20 One who reviles his father or mother, Light will fail him when darkness comes.

ל אביו ואמו ידעך נרו באישון מקלך׃ אשון[ חש ]ב

כ

21 An estate acquired in haste at the outset Will not be blessed in the end.

ראשנה נחלה מבחלת ]מבהלת[ בואחריתה לא תברך׃

כא

22 Do not say, “I will requite evil”; Put your hope in Hashem and He will deliver you.

ה ליהוה מה־רע קו ל אל־תאמר אשע לך׃ ויש

כב

al to-MAR a-sha-l’-mah RA ka-VAY la-do-NAI v’-YO-sha LAKH

23 False weights are an abomination to Hashem; Dishonest scales are not right.

תועבת יהוה אבן ואבן ומאזני מרמה לא־טוב׃

כג

24 A man’s steps are decided by Hashem; What does a man know about his own way?

בין מיהוה מצעדי־גבר ואדם מה־ירכו׃ ד

כד

25 It is a snare for a man to pledge a sacred gift rashly And to give thought to his vows only after they have been made.

מוקש אדם ילע קדש ואחר נדרים ר׃ לבק

כה

26 A wise king winnows out the wicked, And turns the wheel upon them.

ב עליהם ש עים מלך חכם וי מזרה רשאופן׃

כו

27 The lifebreath of man is the lamp of Hashem Revealing all his inmost parts.

ל־חדרי־ מת אדם חפש כ נר יהוה נשבטן׃

כז

56

משליפרק כא


28 Faithfulness and loyalty protect the king; He maintains his throne by faithfulness.

חסד רו־מלך וסעד ב חסד ואמת יצסאו׃ כ

כח

29 The glory of youths is their strength; The majesty of old men is their gray hair.

חורים כחם והדר זקנים פארת ב תיבה׃ ש

כט

30 Bruises and wounds are repayment for evil, Striking at one’s inmost parts.

רע מרוק[ ב צע תמריק ]ת רות פ חבומכות חדרי־בטן׃

ל

21 1 Like channeled water is the mind of the king in Hashem’s hand; He directs it to whatever He wishes.

ל־ יד־יהוה על־כ לגי־מים לב־מלך ב פנו׃ ר יחפץ יט אש

כא א

2 All the ways of a man seem right to him, But Hashem probes the mind.

עיניו ותכן לבות ר ב רך־איש יש ל־ד כיהוה׃

ב

3 To do what is right and just Is more desired by Hashem than sacrifice.

ט נבחר ליהוה פ עשה צדקה ומשבח׃ מז

ג

4 Haughty looks, a proud heart— The tillage of the wicked is sinful.

את׃ עים חט רום־עינים ורחב־לב נר רש ד

5 The plans of the diligent make only for gain; All rash haste makes only for loss.

בות חרוץ אך־למותר וכל־אץ מחשאך־למחסור׃

ה

6 Treasures acquired by a lying tongue Are like driven vapor, heading for extinction.

ף קר הבל נד לשון ש פעל אוצרות בי־מות׃ מבקש

ו

7 The violence of the wicked sweeps them away, For they refuse to act justly.

י מאנו לעשות עים יגורם כ שד־רשט׃ פ מש

ז

8 The way of a man may be tortuous and strange, Though his actions are blameless and proper.

עלו׃ ר פ רך איש וזר וזך יש ך ד הפכפ ח

9 Dwelling in the corner of a roof is better Than a contentious wife in a spacious house.

ת מדינים ג מאש ת־ג נ בת על־פ טוב לשובית חבר׃

ט

10 The desire of the wicked is set upon evil; His fellowman finds no favor in his eyes.

עיניו תה־רע לא־יחן ב ע או נפש רשרעהו׃

י

11 When a scoffer is punished, the simple man is edified; When a wise man is taught, he gains insight.

יל לחכם כ תי ובהש ם־פ ענש־לץ יחכ בעת׃ ח־ד יק

יא

12 The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked man; He subverts the wicked to their ruin.

ף ע מסל יק לבית רש יל צד כ משעים לרע׃ רש

יב

13 Who stops his ears at the cry of the wretched, He too will call and not be answered.

ם־הוא יקרא ל ג עקת־ד אטם אזנו מזולא יענה׃

יג

14 A gift in secret subdues anger, A present in private, fierce rage.

חק חמה ה־אף ושחד ב תר יכפ ס ן ב מתה׃ עז

יד

15 Justice done is a joy to the righteous, To evildoers, ruination.

ה ט ומחת פ יק עשות מש ד מחה לצ שלפעלי און׃

טו

16 A man who strays from the path of prudence Will rest in the company of ghosts.

קהל רפאים ל ב כ רך הש אדם תועה מדינוח׃

טז

57


Proverbs

משליפרק כב

21:31 But victory comes from Hashem Throughout the Bible, horses are mentioned as animals of war. Here, King Shlomo is emphasizing an important lesson that is no

less true today than it was when he said it centuries ago: Man prepares as much as possible, but ultimately, all victory and success comes only from Hashem.

17 He who loves pleasure comes to want; He who loves wine and oil does not grow rich.

מחה אהב יין־ איש מחסור אהב שיר׃ מן לא יעש וש

יז

18 The wicked are the ransom of the righteous; The traitor comes in place of the upright.

רים בוגד׃ ע ותחת יש יק רש ד כפר לצ יח

19 It is better to live in the desert Than with a contentious, vexatious wife.

ת מדונים ר מאש ארץ־מדב בת ב טוב ש]מדינים[ וכעס׃

יט

20 Precious treasure and oil are in the house of the wise man, And a fool of a man will run through them.

נוה חכם וכסיל מן ב אוצר נחמד ושענו׃ אדם יבל

כ

21 He who strives to do good and kind deeds Attains life, success, and honor.

ים צדקה רדף צדקה וחסד ימצא חיוכבוד׃

כא

22 One wise man prevailed over a city of warriors And brought down its mighty stronghold.

ברים עלה חכם וירד עז מבטחה׃ עיר ג כב

23 He who guards his mouth and tongue Guards himself from trouble.

רות נפשו׃ יו ולשונו שמר מצ שמר פ כג

24 The proud, insolent man, scoffer is his name, Acts in a frenzy of insolence.

עברת זדון׃ ה ב מו עוש זד יהיר לץ ש כד

25 The craving of a lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to work.

י־מאנו ידיו מיתנו כ אות עצל ת תלעשות׃

כה

26 All day long he is seized with craving While the righteous man gives without stint.

ן ולא יק ית ה תאוה וצד ל־היום התאו כיחשך׃

כו

27 The sacrifice of the wicked man is an abomination, The more so as he offers it in depravity.

ה י־בזמ עים תועבה אף כ זבח רשיביאנו׃

כז

28 A false witness is doomed, But one who really heard will testify with success.

זבים יאבד ואיש שומע לנצח עד־כר׃ ידב

כח

29 The wicked man is brazen-faced; The upright man discerns his course.

ר הוא יכין פניו ויש ע ב העז איש רשרכו׃[ ]יבין[ דרכיו ]ד

כט

30 No wisdom, no prudence, and no counsel Can prevail against Hashem.

בונה ואין עצה לנגד אין חכמה ואין תיהוה׃

ל

31 The horse is readied for the day of battle, But victory comes from Hashem.

סוס מוכן ליום מלחמה וליהוה שועה׃ הת

לא

SUS mu-KHAN l’-YOM mil-kha-MAH v’-la-do-NAI ha-t’-shu-AH

22 1 Repute is preferable to great wealth Grace is better than silver and gold.

הב חן סף ומז ר רב מכ ם מעש נבחר שטוב׃

כב א

58

משליפרק כב


2 Rich man and poor man meet; Hashem made them both.

ם יהוה׃ ה כל שו עש יר ורש נפג עש ב

3 The shrewd man saw trouble and took cover; The simple kept going and paid the penalty.

ר[ ערום ראה רעה ויסתר ]ונסתופתיים עברו ונענשו׃

ג

4 The effect of humility is fear of Hashem, Wealth, honor, and life.

ר וכבוד עקב ענוה יראת יהוה עשים׃ וחי

ד

5 Thorns and snares are in the path of the crooked; He who values his life will keep far from them.

ש שומר נפשו דרך עק חים ב ים פ צנירחק מהם׃

ה

6 Train a lad in the way he ought to go; He will not swerve from it even in old age.

י־יזקין לא־ ם כ י דרכו ג ער על־פ חנך לנה׃ נ יסור ממ

ו

7 The rich rule the poor, And the borrower is a slave to the lender.

ים ימשול ועבד לוה לאיש רש יר ב עשמלוה׃

ז

8 He who sows injustice shall reap misfortune; His rod of wrath shall fail.

בט זורע עולה יקצור־]יקצר־[ און ושעברתו יכלה׃

ח

9 The generous man is blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.

ל׃ חמו לד י־נתן מל טוב־עין הוא יברך כ ט

10 Expel the scoffer and contention departs, Quarrel and contumely cease.

ין וקלון׃ בת ד רש לץ ויצא מדון ויש ג י

11 A pure-hearted friend, His speech is gracious; He has the king for his companion.

פתיו אהב טהור־]טהר־[ לב חן שרעהו מלך׃

יא

12 The eyes of Hashem watch the wise man; He subverts the words of the treacherous.

ברי בגד׃ ף ד עיני יהוה נצרו דעת ויסל יב

13 The lazy man says, “There’s a lion in the street; I shall be killed if I step outside.”

תוך רחבות אמר עצל ארי בחוץ בארצח׃

יג

14 The mouth of a forbidden woman is a deep pit; He who is doomed by Hashem falls into it.

י זרות זעום יהוה יפול־ ה פ שוחה עמקם׃ ל־[ ש ]יפ

יד

15 If folly settles in the heart of a lad, The rod of discipline will remove it.

בט מוסר לת קשורה בלב־נער ש אונו׃ ה ממ ירחיקנ

טו

16 To profit by withholding what is due to the poor Is like making gifts to the rich—pure loss.

יר אך־ ל להרבות לו נתן לעש ק ד עשלמחסור׃

טז

17 Incline your ear and listen to the words of the sages; Pay attention to my wisdom.

ך ברי חכמים ולב מע ד הט אזנך ושי׃ ית לדעת ש ת

יז

18 It is good that you store them inside you, And that all of them be constantly on your lips,

ו בטנך יכנו יחד מרם ב י־תש י־נעים כ כפתיך׃ על־ש

יח

19 That you may put your trust in Hashem. I let you know today—yes, you—

יך היום יהוה מבטחך הודעת להיות בה׃ אף־את

יט

20 Indeed, I wrote down for you a threefold lore, Wise counsel,

ים[ ליש י לך שלשום ]ש הלא כתבתמועצת ודעת׃ ב

כ

21 To let you know truly reliable words, That you may give a faithful reply to him who sent you.

יב ט אמרי אמת להש להודיעך קשאמרים אמת לשלחיך׃

כא

59


Proverbs

משליפרק כג

22:28 Do not remove the ancient boundary stone This verse reinforces the significance of a

heritage in the Promised Land. When the Israelites arrived there after leaving Egypt, Hashem instructed Moshe to divide the land by drawing lots. Each tribe was given a region, and each family was assigned a portion of their tribe’s land to be passed down through the generations (Numbers 26:52-56). Israel’s family bonds to the land are so great, that when Tzelofchad died without sons, his daughters demanded the right to inherit their father’s portion (Numbers 27). They were

granted the inheritance on condition that they marry within their tribe, so the land not be absorbed into another tribe’s portion (Numbers 36:6-7).

23:5 Like an eagle, heavenward The eagle flies higher than other birds. According to the

medieval commentator Rashi, this is the reason why Hashem uses the metaphor of an eagle when describing the Exodus from Egypt: “I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Me” (Exodus 19:4). As opposed to other birds who carry their young between their legs to

An eagle in flight in the Golan Heights

22 Do not rob the wretched because he is wretched; Do not crush the poor man in the gate;

א דכ י דל־הוא ואל־ת ל כ גזל־ד אל־תער׃ עני בש

כב

23 For Hashem will take up their cause And despoil those who despoil them of life.

י־יהוה יריב ריבם וקבע את־קבעיהם כנפש׃

כג

24 Do not associate with an irascible man, Or go about with one who is hot-tempered,

על אף ואת־איש תרע את־ב אל־תחמות לא תבוא׃

כד

25 Lest you learn his ways And find yourself ensnared. אלף ארחתו ]ארחתיו[ ולקחת ן־ת פך׃ מוקש לנפש

כה

26 Do not be one of those who give their hand, Who stand surety for debts,

אות׃ ערבים מש הי בתקעי־כף ב אל־ת כו

27 Lest your bed be taken from under you When you have no money to pay.

בך כ ח מש ה יק ם למ ל אם־אין־לך לשיך׃ חת מת

כז

28 Do not remove the ancient boundary stone That your ancestors set up.

ר עשו בול עולם אש ג ג ס אל־תאבותיך׃

כח

al ta-SAYG g’-VUL o-LAM a-SHER a-SU a-vo-TE-kha

29 See a man skilled at his work— He shall attend upon kings; He shall not attend upon obscure men.

מלאכתו לפני־ חזית איש מהיר בים׃ כ ב לפני חש ל־יתיצ ב ב מלכים יתיצ

כט

23 1 When you sit down to dine with a ruler, Consider well who is before you.

בין ין ת ל ב ב ללחום את־מוש י־תש כר לפניך׃ את־אש

כג א2 Thrust a knife into your gullet If you have a large

appetite.ה׃ על נפש את לעך אם־ב ין ב כ מת ש וש ב

3 Do not crave for his dainties, For they are counterfeit food.

תאו למטעמותיו והוא לחם אל־תזבים׃ כ

ג

4 Do not toil to gain wealth; Have the sense to desist. ינתך חדל׃ יר מב יגע להעש אל־ת ד

5 You see it, then it is gone; It grows wings and flies away, Like an eagle, heavenward.

י התעוף ]התעיף[ עיניך בו ואיננו כר ועיף נש ה־לו כנפים כ עשה יעש

מים׃ ]יעוף[ הש

ה

ha-ta-EEF ay-NE-kha BO v’-ay-NE-nu KEE a-SOH ya-a-seh LO kh’-na-FA-yim k’-NE-sher ya-UF ha-sha-MA-yim

60

משליפרק כג


protect them from predators flying above them, an eagle carries its young on its back (see Deuteronomy 32:11). Since the eagle flies higher than other birds, it fears no other flying predators. Its only concern comes from people who might shoot at its young from below,

so it uses its own body to protect its children from the arrows. Similarly, the Lord placed His angel between the Israelites and the Egyptians (Exodus 14:19-20) in order to protect His children by absorbing the Egyptian arrows and stones.

6 Do not eat of a stingy man’s food; Do not crave for his dainties;

לחם את־לחם רע עין ואל־תתאו אל־תתאיו[ למטעמתיו׃ ]ת

ו

7 He is like one keeping accounts; “Eat and drink,” he says to you, But he does not really mean it.

ן־הוא אכל נפשו כ ער ב מו־ש י כ כך׃ ל־עמ תה יאמר לך ולבו ב וש

ז

8 The morsel you eat you will vomit; You will waste your courteous words.

בריך חת ד ה וש ך־אכלת תקיאנ ת פעימים׃ הנ

ח

9 Do not speak to a dullard, For he will disdain your sensible words.

כל י־יבוז לש ר כ דב אזני כסיל אל־ת ביך׃ מל

ט

10 Do not remove ancient boundary stones; Do not encroach upon the field of orphans,

די יתומים בול עולם ובש ג ג ס אל־תבא׃ אל־ת

י

11 For they have a mighty Kinsman, And He will surely take up their cause with you.

י־גאלם חזק הוא־יריב את־ריבם כך׃ את

יא

12 Apply your mind to discipline And your ears to wise sayings.

ך ואזנך לאמרי־ הביאה למוסר לבדעת׃

יב

13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; If you beat him with a rod he will not die.

