Learn Top 47 Hebrew Proverbs & Sayings – Part 4

Hi Junkies,

If you’re learning Hebrew, you should learn Hebrew proverbs too. Why? Because you can whip them out in conversation when necessary. Knowing them gives you more things to say.

Also, they’re pretty inspirational. So, that makes them fun to learn.

So, set aside 3 minutes and read these juicy Hebrew proverbs!

Learn Top Hebrew Proverbs & Sayings – Part 4

Oh, by the way…


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Cool? Cool. Done.

You can read part 3 here (up to #30).

31) Love your neighbor as yourself

  • Hebrew: ואהבת לרעך כמוך
  • Pronunciation: veahavta lereah’ kamoh’a

Meaning: This Hebrew proverb is from the Old Testament of The Bible and it means that you have to treat others with love and respect in the same way that you would like others to treat you.

hebrew proverbs

32) Two are better than one

  • Hebrew: טובים השניים מן האחד
  • Pronunciation: tovim hashnaim min haeh’ad

Meaning: Two and more people always have more power than one man or that it is better to be with someone than to be alone.

In other words, partner up and make friends!

hebrew proverbs

33) A shy person does not learn, and a strict person is not the one who can teach

  • Hebrew: לא הבישן למד, ולא הקפדן מלמד
  • Pronunciation: lo habayshan lamad, velo hakapdan melamed

Meaning: A person who is not brave enough to ask questions can not learn, and an overly strict teacher, whom it is hard to ask something, will not be a good teacher.

This is one of my favorite Hebrew proverbs.

If in the context of learning Hebrew, if you’re shy, you’ll never get to speak and practice. So, you won’t learn.

hebrew proverbs

34) The tongue has the power of life and death

  • Hebrew: מות וחיים ביד הלשון
  • Pronunciation: lo habayshan lamad, velo hakapdan melamed

Meaning: The things we say are extremely powerful. They have the power to kill someone or save someone’s life. Words can actually deeply hurt or bring great happiness to others.

hebrew proverbs

35) People find people of their kind

  • Hebrew: מצא מין את מינו
  • Pronunciation: matza min et mino

Meaning: This proverb says that people usually find friends that are similar to them in some way.

Or, you can see it as…

“Birds of a feather flock together.”

hebrew proverbs

36) Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise

  • Hebrew: קנאת סופרים תרבה חכמה
  • Pronunciation: kin’at sofrim tarbe h’oh’ma

Meaning: The literal meaning of this Hebrew proverb is: communication between wise people makes them even wiser. That means that being in the company of wise and highly educated people helps people become wiser and smarter.

You may also understand this Hebrew proverb as…

“Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are.”

hebrew proverbs

37) Respect the will of a man

  • Hebrew: רצונו של אדם – כבודו
  • Pronunciation: retzono shel adam – kvodo

Meaning: Any will of any man should be respected by others, even if we disagree with this man.

hebrew proverbs

38) He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles

  • Hebrew: שומר פיו ולשונו, שומר מצרות נפשו
  • Pronunciation: shomer piv veleshono, shomer mitzarot nafsho

Meaning: A person who is careful with the things they say keeps all the troubles away. This is very true. The amount of times I’ve said things that I didn’t mean is ridiculous! Or things that you think “sound good” in the moment but aren’t really in the end.

hebrew proverbs

39) Catch much – catch nothing

  • Hebrew: תפסת מרובה – לא תפסת
  • Pronunciation: tafasta merube – lo tafasta

Meaning: A person who tries to do many tasks and to achieve much might end up losing everything. It is better to concentrate on fewer things and to be sure that you can handle them all.

What does Hebrew proverb mean?

It means that multi-tasking does not work!

hebrew proverbs

40) Be nice and throw some bread to the poor fish and birds once in a while and after many days you will find it again.

  • Hebrew: שלח לחמך על-פני המים, כי ברב הימים תמצאנו
  • Pronunciation: shlah’ leh’meh’a al pnei hamaim, ki berov hayamim timtzaeno

Meaning: Be generous to others when you can and other will be generous to you when you are in troubles. All our good deeds return back to us like a boomerang.

That’s why I’m writing and publishing these articles for you.

Maybe you’ll return the favor and learn Hebrew!

41) Opportunity makes a thief

  • Hebrew: פרצה קוראת לגנב
  • Pronunciation: pritza koret laganav

Meaning: This proverb can be literally translated as “an open door or fence call the thief.” Or in other words, things that we leave in the open or things we don’t watch after attract thieves.

hebrew proverbs

42) In matters of taste and smell, there can be no disputes

  • Hebrew: על טעם ועל ריח אין להתוכח
  • Pronunciation: al taam veal reah’ ein lehitvakeah’

Meaning: No one can be right when arguing about tastes because each and every one has his / her own taste, so it is not a good subject for a dispute.

So, stop arguing about your favorite Hebrew proverbs. They’re all great.

hebrew proverbs

43) The hunchback sees only his companion’s hump

  • Hebrew: כל הפוסל – במומו פוסל
  • Pronunciation: kol haposel – bemumo posel

Meaning: The literal meaning is everyone who sees imperfections in others actually sees his own imperfections in himself.

We tend to see our own imperfections in others, while not noticing them in ourselves.

Hence, the hunchback sees his friend’s hump but totally ignores his own.

hebrew proverbs

44) Silence is good for the wise and is better for the fool

  • Hebrew: יפה שתיקה לחכמים, קל וחומר לטיפשים
  • Pronunciation: yafa shtika lah’ah’amim, kal veh’omer latipshim

Meaning: Silence is gold and if is it is better for wise people to speak less, then fools should not speak at all.

hebrew proverbs

45) Don’t praise yourself, let others do it

  • Hebrew: יהללך זר ולא פיך
  • Pronunciation: yehalelh’a zar velo pih’a

Meaning: It is better not to praise yourself, but to let other people do it for you. If we do so we might end up looking selfish and arrogant.

hebrew proverbs

46) A good name is better than fine perfume

  • Hebrew: טוב שם משמן טוב
  • Pronunciation: tov shem mishemen tov

Meaning: When people have a good opinion about you, it is much more important than all the most precious and expensive things on earth.

In other words, like a whiff of strong perfume, your reputation or name precedes you.

hebrew proverbs

47) Be the tail to the lions, and not the head of the foxes

  • Hebrew: הוה זנב לאריות, ואל תהי ראש לשועלים
  • Pronunciation: have zanav laarayot, veal tehi rosh lashualim

Meaning: It is better to be the last among the good and wise men and to be able to learn from them than to be the first among the wicked and fool ones.

hebrew proverbs

Done!

Now you some awesome Hebrew proverbs and sayings.

And, if you read the “pronunciation,” you can also say them in Hebrew.

Stay tuned for more Hebrew proverb lessons. If you’re interested in MORE Hebrew lessons, click below.

– The Main Junkie

P.S. Done with reading articles and want to learn Hebrew for real?

Okay! I recommend HebrewPod101.com — an online learning program with audio/video lessons made by real teachers. You can learn to speak, read and write, AND take your lessons on any device.

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