Wine Is a Mocker

1  לֵ֣ץ (A mocker) הַ֭יַּין (is wine), הֹמֶ֣ה (a brawler) שֵׁכָ֑ר (is strong drink),

וְכָל־ (and anyone) שֹׁ֥גֶה (led astray) בּ֝֗וֹ (by it) לֹ֣א (not) יֶחְכָּֽם׃ (is wise).

2  נַ֣הַם (A roaring) כַּ֭כְּפִיר (like that of the young lion) אֵ֣ימַת (The terror) מֶ֑לֶךְ (of a king);

מִ֝תְעַבְּר֗וֹ (the one making him angry) חוֹטֵ֥א (is wronging) נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ (his own soul).

3  כָּב֣וֹד (An honor) לָ֭אִישׁ (to a man) שֶׁ֣בֶת (is cessation) מֵרִ֑יב (from strife),

וְכָל־ (and every) אֱ֝וִ֗יל (fool) יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃ (will quarrel).

4  מֵ֭חֹרֶף (From autumn) עָצֵ֣ל (a lazy one) לֹא־ (not) יַחֲרֹ֑שׁ (will plow);

יִשְׁאַל (and he begs) בַּקָּצִ֣יר (in the harvest) וָאָֽיִן׃ (and there is nothing).

5  מַ֣יִם (Is waters) עֲ֭מֻקִּים (deep) עֵצָ֣ה (is counsel) בְלֶב־ (in the heart) אִ֑ישׁ (of man),

וְאִ֖ישׁ (and a man) תְּבוּנָ֣ה (of understanding) יִדְלֶֽנָּה׃ (will draw it out).

6  רָב־ (Many) אָדָ֗ם (a man) יִ֭קְרָא (proclaims) אִ֣ישׁ (each man) חַסְדּ֑וֹ (his loving devotion),

וְאִ֥ישׁ (and a man) אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים (of faithfulness), מִ֣י (who) יִמְצָֽא׃ (can find)?

7  מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ (Is walking about) בְּתֻמּ֣וֹ (in his integrity) צַדִּ֑יק (a righteous one);

אַשְׁרֵ֖י (blessed are) בָנָ֣יו (his sons) אַחֲרָֽיו׃ (after him).

8  מֶ֗לֶךְ (A king) יוֹשֵׁ֥ב (sitting) עַל־ (on) כִּסֵּא־ (the throne) דִ֑ין (of judgment)

מְזָרֶ֖ה (is scattering) בְעֵינָ֣יו (with his eyes) כָּל־ (all) רָֽע׃ (evil).

9  מִֽי־ (Who) יֹ֭אמַר (can say), זִכִּ֣יתִי (I have made clean) לִבִּ֑י (my heart);

טָ֝הַ֗רְתִּי (I have been cleansed) מֵחַטָּאתִֽי׃ (from my sin)?

10  אֶ֣בֶן (A stone) וָ֭אֶבֶן (and a stone) אֵיפָ֣ה (an ephah) וְאֵיפָ֑ה (and an ephah),

תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת (an abomination to) יְ֝הוָ֗ה (YHWH) גַּם־ (alike) שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ (are the two of them).

11  גַּ֣ם (Even) בְּ֭מַעֲלָלָיו (by his deeds) יִתְנַכֶּר־ (is known) נָ֑עַר (a child),

אִם־ (whether) זַ֖ךְ (pure), וְאִם־ (and) יָשָׁ֣ר (upright) פָּעֳלֽוֹ׃ (is his action).

12  אֹ֣זֶן (The ear) שֹׁ֭מַעַת (hearing) וְעַ֣יִן (and the eye) רֹאָ֑ה (seeing),

יְ֝הוָ֗ה (YHWH) עָשָׂ֥ה (has made) גַם־ (even) שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ (both of them).

13  אַל־ (Not) תֶּֽאֱהַ֣ב (should you love) שֵׁ֭נָה (sleep), פֶּן־ (lest) תִּוָּרֵ֑שׁ (you be dispossessed);

פְּקַ֖ח (open) עֵינֶ֣יךָ (your eyes)— שְֽׂבַֽע־ (be satisfied) לָֽחֶם׃ (with bread).

14  רַ֣ע (Bad) רַ֭ע (bad), יֹאמַ֣ר (says) הַקּוֹנֶ֑ה (the one buying),

וְאֹזֵ֥ל (and having gone away) ל֝֗וֹ (himself), אָ֣ז (then) יִתְהַלָּֽל׃ (he boasts).

15  יֵ֣שׁ (There is) זָ֭הָב (gold) וְרָב־ (and an abundance) פְּנִינִ֑ים (of rubies),

וּכְלִ֥י (and a vessel) יְ֝קָ֗ר (precious) שִׂפְתֵי־ (are the lips) דָֽעַת׃ (of knowledge).

