## Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely

###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 1
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לעולם אין חרטה בשתיקה, ובדבור תהי תמיד חרטה,
והלא טוב לך אשר תדום ותחשה מאד משתהי דובר ותחטא.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
Silence is never the loser; in speaking there's always regret; 'tis far better to be silent and still, than to babble and be nearer to sin.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 2
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אם לא תהי דובר תהי מושל עלי כל מאמריך ומפעליך,
כי אם תדבר, הרשות מידך יצא והמה ימשלו עליך.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
Thy words and acts are in thy power before the word is spoken; once said, the word hath power over thee, all control from thee hath passed.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 3
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מה לך לדבר דברה, אם נודעה תביא לך נזק וגם היא תכשילך,
ואם תתחרטה על השתיקה באחת, על דברך רוב פעמים.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
Why speak of something which, when known, will do thee harm, and bring about thy fall? If not spoken and made known, thou still hast hope that it may accrue to thy profit.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 4
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מכאוב שתיקה לך / טוב מכאב מאמר,
כי כל כאב דבור / רע הוא מאד ומר:

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
The penalty of silence is less than that of speech. Who can tell how bitter and sore may be the pain of speech?


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 5
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אסור לשון ואותה אל תשלח לבל תשים עלי ראשך אשמים,
ואם תתחרטה על השתיקה באחת, על דברך רוב פעמים:

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
Bind the tongue fast, and let it not loose, lest thou bring on thy head much guilt; if silence doth bring one remorse and regret, how endless the train that speaking will bear!


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 6
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אצור את לשונך / כמו תאצור אוצר,
ואם לא תהי שומרה, / לנפשך מאד יצר.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
Thy tongue bind fast, as thou wouldst a treasure bind; for if thou heed not, it will fare ill with thy soul.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 7
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אם תבחרה מוסר כדת / וכחוקה,
תבחר במחסום / את פיך ובשתיקה.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
If thou wouldst choose the right and proper counsel, then choose the muzzle for thy mouth, and silence for thy lips.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 8
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בפי כל האנוש מכשול לנפשו, כחתף יארוב איש תחת לשונו,
לרגלה יהיה נכשל ונענש / בכל דבר ויכפיל את יגונו.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
Within the mouth of man his stumbling block doth lie; as a thief it lieth in wait under his very tongue; at its bidding man falleth low, bearing punishment at every turn; and thus, indeed, he doth increase his sorrow manifold.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 9
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ראה נברא אשר ברא לך שוכן בשמים,
באזנים ועינים, ואפים ורגלים,
כרעים וכפים, חלצים ושוקים,
ולשון חד בתוך מסגר ולא תמצא לשונים.
והכין לושתי חומות, שפתים ושנים,
ולכן על דבריך יהיה מקשיב בכפליים,
וללשון תשו אוצר הוא לשומרו לחיים.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
O creature, see how He who in the heaven dwelleth created thee! Two ears and eyes thou hast, two cheeks and feet; two knees and hands thou hast, two loins and thighs, yet a single tongue in an enclosure hid, but two tongues never. Two walls, moreover, He hath designed, they are the lips and teeth. Doubly cautious be then with thy words, closely thy tongue to heed, and an asset it will be to thee to safeguard thee for life.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 10
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בפי כל האנוש אורך לחייו, ימי חלדו ומותו בין לחייו.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
In man's mouth lieth length of days; life and death are between his cheeks.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 11
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מה טוב בשכל יהיה עודף על מענה פיהו ומדבריו,
אכן בעודף מדברותיו על שכלו משנאו הוא וראש צריו.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
How goodly if man's sense doth rule the words that from his lips do flow! But when his words his sense do rule, they become his chiefest foe, his bitterest enemy.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 12
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אם תחשה מדבר פחדך יגבר,
על כן ומוראך יקל [ברוב] דבר.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
If thou cease from speaking, respect for thee will grow; and likewise thy reverence will fail by the multitude of words.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 13
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מה טוב דבר מסיר נזק / ממך או מביא תועלת,
אם אין זה טוב לך שתחשה, כי אין לך בו שום תוחלת.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
Tis good if speech can remove some harm, or be of use to thee; where iths is not, 'twere better far to hold thy peace; speech hath no hope for thee.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 14
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איש מדבריו רב משכלו, כל מדבריו יהיו עליו,
אך אם שכלו יהיה יותר, כל מדבריו יהיו אליו.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
If idle words one's sense outrun, their mastery over man is gained; but if in man his sense prevail, his words do all to him belong.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 15
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ממעיט אמריו / ממעיט שגגות,
מרבה דבריו / מרבה דאגות.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
Let thy words be few, and thy faults will be few; increase thy words, and thy woes will increase.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 16
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אם תוך ביתך בעוד לילה תדבר,
קחה מוסר והשפיל דבריך וניביך,
אם מבעוד יום שמע וקשוב בעת תחשב,
טרם תדבר ראה את כל סביביך.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
If in the night thou wouldst wish within thine own dwelling to speak, take heed and lower thy voice, and softly utter thy words; or even in daytime listen well, and hear; nay, whilst thou art thinking, look round and see, if the matter which thou hast in mind may safely be spoken aloud.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 17
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מכשול לשון אדם יחייב את ראשו ולדבריו יהי נספה,
אך אם יהי נכשל במועצותיו, פתאום יהי נגף ויתרפא.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
A slip of the tongue may cost a man his head; he may by his own words be destroyed; whilst a slip of the foot, though sudden the hurt, may quickly be cured and restored.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 18
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בינה אנוש משכיל יסוד דברי עולם, ושים לבך לבינתם,
יתחלקו כולם לארבעה ראשים, דעה סודם חקור אותם,
יש בם תחלתם לתועלת, אכן תהי ירא לאחריתם,
מהם בלי נזק ותועלת אין בם, לזאת תשנא בדברתם,
גם יש אשר בם תהיה מוצא נזק בראשיתם ותכליתם,
[עוד יש אחריתם טוב ויטיבו יחד בראשיתם,]
על כן שלשה תעזוב וזנח, וקחה לך מהם רביעיתם.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
O ye who would be wise, the root of things consider; set thy heart to understand them, and thou shalt find that under four heads they may all be classed; learn thou their secret and investigate them. Some things, at first, of service are, yet caution bid as they proceed; some things do neither harm nor good, these shun and best avoid; there are things, too, where danger lurks both at the start and finish; and there are things which are all good both at the end and the beginning. Then leave the three that go before, and the fourth head seize, hold fast!


