The Excellence of Wisdom

1  הֲלֹֽא־ (Does not) חָכְמָ֥ה (wisdom) תִקְרָ֑א (cry out),

וּ֝תְבוּנָ֗ה (and understanding) תִּתֵּ֥ן (give forth) קוֹלָֽהּ׃ (her voice)?

2  בְּרֹאשׁ־ (At the head) מְרוֹמִ֥ים (of the heights), עֲלֵי־ (beside) דָ֑רֶךְ (the road),

בֵּ֖ית (at the house) נְתִיב֣וֹת (of the paths) נִצָּֽבָה׃ (she takes her stand).

3  לְיַד־ (At the hand) שְׁעָרִ֥ים (of the gates), לְפִי־ (at the mouth) קָ֑רֶת (of the city),

מְב֖וֹא (at the entrance) פְתָחִ֣ים (of the doors) תָּרֹֽנָּה׃ (she cries out):

4  אֲלֵיכֶ֣ם (To you⁺), אִישִׁ֣ים (O men), אֶקְרָ֑א (do I call),

וְ֝קוֹלִ֗י (and my voice) אֶל־ (is to) בְּנֵ֥י (the sons) אָדָֽם׃ (of man).

5  הָבִ֣ינוּ (Discern), פְתָאיִ֣ם (O simple ones), עָרְמָ֑ה (prudence);

וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים (and you foolish ones), הָבִ֥ינוּ (understand) לֵֽב׃ (the heart).

6  שִׁ֭מְעוּ (Listen), כִּֽי־ (for) נְגִידִ֣ים (noble things) אֲדַבֵּ֑ר (do I speak),

וּמִפְתַּ֥ח (and the opening) שְׂ֝פָתַ֗י (of my lips) מֵישָׁרִֽים׃ (is uprightness).

7  כִּֽי־ (For) אֱ֭מֶת (truth) יֶהְגֶּ֣ה (muses), חִכִּ֑י (my mouth)

וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת (is an abomination) שְׂפָתַ֣י (to my lips) רֶֽשַׁע׃ (is all wickedness).

8  בְּצֶ֥דֶק (In righteousness) כָּל־ (are all) אִמְרֵי־ (the words) פִ֑י (of my mouth);

אֵ֥ין (nothing) בָּ֝הֶ֗ם (in them) נִפְתָּ֥ל (is crooked) וְעִקֵּֽשׁ׃ (or perverse).

9  כֻּלָּ֣ם (All of them) נְ֭כֹחִים (are plain) לַמֵּבִ֑ין (to the intelligent),

וִֽ֝ישָׁרִ֗ים (and upright) לְמֹ֣צְאֵי (to those finding) דָֽעַת׃ (knowledge).

10  קְחֽוּ־ (Receive) מוּסָרִ֥י (my instruction) וְאַל־ (and not) כָּ֑סֶף (silver),

וְ֝דַ֗עַת (and knowledge) מֵחָר֥וּץ (above gold) נִבְחָֽר׃ (choicest).

11  כִּֽי־ (For) טוֹבָ֣ה (better is) חָ֭כְמָה (wisdom) מִפְּנִינִ֑ים (than rubies),

וְכָל־ (and all) חֲ֝פָצִ֗ים (delights) לֹ֣א (not) יִֽשְׁווּ־ (can be compared) בָֽהּ׃ (with her).

12  אֲ‍ֽנִי־ (I), חָ֭כְמָה (wisdom), שָׁכַ֣נְתִּי (dwell) עָרְמָ֑ה (with prudence),

וְדַ֖עַת (and knowledge) מְזִמּ֣וֹת (of discretion) אֶמְצָֽא׃ (I find out).

13  יִֽרְאַ֣ת (The fear) יְהוָה֮ (of YHWH) שְֽׂנֹ֫את (is to hate) רָ֥ע (evil);

גֵּ֘אָ֤ה (pride), וְגָא֨וֹן׀ (and arrogance), וְדֶ֣רֶךְ (and the way) רָ֭ע (of evil), וּפִ֨י (and the mouth) תַהְפֻּכ֬וֹת (of perversity) שָׂנֵֽאתִי׃ (I hate).

14  לִֽי־ (Unto me) עֵ֭צָה (are counsel) וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑ה (and sound wisdom);

אֲנִ֥י (I) בִ֝ינָ֗ה (am understanding); לִ֣י (unto me) גְבוּרָֽה׃ (is strength).

15  בִּ֭י (By me) מְלָכִ֣ים (kings) יִמְלֹ֑כוּ (reign)

וְ֝רוֹזְנִ֗ים (and rulers) יְחֹ֣קְקוּ (decree) צֶֽדֶק׃ (justice).

16  בִּ֭י (By me) שָׂרִ֣ים (princes) יָשֹׂ֑רוּ (rule), וּ֝נְדִיבִ֗ים (and nobles)—

כָּל־ (all) שֹׁ֥פְטֵי (those judging with) צֶֽדֶק׃ (righteousness).

17  אֲ֭נִי (I) אֹהֲבֶיהָ (love) אֵהָ֑ב (those who love me),

וּ֝מְשַׁחֲרַ֗י (and those seeking me earnestly) יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי׃ (will find me).

18  עֹֽשֶׁר־ (Riches) וְכָב֥וֹד (and honor) אִתִּ֑י (are with me)—

ה֥וֹן (wealth) עָ֝תֵ֗ק (surpassing) וּצְדָקָֽה׃ (and righteousness).

