Chewing The Cud: Proverbs chapter 21

Mishlei - Proverbs - Chapter 21

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Chapter 22

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1A king's heart is like rivulets of water in the Lord's hand; wherever He wishes, He turns it.   אפַּלְגֵי־מַ֣יִם לֶב־מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּיַד־יְהוָ֑ה עַֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֖ר יַחְפֹּ֣ץ יַטֶּֽנּוּ:
2Man's every way is straight in his own eyes, but the Lord counts the hearts.   בכָּֽל־דֶּרֶךְ־אִ֖ישׁ יָשָׁ֣ר בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן לִבּ֣וֹת יְהוָֽה:
Man’s every way is straight in his own eyes, but the Lord counts: Heb. ותכן.    
3Performing charity and justice is preferred by God to a sacrifice.   געֲשׂה צְדָקָ֣ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט נִבְחָ֖ר לַיהוָ֣ה מִזָּֽבַח:
4Haughty eyes and unlimited lust-the tillage of the wicked is sin.   דרוּם־עֵ֖ינַיִם וּרְחַב־לֵ֑ב נִ֖ר רְשָׁעִ֣ים חַטָּֽאת:
Haughty eyes: A haughty spirit.    
and unlimited lust: The desire to satisfy the lusts of his heart; that is the tillage of the wicked. Their “plowing” and their thoughts is their sin.    
5The plans of a diligent man lead only to advantage, whereas every hasty one hurries only to want.   המַחְשְׁב֣וֹת חָ֖רוּץ אַךְ־לְמוֹתָ֑ר וְכָל־אָ֜֗ץ אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר:
The plans of a diligent man: Heb. חרוץ, an honest man who walks in truth and according to the established judgment.    
lead only to advantage: They come to prosperity and profit.    
whereas every hasty one: One who forces the time.    
6Gathering treasures with a lying tongue is like a driven vapor; they seek death.   ופֹּ֣עַל א֖וֹצָרוֹת בִּלְשׁ֣וֹן שָׁ֑קֶר הֶ֥בֶל נִ֜דָּ֗ף מְבַקְשֵׁי־מָֽוֶת:
Gathering treasures: to increase wealth.    
with a lying tongue is like a driven vapor, etc.: They are snares of death (seekers of death) for him.    
7The plunder of the wicked frightens them, for they have refused to perform justice.   זשֹׁד־רְשָׁעִ֥ים יְגוֹרֵ֑ם ×›Ö´Ö¼Ö¥×™ מֵ֜אֲנ֗וּ לַעֲשֹ֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט:
The plunder of the wicked frightens them: Heb. יגורם, [like] יגור אותם.    
8A man's way is changeable and he is strange, but as for a pure one-his deed is right.   חהֲפַכְפַּ֬ךְ דֶּ֣רֶךְ אִ֣ישׁ וָזָ֑ר וְ֜זַ֗ךְ יָשָׁ֥ר פָּעֳלֽוֹ:
A man’s way is changeable and he is strange: A man who is strange, turning away from the commandment-his way is changeable.    
9It is better to sit on the corner of a roof than with a quarrelsome wife and the house of a friend.   טט֗וֹב לָשֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־פִּנַּת־גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת מִ֜דְיָנִ֗ים וּבֵ֥ית חָֽבֶר:
and the house of a friend: That he enters his friend’s house to converse with his wife. And the Midrash Aggadah states: He prophesied that the Shechinah would ultimately leave Israel, who is like a quarrelsome wife.    
and the house of a friend: A house in which they associate friends with the Holy One, blessed be He; for example, the image that Manasseh erected in the Temple of the Lord.    
10The soul of a wicked man desires evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.   ינֶ֣פֶשׁ רָ֖שָׁע אִוְּתָה־רָ֑ע לֹא־יֻחַ֖ן בְּעֵינָ֣יו רֵעֵֽהוּ:
11When a scorner is punished, a fool gains wisdom, but when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.   יאבַּעֲנָשׁ־לֵ֖ץ יֶחְכַּם־פֶּ֑תִי וּבְהַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְ֜חָכָ֗ם יִקַּח־דָּֽעַת:
When a scorner is punished, a fool gains wisdom: Through the chastisements of scorners, fools gain wisdom and return [to God] in repentance.    
