Proverbs 5

beni lekhokhmati haqshivah litvunati hat-oznekha

My son, listen to my wisdom; Incline your ear to my insight,

lishmor mezimmot veda'at sefatekha yintsoru

That you may have foresight, While your lips hold fast to knowledge.

ki nofet tittofenah sifte zarah vekhalaq mishemen khikkah

For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey; Her mouth is smoother than oil;

ve'akharitah marah khalla'anah khaddah kekherev piyyot

But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.

ragleha yoredot mavet she'ol tse'adeha yitmokhu

Her feet go down to Death; Her steps take hold of Sheol.

orakh khayyim pen-tefalles na'u mageloteha lo teda

She does not chart a path of life; Her course meanders for lack of knowledge.

ve'attah vanim shimu-li ve'al-tasuru me'imre-fi

So now, sons, pay heed to me, And do not swerve from the words of my mouth.

harkheq me'aleha darkekha ve'al-tiqrav el-petakh betah

Keep yourself far away from her; Do not come near the doorway of her house

pen-titten la'akherim hodekha ushenotekha le'akhzari

Lest you give up your vigor to others, Your years to a ruthless one;

pen-yisbe'u zarim kokhekha va'atsavekha bevet nokhri

Lest strangers eat their fill of your strength, And your toil be for the house of another;

venahameta ve'akharitekha bikhlot besarekha ushe'erekha

And in the end you roar, When your flesh and body are consumed,

ve'amarta ekh saneti musar vetokhakhat na'ats libbi

And say, “O how I hated discipline, And heartily spurned rebuke.

velo-shamati beqol moray velimlammeday lo-hittiti ozni

I did not pay heed to my teachers, Or incline my ear to my instructors.

kimat hayiti vekhol-ra betokh qahal ve'edah

Soon I was in dire trouble Amidst the assembled congregation.”

sheteh-mayim mibborekha venozelim mittokh be'erekha

Drink water from your own cistern, Running water from your own well.

yafutsu mayenotekha khutsah barekhovot palge-mayim

Your springs will gush forth In streams in the public squares.

yihyu-lekha levaddekha ve'en lezarim ittakh

They will be yours alone, Others having no part with you.

yehi-meqorekha varukh usemakh me'eshet ne'urekha

Let your fountain be blessed: Find joy in the wife of your youth—

ayyelet ahavim veya'alat-khen daddeha yeravvukha vekhol-et be'ahavatah tishgeh tamid

A loving doe, a graceful mountain goat. Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be infatuated with love of her always.

velammah tishgeh veni vezarah utekhabbeq kheq nokhriyyah

Why be infatuated, my son, with a forbidden woman? Why clasp the bosom of an alien woman?

ki nokhakh ene Adonai darkhe-ish vekhol-magelotayw mefalles

For everyone’s ways are before the eyes of God, Who surveys their entire course.

avonotayw yilkeduno et-harasha uvekhavle khattato yittamekh

The wicked man will be trapped in his iniquities; He will be caught up in the ropes of his sin.

hu yamut be'en musar uverov ivvalto yishgeh

He will die for lack of discipline, Infatuated by his great folly.