מִשְׁלֵי 3

1 בְּ֭נִי תֹּורָתִ֣י אַל־תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח וּ֝מִצְוֹתַ֗י יִצֹּ֥ר לִבֶּֽךָ׃

My son, don’t forget my teaching; but keep my mitzvot ·instructions· in your heart:

2 כִּ֤י אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים וּשְׁנֹ֣ות חַיִּ֑ים וְ֝שָׁלֹ֗ום יֹוסִ֥יפוּ לָֽךְ׃

for length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you.

3 חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶ֗ת אַֽל־יַעַ֫זְבֻ֥ךָ קָשְׁרֵ֥ם עַל־גַּרְגְּרֹותֶ֑יךָ כָּ֝תְבֵ֗ם עַל־ל֥וּחַ לִבֶּֽךָ׃

Don’t let cheshed ·loving-kindness· and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 וּמְצָא־חֵ֖ן וְשֵֽׂכֶל־טֹ֑וב בְּעֵינֵ֖י אֱלֹהִ֣ים וְאָדָֽם׃ פ

So you will find chen ·grace·, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

5 בְּטַ֣ח אֶל־יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְאֶל־בִּֽ֝ינָתְךָ֗ אַל־תִּשָּׁעֵֽן׃

Trust in Adonai with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.

6 בְּכָל־דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ דָעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝ה֗וּא יְיַשֵּׁ֥ר אֹֽרְחֹתֶֽיךָ׃

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

7 אַל־תְּהִ֣י חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ יְרָ֥א אֶת־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וְס֣וּר מֵרָֽע׃

Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear Adonai, and depart from evil.

8 רִ֭פְאוּת תְּהִ֣י לְשָׁרֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝שִׁקּ֗וּי לְעַצְמֹותֶֽיךָ׃

It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.

9 כַּבֵּ֣ד אֶת־יְ֭הוָה מֵהֹונֶ֑ךָ וּ֝מֵרֵאשִׁ֗ית כָּל־תְּבוּאָתֶֽךָ׃

Honor Adonai with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase:

10 וְיִמָּלְא֣וּ אֲסָמֶ֣יךָ שָׂבָ֑ע וְ֝תִירֹ֗ושׁ יְקָבֶ֥יךָ יִפְרֹֽצוּ׃ פ

so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

11 מוּסַ֣ר יְ֭הוָה בְּנִ֣י אַל־תִּמְאָ֑ס וְאַל־תָּ֝קֹ֗ץ בְּתֹוכַחְתֹּֽו׃

My son, don’t despise Adonai’s discipline, neither be despondent when he corrects you:

12 כִּ֤י אֶ֥ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶאֱהַ֣ב יְהוָ֣ה יֹוכִ֑יחַ וּ֝כְאָ֗ב אֶת־בֵּ֥ן יִרְצֶֽה׃

for whom Adonai 'ahav ·affectionately loves·, he reproves; even as a father reproves his son in whom he delights.

13 אַשְׁרֵ֣י אָ֭דָם מָצָ֣א חָכְמָ֑ה וְ֝אָדָ֗ם יָפִ֥יק תְּבוּנָֽה׃

Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.

14 כִּ֤י טֹ֣וב סַ֭חְרָהּ מִסְּחַר־כָּ֑סֶף וּ֝מֵחָר֗וּץ תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ׃

For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her teshuvah ·complete return· is better than fine gold.

15 יְקָ֣רָה הִ֭יא מִפְּנִיִּים (מִפְּנִינִ֑ים) וְכָל־חֲ֝פָצֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִֽשְׁווּ־בָֽהּ׃

She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.

16 אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים בִּֽימִינָ֑הּ בִּ֝שְׂמֹאולָ֗הּ עֹ֣שֶׁר וְכָבֹֽוד׃

Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and kavod ·weighty glory·.

17 דְּרָכֶ֥יהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹ֑עַם וְֽכָל־נְתִ֖יבֹותֶ֣יהָ שָׁלֹֽום׃

Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.

18 עֵץ־חַיִּ֣ים הִ֭יא לַמַּחֲזִיקִ֣ים בָּ֑הּ וְֽתֹמְכֶ֥יהָ מְאֻשָּֽׁר׃ פ

She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.

