Proverbs 2
1 My son, listen to what I say, and [consider my instructions to be as valuable as] [MET] a treasure.
| בְּ֭נִי אִם־תִּקַּ֣ח אֲמָרָ֑י וּ֝מִצְוֺתַ֗י תִּצְפֹּ֥ן אִתָּֽךְ׃ |
2 Pay attention to wisdom and try hard to understand it.
| לְהַקְשִׁ֣יב לַֽחָכְמָ֣ה אָזְנֶ֑ךָ תַּטֶּ֥ה לִ֝בְּךָ֗ לַתְּבוּנָֽה׃ |
3 Call out [to God] to get insight; plead with him to help you to understand more [of what he wants you to know].
| כִּ֤י אִ֣ם לַבִּינָ֣ה תִקְרָ֑א לַ֝תְּבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קוֹלֶֽךָ׃ |
4 Search [eagerly] for wisdom, like you would search for silver, like you would search for a treasure that someone has hidden.
| אִם־תְּבַקְשֶׁ֥נָּה כַכָּ֑סֶף וְֽכַמַּטְמוֹנִ֥ים תַּחְפְּשֶֽׂנָּה׃ |
5 If you do that, you will understand how to revere Yahweh, and you will succeed in knowing God.
| אָ֗ז תָּ֭בִין יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת אֱלֹהִ֣ים תִּמְצָֽא׃ |
6 Yahweh is the one who gives us wisdom. He is the one who tells us things that we need to know and understand.
| כִּֽי־יְ֭הוָה יִתֵּ֣ן חָכְמָ֑ה מִ֝פִּ֗יו דַּ֣עַת וּתְבוּנָֽה׃ |
7 He gives good advice to those who conduct their lives as they should. He protects [MET] those who do what is right.
| וצפן לַ֭יְשָׁרִים תּוּשִׁיָּ֑ה מָ֝גֵ֗ן לְהֹ֣לְכֵי תֹֽם׃ |
8 He guards those who act justly/fairly [toward others], and he watches over those who are faithful/loyal [to him].
| לִ֭נְצֹר אָרְח֣וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְדֶ֖רֶךְ חסידו יִשְׁמֹֽר׃ |
9 [If you ask God for wisdom], you will understand what is right and just [DOU] [to do], and [you will know] the right way to conduct your life,
| אָ֗ז תָּ֭בִין צֶ֣דֶק וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝מֵישָׁרִ֗ים כָּל־מַעְגַּל־ טֽוֹב׃ |
10 because you will be wise in your inner being; and knowing [what God wants you to know] will cause you to be joyful.
| כִּֽי־תָב֣וֹא חָכְמָ֣ה בְלִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝דַ֗עַת לְֽנַפְשְׁךָ֥ יִנְעָֽם׃ |
11 If you know [PRS] how to choose what is right to do and if you understand [what God wants] you to do, God will protect you and guard you and keep you safe.
| מְ֭זִמָּה תִּשְׁמֹ֥ר עָלֶ֗יךָ תְּבוּנָ֥ה תִנְצְרֶֽכָּה׃ |
12 If you are wise [PRS], you will not do what evil people do, and you will not [believe what] deceitful people say.
| לְ֭הַצִּ֣ילְךָ מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ רָ֑ע מֵ֝אִ֗ישׁ מְדַבֵּ֥ר תַּהְפֻּכֽוֹת׃ |
13 Deceitful people have stopped acting fairly/justly [toward others] and (walk on dark and evil paths/do what evil people do) [MET].
| הַ֭עֹ֣זְבִים אָרְח֣וֹת יֹ֑שֶׁר לָ֝לֶ֗כֶת בְּדַרְכֵי־חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ |
14 They enjoy doing what is wrong; they like to do what is evil and to deceive [people].
| הַ֭שְּׂמֵחִים לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רָ֑ע יָ֝גִ֗ילוּ בְּֽתַהְפֻּכ֥וֹת רָֽע׃ |
15 They (walk on crooked paths/always deceive others) and are always dishonest.
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָרְחֹתֵיהֶ֣ם עִקְּשִׁ֑ים וּ֝נְלוֹזִ֗ים בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָֽם׃ |
16 If you are wise [PRS], you will [also] be saved from (immoral women/prostitutes); you will not pay attention when adulterous women try to (seduce/entice you by what they say.)
| לְ֭הַצִּ֣ילְךָ מֵאִשָּׁ֣ה זָרָ֑ה מִ֝נָּכְרִיָּ֗ה אֲמָרֶ֥יהָ הֶחֱלִֽיקָה׃ |
17 Those women have left the husbands whom they married when they were young; they have disregarded the solemn promise they made to God [not to commit adultery].
| הַ֭עֹזֶבֶת אַלּ֣וּף נְעוּרֶ֑יהָ וְאֶת־בְּרִ֖ית אֱלֹהֶ֣יהָ שָׁכֵֽחָה׃ |
18 If you go into houses of women who are like that, you will die [when you are still young]; the road [to their houses] leads to hell. (questioned)
| כִּ֤י שָׁ֣חָה אֶל־מָ֣וֶת בֵּיתָ֑הּ וְאֶל־רְ֝פָאִ֗ים מַעְגְּלֹתֶֽיהָ׃ |
19 No man who (visits/sleeps with) a woman like that will again [live harmoniously with his family]. He will never have a [happy] life again.
| כָּל־בָּ֭אֶיהָ לֹ֣א יְשׁוּב֑וּן וְלֹֽא־יַ֝שִּׂ֗יגוּ אָרְח֥וֹת חַיִּֽים׃ |
20 If [you are wise], you should behave like good men behave. You should (stay on the paths that righteous [people] walk on/do what godly people do) [MET],
| לְמַ֗עַן תֵּ֭לֵךְ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ טוֹבִ֑ים וְאָרְח֖וֹת צַדִּיקִ֣ים תִּשְׁמֹֽר׃ |
21 because only godly people will live in this land [and receive God’s blessings]; [only] those who have not done wrong will stay here [for a long time].
| כִּֽי־יְשָׁרִ֥ים יִשְׁכְּנוּ אָ֑רֶץ וּ֝תְמִימִ֗ים יִוָּ֥תְרוּ בָֽהּ׃ |
22 Wicked [people] will be expelled from this land, and [people] who are not trustworthy will be thrown {God will throw them} out of it.
| וּ֭רְשָׁעִים מֵאֶ֣רֶץ יִכָּרֵ֑תוּ וּ֝בוֹגְדִ֗ים יִסְּח֥וּ מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ פ |