12The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked, overthrowing the wicked to their ruin.   יבמַשְׂכִּ֣יל צַ֖דִּיק לְבֵ֣ית רָשָׁ֑ע מְסַלֵּ֖ף רְשָׁעִ֣ים לָרָֽע:
The Righteous One considers: The Righteous One of the world sets His heart to destroy the house of the wicked, e.g. the remembrance of Amalek.    
13He who stops up his ear from the cry of a poor man-he, too, will cry out and not be answered.   יגאֹטֵ֣ם אָ֖זְנוֹ מִזַּעֲקַת־דָּ֑ל גַּֽם־ה֥וּא יִ֜קְרָ֗א וְלֹ֣א יֵעָנֶֽה:
14A gift in secret will appease wrath, and a bribe in the pocket [will even appease] strong wrath.   ידמַתָּ֣ן בַּ֖סֵּתֶר יִכְפֶּה־אָ֑ף וְשֹׁ֥חַד בַּ֜חֵ֗ק חֵמָ֥ה ×¢Ö·×–Ö¸Ö¼Ö½×”:
A gift in secret: Charity.    
and a bribe in the pocket: This too refers to charity. It will appease even strong wrath.    
15It is a joy for a righteous man to do judgment, and a ruin for those who commit violence.   טושִׂמְחָ֣ה לַ֖צַּדִּיק עֲשֹ֣וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֜מְחִתָּ֗ה לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן:
It is a joy for a righteous man to do judgment: It is a joy for the Holy One, blessed be He, to inflict judgment upon the righteous in order to bestow upon them the life of the world to come, for the Holy One, blessed be He, brings pains upon them in order that they merit the world to come. In this manner, it is expounded in Midrash Psalms (3:1).    
and a ruin: It is [a ruin].    
for those who commit violence: Because they do not put their hearts to repent and the pains do not avail them, but they suffer to no avail.    
16A man who strays from the way of understanding will rest in the congregation of the shades.   טזאָדָ֗ם תּ֖וֹעֶה מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ הַשְׂכֵּ֑ל בִּקְהַ֖ל רְפָאִ֣ים יָנֽוּחַ:
A man who strays from the way of understanding: From the Torah.    
in the congregation of the shades: in the congregation of Gehinnom.    
17He who loves joy shall be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil shall not become rich.   יזאִ֣ישׁ מַ֖חְסוֹר אֹהֵ֣ב שִׂמְחָ֑ה אֹהֵ֥ב יַֽיִן־וָ֜שֶׁ֗מֶן לֹ֣א יַעֲשִֽׁיר:
shall be a poor man: He who loves the joy of always banqueting.    
18A wicked man shall be ransom for a righteous man, and a treacherous one instead of the upright.   יחכֹּ֣פֶר לַצַּדִּ֣יק רָשָׁ֑ע וְתַ֖חַת יְשָׁרִ֣ים בּוֹגֵֽד:
A wicked man shall be ransom for a righteous man, and a treacherous one instead of the upright: A righteous man is rescued, and a wicked man comes in his stead (above 11:8), such as Mordecai and Haman.    
19It is better to dwell in a desert land than [with] a quarrelsome and vexatious wife.   יטט֗וֹב שֶׁ֥בֶת בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְבָּ֑ר מֵאֵ֖שֶׁת מִדְוָנִ֣ים מִדְיָנִ֣ים וָכָֽעַס:
It is better to dwell in a desert land: This too was stated regarding the withdrawal of the Shechinah.    
20Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of the wise man, but man's foolishness will swallow it up.   כאוֹצָ֤ר נֶחְמָ֣ד וָ֖שֶׁמֶן בִּנְוֵ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וּכְסִ֖יל אָדָ֣ם יְבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ:
but man’s foolishness: Heb. וכסיל אדם foolishness of a man.    
