Proverbs 29

These maxims sort out the language. Verse 12 is a tweetable proverb for our time:

A governor pays attention to a false word.
All his ministers are wicked.
מֹ֭שֵׁל מַקְשִׁ֣יב עַל־דְּבַר־שָׁ֑קֶר
כָּֽל־מְשָׁרְתָ֥יו רְשָׁעִֽים

I just did a #proverbtweet - but no room for the hashtag. Hebrew takes twice the Latin characters. You have to be really terse. The one above is exactly 140 characters. (But it isn't.)

You could say the Proverbs are God's tweets - but I don't much like the 16th century versions. Too much adulation for the supposed character of Solomon. Rulers tend to hear the praise and skip the correction. It was the rulers who (eventually) first allowed the translation of the Bible into English. The translator follows its own interests. Let the reader beware.

Proverbs 29		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
אִ֣ישׁ תּ֭וֹכָחוֹת מַקְשֶׁה־עֹ֑רֶף פֶּ֥תַע יִ֝שָּׁבֵ֗ר וְאֵ֣ין מַרְפֵּֽא	1	B	A person reproved hardens nape. Suddenly broken, and there is none to heal.	3e	4B	8 9
בִּרְב֣וֹת צַ֭דִּיקִים יִשְׂמַ֣ח הָעָ֑ם וּבִמְשֹׁ֥ל רָ֝שָׁ֗ע יֵאָ֥נַֽח עָֽם	2		When a righteous one increases, the people are glad. When a wicked one governs, people sigh.	3e	4B	9 9
אִֽישׁ־אֹהֵ֣ב חָ֭כְמָה יְשַׂמַּ֣ח אָבִ֑יו וְרֹעֶ֥ה ז֝וֹנ֗וֹת יְאַבֶּד־הֽוֹן	3		A person loving wisdom makes its parent glad, but associating with harlots eliminates value.	3e	4B	10 9
מֶ֗לֶךְ בְּ֭מִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִ֣יד אָ֑רֶץ וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּרוּמ֣וֹת יֶֽהֶרְסֶֽנָּה	4	~	A sovereign by judgment makes the earth stand, but a person receiving contributions overthrows it.	3e	4B	10 9
גֶּ֭בֶר מַחֲלִ֣יק עַל־רֵעֵ֑הוּ רֶ֝֗שֶׁת פּוֹרֵ֥שׂ עַל־פְּעָמָֽיו	5	g	One who is valiant divided against its associate, spreads a net against its footfall.	3e	4B	9 8
בְּפֶ֤שַֽׁע אִ֣ישׁ רָ֣ע מוֹקֵ֑שׁ וְ֝צַדִּ֗יק יָר֥וּן וְשָׂמֵֽחַ	6		In the transgression of a person, evil is trapped, so the righteous one shouts and is glad.	3e	4C	7 9
יֹדֵ֣עַ צַ֭דִּיק דִּ֣ין דַּלִּ֑ים רָ֝שָׁ֗ע לֹא־יָבִ֥ין דָּֽעַת	7		A righteous one knows advocacy among the weak. Wickedness will not understand knowledge.	3e	4B	8 6
אַנְשֵׁ֣י לָ֭צוֹן יָפִ֣יחוּ קִרְיָ֑ה וַ֝חֲכָמִ֗ים יָשִׁ֥יבוּ אָֽף	8		Scornful persons blow away a town, but the wise turn away anger.	3e	4B	9 8
אִֽישׁ־חָכָ֗ם נִ֭שְׁפָּט אֶת־אִ֣ישׁ אֱוִ֑יל וְרָגַ֥ז וְ֝שָׂחַ֗ק וְאֵ֣ין נָֽחַת	9		A wise person is judged with a foolish person. Shudder or laugh, there is no rest.	3e	4B	9 10
אַנְשֵׁ֣י דָ֭מִים יִשְׂנְאוּ־תָ֑ם וִֽ֝ישָׁרִ֗ים יְבַקְשׁ֥וּ נַפְשֽׁוֹ	10		Persons of blood hate one who is complete, but the upright seek him.	3e	4B	8 8
כָּל־ר֭וּחוֹ יוֹצִ֣יא כְסִ֑יל וְ֝חָכָ֗ם בְּאָח֥וֹר יְשַׁבְּחֶֽנָּה	11		All its spirit a dullard brings forth, but one who is shrewd, in the aftermath, commends it.	3e	4B	7 10
מֹ֭שֵׁל מַקְשִׁ֣יב עַל־דְּבַר־שָׁ֑קֶר כָּֽל־מְשָׁרְתָ֥יו רְשָׁעִֽים	12	g	A governor pays attention to a false word. All his ministers are wicked.	3e	4B	9 7
