The Wise Woman

1  חַכְמ֣וֹת (The wisest of) נָ֭שִׁים (women) בָּנְתָ֣ה (builds) בֵיתָ֑הּ (her house),

וְ֝אִוֶּ֗לֶת (and a foolish woman) בְּיָדֶ֥יהָ (with her own hands) תֶהֶרְסֶֽנּוּ׃ (tears it down).

2  הוֹלֵ֣ךְ (The one walking) בְּ֭יָשְׁרוֹ (in his uprightness) יְרֵ֣א (is fearful) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH),

וּנְל֖וֹז (and the one devious) דְּרָכָ֣יו (in his ways) בּוֹזֵֽהוּ׃ (despises Him).

3  בְּֽפִי־ (In the mouth) אֱ֭וִיל (of a fool) חֹ֣טֶר (is a branch) גַּאֲוָ֑ה (of pride),

וְשִׂפְתֵ֥י (and the lips) חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים (of the wise ones) תִּשְׁמוּרֵֽם׃ (guard them).

4  בְּאֵ֣ין (With no) אֲ֭לָפִים (oxen) אֵב֣וּס (the trough) בָּ֑ר (is empty),

וְרָב־ (and an abundance) תְּ֝בוּא֗וֹת (of produce is) בְּכֹ֣חַ (by the strength) שֽׁוֹר׃ (of an ox).

5  עֵ֣ד (A witness) אֱ֭מוּנִים (of faithfulness) לֹ֣א (not) יְכַזֵּ֑ב (does lie),

וְיָפִ֥יחַ (and breathes out) כְּ֝זָבִ֗ים (lies) עֵ֣ד (a witness) שָֽׁקֶר׃ (of deception).

6  בִּקֶּשׁ־ (Seeks) לֵ֣ץ (a scoffer) חָכְמָ֣ה (wisdom), וָאָ֑יִן (and there is none),

וְדַ֖עַת (and knowledge) לְנָב֣וֹן (to the discerning one) נָקָֽל׃ (is easy).

7  לֵ֣ךְ (Depart) מִ֭נֶּגֶד (from in front) לְאִ֣ישׁ (of a man) כְּסִ֑יל (who is foolish),

וּבַל־ (and for not) יָ֝דַ֗עְתָּ (will you know there) שִׂפְתֵי־ (the lips) דָֽעַת׃ (of knowledge).

8  חָכְמַ֣ת (The wisdom) עָ֭רוּם (of a prudent one) הָבִ֣ין (is to understand) דַּרְכּ֑וֹ (his way),

וְאִוֶּ֖לֶת (and the folly) כְּסִילִ֣ים (of fools) מִרְמָֽה׃ (is deceit).

9  אֱ֭וִלִים (Fools) יָלִ֣יץ (mock) אָשָׁ֑ם (the guilt offering),

וּבֵ֖ין (and among) יְשָׁרִ֣ים (the upright ones) רָצֽוֹן׃ (is favor).

10  לֵ֗ב (The heart) י֭וֹדֵעַ (knows) מָרַּ֣ת (the bitterness) נַפְשׁ֑וֹ (of its own soul),

וּ֝בְשִׂמְחָת֗וֹ (and in its joy) לֹא־ (not) יִתְעָ֥רַב (does share) זָֽר׃ (a stranger).

11  בֵּ֣ית (The house) רְ֭שָׁעִים (of the wicked ones) יִשָּׁמֵ֑ד (will be destroyed),

וְאֹ֖הֶל (and the tent) יְשָׁרִ֣ים (of the upright ones) יַפְרִֽיחַ׃ (will flourish).

12  יֵ֤שׁ (There is) דֶּ֣רֶךְ (a way) יָ֭שָׁר (right) לִפְנֵי־ (before the face) אִ֑ישׁ (of a man),

וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ (and its end) דַּרְכֵי־ (is the way) מָֽוֶת׃ (of death).

13  גַּם־ (Even) בִּשְׂח֥וֹק (in laughter) יִכְאַב־ (may be pained) לֵ֑ב (a heart),

וְאַחֲרִיתָ֖הּ (and the end) שִׂמְחָ֣ה (of joy) תוּגָֽה׃ (is grief).

14  מִדְּרָכָ֣יו (From his ways) יִ֭שְׂבַּע (will be filled) ס֣וּג (the one turning back) לֵ֑ב (in heart),

וּ֝מֵעָלָ֗יו (and from himself) אִ֣ישׁ (a man) טֽוֹב׃ (who is good).

15  פֶּ֭תִי (The simple one) יַאֲמִ֣ין (affirms) לְכָל־ (every) דָּבָ֑ר (word),

וְ֝עָר֗וּם (and the prudent one) יָבִ֥ין (considers) לַאֲשֻׁרֽוֹ׃ (his step).

16  חָכָ֣ם (A wise one) יָ֭רֵא (fears) וְסָ֣ר (and turns aside) מֵרָ֑ע (from evil),

וּ֝כְסִ֗יל (and a fool) מִתְעַבֵּ֥ר (is transgressing) וּבוֹטֵֽחַ׃ (and is confident).

17  קְֽצַר־ (One short) אַ֭פַּיִם (of nostrils) יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה (acts) אִוֶּ֑לֶת (with foolishness),

וְאִ֥ישׁ (and a man) מְ֝זִמּ֗וֹת (of schemes) יִשָּׂנֵֽא׃ (is hated).