21He who pursues charity and kindness will find life, charity, and honor.   כארֹדֵף צְדָקָ֣ה וָחָ֑סֶד יִמְצָ֥א חַ֜יִּ֗ים צְדָקָ֥ה וְכָבֽוֹד:
22A wise man ascended to a city of mighty men and brought down the stronghold in which it trusts.   כבעִ֣יר גִּ֖בֹּרִים עָלָ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וַ֜יֹּ֗רֶד ×¢Ö¹Ö£×– מִבְטֶחָֽה:
A wise man ascended to a city of mighty men: This refers to Moses, our teacher, who went up among the angels, who are mighty in strength. (    
and brought down, etc.: The Torah.)    
23He who watches his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from troubles.   כגשֹׁמֵ֣ר פִּ֖יו וּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹ שֹׁמֵ֖ר מִצָּר֣וֹת נַפְשֽׁוֹ:
24A malevolent, haughty man-scorner is his name; he acts with malevolent anger.   כדזֵ֣ד יָ֖הִיר לֵ֣ץ שְׁמ֑וֹ ע֜וֹשֶֹ֗ה בְּעֶבְרַ֥ת זָדֽוֹן:
haughty: Heb. יהיר, one who is haughty; he will ultimately become a scorner, for he does not care to hear reproof.    
25The desire of a lazy man will bring about his death, for his hands refuse to labor.   כהתַּאֲוַ֣ת עָצֵ֣ל תְּמִיתֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־מֵאֲנ֖וּ יָדָ֣יו לַעֲשֹֽוֹת:
26All day he covets greedily, but the righteous man gives and does not spare.   כוכָּל־הַ֖יּוֹם הִתְאַוָּ֣ה תַאֲוָ֑ה וְצַדִּ֥יק יִ֜תֵּ֗ן וְלֹ֣א יַחְשֹֽךְ:
but the righteous gives: all the necessities of his house, for the Holy One, blessed be He, prepares them for him.    
27The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, how much more if he brings it with plans of wickedness!   כזזֶ֣בַח רְ֖שָׁעִים תּוֹעֵבָ֑ה אַ֜֗ף כִּֽי־בְזִמָּ֥ה יְבִיאֶֽנּוּ:
how much more if he brings it with plans of wickedness!: How much more if he brings it to be wicked and with evil counsel, such as the sacrifices of Balaam and Balak, who brought them only to curse Israel.    
28A false witness will perish, but an obedient man may speak forever.   כחעֵד־כְּזָבִ֥ים יֹאבֵ֑ד וְאִ֥ישׁ שׁ֜וֹמֵ֗עַ לָנֶ֥צַח יְדַבֵּֽר:
but an obedient man: who obeys what is written in the Torah: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”    
forever: Always.    
29A wicked man shows his brazenness in his anger, but an upright man-he will understand his way.   כטהֵעֵ֬ז אִ֣ישׁ רָשָׁ֣ע בְּפָנָ֑יו וְ֜יָשָׁ֗ר ה֤וּא יָכִ֬ין יָבִ֬ין דַּרְכֹּֽיו דַּרְכּֽוֹ:
A wicked man shows his brazenness in his anger: A wicked man shows his brazenness at the time of his anger.    
in his anger: Heb. בפניו, an expression of anger.    
30There is neither wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.   לאֵ֣ין חָ֖כְמָה וְאֵ֣ין תְּבוּנָ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין עֵ֜צָ֗ה לְנֶ֣גֶד יְהוָֽה:
There is neither wisdom, etc.: No wise or understanding man is of any importance against the Lord. Wherever there is a desecration of the Name, we do not pay regard to a teacher.    
31A steed is prepared for a day of battle, but the victory is the Lord's.   לאס֗וּס מ֖וּכָן לְי֣וֹם מִלְחָמָ֑ה וְ֜לַֽיהוָ֗ה הַתְּשׁוּעָֽה: