מִשְׁלֵי 8

1 הֲלֹֽא־חָכְמָה תִקְרָא וּתְבוּנָה תִּתֵּן קוֹלָֽהּ׃

Doth not wisdom call, and understanding put forth her voice?

2 בְּרֹאשׁ־מְרוֹמִים עֲלֵי־דָרֶךְ בֵּית נְתִיבוֹת נִצָּֽבָה׃

In the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she standeth;

3 לְיַד־שְׁעָרִים לְפִי־קָרֶת מְבוֹא פְתָחִים תָּרֹֽנָּה׃

Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:

4 אֲלֵיכֶם אִישִׁים אֶקְרָא וְקוֹלִי אֶל־בְּנֵי אָדָֽם׃

'Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.

5 הָבִינוּ פְתָאיִם עָרְמָה וּכְסִילִים הָבִינוּ לֵֽב׃

O ye thoughtless, understand prudence, and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

6 שִׁמְעוּ כִּֽי־נְגִידִים אֲדַבֵּר וּמִפְתַּח שְׂפָתַי מֵישָׁרִֽים׃

Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

7 כִּֽי־אֱמֶת יֶהְגֶּה חִכִּי וְתוֹעֲבַת שְׂפָתַי רֶֽשַׁע׃

For my mouth shall utter truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 בְּצֶדֶק כָּל־אִמְרֵי־פִי אֵין בָּהֶם נִפְתָּל וְעִקֵּֽשׁ׃

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness, there is nothing perverse or crooked in them.

9 כֻּלָּם נְכֹחִים לַמֵּבִין וִֽישָׁרִים לְמֹצְאֵי דָֽעַת׃

They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

10 קְחֽוּ־מוּסָרִי וְאַל־כָּסֶף וְדַעַת מֵחָרוּץ נִבְחָֽר׃

Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.

11 כִּֽי־טוֹבָה חָכְמָה מִפְּנִינִים וְכָל־חֲפָצִים לֹא יִֽשְׁווּ־בָֽהּ׃

For wisdom is better than rubies, and all things desirable are not to be compared unto her.

12 אֲ‍ֽנִי־חָכְמָה שָׁכַנְתִּי עָרְמָה וְדַעַת מְזִמּוֹת אֶמְצָֽא׃

I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of devices.

13 יִֽרְאַת יְהוָה שְֽׂנֹאת רָע גֵּאָה וְגָאוֹן ׀ וְדֶרֶךְ רָע וּפִי תַהְפֻּכוֹת שָׂנֵֽאתִי׃

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

14 לִֽי־עֵצָה וְתוּשִׁיָּה אֲנִי בִינָה לִי גְבוּרָֽה׃

Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.

15 בִּי מְלָכִים יִמְלֹכוּ וְרוֹזְנִים יְחֹקְקוּ צֶֽדֶק׃

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 בִּי שָׂרִים יָשֹׂרוּ וּנְדִיבִים כָּל־שֹׁפְטֵי צֶֽדֶק׃

By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

17 אֲנִי אהביה אֹהֲבַי אֵהָב וּמְשַׁחֲרַי יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי׃

I love them that love me, and those that seek me earnestly shall find me.

18 עֹֽשֶׁר־וְכָבוֹד אִתִּי הוֹן עָתֵק וּצְדָקָֽה׃

Riches and honour are with me; yea, enduring riches and righteousness.

19 טוֹב פִּרְיִי מֵחָרוּץ וּמִפָּז וּתְבוּאָתִי מִכֶּסֶף נִבְחָֽר׃

My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my produce than choice silver.

20 בְּאֹֽרַח־צְדָקָה אֲהַלֵּך בְּתוֹךְ נְתִיבוֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice;

21 לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי ׀ יֵשׁ וְאֹצְרֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּֽא׃

That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries.

22 יְֽהוָה קָנָנִי רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ קֶדֶם מִפְעָלָיו מֵאָֽז׃

The LORD made me as the beginning of His way, the first of His works of old.

23 מֵעוֹלָם נִסַּכְתִּי מֵרֹאשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

24 בְּאֵין־תְּהֹמוֹת חוֹלָלְתִּי בְּאֵין מַעְיָנוֹת נִכְבַּדֵּי־מָֽיִם׃

When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

25 בְּטֶרֶם הָרִים הָטְבָּעוּ לִפְנֵי גְבָעוֹת חוֹלָֽלְתִּי׃

Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth;

26 עַד־לֹא עָשָׂה אֶרֶץ וְחוּצוֹת וְרֹאשׁ עָפְרוֹת תֵּבֵֽל׃

While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

27 בַּהֲכִינוֹ שָׁמַיִם שָׁם אָנִי בְּחוּקוֹ חוּג עַל־פְּנֵי תְהֽוֹם׃

When He established the heavens, I was there; when He set a circle upon the face of the deep,

28 בְּאַמְּצוֹ שְׁחָקִים מִמָּעַל בַּעֲזוֹז עִינוֹת תְּהוֹם׃

When He made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the deep showed their might,

29 בְּשׂוּמוֹ לַיָּם ׀ חֻקּוֹ וּמַיִם לֹא יַֽעַבְרוּ־פִיו בְּחוּקוֹ מוֹסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ׃

When He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not transgress His commandment, when He appointed the foundations of the earth;

30 וָֽאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן וָֽאֶהְיֶה שַׁעֲשֻׁעִים יוֹם ׀ יוֹם מְשַׂחֶקֶת לְפָנָיו בְּכָל־עֵֽת׃

Then I was by Him, as a nursling; and I was daily all delight, playing always before Him,

31 מְשַׂחֶקֶת בְּתֵבֵל אַרְצוֹ וְשַׁעֲשֻׁעַי אֶת־בְּנֵי אָדָֽם׃

Playing in His habitable earth, and my delights are with the sons of men.

32 וְעַתָּה בָנִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִי וְאַשְׁרֵי דְּרָכַי יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃

Now therefore, ye children, hearken unto me; for happy are they that keep my ways.

33 שִׁמְעוּ מוּסָר וַחֲכָמוּ וְאַל־תִּפְרָֽעוּ׃

Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

34 אַשְֽׁרֵי אָדָם שֹׁמֵעַֽ לִי לִשְׁקֹד עַל־דַּלְתֹתַי יוֹם ׀ יוֹם לִשְׁמֹר מְזוּזֹת פְּתָחָֽי׃

Happy is the man that hearkeneth to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 כִּי מֹצְאִי מצאי מָצָא חַיִּים וַיָּפֶק רָצוֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃

For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

36 וְֽחֹטְאִי חֹמֵס נַפְשׁוֹ כָּל־מְשַׂנְאַי אָהֲבוּ מָֽוֶת׃

But he that misseth me wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate me love death.'