| א הֲלֹא-חָכְמָה תִקְרָא; וּתְבוּנָה, תִּתֵּן קוֹלָהּ. |
1 Doth not wisdom call, and understanding put forth her voice? |
| ב בְּרֹאשׁ-מְרֹמִים עֲלֵי-דָרֶךְ; בֵּית נְתִיבוֹת נִצָּבָה. |
2 In the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she standeth; |
| ג לְיַד-שְׁעָרִים לְפִי-קָרֶת; מְבוֹא פְתָחִים תָּרֹנָּה. |
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud: |
| ד אֲלֵיכֶם אִישִׁים אֶקְרָא; וְקוֹלִי, אֶל-בְּנֵי אָדָם. |
4 'Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. |
| ה הָבִינוּ פְתָאיִם עָרְמָה; וּכְסִילִים, הָבִינוּ לֵב. |
5 O ye thoughtless, understand prudence, and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. |
| ו שִׁמְעוּ, כִּי-נְגִידִים אֲדַבֵּר; וּמִפְתַּח שְׂפָתַי, מֵישָׁרִים. |
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things. |
| ז כִּי-אֱמֶת, יֶהְגֶּה חִכִּי; וְתוֹעֲבַת שְׂפָתַי רֶשַׁע. |
7 For my mouth shall utter truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. |
| ח בְּצֶדֶק כָּל-אִמְרֵי-פִי: אֵין בָּהֶם, נִפְתָּל וְעִקֵּשׁ. |
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness, there is nothing perverse or crooked in them. |
| ט כֻּלָּם נְכֹחִים, לַמֵּבִין; וִישָׁרִים, לְמֹצְאֵי דָעַת. |
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. |
| י קְחוּ-מוּסָרִי וְאַל-כָּסֶף; וְדַעַת, מֵחָרוּץ נִבְחָר. |
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold. |
| יא כִּי-טוֹבָה חָכְמָה, מִפְּנִינִים; וְכָל-חֲפָצִים, לֹא יִשְׁווּ-בָהּ. |
11 For wisdom is better than rubies, and all things desirable are not to be compared unto her. |
| יב אֲנִי-חָכְמָה, שָׁכַנְתִּי עָרְמָה; וְדַעַת מְזִמּוֹת אֶמְצָא. |
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of devices. |
|
יג יִרְאַת יְהוָה, שְׂנֹאת-רָע: גֵּאָה וְגָאוֹן וְדֶרֶךְ רָע, וּפִי תַהְפֻּכוֹת שָׂנֵאתִי. |
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; {N} pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. |
| יד לִי-עֵצָה, וְתוּשִׁיָּה; אֲנִי בִינָה, לִי גְבוּרָה. |
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine. |
| טו בִּי, מְלָכִים יִמְלֹכוּ; וְרֹזְנִים, יְחֹקְקוּ צֶדֶק. |
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. |
| טז בִּי, שָׂרִים יָשֹׂרוּ; וּנְדִיבִים, כָּל-שֹׁפְטֵי צֶדֶק. |
16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. |
| יז אֲנִי, אהביה אֹהֲבַי אֵהָב; וּמְשַׁחֲרַי, יִמְצָאֻנְנִי. |
17 I love them that love me, and those that seek me earnestly shall find me. |
| יח עֹשֶׁר-וְכָבוֹד אִתִּי; הוֹן עָתֵק, וּצְדָקָה. |
18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, enduring riches and righteousness. |
| יט טוֹב פִּרְיִי, מֵחָרוּץ וּמִפָּז; וּתְבוּאָתִי, מִכֶּסֶף נִבְחָר. |
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my produce than choice silver. |
| כ בְּאֹרַח-צְדָקָה אֲהַלֵּךְ; בְּתוֹךְ, נְתִיבוֹת מִשְׁפָּט. |
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice; |
| כא לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ; וְאֹצְרֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא. |
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries. |
| כב יְהוָה--קָנָנִי, רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ: קֶדֶם מִפְעָלָיו מֵאָז. |
22 The LORD made me as the beginning of His way, the first of His works of old. |
| כג מֵעוֹלָם, נִסַּכְתִּי מֵרֹאשׁ-- מִקַּדְמֵי-אָרֶץ. |
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. |
| כד בְּאֵין-תְּהֹמוֹת חוֹלָלְתִּי; בְּאֵין מַעְיָנוֹת, נִכְבַּדֵּי-מָיִם. |
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. |
| כה בְּטֶרֶם הָרִים הָטְבָּעוּ; לִפְנֵי גְבָעוֹת חוֹלָלְתִּי. |
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth; |
| כו עַד-לֹא עָשָׂה, אֶרֶץ וְחוּצוֹת; וְרֹאשׁ, עַפְרוֹת תֵּבֵל. |
26 While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world. |
| כז בַּהֲכִינוֹ שָׁמַיִם, שָׁם אָנִי; בְּחֻקוֹ חוּג, עַל-פְּנֵי תְהוֹם. |
27 When He established the heavens, I was there; when He set a circle upon the face of the deep, |
| כח בְּאַמְּצוֹ שְׁחָקִים מִמָּעַל; בַּעֲזוֹז, עִינוֹת תְּהוֹם. |
28 When He made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the deep showed their might, |
| כט בְּשׂוּמוֹ לַיָּם, חֻקּוֹ, וּמַיִם, לֹא יַעַבְרוּ-פִיו; בְּחוּקוֹ, מוֹסְדֵי אָרֶץ. |
29 When He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not transgress His commandment, when He appointed the foundations of the earth; |
| ל וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ, אָמוֹן: וָאֶהְיֶה שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים, יוֹם יוֹם; מְשַׂחֶקֶת לְפָנָיו בְּכָל-עֵת. |
30 Then I was by Him, as a nursling; and I was daily all delight, playing always before Him, |
| לא מְשַׂחֶקֶת, בְּתֵבֵל אַרְצוֹ; וְשַׁעֲשֻׁעַי, אֶת-בְּנֵי אָדָם. | 31 Playing in His habitable earth, and my delights are with the sons of men. {P} |
| לב וְעַתָּה בָנִים, שִׁמְעוּ-לִי; וְאַשְׁרֵי, דְּרָכַי יִשְׁמֹרוּ. |
32 Now therefore, ye children, hearken unto me; for happy are they that keep my ways. |
| לג שִׁמְעוּ מוּסָר וַחֲכָמוּ; וְאַל-תִּפְרָעוּ. |
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. |
| לד אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם, שֹׁמֵעַ-לִי: לִשְׁקֹד עַל-דַּלְתֹתַי, יוֹם יוֹם--לִשְׁמֹר, מְזוּזֹת פְּתָחָי. |
34 Happy is the man that hearkeneth to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. |
| לה כִּי מֹצְאִי, מצאי מָצָא חַיִּים; וַיָּפֶק רָצוֹן, מֵיְהוָה. |
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. |
| לו וְחֹטְאִי, חֹמֵס נַפְשׁוֹ; כָּל-מְשַׂנְאַי, אָהֲבוּ מָוֶת. | 36 But he that misseth me wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate me love death.' |