Revised Literal Translation

Proverbs 1

1The proverbsמִ֭שְׁלֵיMish.leiH4912of Solomonשְׁלֹמֹ֣הshe.lo.MohH8010the sonבֶן־ven-H1121of Davidדָּוִ֑דda.VidH1732,kingמֶ֝֗לֶךְMe.lekhH4428of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Yis.ra.'ElH3478;

2To knowלָדַ֣עַתla.Da.'atH3045wisdomחָכְמָ֣הchokh.mahH2451and instructionוּמוּסָ֑רu.mu.SarH4148;to perceiveלְ֝הָבִ֗יןle.ha.VinH995the wordsאִמְרֵ֥י'im.ReiH561of understandingבִינָֽה׃vi.NahH998;

3To receiveלָ֭קַחַתLa.ka.chatH3947the instructionמוּסַ֣רmu.SarH4148of wisdomהַשְׂכֵּ֑לhas.KelH7919,justiceצֶ֥דֶקTze.dekH6664,and judgmentוּ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗טu.mish.PatH4941,and equityוּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃u.mei.sha.RimH4339;

4To giveלָתֵ֣תla.TetH5414subtiltyעָרְמָ֑ה'a.re.MahH6195to the simpleלִפְתָאיִ֣םlif.ta.YimH6612,to the young manלְ֝נַ֗עַרle.Na.'arH5288knowledgeדַּ֣עַתDa.'atH1847and discretionוּמְזִמָּֽה׃u.me.zi.MahH4209.

5A wiseחָ֭כָםCha.khomH2450manwill hearיִשְׁמַ֣עyish.Ma'H8085,and will increaseוְי֣וֹסֶףve.Yo.sefH3254learningלֶ֑קַחLe.kachH3948;and a man of understandingוְ֝נָב֗וֹןve.na.VonH995shall attainיִקְנֶֽה׃yik.NehH7069unto wise counselsתַּחְבֻּל֥וֹתtach.bu.LotH8458:

6To understandלְהָבִ֣יןle.ha.VinH995a proverbמָ֭שָׁלMa.sholH4912,and the interpretationוּמְלִיצָ֑הu.me.li.TzahH4426;the wordsדִּבְרֵ֥יdiv.ReiH1697of the wiseחֲ֝כָמִ֗יםcha.kha.MimH2450,and their dark sayingsוְחִידֹתָֽם׃ve.chi.do.TamH2420.

7The fearיִרְאַ֣תyir.'AtH3374of Yhwhיְ֭הוָהYah.wehH3068isthe beginningרֵאשִׁ֣יתre.ShitH7225of knowledgeדָּ֑עַתDa.'atH1847: butfoolsאֱוִילִ֥ים'e.vi.LimH191despiseבָּֽזוּ׃ פBa.zuH936wisdomחָכְמָ֥הchokh.mahH2451and instructionוּ֝מוּסָ֗רu.mu.SarH4148.

8My sonבְּ֭נִיBe.niH1121,hearשְׁמַ֣עshe.Ma'H8085the instructionמוּסַ֣רmu.SarH4148of thy fatherאָבִ֑יךָ'a.Vi.khaH1,and forsakeתִּ֝טֹּ֗שׁti.ToshH5203not the lawתּוֹרַ֥תto.RatH8451of thy motherאִמֶּֽךָ׃'i.Me.khaH517:

9For they shall bean ornamentלִוְיַ֤תliv.YatH3880of graceחֵ֓ןchenH2580unto thy headלְרֹאשֶׁ֑ךָle.ro.She.khaH7218,and chainsוַ֝עֲנָקִ֗יםva.'a.na.KimH6060about thy neckלְגַרְגְּרֹתֶֽיךָ׃le.gar.ge.ro.Tei.khaH1621.

10My sonבְּנִ֡יbe.NiH1121,if sinnersחַ֝טָּאִ֗יםcha.ta.'ImH2400enticeיְפַתּ֥וּךָye.fa.Tu.khaH6601thee, consentתֹּבֵֽא׃to.Ve'H14thou not.

