מִשְׁלֵי 5

1 בְּ֭נִי לְחָכְמָתִ֣י הַקְשִׁ֑יבָה לִ֝תְבוּנָתִ֗י הַט־אָזְנֶֽךָ׃

My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding,

2 לִשְׁמֹ֥ר מְזִמֹּ֑ות וְ֝דַ֗עַת שְׂפָתֶ֥יךָ יִנְצֹֽרוּ׃

that you may maintain discretion, that your lips may preserve knowledge.

3 כִּ֤י נֹ֣פֶת תִּ֭טֹּפְנָה שִׂפְתֵ֣י זָרָ֑ה וְחָלָ֖ק מִשֶּׁ֣מֶן חִכָּֽהּ׃

For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil,

4 וְֽ֭אַחֲרִיתָהּ מָרָ֣ה כַֽלַּעֲנָ֑ה חַ֝דָּ֗ה כְּחֶ֣רֶב פִּיֹּֽות׃

but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword.

5 רַ֭גְלֶיהָ יֹרְדֹ֣ות מָ֑וֶת שְׁ֝אֹ֗ול צְעָדֶ֥יהָ יִתְמֹֽכוּ׃ (Sheol h7585)

Her feet go down to death. Her steps lead straight to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

6 אֹ֣רַח חַ֭יִּים פֶּן־תְּפַלֵּ֑ס נָע֥וּ מַ֝עְגְּלֹתֶ֗יהָ לֹ֣א תֵדֽ͏ָע׃ פ

She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn’t know it.

7 וְעַתָּ֣ה בָ֭נִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִ֑י וְאַל־תָּ֝ס֗וּרוּ מֵאִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃

Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Don’t depart from the words of my mouth.

8 הַרְחֵ֣ק מֵעָלֶ֣יהָ דַרְכֶּ֑ךָ וְאַל־תִּ֝קְרַ֗ב אֶל־פֶּ֥תַח בֵּיתָֽהּ׃

Remove your way far from her. Don’t come near the door of her house,

9 פֶּן־תִּתֵּ֣ן לַאֲחֵרִ֣ים הֹודֶ֑ךָ וּ֝שְׁנֹתֶ֗יךָ לְאַכְזָרִֽי׃

lest you give your honour to others, and your years to the cruel one;

10 פֶּֽן־יִשְׂבְּע֣וּ זָרִ֣ים כֹּחֶ֑ךָ וַ֝עֲצָבֶ֗יךָ בְּבֵ֣ית נָכְרֽ͏ִי׃

lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labours enrich another man’s house.

11 וְנָהַמְתָּ֥ בְאַחֲרִיתֶ֑ךָ בִּכְלֹ֥ות בְּ֝שָׂרְךָ֗ וּשְׁאֵרֶֽךָ׃

You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed,

12 וְֽאָמַרְתָּ֗ אֵ֭יךְ שָׂנֵ֣אתִי מוּסָ֑ר וְ֝תֹוכַ֗חַת נָאַ֥ץ לִבִּֽי׃

and say, “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof.

13 וְֽלֹא־שָׁ֭מַעְתִּי בְּקֹ֣ול מֹורָ֑י וְ֝לִֽמְלַמְּדַ֗י לֹא־הִטִּ֥יתִי אָזְנִֽי׃

I haven’t obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!

14 כִּ֭מְעַט הָיִ֣יתִי בְכָל־רָ֑ע בְּתֹ֖וךְ קָהָ֣ל וְעֵדָֽה׃

I have come to the brink of utter ruin, amongst the gathered assembly.”

15 שְׁתֵה־מַ֥יִם מִבֹּורֶ֑ךָ וְ֝נֹזְלִ֗ים מִתֹּ֥וךְ בְּאֵרֶֽךָ׃

Drink water out of your own cistern, running water out of your own well.

16 יָפ֣וּצוּ מַעְיְנֹתֶ֣יךָ ח֑וּצָה בָּ֝רְחֹבֹ֗ות פַּלְגֵי־מָֽיִם׃

Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?

17 יִֽהְיוּ־לְךָ֥ לְבַדֶּ֑ךָ וְאֵ֖ין לְזָרִ֣ים אִתָּֽךְ׃

Let them be for yourself alone, not for strangers with you.

18 יְהִֽי־מְקֹורְךָ֥ בָר֑וּךְ וּ֝שְׂמַ֗ח מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת נְעוּרֶֽךָ׃

Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.

19 אַיֶּ֥לֶת אֲהָבִ֗ים וְֽיַעֲלַ֫ת־חֵ֥ן דַּ֭דֶּיהָ יְרַוֻּ֣ךָ בְכָל־עֵ֑ת בְּ֝אַהֲבָתָ֗הּ תִּשְׁגֶּ֥ה תָמִֽיד׃

A loving doe and a graceful deer— let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated always with her love.

20 וְלָ֤מָּה תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה בְנִ֣י בְזָרָ֑ה וּ֝תְחַבֵּ֗ק חֵ֣ק נָכְרִיָּֽה׃

For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another?

21 כִּ֤י נֹ֨כַח ׀ עֵינֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה דַּרְכֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְֽכָל־מַעְגְּלֹתָ֥יו מְפַלֵּֽס׃

For the ways of man are before the LORD’s eyes. He examines all his paths.

22 עַֽוֹונֹותָ֗יו יִלְכְּדֻנֹ֥ו אֶת־הָרָשָׁ֑ע וּבְחַבְלֵ֥י חַ֝טָּאתֹ֗ו יִתָּמֵֽךְ׃

The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him. The cords of his sin hold him firmly.

23 ה֗וּא יָ֭מוּת בְּאֵ֣ין מוּסָ֑ר וּבְרֹ֖ב אִוַּלְתֹּ֣ו יִשְׁגֶּֽה׃ פ

He will die for lack of instruction. In the greatness of his folly, he will go astray.