New Living Translation

Hebrew Study Bible

1Listen as Wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice!

1הֲלֹֽא־ חָכְמָ֥ה תִקְרָ֑א וּ֝תְבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קוֹלָֽהּ׃

2On the hilltop along the road, she takes her stand at the crossroads.

2בְּרֹאשׁ־ מְרוֹמִ֥ים עֲלֵי־ דָ֑רֶךְ בֵּ֖ית נְתִיב֣וֹת נִצָּֽבָה׃

3By the gates at the entrance to the town, on the road leading in, she cries aloud,

3לְיַד־ שְׁעָרִ֥ים לְפִי־ קָ֑רֶת מְב֖וֹא פְתָחִ֣ים תָּרֹֽנָּה׃

4“I call to you, to all of you! I raise my voice to all people.

4אֲלֵיכֶ֣ם אִישִׁ֣ים אֶקְרָ֑א וְ֝קוֹלִ֗י אֶל־ בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃

5You simple people, use good judgment. You foolish people, show some understanding.

5הָבִ֣ינוּ פְתָאיִ֣ם עָרְמָ֑ה וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים הָבִ֥ינוּ לֵֽב׃

6Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you. Everything I say is right,

6שִׁ֭מְעוּ כִּֽי־ נְגִידִ֣ים אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וּמִפְתַּ֥ח שְׂ֝פָתַ֗י מֵישָׁרִֽים׃

7for I speak the truth and detest every kind of deception.

7כִּֽי־ אֱ֭מֶת יֶהְגֶּ֣ה חִכִּ֑י וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת שְׂפָתַ֣י רֶֽשַׁע׃

8My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it.

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

9My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge.

9כֻּלָּ֣ם נְ֭כֹחִים לַמֵּבִ֑ין וִֽ֝ישָׁרִ֗ים לְמֹ֣צְאֵי דָֽעַת׃

10Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.

10קְחֽוּ־ מוּסָרִ֥י וְאַל־ כָּ֑סֶף וְ֝דַ֗עַת מֵחָר֥וּץ נִבְחָֽר׃

11For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.

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

12“I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.

12אֲ‍ֽנִי־ חָ֭כְמָה שָׁכַ֣נְתִּי עָרְמָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת מְזִמּ֣וֹת אֶמְצָֽא׃

13All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.

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

14Common sense and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine.

14לִֽי־ עֵ֭צָה וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑ה אֲנִ֥י בִ֝ינָ֗ה לִ֣י גְבוּרָֽה׃

15Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just decrees.

15בִּ֭י מְלָכִ֣ים יִמְלֹ֑כוּ וְ֝רוֹזְנִ֗ים יְחֹ֣קְקוּ צֶֽדֶק׃

16Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments.

16בִּ֭י שָׂרִ֣ים יָשֹׂ֑רוּ וּ֝נְדִיבִ֗ים כָּל־ שֹׁ֥פְטֵי צֶֽדֶק׃

17“I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me.

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

18I have riches and honor, as well as enduring wealth and justice.

18עֹֽשֶׁר־ וְכָב֥וֹד אִתִּ֑י ה֥וֹן עָ֝תֵ֗ק וּצְדָקָֽה׃

19My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver!

19ט֣וֹב פִּ֭רְיִי מֵחָר֣וּץ וּמִפָּ֑ז וּ֝תְבוּאָתִ֗י מִכֶּ֥סֶף נִבְחָֽר׃

20I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice.

20בְּאֹֽרַח־ צְדָקָ֥ה אֲהַלֵּ֑ך‪‬ בְּ֝ת֗וֹךְ נְתִיב֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

21Those who love me inherit wealth. I will fill their treasuries.

21לְהַנְחִ֖יל אֹהֲבַ֥י ׀ יֵ֑שׁ וְאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם אֲמַלֵּֽא׃ פ

22“The LORD formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else.

22יְֽהוָ֗ה קָ֭נָנִי רֵאשִׁ֣ית דַּרְכּ֑וֹ קֶ֖דֶם מִפְעָלָ֣יו מֵאָֽז׃

23I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the earth began.

23מֵ֭עוֹלָם נִסַּ֥כְתִּי מֵרֹ֗אשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־ אָֽרֶץ׃

24I was born before the oceans were created, before the springs bubbled forth their waters.

24בְּאֵין־ תְּהֹמ֥וֹת חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי בְּאֵ֥ין מַ֝עְיָנ֗וֹת נִכְבַּדֵּי־ מָֽיִם׃

25Before the mountains were formed, before the hills, I was born—

25בְּטֶ֣רֶם הָרִ֣ים הָטְבָּ֑עוּ לִפְנֵ֖י גְבָע֣וֹת חוֹלָֽלְתִּי׃

26before he had made the earth and fields and the first handfuls of soil.

26עַד־ לֹ֣א עָ֭שָׂה אֶ֣רֶץ וְחוּצ֑וֹת וְ֝רֹ֗אשׁ עָפְר֥וֹת‪‬ תֵּבֵֽל׃

27I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans.

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

28I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established springs deep in the earth.

28בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ שְׁחָקִ֣ים מִמָּ֑עַל בַּ֝עֲז֗וֹז עִינ֥וֹת תְּהוֹם׃‪‬

29I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth’s foundations,

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

30I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence.

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

31And how happy I was with the world he created; how I rejoiced with the human family!

31מְ֭שַׂחֶקֶת בְּתֵבֵ֣ל אַרְצ֑וֹ וְ֝שַׁעֲשֻׁעַ֗י אֶת־ בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ פ

32“And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful.

32וְעַתָּ֣ה בָ֭נִים שִׁמְעוּ־ לִ֑י וְ֝אַשְׁרֵ֗י דְּרָכַ֥י יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃

33Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it.

33שִׁמְע֖וּ מוּסָ֥ר וַחֲכָ֗מוּ וְאַל־ תִּפְרָֽעוּ׃

34Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home!

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

35For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.

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

36But those who miss me injure themselves. All who hate me love death.”

36וְֽ֭חֹטְאִי חֹמֵ֣ס נַפְשׁ֑וֹ כָּל־ מְ֝שַׂנְאַ֗י אָ֣הֲבוּ מָֽוֶת׃ פ

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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