Lesson 171: Proverbs and Wisdom
A proverb compresses a whole worldview into one line. These are real Hebrew sayings, still in everyday use. Tap any line to hear it.
Everyday wisdom
כָּל הַהַתְחָלוֹת קָשׁוֹת.
kol hahatchalot kashot.
All beginnings are hard.
טוֹב צִפּוֹר אַחַת בַּיָּד מִשְּׁתַּיִם עַל הָעֵץ.
tov tsipor achat bayad mishtayim al ha’ets.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
אֵין חָכָם כְּבַעַל נִסָּיוֹן.
ein chacham keva’al nisayon.
No one is as wise as a person of experience.
On effort and patience
יָגַעְתָּ וּמָצָאתָ — תַּאֲמִין.
yagata umatsata — ta’amin.
If you toiled and found — believe it (success comes from effort).
סוֹף מַעֲשֶׂה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה תְּחִלָּה.
sof ma’ase bemachshava techila.
The end of a deed is in the thought at its start (plan before acting).
On people
אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם? הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם.
eizehu chacham? halomed mikol adam.
Who is wise? One who learns from every person. (Pirkei Avot)
דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ קָדְמָה לַתּוֹרָה.
derech erets kadma latora.
Good conduct comes before learning.