מִשְׁלֵי 3

1 בְּ֭נִי תֹּורָתִ֣י אַל־תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח וּ֝מִצְוֹתַ֗י יִצֹּ֥ר לִבֶּֽךָ׃

My son, do not forget what I have taught you. Keep my commands in your inner being,

2 כִּ֤י אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים וּשְׁנֹ֣ות חַיִּ֑ים וְ֝שָׁלֹ֗ום יֹוסִ֥יפוּ לָֽךְ׃

because [if you obey them] you will live a long time and things will go well for you

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

Always faithfully love others and (be faithful/do what you say that you will do); doing those things [will cause others to be pleased with you]; it will be as though you are wearing a beautiful necklace. Keep those things in your mind/inner being.

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

If you do, God and people will approve of you and think highly of you [MTY].

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

Trust in Yahweh completely, and do not rely on what you yourself understand.

6 בְּכָל־דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ דָעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝ה֗וּא יְיַשֵּׁ֥ר אֹֽרְחֹתֶֽיךָ׃

Always allow him to lead you. If you do that, he will (show you the right path/direct your life).

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

Do not be proud of being wise. [Instead], revere Yahweh and turn away from doing evil.

8 רִ֭פְאוּת תְּהִ֣י לְשָׁרֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝שִׁקּ֗וּי לְעַצְמֹותֶֽיךָ׃

If you do that, your body will be healthy/strong; it will be [like] medicine for you.

9 כַּבֵּ֣ד אֶת־יְ֭הוָה מֵהֹונֶ֑ךָ וּ֝מֵרֵאשִׁ֗ית כָּל־תְּבוּאָתֶֽךָ׃

Honor Yahweh by [what you do with] your money; and [by giving him] the first part of your harvest.

10 וְיִמָּלְא֣וּ אֲסָמֶ֣יךָ שָׂבָ֑ע וְ֝תִירֹ֗ושׁ יְקָבֶ֥יךָ יִפְרֹֽצוּ׃ פ

If you do that, [you will have a good harvest]. Yahweh will fill your barns [with grain], and your vats/containers will be overflowing with [grape juice for making] wine.

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

My son, when Yahweh disciplines/corrects you, do not despise it, and if he rebukes you, do not resent it.

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

[I say that] because it is the people whom Yahweh loves that he corrects/reproves, [just] like parents correct/reprove their sons whom they love.

13 אַשְׁרֵ֣י אָ֭דָם מָצָ֣א חָכְמָ֑ה וְ֝אָדָ֗ם יָפִ֥יק תְּבוּנָֽה׃

[Yahweh] is pleased with those who become wise and have good understanding.

14 כִּ֤י טֹ֣וב סַ֭חְרָהּ מִסְּחַר־כָּ֑סֶף וּ֝מֵחָר֗וּץ תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ׃

Being wise and having good understanding is worth more than silver, better than gold.

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

Being wise is more precious than (jewels/precious stones); there is nothing that you could desire [that would be as valuable] as wisdom.

16 אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים בִּֽימִינָ֑הּ בִּ֝שְׂמֹאולָ֗הּ עֹ֣שֶׁר וְכָבֹֽוד׃

On the one hand, wisdom [PRS] enables [you] to live a long life, and on the other hand, wisdom enables [you] to become rich and to be honored.

17 דְּרָכֶ֥יהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹ֑עַם וְֽכָל־נְתִ֖יבֹותֶ֣יהָ שָׁלֹֽום׃

If [you] are wise, [your] life will be pleasant, and things will go well [for you].

18 עֵץ־חַיִּ֣ים הִ֭יא לַמַּחֲזִיקִ֣ים בָּ֑הּ וְֽתֹמְכֶ֥יהָ מְאֻשָּֽׁר׃ פ

Wisdom is [like] a tree that gives long life to those who [eagerly] take hold of it, and [Yahweh] is pleased with those who hold onto it tightly.

19 יְֽהוָ֗ה בְּחָכְמָ֥ה יָֽסַד־אָ֑רֶץ כֹּונֵ֥ן שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם בִּתְבוּנָֽה׃

By his wisdom Yahweh created the earth, and by his understanding he put everything in the skies.

20 בְּ֭דַעְתֹּו תְּהֹומֹ֣ות נִבְקָ֑עוּ וּ֝שְׁחָקִ֗ים יִרְעֲפוּ־טָֽל׃

By his knowledge [he caused] the water that was beneath the earth to burst forth, and he caused rain to fall from the clouds.

21 בְּ֭נִי אַל־יָלֻ֣זוּ מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ נְצֹ֥ר תֻּ֝שִׁיָּ֗ה וּמְזִמָּֽה׃

My son, [always] keep doing things that are right and things that are smart. If you do that,

22 וְיִֽהְי֣וּ חַיִּ֣ים לְנַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְ֝חֵ֗ן לְגַרְגְּרֹתֶֽיךָ׃

you will live [many years] and be honored and respected {people will honor and respect you}.

23 אָ֤ז תֵּלֵ֣ךְ לָבֶ֣טַח דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝רַגְלְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תִגֹּֽוף׃

If you do what is right and wise, you will [be able to] walk safely, and you will not (stumble/do things that are wrong) [MET].

24 אִם־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ב לֹֽא־תִפְחָ֑ד וְ֝שָׁכַבְתָּ֗ וְֽעָרְבָ֥ה שְׁנָתֶֽךָ׃

You will [be able to] lie down [at night] and not be afraid [of anything], and you will sleep peacefully.

25 אַל־תִּ֭ירָא מִפַּ֣חַד פִּתְאֹ֑ם וּמִשֹּׁאַ֥ת רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים כִּ֣י תָבֹֽא׃

You will not be afraid that something disastrous will happen to you or that storms that strike the wicked will strike you,

26 כִּֽי־יְ֭הוָה יִהְיֶ֣ה בְכִסְלֶ֑ךָ וְשָׁמַ֖ר רַגְלְךָ֣ מִלָּֽכֶד׃

because you will be confident that Yahweh [will take care of you]. He will not let your foot be caught in a trap/snare.

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

If you are able to help people who deserve it, do not refuse to help them.

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

If you are able to help someone you interact with, do not say, “Come back later; [perhaps] I can help you tomorrow.”

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

Do not make plans to harm those you interact with regularly, [because] they live near you, and they trust you.

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

If someone has not harmed you, do not accuse him [by saying that he has harmed you].

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

Do not envy people who [obtain things by] violent actions, and do not imitate/do what they do.

32 כִּ֤י תֹועֲבַ֣ת יְהוָ֣ה נָלֹ֑וז וְֽאֶת־יְשָׁרִ֥ים סֹודֹֽו׃

[I say that] because Yahweh considers such people to be abominable/detestable; but he is a friend to [all] those who do what is right.

33 מְאֵרַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה בְּבֵ֣ית רָשָׁ֑ע וּנְוֵ֖ה צַדִּיקִ֣ים יְבָרֵֽךְ׃

Yahweh curses the families [MTY] of those who are wicked, but he blesses the families of those who are good/righteous.

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

Yahweh makes fun of those who make fun [of others], but he kindly helps those who are humble.

35 כָּ֭בֹוד חֲכָמִ֣ים יִנְחָ֑לוּ וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים מֵרִ֥ים קָלֹֽון׃ פ

Wise [people] will be honored {people will honor wise people}, but foolish people will be dishonored/disgraced.