בט נו בש י־תכ ער מוסר כ מנע מנ אל־תלא ימות׃

יג

14 Beat him with a rod And you will save him from the grave.

אול נו ונפשו מש כ בט ת ש ה ב אתיל׃ צ ת

יד

15 My son, if your mind gets wisdom, My mind, too, will be gladdened.

י גם־אני׃ מח לב ך יש ני אם־חכם לב ב טו

16 I shall rejoice with all my heart When your lips speak right things.

פתיך ר ש דב ותעלזנה כליותי ברים׃ מיש

טז

17 Do not envy sinners in your heart, But only Hashem-fearing men, at all times,

יראת־ י אם־ב אים כ חט ך ב א לב אל־יקנל־היום׃ יהוה כ

יז

18 For then you will have a future, And your hope will never fail.

רת׃ י אם־יש אחרית ותקותך לא תכ כ יח

19 Listen, my son, and get wisdom; Lead your mind in a [proper] path.

רך ד ר ב ה בני וחכם ואש מע־את שך׃ לב

יט

20 Do not be of those who guzzle wine, Or glut themselves on meat;

ר למו׃ זללי בש הי בסבאי־יין ב אל־ת כ

21 For guzzlers and gluttons will be impoverished, And drowsing will clothe you in tatters.

יש לב רש וקרעים ת י־סבא וזולל יו כנומה׃

כא

61


Proverbs

משליפרק כד

22 Listen to your father who begot you; Do not disdain your mother when she is old.

י־ בוז כ מע לאביך זה ילדך ואל־ת שך׃ זקנה אמ

כב

23 Buy truth and never sell it, And wisdom, discipline, and understanding.

מכר חכמה ומוסר אמת קנה ואל־תובינה׃

כג

24 The father of a righteous man will exult; He who begets a wise son will rejoice in him.

יק יולד יל[ יגול ]יגיל[ אבי צד גול ]גמח־[ בו׃ ]ויולד[ חכם וישמח־]יש

כד

25 Your father and mother will rejoice; She who bore you will exult.

ך׃ ך ותגל יולדת מח־אביך ואמ יש כה

26 Give your mind to me, my son; Let your eyes watch my ways.

רכי תרצנה ך לי ועיניך ד נה־בני לב תצרנה׃[ ]ת

כו

27 A harlot is a deep pit; A forbidden woman is a narrow well.

ה זונה ובאר צרה י־שוחה עמק כה׃ נכרי

כז

28 She too lies in wait as if for prey, And destroys the unfaithful among men.

אדם ארב ובוגדים ב חתף ת אף־היא כתוסף׃

כח

29 Who cries, “Woe!” who, “Alas!”; Who has quarrels, who complaints; Who has wounds without cause; Who has bleary eyes?

למי אוי למי אבוי למי מדונים ם צעים חנ יח למי פ ]מדינים [ למי ש

למי חכללות עינים׃

כט

30 Those whom wine keeps till the small hours, Those who gather to drain the cups.

אים לחקר ין לב למאחרים על־היממסך׃

ל

31 Do not ogle that red wine As it lends its color to the cup, As it flows on smoothly;

ן בכיס י־ית ם כ י יתאד רא יין כ אל־תרים׃ מיש ך ב כוס[ עינו יתהל ]ב

לא

32 In the end, it bites like a snake; It spits like a basilisk.

ך וכצפעני יפרש׃ נחש יש אחריתו כ לב

33 Your eyes will see strange sights; Your heart will speak distorted things.

כות׃ הפ ר ת ך ידב עיניך יראו זרות ולב לג

34 You will be like one lying in bed on high seas, Like one lying on top of the rigging.

ראש לב־ים וכשכב ב שכב ב והיית כל׃ חב

לד

35 “They struck me, but I felt no hurt; They beat me, but I was unaware; As often as I wake, I go after it again.”

י ל־ידעת הכוני בל־חליתי הלמוני בנו עוד׃ מתי אקיץ אוסיף אבקש

לה

24 1 Do not envy evil men Do not desire to be with them;

י רעה ואל־תתאו אנש א ב קנ אל־תם׃ תאיו[ להיות את ]ת

כד א2 For their hearts talk violence, And their lips speak

mischief.פתיהם ם ועמל ש ה לב י־שד יהג כ

רנה׃ דב תב

3 A house is built by wisdom, And is established by understanding;

ית ובתבונה יתכונן׃ נה ב חכמה יב ב ג

4 By knowledge are its rooms filled With all precious and beautiful things.

ל־הון יקר לאו כ ובדעת חדרים ימונעים׃

ד

62

משליפרק כד


24:17 If your enemy falls, do not exult Sadly, it is not uncommon for Israel’s enemies to celebrate

news of terror attacks by handing out candy in the streets. Here, the Bible emphasizes universal feelings of sympathy and compassion for all, and warns against rejoicing at the downfall of our enemies. For this reason, when the Jewish

people celebrate the Exodus at the Pesach seder each year, they remove some of the wine in their cups, to sympathize with the Egyptian suffering that happened in the process. In this way, even thousands of years later, the Jewish People symbolically diminish their joy because of the pain experienced by their Egyptian enemies.

5 A wise man is strength; A knowledgeable man exerts power;

ץ־כח׃ עת מאמ עוז ואיש־ד בר־חכם ב ג ה

6 For by stratagems you wage war, And victory comes with much planning.

ך מלחמה ה־ל עש לות ת י בתחב כרב יועץ׃ ותשועה ב

ו

7 Wisdom is too lofty for a fool; He does not open his mouth in the gate.

ער לא ש ראמות לאויל חכמות ביהו׃ ח־פ יפת

ז

8 He who lays plans to do harm Is called by men a schemer.

על־מזמות יקראו׃ ב להרע לו ב מחש ח

9 The schemes of folly are sin, And a scoffer is an abomination to men.

את ותועבת לאדם לץ׃ לת חט ת או זמ ט

10 If you showed yourself slack in time of trouble, Wanting in power,

יום צרה צר כחכה׃ ית ב התרפ י

11 If you refrained from rescuing those taken off to death, Those condemned to slaughter—

ות ומטים להרג אם־ ל לקחים למ הצחשוך׃ ת

יא

12 If you say, “We knew nothing of it,” Surely He who fathoms hearts will discern [the truth], He who watches over your life will know it, And He will pay each man as he deserves.

י־תאמר הן לא־ידענו זה ה לא־תכן כך הוא ידע לבות הוא־יבין ונצר נפש

פעלו׃ יב לאדם כ והש

יב

13 My son, eat honey, for it is good; Let its sweet drops be on your palate.

י־טוב ונפת מתוק ני דבש כ אכל־בך׃ על־חכ

יג

14 Know: such is wisdom for your soul; If you attain it, there is a future; Your hope will not be cut off.

ך אם־מצאת ויש עה חכמה לנפש ן ד כרת׃ אחרית ותקותך לא תכ

יד

15 Wicked man! Do not lurk by the home of the righteous man; Do no violence to his dwelling.

ד ד ש יק אל־ת ע לנוה צד ארב רש אל־תרבצו׃

טו

16 Seven times the righteous man falls and gets up, While the wicked are tripped by one misfortune.

עים יק וקם ורש בע יפול צד י ש כלו ברעה׃ ש יכ

טז

17 If your enemy falls, do not exult; If he trips, let your heart not rejoice,

מח ש נפל אויביך ]אויבך[ אל־ת בך׃ לו אל־יגל לב ש ובכ

יז

bin-FOL o-yiv-KHA al tis-MAKH u-vi-ka-sh’-LO al ya-GAYL li-BE-kha

18 Lest Hashem see it and be displeased, And avert His wrath from him.

יב עיניו והש ן־יראה יהוה ורע ב פמעליו אפו׃

יח

19 Do not be vexed by evildoers; Do not be incensed by the wicked;

א קנ רעים אל־ת מ תחר ב אל־תעים׃ רש ב

יט

63


Proverbs

משליפרק כה

25:2 It is the glory of Hashem to conceal a matter The glory of earthly kings is made greater through scrutiny

and investigation, both on their own part and when conducted by others. When the kings search out

20 For there is no future for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked goes out.

עים י לא־תהיה אחרית לרע נר רש כידעך׃

כ

21 Fear Hashem, my son, and the king, And do not mix with dissenters,

ני ומלך עם־שונים ירא־את־יהוה בתערב׃ אל־ת

כא

22 For disaster comes from them suddenly; The doom both decree who can foreknow?

ניהם מי י־פתאם יקום אידם ופיד ש כיודע׃

כב

23 These also are by the sages: It is not right to be partial in judgment.

ט פ מש נים ב ר־פ ה לחכמים הכ ם־אל גל־טוב׃ ב

כג

24 He who says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” Shall be cursed by peoples, Damned by nations;

ים בהו עמ ה יק יק את ע צד אמר לרשים׃ יזעמוהו לאמ

כד

25 But it shall go well with them who decide justly; Blessings of good things will light upon them.

ת־ בוא ברכ ולמוכיחים ינעם ועליהם תטוב׃

כה

26 Giving a straightforward reply Is like giving a kiss. ברים נכחים׃ יב ד ק מש פתים יש ש כו

27 Put your external affairs in order, Get ready what you have in the field, Then build yourself a home.

דה לך ש דה ב ך ועת חוץ מלאכת הכן באחר ובנית ביתך׃

כז

28 Do not be a witness against your fellow without good cause; Would you mislead with your speech?

ית רעך והפת ם ב הי עד־חנ אל־תפתיך׃ ש ב

כח

29 Do not say, “I will do to him what he did to me; I will pay the man what he deserves.”

ה־ ן אעש ה־לי כ ר עש אש אל־תאמר כפעלו׃ יב לאיש כ לו אש

כט

30 I passed by the field of a lazy man, By the vineyard of a man lacking sense.

רם י ועל־כ דה איש־עצל עברת על־שאדם חסר־לב׃

ל

31 It was all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with chickweed, And its stone fence lay in ruins.

סו פניו שנים כ ה עלה כלו קמ והנים וגדר אבניו נהרסה׃ חרל

לא

32 I observed and took it to heart; I saw it and learned a lesson.

י י ראיתי לקחת ית לב ואחזה אנכי אשמוסר׃

לב

33 A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber, A bit more hugging yourself in bed,

ק נומות מעט חב נות מעט ת מעט שב׃ כ ידים לש

לג

34 And poverty will come calling upon you, And want, like a man with a shield.

איש ך ומחסריך כ ך ריש ובא־מתהלמגן׃

לד

25 1 These too are proverbs of Shlomo, which the men of King Chizkiyahu of Yehuda copied:

יקו ר העת למה אש לי ש ה מש ם־אל גה מלך־יהודה׃ י חזקי אנש

כה א2 It is the glory of Hashem to conceal a matter, And

the glory of a king to plumb a matter.בר וכבד מלכים ר ד בד אלהים הסת כ

בר׃ חקר דב

k’-VOD e-lo-HEEM has-TAYR da-VAR ukh-VOD m’-la-KHEEM kha-KOR da-VAR

64

משליפרק כה


the truth in order to do justice, they bring honor to themselves, and when others look into their actions, they respect such leaders for their righteousness. Hashem’s glory, on the other hand, is made greater

by concealment. His miracles and actions are beyond human understanding, and though they are recorded in the Bible, many are shrouded in mystery.

3 Like the heavens in their height, like the earth in its depth, Is the mind of kings—unfathomable.

מים לרום וארץ לעמק ולב מלכים שאין חקר׃

ג

4 The dross having been separated from the silver, A vessel emerged for the smith.

לי׃ צא לצרף כ סף וי הגו סיגים מכ ד

5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, And his throne will be established in justice.

סאו׃ דק כ צ ע לפני־מלך ויכון ב הגו רש ה

6 Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence; Do not stand in the place of nobles.

דלים ר לפני־מלך ובמקום ג תהד אל־תעמד׃ אל־ת

ו

7 For it is better to be told, “Step up here,” Than to be degraded in the presence of the great. Do not let what your eyes have seen

ילך פ ה מהש י טוב אמר־לך ע לה הנ כר ראו עיניך׃ לפני נדיב אש

ז

8 Be vented rashly in a quarrel; Think of what it will effect in the end, When your fellow puts you to shame.

ה עש ן מה־ת צא לרב מהר פ אל־תהכלים אתך רעך׃ אחריתה ב ב

ח

9 Defend your right against your fellow, But do not give away the secrets of another,

גל׃ ריבך ריב את־רעך וסוד אחר אל־ת ט

10 Lest he who hears it reproach you, And your bad repute never end.

תך לא תשוב׃ דך שמע ודב ן־יחס פ י

11 Like golden apples in silver showpieces Is a phrase well turned.

בר בר ד סף ד יות כ כ מש פוחי זהב ב תעל־אפניו׃

יא

12 Like a ring of gold, a golden ornament, Is a wise man’s reproof in a receptive ear.

נזם זהב וחלי־כתם מוכיח חכם על־אזן שמעת׃

יב

13 Like the coldness of snow at harvesttime Is a trusty messenger to those who send him; He lifts his master’s spirits.

יום קציר ציר נאמן לג ב ת־ש צנ כיב׃ לשלחיו ונפש אדניו יש

יג

14 Like clouds, wind—but no rain— Is one who boasts of gifts not given.

ל ם אין איש מתהל יאים ורוח וגש נשקר׃ ת־ש מת ב

יד

15 Through forbearance a ruler may be won over; A gentle tongue can break bones.

ה ה קצין ולשון רכ ים יפת ארך אפ ברם׃ ר־ג ב ש ת

טו

16 If you find honey, eat only what you need, Lest, surfeiting yourself, you throw it up.

ענו ב ש ן־ת ך פ י בש מצאת אכל ד דוהקאתו׃

טז

17 Visit your neighbor sparingly, Lest he have his surfeit of you and loathe you.

עך ב ן־יש ית רעך פ הקר רגלך מבנאך׃ וש

יז

65


Proverbs

משליפרק כו

18 Like a club, a sword, a sharpened arrow, Is a man who testifies falsely against his fellow.

נון איש ענה ברעהו מפיץ וחרב וחץ שקר׃ עד ש

יח

19 Like a loose tooth and an unsteady leg, Is a treacherous support in time of trouble.

יום ן רעה ורגל מועדת מבטח בוגד ב שצרה׃

יט

20 Disrobing on a chilly day, Like vinegar on natron, Is one who sings songs to a sorrowful soul.

יום קרה חמץ על־נתר גד ב מעדה ברים על לב־רע׃ ש ר ב וש

כ

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

אם־רעב שנאך האכלהו לחם ואם־קהו מים׃ צמא הש

כא

22 You will be heaping live coals on his head, And Hashem will reward you.

ה חתה על־ראשו ויהוה י גחלים את כם־לך׃ ל יש

כב

23 A north wind produces rain, And whispered words, a glowering face.

ם ופנים נזעמים ש חולל ג רוח צפון תלשון סתר׃

כג

24 Dwelling in the corner of a roof is better Than a contentious woman in a spacious house.

ת מדונים ג מאש ת־ג נ בת על־פ טוב ש]מדינים[ ובית חבר׃

כד

25 Like cold water to a parched throat Is good news from a distant land.

מועה מים קרים על־נפש עיפה ושטובה מארץ מרחק׃

כה

26 Like a muddied spring, a ruined fountain, Is a righteous man fallen before a wicked one.

יק מט חת צד ש ומקור מש מעין נרפע׃ לפני־רש

כו

27 It is not good to eat much honey, Nor is it honorable to search for honor.

בדם בש הרבות לא־טוב וחקר כ אכל דבוד׃ כ

כז

28 Like an open city without walls Is a man whose temper is uncurbed.

ר אין רוצה אין חומה איש אש עיר פמעצר לרוחו׃

כח

26 1 Like snow in summer and rain at harvest-time, So honor is not fitting for a dullard.

ן לא־ ציר כ ק טר ב יץ וכמ ק לג ב ש כבוד׃ נאוה לכסיל כ

כו א2 As a sparrow must flit and a swallow fly, So a

gratuitous curse must backfire.ם ן קללת חנ רור לעוף כ ד פור לנוד כ צ כ

לא ]לו[ תבא׃ב

3 A whip for a horse and a bridle for a donkey, And a rod for the back of dullards.

בט לגו שוט לסוס מתג לחמור ושסילים׃ כ

ג

4 Do not answer a dullard in accord with his folly, Else you will become like him.

וה־לו ש ן־ת לתו פ או סיל כ ען כ אל־תה׃ גם־את

ד

5 Answer a dullard in accord with his folly, Else he will think himself wise.

ן־יהיה חכם לתו פ או ענה כסיל כעיניו׃ ב

ה

6 He who sends a message by a dullard Will wear out legs and must put up with lawlessness.

ברים ה רגלים חמס שתה שלח ד מקצסיל׃ יד־כ ב

ו

7 As legs hang limp on a cripple, So is a proverb in the mouth of dullards.

פי כסילים׃ ל ב ח ומש ס ליו שקים מפ ד ז

8 Like a pebble in a sling, So is paying honor to a dullard.

ן־נותן לכסיל מה כ מרג צרור אבן ב כבוד׃ כ

ח

66

משליפרק כו


26:20 And without a querulous man contention is stilled Rumors and slander add fuel to the

fire of human contention. Just as a fire will burn itself out when it runs out of wood, so too, a disagreement will end naturally if the parties involved are not continually provoked by gossip. The Torah warns against speaking ill about others. The verse in Sefer Vayikra (19:16), “Do not deal basely with your countrymen,” is usually translated as “thou shalt not go

up and down as a talebearer among thy people.” Speech is so powerful and potentially dangerous that, according to the Sages (Erchin 15a), the tongue had to be hidden behind two protective barriers, the lips and the teeth, in order to protect it from being used for slander. Indeed, it was the slander of the spies, who spoke evil about the Land of Israel, which delayed entry into the Holy Land and caused the Nation of Israel to wander in the desert for forty years.

