מִשְׁלֵי 8

1 הֲלֹֽא־חָכְמָ֥ה תִקְרָ֑א וּ֝תְבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קוֹלָֽהּ׃

Doesn't wisdom cry out? Doesn't understanding raise her voice?

2 בְּרֹאשׁ־מְרוֹמִ֥ים עֲלֵי־דָ֑רֶךְ בֵּ֖ית נְתִיב֣וֹת נִצָּֽבָה׃

On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.

3 לְיַד־שְׁעָרִ֥ים לְפִי־קָ֑רֶת מְב֖וֹא פְתָחִ֣ים תָּרֹֽנָּה׃

Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:

4 אֲלֵיכֶ֣ם אִישִׁ֣ים אֶקְרָ֑א וְ֝קוֹלִ֗י אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃

"To you men, I call. I send my voice to the sons of humankind.

5 הָבִ֣ינוּ פְתָאיִ֣ם עָרְמָ֑ה וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים הָבִ֥ינוּ לֵֽב׃

You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.

6 שִׁ֭מְעוּ כִּֽי־נְגִידִ֣ים אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וּמִפְתַּ֥ח שְׂ֝פָתַ֗י מֵישָׁרִֽים׃

Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.

7 כִּֽי־אֱ֭מֶת יֶהְגֶּ֣ה חִכִּ֑י וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת שְׂפָתַ֣י רֶֽשַׁע׃

For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

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

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

9 כֻּלָּ֣ם נְ֭כֹחִים לַמֵּבִ֑ין וִֽ֝ישָׁרִ֗ים לְמֹ֣צְאֵי דָֽעַת׃

They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.

10 קְחֽוּ־מוּסָרִ֥י וְאַל־כָּ֑סֶף וְ֝דַ֗עַת מֵחָר֥וּץ נִבְחָֽר׃

Receive my instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold.

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

For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can't be compared to it.

12 אֲֽנִי־חָ֭כְמָה שָׁכַ֣נְתִּי עָרְמָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת מְזִמּ֣וֹת אֶמְצָֽא׃

"I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.

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

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.

14 לִֽי־עֵ֭צָה וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑ה אֲנִ֥י בִ֝ינָ֗ה לִ֣י גְבוּרָֽה׃

Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.

15 בִּ֭י מְלָכִ֣ים יִמְלֹ֑כוּ וְ֝רוֹזְנִ֗ים יְחֹ֣קְקוּ צֶֽדֶק׃

By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice.

16 בִּ֭י שָׂרִ֣ים יָשֹׂ֑רוּ וּ֝נְדִיבִ֗ים כָּל־שֹׁ֥פְטֵי צֶֽדֶק׃

By me princes rule; nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

17 אֲ֭נִי אהביה אֵהָ֑ב וּ֝מְשַׁחֲרַ֗י יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי׃

I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.

18 עֹֽשֶׁר־וְכָב֥וֹד אִתִּ֑י ה֥וֹן עָ֝תֵ֗ק וּצְדָקָֽה׃

With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.

19 ט֣וֹב פִּ֭רְיִי מֵחָר֣וּץ וּמִפָּ֑ז וּ֝תְבוּאָתִ֗י מִכֶּ֥סֶף נִבְחָֽר׃

My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield than choice silver.

20 בְּאֹֽרַח־צְדָקָ֥ה אֲהַלֵּ֑ך בְּ֝ת֗וֹךְ נְתִיב֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

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

21 לְהַנְחִ֖יל אֹהֲבַ֥י ׀ יֵ֑שׁ וְאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם אֲמַלֵּֽא׃ פ

That I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.

22 יְֽהוָ֗ה קָ֭נָנִי רֵאשִׁ֣ית דַּרְכּ֑וֹ קֶ֖דֶם מִפְעָלָ֣יו מֵאָֽז׃

"The LORD created me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23 מֵ֭עוֹלָם נִסַּ֥כְתִּי מֵרֹ֗אשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.

24 בְּאֵין־תְּהֹמ֥וֹת חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי בְּאֵ֥ין מַ֝עְיָנ֗וֹת נִכְבַּדֵּי־מָֽיִם ׃

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

25 בְּטֶ֣רֶם הָרִ֣ים הָטְבָּ֑עוּ לִפְנֵ֖י גְבָע֣וֹת חוֹלָֽלְתִּי׃

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

26 עַד־לֹ֣א עָ֭שָׂה אֶ֣רֶץ וְחוּצ֑וֹת וְ֝רֹ֗אשׁ עָפְר֥וֹת תֵּבֵֽל׃

while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

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

When he established the heavens, I was there; when he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

28 בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ שְׁחָקִ֣ים מִמָּ֑עַל בַּ֝עֲז֗וֹז עִינ֥וֹת תְּהוֹם׃

when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,

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

when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth;

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

then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,

31 מְ֭שַׂחֶקֶת בְּתֵבֵ֣ל אַרְצ֑וֹ וְ֝שַׁעֲשֻׁעַ֗י אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ פ

Rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.

32 וְעַתָּ֣ה בָ֭נִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִ֑י וְ֝אַשְׁרֵ֗י דְּרָכַ֥י יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃

"Now therefore, son, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.

33 שִׁמְע֖וּ מוּסָ֥ר וַחֲכָ֗מוּ וְאַל־תִּפְרָֽעוּ׃

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

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

Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.

35 כִּ֣י מֹ֭צְאִי מצאי חַיִּ֑ים וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צ֗וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃

For whoever finds me, finds life, and will obtain favor from the LORD.

36 וְֽ֭חֹטְאִי חֹמֵ֣ס נַפְשׁ֑וֹ כָּל־מְ֝שַׂנְאַ֗י אָ֣הֲבוּ מָֽוֶת׃ פ

But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death."