Proverbs 4

shimu vanim musar av vehaqshivu lada'at binah

Sons, heed the discipline of a father; Listen and learn discernment,

ki leqakh tov natatti lakhem torati al-ta'azovu

For I give you good instruction; Do not forsake my teaching.

ki-ven hayiti le'avi rakh veyakhid lifne immi

Once I was a son to my father, The tender darling of my mother.

vayyoreni vayyomer li yitmokh-devaray libbekha shemor mitsvotay vekhyeh

He instructed me and said to me, “Let your mind hold on to my words; Keep my commandments and you will live.

qeneh khokhmah qeneh vinah al-tishkakh ve'al-tet me'imre-fi

Acquire wisdom, acquire discernment; Do not forget and do not swerve from my words.

al-ta'azveha vetishmerekka ehaveha vetitserekka

Do not forsake her and she will guard you; Love her and she will protect you.

reshit khokhmah qeneh khokhmah uvekhol-qinyanekha qeneh vinah

The beginning of wisdom is—acquire wisdom; With all your acquisitions, acquire discernment.

salseleha uteromemekka tekhabbedekha ki tekhabbeqennah

Hug her to you and she will exalt you; She will bring you honor if you embrace her.

titten leroshekha livyat-khen ateret tiferet temaggenekka

She will adorn your head with a graceful wreath; Crown you with a glorious diadem.”

shema beni veqakh amaray veyirbu lekha shenot khayyim

My son, heed and take in my words, And you will have many years of life.

bederekh khokhmah horetikha hidrakhtikha bemagele-yosher

I instruct you in the way of wisdom; I guide you in straight courses.

belekhtekha lo-yetsar tsa'adekha ve'im-taruts lo tikkashel

You will walk without breaking stride; When you run, you will not stumble.

hakhazeq bammusar al-teref nitsereha ki-hi khayyekha

Hold fast to discipline; do not let go; Keep it; it is your life.

be'orakh resha'im al-tavo ve'al-te'asher bederekh ra'im

Do not enter on the path of the wicked; Do not walk on the way of evildoers.

pera'ehu al-ta'avor-bo seteh me'alayw va'avor

Avoid it; do not pass through it; Turn away from it; pass it by.

ki lo yishnu im-lo yare'u venigzelah shenatam im-lo (ykhshvlv) [yakhshilu]

For they cannot sleep unless they have done evil; Unless they make someone fall they are robbed of sleep.

ki lakhamu lekhem resha veyen khamasim yishtu

They eat the bread of wickedness And drink the wine of lawlessness.

ve'orakh tsaddiqim ke'or nogah holekh va'or ad-nekhon hayyom

The path of the righteous is like radiant sunlight, Ever brightening until noon.

derekh resha'im ka'afelah lo yade'u bammeh yikkashelu

The way of the wicked is all darkness; They do not know what will make them stumble.

beni lidvaray haqshivah la'amaray hat-oznekha

My son, listen to my speech; Incline your ear to my words.

al-yallizu me'enekha shomrem betokh levavekha

Do not lose sight of them; Keep them in your mind.

ki-khayyim hem lemotse'ehem ulekhol-besaro marpe

They are life to those who find them, Healing for the whole body.

mikkol-mishmar netsor libbekha ki-mimmennu totse'ot khayyim

More than all that you guard, guard your mind, For it is the source of life.

haser mimmekha iqqeshut peh ulezut sefatayim harkheq mimmekka

Put crooked speech away from you; Keep devious talk far from you.

enekha lenokhakh yabbitu ve'afappekha yayshiru negdekha

Let your eyes look forward, Your gaze be straight ahead.

palles magal raglekha vekhol-derakhekha yikkonu

Survey the course you take, And all your ways will prosper.

al-tet-yamin usemovl haser raglekha mera

Do not swerve to the right or the left; Keep your feet from evil.