Holman Christian Standard Bible

Hebrew Study Bible

1Doesn't Wisdom call out? Doesn't Understanding make her voice heard?

1הֲלֹֽא־ חָכְמָ֥ה תִקְרָ֑א וּ֝תְבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קוֹלָֽהּ׃

2At the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads, she takes her stand.

2בְּרֹאשׁ־ מְרוֹמִ֥ים עֲלֵי־ דָ֑רֶךְ בֵּ֖ית נְתִיב֣וֹת נִצָּֽבָה׃

3Beside the gates at the entry to the city, at the main entrance, she cries out:"

3לְיַד־ שְׁעָרִ֥ים לְפִי־ קָ֑רֶת מְב֖וֹא פְתָחִ֣ים תָּרֹֽנָּה׃

4People, I call out to you; my cry is to mankind.

4אֲלֵיכֶ֣ם אִישִׁ֣ים אֶקְרָ֑א וְ֝קוֹלִ֗י אֶל־ בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃

5Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced; develop common sense, you who are foolish.

5הָבִ֣ינוּ פְתָאיִ֣ם עָרְמָ֑ה וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים הָבִ֥ינוּ לֵֽב׃

6Listen, for I speak of noble things, and what my lips say is right.

6שִׁ֭מְעוּ כִּֽי־ נְגִידִ֣ים אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וּמִפְתַּ֥ח שְׂ֝פָתַ֗י מֵישָׁרִֽים׃

7For my mouth tells the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

7כִּֽי־ אֱ֭מֶת יֶהְגֶּ֣ה חִכִּ֑י וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת שְׂפָתַ֣י רֶֽשַׁע׃

8All the words of my mouth are righteous; none of them are deceptive or perverse.

8בְּצֶ֥דֶק כָּל־ אִמְרֵי־ פִ֑י אֵ֥ין בָּ֝הֶ֗ם נִפְתָּ֥ל וְעִקֵּֽשׁ׃

9All of them are clear to the perceptive, and right to those who discover knowledge.

9כֻּלָּ֣ם נְ֭כֹחִים לַמֵּבִ֑ין וִֽ֝ישָׁרִ֗ים לְמֹ֣צְאֵי דָֽעַת׃

10Accept my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.

10קְחֽוּ־ מוּסָרִ֥י וְאַל־ כָּ֑סֶף וְ֝דַ֗עַת מֵחָר֥וּץ נִבְחָֽר׃

11For wisdom is better than jewels, and nothing desirable can compare with it.

11כִּֽי־ טוֹבָ֣ה חָ֭כְמָה מִפְּנִינִ֑ים וְכָל־ חֲ֝פָצִ֗ים לֹ֣א יִֽשְׁווּ־ בָֽהּ׃

12I, Wisdom, share a home with shrewdness and have knowledge and discretion.

12אֲ‍ֽנִי־ חָ֭כְמָה שָׁכַ֣נְתִּי עָרְמָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת מְזִמּ֣וֹת אֶמְצָֽא׃

13To fear the LORD is to hate evil. I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

13יִֽרְאַ֣ת יְהוָה֮ שְֽׂנֹ֫את רָ֥ע גֵּ֘אָ֤ה וְגָא֨וֹן ׀ וְדֶ֣רֶךְ רָ֭ע וּפִ֨י תַהְפֻּכ֬וֹת שָׂנֵֽאתִי׃

14I possess good advice and competence; I have understanding and strength.

14לִֽי־ עֵ֭צָה וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑ה אֲנִ֥י בִ֝ינָ֗ה לִ֣י גְבוּרָֽה׃

15It is by me that kings reign and rulers enact just law;

15בִּ֭י מְלָכִ֣ים יִמְלֹ֑כוּ וְ֝רוֹזְנִ֗ים יְחֹ֣קְקוּ צֶֽדֶק׃

16by me, princes lead, as do nobles and all righteous judges.

16בִּ֭י שָׂרִ֣ים יָשֹׂ֑רוּ וּ֝נְדִיבִ֗ים כָּל־ שֹׁ֥פְטֵי צֶֽדֶק׃

17I love those who love me, and those who search for me find me.

17אֲ֭נִי [אהביה] (אֹהֲבַ֣י) אֵהָ֑ב וּ֝מְשַׁחֲרַ֗י יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי׃

18With me are riches and honor, lasting wealth and righteousness.

18עֹֽשֶׁר־ וְכָב֥וֹד אִתִּ֑י ה֥וֹן עָ֝תֵ֗ק וּצְדָקָֽה׃

19My fruit is better than solid gold, and my harvest than pure silver.