11If they sayיֹאמְרוּ֮yo.me.RuH559,ComeH3212with us, let us lay waitנֶאֶרְבָ֥הne.'er.VahH693for bloodלְדָ֑םle.DamH1818,let us lurkנִצְפְּנָ֖הnitz.pe.NahH6845privily for the innocentלְנָקִ֣יle.na.KiH5355without causeחִנָּֽם׃chi.NamH2600:

12Let us swallow them upנִ֭בְלָעֵםNiv.la.'emH1104aliveחַיִּ֑יםchai.YimH2416as the graveכִּשְׁא֣וֹלkish.'olH7585;and wholeוּ֝תְמִימִ֗יםu.te.mi.MimH8549,as those that go downכְּי֣וֹרְדֵיke.Yor.deiH3381into the pitבֽוֹר׃VorH953:

13We shall findנִמְצָ֑אnim.Tza'H4672all preciousיָקָ֣רya.KarH3368substanceה֣וֹןHonH1952,we shall fillנְמַלֵּ֖אne.ma.Le'H4390our housesבָתֵּ֣ינוּva.Tei.nuH1004with spoilשָׁלָֽל׃sha.LalH7998:

14Castתַּפִּ֣ילta.PilH5307in thy lotגּ֭וֹרָ֣לְךָgo.Ral.khaH1486amongבְּתוֹכֵ֑נוּbe.to.Khe.nuH8432us; let us all have oneאֶ֝חָ֗ד'e.ChadH259purseכִּ֥יסkisH3599:

15My sonבְּנִ֗יbe.NiH1121,walkH3212not thou in the wayבְּדֶ֣רֶךְbe.De.rekhH1870with them; refrainמְנַ֥עme.Na'H4513thy footרַ֝גְלְךָ֗rag.le.khaH7272from their pathמִנְּתִיבָתָֽם׃mi.ne.ti.va.TamH5410:

16For their feetרַ֭גְלֵיהֶםRag.lei.hemH7272runיָר֑וּצוּya.Ru.tzuH7323to evilלָרַ֣עla.Ra'H7451,and make hasteוִֽ֝ימַהֲר֗וּvi.ma.ha.RuH4116to shedלִשְׁפָּךְ־lish.pokh-H8210bloodדָּֽם׃DamH1818.

17Surely in vainחִ֭נָּםChi.nomH2600the netהָרָ֑שֶׁתha.Ra.shetH7568is spreadמְזֹרָ֣הme.zo.RahH2219in the sightבְּ֝עֵינֵ֗יbe.'ei.NeiH5869of any birdבַּ֥עַל כָּנָֽף׃Ba.'al ka.NafH3671 H1167.

18And they lay waitיֶאֱרֹ֑בוּye.'e.RouH693for their ownbloodלְדָמָ֣םle.da.MamH1818;they lurk privilyיִ֝צְפְּנ֗וּyitz.pe.NuH6845for their ownlivesלְנַפְשֹׁתָֽם׃le.naf.sho.TamH5315.

19So arethe waysאָ֭רְחוֹת'A.re.chotH734of every one that is greedyבֹּ֣צֵֽעַBo.tze.a'H1214of gainבָּ֑צַעBa.tza'H1215; whichtaketh awayיִקָּֽח׃ פyi.KachH3947the lifeנֶ֖פֶשׁNe.feshH5315of the ownersבְּעָלָ֣יוbe.'a.LavH1167thereof.

20WisdomH2454criethתָּרֹ֑נָּהta.Ro.nahH7442withoutבַּח֣וּץba.ChutzH2351;she utterethתִּתֵּ֥ןti.TenH5414her voiceקוֹלָֽהּ׃ko.LahH6963in the streetsבָּ֝רְחֹב֗וֹתba.re.cho.VotH7339:

21She criethתִּ֫קְרָ֥אtik.Ra'H7121in the chief placeבְּרֹ֥אשׁbe.RoshH7218of concourseהֹמִיּ֗וֹתho.mi.YotH1993,in the openingsבְּפִתְחֵ֖יbe.fit.CheiH6607of the gatesשְׁעָרִ֥יםshe.'a.RimH8179:in the cityבָּעִ֗ירba.'IrH5892she utterethתֹאמֵֽר׃to.MerH559her wordsאֲמָרֶ֥יהָ'a.ma.Rei.haH561, saying,

22How long, ye simple onesפְּתָיִם֮pe.ta.YimH6612,will ye loveתְּֽאֵהֲב֫וּte.'e.ha.VuH157simplicityפֶ֥תִיFe.tiH6612?and the scornersוְלֵצִ֗יםve.le.TzimH3887delightחָמְד֣וּcha.me.DuH2530in their scorningלָ֭צוֹןLa.tzonH3944,and foolsוּ֝כְסִילִ֗יםu.khe.si.LimH3684hateיִשְׂנְאוּ־yis.ne.'u-H8130knowledgeדָֽעַת׃Da.'atH1847?

