1 My son, if thou receivest my words, and layest up my commandments with thee,

1 בְּ֭נִי אִם־תִּקַּ֣ח אֲמָרָ֑י וּ֝מִצְוֹתַ֗י תִּצְפֹּ֥ן אִתָּֽךְ׃

2 so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom [and] thou apply thy heart to understanding;

2 לְהַקְשִׁ֣יב לַֽחָכְמָ֣ה אָזְנֶ֑ךָ תַּטֶּ֥ה לִ֝בְּךָ֗ לַתְּבוּנָֽה׃

3 yea, if thou criest after discernment [and] liftest up thy voice to understanding;

3 כִּ֤י אִ֣ם לַבִּינָ֣ה תִקְרָ֑א לַ֝תְּבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קֹולֶֽךָ׃

4 if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasures:

4 אִם־תְּבַקְשֶׁ֥נָּה כַכָּ֑סֶף וְֽכַמַּטְמֹונִ֥ים תַּחְפְּשֶֽׂנָּה׃

5 then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, and find the knowledge of God.

5 אָ֗ז תָּ֭בִין יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת אֱלֹהִ֣ים תִּמְצָֽא׃

6 For Jehovah giveth wisdom; out of his mouth [come] knowledge and understanding.

6 כִּֽי־יְ֭הוָה יִתֵּ֣ן חָכְמָ֑ה מִ֝פִּ֗יו דַּ֣עַת וּתְבוּנָֽה׃

7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; [he] is a shield to them that walk in integrity;

7 וְצָפַן יִצְפֹּ֣ן לַ֭יְשָׁרִים תּוּשִׁיָּ֑ה מָ֝גֵ֗ן לְהֹ֣לְכֵי תֹֽם׃

8 guarding the paths of just judgment and keeping the way of his godly ones.

8 לִ֭נְצֹר אָרְחֹ֣ות מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְדֶ֖רֶךְ חֲסִידֹו חֲסִידָ֣יו יִשְׁמֹֽר׃

9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity: every good path.

9 אָ֗ז תָּ֭בִין צֶ֣דֶק וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝מֵישָׁרִ֗ים כָּל־מַעְגַּל־טֹֽוב׃

10 When wisdom entereth into thy heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul,

10 כִּֽי־תָבֹ֣וא חָכְמָ֣ה בְלִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝דַ֗עַת לְֽנַפְשְׁךָ֥ יִנְעָֽם׃

11 discretion shall keep thee, understanding shall preserve thee:

11 מְ֭זִמָּה תִּשְׁמֹ֥ר עָלֶ֗יךָ תְּבוּנָ֥ה תִנְצְרֶֽכָּה׃

12 To deliver thee from the way of evil, from the man that speaketh froward things;

12 לְ֭הַצִּ֣ילְךָ מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ רָ֑ע מֵ֝אִ֗ישׁ מְדַבֵּ֥ר תַּהְפֻּכֹֽות׃

13 [from those] who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

13 הַ֭עֹ֣זְבִים אָרְחֹ֣ות יֹ֑שֶׁר לָ֝לֶ֗כֶת בְּדַרְכֵי־חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

14 who rejoice to do evil, [and] delight in the frowardness of evil;

14 הַ֭שְּׂמֵחִים לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות רָ֑ע יָ֝גִ֗ילוּ בְּֽתַהְפֻּכֹ֥ות רָֽע׃

15 whose paths are crooked, and who are perverted in their course:

15 אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָרְחֹתֵיהֶ֣ם עִקְּשִׁ֑ים וּ֝נְלֹוזִ֗ים בְּמַעְגְּלֹותָֽם׃

16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, from the stranger who flattereth with her words;

16 לְ֭הַצִּ֣ילְךָ מֵאִשָּׁ֣ה זָרָ֑ה מִ֝נָּכְרִיָּ֗ה אֲמָרֶ֥יהָ הֶחֱלִֽיקָה׃

17 who forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God;

17 הַ֭עֹזֶבֶת אַלּ֣וּף נְעוּרֶ֑יהָ וְאֶת־בְּרִ֖ית אֱלֹהֶ֣יהָ שָׁכֵֽחָה׃

18 -- for her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead;

18 כִּ֤י שָׁ֣חָה אֶל־מָ֣וֶת בֵּיתָ֑הּ וְאֶל־רְ֝פָאִ֗ים מַעְגְּלֹתֶֽיהָ׃

19 none that go unto her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life:

19 כָּל־בָּ֭אֶיהָ לֹ֣א יְשׁוּב֑וּן וְלֹֽא־יַ֝שִּׂ֗יגוּ אָרְחֹ֥ות חַיִּֽים׃

20 -- that thou mayest walk in the way of the good, and keep the paths of the righteous.

20 לְמַ֗עַן תֵּ֭לֵךְ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ טֹובִ֑ים וְאָרְחֹ֖ות צַדִּיקִ֣ים תִּשְׁמֹֽר׃

21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it;

21 כִּֽי־יְשָׁרִ֥ים יִשְׁכְּנוּ־אָ֑רֶץ וּ֝תְמִימִ֗ים יִוָּ֥תְרוּ בָֽהּ׃

22 but the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful shall be plucked up out of it.

22 וּ֭רְשָׁעִים מֵאֶ֣רֶץ יִכָּרֵ֑תוּ וּ֝בֹוגְדִ֗ים יִסְּח֥וּ מִמֶּֽנָּה׃