Revised Literal Translation

Proverbs 23

1When thou sittestתֵ֭שֵׁבTe.shevH3427to eatלִלְח֣וֹםlil.ChomH3898with a rulerמוֹשֵׁ֑לmo.ShelH4910,considerבִּ֥יןbinH995diligentlyתָּ֝בִ֗יןta.VinH995what isbeforeלְפָנֶֽיךָ׃le.fa.Nei.khaH6440thee:

2And putוְשַׂמְתָּ֣ve.sam.TaH7760a knifeשַׂכִּ֣יןsa.KinH7915to thy throatבְּלֹעֶ֑ךָbe.lo.'E.khaH3930, if thou bea man givenבַּ֖עַלBa.'alH1167to appetiteנֶ֣פֶשׁNe.feshH5315.

3Be not desirousתִּ֭תְאָיוtit.'oH183of his daintiesלְמַטְעַמּוֹתָ֑יוle.mat.'a.mo.TavH4303: for they aredeceitfulכְּזָבִֽים׃ke.za.VimH3577meatלֶ֣חֶםLe.chemH3899.

4Labourתִּיגַ֥עti.Ga'H3021not to be richלְֽהַעֲשִׁ֑ירle.ha.'a.ShirH6238:ceaseחֲדָֽל׃cha.DalH2308from thine own wisdomמִֽבִּינָתְךָ֥mi.bi.na.te.KhaH998.

5Wilt thou setהֲתָ֤עִיףha.ta.'ufH5774thine eyesעֵינֶ֥יךָ'ei.Nei.khaH5869upon that which is not? for richescertainlyעָשֹׂ֣ה'a.SohH6213makeיַעֲשֶׂה־ya.'a.seh-H6213themselves wingsכְנָפַ֑יִםkhe.na.Fa.yimH3671;they fly awayיָע֥וּףve.'a.yefH5774as an eagleכְּ֝נֶ֗שֶׁרke.Ne.sherH5404toward heavenהַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ פha.sha.Ma.yimH8064.

6Eatתִּלְחַ֗םtil.ChamH3898thou not the breadלֶ֭חֶםLe.chemH3899of him that hathan evilרַ֣עra'H7451eyeעָ֑יִן'A.yinH5869,neither desireתִּ֝תְאָ֗יוtit.'avH183thou his dainty meatsלְמַטְעַמֹּתָֽיו׃le.mat.'a.mo.TavH4303:

7For as he thinkethשָׁעַ֥רsha.'ArH8176in his heartבְּנַפְשׁ֗וֹbe.naf.ShoH5315, so ishe: Eatאֱכֹ֣ל'e.KholH398and drinkוּ֭שְׁתֵהU.she.tehH8354,saithיֹ֣אמַרYo.marH559he to thee; but his heartוְ֝לִבּ֗וֹve.li.BoH3820is not with thee.

8The morselפִּֽתְּךָ־pi.te.kha-H6595whichthou hast eatenאָכַ֥לְתָּ'a.Khal.taH398shalt thou vomit upתְקִיאֶ֑נָּהte.ki.'E.nahH6958,and loseוְ֝שִׁחַ֗תָּve.shi.Cha.taH7843thy sweetהַנְּעִימִֽים׃ha.ne.'i.MimH5273wordsדְּבָרֶ֥יךָde.va.Rei.khaH1697.

9Speakתְּדַבֵּ֑רte.da.BerH1696not in the earsבְּאָזְנֵ֣יbe.'a.ze.NeiH241of a foolכְ֭סִילKhe.silH3684:for he will despiseיָ֝ב֗וּזya.VuzH936the wisdomלְשֵׂ֣כֶלle.Se.khelH7922of thy wordsמִלֶּֽיךָ׃mi.Lei.khaH4405.

10Removeתַּ֭סֵּגTa.segH5253not the oldעוֹלָ֑םo.LamH5769landmarkגְּב֣וּלge.VulH1366;and enterתָּבֹֽא׃ta.Vo'H935not into the fieldsוּבִשְׂדֵ֥יu.vis.DeiH7704of the fatherlessיְ֝תוֹמִ֗יםye.to.MimH3490:

11For their redeemerגֹאֲלָ֥םgo.'a.LamH1350ismightyחָזָ֑קcha.ZakH2389;he shall pleadיָרִ֖יבya.RivH7378their causeרִיבָ֣םri.VamH7379with thee.