19ט֣וֹב פִּ֭רְיִי מֵחָר֣וּץ וּמִפָּ֑ז וּ֝תְבוּאָתִ֗י מִכֶּ֥סֶף נִבְחָֽר׃

20I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,

20בְּאֹֽרַח־ צְדָקָ֥ה אֲהַלֵּ֑ך‪‬ בְּ֝ת֗וֹךְ נְתִיב֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

21giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries."

21לְהַנְחִ֖יל אֹהֲבַ֥י ׀ יֵ֑שׁ וְאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם אֲמַלֵּֽא׃ פ

22The LORD made me at the beginning of His creation, before His works of long ago.

22יְֽהוָ֗ה קָ֭נָנִי רֵאשִׁ֣ית דַּרְכּ֑וֹ קֶ֖דֶם מִפְעָלָ֣יו מֵאָֽז׃

23I was formed before ancient times, from the beginning, before the earth began.

23מֵ֭עוֹלָם נִסַּ֥כְתִּי מֵרֹ֗אשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־ אָֽרֶץ׃

24I was born when there were no watery depths and no springs filled with water.

24בְּאֵין־ תְּהֹמ֥וֹת חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי בְּאֵ֥ין מַ֝עְיָנ֗וֹת נִכְבַּדֵּי־ מָֽיִם׃

25I was delivered before the mountains and hills were established,

25בְּטֶ֣רֶם הָרִ֣ים הָטְבָּ֑עוּ לִפְנֵ֖י גְבָע֣וֹת חוֹלָֽלְתִּי׃

26before He made the land, the fields, or the first soil on earth.

26עַד־ לֹ֣א עָ֭שָׂה אֶ֣רֶץ וְחוּצ֑וֹת וְ֝רֹ֗אשׁ עָפְר֥וֹת‪‬ תֵּבֵֽל׃

27I was there when He established the heavens, when He laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,

27בַּהֲכִינ֣וֹ שָׁ֭מַיִם שָׁ֣ם אָ֑נִי בְּח֥וּקוֹ ח֝֗וּג עַל־ פְּנֵ֥י תְהֽוֹם׃

28when He placed the skies above, when the fountains of the ocean gushed out,

28בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ שְׁחָקִ֣ים מִמָּ֑עַל בַּ֝עֲז֗וֹז עִינ֥וֹת תְּהוֹם׃‪‬

29when He set a limit for the sea so that the waters would not violate His command, when He laid out the foundations of the earth.

29בְּשׂ֘וּמ֤וֹ לַיָּ֨ם ׀ חֻקּ֗וֹ וּ֭מַיִם לֹ֣א יַֽעַבְרוּ־ פִ֑יו בְּ֝חוּק֗וֹ מ֣וֹסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ׃

30I was a skilled craftsman beside Him. I was His delight every day, always rejoicing before Him.

30וָֽאֶהְיֶ֥ה אֶצְל֗וֹ אָ֫מ֥וֹן וָֽאֶהְיֶ֣ה שַׁ֭עֲשֻׁעִים י֤וֹם ׀ י֑וֹם מְשַׂחֶ֖קֶת לְפָנָ֣יו בְּכָל־ עֵֽת׃

31I was rejoicing in His inhabited world, delighting in the human race."

31מְ֭שַׂחֶקֶת בְּתֵבֵ֣ל אַרְצ֑וֹ וְ֝שַׁעֲשֻׁעַ֗י אֶת־ בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ פ

32And now, my sons, listen to me; those who keep my ways are happy.

32וְעַתָּ֣ה בָ֭נִים שִׁמְעוּ־ לִ֑י וְ֝אַשְׁרֵ֗י דְּרָכַ֥י יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃

33Listen to instruction and be wise; don't ignore it.

33שִׁמְע֖וּ מוּסָ֥ר וַחֲכָ֗מוּ וְאַל־ תִּפְרָֽעוּ׃

34Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway.

34אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי אָדָם֮ שֹׁמֵ֪עַֽ֫ לִ֥י לִשְׁקֹ֣ד עַל־ דַּ֭לְתֹתַי י֤וֹם ׀ י֑וֹם לִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר מְזוּזֹ֥ת פְּתָחָֽי׃

35For the one who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD,

35כִּ֣י מֹ֭צְאִי [מצאי] (מָצָ֣א‪‬) חַיִּ֑ים וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צ֗וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃

36but the one who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death."

36וְֽ֭חֹטְאִי חֹמֵ֣ס נַפְשׁ֑וֹ כָּל־ מְ֝שַׂנְאַ֗י אָ֣הֲבוּ מָֽוֶת׃ פ

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.