מִשְׁלֵי 8
| הלא-חכמה תקרא ותבונה תתן קולה | 1 |
It is as if wisdom, with great understanding [of many things], is calling [PRS] out [to people].
| בראש-מרמים עלי-דרך בית נתיבות נצבה | 2 |
Wisdom stands on hilltops and at crossroads.
| ליד-שערים לפי-קרת מבוא פתחים תרנה | 3 |
[Wisdom also stands] at the city gates and shouts loudly,
| אליכם אישים אקרא וקולי אל-בני אדם | 4 |
“I am calling to everyone! I am shouting loudly to all people!
| הבינו פתאים ערמה וכסילים הבינו לב | 5 |
You people who do not know how to do things that are smart to do, get sound judgment; you foolish people, get good understanding!
| שמעו כי-נגידים אדבר ומפתח שפתי מישרים | 6 |
Listen to me, because I have some excellent/important things to say. What I say is what is fair/right.
| כי-אמת יהגה חכי ותועבת שפתי רשע | 7 |
I speak what is true; I detest speaking [MTY] what is false/deceptive.
| בצדק כל-אמרי-פי אין בהם נפתל ועקש | 8 |
Everything that I say is honest; there is nothing that I say that deceives [people].
| כלם נכחים למבין וישרים למצאי דעת | 9 |
My words are clear to those who have good sense; those who are wise know that what I say is right.
| קחו-מוסרי ואל-כסף ודעת מחרוץ נבחר | 10 |
[If someone offers you the kind of teaching I give] or offers you silver, choose my teaching. [If he offers to show you how to be wise] or offers you gold, choose to know how to be wise,
| כי-טובה חכמה מפנינים וכל-חפצים לא ישוו-בה | 11 |
because wisdom is more valuable than jewels. Nothing that you desire [is as valuable] as being wise.
| אני-חכמה שכנתי ערמה ודעת מזמות אמצא | 12 |
I, wisdom, and understanding of what is smart to do, cannot be separated. We are like two people who live in the same house. I know how to be wise and how to make smart decisions.
| יראת יהוה שנאת-רע גאה וגאון ודרך רע ופי תהפכות שנאתי | 13 |
[All the people] who revere Yahweh hate evil. I, wisdom, hate [people who are] proud and [people] who think they are more important [than others]. I hate [people who] behave in an evil way and those who say things to deceive [others].
| לי-עצה ותושיה אני בינה לי גבורה | 14 |
I give [people] good advice and I enable them to do things that are wise. I understand how things really are, and I am strong.
| בי מלכים ימלכו ורזנים יחקקו צדק | 15 |
When kings are wise, they rule [well]; and when rulers are wise, they make laws that are just/fair.
| בי שרים ישרו ונדיבים כל-שפטי צדק | 16 |
Rulers govern their people with the help of me, wisdom, and those who have authority decide things fairly/just with my help.
| אני אהביה (אהבי) אהב ומשחרי ימצאנני | 17 |
I, [wisdom], love [all] those who love me, and [all] those who truly seek me [will] find me.
| עשר-וכבוד אתי הון עתק וצדקה | 18 |
I enable [people] to become rich and to be honored; [I enable them to have] wealth that will last and to be successful.
| טוב פריי מחרוץ ומפז ותבואתי מכסף נבחר | 19 |
What I can give people is more valuable than fine/pure gold and the best silver.
| בארח-צדקה אהלך בתוך נתיבות משפט | 20 |
I always do what is righteous and just/fair.
| להנחיל אהבי יש ואצרתיהם אמלא | 21 |
I give wealth to those who love me; I fill their houses with valuable things.
| יהוה--קנני ראשית דרכו קדם מפעליו מאז | 22 |
Yahweh created me, [wisdom], when he began [to create the world]; he created me [to do my work] before he created anything else.
| מעולם נסכתי מראש-- מקדמי-ארץ | 23 |
He appointed me long ago, before he created the earth.
| באין-תהמות חוללתי באין מעינות נכבדי-מים | 24 |
I was born before the oceans were [created], when there were no springs from which water flowed.
| בטרם הרים הטבעו לפני גבעות חוללתי | 25 |
I was born before the hills and mountains were formed;
| עד-לא עשה ארץ וחוצות וראש עפרות תבל | 26 |
[I, wisdom], was born before Yahweh made the earth, before he made the fields and the soil on the earth.
| בהכינו שמים שם אני בחקו חוג על-פני תהום | 27 |
I was there when Yahweh put the sky in place, when he marked the place [in the distance] where the sky and the oceans [seem to] come together.
| באמצו שחקים ממעל בעזוז עינות תהום | 28 |
I was there when Yahweh put the clouds above [the earth] and when he caused the water that is inside the earth to be secure.
| בשומו לים חקו ומים לא יעברו-פיו בחוקו מוסדי ארץ | 29 |
I was there when he fixed a boundary for the seas, so that the water in the seas would not go past those boundaries, and when he put down the foundations which support the earth.
| ואהיה אצלו אמון ואהיה שעשועים יום יום משחקת לפניו בכל-עת | 30 |
I was at the side of Yahweh, the master worker (OR, as though I was his child). I caused him to be happy every day, and I was always rejoicing when I was with him.
| משחקת בתבל ארצו ושעשעי את-בני אדם | 31 |
I was delighted with the world that he created; I was happy with the people whom he created, too.
| ועתה בנים שמעו-לי ואשרי דרכי ישמרו | 32 |
So, [you people who are like] my sons, listen to me. [I am] pleased with [all] those who obey my teachings.
| שמעו מוסר וחכמו ואל-תפרעו | 33 |
Listen [carefully] to what I teach you and become wise. Do not reject my teaching!
| אשרי אדם שמע-לי לשקד על-דלתתי יום יום--לשמר מזוזת פתחי | 34 |
[I am] pleased with those who listen to me, those who are outside my house every day, waiting [for me to come out].
| כי מצאי מצאי (מצא) חיים ויפק רצון מיהוה | 35 |
Those who find me will have [a long] life, and Yahweh [will] be pleased with them.
| וחטאי חמס נפשו כל-משנאי אהבו מות | 36 |
But those who stray away from me [just] harm themselves. All those who hate me, [it is as though] [IRO] they are loving death.”