9 As a thorn comes to the hand of a drunkard, So a proverb to the mouth of a dullard.

פי ל ב כור ומש חוח עלה ביד־שכסילים׃

ט

10 A master can produce anything, But he who hires a dullard is as one who hires transients.

סיל ושכר רב מחולל־כל ושכר כעברים׃

י

11 As a dog returns to his vomit, So a dullard repeats his folly.

סיל שונה ב על־קאו כ כלב ש כלתו׃ באו

יא

12 If you see a man who thinks himself wise, There is more hope for a dullard than for him.

קוה לכסיל עיניו ת ראית איש חכם בנו׃ ממ

יב

13 A lazy man says, “There’s a cub on the road, a lion in the squares.”

ין רך ארי ב ד חל ב אמר עצל שהרחבות׃

יג

14 The door turns on its hinge, And the lazy man on his bed.

סוב על־צירה ועצל על־ לת ת הדתו׃ מט

יד

15 The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; He will not even bring it to his mouth.

יבה חת נלאה להש ל צ טמן עצל ידו ביו׃ אל־פ

טו

16 The lazy man thinks himself wiser Than seven men who give good advice.

יבי בעה מש עיניו מש חכם עצל בטעם׃

טז

17 A passerby who gets embroiled in someone else’s quarrel Is like one who seizes a dog by its ears.

ר על־ אזני־כלב עבר מתעב מחזיק בריב לא־לו׃

יז

18 Like a madman scattering deadly firebrands, arrows,

ים ומות׃ ים חצ מתלהלה הירה זק כ יח

19 Is one who cheats his fellow and says, “I was only joking.”

ה את־רעהו ואמר ה לא־ ן־איש רמ כחק אני׃ מש

יט

20 For lack of wood a fire goes out, And without a querulous man contention is stilled.

ן ה־אש ובאין נרג כב אפס עצים ת בתק מדון׃ יש

כ

b’-E-fes ay-TZEEM tikh-beh AYSH uv-AYN nir-GAN yish-TOK ma-DON

21 Charcoal for embers and wood for a fire And a contentious man for kindling strife.

חם לגחלים ועצים לאש ואיש פמדונים ]מדינים[ לחרחר־ריב׃

כא

22 The words of a querulous man are bruising; They penetrate one’s inmost parts.

מתלהמים והם ירדו חדרי־ ן כ ברי נרג דבטן׃

כב

67


Proverbs

משליפרק כז

27:6 The kisses of an enemy are profuse With a trusted friend, even actions that seem hurtful ultimately turn out to be beneficial. A well-timed reprimand from someone who loves you can guide you to a better course of action. An enemy, however, should not be trusted. Even if he appears to offer love and support, he will ultimately

lead you astray. This idea is reflected in the words of the prophets who rebuke the Israelites for putting their trust in other nations, such as Assyria and Egypt, instead of Hashem. Ultimately, they were let down by their enemies who determined they had nothing more to gain from helping the Jewish people (see Hosea 8:8-9).

23 Base silver laid over earthenware Are ardent lips with an evil mind.

פתים ה על־חרש ש סף סיגים מצפ כדלקים ולב־רע׃

כג

24 An enemy dissembles with his speech, Inwardly he harbors deceit.

כר שונא ובקרבו פתיו[ ינ ש בשפתו ]בית מרמה׃ יש

כד

25 Though he be fair-spoken do not trust him, For seven abominations are in his mind.

בע י ש אמן־בו כ ן קולו אל־ת י־יחנ כלבו׃ תועבות ב

כה

26 His hatred may be concealed by dissimulation, But his evil will be exposed to public view.

לה רעתו ג און ת מש נאה ב ה ש ס כ תבקהל׃

כו

27 He who digs a pit will fall in it, And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.

ה יפל וגלל אבן אליו חת ב כרה־ששוב׃ ת

כז

28 A lying tongue hates those crushed by it; Smooth speech throws one down.

ה יו ופה חלק יעש נא דכ קר יש לשון־שמדחה׃

כח

27 1 Do not boast of tomorrow For you do not know what the day will bring.

י לא־תדע יום מחר כ ל ב תהל אל־תלד יום׃ מה־י

כז א2 Let the mouth of another praise you, not yours,

The lips of a stranger, not your own.פתיך׃ לך זר ולא־פיך נכרי ואל־ש יהל ב

3 A stone has weight, sand is heavy, But a fool’s vexation outweighs them both.

בד כבד־אבן ונטל החול וכעס אויל כניהם׃ מש

ג

4 There is the cruelty of fury, the overflowing of anger, But who can withstand jealousy?

טף אף ומי יעמד אכזריות חמה ושלפני קנאה׃

ד

5 Open reproof is better than concealed love. רת׃ ה מאהבה מסת טובה תוכחת מגל ה

6 Wounds by a loved one are long lasting; The kisses of an enemy are profuse.

יקות רות נש צעי אוהב ונעת נאמנים פשונא׃

ו

ne-e-ma-NEEM pitz-AY o-HAYV v’-na-ta-ROT n’-shee-KOT so-NAY

7 A sated person disdains honey, But to a hungry man anything bitter seems sweet.

בוס נפת ונפש רעבה בעה ת נפש של־מר מתוק׃ כ

ז

8 Like a sparrow wandering from its nest Is a man who wanders from his home.

ן־איש נודד ה כ צפור נודדת מן־קנ כקומו׃ ממ

ח

9 Oil and incense gladden the heart, And the sweetness of a friend is better than one’s own counsel.

ח־לב ומתק רעהו מ מן וקטרת יש שמעצת־נפש׃

ט

68

משליפרק כז


10 Do not desert your friend and your father’s friend; Do not enter your brother’s house in your time of misfortune; A close neighbor is better than a distant brother.

עזב ובית רעך ורעה ]ורע[ אביך אל־תכן יום אידך טוב ש בוא ב אחיך אל־ת

קרוב מאח רחוק׃

י

11 Get wisdom, my son, and gladden my heart, That I may have what to answer those who taunt me.

יבה חרפי י ואש ח לב מ ני וש חכם בדבר׃

יא

12 The shrewd man saw trouble and took cover; The simple kept going and paid the penalty.

תאים עברו ר פ ערום ראה רעה נסתנענשו׃

יב

13 Seize his garment, for he stood surety for another; Take it as a pledge, [for he stood surety] for an unfamiliar woman.

ה י־ערב זר ובעד נכרי גדו כ קח־בחבלהו׃

יג

14 He who greets his fellow loudly early in the morning Shall have it reckoned to him as a curse.

ים כ בקר הש דול ב קול ג מברך רעהו בב לו׃ חש קללה ת

יד

15 An endless dripping on a rainy day And a contentious wife are alike;

ת מדונים יום סגריר ואש לף טורד ב דוה׃ ת ]מדינים[ נש

טו

16 As soon repress her as repress the wind, Or declare one’s right hand to be oil.

מן ימינו יקרא׃ צפניה צפן־רוח וש טז

17 As iron sharpens iron So a man sharpens the wit of his friend.

ני־רעהו׃ ברזל יחד ואיש יחד פ רזל ב ב יז

18 He who tends a fig tree will enjoy its fruit, And he who cares for his master will be honored.

ריה ושמר אדניו אנה יאכל פ נצר תד׃ יכב

יח

19 As face answers to face in water, So does one man’s heart to another.

ן לב־האדם נים כ נים לפ ים הפ מ כלאדם׃

יט

20 Sheol and Abaddon cannot be satisfied, Nor can the eyes of man be satisfied.

ענה ב אול ואבדה ]ואבדו[ לא תש שענה׃ ב ועיני האדם לא תש

כ

21 For silver—the crucible, for gold—the furnace, And a man is tested by his praise.

הב ואיש לפי סף וכור לז מצרף לכמהללו׃

כא

22 Even if you pound the fool in a mortar With a pestle along with grain, His folly will not leave him.

תוך ש ב כת מ כתוש־את־האויל ב אם תלתו׃ עלי לא־תסור מעליו או הריפות ב

כב

23 Mind well the looks of your flock; Pay attention to your herds;

ך לעדרים׃ ית לב ני צאנך ש דע פ ידע ת כג

24 For property does not last forever, Or a crown for all generations.

י לא לעולם חסן ואם־נזר לדור דור כ]ודור׃[

כד

25 Grass vanishes, new grass appears, And the herbage of the hills is gathered in.

א ונאספו לה חציר ונראה־דש גבות הרים׃ עש

כה

26 The lambs will provide you with clothing, The he-goats, the price of a field.

דה עתודים׃ ך ומחיר ש ים ללבוש בש כ כו

27 The goats’ milk will suffice for your food, The food of your household, And the maintenance of your maids.

יתך ים ללחמך ללחם ב ודי חלב עזים לנערותיך׃ וחי

כז

69


Proverbs

משליפרק כח

28:8 Amasses it for one who is generous to the poor Despite sayings to the contrary, sometimes it seems that the wicked do prosper. After all, if crime didn’t pay, nobody would bother to try. This concerned even the greatest of biblical personalities, such as Yirmiyahu, who

asks, “Wherefore does the way of the wicked prosper?” (Jeremiah 12:1). However, King Shlomo reassures us, one who becomes rich through dishonest means merely accumulates the wealth for the benefit of the righteous, as Hashem will ensure it arrives in their possession in the end.

28 1 The wicked flee though no one gives chase, But the righteous are as confident as a lion.

כפיר יקים כ ע וצד נסו ואין־רדף רשיבטח׃

כח א2 When there is rebellion in the land, many are its

rulers; But with a man who has understanding and knowledge, stability will last.

ריה ובאדם מבין ים ש ע ארץ רב פש בן יאריך׃ ידע כ

ב

3 A poor man who withholds what is due to the wretched Is like a destructive rain that leaves no food.

ים מטר סחף ואין ל ק ד בר רש ועש גלחם׃

ג

4 Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked, But those who heed instruction fight them.

ע ושמרי תורה עזבי תורה יהללו רשרו בם׃ יתג

ד

5 Evil men cannot discern judgment, But those who seek Hashem discern all things.

י ט ומבקש פ י־רע לא־יבינו מש אנשיהוה יבינו כל׃

ה

6 Better is a poor man who lives blamelessly Than a rich man whose ways are crooked.

רכים ש ד תמו מעק טוב־רש הולך ביר׃ והוא עש

ו

7 An intelligent son heeds instruction, But he who keeps company with gluttons disgraces his father.

ן מבין ורעה זוללים נוצר תורה ביכלים אביו׃

ז

8 He who increases his wealth by loans at discount or interest Amasses it for one who is generous to the poor.

ית[ ך ובתרבית ]ותרב נש ה הונו ב מרבצנו׃ ים יקב ל לחונן ד

ח

mar-BEH ho-NO b’-NE-shekh v’-tar-BEET l’-kho-NAYN da-LEEM yik-b’-TZE-nu

9 He who turns a deaf ear to instruction— His prayer is an abomination.

תו פל ם־ת מע תורה ג מסיר אזנו משתועבה׃

ט

10 He who misleads the upright into an evil course Will fall into his own pit, But the blameless will prosper.

חותו הוא־ ש דרך רע ב רים ב ה יש ג משיפול ותמימים ינחלו־טוב׃

י

11 A rich man is clever in his own eyes, But a perceptive poor man can see through him.

יר ודל מבין עיניו איש עש חכם ביחקרנו׃

יא

12 When the righteous exult there is great glory, But when the wicked rise up men make themselves scarce.

ה תפארת ובקום יקים רב עלץ צד בש אדם׃ עים יחפ רש

יב

13 He who covers up his faults will not succeed; He who confesses and gives them up will find mercy.

עיו לא יצליח ומודה ועזב ה פש מכסירחם׃

יג

14 Happy is the man who is anxious always, But he who hardens his heart falls into misfortune.

ה לבו מיד ומקש רי אדם מפחד ת אשרעה׃ יפול ב

יד

70

משליפרק כט


15 A roaring lion and a prowling bear Is a wicked man ruling a helpless people.

ע על ל רש ארי־נהם ודב שוקק משל׃ עם־ד

טו

16 A prince who lacks understanding is very oppressive; He who spurns ill-gotten gains will live long.

קות שנאי בונות ורב מעש נגיד חסר ת]שנא[ בצע יאריך ימים׃

טז

17 A man oppressed by bloodguilt will flee to a pit; Let none give him support.

דם־נפש עד־בור ינוס אל־ ק ב אדם עשיתמכו־בו׃

יז

18 He who lives blamelessly will be delivered, But he who is crooked in his ways will fall all at once.

רכים יפול ע ונעקש ד ש מים יו הולך תאחת׃ ב

יח

19 He who tills his land will have food in plenty, But he who pursues vanities will have poverty in plenty.

ף רקים ע־לחם ומרד ב עבד אדמתו ישע־ריש׃ ב יש

יט

20 A dependable man will receive many blessings, But one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.

יר רכות ואץ להעש איש אמונות רב־בקה׃ לא ינ

כ

21 To be partial is not right; A man may do wrong for a piece of bread.

ת־לחם נים לא־טוב ועל־פ ר־פ הכבר׃ ע־ג יפש

כא

22 A miserly man runs after wealth; He does not realize that loss will overtake it.

י־ נבהל להון איש רע עין ולא־ידע כחסר יבאנו׃

כב

23 He who reproves a man will in the end Find more favor than he who flatters him.

חליק מוכיח אדם אחרי חן ימצא ממלשון׃

כג

24 He who robs his father and mother and says, “It is no offense,” Is a companion to vandals.

ע חבר ש גוזל אביו ואמו ואמר אין־פחית׃ הוא לאיש מש

כד

25 A greedy man provokes quarrels, But he who trusts Hashem shall enjoy prosperity.

רחב־נפש יגרה מדון ובוטח על־יהוה ן׃ ידש

כה

26 He who trusts his own instinct is a dullard, But he who lives by wisdom shall escape.

חכמה לבו הוא כסיל והולך ב בוטח בלט׃ הוא ימ

כו

27 He who gives to the poor will not be in want, But he who shuts his eyes will be roundly cursed.

נותן לרש אין מחסור ומעלים עיניו רב־מארות׃

כז

28 When the wicked rise up, men go into hiding, But when they perish the righteous increase.

תר אדם ובאבדם עים יס קום רש ביקים׃ ירבו צד

כח

29 1 One oft reproved may become stiffnecked, But he will be suddenly broken beyond repair.

בר תע יש ה־ערף פ איש תוכחות מקשא׃ ואין מרפ

כט א2 When the righteous become great the people

rejoice, But when the wicked dominate the people groan.

מח העם ובמשל יקים יש רבות צד בע יאנח עם׃ רש

ב

3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, But he who keeps company with harlots will lose his wealth.

ח אביו ורעה מ איש־אהב חכמה ישד־הון׃ זונות יאב

ג

4 By justice a king sustains the land, But a fraudulent man tears it down.

ט יעמיד ארץ ואיש פ מש מלך בה׃ רומות יהרסנ ת

ד

71


Proverbs

משליפרק כט

5 A man who flatters his fellow Spreads a net for his feet.

ת פורש על־ בר מחליק על־רעהו רש געמיו׃ פ

ה

6 An evil man’s offenses are a trap for himself, But the righteous sing out joyously.

יק ירון ע איש רע מוקש וצד פש במח׃ וש

ו

7 A righteous man is concerned with the cause of the wretched; A wicked man cannot understand such concern.

ע לא־יבין ים רש ל ין ד יק ד ידע צדעת׃ ד

ז

8 Scoffers inflame a city, But the wise allay anger. יבו י לצון יפיחו קריה וחכמים יש אנשאף׃

ח

9 When a wise man enters into litigation with a fool There is ranting and ridicule, but no satisfaction.

ט את־איש אויל ורגז פ איש־חכם נשחק ואין נחת׃ וש

ט

10 Bloodthirsty men detest the blameless, But the upright seek them out.

רים יבקשו נאו־תם ויש י דמים יש אנשנפשו׃

י

11 A dullard vents all his rage, But a wise man calms it down.

אחור ל־רוחו יוציא כסיל וחכם ב כה׃ חנ ב יש

יא

12 A ruler who listens to lies, All his ministers will be wicked.

ל־ קר כ בר־ש יב על־ד ל מקש משעים׃ רתיו רש מש

יב

13 A poor man and a fraudulent man meet; Hashem gives luster to the eyes of both.

שו מאיר־עיני ככים נפג רש ואיש תניהם יהוה׃ ש

יג

14 A king who judges the wretched honestly, His throne will be established forever.

סאו לעד ים כ ל אמת ד מלך שופט ביכון׃

יד

15 Rod and reproof produce wisdom, But a lad out of control is a disgrace to his mother.

ח ל ן חכמה ונער מש בט ותוכחת ית שמביש אמו׃

טו

16 When the wicked increase, offenses increase, But the righteous will see their downfall.

יקים ע וצד ש ה־פ עים ירב רבות רש בם יראו׃ לת מפ ב

טז

17 Discipline your son and he will give you peace; He will gratify you with dainties.

ך׃ ים לנפש ן מעדנ נך ויניחך וית ר ב יס יז

18 For lack of vision a people lose restraint, But happy is he who heeds instruction.

רע עם ושמר תורה אין חזון יפ ברהו׃ אש

יח

19 A slave cannot be disciplined by words; Though he may comprehend, he does not respond.

י־יבין ואין סר עבד כ דברים לא־יו במענה׃

יט

20 If you see a man hasty in speech, There is more hope for a fool than for him.

קוה לכסיל דבריו ת חזית איש אץ בנו׃ ממ

כ

21 A slave pampered from youth Will come to a bad end.

ק מנער עבדו ואחריתו יהיה מנון׃ מפנ כא

22 An angry man provokes a quarrel; A hot-tempered man commits many offenses.

איש־אף יגרה מדון ובעל חמה רב־ע׃ ש פ

כב

72

משליפרק ל


29:23 But a humble man will obtain honor Honor is a funny thing. One who seeks it out is unlikely

to earn it from others, but one who rejects it is likely to earn his fellows’ respect. As the Sages of the Talmud teach (Eiruvin 13b), “One who chases after honor, honor eludes him; but one who runs away from honor, honor clings to him.”

