מִשְׁלֵי 8

1 הֲלֹֽא־חָכְמָ֥ה תִקְרָ֑א וּ֝תְבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קוֹלָֽהּ׃

You shall proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to you.

2 בְּרֹאשׁ־מְרוֹמִ֥ים עֲלֵי־דָ֑רֶךְ בֵּ֖ית נְתִיב֣וֹת נִצָּֽבָה׃

For she is on lofty eminences, and stands in the midst of the ways.

3 לְיַד־שְׁעָרִ֥ים לְפִי־קָ֑רֶת מְב֖וֹא פְתָחִ֣ים תָּרֹֽנָּה׃

For she sits by the gates of princes, and sings in the entrances, [saying],

4 אֲלֵיכֶ֣ם אִישִׁ֣ים אֶקְרָ֑א וְ֝קוֹלִ֗י אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃

You, O men, I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men.

5 הָבִ֣ינוּ פְתָאיִ֣ם עָרְמָ֑ה וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים הָבִ֥ינוּ לֵֽב׃

O you simple, understand subtlety, and you that are untaught, imbibe knowledge.

6 שִׁ֭מְעוּ כִּֽי־נְגִידִ֣ים אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וּמִפְתַּ֥ח שְׂ֝פָתַ֗י מֵישָׁרִֽים׃

Listen to me; for I will speak solemn [truths]; and will produce right [sayings] from my lips.

7 כִּֽי־אֱ֭מֶת יֶהְגֶּ֣ה חִכִּ֑י וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת שְׂפָתַ֣י רֶֽשַׁע׃

For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me.

8 בְּצֶ֥דֶק כָּל־אִמְרֵי־ פִ֑י אֵ֥ין בָּ֝הֶ֗ם נִפְתָּ֥ל וְעִקֵּֽשׁ׃

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

9 כֻּלָּ֣ם נְ֭כֹחִים לַמֵּבִ֑ין וִֽ֝ישָׁרִ֗ים לְמֹ֣צְאֵי דָֽעַת׃

They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge.

10 קְחֽוּ־מוּסָרִ֥י וְאַל־כָּ֑סֶף וְ֝דַ֗עַת מֵחָר֥וּץ נִבְחָֽר׃

Receive instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than tried gold.

11 כִּֽי־טוֹבָ֣ה חָ֭כְמָה מִפְּנִינִ֑ים וְכָל־חֲ֝פָצִ֗ים לֹ֣א יִֽשְׁווּ־בָֽהּ׃

For wisdom is better than precious stones; and no valuable substance is of equal worth with it.

12 אֲֽנִי־חָ֭כְמָה שָׁכַ֣נְתִּי עָרְמָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת מְזִמּ֣וֹת אֶמְצָֽא׃

I wisdom have lived [with] counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding.

13 יִֽרְאַ֣ת יְהוָה֮ שְֽׂנֹ֫את רָ֥ע גֵּ֘אָ֤ה וְגָא֨וֹן ׀ וְדֶ֣רֶךְ רָ֭ע וּפִ֨י תַהְפֻּכ֬וֹת שָׂנֵֽאתִי׃

The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness, and insolence, and pride, and the ways of wicked men; and I hate the perverse ways of bad men.

14 לִֽי־עֵ֭צָה וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑ה אֲנִ֥י בִ֝ינָ֗ה לִ֣י גְבוּרָֽה׃

Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine.

15 בִּ֭י מְלָכִ֣ים יִמְלֹ֑כוּ וְ֝רוֹזְנִ֗ים יְחֹ֣קְקוּ צֶֽדֶק׃

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 בִּ֭י שָׂרִ֣ים יָשֹׂ֑רוּ וּ֝נְדִיבִ֗ים כָּל־שֹׁ֥פְטֵי צֶֽדֶק׃

By me nobles become great, and monarchs by me rule over the earth.

17 אֲ֭נִי אהביה אֵהָ֑ב וּ֝מְשַׁחֲרַ֗י יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי׃

I love those that love me; and they that seek me shall find [me].

18 עֹֽשֶׁר־וְכָב֥וֹד אִתִּ֑י ה֥וֹן עָ֝תֵ֗ק וּצְדָקָֽה׃

Wealth and glory belong to me; yes, abundant possessions and righteousness.

19 ט֣וֹב פִּ֭רְיִי מֵחָר֣וּץ וּמִפָּ֑ז וּ֝תְבוּאָתִ֗י מִכֶּ֥סֶף נִבְחָֽר׃

[It is] better to have my fruit than [to have] gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver.

