1 My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,

1 בְּ֭נִי תֹּורָתִ֣י אַל־תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח וּ֝מִצְוֹתַ֗י יִצֹּ֥ר לִבֶּֽךָ׃

2 For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee.

2 כִּ֤י אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים וּשְׁנֹ֣ות חַיִּ֑ים וְ֝שָׁלֹ֗ום יֹוסִ֥יפוּ לָֽךְ׃

3 Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,

3 חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶ֗ת אַֽל־יַעַ֫זְבֻ֥ךָ קָשְׁרֵ֥ם עַל־גַּרְגְּרֹותֶ֑יךָ כָּ֝תְבֵ֗ם עַל־ל֥וּחַ לִבֶּֽךָ׃

4 And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.

4 וּמְצָא־חֵ֖ן וְשֵֽׂכֶל־טֹ֑וב בְּעֵינֵ֖י אֱלֹהִ֣ים וְאָדָֽם׃

5 Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.

5 בְּטַ֣ח אֶל־יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְאֶל־בִּֽ֝ינָתְךָ֗ אַל־תִּשָּׁעֵֽן׃

6 In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.

6 בְּכָל־דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ דָעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝ה֗וּא יְיַשֵּׁ֥ר אֹֽרְחֹתֶֽיךָ׃

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.

7 אַל־תְּהִ֣י חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ יְרָ֥א אֶת־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וְס֣וּר מֵרָֽע׃

8 Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.

8 רִ֭פְאוּת תְּהִ֣י לְשָׁרֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝שִׁקּ֗וּי לְעַצְמֹותֶֽיךָ׃

9 Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;

9 כַּבֵּ֣ד אֶת־יְ֭הוָה מֵהֹונֶ֑ךָ וּ֝מֵרֵאשִׁ֗ית כָּל־תְּבוּאָתֶֽךָ׃

10 And filled are thy barns `with' plenty, And `with' new wine thy presses break forth.

10 וְיִמָּלְא֣וּ אֲסָמֶ֣יךָ שָׂבָ֑ע וְ֝תִירֹ֗ושׁ יְקָבֶ֥יךָ יִפְרֹֽצוּ׃

11 Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,

11 מוּסַ֣ר יְ֭הוָה בְּנִ֣י אַל־תִּמְאָ֑ס וְאַל־תָּ֝קֹ֗ץ בְּתֹוכַחְתֹּֽו׃

12 For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.

12 כִּ֤י אֶ֥ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶאֱהַ֣ב יְהוָ֣ה יֹוכִ֑יחַ וּ֝כְאָ֗ב אֶת־בֵּ֥ן יִרְצֶֽה׃

13 O the happiness of a man `who' hath found wisdom, And of a man `who' bringeth forth understanding.

13 אַשְׁרֵ֣י אָ֭דָם מָצָ֣א חָכְמָ֑ה וְ֝אָדָ֗ם יָפִ֥יק תְּבוּנָֽה׃

14 For better `is' her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold -- her increase.

14 כִּ֤י טֹ֣וב סַ֭חְרָהּ מִסְּחַר־כָּ֑סֶף וּ֝מֵחָר֗וּץ תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ׃

15 Precious she `is' above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her.

15 יְקָ֣רָה הִ֭יא מִפְּנִיִּים מִפְּנִינִ֑ים וְכָל־חֲ֝פָצֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִֽשְׁווּ־בָֽהּ׃

16 Length of days `is' in her right hand, In her left `are' wealth and honour.

16 אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים בִּֽימִינָ֑הּ בִּ֝שְׂמֹאולָ֗הּ עֹ֣שֶׁר וְכָבֹֽוד׃

17 Her ways `are' ways of pleasantness, And all her paths `are' peace.

17 דְּרָכֶ֥יהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹ֑עַם וְֽכָל־נְתִ֖יבֹותֶ֣יהָ שָׁלֹֽום׃

18 A tree of life she `is' to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her `is' happy.

18 עֵץ־חַיִּ֣ים הִ֭יא לַמַּחֲזִיקִ֣ים בָּ֑הּ וְֽתֹמְכֶ֥יהָ מְאֻשָּֽׁר׃

19 Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.