30:8 Give me neither poverty nor riches We often think how grateful we would be to have wealth or abundance. This verse points out that often, riches do not lead people to gratitude, but rather to smugness and self-satisfaction. If we have too much of a good thing, we may come to believe we have earned it, and forget Hashem’s hand in our lives. In fact, the Bible warns

23 A man’s pride will humiliate him, But a humble man will obtain honor.

פל־רוח יתמך ילנו וש פ ש אות אדם ת גבוד׃ כ

כג

ga-a-VAT a-DAM tash-pee-LE-nu ush-fal RU-akh yit-MOKH ka-VOD

24 He who shares with a thief is his own enemy; He hears the imprecation and does not tell.

מע ב שונא נפשו אלה יש נ חולק עם־גיד׃ ולא יג

כד

25 A man’s fears become a trap for him, But he who trusts in Hashem shall be safeguarded.

יהוה ן מוקש ובוטח ב ת אדם ית חרדב׃ ג יש

כה

26 Many seek audience with a ruler, But it is from Hashem that a man gets justice.

ל ומיהוה ני־מוש ים פ ים מבקש רבט־איש׃ פ מש

כו

27 The unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, And he whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.

יקים איש עול ותועבת תועבת צדרך׃ ר־ד ע יש רש

כז

30 1 The words of Agur son of Yakeh, [man of] Massa; The speech of the man to Itiel, to Itiel and Ukal:

בר א נאם הג ש ן־יקה המ ברי אגור ב דלאיתיאל לאיתיאל ואכל׃

ל א2 I am brutish, less than a man; I lack common sense. י בער אנכי מאיש ולא־בינת אדם לי׃ כ ב

3 I have not learned wisdom, Nor do I possess knowledge of the Holy One.

ים י חכמה ודעת קדש ולא־למדתאדע׃

ג

4 Who has ascended heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hand? Who has wrapped the waters in his garment? Who has established all the extremities of the earth? What is his name or his son’s name, if you know it?

רד מי אסף־רוח מים וי מי עלה־שמלה מי הקים ש חפניו מי צרר־מים ב בנו ם־ב מו ומה־ש ל־אפסי־ארץ מה־ש כ

י תדע׃ כ

ד

5 Every word of Hashem is pure, A shield to those who take refuge in Him.

ל־אמרת אלוה צרופה מגן הוא כלחסים בו׃

ה

6 Do not add to His words, Lest He indict you and you be proved a liar.

ך ן־יוכיח ב בריו פ אל־תוסף על־ד׃ ונכזבת

ו

7 Two things I ask of you; do not deny them to me before I die:

י נ מנע ממ ך אל־ת י מאת אלת ים ש ת שטרם אמות׃ ב

ז

8 Keep lies and false words far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches, But provide me with my daily bread,

י ראש נ זב הרחק ממ וא ודבר־כ שי׃ ן־לי הטריפני לחם חק ת ר אל־ת ועש

ח

SHAV ud-var ka-ZAV har-KHAYK mi-ME-nee RAYSH va-O-sher al TI-ten LEE hat-ree-FAY-nee LE-khem khu-KEE

73


Proverbs

משליפרק ל

that forgetting the Lord and attributing one’s wealth to his own power and might is one of the dangers of the blessing of bounty in the Land of Israel (Deuteronomy 8:7-18). Conversely, if we lack something in our lives,

we may come to curse God, forgetting He has our best interests at heart. Hence, we should hope to always have just enough for our needs – not to feel the strain of lack, but also not the pride of luxury.

9 Lest, being sated, I renounce, saying, “Who is Hashem?” Or, being impoverished, I take to theft And profane the name of my God.

י מי יהוה י ואמרת ת ע וכחש ב ן אש פם אלהי׃ י ש ת י ותפש רש וגנבת ופן־או

ט

10 Do not inform on a slave to his master, Lest he curse you and you incur guilt.

ן־ ן עבד אל־אדנו ]אדניו[ פ לש אל־ת׃ מת לך ואש יקל

י

11 There is a breed of men that brings a curse on its fathers And brings no blessing to its mothers,

ל ואת־אמו לא יברך׃ דור אביו יקל יא

12 A breed that thinks itself pure, Though it is not washed of its filth;

עיניו ומצאתו לא רחץ׃ דור טהור ב יב

13 A breed so haughty of bearing, so supercilious; או׃ ש יו ינ דור מה־רמו עיניו ועפעפ יג

14 A breed whose teeth are swords, Whose jaws are knives, Ready to devour the poor of the land, The needy among men.

עתיו יו ומאכלות מתל נ דור חרבות שים מארץ ואביונים מאדם׃ לאכל עני

יד

15 The leech has two daughters, “Give!” and “Give!” Three things are insatiable; Four never say, “Enough!”:

ה לוש הנ י בנות הב הב ש ת לעלוקה שע לא־אמרו הון׃ ענה ארב ב לא תש

טו

16 Sheol, a barren womb, Earth that cannot get enough water, And fire which never says, “Enough!”

ים בעה מ אול ועצר רחם ארץ לא־ש שואש לא־אמרה הון׃

טז

17 The eye that mocks a father And disdains the homage due a mother— The ravens of the brook will gouge it out, Young eagles will devour it.

הת־אם לעג לאב ותבוז ליק עין תר׃ רוה ערבי־נחל ויאכלוה בני־נש יק

יז

18 Three things are beyond me; Four I cannot fathom: י וארבע נ ה נפלאו ממ ה המ לש שים׃ עה[ לא ידעת ]וארב

יח

19 How an eagle makes its way over the sky; How a snake makes its way over a rock; How a ship makes its way through the high seas; How a man has his way with a maiden.

רך נחש עלי צור מים ד ש ר ב ש רך הנ דעלמה׃ בר ב ה בלב־ים ודרך ג רך־אני ד

יט

20 Such is the way of an adulteress: She eats, wipes her mouth, And says, “I have done no wrong.”

ה מנאפת אכלה ומחתה רך אש ן ד כי און׃ פיה ואמרה לא־פעלת

כ

21 The earth shudders at three things, At four which it cannot bear:

ע לוש רגזה ארץ ותחת ארב חת ש תאת׃ לא־תוכל ש

כא

22 A slave who becomes king; A scoundrel sated with food;

ע־ ב י יש י ימלוך ונבל כ חת־עבד כ תלחם׃

כב

74

משליפרק לא


23 A loathsome woman who gets married; A slave-girl who supplants her mistress.

י־ פחה כ על וש י תב נואה כ חת ש תה׃ ברת תירש ג

כג

24 Four are among the tiniest on earth, Yet they are the wisest of the wise:

ה חכמים י־ארץ והמ עה הם קטנ ארבמים׃ מחכ

כד

25 Ants are a folk without power, Yet they prepare food for themselves in summer;

יץ לחמם׃ כינו בק מלים עם לא־עז וי הנ כה

26 The badger is a folk without strength, Yet it makes its home in the rock;

לע ימו בס ש ים עם לא־עצום וי פנ שיתם׃ ב

כו

27 The locusts have no king, Yet they all march forth in formation;

לו׃ צא חצץ כ ה וי מלך אין לארב כז

28 You can catch the lizard in your hand, Yet it is found in royal palaces.

היכלי ש והיא ב תפ ידים ת ממית ב שמלך׃

כח

29 There are three that are stately of stride, Four that carry themselves well:

עה ה מיטיבי צעד וארב ה המ לש שמיטבי לכת׃

כט

30 The lion is mightiest among the beasts, And recoils before none;

ני־כל׃ המה ולא־ישוב מפ ב בור ב ליש ג ל

31 The greyhound, the he-goat, The king whom none dares resist.

זרזיר מתנים או־תיש ומלך אלקום עמו׃

לא

32 If you have been scandalously arrogant, If you have been a schemer, Then clap your hand to your mouth.

א ואם־זמות יד אם־נבלת בהתנשלפה׃

לב

33 As milk under pressure produces butter, And a nose under pressure produces blood, So patience under pressure produces strife.

י מיץ חלב יוציא חמאה ומיץ־אף כים יוציא ריב׃ יוציא דם ומיץ אפ

לג

31 1 The words of Lemuel, king of Massa, with which his mother admonished him:

רתו ר־יס א א ש ברי למואל מלך מש דאמו׃

לא א2 No, my son! No, O son of my womb! No, O son of

my vows!ר־נדרי׃ טני ומה ב ר־ב רי ומה־ב מה־ב ב

3 Do not give your strength to women, Your vigor, to those who destroy kings.

ים חילך ודרכיך למחות ש ן לנ ת אל־תמלכין׃

ג

4 Wine is not for kings, O Lemuel; Not for kings to drink, Nor any strong drink for princes,

תו־ אל למלכים למואל אל למלכים שכר׃ יין ולרוזנים או ]אי[ ש

ד

5 Lest they drink and forget what has been ordained, And infringe on the rights of the poor.

ין ה ד נ ק ויש ח מחק כ ה ויש ת ן־יש פני־עני׃ ל־ב כ

ה

6 Give strong drink to the hapless And wine to the embittered.

כר לאובד ויין למרי נפש׃ נו־ש ת ו

7 Let them drink and forget their poverty, And put their troubles out of mind.

ר־ ח רישו ועמלו לא יזכ כ ה ויש ת ישעוד׃

ז

8 Speak up for the dumb, For the rights of all the unfortunate.

ני חלוף׃ ל־ב ין כ ם אל־ד יך לאל תח־פ פ ח

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Proverbs

משליפרק לא

31:10 A capable wife This chapter contains an extended poem in praise of the eishet chayil,

translated here as ‘capable wife,’ but generally referred to as the ‘woman of valor’ (verses 10-31). She provides for her family in all ways, both materially and spiritually, and her endeavors and accomplishments are praised by the members of her household and by others. This poem is sung by Jews around the world on Friday nights, as they begin the first Shabbat meal. It is often understood as a praise for the Jewish woman who works

hard to care for her family and for others, and to prepare for the Shabbat each week. On a more mystical plane, it has been said in the name of the sixteenth century Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, who is known by the acronym Arizal, that “the Land of Israel is the earthly manifestation of the woman of valor.” When the Children of Israel follow Hashem faithfully in this unique land, they are provided for, both materially and spiritually. And, the beauty and charm of Eretz Yisrael are recognized and praised by all, Jews and non-Jews alike.

9 Speak up, judge righteously, Champion the poor and the needy.

פט־צדק ודין עני ואביון׃ יך ש תח־פ פ ט

10 What a rare find is a capable wife! Her worth is far beyond that of rubies.

נינים ת־חיל מי ימצא ורחק מפ אשמכרה׃

י

AY-shet KHA-yil MEE yim-TZA v’-ra-KHOK mi-p’-nee-NEEM mikh-RAH

11 Her husband puts his confidence in her, And lacks no good thing.

לל לא יחסר׃ עלה וש ה לב ב טח ב ב יא

12 She is good to him, never bad, All the days of her life.

יה׃ מלתהו טוב ולא־רע כל ימי חי ג יב

13 She looks for wool and flax, And sets her hand to them with a will.

חפץ עש ב ים ות ת ה צמר ופש רש דיה׃ פ כ

יג

14 She is like a merchant fleet, Bringing her food from afar.

ביא רחק ת אניות סוחר ממ היתה כלחמה׃

יד

15 She rises while it is still night, And supplies provisions for her household, The daily fare of her maids.

ן טרף לביתה ת עוד לילה ות קם ב ותוחק לנערתיה׃

טו

16 She sets her mind on an estate and acquires it; She plants a vineyard by her own labors.

יה נטע רי כפ חהו מפ ק דה ות זממה שרם׃ ]נטעה[ כ

טז

17 She girds herself with strength, And performs her tasks with vigor.

ץ זרעותיה׃ אמ חגרה בעוז מתניה ות יז

18 She sees that her business thrives; Her lamp never goes out at night.

ה בליל י־טוב סחרה לא־יכב טעמה כילה[ נרה׃ ]בל

יח

19 She sets her hand to the distaff; Her fingers work the spindle.

מכו פלך׃ יה ת ישור וכפ חה בכ ל ידיה ש יט

20 She gives generously to the poor; Her hands are stretched out to the needy.

חה לאביון׃ ל ה לעני וידיה ש רש ה פ פ כ כ

21 She is not worried for her household because of snow, For her whole household is dressed in crimson.

יתה י כל־ב לג כ לא־תירא לביתה משנים׃ לבש ש

כא

22 She makes covers for herself; Her clothing is linen and purple.

מן ש וארג ה ש תה־ל ים עש מרבדה׃ לבוש

כב

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משליפרק לא


23 Her husband is prominent in the gates, As he sits among the elders of the land.

בתו עם־זקני־ ש עלה ב ערים ב ש נודע בארץ׃

כג

24 She makes cloth and sells it, And offers a girdle to the merchant.

מכר וחגור נתנה תה ות סדין עשנעני׃ לכ

כד

25 She is clothed with strength and splendor; She looks to the future cheerfully.

חק ליום אחרון׃ ש ה ות עז־והדר לבוש כה

26 Her mouth is full of wisdom, Her tongue with kindly teaching.

תחה בחכמה ותורת־חסד על־ יה פ פלשונה׃

כו

27 She oversees the activities of her household And never eats the bread of idleness.

יתה ולחם עצלות לא ה הליכות ב צופיתאכל׃

כז

28 Her children declare her happy; Her husband praises her,

עלה ויהללה׃ רוה ב קמו בניה ויאש כח

29 “Many women have done well, But you surpass them all.”

נות עשו חיל ואת עלית על־ רבות בנה׃ ל כ

כט

30 Grace is deceptive, Beauty is illusory; It is for her fear of Hashem That a woman is to be praised.

ה יראת־יהוה קר החן והבל היפי אש של׃ היא תתהל

ל

31 Extol her for the fruit of her hand, And let her works praise her in the gates.

ערים רי ידיה ויהללוה בש נו־לה מפ תיה׃ מעש

לא

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Biographies of The Israel Bible Scholars

Ahuva Balofsky — Ahuva grew up in Toronto, Canada and obtained her B.A. Hons. and B.Ed. at York University. She taught Bible, Rabbinics and English at the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto. After moving to Israel in 2004 with her family, she completed a Master’s degree in Bible at Bar Ilan University.

Rabbi Avi Baumol — Rabbi Baumol, a pulpit Rabbi and Jewish educator, is currently serving the Jewish community of Krakow, Poland. He earned a B.A. from Yeshiva University and an M.A. in Jewish History from the Bernard Revel Graduate School. Rabbi Baumol is an alumnus of Yeshivat Har Etzion and received Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshiva University. He is the author of “The Poetry of Prayer; Tehillim in Tefillah,” Gefen Publishing, Jerusalem 2009.

Rabbi Yaakov Beasley — Rabbi Beasley has been lecturing passionately on Bible in different venues in Israel and abroad for almost twenty years. His essays and articles on Bible study appear regularly in leading magazines. Rabbi Beasley is also the editor of the groundbreaking series on the Pentateuch, Torah MiEtzion, and is completing advanced Bible studies at Bar Ilan University. When not teaching, he enjoys the company of his family in their home in the Judean mountains.

Josh Even-Chen — Josh is a native of North Carolina, but has called Israel his home ever since immigrating to Israel with his family in 1978. Josh graduated from Bar-Ilan University and completed a teaching degree. He now works as a tour guide who is popular with diverse groups of varied ages and backgrounds. He lives in Ma’aleh Adumim with his wife Chana and their six children.

Rabbi Shmuel Jablon — Rabbi Jablon is a highly experienced Jewish educator, having served as an administrator and teacher in American Jewish day schools for over two decades. He is a rabbinic graduate of the Hebrew Theological College (“Skokie Yeshiva”), holds a Masters Degree in Education and is a member of the Rabbinical Council of America. In the summer of 5774 (2014), he fulfilled a life-long dream by making aliyah to Israel with his family.

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Batya Markowitz — Batya is a two-time National Bible Contest winner. Growing up in Toronto, her dream was to make aliyah to Israel and become a Bible teacher. Today, Batya lives with her husband in the heart of Jerusalem, fulfilling both of those goals. Since receiving a degree in Jewish Education at Michlalah Jerusalem College, she has been teaching Jewish studies at the elementary, junior high and post high school levels.

Shira Schechter – Shira graduated from Stern College with a BA in Judaic studies and received masters’ degrees in education and Bible from the Azrieli and the Bernard Revel graduate schools of Yeshiva University. Shira also studied at the Yeshiva University Graduate Program for women in Advanced Talmudic Studies, and was a teaching fellow at the Rabbi Soloveitchik Institute in Boston. Prior to making aliyah in 2013, Shira taught Bible to high school students in New Jersey.

Rabbi Noam Shapiro — Rabbi Shapiro studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion and has rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Rabbi Shapiro has taught Torah topics at high schools and Seminaries in the United States and Israel. Rabbi Shapiro also served as an editor for the Koren Talmud Bavli with commentary by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz. He currently lives with his family in Gush Etzion, Israel.

