שִׁמְע֣וּ בָ֭נִים מ֣וּסַר אָ֑ב וְ֝הַקְשִׁ֗יבוּ לָדַ֥עַת בִּינָֽה׃ Sons, heed the discipline of a father;
Listen and learn discernment,
כִּ֤י לֶ֣קַח ט֭וֹב נָתַ֣תִּי לָכֶ֑ם תּ֝וֹרָתִ֗י אַֽל־תַּעֲזֹֽבוּ׃ For I give you good instruction;
Do not forsake my teaching.
כִּֽי־בֵ֭ן הָיִ֣יתִי לְאָבִ֑י רַ֥ךְ וְ֝יָחִ֗יד לִפְנֵ֥י אִמִּֽי׃ Once I was a son to my father,
The tender darling of my mother.
וַיֹּרֵ֗נִי וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לִ֗י יִֽתְמׇךְ־דְּבָרַ֥י לִבֶּ֑ךָ שְׁמֹ֖ר מִצְוֺתַ֣י וֶחְיֵֽה׃ He instructed me and said to me,
“Let your mind hold on to my words;
Keep my commandments and you will live.
קְנֵ֣ה חׇ֭כְמָה קְנֵ֣ה בִינָ֑ה אַל־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח וְאַל־תֵּ֝֗ט מֵאִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃ Acquire wisdom, acquire discernment;
Do not forget and do not swerve from my words.
אַל־תַּעַזְבֶ֥הָ וְתִשְׁמְרֶ֑ךָּ אֱהָבֶ֥הָ וְתִצְּרֶֽךָּ׃ Do not forsake her and she will guard you;
Love her and she will protect you.
רֵאשִׁ֣ית חׇ֭כְמָה קְנֵ֣ה חׇכְמָ֑ה וּבְכׇל־קִ֝נְיָנְךָ֗ קְנֵ֣ה בִינָֽה׃ The beginningaOr “best part.” of wisdom is—acquire wisdom;
With all your acquisitions, acquire discernment.
סַלְסְלֶ֥הָ וּֽתְרוֹמְמֶ֑ךָּ תְּ֝כַבֵּ֗דְךָ כִּ֣י תְחַבְּקֶֽנָּה׃ Hug her to you and she will exalt you;
She will bring you honor if you embrace her.
תִּתֵּ֣ן לְ֭רֹאשְׁךָ לִוְיַת־חֵ֑ן עֲטֶ֖רֶת תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת תְּמַגְּנֶֽךָּ׃ She will adorn your head with a graceful wreath;
Crown you with a glorious diadem.”
שְׁמַ֣ע בְּ֭נִי וְקַ֣ח אֲמָרָ֑י וְיִרְבּ֥וּ לְ֝ךָ֗ שְׁנ֣וֹת חַיִּֽים׃ My son, heed and take in my words,
And you will have many years of life.
בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ חׇ֭כְמָה הֹרֵיתִ֑יךָ הִ֝דְרַכְתִּ֗יךָ בְּמַעְגְּלֵי־יֹֽשֶׁר׃ I instruct you in the way of wisdom;
I guide you in straight courses.
בְּֽ֭לֶכְתְּךָ לֹא־יֵצַ֣ר צַעֲדֶ֑ךָ וְאִם־תָּ֝ר֗וּץ לֹ֣א תִכָּשֵֽׁל׃ You will walk without breaking stride;
When you run, you will not stumble.
הַחֲזֵ֣ק בַּמּוּסָ֣ר אַל־תֶּ֑רֶף נִ֝צְּרֶ֗הָ כִּי־הִ֥יא חַיֶּֽיךָ׃ Hold fast to discipline; do not let go;
Keep it; it is your life.
בְּאֹ֣רַח רְ֭שָׁעִים אַל־תָּבֹ֑א וְאַל־תְּ֝אַשֵּׁ֗ר בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ רָעִֽים׃ Do not enter on the path of the wicked;
Do not walk on the way of evil men.
פְּרָעֵ֥הוּ אַל־תַּעֲבׇר־בּ֑וֹ שְׂטֵ֖ה מֵעָלָ֣יו וַעֲבֹֽר׃ Avoid it; do not pass through it;
Turn away from it; pass it by.
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א יִֽ֭שְׁנוּ אִם־לֹ֣א יָרֵ֑עוּ וְֽנִגְזְלָ֥ה שְׁ֝נָתָ֗ם אִם־לֹ֥א (יכשולו) [יַכְשִֽׁילוּ]׃ For they cannot sleep unless they have done evil;
Unless they make someone fall they are robbed of sleep.
כִּ֣י לָ֭חֲמוּ לֶ֣חֶם רֶ֑שַׁע וְיֵ֖ין חֲמָסִ֣ים יִשְׁתּֽוּ׃ They eat the bread of wickedness
And drink the wine of lawlessness.
וְאֹ֣רַח צַ֭דִּיקִים כְּא֣וֹר נֹ֑גַהּ הוֹלֵ֥ךְ וָ֝א֗וֹר עַד־נְכ֥וֹן הַיּֽוֹם׃ The path of the righteous is like radiant sunlight,
Ever brightening until noon.
דֶּ֣רֶךְ רְ֭שָׁעִים כָּאֲפֵלָ֑ה לֹ֥א יָ֝דְע֗וּ בַּמֶּ֥ה יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ׃ {פ}
The way of the wicked is all darkness;
They do not know what will make them stumble.
בְּ֭נִי לִדְבָרַ֣י הַקְשִׁ֑יבָה לַ֝אֲמָרַ֗י הַט־אׇזְנֶֽךָ׃ My son, listen to my speech;
Incline your ear to my words.
אַל־יַלִּ֥יזוּ מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ שׇׁ֝מְרֵ֗ם בְּת֣וֹךְ לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ Do not lose sight of them;
Keep them in your mind.
כִּֽי־חַיִּ֣ים הֵ֭ם לְמֹצְאֵיהֶ֑ם וּֽלְכׇל־בְּשָׂר֥וֹ מַרְפֵּֽא׃ They are life to him who finds them,
Healing for his whole body.
מִֽכׇּל־מִ֭שְׁמָר נְצֹ֣ר לִבֶּ֑ךָ כִּֽי־מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ תּוֹצְא֥וֹת חַיִּֽים׃ More than all that you guard, guard your mind,
For it is the source of life.
הָסֵ֣ר מִ֭מְּךָ עִקְּשׁ֣וּת פֶּ֑ה וּלְז֥וּת שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם הַרְחֵ֥ק מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ Put crooked speech away from you;
Keep devious talk far from you.
עֵ֭ינֶיךָ לְנֹ֣כַח יַבִּ֑יטוּ וְ֝עַפְעַפֶּ֗יךָ יַיְשִׁ֥רוּ נֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃ Let your eyes look forward,
Your gaze be straight ahead.
פַּ֭לֵּס מַעְגַּ֣ל רַגְלֶ֑ךָ וְֽכׇל־דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ יִכֹּֽנוּ׃ Survey the course you take,
And all your ways will prosper.
אַֽל־תֵּט־יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול הָסֵ֖ר רַגְלְךָ֣ מֵרָֽע׃ {פ}
Do not swerve to the right or the left;
Keep your feet from evil.