23Turnתָּשׁ֗וּבוּta.Shu.vuH7725you at my reproofלְֽת֫וֹכַחְתִּ֥יle.To.khach.TiH8433:behold, I will pour outאַבִּ֣יעָה'a.Bi.'ahH5042my spiritרוּחִ֑יru.ChiH7307unto you, I will make knownאוֹדִ֖יעָה'o.Di.'ahH3045my wordsדְבָרַ֣יde.va.RaiH1697unto you.

24Because I have calledקָ֭רָאתִיKa.ra.tiH7121,and ye refusedוַתְּמָאֵ֑נוּva.te.ma.'E.nuH3985;I have stretched outנָטִ֥יתִיna.Ti.tiH5186my handיָ֝דִ֗יya.DiH3027,and no man regardedמַקְשִֽׁיב׃mak.ShivH7181;

25But ye have set at noughtוַתִּפְרְע֥וּva.tif.re.'UH6544all my counselעֲצָתִ֑י'a.tza.TiH6098,and wouldאֲבִיתֶֽם׃'a.vi.TemH14none of my reproofוְ֝תוֹכַחְתִּ֗יve.to.khach.TiH8433:

26I also will laughאֶשְׂחָ֑ק'es.ChakH7832at your calamityבְּאֵידְכֶ֣םbe.'ei.de.KhemH343;I will mockאֶ֝לְעַ֗ג'el.'AgH3932when your fearפַחְדְּכֶֽם׃fach.de.KhemH6343comethבְּבֹ֣אbe.Vo'H935;

27When your fearפַּחְדְּכֶ֗םpach.de.KhemH6343comethבְּבֹ֤אbe.Vo'H935as desolationכְשׁוֹאָ֨הkhe.sha.'a.vahH7584 H7722,and your destructionוְֽ֭אֵידְכֶםVe.'ei.de.khemH343comethיֶאֱתֶ֑הye.'e.TehH857as a whirlwindכְּסוּפָ֣הke.su.FahH5492;when distressצָרָ֥הtza.RahH6869and anguishוְצוּקָֽה׃ve.tzu.KahH6695comethבְּבֹ֥אbe.Vo'H935upon you.

28Then shall they callיִ֭קְרָאֻנְנִיYik.ra.'u.niH7121upon me, but I will not answerאֶֽעֱנֶ֑ה'e.'e.NehH6030;they shall seek me earlyיְ֝שַׁחֲרֻ֗נְנִיye.sha.cha.Ru.niH7836,but they shall not findיִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי׃yim.tza.'U.niH4672me:

29For that they hatedשָׂ֣נְאוּSa.ne.'uH8130knowledgeדָ֑עַתDa.'atH1847,and did not chooseבָחָֽרוּ׃va.Cha.ruH977the fearוְיִרְאַ֥תve.yir.'AtH3374of Yhwhיְ֝הֹוָ֗הYah.wehH3068:

30They wouldאָב֥וּ'a.VuH14none of my counselלַעֲצָתִ֑יla.'a.tza.TiH6098:they despisedנָ֝אֲצ֗וּna.'a.TzuH5006all my reproofתּוֹכַחְתִּֽי׃to.khach.TiH8433.

31Therefore shall they eatוְֽ֭יֹאכְלוּVe.yo.khe.luH398of the fruitמִפְּרִ֣יmi.pe.RiH6529of their own wayדַרְכָּ֑םdar.KamH1870,and be filledיִשְׂבָּֽעוּ׃yis.Ba.'uH7646with their own devicesוּֽמִמֹּעֲצֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣םu.mi.mo.'a.Tzo.tei.HemH4156.

32For the turning awayמְשׁוּבַ֣תme.shu.VatH4878of the simpleפְּתָיִ֣םpe.ta.YimH6612shall slayתַּֽהַרְגֵ֑םta.har.GemH2026them, and the prosperityוְשַׁלְוַ֖תve.shal.VatH7962of foolsכְּסִילִ֣יםke.si.LimH3684shall destroyתְּאַבְּדֵֽם׃te.'a.be.DemH6them.

33But whoso hearkenethוְשֹׁמֵ֣עַֽve.sho.Me.a'H8085unto me shall dwellיִשְׁכָּן־yish.kon-H7931safelyבֶּ֑טַחBe.tachH983,and shall be quietוְ֝שַׁאֲנַ֗ןve.sha.'a.NanH7599from fearמִפַּ֥חַדmi.Pa.chadH6343of evilרָעָֽה׃ פra.'AhH7451.

Commentaries on Proverbs 1