Alexander Jacob Tsykin –Born in Melbourne, Rabbi Tsykin studied in Mount Scopus Memorial College for thirteen years before spending three years at Yeshivat Har Etzion pursuing advanced studies in Jewish law. He studied for two years in Monash University, Australia, and two years in Yeshiva University, New York, where he completed a degree in Jewish Studies focusing on Modern Jewish History. Alexander lives in Alon Shevut, Israel, with his wife and son.

Rabbi Naphtali (“Tuly”) Weisz — Rabbi Weisz attended Yeshiva University (BA), the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (Rabbinic Ordination) and the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law ( JD). He served as the Rabbi of the Beth Jacob Congregation in Columbus, Ohio before making Aliyah. Rabbi Weisz founded Israel365 and the Yeshiva for the Nations and serves as the publisher of Breaking Israel News. He is also the editor of The Israel Bible.

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Bibliography

This bibliography contains a short biography of the scholars and historical figures mentioned in the commentary of The Israel Bible.

Aaronsohn, Sarah (1890–1917) — Born in Zichron Yaakov, Aaronsohn and her siblings co-founded Nili, a Jewish, pro-British espionage group, established to help liberate Palestine from Ottoman rule. Aaronsohn was captured and tortured by the Turks, and killed herself before revealing anything to her torturers.

Abrabanel, Rabbi Yitzchak (1437–1508) — Born in Portugal, Abrabanel fled to Spain in 1483. He was a statesman, philosopher and Bible commentator. He tried to convince King Ferdinand to revoke the edict expelling the Jews from Spain in 1492 but was unsuccessful.

Agnon, Shmuel Yosef (1888–1970) — Born in Buczacz, Galicia, Agnon immigrated to Israel in 1908. An Israeli writer, his works are published under his initials S.Y. Agnon, and he is known in Hebrew by his acronym Shai (שי). One of the most admired Israeli authors of the 20th century, Agnon was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1966.

Albo, Rabbi Joseph (1380–1444) — Born in Spain, Albo was a Jewish rabbi and philosopher during the 15th century. He is best known for his philosophical work, Book of the Principles, in which he discusses the fundamental beliefs of Judaism.

Allon, Yigal (1918–1980) — Born in Kfar Tavor, Israel, Allon was a commander of the Palmach, a general in the IDF and an Israeli politician. He briefly served as interim Prime Minister of the State of Israel in 1969, following the death of Prime Minister Levi Eshkol.

Altschuler, Rabbi David (18th century) — Commonly known by the name of his commentary, Metzudat David, he lived in Galicia where he died a martyr’s death. The Metzudat David commentary is considered basic for understanding the books of the prophets.

Aviner, Rabbi Shlomo (b. 1943) – Born in France, Aviner immigrated to Israel at age 23. He served in the Israeli Defense Forces and studied under

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Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook. He is the Rabbi of Beit El and head of the Ateret Yerushalayim seminary in the Old City of Jerusalem. He is the author of many books, including a commentary on the Book of Judges.

Barak, Ehud (b. 1942) — Born in Kibbutz Mishmar Hasharon, Barak is an Israeli politician who served as Israel’s tenth Prime Minister from 1999–2001. He served in the IDF for 35 years and, along with two others, is the most decorated soldier in Israel’s history.

Barbivai, Orna (b. 1962) — Born in Afula, Barbivai is a Major-General in the IDF and former head of its manpower directorate. She is the first woman to have been promoted to the rank of Major-General in the Israel Defense Forces.

Bar-Ilan, Rabbi Meir (1880–1949) — Born in Russia, Bar-Ilan moved to the United States in 1915 where he became an important leader of the Mizrachi Religious Zionist Movement. He moved to Israel in 1926 where he continued to lead Mizrachi and the struggle for a Jewish state. Bar Ilan University is named in his memory.

Barkat, Nir (b. 1959) — Born in Jerusalem, Barkat is an Israeli businessman and politician who has served as the mayor of Jerusalem since 2008.

Bazak, Rabbi Amnon (b. 1966) – Born in Jerusalem, Bazak is a teacher of Talmud at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon Shevut. He is an expert in the Bible, and teaches Bible classes at the Herzog teacher’s college. He has published a number of books on the Bible.

Begin, Menachem (1913–1992) — Born in Belarus, Begin became an Israeli politician, founder of the Israeli political party Likud and 6th Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Before the establishment of the State, he headed the Zionist paramilitary organization called the Irgun. As Prime Minister, Begin signed a peace treaty with Egypt in 1979, for which he and Anwar Sadat were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Ben-Gurion, David (1886–1973) — Born in Poland, Ben-Gurion immigrated to Israel in 1906. He is considered Israel’s “founding father,” as he formally declared the establishment of the State on May 14, 1948, and was the first to sign the Israeli Declaration of Independence which he helped write. Ben-Gurion served as the first Prime Minister of Israel.

Ben-Zvi, Yitzchak (1884–1963) — Born in the Ukraine, Ben-Zvi immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1907. He was a historian and a leader of

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the Labor Zionist movement. He served as the second president of the State of Israel from 1952 until his death in 1963.

Berlin, Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda (1816–1893) — Born in Belarus, Berlin is commonly known by his acronym Netziv. He was a Torah scholar and served as dean of the esteemed talmudical college of Volozhin from 1854 until it closed in 1892. Berlin authored a number of works on rabbinic literature as well as a commentary on the Bible.

Bialik, Chaim Nachman (1873–1934) — Born in the Ukraine, Bialik moved to Tel Aviv in 1924. He was one of the pioneers of Hebrew poetry and his works contributed to the revival of the Hebrew language. He became known as Israel’s national poet.

Blech, Rabbi Benjamin (b. 1933) — Born in Zurich, Blech is a professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University in New York. He served as Rabbi of the Young Israel of Oceanside and has authored numerous books including The Secrets of Hebrew Words.

Braverman, Sarah (1919–2013) — Born in Romania, Braverman immigrated to Israel at a young age. She was a member of the Palmach, parachuted into Europe with the Jewish heroine Chana Senesh, and established the IDF Women’s Corps. She is affectionately known as the “first lady of the IDF.”

Carlebach, Rabbi Shlomo (1925–1994) — Born in Berlin, Carlebach moved to New York in 1939. He was a rabbi, religious teacher, composer and singer. He is known as one of the foremost Jewish religious songwriters of the century as well as a pioneer of the “baal teshuva movement,” working to draw unaffiliated Jews back to Judaism.

Clorfene, Rabbi Chaim (b. 1939) — Born in Chicago, Illinois, Clorfene resides in Safed, Israel. He is a recognized authority on the Third Temple and the Messianic era, has authored numerous books, and produced multiple audio dramas and video presentations on the Third Temple and other Jewish topics.

Dayan, Moshe (1915–1981) — Born on Kibbutz Degania Alef, Dayan was the second child born on the first Israeli kibbutz. He was an Israeli military leader and politician, known for his role as Israeli Defense Minister during the 1967 Six-Day War as well as for his signature eye patch.

Eban, Abba (1915–2002) — Born in South Africa, Eban immigrated to Israel in 1940. He was a scholar of both Arabic and Hebrew as well as an

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Israeli diplomat and politician. Some of his different positions included Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Education Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Ambassador to the United States and to the United Nations.

Eshkol, Levi (1895–1969) — Born in the Ukraine, Eshkol immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1914. He served as Israel’s fourth Prime Minister from 1963 until his death in 1969.

Ginsberg, Asher (1856–1927) — Born in Russia, Ginsberg moved to Israel in 1922. He was a Hebrew essayist and is considered the founder of cultural Zionism. He is primarily known by his Hebrew pen name Achad Ha’am.

Glazerson, Rabbi Matityahu (b. 1937) — Born in K’far Saba, Glazerson is a rabbi, teacher, musician and composer. In his teaching, he focuses on the meaning behind the Hebrew letters and their numerical value. He has authored over 30 books.

Hakham, Rabbi Amos (1921–2012) — Born in Jerusalem, Hakham was a master of the Hebrew Bible and a scholar. He was the winner of the first International Bible Contest held in Israel in 1958. Hakham authored the commentary on a number of books for the Da’at Mikra Bible series, including the commentary on the Book of Psalms.

Halevi, Rabbi Judah (c. 1080 — c. 1145) – Born in Spain, Halevi was a physician, poet and philosopher. He wrote The Kuzari in defense of the teachings of Judaism. His is known to have had an intense yearning for the Holy land, and is famous for writing “My heart is in the east, and I in the uttermost west.” He died shortly after arriving in Israel.

Hertz, Rabbi Joseph Herman (1872–1946) — Born in Hungary, Hertz was a rabbi and Bible scholar, and edited a notable commentary on the Pentateuch. He was the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom from 1913–1946.

Hirsch, Rabbi Samson Raphael (1808–1888) — Born in France, Hirsch was a rabbi in Frankfurt-Main and the leader of modern German-Jewish Orthodoxy. He wrote a six-volume commentary on the Pentateuch.

Horowitz, Rabbi Yeshaya (1565–1630) — Born in Prague, Horowitz immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1621. He was a prominent rabbi and kabbalist and is also known as the Shelah ha-Kadosh (the holy Shelah).

Ibn Ezra, Rabbi Abraham (1089–1164) — Born in Tuleda, Navarre, Ibn Ezra was a philosopher, poet, mathematician, astronomer, linguist and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Affairs_Minister_of_Israel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Education_(Israel)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Israeli_ambassadors_to_the_United_States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_Representative_of_Israel_to_the_United_Nations

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biblical exegete. His commentary is included in most common editions of the Hebrew Bible that contain rabbinic commentary.

Ickovitz, Rabbi Chaim (1749–1821) – Born in Volozhin, Ickovitz is commonly known as Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin. A rabbi, Talmudist and ethicist, he was the founder of the famed Volozhin talmudical college. He authored Nefesh HaChaim, a work of religious philosophy.

Jacob son of Asher (c. 1275 — c. 1340) – Born in Germany, he was an influential medieval rabbi, often called the Baal HaTurim, after his main work on Jewish law, the Arbaah Turim, the Four Rows. He wrote two commentaries on the Pentateuch; a concise commentary of mystical and symbolic references in the Torah, and an exegetical commentary.

Kaplan, Rabbi Aryeh (1934–1983) — Born in the Bronx, New York, Kaplan was a rabbi, educator and author. He is considered an original thinker and was known for his knowledge of physics and kabbalah. Kaplan authored numerous works on a variety of topics including the Bible, Talmud, mysticism, Jewish beliefs and philosophy.

Keel, Yehuda (1916–2011) — Born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Keel immigrated to Israel in 1936. He was an educator and Bible commentator and served as the head of the religious education department of the Israel Ministry of Education. He headed the Da’at Mikra biblical commentary project and was awarded the Israel Prize for Jewish studies in 1992.

Kimchi, Rabbi David (1160–1235) — Born in Provence, Kimchi is commonly known by his acronym Radak. A rabbi, philosopher and grammarian, he wrote a widely-studied commentary on the Bible.

Kook, Rabbi Abraham Isaac (1865–1935) — Born in Latvia, Kook immigrated to Israel in 1904. He was the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of the Land of Israel, founder of the Mercaz HaRav academy and is viewed as one of the fathers of Religious Zionism. He was well known for his tremendous love for others and for his intellectual leadership helping to establish a Jewish State in the Land of Israel.

Kook, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda (1891–1982) — Born in Lithuania, Kook immigrated to Israel in 1904. He was a Rabbi and leader of Religious Zionism and the only son of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. He served as head of the Mercaz HaRav seminary as well as the editor of many of his late father’s works. He continued in his father’s path of Religious Zionism and was

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instrumental in encouraging Jews to settle in areas liberated during the Six Day War.

Kollek, Theodore (1911–2007) — Born in Hungary in 1911, Kollek immigrated to Israel in 1935. He served as mayor of Jerusalem for 28 years from 1965–1993, and dedicated himself to developing the city and was awarded the Israel Prize in 1988 for his contributions to society and the State of Israel.

Kremer, Rabbi Elijah (1720–1797) — Born in Lithuania, Kremer was a Talmudist, a master of Jewish law and a kabbalist. Because of his brilliance and mastery of text he is known as the “Genius of Vilna.”

Leibowitz, Nechama (1905–1997) — Born in Riga, Latvia, Leibowitz immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1930. She was a Bible scholar and master educator who inspired many to study the Bible. She was known for her worksheets containing questions on the weekly Torah portion which she would personally review, correct and return.

Leibtag, Rabbi Menachem (b. 1958) – Born in Ohio, Leibtag immigrated to Israel where he is a Bible scholar, noted lecturer and pioneer of Jewish education on the internet. He teaches a thematic-analytic approach to biblical study, emphasizing biblical theme and structure, that combines traditional Jewish approaches with modern scholarship.

Levi ben Gershon (1288–1344) — Born in France, he is commonly known by his acronym Ralbag or Gersonides. He was a philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, Talmudist and Bible commentator.

Levin, Rabbi Aryeh (1885–1969) — Born in Poland, Levin was a rabbi and scholar known for his warmth, kindness, humility and love of every person. After immigrating to Israel, he became known as the “Father of the Prisoners” for his role as Jewish prison chaplain, bringing love, encouragement and hope to those behind bars.

Lichtman, Rabbi Moshe — Born in New Jersey, Lichtman immigrated to Israel in 1991. He is a rabbi, teacher and author, and is known for his translations of various Hebrew texts and for his work, Eretz Yisrael in the Parshah and A Drop in the Ocean.

Luntschitz, Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim (1550–1619) — Born in Poland, Luntschitz served as the Rabbi of Prague from 1604–1619 and was best known for his Torah commentary Kli Yakar.

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Luria, Rabbi Isaac (1534–1572) — Born in Jerusalem, Luria is commonly known as the Arizal (the Ari of blessed memory). He became a rabbi and Jewish kabbalist in the mystical city of Safed. He is considered to be the father of contemporary Jewish mysticism.

Maimonides (1135–1204) — Born in Spain, Maimonides is commonly known as Rambam, the acronym of his name Rabbi Moshe ben (son of) Maimon. He was a preeminent Jewish legal scholar and philosopher, as well as a renowned physician. His numerous works include “The Guide for the Perplexed,” the main source of his philosophical views, and the “Mishneh Torah,” his seminal codification of Jewish law. He is buried in Tiberias, Israel.

Meir, Golda (1898–1978) — Born in Kiev, Meir immigrated first to the United States and then to the Land of Israel in 1921. She served as Israel’s fourth Prime Minister, the only woman to have held this position to date.

Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (1843–1926) — Born in Lithuania, he was a rabbi and prominent leader of the Orthodox Jewish community of Eastern Europe. He is known for his writings on Maimonides’ work of Jewish law, called Ohr Sameach, as well as his commentary on the Torah called Meshech Chochmah.

Meiri, Rabbi Menachem (1249- c. 1310) — Born in Southern France, Meiri was a rabbi and Talmudic scholar. His commentary on the Talmud is considered one of the most monumental works on the Talmud.

Morgensztern, Rabbi Menachem Mendel (1787–1859) — Born in Poland, Morgensztern is also known as the Kotzker Rebbe. He was a Hasidic rabbi and leader, known for his sharp-witted sayings and down-to-earth philosophies.

Munk, Rabbi Michael (1905–1985) — Born in Berlin, Munk was an educator, author and activist. He founded the Adath Yisrael Synagogue of Hendon in London, and was the founding principal of the largest Orthodox Jewish school for girls in America.

Nahmanides (1194–1270) – Born in Spain, Rabbi Moshe ben (son of) Nachman is also known by his acronym the Ramban. He was one of the leading Torah scholars of the Middle Ages, and authored numerous works on Torah subjects, including a famed commentary on the Pentateuch.

Navon, Yitzchak (1921–2015) — Born in Jerusalem, Navon became an Israeli political and diplomat, author, and linguist. He served as the fifth president of the State of Israel from 1978–1983.

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Netanyahu, Benjamin (b. 1949) — Born in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu is an Israeli politician, a veteran of an elite unit of the Israel Defense Forces, and a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In March 2015, he was elected to his fourth term as Prime Minister of the State of Israel.

Peres, Shimon (1923–2016) — Born in Poland, Peres immigrated to Israel in 1934. He was an Israeli politician who served as Prime Minister from 1984–1986, and from 1995–1996. He was also Israel’s ninth president from 2007–2014.

Rabin, Yitzchak (1922–1995) — Born in Jerusalem, Rabin was an Israeli politician who served two terms as Prime Minister of the State of Israel, from 1974–1977 and again from 1992 until his assassination in 1995.

Riskin, Rabbi Shlomo (b. 1940) — Born in Brooklyn, Riskin served as a rabbi in New York before immigrating to Israel in 1983 to become the founding chief rabbi of Efrat. He is also the founder and chancellor of Ohr Torah Stone, a network of Jewish educational institutions in America and Israel.

Rivlin, Reuven (b. 1939) — Born in Jerusalem, Rivlin is an Israeli lawyer and politician who has been serving as Israel’s 10th president since 2014.

Rosen, Rabbi Joseph (1858–1936) — Born in Rogachev, Belarus, Rosen was one of the most prominent Talmudic scholars of the early 20th century. He is known as the “Genius of Rogachev” because of his photographic memory and his ability to use seemingly unrelated Talmudic passages to elucidate a question or area of Jewish law under discussion.

Sacks, Rabbi Lord Jonathan (b. 1948) — Born in London, England, Sacks is a rabbi, scholar and philosopher, and has authored more than 25 books. Sacks served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth for 22 years.

