1 Doth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?

1 הֲלֹֽא־חָכְמָ֥ה תִקְרָ֑א וּ֝תְבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קֹולָֽהּ׃

2 At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,

2 בְּרֹאשׁ־מְרֹומִ֥ים עֲלֵי־דָ֑רֶךְ בֵּ֖ית נְתִיבֹ֣ות נִצָּֽבָה׃

3 At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,

3 לְיַד־שְׁעָרִ֥ים לְפִי־קָ֑רֶת מְבֹ֖וא פְתָחִ֣ים תָּרֹֽנָּה׃

4 `Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice `is' unto the sons of men.

4 אֲלֵיכֶ֣ם אִישִׁ֣ים אֶקְרָ֑א וְ֝קֹולִ֗י אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃

5 Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,

5 הָבִ֣ינוּ פְתָאיִ֣ם עָרְמָ֑ה וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים הָבִ֥ינוּ לֵֽב׃

6 Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips `is' uprightness.

6 מְעוּ כִּֽי־נְגִידִ֣ים אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וּמִפְתַּ֥ח פָתַ֗י מֵישָׁרִֽים׃

7 For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips `is' wickedness.

7 כִּֽי־אֱ֭מֶת יֶהְגֶּ֣ה חִכִּ֑י וְתֹועֲבַ֖ת שְׂפָתַ֣י רֶֽשַׁע׃

8 In righteousness `are' all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.

8 בְּצֶ֥דֶק כָּל־אִמְרֵי־פִ֑י אֵ֥ין בָּ֝הֶ֗ם נִפְתָּ֥ל וְעִקֵּֽשׁ׃

9 All of them `are' plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.

9 כֻּלָּ֣ם נְ֭כֹחִים לַמֵּבִ֑ין וִֽ֝ישָׁרִ֗ים לְמֹ֣צְאֵי דָֽעַת׃

10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.

10 קְחֽוּ־מוּסָרִ֥י וְאַל־כָּ֑סֶף וְ֝דַ֗עַת מֵחָר֥וּץ נִבְחָֽר׃

11 For better `is' wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.

11 כִּֽי־טֹובָ֣ה חָ֭כְמָה מִפְּנִינִ֑ים וְכָל־חֲ֝פָצִ֗ים לֹ֣א יִֽשְׁווּ־בָֽהּ׃

12 I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.

12 אֲ‍ֽנִי־חָ֭כְמָה שָׁכַ֣נְתִּי עָרְמָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת מְזִמֹּ֣ות אֶמְצָֽא׃

13 The fear of Jehovah `is' to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.

13 יִֽרְאַ֣ת יְהוָה֮ שְֽׂנֹ֫את רָ֥ע גֵּ֘אָ֤ה וְגָאֹ֨ון׀ וְדֶ֣רֶךְ רָ֭ע וּפִ֨י תַהְפֻּכֹ֬ות שָׂנֵֽאתִי׃

14 Mine `is' counsel and substance, I `am' understanding, I have might.

14 לִֽי־עֵ֭צָה וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑ה אֲנִ֥י בִ֝ינָ֗ה לִ֣י גְבוּרָֽה׃

15 By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,

15 בִּ֭י מְלָכִ֣ים יִמְלֹ֑כוּ וְ֝רֹוזְנִ֗ים יְחֹ֣קְקוּ צֶֽדֶק׃

16 By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.

16 בִּ֭י שָׂרִ֣ים יָשֹׂ֑רוּ וּ֝נְדִיבִ֗ים כָּל־שֹׁ֥פְטֵי צֶֽדֶק׃

17 I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.

17 אֲ֭נִי אֹהֲבֶיהָ אֹהֲבַ֣י אֵהָ֑ב וּ֝מְשַׁחֲרַ֗י יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי׃