16  לְֽקַח־ (Take) בִּ֭גְדוֹ (his garment) כִּי־ (when) עָ֣רַב (it has been pledged) זָ֑ר (for a stranger),

וּבְעַ֖ד (and for) נָכְרִים (a foreign woman) חַבְלֵֽהוּ׃ (you shall pledge it).

17  עָרֵ֣ב (Is sweet) לָ֭אִישׁ (to a man) לֶ֣חֶם (the bread) שָׁ֑קֶר (of deceit),

וְ֝אַחַ֗ר (and afterward) יִמָּֽלֵא־ (will be filled) פִ֥יהוּ (his mouth) חָצָֽץ׃ (with gravel).

18  מַ֭חֲשָׁבוֹת (Plans) בְּעֵצָ֣ה (by counsel) תִכּ֑וֹן (are established),

וּ֝בְתַחְבֻּל֗וֹת (and by guidance) עֲשֵׂ֣ה (wage) מִלְחָמָֽה׃ (war).

19  גּֽוֹלֶה־ (Uncovers) סּ֭וֹד (a secret) הוֹלֵ֣ךְ (is the one going about) רָכִ֑יל (with slander);

וּלְפֹתֶ֥ה (and to the one opening) שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו (his lips) לֹ֣א (do not) תִתְעָרָֽב׃ (pledge yourself).

20  מְ֭קַלֵּל (One belittling) אָבִ֣יו (his father) וְאִמּ֑וֹ (or his mother),

יִֽדְעַ֥ךְ (will be extinguished) נֵ֝ר֗וֹ (his lamp) בְּאִישׁוֹן (in the pupil) חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ (of darkness).

21  נַ֭חֲלָה (An inheritance) מְבֻחֶלֶת (gained unjustly) בָּרִאשֹׁנָ֑ה (at first)—

וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ (and its latter end) לֹ֣א (not) תְבֹרָֽךְ׃ (will be blessed).

22  אַל־ (Not) תֹּאמַ֥ר (should you say), אֲשַׁלְּמָה־ (I will repay) רָ֑ע (evil).

קַוֵּ֥ה (Wait) לַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה (for YHWH), וְיֹ֣שַֽׁע (and He will save) לָֽךְ׃ (you).

23  תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת (An abomination) יְ֭הוָה (to YHWH); אֶ֣בֶן (are a stone) וָאָ֑בֶן (and with a stone)

וּמֹאזְנֵ֖י (and scales) מִרְמָ֣ה (of deceit) לֹא־ (are not) טֽוֹב׃ (good).

24  מֵיהוָ֥ה (From YHWH) מִצְעֲדֵי־ (are the steps) גָ֑בֶר (of a man);

וְ֝אָדָ֗ם (and a man) מַה־ (how) יָּבִ֥ין (can he understand) דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃ (his way)?

25  מוֹקֵ֣שׁ (It is a snare) אָ֭דָם (for a man) יָ֣לַע (to declare rashly) קֹ֑דֶשׁ (Holy),

וְאַחַ֖ר (and afterward) נְדָרִ֣ים (his vows) לְבַקֵּֽר׃ (to reconsider).

26  מְזָרֶ֣ה (Scattering) רְ֭שָׁעִים (the wicked) מֶ֣לֶךְ (is a king) חָכָ֑ם (wise)

וַיָּ֖שֶׁב (and he even turns) עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם (over them) אוֹפָֽן׃ (the wheel).

27  נֵ֣ר (The lamp) יְ֭הוָה (of YHWH) נִשְׁמַ֣ת (is the spirit) אָדָ֑ם (of a man),

חֹ֝פֵ֗שׂ (searching) כָּל־ (all) חַדְרֵי־ (the chambers) בָֽטֶן׃ (of the heart).

28  חֶ֣סֶד (Loving devotion) וֶ֭אֱמֶת (and faithfulness) יִצְּרוּ־ (guard) מֶ֑לֶךְ (a king),

וְסָעַ֖ד (and is supported) בַּחֶ֣סֶד (by loving devotion) כִּסְאֽוֹ׃ (his throne).

29  תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת (The glory) בַּחוּרִ֣ים (of young men) כֹּחָ֑ם (is their strength),

וַהֲדַ֖ר (while the splendor) זְקֵנִ֣ים (of old men) שֵׂיבָֽה׃ (grey hair).

30  חַבֻּר֣וֹת (Stripes that) פֶּ֭צַע (wound) תַּמְרִיק (scour) בְּרָ֑ע (evil),

וּ֝מַכּ֗וֹת (and beatings) חַדְרֵי־ (the chambers) בָֽטֶן׃ (of the belly).