Solomon’s Proverbs: The Wise Son

1  מִשְׁלֵ֗י (The Proverbs) שְׁלֹ֫מֹ֥ה פ (of Solomon):

בֵּ֣ן (A son) חָ֭כָם (wise) יְשַׂמַּח־ (makes glad) אָ֑ב (a father),

וּבֵ֥ן (and a son) כְּ֝סִ֗יל (foolish) תּוּגַ֥ת (is the grief) אִמּֽוֹ׃ (of his mother).

2  לֹא־ (Not) י֭וֹעִילוּ (will bring gain) אוֹצְר֣וֹת (the treasures) רֶ֑שַׁע (of wickedness),

וּ֝צְדָקָ֗ה (and righteousness) תַּצִּ֥יל (delivers) מִמָּֽוֶת׃ (from death).

3  לֹֽא־ (Not) יַרְעִ֣יב (will let go hungry) יְ֭הוָה (YHWH) נֶ֣פֶשׁ (the soul) צַדִּ֑יק (righteous),

וְהַוַּ֖ת (and the desire) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (of the wicked ones) יֶהְדֹּֽף׃ (He thrusts away).

4  רָ֗אשׁ (Becomes poor) עֹשֶׂ֥ה (the one making) כַף־ (his hand) רְמִיָּ֑ה (slack),

וְיַ֖ד (and the hand) חָרוּצִ֣ים (of the diligent ones) תַּעֲשִֽׁיר׃ (makes rich).

5  אֹגֵ֣ר (The one gathering) בַּ֭קַּיִץ (in the summer) בֵּ֣ן (is a son) מַשְׂכִּ֑יל (wise);

נִרְדָּ֥ם (one sleeping) בַּ֝קָּצִ֗יר (in the harvest) בֵּ֣ן (is a son) מֵבִֽישׁ׃ (causing shame).

6  בְּ֭רָכוֹת (Blessings are) לְרֹ֣אשׁ (on the head) צַדִּ֑יק (of the righteous),

וּפִ֥י (and the mouth) רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים (of the wicked) יְכַסֶּ֥ה (conceals) חָמָֽס׃ (violence).

7  זֵ֣כֶר (The memory) צַ֭דִּיק (of the righteous) לִבְרָכָ֑ה (is for a blessing),

וְשֵׁ֖ם (and the name) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (of the wicked) יִרְקָֽב׃ (will rot).

8  חֲכַם־ (The one wise) לֵ֭ב (of heart) יִקַּ֣ח (receives) מִצְוֺ֑ת (commands),

וֶאֱוִ֥יל (and the one foolish) שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם (of lips) יִלָּבֵֽט׃ (will be thrown down).

9  הוֹלֵ֣ךְ (The one walking) בַּ֭תֹּם (in integrity) יֵ֣לֶךְ (walks) בֶּ֑טַח (securely),

וּמְעַקֵּ֥שׁ (and the one twisting) דְּ֝רָכָ֗יו (his ways) יִוָּדֵֽעַ׃ (will be known).

10  קֹ֣רֵֽץ (The one winking) עַ֭יִן (with the eye) יִתֵּ֣ן (gives) עַצָּ֑בֶת (grief),

וֶאֱוִ֥יל (and foolish) שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם (lips) יִלָּבֵֽט׃ (will be thrown down).

11  מְק֣וֹר (A fountain) חַ֭יִּים (of life) פִּ֣י (is the mouth) צַדִּ֑יק (of a righteous one),

וּפִ֥י (and the mouth) רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים (of the wicked) יְכַסֶּ֥ה (conceals) חָמָֽס׃ (violence).

12  שִׂ֭נְאָה (Hatred) תְּעוֹרֵ֣ר (stirs up) מְדָנִ֑ים (strife),

וְעַ֥ל (and over) כָּל־ (all) פְּ֝שָׁעִ֗ים (transgressions) תְּכַסֶּ֥ה (covers) אַהֲבָֽה׃ (love).

13  בְּשִׂפְתֵ֣י (On the lips) נָ֭בוֹן (of a discerning one) תִּמָּצֵ֣א (is found) חָכְמָ֑ה (wisdom),

וְ֝שֵׁ֗בֶט (and a rod) לְגֵ֣ו (is for the back) חֲסַר־ (of the one lacking) לֵֽב׃ (understanding).

14  חֲכָמִ֥ים (The wise) יִצְפְּנוּ־ (treasure) דָ֑עַת (knowledge),

וּפִֽי־ (and the mouth) אֱ֝וִיל (of the fool) מְחִתָּ֥ה (destruction) קְרֹבָֽה׃ (is near).

15  ה֣וֹן (The wealth) עָ֭שִׁיר (of a rich one) קִרְיַ֣ת (is the city) עֻזּ֑וֹ (of his strength);

מְחִתַּ֖ת (the destruction) דַּלִּ֣ים (of the poor) רֵישָֽׁם׃ (is their poverty).

16  פְּעֻלַּ֣ת (The wage) צַדִּ֣יק (of the righteous) לְחַיִּ֑ים (is for life);

תְּבוּאַ֖ת (the produce) רָשָׁ֣ע (of the wicked) לְחַטָּֽאת׃ (is for sin).