19 יְֽהוָ֗ה בְּחָכְמָ֥ה יָֽסַד־אָ֑רֶץ כֹּונֵ֥ן שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם בִּתְבוּנָֽה׃

By wisdom Adonai founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.

20 בְּ֭דַעְתֹּו תְּהֹומֹ֣ות נִבְקָ֑עוּ וּ֝שְׁחָקִ֗ים יִרְעֲפוּ־טָֽל׃

By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.

21 בְּ֭נִי אַל־יָלֻ֣זוּ מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ נְצֹ֥ר תֻּ֝שִׁיָּ֗ה וּמְזִמָּֽה׃

My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion:

22 וְיִֽהְי֣וּ חַיִּ֣ים לְנַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְ֝חֵ֗ן לְגַרְגְּרֹתֶֽיךָ׃

so they will be life to your soul, and chen ·grace· for your neck.

23 אָ֤ז תֵּלֵ֣ךְ לָבֶ֣טַח דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝רַגְלְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תִגֹּֽוף׃

Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won’t stumble.

24 אִם־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ב לֹֽא־תִפְחָ֑ד וְ֝שָׁכַבְתָּ֗ וְֽעָרְבָ֥ה שְׁנָתֶֽךָ׃

When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

25 אַל־תִּ֭ירָא מִפַּ֣חַד פִּתְאֹ֑ם וּמִשֹּׁאַ֥ת רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים כִּ֣י תָבֹֽא׃

Don’t be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes:

26 כִּֽי־יְ֭הוָה יִהְיֶ֣ה בְכִסְלֶ֑ךָ וְשָׁמַ֖ר רַגְלְךָ֣ מִלָּֽכֶד׃

for Adonai will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.

27 אַל־תִּמְנַע־טֹ֥וב מִבְּעָלָ֑יו בִּהְיֹ֨ות לְאֵ֖ל יָדֶיךָ (יָדְךָ֣) לַעֲשֹֽׂות׃

Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

28 אַל־תֹּ֘אמַ֤ר לְרֵעֶיךָ (לְרֵֽעֲךָ֨ ׀) לֵ֣ךְ וָ֭שׁוּב וּמָחָ֥ר אֶתֵּ֗ן וְיֵ֣שׁ אִתָּֽךְ׃

Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you,” when you have it by you.

29 אַל־תַּחֲרֹ֣שׁ עַל־רֵעֲךָ֣ רָעָ֑ה וְהֽוּא־יֹושֵׁ֖ב לָבֶ֣טַח אִתָּֽךְ׃

Don’t devise evil against your neighbor, since he dwells securely by you.

30 אַל־תָּרֹוב (תָּרִ֣יב) עִם־אָדָ֣ם חִנָּ֑ם אִם־לֹ֖א גְמָלְךָ֣ רָעָֽה׃

Don’t strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.

31 אַל־תְּ֭קַנֵּא בְּאִ֣ישׁ חָמָ֑ס וְאַל־תִּ֝בְחַ֗ר בְּכָל־דְּרָכָֽיו׃

Don’t envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.

32 כִּ֤י תֹועֲבַ֣ת יְהוָ֣ה נָלֹ֑וז וְֽאֶת־יְשָׁרִ֥ים סֹודֹֽו׃

For the perverse is an abomination to Adonai, but his friendship is with the upright.

33 מְאֵרַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה בְּבֵ֣ית רָשָׁ֑ע וּנְוֵ֖ה צַדִּיקִ֣ים יְבָרֵֽךְ׃

Adonai’s curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the upright.

34 אִם־לַלֵּצִ֥ים הֽוּא־יָלִ֑יץ וְלַעֲנִיִּים (וְ֝לַעֲנָוִ֗ים) יִתֶּן־חֵֽן׃

Surely he opposes the mockers, but he gives chen ·grace· to the humble.

35 כָּ֭בֹוד חֲכָמִ֣ים יִנְחָ֑לוּ וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים מֵרִ֥ים קָלֹֽון׃ פ

The wise will inherit kavod ·weighty glory·, but shame will be the promotion of fools.