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 19
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בכל עתים שור חוה, / ודבר האמת טוב משתיקה.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
At all times keep this rule in mind: there's something still better than silence, 'tis this—to speak the truth.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 20
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דבר חכם ישיב אף וחימה, ויש מלה משיבה הנקמה.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
The word of the wise will turn away anger and wrath, and many a word will restrain the revengeful spirit.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 21
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חכם לבב יה דובר ומציל, / ויציל באשר ישתוק פעמים
ובדבריו מנוחה לענוים, / ולגאים במשטוח חרמים.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
The wise-hearted one, in speaking, will often relieve, by refraining from speaking, he will doubly redeem. His words to the lowly bringeth relief; they are addressed to the haughty, when they spread out their nets.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 22
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אל יבטח אדם / בדברותיו,
כי אם אנוש / מופלג בחכמותיו.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
If a man be not an expert in his work, let him not speak with too great confidence on that matter.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 23
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ואין לאנוש כבוד / כמו דבר
דבור עלי אופניו / ועל יושרו,
יתן עטרת פז / עלי ראשו,
ישים רביד זהב / בצוארו.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
Nothing is of greater honour to a man than the word fitly and rightly spoken; it setteth a golden crown upon his head, and placeth the chain of gold around his neck.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 24
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מדבר שוא וינצל באמרו, מאד טוב מאשר ישתוק בדבר,
וטוב עצל עשות שקר ומרמה מאד מאיש ממהר בם ונשבר.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
To speak what is folly, yet know how to get clear by thy speech, is better by far than not to speak at all. Much better to appear as a sluggard, when called on to do something deceitful and false, than to hasten and join in the attempt, and suffer thyself to be broken.


###### Shekel HaKodesh, On Silence and Speaking Opportunely 25
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מכל משמר שמור פיך, / אז תנצל כצבי מיד,
ושתיקה לך טוב מדבר, / וחרוזיה מניין מ י ד.

**Shekel Hakodesh, trans. Hermann Gollancz, London 1919:**
Before all things guard thy mouth, and then as the hart *from the hand*¹ =54, the number of lines in this section.] of the huntsman thou shalt be delivered.

footnotes:
¹ ["From the hand"