Schneerson, Rabbi Menachem Mendel (1902–1994) — Born in Russia, Schneerson immigrated to the United States in 1941. He was the last leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement and one of the most influential Jewish leaders of the 20th century.

Senesh, Chana (1921–1944) – Born in Hungary, Senesh immigrated to Israel in 1939. She was one of the 37 Jews from Mandatory Palestine parachuted into Yugoslavia by the British Army in an effort to save Jews from deportation to Auschwitz. She was ultimately caught and executed. She is remembered for her heroism as well as her poetry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Institute_of_Technology

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Sforno, Rabbi Obadiah (c. 1470- 1550) — Born in Italy, Sforno was a rabbi, philosopher and physician. His commentary on the Bible often reflects his knowledge of natural sciences. His commentaries on Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs were dedicated to King Henry II of France, demonstrating a close relationship between them.

Shamir, Yitzchak (1915–2012) — Born in Ruzinoy, Poland, Shamir immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1935. He was an Israeli politician who served as both Israel’s eighth and tenth Prime Minister, from 1983–1984 and 1986–1992.

Sharansky, Natan (b. 1948) — Born in the former Soviet Union, Sharansky is an Israeli politician and human rights activist and a former Russian refusenik. He immigrated to Israel following his release from Soviet prison in 1986, and has served as Chairman of the Executive of the Jewish Agency since 2009.

Sharett, Moshe (1894–1965) — Born in the Ukraine, Sharett immigrated to Israel in 1906. He was the second Prime Minister of the State of Israel, serving from 1954–1955, and also served as Israel’s Foreign Minister from 1955–1956.

Sharon, Ariel (1928–2014) — Born in the Israeli agricultural community of Kfar Malal, Sharon was an Israeli general and politician. He served as Israel’s eleventh Prime Minister from 2001–2006.

Shazar, Zalman (1889–1974) — Born in Belarus, Shazar immigrated to Israel in 1924. An Israeli politician, author and poet, he was the president of the State of Israel from 1963–1973.

Shemer, Naomi (1930–2004) — Born on Kibbutz Kvutzat Kinneret, Shemer became a well-known Israeli singer, songwriter and composer. Her most famous song, Yerushalayim shel zahav, Jerusalem of Gold, was written in 1967 and is considered by some to be an informal second Israeli national anthem.

Shlomo son of Yitzchak (1040–1105) — Born in France, he is commonly known by his acronym Rashi. He wrote extensive commentaries on the Bible and Talmud, and his comments are considered the most basic for understanding both the Pentateuch and the Talmud.

Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812) – Born in Belarus, he was the founder of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty of Hasidic Judaism. He is known as the Baal Hatanya, the Master of the Tanya, for his work on Hasidic Jewish

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philosophy and is author of various works on Jewish philosophy, law and prayer.

Slifkin, Rabbi Natan (b. 1975) — Born in England, Slifkin immigrated to Israel where he is a rabbi, educator and author popularly known as the “Zoo Rabbi.” He has authored texts on zoology and science and their relationship to the Torah, and is the director of the Biblical Museum of Natural History in Beit Shemesh, Israel.

Soloveitchik, Rabbi Joseph B. (1903–1993) – Born in Poland, Soloveitchik was a renowned religious leader, Talmudic scholar, author and modern Jewish philosopher. He headed the rabbinical school of Yeshiva University in New York.

Sorotzkin, Rabbi Zalman (1881–1966) – Born in Lithuania, Sorotzkin was a Torah commentator who published a commentary on the Pentateuch known as Oznaim L’Torah.

Stavsky, Rabbi David (1930–2004) — Born in New York City, Stavsky was ordained at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He was a chaplain in the U.S. Army and the rabbi of Beth Jacob Congregation in Columbus, Ohio from 1957 until his death in 2004.

Teichman, Rabbi Zvi — Rabbi and head of the Torah study program at Ohel Moshe in Baltimore, Maryland. He has been involved in Jewish education for over 25 years and authored Eretz HaTzvi, a guide to the commandments that pertain specifically to the Land of Israel.

Weiser, Rabbi Meir Leibush (1809–1879) — Born in Volochisk, Volhynia, Weiser is known by his acronym, Malbim. He was a rabbi, master of Hebrew grammar and a Bible commentator. He is known for his principle that every word in the Torah carries its own meaning, even distinct from its synonyms.

Weizmann, Chaim (1874–1952) — Born in Belarus, Weizmann immigrated to Israel, settling in Rechovot in 1937, and served as the first president of the State of Israel from 1949–1952. A biochemist, he founded the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rechovot, Israel and helped establish the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Wiesel, Elie (1928–2016) — Born in Romania, Weisel was a professor, political activist and the author of 57 books. A Holocaust survivor, his writings are considered among the most significant in Holocaust literature.

Willig, Rabbi Mordechai (b. 1947) — Born in New York, Willig has been the rabbi and spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Riverdale synagogue

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since 1974. He is also a renowned scholar and professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University in New York.

Yadin, Yigael (1917–1984) — Born in Jerusalem, Yadin was an Israeli archeologist, politician and the second Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces.

Yogev, Motti (b. 1956) — Born in Haifa, Yogev is an Israeli politician and member of the Israeli parliament. He previously served as secretary general of the Israeli branch of Bnei Akiva, the largest religious Zionist youth movement in the world, as well as deputy chairman of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council.

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Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew

Amiel Ammiel a-mee-AYL יאל עמ

Aminadav Amminadab a-mee-na-DAV ינדב עמ

Amitai Amittai a-mi-TAI י אמת

Amnon Amnon am-NON אמנן

Amon Amon a-MON אמון

Amos Amos a-MOS עמוס

Amotz Amoz a-MOTZ אמוץ

Amram Amram am-RAM עמרם

Anatot Anathoth a-na-TOT ענתות

Aron Ark a-RON ארון

Aron HaBrit Ark of the Covenant a-RON ha-b’-REET רית ארון הב

Arpachshad Arpachshad ar-pakh-SHAD ד כש ארפ

Asa Asa a-SA אסא

Asael Asahel a-sah-AYL האל עש

Asaf Asaph a-SAF אסף

Ashdod Ashdod ash-DOD דוד אש

Asher Asher a-SHAYR ר אש

Ashkelon Ashkelon ash-k’-LON קלון אש

Atalya Athaliah a-tal-YAH עתליה

Avdon Abdon av-DON עבדון

Avichayil Abihail a-vee-KHA-yil אביחיל

Avidan Abidan a-vee-DAN אבידן

Avigail Abigail a-vee-GA-yil אביגיל

Avihu Abihu a-vee-HU אביהוא

Avimelech Abimelech a-vee-ME-lekh אבימלך

Avinadav Abinadab a-vee-na-DAV אבינדב

Aviram Abiram a-vee-RAM אבירם

Avishai Abishai a-vee-SHAI י אביש

Aviya Abijah a-vi-YAH ה אבי

Aviyam Abijam a-vi-YAM ם אבי

Avner Abner av-NAYR אבנר

Avraham Abraham av-ra-HAM אברהם

List of Transliterated Words in The Israel Bible

The following is a list of nouns which have been transliterated into Hebrew in the English translation and commentary of The Israel Bible:


Achan Achan a-KHAN עכן

Achav Ahab akh-AV אחאב

Achaz Ahaz a-KHAZ אחז

Achazyahu Ahaziah a-khaz-YA-hu אחזיהו

Achiezer Ahiezer a-khee-E-zer אחיעזר

Achihud Ahihud a-khee-HUD אחיהוד

Achikam Ahikam a-khee-KAM אחיקם

Achilud Ahilud a-khee-LUD אחילוד

Achimelech Ahimelech a-khee-ME-lekh אחימלך

Achira Ahira a-khee-RA אחירע

Achisamach Ahisamach a-khee-sa-MAKH אחיסמך

Achitofel Ahithophel a-khee-TO-fel אחיתפל

Achituv Ahitub a-khee-TUV אחיטוב

Achiya Ahijah a-khi-YAH ה אחי

Adam Adam a-DAM אדם

Adar Adar a-DAR אדר

Adoniyahu Adonijah a-do-ni-YA-hu הו אדני

Adulam Adullam a-du-LAM ם עדל

Agur Agur a-GUR אגור

Aharon Aaron a-ha-RON אהרן

Amasa Amasa a-ma-SA א עמש

Amatzya Amaziah a-matz-YAH אמציה

Amen Amen a-MAYN אמן

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Amiel Ammiel a-mee-AYL יאל עמ

Aminadav Amminadab a-mee-na-DAV ינדב עמ

Amitai Amittai a-mi-TAI י אמת

Amnon Amnon am-NON אמנן

Amon Amon a-MON אמון

Amos Amos a-MOS עמוס

Amotz Amoz a-MOTZ אמוץ

Amram Amram am-RAM עמרם

Anatot Anathoth a-na-TOT ענתות

Aron Ark a-RON ארון

Aron HaBrit Ark of the Covenant a-RON ha-b’-REET רית ארון הב

Arpachshad Arpachshad ar-pakh-SHAD ד כש ארפ

Asa Asa a-SA אסא

Asael Asahel a-sah-AYL האל עש

Asaf Asaph a-SAF אסף

Ashdod Ashdod ash-DOD דוד אש

Asher Asher a-SHAYR ר אש

Ashkelon Ashkelon ash-k’-LON קלון אש

Atalya Athaliah a-tal-YAH עתליה

Avdon Abdon av-DON עבדון

Avichayil Abihail a-vee-KHA-yil אביחיל

Avidan Abidan a-vee-DAN אבידן

Avigail Abigail a-vee-GA-yil אביגיל

Avihu Abihu a-vee-HU אביהוא

Avimelech Abimelech a-vee-ME-lekh אבימלך

Avinadav Abinadab a-vee-na-DAV אבינדב

Aviram Abiram a-vee-RAM אבירם

Avishai Abishai a-vee-SHAI י אביש

Aviya Abijah a-vi-YAH ה אבי

Aviyam Abijam a-vi-YAM ם אבי

Avner Abner av-NAYR אבנר

Avraham Abraham av-ra-HAM אברהם

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Chanani Hanani kha-NA-nee חנני

Chananya Hananiah kha-nan-YAH חנניה

Chaniel Hanniel kha-nee-AYL יאל חנ

Chanoch Enoch kha-NOKH חנוך

Chava Eve kha-VAH ה חו

Chavakuk Habakkuk kha-va-KUK חבקוק

Chermon Hermon kher-MON חרמון

Chetzron Hezron khetz-RON חצרון

Chever Heber KHE-ver חבר

Chevron Hebron khev-RON חברון

Chilkiyahu Hilkiah khil-ki-YA-hu הו חלקי

Chizkiyahu Hezekiah khiz-ki-YA-hu הו חזקי

Chofni Hophni khof-NEE חפני

Chulda Hulda khul-DAH ה חלד

Chur Hur Khur חור

Dan Dan Dan ן ד

Daniel Daniel da-ni-YAYL אל ני ד

Datan Dathan da-TAN תן ד

David David da-VID וד ד

Devora Deborah d’-vo-RAH בורה ד

Dina Dinah DEE-nah דינה

Doeg Ha’adomi Doeg the Edomite do-AYG ha-a-do-MEE דואג האדמי

Efraim Ephraim ef-RA-yim אפרים

Efrat Ephrat ef-RAT אפרתה

Efrat Ephrathah ef-RA-tah אפרתה

Ehud Ehud ay-HUD אהוד

Eila Elah AY-lah אלה

Eilon Elon ay-LON אילון

Ein Gedi En-gedi ayn GE-dee די עין ג

(Mount) Eival (Mount) Ebal ay-VAL הר עיבל

Elazar Eleazar el-a-ZAR אלעזר

Elchanan Elhanan el-kha-NAN אלחנן

Eli Eli ay-LEE עלי


Avram Abram av-RAM אברם

Avshalom Absalom av-sha-LOM לום אבש

Azarya Azariah a-zar-YAH עזריה

Azeika Azekah a-zay-KAH עזקה

Azza Gaza a-ZAH ה עז

B’nei Yisrael The Children of Israel

b’-NAY yis-ra-AYL ראל ני יש ב

Barak Barak ba-rakh-AYL רק ב

Baruch Baruch ba-RUKH רוך ב

Barzilai Barzillai bar-zi-LAI י רזל ב

Basha Baasa ba-SHA א עש ב

Batsheva Bath-sheba bat-SHE-va בע ת-ש ב

Be’er Sheva Beer-sheba b’-AYR SHE-va בע אר ש ב

Be’eri Beeri b’-ay-REE ארי ב

Beit Aven Beth-aven bayt A-ven ית און ב

Beit El Beth-el bayt el ית אל ב

Beit Hamikdash Temple bayt ha-mik-DASH ש קד ית המ ב

Beit Lechem Beth-lehem bayt LE-khem ית לחם ב

Beit Shean Beth-shean bayt sh’-AN אן ית ש ב

Beit Shemesh Beth-shemesh bayt SHE-mesh מש ית ש ב

Berechya Berechiah be-rekh-YAH רכיה ב

Betzalel Bezalel b’-tzal-AYL צלאל ב

Bilha Bilhah bil-HAH להה ב

Binyamin Benjamin bin-ya-MIN נימין ב

Boaz Boaz BO-az בעז

Buki Bukki bu-KEE י ק ב

Buzi Buzi bu-ZEE בוזי

Carmel Carmel kar-MEL רמל כ

Chachalya Hacaliah kha-khal-YAH חכליה

Chagai Haggai kha-GAI י חג

Chagla Hoglah khag-LAH חגלה

Chana Hannah kha-NAH ה חנ

Chanamel Hanamel kha-nam-AYL חנמאל

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Chanani Hanani kha-NA-nee חנני