20 בְּאֹֽרַח־צְדָקָ֥ה אֲהַלֵּ֑ך בְּ֝ת֗וֹךְ נְתִיב֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

I walk in ways of righteousness, and [am] conversant with the paths of judgement;

21 לְהַנְחִ֖יל אֹהֲבַ֥י ׀ יֵ֑שׁ וְאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם אֲמַלֵּֽא׃ פ

that I may divide substance to them that love me, and may fill their treasures with good things. If I declare to you the things that daily happen, I will remember [also] to recount the things of old.

22 יְֽהוָ֗ה קָ֭נָנִי רֵאשִׁ֣ית דַּרְכּ֑וֹ קֶ֖דֶם מִפְעָלָ֣יו מֵאָֽז׃

The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.

23 מֵ֭עוֹלָם נִסַּ֥כְתִּי מֵרֹ֗אשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

He established me before time [was] in the beginning, before he made the earth:

24 בְּאֵין־תְּהֹמ֥וֹת חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי בְּאֵ֥ין מַ֝עְיָנ֗וֹת נִכְבַּדֵּי־מָֽיִם ׃

even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth:

25 בְּטֶ֣רֶם הָרִ֣ים הָטְבָּ֑עוּ לִפְנֵ֖י גְבָע֣וֹת חוֹלָֽלְתִּי׃

before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me.

26 עַד־לֹ֣א עָ֭שָׂה אֶ֣רֶץ וְחוּצ֑וֹת וְ֝רֹ֗אשׁ עָפְר֥וֹת תֵּבֵֽל׃

The Lord made countries and uninhabited [tracks], and the highest inhabited parts of the world.

27 בַּהֲכִינ֣וֹ שָׁ֭מַיִם שָׁ֣ם אָ֑נִי בְּח֥וּקוֹ ח֝֗וּג עַל־פְּנֵ֥י תְהֽוֹם׃

When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds:

28 בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ שְׁחָקִ֣ים מִמָּ֑עַל בַּ֝עֲז֗וֹז עִינ֥וֹת תְּהוֹם׃

and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth:

29 בְּשׂ֘וּמ֤וֹ לַיָּ֨ם ׀ חֻקּ֗וֹ וּ֭מַיִם לֹ֣א יַֽעַבְרוּ־פִ֑יו בְּ֝חוּק֗וֹ מ֣וֹסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ׃

decree. and when he strengthened the foundations of the earth:

30 וָֽאֶהְיֶ֥ה אֶצְל֗וֹ אָ֫מ֥וֹן וָֽאֶהְיֶ֣ה שַׁ֭עֲשֻׁעִים י֤וֹם ׀ י֑וֹם מְשַׂחֶ֖קֶת לְפָנָ֣יו בְּכָל־עֵֽת׃

I was by him, suiting [myself to him], I was that wherein he took delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually.

31 מְ֭שַׂחֶקֶת בְּתֵבֵ֣ל אַרְצ֑וֹ וְ֝שַׁעֲשֻׁעַ֗י אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ פ

For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, and rejoiced amongst the children of men.

32 וְעַתָּ֣ה בָ֭נִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִ֑י וְ֝אַשְׁרֵ֗י דְּרָכַ֥י יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃

Now then, [my] son, hear me: blessed is the man who shall listen to me, and the mortal who shall keep my ways;

33 שִׁמְע֖וּ מוּסָ֥ר וַחֲכָ֗מוּ וְאַל־תִּפְרָֽעוּ׃

[Hear wisdom and be wise, and be not strangers to it. ]

34 אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי אָדָם֮ שֹׁמֵ֪עַֽ֫ לִ֥י לִשְׁקֹ֣ד עַל־דַּ֭לְתֹתַי י֤וֹם ׀ י֑וֹם לִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר מְזוּזֹ֥ת פְּתָחָֽי׃

watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my entrances.

35 כִּ֣י מֹ֭צְאִי מצאי חַיִּ֑ים וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צ֗וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃

For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and [in them] is prepared favour from the Lord.

36 וְֽ֭חֹטְאִי חֹמֵ֣ס נַפְשׁ֑וֹ כָּל־מְ֝שַׂנְאַ֗י אָ֣הֲבוּ מָֽוֶת׃ פ

But they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls: and they that hate me love death.