Proverbs 1

mishle shelomoh ven-david melekh yisra'el

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

lada'at khokhmah umusar lehavin imre vinah

For learning wisdom and discipline; For understanding words of discernment;

laqakhat musar haskel tsedeq umishpat umesharim

For acquiring the discipline for success, Righteousness, justice, and equity;

latet liftayim ormah lena'ar da'at umezimmah

For endowing the simple with shrewdness, The young with knowledge and foresight.

yishma khakham veyosef leqakh venavon takhbulot yiqneh

—The wise, hearing them, will gain more wisdom; The discerning will learn to be adroit;

lehavin mashal umelitsah divre khakhamim vekhidotam

For understanding proverb and epigram, The words of the wise and their riddles.

yirat Adonai reshit da'at khokhmah umusar evilim bazu

The fear of GOD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and discipline.

shema beni musar avikha ve'al-tittosh torat immekha

My son, heed the discipline of your father, And do not forsake the instruction of your mother;

ki livyat khen hem leroshekha va'anaqim legargerotekha

For they are a graceful wreath upon your head, A necklace about your throat.

beni im-yefattukha khatta'im al-tove

My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield;

im-yomeru lekhah ittanu ne'ervah ledam nitspenah lenaqi khinnam

If they say, “Come with us, Let us set an ambush to shed blood, Let us lie in wait for the innocent (Without cause!)

nivla'em kishol khayyim utemimim keyorede vor

Like Sheol, let us swallow them alive; Whole, like those who go down into the Pit.

kol-hon yaqar nimtsa nemalle vattenu shalal

We shall obtain every precious treasure; We shall fill our homes with loot.

goralekha tappil betokhenu kis ekhad yihyeh lekhullanu

Throw in your lot with us; We shall all have a common purse.”

beni al-telekh bederekh ittam mena raglekha minnetivatam

My son, do not set out with them; Keep your feet from their path.

ki raglehem lara yarutsu vimaharu lishpokh-dam

For their feet run to evil; They hurry to shed blood.

ki-khinnam mezorah harashet be'ene kol-ba'al kanaf

In the eyes of every winged creature The outspread net means nothing.

vehem ledamam ye'erovu yitspenu lenafshotam

But they lie in ambush for their own blood; They lie in wait for their own lives.

ken orkhot kol-botsea batsa et-nefesh be'alayw yiqqakh

Such is the fate of all who pursue unjust gain; It takes the life of its possessor.

khokhmot bakhuts taronnah barekhovot titten qolah

Wisdom cries aloud in the streets, Raises her voice in the squares.

berosh homiyyot tiqra befitkhe she'arim ba'ir amareha tomer

At the head of the busy streets she calls; At the entrance of the gates, in the city, she speaks out:

ad-matay petayim te'ehavu-feti veletsim latson khamedu lahem ukhesilim yisne'u-da'at

“How long will you simple ones love simplicity, You scoffers be eager to scoff, You dullards hate knowledge?

tashuvu letokhakhti hinneh abbi'ah lakhem rukhi odi'ah devaray etkhem

You are indifferent to my rebuke; I will now speak my mind to you, And let you know my thoughts.

ya'an qarati vattema'enu natiti yadi ve'en maqshiv

Since you refused me when I called, And paid no heed when I extended my hand,

vattifre'u khol-atsati vetokhakhti lo avitem

You spurned all my advice, And would not hear my rebuke,

gam-ani be'edekhem eskhaq elag bevo fakhdekhem

I will laugh at your calamity, And mock when terror comes upon you,

bevo (khshvh) [khesho'ah ] pakhdekhem ve'edekhem kesufah ye'eteh bevo alekhem tsarah vetsuqah

When terror comes like a disaster, And calamity arrives like a whirlwind, When trouble and distress come upon you.

az yiqra'unni velo e'eneh yeshakharunni velo yimtsa'unni

Then they shall call me but I will not answer; They shall seek me but not find me.

takhat ki-sane'u da'at veyirat Adonai lo vakharu

Because they hated knowledge, And did not choose fear of GOD;

lo-avu la'atsati na'atsu kol-tokhakhti

They refused my advice, And disdained all my rebukes,

veyokhelu mipperi darkam umimmo'atsotehem yisba'u

They shall eat the fruit of their ways, And have their fill of their own counsels.

ki meshuvat petayim tahargem veshalvat kesilim te'abbedem

The tranquility of the simple will kill them, And the complacency of dullards will destroy them.

veshomea li yishkon-betakh vesha'anan mippakhad ra'ah

But the one who listens to me will dwell in safety, Untroubled by the terror of misfortune.”