רָ֤שׁ וְאִ֣ישׁ תְּכָכִ֣ים נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ מֵ֤אִיר־עֵינֵ֖י שְׁנֵיהֶ֣ם יְהוָֽה	13	C	One who is in want and a fraudulent person have met together. Yahweh gives light to the eyes of the two of them.	3e	4C	9 9
מֶ֤לֶךְ שׁוֹפֵ֣ט בֶּֽאֱמֶ֣ת דַּלִּ֑ים כִּ֝סְא֗וֹ לָעַ֥ד יִכּֽוֹן	14	C	A sovereign judging the weak in the truth, its throne for ever will be established.	3e	4C	9 6
שֵׁ֣בֶט וְ֭תוֹכַחַת יִתֵּ֣ן חָכְמָ֑ה וְנַ֥עַר מְ֝שֻׁלָּ֗ח מֵבִ֥ישׁ אִמּֽוֹ	15	B	Sceptre and correction give shrewdness, but a youth set loose causes its mother shame.	3e	4B	10 10
בִּרְב֣וֹת רְ֭שָׁעִים יִרְבֶּה־פָּ֑שַׁע וְ֝צַדִּיקִ֗ים בְּֽמַפַּלְתָּ֥ם יִרְאֽוּ	16		When the wicked increase, transgression will increase, but the righteous their fall will see.	3e	4B	9 10
יַסֵּ֣ר בִּ֭נְךָ וִֽינִיחֶ֑ךָ וְיִתֵּ֖ן מַעֲדַנִּ֣ים לְנַפְשֶֽׁךָ	17		Tutor your child and it will give you rest, and it will give enthrallment to your being.	3e	4B	8 11
בְּאֵ֣ין חָ֭זוֹן יִפָּ֣רַֽע עָ֑ם וְשֹׁמֵ֖ר תּוֹרָ֣ה אַשְׁרֵֽהוּ	18		Where there is no vision, people are neglected, but one who keeps instruction will be happy.	3e	4B	8 8
בִּ֭דְבָרִים לֹא־יִוָּ֣סֶר עָ֑בֶד כִּֽי־יָ֝בִ֗ין וְאֵ֣ין מַעֲנֶֽה	19	g	In words a servant will not be chastened, for it may discern, but there is no answer.	3e	4B	8 7
חָזִ֗יתָ אִ֭ישׁ אָ֣ץ בִּדְבָרָ֑יו תִּקְוָ֖ה לִכְסִ֣יל מִמֶּֽנּוּ	20		You gaze on someone importuning in its words. You expect of a dullard more than this.	3e	4B	8 7
מְפַנֵּ֣ק מִנֹּ֣עַר עַבְדּ֑וֹ וְ֝אַחֲרִית֗וֹ יִהְיֶ֥ה מָנֽוֹן	21		Indulging from youth one's servant, and its aftermath will be a parasite.	3e	4B	8 9
אִֽישׁ־אַ֭ף יְגָרֶ֣ה מָד֑וֹן וּבַ֖עַל חֵמָ֣ה רַב־פָּֽשַׁע	22		An angry person strokes dissension, and one who husbands heat has an abundance of transgression.	3e	4B	7 8
גַּאֲוַ֣ת אָ֭דָם תַּשְׁפִּילֶ֑נּוּ וּשְׁפַל־ר֝֗וּחַ יִתְמֹ֥ךְ כָּבֽוֹד	23		An earthling's pride will humble it, yet the humble of spirit, glory will maintain.	3e	4B	9 8
חוֹלֵ֣ק עִם־גַּ֭נָּב שׂוֹנֵ֣א נַפְשׁ֑וֹ אָלָ֥ה יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע וְלֹ֣א יַגִּֽיד	24		One sharing with a thief hates himself. Imprecation it may hear, but will not tell.	3e	4B	9 8
חֶרְדַּ֣ת אָ֭דָם יִתֵּ֣ן מוֹקֵ֑שׁ וּבוֹטֵ֖חַ בַּיהוָ֣ה יְשֻׂגָּֽב	25		An apprehensive earthling permits a trap, but one trusting in Yahweh has a retreat.	3e	4B	8 9
רַ֭בִּים מְבַקְשִׁ֣ים פְּנֵי־מוֹשֵׁ֑ל וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה מִשְׁפַּט־אִֽישׁ	26	g	Many seek the face of the governor, but from Yahweh is the judgment of a person.	3e	4B	8 7
תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת צַ֭דִּיקִים אִ֣ישׁ עָ֑וֶל וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת רָשָׁ֣ע יְשַׁר־דָּֽרֶךְ	27		An abomination to the righteous, a person of injustice, and an abomination to a wicked one, the upright of the way.	3e	4B	9 10