18  נָחֲל֣וּ (Inherit) פְתָאיִ֣ם (the simple ones) אִוֶּ֑לֶת (foolishness),

וַֽ֝עֲרוּמִ֗ים (and the prudent) יַכְתִּ֥רוּ (are crowned) דָֽעַת׃ (with knowledge).

19  שַׁח֣וּ (Will bow) רָ֭עִים (the evil ones) לִפְנֵ֣י (before the face of) טוֹבִ֑ים (of good ones),

וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים (and wicked ones) עַֽל־ (at) שַׁעֲרֵ֥י (the gates) צַדִּֽיק׃ (of the righteous one).

20  גַּם־ (Even) לְ֭רֵעֵהוּ (by his neighbor) יִשָּׂ֣נֵא (is hated) רָ֑שׁ (the poor one),

וְאֹהֲבֵ֖י (and those loving) עָשִׁ֣יר (the rich one) רַבִּֽים׃ (are many).

21  בָּז־ (The one despising) לְרֵעֵ֥הוּ (his neighbor) חוֹטֵ֑א (sins),

וּמְחוֹנֵ֖ן (and one showing favor) עֲנָיִים (to the poor) אַשְׁרָֽיו׃ (is blessed).

22  הֲ‍ֽלוֹא־ (Do not) יִ֭תְעוּ (they go astray) חֹ֣רְשֵׁי (who are planning) רָ֑ע (evil)?

וְחֶ֥סֶד (And loving devotion) וֶ֝אֱמֶ֗ת (and truth) חֹ֣רְשֵׁי (are unto those planning) טֽוֹב׃ (good).

23  בְּכָל־ (In all) עֶ֭צֶב (labor) יִהְיֶ֣ה (there is) מוֹתָ֑ר (profit),

וּדְבַר־ (and a word) שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם (of the lips) אַךְ־ (is only) לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃ (to poverty).

24  עֲטֶ֣רֶת (The crown) חֲכָמִ֣ים (of the wise) עָשְׁרָ֑ם (is their wealth);

אִוֶּ֖לֶת (the folly) כְּסִילִ֣ים (of fools) אִוֶּֽלֶת׃ (is folly).

25  מַצִּ֣יל (Is delivering) נְ֭פָשׁוֹת (souls) עֵ֣ד (a witness) אֱמֶ֑ת (of truth),

וְיָפִ֖חַ (and one who breathes out) כְּזָבִ֣ים (lies) מִרְמָֽה׃ (is deceitful).

26  בְּיִרְאַ֣ת (In the fear) יְ֭הוָה (of YHWH) מִבְטַח־ (confidence) עֹ֑ז (is strong),

וּ֝לְבָנָ֗יו (and for his sons) יִהְיֶ֥ה (there is) מַחְסֶֽה׃ (a refuge).

27  יִרְאַ֣ת (The fear) יְ֭הוָה (of YHWH) מְק֣וֹר (is a fountain) חַיִּ֑ים (of life),

לָ֝ס֗וּר (to turn aside) מִמֹּ֥קְשֵׁי (from the snares) מָֽוֶת׃ (of death).

28  בְּרָב־ (In a multitude) עָ֥ם (of people) הַדְרַת־ (is the glory) מֶ֑לֶךְ (of a king),

וּבְאֶ֥פֶס (and in a lack) לְ֝אֹ֗ם (of people) מְחִתַּ֥ת (is the ruin) רָזֽוֹן׃ (of a prince).

29  אֶ֣רֶךְ (The one slow to) אַ֭פַּיִם (anger) רַב־ (is great in) תְּבוּנָ֑ה (understanding),

וּקְצַר־ (and the one short) ר֝֗וּחַ (of temper) מֵרִ֥ים (lifts up) אִוֶּֽלֶת׃ (folly).

30  חַיֵּ֣י (Life to) בְ֭שָׂרִים (the body) לֵ֣ב (is a heart) מַרְפֵּ֑א (of healing),

וּרְקַ֖ב (and rottenness to) עֲצָמ֣וֹת (the bones) קִנְאָֽה׃ (is jealousy).

31  עֹ֣שֵֽׁק־ (The one oppressing) דָּ֭ל (the poor) חֵרֵ֣ף (reproaches) עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ (his Maker),

וּ֝מְכַבְּד֗וֹ (and the one honoring Him) חֹנֵ֥ן (shows favor to) אֶבְיֽוֹן׃ (the needy).

32  בְּֽ֭רָעָתוֹ (By his evil) יִדָּחֶ֣ה (is thrust down) רָשָׁ֑ע (a wicked one),

וְחֹסֶ֖ה (and takes refuge) בְמוֹת֣וֹ (in his death) צַדִּֽיק׃ (a righteous one).

33  בְּלֵ֣ב (In the heart) נָ֭בוֹן (of a discerning one) תָּנ֣וּחַ (rests) חָכְמָ֑ה (wisdom),

וּבְקֶ֥רֶב (and within) כְּ֝סִילִ֗ים (fools) תִּוָּדֵֽעַ׃ (she makes herself known).

34  צְדָקָ֥ה (Righteousness) תְרֽוֹמֵֽם־ (exalts) גּ֑וֹי (a nation),

וְחֶ֖סֶד (and a reproach) לְאֻמִּ֣ים (of peoples) חַטָּֽאת׃ (is sin).

35  רְֽצוֹן־ (The favor) מֶ֭לֶךְ (of a king) לְעֶ֣בֶד (is toward a servant) מַשְׂכִּ֑יל (wise),

וְ֝עֶבְרָת֗וֹ (and his wrath) תִּהְיֶ֥ה (is) מֵבִֽישׁ׃ (to one causing shame).