19 יְֽהוָ֗ה בְּחָכְמָ֥ה יָֽסַד־אָ֑רֶץ כֹּונֵ֥ן מַ֗יִם בִּתְבוּנָֽה׃

20 By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.

20 בְּ֭דַעְתֹּו תְּהֹומֹ֣ות נִבְקָ֑עוּ וּ֝שְׁחָקִ֗ים יִרְעֲפוּ־טָֽל׃

21 My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,

21 בְּ֭נִי אַל־יָלֻ֣זוּ מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ נְצֹ֥ר תֻּ֝שִׁיָּ֗ה וּמְזִמָּֽה׃

22 And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

22 וְיִֽהְי֣וּ חַיִּ֣ים לְנַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְ֝חֵ֗ן לְגַרְגְּרֹתֶֽיךָ׃

23 Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.

23 אָ֤ז תֵּלֵ֣ךְ לָבֶ֣טַח דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝רַגְלְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תִגֹּֽוף׃

24 If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.

24 אִם־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ב לֹֽא־תִפְחָ֑ד וְ֝שָׁכַבְתָּ֗ וְֽעָרְבָ֥ה שְׁנָתֶֽךָ׃

25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.

25 אַל־תִּ֭ירָא מִפַּ֣חַד פִּתְאֹ֑ם וּמִשֹּׁאַ֥ת רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים כִּ֣י תָבֹֽא׃

26 For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.

26 כִּֽי־יְ֭הוָה יִהְיֶ֣ה בְכִסְלֶ֑ךָ וְשָׁמַ֖ר רַגְלְךָ֣ מִלָּֽכֶד׃

27 Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand `is' toward God to do `it'.

27 אַל־תִּמְנַע־טֹ֥וב מִבְּעָלָ֑יו בִּהְיֹ֨ות לְאֵ֖ל יָדֶיךָ יָדְךָ֣ לַעֲשֹֽׂות׃

28 Say not thou to thy friend, `Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.

28 אַל־תֹּ֘אמַ֤ר לְרֵעֶיךָ לְרֵֽעֲךָ֨³׀ לֵ֣ךְ וָ֭שׁוּב וּמָחָ֥ר אֶתֵּ֗ן וְיֵ֣שׁ אִתָּֽךְ׃

29 Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.

29 אַל־תַּחֲרֹ֣שׁ עַל־רֵעֲךָ֣ רָעָ֑ה וְהֽוּא־יֹושֵׁ֖ב לָבֶ֣טַח אִתָּֽךְ׃

30 Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.

30 אַל־ תָּרֹוב תָּרִ֣יב עִם־אָדָ֣ם חִנָּ֑ם אִם־לֹ֖א גְמָלְךָ֣ רָעָֽה׃

31 Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.

31 אַל־תְּ֭קַנֵּא בְּאִ֣ישׁ חָמָ֑ס וְאַל־תִּ֝בְחַ֗ר בְּכָל־דְּרָכָֽיו׃

32 For an abomination to Jehovah `is' the perverted, And with the upright `is' His secret counsel.

32 כִּ֤י תֹועֲבַ֣ת יְהוָ֣ה נָלֹ֑וז וְֽאֶת־יְשָׁרִ֥ים סֹודֹֽו׃

33 The curse of Jehovah `is' in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.

33 מְאֵרַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה בְּבֵ֣ית רָשָׁ֑ע וּנְוֵ֖ה צַדִּיקִ֣ים יְבָרֵֽךְ׃

34 If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.

34 אִם־לַלֵּצִ֥ים הֽוּא־יָלִ֑יץ וְלַעֲנִיִּים וְ֝לַעֲנָוִ֗ים יִתֶּן־חֵֽן׃

35 Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!

35 כָּ֭בֹוד חֲכָמִ֣ים יִנְחָ֑לוּ וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים מֵרִ֥ים קָלֹֽון׃