< Proverbs 2 >

1 My son, if thou wouldst but accept my words, and treasure up my commandments with thee;
בְּ֭נִי אִם־תִּקַּ֣ח אֲמָרָ֑י וּ֝מִצְוֹתַ֗י תִּצְפֹּ֥ן אִתָּֽךְ׃
2 To let thy ear listen unto wisdom: [if] thou wouldst incline thy heart to understanding.
לְהַקְשִׁ֣יב לַֽחָכְמָ֣ה אָזְנֶ֑ךָ תַּטֶּ֥ה לִ֝בְּךָ֗ לַתְּבוּנָֽה׃
3 For if thou wilt call after intelligence; if after understanding thou wilt lift up thy voice;
כִּ֤י אִ֣ם לַבִּינָ֣ה תִקְרָ֑א לַ֝תְּבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קֹולֶֽךָ׃
4 If thou wilt seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures:
אִם־תְּבַקְשֶׁ֥נָּה כַכָּ֑סֶף וְֽכַמַּטְמֹונִ֥ים תַּחְפְּשֶֽׂנָּה׃
5 Then wilt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and the knowledge of God wilt thou find.
אָ֗ז תָּ֭בִין יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת אֱלֹהִ֣ים תִּמְצָֽא׃
6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [come] knowledge and understanding.
כִּֽי־יְ֭הוָה יִתֵּ֣ן חָכְמָ֑ה מִ֝פִּ֗יו דַּ֣עַת וּתְבוּנָֽה׃
7 He treasureth up sound wisdom for the righteous, as a shield to those that walk in integrity:
וְצָפַן (יִצְפֹּ֣ן) לַ֭יְשָׁרִים תּוּשִׁיָּ֑ה מָ֝גֵ֗ן לְהֹ֣לְכֵי תֹֽם׃
8 That men may keep the paths of justice; and the way of his pious servants doth he guard.
לִ֭נְצֹר אָרְחֹ֣ות מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְדֶ֖רֶךְ חֲסִידֹו (חֲסִידָ֣יו) יִשְׁמֹֽר׃
9 Then wilt thou understand righteousness, and justice, and equity: yea, every track of goodness.
אָ֗ז תָּ֭בִין צֶ֣דֶק וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝מֵישָׁרִ֗ים כָּל־מַעְגַּל־טֹֽוב׃
10 For wisdom will enter thy heart, and knowledge will be pleasant unto thy soul;
כִּֽי־תָבֹ֣וא חָכְמָ֣ה בְלִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝דַ֗עַת לְֽנַפְשְׁךָ֥ יִנְעָֽם׃
11 Discretion will watch over thee, understanding will keep thee;
מְ֭זִמָּה תִּשְׁמֹ֥ר עָלֶ֗יךָ תְּבוּנָ֥ה תִנְצְרֶֽכָּה׃
12 To deliver thee from the way of the bad, from the man that speaketh perverse things;
לְ֭הַצִּ֣ילְךָ מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ רָ֑ע מֵ֝אִ֗ישׁ מְדַבֵּ֥ר תַּהְפֻּכֹֽות׃
13 [From those] who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
הַ֭עֹ֣זְבִים אָרְחֹ֣ות יֹ֑שֶׁר לָ֝לֶ֗כֶת בְּדַרְכֵי־חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
14 Who rejoice to do evil, who are delighted in the perverseness of the bad;
הַ֭שְּׂמֵחִים לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות רָ֑ע יָ֝גִ֗ילוּ בְּֽתַהְפֻּכֹ֥ות רָֽע׃
15 Who as regardeth their paths are crooked, and froward in their tracks.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָרְחֹתֵיהֶ֣ם עִקְּשִׁ֑ים וּ֝נְלֹוזִ֗ים בְּמַעְגְּלֹותָֽם׃
16 To deliver thee from the adulteress, from the alien woman that useth flattering speeches;
לְ֭הַצִּ֣ילְךָ מֵאִשָּׁ֣ה זָרָ֑ה מִ֝נָּכְרִיָּ֗ה אֲמָרֶ֥יהָ הֶחֱלִֽיקָה׃
17 That forsaketh the friend of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
הַ֭עֹזֶבֶת אַלּ֣וּף נְעוּרֶ֑יהָ וְאֶת־בְּרִ֖ית אֱלֹהֶ֣יהָ שָׁכֵֽחָה׃
18 For she sinketh unto death—her house, and unto the departed [lead] her tracks.
כִּ֤י שָׁ֣חָה אֶל־מָ֣וֶת בֵּיתָ֑הּ וְאֶל־רְ֝פָאִ֗ים מַעְגְּלֹתֶֽיהָ׃
19 All that come unto her return not again, and they will not reach the paths of life.
כָּל־בָּ֭אֶיהָ לֹ֣א יְשׁוּב֑וּן וְלֹֽא־יַ֝שִּׂ֗יגוּ אָרְחֹ֥ות חַיִּֽים׃
20 In order that thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and observe the paths of the righteous.
לְמַ֗עַן תֵּ֭לֵךְ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ טֹובִ֑ים וְאָרְחֹ֖ות צַדִּיקִ֣ים תִּשְׁמֹֽר׃
21 For the upright will dwell on the earth, and the perfect will be left remaining on it.
כִּֽי־יְשָׁרִ֥ים יִשְׁכְּנוּ־אָ֑רֶץ וּ֝תְמִימִ֗ים יִוָּ֥תְרוּ בָֽהּ׃
22 But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the treacherous shall be plucked up therefrom.
וּ֭רְשָׁעִים מֵאֶ֣רֶץ יִכָּרֵ֑תוּ וּ֝בֹוגְדִ֗ים יִסְּח֥וּ מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ פ

< Proverbs 2 >