19  ט֣וֹב (Better is) פִּ֭רְיִי (my fruit) מֵחָר֣וּץ (than gold), וּמִפָּ֑ז (even pure gold),

וּ֝תְבוּאָתִ֗י (and my produce) מִכֶּ֥סֶף (than silver) נִבְחָֽר׃ (choice).

20  בְּאֹֽרַח־ (In the way) צְדָקָ֥ה (of righteousness) אֲהַלֵּ֑ך (I walk),

בְּ֝ת֗וֹךְ (in the midst) נְתִיב֥וֹת (of the paths) מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ (of justice),

21  לְהַנְחִ֖יל (to cause to inherit) אֹהֲבַ֥י׀ (those loving me) יֵ֑שׁ (substance),

וְאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם (and their treasuries) אֲמַלֵּֽא׃פ (I will fill).

22  יְֽהוָ֗ה (YHWH) קָ֭נָנִי (acquired me) רֵאשִׁ֣ית (at the beginning) דַּרְכּ֑וֹ (of His way),

קֶ֖דֶם (before) מִפְעָלָ֣יו (His works) מֵאָֽז׃ (at that time).

23  מֵ֭עוֹלָם (From everlasting) נִסַּ֥כְתִּי (I was poured out),

מֵרֹ֗אשׁ (from the head), מִקַּדְמֵי־ (from before) אָֽרֶץ׃ (the earth).

24  בְּאֵין־ (In being no) תְּהֹמ֥וֹת (depths), חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי (I was brought forth);

בְּאֵ֥ין (in being no) מַ֝עְיָנ֗וֹת (springs) נִכְבַּדֵּי־ (heavy with) מָֽיִם׃ (waters).

25  בְּטֶ֣רֶם (Before) הָרִ֣ים (the mountains) הָטְבָּ֑עוּ (were sunk),

לִפְנֵ֖י (before) גְבָע֣וֹת (the hills), חוֹלָֽלְתִּי׃ (I was brought forth)—

26  עַד־ (while) לֹ֣א (not) עָ֭שָׂה (He had made) אֶ֣רֶץ (the land), וְחוּצ֑וֹת (or the outside places),

וְ֝רֹ֗אשׁ (or the first) עָפְר֥וֹת (dusts) תֵּבֵֽל׃ (of the world).

27  בַּהֲכִינ֣וֹ (In His establishing) שָׁ֭מַיִם (the heavens), שָׁ֣ם (there) אָ֑נִי (I was),

בְּח֥וּקוֹ (in His inscribing) ח֝֗וּג (a circle) עַל־ (on) פְּנֵ֥י (the face) תְהֽוֹם׃ (of the deep),

28  בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ (in His strengthening) שְׁחָקִ֣ים (the clouds) מִמָּ֑עַל (above),

בַּ֝עֲז֗וֹז (in His making strong) עִינ֥וֹת (the fountains) תְּהוֹם׃ (of the deep),

29  בְּשׂ֘וּמ֤וֹ (in His setting) לַיָּ֨ם׀ (for the sea) חֻקּ֗וֹ (its limit),

וּ֭מַיִם (so that the waters) לֹ֣א (not) יַֽעַבְרוּ־ (would cross over) פִ֑יו (His command),

בְּ֝חוּק֗וֹ (in His marking out) מ֣וֹסְדֵי (the foundations) אָֽרֶץ׃ (of the earth).

30  וָֽאֶהְיֶ֥ה (Then I was) אֶצְל֗וֹ (beside Him) אָ֫מ֥וֹן (as a craftsman),

וָֽאֶהְיֶ֣ה (and I was) שַׁ֭עֲשֻׁעִים (a delight) י֤וֹם׀ (day) י֑וֹם (by day),

מְשַׂחֶ֖קֶת (laughing) לְפָנָ֣יו (before His face) בְּכָל־ (at every) עֵֽת׃ (time),

31  מְ֭שַׂחֶקֶת (laughing) בְּתֵבֵ֣ל (in the world) אַרְצ֑וֹ (of His earth),

וְ֝שַׁעֲשֻׁעַ֗י (and delighting) אֶת־ (together with) בְּנֵ֥י (the sons) אָדָֽם׃פ (of man).

32  וְעַתָּ֣ה (And now) בָ֭נִים (my sons), שִׁמְעוּ־ (listen) לִ֑י (to me),

וְ֝אַשְׁרֵ֗י (for blessed) דְּרָכַ֥י (my ways) יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃ (are those who keep).

33  שִׁמְע֖וּ (Listen to) מוּסָ֥ר (discipline) וַחֲכָ֗מוּ (and be wise),

וְאַל־ (and not) תִּפְרָֽעוּ׃ (do neglect it).

34  אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי (Blessed is) אָדָם֮ (the man) שֹׁמֵ֪עַֽ֫ (listening) לִ֥י (to me),

לִשְׁקֹ֣ד (watching) עַל־ (at) דַּ֭לְתֹתַי (my gates) י֤וֹם׀ (day) י֑וֹם (by day),

לִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר (keeping watch) מְזוּזֹ֥ת (at the posts) פְּתָחָֽי׃ (of my doors).

35  כִּ֣י (For) מֹ֭צְאִי (the one finding me) מֹצְאֵי (has found) חַיִּ֑ים (life)

וַיָּ֥פֶק (and he brings forth) רָ֝צ֗וֹן (favor) מֵיְהוָֽה׃ (from YHWH).

36  וְֽ֭חֹטְאִי (And the one sinning against me) חֹמֵ֣ס (is wronging) נַפְשׁ֑וֹ (his soul);

כָּל־ (all) מְ֝שַׂנְאַ֗י (those hating me) אָ֣הֲבוּ (love) מָֽוֶת׃פ (death).