Chananya Hananiah kha-nan-YAH חנניה

Chaniel Hanniel kha-nee-AYL יאל חנ

Chanoch Enoch kha-NOKH חנוך

Chava Eve kha-VAH ה חו

Chavakuk Habakkuk kha-va-KUK חבקוק

Chermon Hermon kher-MON חרמון

Chetzron Hezron khetz-RON חצרון

Chever Heber KHE-ver חבר

Chevron Hebron khev-RON חברון

Chilkiyahu Hilkiah khil-ki-YA-hu הו חלקי

Chizkiyahu Hezekiah khiz-ki-YA-hu הו חזקי

Chofni Hophni khof-NEE חפני

Chulda Hulda khul-DAH ה חלד

Chur Hur Khur חור

Dan Dan Dan ן ד

Daniel Daniel da-ni-YAYL אל ני ד

Datan Dathan da-TAN תן ד

David David da-VID וד ד

Devora Deborah d’-vo-RAH בורה ד

Dina Dinah DEE-nah דינה

Doeg Ha’adomi Doeg the Edomite do-AYG ha-a-do-MEE דואג האדמי

Efraim Ephraim ef-RA-yim אפרים

Efrat Ephrat ef-RAT אפרתה

Efrat Ephrathah ef-RA-tah אפרתה

Ehud Ehud ay-HUD אהוד

Eila Elah AY-lah אלה

Eilon Elon ay-LON אילון

Ein Gedi En-gedi ayn GE-dee די עין ג

(Mount) Eival (Mount) Ebal ay-VAL הר עיבל

Elazar Eleazar el-a-ZAR אלעזר

Elchanan Elhanan el-kha-NAN אלחנן

Eli Eli ay-LEE עלי

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Geuel Geuel g’-u-AYL אואל ג

Gichon Gihon gee-KHON יחון ג

Gidon Gideon gid-ON גדעון

Gilad Gilead gil-AD גלעד

Gilgal Gilgal gil-GAL ל לג ג

Giva Gibeah giv-AH בעה ג

Givon Gibeon giv-ON בעון ג

Hadassa Hadassah ha-da-SAH ה הדס

Har HaBayit Temple Mount har ha-BA-yit ית הר הב

Har HaZeitim the Mount of Olives har ha-zay-TEEM יתים הר הז

Hashem Lord/God

Hayman Heman hay-MAN הימן

Hoshea Hosea ho-SHAY-a ע הוש

Ido Iddo i-DO עדו

Imanu-El Immanuel i-MA-nu ayl נו אל עמ

Ish-boshet Ish-bosheth eesh BO-shet ת איש-בש

Itamar Ithamar ee-ta-MAR איתמר

Itiel Ithiel ee-tee-AYL איתיאל

Ivtzan Ibzan iv-TZAN אבצן

Iyov Job i-YOV איוב

Kadmiel Kadmiel kad-mee-AYL קדמיאל

Kalev Caleb ka-LAYV לב כ

Keesh Kish keesh קיש

Kehat Kohath k’-HAT קהת

Keinan Kenan kay-NAN קינן

Kemuel Kemuel k’-mu-AYL קמואל

Keruvim Cherubim k’-ru-VEEM רובים כ

Kilyon Chilion kil-YON כליון

Kiryat Arba Kiriath-arba keer-YAT AR-bah ע קרית ארב

Kiryat Sefer Kiriath-sepher keer-YAT SAY-fer קרית-ספר

Kiryat Ye’arim Kiriath-jearim keer-YAT y’-a-REEM קרית יערים

Kislev Chislev kis-LAYV סלו כ


Eliav Eliab e-lee-AV אליאב

Elidad Elidad e-lee-DAD אלידד

Eliezer Eliezer e-lee-E-zer אליעזר

Elimelech Elimelech e-lee-ME-lekh אלימלך

Elisha Elisha e-lee-SHA ע אליש

Elishama Elishama e-lee-sha-MA מע אליש

Elisheva Elisheba e-lee-SHE-va בע אליש

Elitzafan Eli-zaphan e-lee-tza-FAN אליצפן

Elitzur Elizur e-lee-TZUR אליצור

Eliyahu Elijah ay-li-YA-hu הו אלי

Elkana Elkanah el-ka-NAH אלקנה

Elyasaf Eliasaph el-ya-SAF אליסף

Elyashiv Eliashib el-ya-SHEEV יב אליש

Enosh Enosh e-NOSH אנוש

Er Er ayr ער

Eshtaol Eshtaol esh-ta-OL אל ת אש

Esther Esther es-TAYR ר אסת

Eved Melech Ebed-melech E-ved ME-lekh עבד־מלך

Even Ha-Ezer Eben-Ezer E-ven ha-E-zer אבן העזר

Ever Eber AY-ver עבר

Evyatar Abiathar ev-ya-TAR אביתר

Ezra Ezra ez-RA עזרא

Gad Gad gad ד ג

Gadi Gaddi ga-DEE י ד ג

Gadiel Gaddiel ga-dee-AYL יאל ד ג

Gamliel Gamaliel gam-lee-AYL מליאל ג

Gedalia Gedaliah g’-dal-YA (hu) דליהו ג

Gedera Gederah g’-day-RAH דרה ג

(Mount) Gerizim (Mount) Gerizim g’-ri-ZEEM רזים הר ג

Gershom Gershom gay-r’-SHOM רשום ג

Gershon Gershon gay-r’-SHON גרשון

Geshem Geshem GE-shem ם גש

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Geuel Geuel g’-u-AYL אואל ג

Gichon Gihon gee-KHON יחון ג

Gidon Gideon gid-ON גדעון

Gilad Gilead gil-AD גלעד

Gilgal Gilgal gil-GAL ל לג ג

Giva Gibeah giv-AH בעה ג

Givon Gibeon giv-ON בעון ג

Hadassa Hadassah ha-da-SAH ה הדס

Har HaBayit Temple Mount har ha-BA-yit ית הר הב

Har HaZeitim the Mount of Olives har ha-zay-TEEM יתים הר הז

Hashem Lord/God

Hayman Heman hay-MAN הימן

Hoshea Hosea ho-SHAY-a ע הוש

Ido Iddo i-DO עדו

Imanu-El Immanuel i-MA-nu ayl נו אל עמ

Ish-boshet Ish-bosheth eesh BO-shet ת איש-בש

Itamar Ithamar ee-ta-MAR איתמר

Itiel Ithiel ee-tee-AYL איתיאל

Ivtzan Ibzan iv-TZAN אבצן

Iyov Job i-YOV איוב

Kadmiel Kadmiel kad-mee-AYL קדמיאל

Kalev Caleb ka-LAYV לב כ

Keesh Kish keesh קיש

Kehat Kohath k’-HAT קהת

Keinan Kenan kay-NAN קינן

Kemuel Kemuel k’-mu-AYL קמואל

Keruvim Cherubim k’-ru-VEEM רובים כ

Kilyon Chilion kil-YON כליון

Kiryat Arba Kiriath-arba keer-YAT AR-bah ע קרית ארב

Kiryat Sefer Kiriath-sepher keer-YAT SAY-fer קרית-ספר

Kiryat Ye’arim Kiriath-jearim keer-YAT y’-a-REEM קרית יערים

Kislev Chislev kis-LAYV סלו כ

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Kohanim Priests ko-ha-NEEM כהנים

Kohelet Koheleth ko-HE-let קהלת

Kohen Priest ko-HAYN כהן

Kohen Gadol High Priest ko-HAYN ga-DOL דול כהן ג

Korach Korah KO-rakh קרח

Kushi Cushi ku-SHEE י כוש

Lachish Lachish la-KHEESH לכיש

Leah Leah lay-AH לאה

Lemech Lamech LE-mekh למך

Lemuel Lemuel l’-mu-AYL למואל

Levi Levi lay-VEE לוי

Leviim Levites l’-vee-IM ם לוי

Machla Mahlah makh-LAH מחלה

Machlon Mahlon makh-LON מחלון

Machseya Mahseiah makh-say-YAH מחסיה

Malachi Malachi mal-a-KHEE מלאכי

Manoach Manoah ma-NO-akh מנוח

Mashiach Messiah ma-SHEE-akh יח מש

Mefiboshet Mephibosheth m’-fee-VO-shet ת מפיבש

Mehalalel Mahalalel ma-ha-lal-AYL מהללאל

Menachem Menahem m’-na-KHAYM מנחם

Menashe Menasseh m’-na-SHEH ה מנש

Menorah Candlestick m’-no-RAH מנרה

Merari Merari m’-ra-REE מררי

Metushelach Methusaleh m’-tu-SHE-lakh לח מתוש

Micha Micah mee-KHAH מיכה

Michael Michael mee-kha-AYL מיכאל

Michaihu Micaiah mee-KHAI-hu מיכיהו

Michal Michal mee-KHAL מיכל

Milka Milcah mil-KAH ה מלכ

Miriam Miriam mir-YAM מרים

Mishael Mishael mee-sha-AYL אל מיש

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Mishkan Tabernacle mish-KAN ן כ מש

Mitzpa Mizpah mitz-PAH ה מצפ

Mizbayach Altar miz-BAY-akh ח זב מ

Mordechai Mordecai mor-d’-KHAI כי מרד

Moriah Moriah mo-ri-YAH מוריה

Moshe Moses mo-SHEH ה מש

Nachbi Nahbi nakh-BEE י נחב

Nachor Nahor na-KHOR נחור

Nachshon Nahshon nakh-SHON נחשון

Nachum Nahum na-KHUM נחום

Nadav Nadab na-DAV נדב

Naftali Naphtali naf-ta-LEE לי נפת

Naomi Naomi na-o-MEE נעמי

Natan Nathan na-TAN נתן

Naval Nabal na-VAL נבל

Navi Prophet na-VEE נביא

Navot Naboth na-VAL נבל

Nechemya Nehemiah n’-khem-YAH נחמיה

Negev Negeb NE-gev נגב

Nerya Neriah nay-ri-YAH ה נרי

Netanel Nethanel n’-tan-AYL נתנאל

Neviah Prophetess n’-vee-AH ביאה נ

Neviim Prophets n’-vee-EEM ביאים נ

Nisan Nisan nee-SAN ניסן

Noa Noah no-AH נעה

Noach Noah NO-akh נח

Nov Nob nov נב

Nun Nun nun נון

Oded Oded o-DAYD עודד

Ohola Oholah a-ho-LAH אהלה

Oholiav Oholiab o-ha-lee-AV אהליאב

Oholiva Oholibah a-ho-lee-VAH אהליבה

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Omri Omri om-REE עמרי

Onan Onan o-NAN אונן

Otniel Othniel ot-nee-AYL עתניאל

Ovadya Obadiah o-vad-YAH עבדיה

Oved Obed o-VAYD עובד

Oved Edom Obed Edom o-VAYD e-DOM עובד אדום

Pagiel Pagiel pag-ee-AYL געיאל פ

Palti Palti pal-TEE לטי פ

Paltiel Paltiel pal-tee-AYL לטיאל פ

Pekach Pekah PE-kakh קח פ

Pedael Pedahel p’-da-AYL דהאל פ

Pekachya Pekahiah p’-kakh-YAH קחיה פ

Peleg Peleg PE-leg לג פ

Penina Peninnah p’-ni-NAH ה ננ פ

Peretz Perez PE-retz רץ פ

Petuel Pethuel p’-tu-AYL תואל פ

Pinchas Phinehas peen-KHAS ינחס פ

Rachel Rachel ra-KHAYL רחל

Ram Ram ram רם

Rama Ramah ra-MAH רמה

Re’u Reu r’-U רעו

Rechovam Rehoboam r’-khav-AM רחבעם

Reuven Reuben r’-u-VAYN ראובן

Rivka Rebecca riv-KAH רבקה

Rut Ruth rut רות

Salma Salmon/Salmah sal-MAH למה ש

Salmon Salmon sal-MON למון ש

Sara Sarah sa-RAH רה ש

Sarai Sarai sa-RAI רי ש

Selah Selah SE-lah סלה

Seraya Seraiah s’-ra-YAH ריה ש

Serug Serug s’-RUG רוג ש

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Setur Sethur s’-TUR סתור

Shaarayim Shaaraim sha-a-RA-yim ערים ש

Shabbat Sabbath sha-BAT ת ב ש

Shabbatot Sabbaths sha-ba-TOT תות ב ש

Shafan Shaphan sha-FAN פן ש

Shafat Shaphat sha-FAT פט ש

Shalem Salem sha-LAYM לם ש

Shalum Shallum sha-LUM לום ש

Shamgar Shamgar sham-GAR ר מג ש

Shamua Shammua sha-MU-a מוע ש

Shaul Saul sha-UL אול ש

Shealtiel Shealtiel sh’-al-tee-AYL יאל אלת ש

Shear Yashuv Shear-Jashub sh’-AR ya-SHUV אר ישוב ש

Shechanya Shecaniah sh’-khan-YAH כניה ש

Shechem Shechem sh’-KHEM כם ש

Sheila Shelah shay-LAH לה ש

Shelach Shelah SHE-lakh לח ש

Shelumiel Shelumiel sh’-lu-mee-AYL למיאל ש

Shem Shem Shaym ם ש

Shemaya Shemaiah sh’-ma-YAH מעיה ש

Sheshbatzar Sheshbazzar shaysh-ba-TZAR ר צ ב ש ש

Shet Seth Shayt ת ש

Shevat Shebat sh’-VAT בט ש

Shilo Shiloh shi-LOH לה ש

Shim’i Shimei shim-EE מעי ש

Shimon Simeon shim-ON מעון ש

Shimshon Samson shim-SHON משון ש

Shlomo Solomon sh’-lo-MOH למה ש

Shmuel Samuel sh’-mu-AYL מואל ש

Shofar Horn sho-FAR שופר

Shofarot Horns sho-fa-ROT ופרות ש

Shomron Samaria sho-m’-RON שמרון

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Sivan Sivan see-VAN סיון

Tamar Tamar ta-MAR תמר

Tanakh Hebrew Bible ta-NAKH נ”ך ת

Tapuach Tappuah ta-PU-akh פוח ת

Tavor Tabor ta-VOR בור ת

Tekoa Tekoa t’-KO-a קועה ת

Terach Terah TE-rakh רח ת

Teveria Tiberias t’-ver-YAH טבריה

Tevet Tebeth tay-VAYT טבת

Tirtza Tirzah tir-TZAH רצה ת

Tola Tola to-LA תולע

Tzadok Zadok tza-DOK צדוק

Tzefanya Zephaniah tz’-fan-YAH צפניה

Tzelofchad Zelophehad tz’-la-f’-KHAD צלפחד

Tzeruya Zeruiah tz’-ru-YAH צרויה

Tzfat Safed tz’-FAT צפת

Tzidkiyahu Zedekiah tzid-ki-YA-hu הו צדקי

Tziklag Ziklag tzi-k’-LAG צקלג

Tzion Zion tzi-YON ציון

Tzipora Zipporah tzi-po-RAH צפרה

Tzora Zorah tzor-AH צרעה

Tzuriel Zuriel tzu-ree-AYL צוריאל

Ukal Ucal u-KAL אכל

Uri Uri u-REE אורי

Uriya Uriah u-ri-YAH ה אורי

Utz Uz Utz עוץ

Uzziyahu Uzziah u-zi-YA-hu הו י עז

Yaakov Jacob ya-a-KOV יעקב

Yachaziel Jahaziel ya-kha-zee-AYL יחזיאל

Yael Jael ya-AYL יעל

Yaffo Joppa/Jaffa ya-FO יפו

Yair Jair ya-EER יאיר

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Yakeh Jakeh ya-KEH יקה

Yarden Jordan yar-DAYN ן רד י

Yarmut Jarmuth yar-MUT ירמות

Yechezkel Ezekiel y’-khez-KAYL יחזקאל

Yechiel Jehiel y’-khee-AYL יחיאל

Yechonya Jeconiah y’-khon-YAH יכניה

Yedutun Jeduthun y’-du-TUN ידותון

Yehoachaz Jehoahaz y’-ho-a-KHAZ יהואחז

Yehoash Jehoash y’-ho-ASH יהואש

Yehochanan Jehohanan y’-ho-kha-NAN יהוחנן

Yehonatan Jonathan y’-ho-na-TAN יהונתן

Yehoram Jehoram y’-ho-RAM יהורם

Yehoshafat Jehoshaphat y’-ho-sha-FAT פט יהוש

Yehoshavat Jehoshabeath y’-ho-shav-AT בעת יהוש

Yehosheva Jehosheba y-ho-SHE-va בע יהוש

Yehoshua Joshua y’-ho-SHU-a ע יהוש

Yehotzadak Jehozadak y’-ho-tza-DAK יהוצדק

Yehoyachin Jehoiachin y’-ho-ya-KHEEN יהויכין

Yehoyada Jehoiada y’-ho-ya-DA יהוידע

Yehoyakim Jehoiakim y’-ho-ya-KEEM יהויקים

Yehu Jehu yay-HU יהוא

Yehuda Judah y’-hu-DAH יהודה

Yehudi Jew y’-hu-DEE יהודי

Yehudim Jews y’-hu-DEEM הודים י

Yered Jared YE-red ירד

Yericho Jericho y’-ree-KHO יריחו

Yerovam Jeroboam ya-rov-AM ירבעם

Yerubaal Jerubbaal y’-ru-BA-al על ירב

Yerushalayim Jerusalem y’-ru-sha-LA-yim ים ל ירוש

Yeshayahu Isaiah y’-sha-YA-hu עיהו יש

Yeshua Jeshua yay-SHU-a ישוע

Yiftach Jephthah yif-TAKH ח יפת

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Yigal Igal yig-AL יגאל

Yirmiyahu Jeremiah yir-m’-YA-hu ירמיהו

Yishai Jesse yi-SHAI י יש

Yisrael Israel yis-ra-AYL ראל יש

Yissachar Issachar yi-sa-KHAR שכר יש

Yitzchak Issac yitz-KHAK יצחק

Yizrael Jezreel yiz-r’-EL יזרעאל

Yoash Joash yo-ASH יואש

Yoav Joab yo-AV יואב

Yochanan Johanan yo-kha-NAN יוחנן

Yocheved Jochebed yo-KHE-ved יוכבד

Yoel Joel yo-AYL יואל

Yona Jonah yo-NAH יונה

Yonadav Jonadab yo-na-DAV יונדב

Yonatan Jonathan yo-na-TAN יונתן

Yoram Joram yo-RAM יורם

Yosef Joseph yo-SAYF יוסף

Yoshiyahu Josiah yo-shi-YA-hu הו י יאש

Yotam Jotham yo-TAM יותם

Yotzadak Jozadak yo-tza-DAK יוצדק

Yozavad Jozabad yo-za-VAD יוזבד

Zanoach Zanoah za-NO-akh זנוח

Zecharya Zechariah z’-khar-YAH זכריה

Zerach Zerah ZE-rakh זרח

Zerubavel Zerubbabel z’-ru-ba-VEL בל זרב

Zevulun Zebulun z’-vu-LUN זבולן

Zilpa Zilpah zil-PAH ה זלפ

Zimri Zimri zim-REE זמרי

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Jewish Holidays

Chanukah Hanukkah kha-nu-KAH ה חנוכ

Pesach Passover PE-sakh סח פ

Purim Purim pu-REEM פורים

Rosh Hashana Jewish New Year rosh ha-sha-NAH נה ראש הש

Shavuot Feast of Weeks sha-vu-OT בועות ש

Shemini Atzeret Eight Day of Assembly

sh’-mee-NEE a-TZE-ret מיני עצרת ש

Sukkot Feast of Tabernacles su-KOT סכות

Yom Kippur Day of Atonement yom kee-PUR יפור יום כ

Biblical Measurements

Amah Cubit a-MAH ה אמ

Amot Cubits a-MOT אמות

Bat Bath bat ת ב

Batim Baths ba-TEEM ים ת ב

Beka half-shekel BE-ka קע ב

Chomarim Homers kho-ma-REEM חמרים

Chomer Homer KHO-mer חמר

Efah Ephah ay-FAH איפה

Geira Gerah gay-RAH רה ג

Gomed Gomed GO- med גמד

Hin Hin heen הין

Kav kab kav ב ק

Kesita kesitah k’-see-TAH יטה קש

Kikar talent ki-KAR ר כ כ

Kikarim talents ki-ka-RIM רים כ כ

Kor kor kor כר

Letek lethech LE-tek לתך

Log Log log לג

Maneh Mina ma-NEH נה מ

Manim Minas ma-NEEM מנים

Omer Omer O-mer עמר

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Pim Pim peem ים פ

Se’ah Seah say-AH סאה

Se’eem Seahs s’-EEM סאים

Shekalim Shekels sh’-ka-LEEM קלים ש

Shekel Shekel SHE-kel קל ש

Tefach Handbreadth TE-fakh טפח

Zeret Span ZE-ret זרת

105

Photo Credits

Book Verse Photo Credit

Genesis 1:01 Mark Neyman, GPO


Genesis 7:19 Nathan Alpert, GPO

Genesis 8:09 Ryan Rodrick Beiler, Shutterstock.com

Genesis 13:10 Bill Rice, Wikimedia Commons

Genesis 14:18 Stefano Rocca, Shutterstock.com

Genesis 18:01 Eitan F., Wikimedia Commons

Genesis 21:31 Dr. Avishai Teicher, Wikimedia Commons

Genesis 22:18 Moshe Milner, GPO

Genesis 23:19 Avi Ohayon, GPO

Genesis 24:10 Elbud, Shutterstock.com

Genesis 25:09 David Rabkin, Shutterstock.com

Genesis 28:17 Andrew Shiva, Wikipedia

Genesis 28:19 Dvirraz, Wikimedia Commons


Genesis 35:19 Wikimedia Commons



Genesis 46:04 Luis Villa del Campo, Wikimedia Commons



106

Chart of the Hebrew Months and their Holidays

Jewish Month

Approximate Secular Date

Holiday Hebrew Date Notes

Rosh Chodesh (Head of the Month)

The first of every month

The Jewish Calendar is a lunar calendar, and each month begins when the moon re-appears in the sky. The beginning of each new month is called Rosh Chodesh, which literally means ‘the head of the month.’ Rosh Chodesh is celebrated as a mini-holiday on the first day of every Jewish month, and special prayers are added into the daily service. When a month is 30 days long, the 30th day is celebrated as Rosh Chodesh in addition to the first day of the following month.