17  אֹ֣רַח (On the path) לְ֭חַיִּים (to life) שׁוֹמֵ֣ר (is the one guarding) מוּסָ֑ר (discipline),

וְעוֹזֵ֖ב (and one forsaking) תּוֹכַ֣חַת (rebuke) מַתְעֶֽה׃ (goes astray).

18  מְכַסֶּ֣ה (The one covering) שִׂ֭נְאָה (hatred) שִׂפְתֵי־ (has lips) שָׁ֑קֶר (of falsehood),

וּמוֹצִ֥א (and the one bringing forth) דִ֝בָּ֗ה (slander), ה֣וּא (he is) כְסִֽיל׃ (a fool).

19  בְּרֹ֣ב (In the multitude) דְּ֭בָרִים (of words) לֹ֣א (not) יֶחְדַּל־ (is lacking) פָּ֑שַׁע (sin),

וְחֹשֵׂ֖ךְ (and the one restraining) שְׂפָתָ֣יו (his lips) מַשְׂכִּֽיל׃ (is wise).

20  כֶּ֣סֶף (Silver) נִ֭בְחָר (choice) לְשׁ֣וֹן (is the tongue) צַדִּ֑יק (of the righteous);

לֵ֖ב (the heart) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (of the wicked) כִּמְעָֽט׃ (is for little).

21  שִׂפְתֵ֣י (The lips) צַ֭דִּיק (of the righteous) יִרְע֣וּ (feed) רַבִּ֑ים (many),

וֶֽ֝אֱוִילִ֗ים (and fools) בַּחֲסַר־ (by lack) לֵ֥ב (of heart) יָמֽוּתוּ׃ (die).

22  בִּרְכַּ֣ת (The blessing) יְ֭הוָה (of YHWH)— הִ֣יא (it) תַעֲשִׁ֑יר (enriches),

וְלֹֽא־ (and not) יוֹסִ֖ף (can add) עֶ֣צֶב (toil) עִמָּֽהּ׃ (to it).

23  כִּשְׂח֣וֹק (Like laughter) לִ֭כְסִיל (to a fool) עֲשׂ֣וֹת (is the doing) זִמָּ֑ה (of evil),

וְ֝חָכְמָ֗ה (and wisdom) לְאִ֣ישׁ (is unto a man) תְּבוּנָֽה׃ (of understanding).

24  מְגוֹרַ֣ת (The terror) רָ֭שָׁע (of a wicked one)— הִ֣יא (it) תְבוֹאֶ֑נּוּ (will come to him),

וְתַאֲוַ֖ת (and the desire) צַדִּיקִ֣ים (of the righteous) יִתֵּֽן׃ (is given).

25  כַּעֲב֣וֹר (At the passing over) ס֭וּפָה (of a whirlwind) וְאֵ֣ין (is no more) רָשָׁ֑ע (a wicked one),

וְ֝צַדִּ֗יק (and a righteous one) יְס֣וֹד (has a foundation) עוֹלָֽם׃ (forever).

26  כַּחֹ֤מֶץ׀ (Like vinegar) לַשִּׁנַּ֗יִם (to the teeth) וְכֶעָשָׁ֥ן (and smoke) לָעֵינָ֑יִם (to the eyes),

כֵּ֥ן (so is) הֶ֝עָצֵ֗ל (the sluggish one) לְשֹׁלְחָֽיו׃ (to those sending him).

27  יִרְאַ֣ת (The fear) יְ֭הוָה (of YHWH) תּוֹסִ֣יף (adds) יָמִ֑ים (days),

וּשְׁנ֖וֹת (and the years) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (of the wicked) תִּקְצֹֽרְנָה׃ (will be short).

28  תּוֹחֶ֣לֶת (The hope) צַדִּיקִ֣ים (of the righteous ones) שִׂמְחָ֑ה (is joy),

וְתִקְוַ֖ת (and the expectation) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (of the wicked ones) תֹּאבֵֽד׃ (will perish).

29  מָע֣וֹז (Strength) לַ֭תֹּם (for the upright) דֶּ֣רֶךְ (is the way), יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH)

וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה (and destruction) לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי (for doers) אָֽוֶן׃ (of iniquity).

30  צַדִּ֣יק (A righteous one) לְעוֹלָ֣ם (forever) בַּל־ (not) יִמּ֑וֹט (will be shaken),

וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים (and the wicked) לֹ֣א (not) יִשְׁכְּנוּ־ (dwell in) אָֽרֶץ׃ (the land).

31  פִּֽי־ (The mouth) צַ֭דִּיק (of a righteous one) יָנ֣וּב (brings forth) חָכְמָ֑ה (wisdom),

וּלְשׁ֥וֹן (and a tongue) תַּ֝הְפֻּכ֗וֹת (of perversity) תִּכָּרֵֽת׃ (will be cut out).

32  שִׂפְתֵ֣י (The lips) צַ֭דִּיק (of the righteous) יֵדְע֣וּן (know) רָצ֑וֹן (what is pleasing),

וּפִ֥י (and the mouth) רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים (of the wicked ones) תַּהְפֻּכֽוֹת׃ (perversity).