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Proverbs chapter 13 in Hebrew and English

25 verses, about 2 minutes to read aloud. The Hebrew has its vowel points and the English stands under each verse.

The whole chapter is here, a verse to a line.

בֵּן חָכָם מוּסַר אָב וְלֵץ לֹא־שָׁמַע גְּעָרָֽה׃

A wise son is instructed of his father; But a scorner heareth not rebuke.

מִפְּרִי פִי־אִישׁ יֹאכַל טוֹב וְנֶפֶשׁ בֹּגְדִים חָמָֽס׃

A man shall eat good from the fruit of his mouth; But the desire of the faithless is violence.

נֹצֵר פִּיו שֹׁמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ פֹּשֵׂק שְׂפָתָיו מְחִתָּה־לֽוֹ׃

He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life; But for him that openeth wide his lips there shall be ruin.

מִתְאַוָּה וָאַיִן נַפְשׁוֹ עָצֵל וְנֶפֶשׁ חָרֻצִים תְּדֻשָּֽׁן׃

The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be abundantly gratified.

דְּבַר־שֶׁקֶר יִשְׂנָא צַדִּיק וְרָשָׁע יַבְאִישׁ וְיַחְפִּֽיר׃

A righteous man hateth lying; But a wicked man behaveth vilely and shamefully.

צְדָקָה תִּצֹּר תָּם־דָּרֶךְ וְרִשְׁעָה תְּסַלֵּף חַטָּֽאת׃

Righteousness guardeth him that is upright in the way; But wickedness overthroweth the sinner.

יֵשׁ מִתְעַשֵּׁר וְאֵין כֹּל מִתְרוֹשֵׁשׁ וְהוֹן רָֽב׃

There is that pretendeth himself rich, yet hath nothing; There is that pretendeth himself poor, yet hath great wealth.

כֹּפֶר נֶפֶשׁ־אִישׁ עָשְׁרוֹ וְרָשׁ לֹא־שָׁמַע גְּעָרָֽה׃

The ransom of a man’s life are his riches; But the poor heareth no threatening.

אוֹר־צַדִּיקִים יִשְׂמָח וְנֵר רְשָׁעִים יִדְעָֽךְ׃

The light of the righteous rejoiceth; But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

רַק־בְּזָדוֹן יִתֵּן מַצָּה וְאֶת־נוֹעָצִים חָכְמָֽה׃

By pride cometh only contention; But with the well-advised is wisdom.

הוֹן מֵהֶבֶל יִמְעָט וְקֹבֵץ עַל־יָד יַרְבֶּֽה׃

Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished; But he that gathereth little by little shall increase. .

תּוֹחֶלֶת מְמֻשָּׁכָה מַחֲלָה־לֵב וְעֵץ חַיִּים תַּאֲוָה בָאָֽה׃

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

בָּז לְדָבָר יֵחָבֶל לוֹ וִירֵא מִצְוָה הוּא יְשֻׁלָּֽם׃

Whoso despiseth the word shall suffer thereby; But he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

תּוֹרַת חָכָם מְקוֹר חַיִּים לָסוּר מִמֹּקְשֵׁי מָֽוֶת׃

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, To depart from the snares of death.

שֵׂכֶל־טוֹב יִתֶּן־חֵן וְדֶרֶךְ בֹּגְדִים אֵיתָֽן׃

Good understanding giveth grace; But the way of the faithless is harsh.

כָּל־עָרוּם יַעֲשֶׂה בְדָעַת וּכְסִיל יִפְרֹשׂ אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

Every prudent man dealeth with forethought; But a fool unfoldeth folly.

מַלְאָךְ רָשָׁע יִפֹּל בְּרָע וְצִיר אֱמוּנִים מַרְפֵּֽא׃

A wicked messenger falleth into evil; But a faithful ambassador is health.

רֵישׁ וְקָלוֹן פּוֹרֵעַ מוּסָר וְשׁוֹמֵר תּוֹכַחַת יְכֻבָּֽד׃

Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction; But he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.

תַּאֲוָה נִהְיָה תֶּעֱרַב לְנָפֶשׁ וְתוֹעֲבַת כְּסִילִים סוּר מֵרָֽע׃

The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul; And it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.

הוֹלֵךְ אֶת־חֲכָמִים יֶחְכָּם וְרֹעֶה כְסִילִים יֵרֽוֹעַ׃

He that walketh with wise men shall be wise; But the companion of fools shall smart for it.

חַטָּאִים תְּרַדֵּף רָעָה וְאֶת־צַדִּיקִים יְשַׁלֶּם־טֽוֹב׃

Evil pursueth sinners; But to the righteous good shall be repaid.

טוֹב יַנְחִיל בְּנֵי־בָנִים וְצָפוּן לַצַּדִּיק חֵיל חוֹטֵֽא׃

A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children; And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous.

רָב־אֹכֶל נִיר רָאשִׁים וְיֵשׁ נִסְפֶּה בְּלֹא מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

Much food is in the tillage of the poor; But there is that is swept away by want of righteousness.

חוֹשֵׂךְ שִׁבְטוֹ שׂוֹנֵא בְנוֹ וְאֹהֲבוֹ שִׁחֲרוֹ מוּסָֽר׃

He that spareth his rod hateth his son; But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

צַדִּיק אֹכֵל לְשֹׂבַע נַפְשׁוֹ וּבֶטֶן רְשָׁעִים תֶּחְסָֽר׃

The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his desire; But the belly of the wicked shall want.

The Hebrew is the Leningrad Codex, free to view and copy, compared letter by letter with a second edition, Miqra according to the Masorah, under the CC BY-SA licence. The English is the Jewish Publication Society translation of 1917, in the public domain.

Where this chapter stands in the Tanakh.

  • Chapter 13 of the 31 chapters of Proverbs
  • Proverbs is one of the Writings
  • 25 verses, 183 words, about 2 minutes to read

Proverbs has 31 chapters, and each one has its own page.

All of Proverbs·All the books of the Tanakh·Psalms and prayers

Questions about this chapter

How many verses does Proverbs chapter 13 have?

Proverbs chapter 13 has 25 verses and 183 words.

How does Proverbs chapter 13 begin?

The first verse begins in Hebrew with the words בן חכם מוסר אב.

Where does Proverbs chapter 13 stand in the Tanakh?

It is chapter 13 of the 31 chapters of Proverbs, which is one of the Writings.

How long does it take to read Proverbs chapter 13?

About 2 minutes, at a steady pace.