Nissan March-April Pesach (Passover) Begins on the 15th of Nissan

Pesach is a seven day holiday commemorating the Exodus from Egypt. Outside of Israel, an eighth day is observed.

Yom Hashoa (Holocaust Memorial Day)

27th of Nissan Yom Hashoa commemorates the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust.

Iyar April-May Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day)

4th of Iyar Yom Hazikaron is Israel’s memorial day, a day to remember Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror.

Yom Haatzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day)

5th of Iyar Yom Haatzmaut celebrates Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948.

Lag Ba’Omer (33rd day of the Omer)

18th of Iyar Lag Ba’Omer is a minor holiday celebrated on the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer

Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day)

28th of Iyar Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, celebrates the re-unification of the city of Jerusalem following the 1967 Six-Day War.

Sivan May-June Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) 6th of Sivan Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Outside of Israel it is observed for two days, the 6th and 7th of Sivan.

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Jewish Month



Tammuz June-July Fast of the Seventeenth of Tammuz

17th of Tammuz The Fast of the Seventeenth of Tammuz commemorates the breeching of the walls of Jerusalem before the destruction of the Temple. It begins a three week mourning period over the destruction of the Temple, culminating with the fast of Tisha B’Av.

Av July-August Tisha B’Av (Fast of the 9th of Av)

9th of Av Tisha B’Av is a fast day commemorating the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. It is the culmination of the three week mourning period over the destruction of the Temple which starts on the 17th of Tammuz.

Elul August-September

Tishrei September-October

Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year)

1st and 2nd of Tishrei

Rosh Hashana is the Jewish New Year.

Tzom Gedalya (Fast of Gedaliah)

3rd of Tishrei The Fast of Gedaliah commemorates the death of Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the governor of Judah following the destruction of the First Temple. His death marked the end of Jewish rule in the Land of Israel for many generations and led to the exile of the few remaining Jews who had not been taken to Babylonia.

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)

10th of Tishrei Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the year.

Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)

Begins on the 15th of Tishrei

Sukkot is a seven-day holiday celebrating God’s protection of the Jews in the wilderness

Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah (Eighth Day of Assembly)

22nd of Tishrei Shemini Atzeret is a holiday that immediately follows Sukkot and celebrates the unique relationship between God and the Children of Israel. Simchat Torah celebrates the completion and renewal of the Torah reading cycle. In Israel, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are celebrated on the same day. Outside of Israel, they are celebrated on two consecutive days.

108

Map of Modern-Day Israel and its Neighbors

The following is a map of modern-day Israel and the surrounding countries

Jerusalem

JORDAN

SYRIA

ISRAEL

SAUDI ARABIA

IRAQ

LEBANON

SINAI

EGYPT

MediterraneanSea

Euphrates River

Israel andits Neighbors

Capital CityCityRiverBorder

Jewish Month



Cheshvan October-November

Kislev November-December

Chanukah (Hanukkah) Begins on the 25th of Kislev

Chanukah is an eight day festival which celebrates the defeat of the Syrian-Greeks, the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, and the miracles that God preformed to facilitate these events.

Tevet December-January

The end of Chanukah (Hanukkah)

Chanukah ends on the 2nd or 3rd of Tevet depending on the year, since Kislev contains either 29 or 30 days

Fast of the 10th of Tevet 10th of Tevet The Fast of the 10th of Tevet commemorates the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem prior to the destruction of the First Temple.

Shevat January-February Tu B’Shvat (15th of Shevat)

15th of Shevat Tu B’Shvat marks the beginning of the new year for trees. It is when the first trees in the Land of Israel begin to blossom again after the winter season.

Adar* February-March Fast of Esther 13th of Adar The Fast of Esther commemorates the fast observed by the Jewish people in Persia at the time of Mordechai and Esther.

Purim 14th/15th of Adar

Purim celebrates God’s salvation of the Jews from the evil Haman’s plot to destroy them. In most places, this holiday is celebrated on the 14th of Adar. In Jerusalem, it is celebrated on the 15th of Adar.

* During a leap year, an extra month of Adar is added so that the Jewish lunar calendar remains aligned with the solar seasons. A leap year occurs 7 times in every 19 year cycle. When this happens, Purim is celebrated in the second Adar.

109

Map of Modern-Day Israel and its Neighbors

The following is a map of modern-day Israel and the surrounding countries

Jerusalem

JORDAN

SYRIA

ISRAEL

SAUDI ARABIA

IRAQ

LEBANON

SINAI

EGYPT

MediterraneanSea

Euphrates River

Israel andits Neighbors

Capital CityCityRiverBorder

110

List of Prime Ministers of the State of Israel

Below is a list of the Prime Ministers of the State of Israel since the declaration of the State in 1948 until the present.

Number Name Years Term

1 David Ben-Gurion (1886 – 1973) May 1948- January 1954

2 Moshe Sharett (1894-1965) January 1954-November 1955

3 David Ben-Gurion (1886-1973) November 1955-June 1963

4 Levi Eshkol (1895-1969) June 1963-February 1969

5 Golda Meir (1898-1978) March 1969-June 1974

6 Yitzchak Rabin (1922–1995) June 1974-June 1977

7 Menachem Begin (1913–1992) June 1977-October 1983

8 Yitzchak Shamir (1915–2012) October 1983-September 1984

9 Shimon Peres (1923–2016) September 1984-October 1986

10 Yitzchak Shamir (1915–2012) October 1986-July 1992

11 Yitzchak Rabin (1922–1995) July 1992-November 1995

12 Shimon Peres (1923–2016) November 1995-June 1996

13 Benjamin Netanyahu (Born 1949) June 1996-July 1999

14 Ehud Barak (Born 1942) July 1999-March 2001

15 Ariel Sharon (1928–2014) March 2001-April 2006

16 Ehud Olmert (Born 1945) April 2006-March 2009

17 Benjamin Netanyahu (Born 1949) March 2009-Present

111

Prayer for the State of Israel

Our Heavenly Father a-VEE-nu she-ba-sha-MA-yim ים ינו שבשמ אב

Israel’s Rock and Redeemer tzur yis-ra-AYL v’-go-a-LO צור ישראל וגואלו

Bless the State of Israel ba-RAYKH et mi-dee-NAT yis-ra-AYL

ברך את מדינת ישראל

the first flowering of our redemption

ray-SHEET tz’-mee-KHAT g’-u-la-TAY-nu

נו ראשית צמיחת גאלת

Shield it under the wings of Your loving kindness

ha-GAYN a-LE-ha b’-ev-RAT khas-DE-kha

יה באברת הגן עלך חסד

And spread over it the Tabernacle of Your peace

uf-ROS a-LE-ha su-KAT sh’-lo-ME-kha

יה סכת ופרוס עלך שלומ

Send Your light and truth ush-LAKH o-r’-KHA va-a-mi-t’-KHA

ושלח אורך ואמתך

to its leaders, ministers and officials

l’-ro-SHE-ha, sa-RE-ha v’-yo-a-TZE-ha

יה יה, שר לראשיה ויועצ

And direct them with good counsel before You

v’-ta-k’-NAYM b’-ay-TZAH to-VAH m’-li-fa-NE-kha

ותקנם בעצה טובה יך מלפנ

Strengthen the hands of the defenders of our Holy Land

kha-ZAYK et y’-DAY m’-gi-NAY E-retz kod-SHAY-nu

חזק את ידי מגני ארץ נו קדש

Grant them deliverance, our God

v’-han-khee-LAYM e-lo-HAY-nu y’-shu-AH

ינו והנחילם אלהישועה

And crown them with the crown of victory

va-a-TE-ret ni-tza-KHON t’-a-t’-RAYM

רת נצחון תעטרם ועט

Grant peace in the land v’-na-ta-TA sha-LOM ba-A-retz

רץ ונתת שלום בא

and everlasting joy to its inhabitants

v’-sim-KHAT o-LAM l’-yo-sh’-VE-ha

יה ושמחת עולם ליושב

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As for our brothers, the whole house of Israel

v’-ET a-KHAY-nu kol bayt yis-ra-AYL

ינו כל בית ואת אחישראל

Remember them in all the lands of their dispersion

p’-KOD na b’-KHOL ar-TZOT p’-zu-ray-HEM

פקד נא בכל ארצות פזוריהם

And swiftly lead them upright v’-to-lee-KHAYM m’-hay-RAH ko-m’-mi-YUT

ותוליכם מהרה קוממיות

to Zion Your city l’-TZI-yon ee-RE-kha ך לציון עיר

And Yerushalayim Your dwelling place

v’-lee-ru-sha-LA-yim mish-KAN sh’-ME-kha

ך ים משכן שמ ולירושל

As is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant (Deut. 30:4-5):

ka-ka-TUV b’-to-RAT mo-SHEH av-DE-kha:

ככתוב בתורת משה ך )דברים ל:ד-ה(: עבד

“Even if you are scattered to the furthermost lands under the heavens

“im yih-YEH ni-da-kha-KHA bik-TZAY ha-sha-MA-yim

“אם יהיה נדחך בקצה ים השמ

From there the Lord your God will gather you

mi-SHAM yi-ka-betz-KHA a-do-NAI e-lo-HE-kha

יך משם יקבצך יי אלה

and from there He will and take you back

u-mi-SHAM yi-ka-KHE-kha ך ומשם יקח

The Lord your God will bring you to the land

ve-he-vee-a-KHA a-do-NAI e-lo-HE-kha el ha-A-retz

יך אל והביאך יי אלהרץ הא

That your ancestors possessed a-SHER ya-r’-SHU a-vo-TE-khe

יך אשר ירשו אבת

and you will possess it vee-rish-TAH וירשתה

And He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors”

v’-hay-tiv-KHA v’-hir-b’-KHA may-a-vo-TE-kha”

והיטבך והרבך יך” מאבת

Unite our hearts v’-ya-KHAYD l’-va-VAY-nu נו ויחד לבב

to love and revere Your name l’-a-ha-VAH ul-yir-AH et sh’-ME-kha

לאהבה וליראה את ך שמ

And observe all the words of Your Torah

v’-lish-MOR et kol div-RAY to-ra-TE-kha

ולשמר את כל דברי ך תורת

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And swiftly send us ush-LAKH LA-nu m’-hay-RAH

נו מהרה ושלח ל

Your righteous anointed one of the house of David

ben da-VID m’-SHEE-akh tzid-KE-kha

ך יח צדק בן דוד מש

To redeem those who long for Your salvation

lif-DOT m’-kha-KAY kaytz y’-shu-a-TE-kha

לפדות מחכי קץ ך ישועת

Appear in Your glorious majesty

ho-FA ba-ha-DAR g’-ON u-ZE-kha

ך הופע בהדר גאון עז

over all the dwellers on earth al kol yo-sh’-VAY TAY-vayl ar-TZE-kha

על כל יושבי תבל ך ארצ

And let all who breathe declare:

v’-yo-MAR kol a-SHER n’-sha-MAH v’-a-PO

ויאמר כל אשר נשמה באפו

The Lord God of Israel is King a-do-NAI e-lo-HAY yis-ra-AYL ME-lekh

לך יי אלהי ישראל מ

And His kingship has dominion over all

u-mal-khu-TO ba-KOL ma-sha-LAH,

לה ומלכותו בכל מש

Amen, Selah a-MAYN SE-lah לה אמן ס

114

Prayer for the Welfare of Israel’s Soldiers

He Who blessed our forefathers

mee she-bay-RAKH a-vo-TAY-nu

רך אבותינו ב מי ש

Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov av-ra-HAM yitz-KHAK v’-ya-a-KOV

אברהם יצחק ויעקב

may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Forces

hu y’-va-RAYKH et kha-ya-LAY tz’-VA ha-ha-ga-NAH l’-yis-ra-AYL

לי הוא יברך את חיראל ה ליש צבא ההגנ

and the security personnel v’-an-SHAY ko-KHOT ha-bi-ta-KHON

חון ט חות הב י כ ואנש

who stand guard over our land ha-o-m’-DEEM al mish-MAR ar-TZAY-nu

מר העומדים על משארצנו

and the cities of our God v’-a-RAY e-lo-HAY-nu וערי אלהינו

from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt

mi-g’-VUL ha-l’-va-NON v’-AD mid-BAR mitz-RA-yim

בנון ועד בול הל מגר מצרים מדב

and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah

u-MIN ha-YAM ha-ga-DOL ad l’-VO ha-a-ra-VAH

דול עד ומן הים הגלבוא הערבה

on the land, in the air, and on the sea

ba-ya-ba-SHAH ba-a-VEER u-va-YAM

אויר ובים ה ב ש ב י ב

May the Almighty cause the enemies who rise up against us

yi-TAYN a-do-NAI et o-y’-VAY-nu ha-ka-MEEM a-LAY-nu

ן יי את אויבינו יתמים עלינו הק

to be struck down before them ni-ga-FEEM lif-nay-HEM פים לפניהם נג

May the Holy One, Blessed is He

ha-ka-DOSH ba-RUKH hu רוך הוא דוש ב הק

preserve and rescue our fighters

yish-MOR v’-ya-TZEEL et kha-ya-LAY-nu

יל את חילינו מר ויצ יש

from every trouble and distress

mi-KOL tza-RAH v’-tzu-KAH מכל צרה וצוקה

115

and from every plague and illness

u-mi-KOL NE-ga u-ma-kha-LAH

ומכל נגע ומחלה

and may He send blessing and success

v’-yish-LAKH b’-ra-KHAH v’-hatz-la-KHAH

רכה והצלחה לח ב ויש

in their every endeavor b’-KHOL ma-a-SAY y’-day-HEM

ה ידיהם כל מעש ב

May He lead our enemies under our soldiers’ sway

yad-BAYR so-n’-AY-nu takh-tay-HEM

יהם חת ר שונאינו ת ידב

and glorify our forces with the crown of salvation

vee-a-t’-RAYM b’-KHE-ter y’-shu-AH

כתר ישועה רם ב ויעט

and the mantle of victory uv-a-TE-ret ni-tza-KHON חון ובעטרת נצ

And may there be fulfilled for them the verse (Deuteronomy 20:4):

vee-ku-YAM ba-HEM ha-ka-TUV:

תוב הם הכ ויקים ב)דברים כ,ד(:

“For it is the Lord your God, Who goes with you

“kee a-do-NAI e-lo-hay-KHEM ha-ho-LAYKH i-ma-KHEM

י יי אלהיכם ההלך “ככם עמ

to battle your enemies for you l’-hi-la-KHAYM la-KHEM im o-y’-vay-KHEM

חם לכם עם להלאיביכם

to save you” l’-ho-SHEE-a et-KHEM” יע אתכם” להוש

Now let us say: Amen v’-no-MAR “a-MAYN” ונאמר: “אמן”

116

Hatikvah

As long as in the heart, within kol od ba-lay-VAV p’-NEE-mah נימה בב פ ל כל עוד ב

A Jewish soul still yearns NE-fesh y’-hu-DEE ho-mi-YAH ה נפש יהודי הומי

And onward, towards the ends of the east

ul-fa-a-TAY miz-RAKH ka-DEE-mah

ולפאתי מזרח, קדימה

An eye still gazes toward Zion A-yin l’-tzi-YON tzo-fi-YAH ה עין לציון צופי

Our hope is not yet lost od lo av-DAH tik-va-TAY-nu קותנו עוד לא אבדה ת

The hope two thousand years old

ha-tik-VAH bat sh’-NOT al-PA-yim

נות ת ש קוה ב התים אלפ

To be a free nation in our land lih-YOT am khof-SHEE b’-ar-TZAY-nu

י להיות עם חפשארצנו ב

The Land of Zion and Yerushalayim

E-retz tzi-YON vee-ru-sha-LA-yim

לים ארץ ציון וירוש

117

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