18 Wealth and honour `are' with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.

18 עֹֽשֶׁר־וְכָבֹ֥וד אִתִּ֑י הֹ֥ון עָ֝תֵ֗ק וּצְדָקָֽה׃

19 Better `is' my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.

19 טֹ֣וב פִּ֭רְיִי מֵחָר֣וּץ וּמִפָּ֑ז³ וּ֝תְבוּאָתִ֗י מִכֶּ֥סֶף נִבְחָֽר׃

20 In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,

20 בְּאֹֽרַח־צְדָקָ֥ה אֲהַלֵּ֑ך¹ בְּ֝תֹ֗וךְ נְתִיבֹ֥ות מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

21 To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.

21 לְהַנְחִ֖יל אֹהֲבַ֥י׀ יֵ֑שׁ וְאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם אֲמַלֵּֽא׃

22 Jehovah possessed me -- the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.

22 יְֽהוָ֗ה קָ֭נָנִי רֵאשִׁ֣ית דַּרְכֹּ֑ו קֶ֖דֶם מִפְעָלָ֣יו מֵאָֽז׃

23 From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.

23 מֵ֭עֹולָם נִסַּ֥כְתִּי מֵרֹ֗אשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

24 In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy `with' waters,

24 בְּאֵין־תְּהֹמֹ֥ות חֹולָ֑לְתִּי בְּאֵ֥ין מַ֝עְיָנֹ֗ות נִכְבַּדֵּי־מָֽיִם׃

25 Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.

25 בְּטֶ֣רֶם הָרִ֣ים הָטְבָּ֑עוּ לִפְנֵ֖י גְבָעֹ֣ות חֹולָֽלְתִּי׃

26 While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.

26 עַד־לֹ֣א עָ֭שָׂה אֶ֣רֶץ וְחוּצֹ֑ות וְ֝רֹ֗אשׁ עָפְרֹ֥ות תֵּבֵֽל׃

27 In His preparing the heavens I `am' there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,

27 בַּהֲכִינֹ֣ו מַיִם שָׁ֣ם אָ֑נִי בְּח֥וּקֹו ח֝֗וּג עַל־פְּנֵ֥י תְהֹֽום׃

28 In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,

28 בְּאַמְּצֹ֣ו שְׁחָקִ֣ים מִמָּ֑עַל בַּ֝עֲזֹ֗וז עִינֹ֥ות תְּהֹום¹׃

29 In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,

29 בְּשׂ֘וּמֹ֤ו לַיָּ֨ם׀ חֻקֹּ֗ו וּ֭מַיִם לֹ֣א יַֽעַבְרוּ־פִ֑יו בְּ֝חוּקֹ֗ו מֹ֣וסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ׃

30 Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight -- day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,

30 וָֽאֶהְיֶ֥ה אֶצְלֹ֗ו אָ֫מֹ֥ון וָֽאֶהְיֶ֣ה עֲשֻׁעִים יֹ֤ום׀ יֹ֑ום מְשַׂחֶ֖קֶת לְפָנָ֣יו בְּכָל־עֵֽת׃

31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights `are' with the sons of men.

31 מְ֭שַׂחֶקֶת בְּתֵבֵ֣ל אַרְצֹ֑ו וְ֝שַׁעֲשֻׁעַ֗י אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃

32 And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.

32 וְעַתָּ֣ה בָ֭נִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִ֑י וְ֝אַשְׁרֵ֗י דְּרָכַ֥י יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃

33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.

33 שִׁמְע֖וּ מוּסָ֥ר וַחֲכָ֗מוּ וְאַל־תִּפְרָֽעוּ׃

34 O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.

34 אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי אָדָם֮ שֹׁמֵ֪עַֽ֫ לִ֥י לִשְׁקֹ֣ד עַל־דַּ֭לְתֹתַי יֹ֤ום׀ יֹ֑ום לִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר מְזוּזֹ֥ת פְּתָחָֽי׃

35 For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.

35 כִּ֣י מֹ֭צְאִי מֹצְאֵי מָצָ֣א^y חַיִּ֑ים וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צֹ֗ון מֵיְהוָֽה׃

36 And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!

36 וְֽ֭חֹטְאִי חֹמֵ֣ס נַפְשֹׁ֑ו כָּל־מְ֝שַׂנְאַ֗י אָ֣הֲבוּ מָֽוֶת׃