12Applyהָבִ֣יאָהha.Vi.'ahH935thine heartלִבֶּ֑ךָli.Be.khaH3820unto instructionלַמּוּסָ֣רla.mu.SarH4148,and thine earsוְ֝אָזְנֶ֗ךָve.'a.ze.Ne.khaH241to the wordsלְאִמְרֵי־le.'im.rei-H561of knowledgeדָֽעַת׃Da.'atH1847.

13Withholdתִּמְנַ֣עtim.Na'H4513not correctionמוּסָ֑רmu.SarH4148from the childמִנַּ֣עַרmi.Na.'arH5288: for ifthou beatestתַכֶּ֥נּוּta.Ke.nuH5221him with the rodבַ֝שֵּׁ֗בֶטva.She.vetH7626,he shall not dieיָמֽוּת׃ya.MutH4191.

14Thou shalt beatתַּכֶּ֑נּוּta.Ke.nuH5221him with the rodבַּשֵּׁ֣בֶטba.She.vetH7626,and shalt deliverתַּצִּֽיל׃ta.TzilH5337his soulוְ֝נַפְשׁ֗וֹve.naf.ShoH5315from hellמִשְּׁא֥וֹלmi.she.'olH7585.

15My sonבְּ֭נִיBe.niH1121,if thine heartלִבֶּ֑ךָli.Be.khaH3820be wiseחָכַ֣םcha.KhamH2449,my heartלִבִּ֣יli.BiH3820shall rejoiceיִשְׂמַ֖חyis.MachH8055,even mineאָֽנִי׃'A.niH589.

16Yea, my reinsכִלְיוֹתָ֑יkhil.yo.TaiH3629shall rejoiceוְתַעְלֹ֥זְנָהve.ta'.Lo.ze.nahH5937,when thy lipsשְׂ֝פָתֶ֗יךָSe.fa.Tei.khaH8193speakבְּדַבֵּ֥רbe.da.BerH1696right thingsמֵישָׁרִֽים׃mei.sha.RimH4339.

17Let not thine heartלִ֭בְּךָLi.be.khaH3820envyיְקַנֵּ֣אye.ka.Ne'H7065sinnersבַּֽחַטָּאִ֑יםba.cha.ta.'ImH2400: but be thouin the fearבְּיִרְאַת־be.yir.'at-H3374of Yhwhיְ֝הוָ֗הYah.wehH3068all the dayהַיּֽוֹם׃hai.YomH3117long.

18For surely there isיֵ֣שׁyeshH3426an endאַחֲרִ֑ית'a.cha.RitH319;and thine expectationוְ֝תִקְוָתְךָ֗ve.tik.va.te.chaH8615shall not be cut offתִכָּרֵֽת׃ti.ka.RetH3772.

19Hearשְׁמַע־she.ma'-H8085thou, my sonבְנִ֣יve.NiH1121,and be wiseוַחֲכָ֑םva.cha.KhamH2449,and guideוְאַשֵּׁ֖רve.'a.SherH833thine heartלִבֶּֽךָ׃li.Be.khaH3820in the wayבַּדֶּ֣רֶךְba.De.rekhH1870.

20Be not among winebibbersבְסֹֽבְאֵי־ יָ֑יִןve.soe.'ei- Ya.yinH5433 H3196;among riotous eatersבְּזֹלֲלֵ֖יbe.zo.la.LeiH2151of fleshבָשָׂ֣רva.SarH1320:

21For the drunkardסֹבֵ֣אso.Ve'H5433and the gluttonוְ֭זוֹלֵלVe.zo.lelH2151shall come to povertyיִוָּרֵ֑שׁyi.va.ReshH3423:and drowsinessנוּמָֽה׃nu.MahH5124shall clotheתַּלְבִּ֥ישׁtal.BishH3847a manwith ragsוּ֝קְרָעִ֗יםu.ke.ra.'ImH7168.

22Hearkenשְׁמַ֣עshe.Ma'H8085unto thy fatherלְ֭אָבִיךָLe.'a.vi.khaH1that begatיְלָדֶ֑ךָye.la.De.khaH3205thee, and despiseתָּ֝ב֗וּזta.VuzH936not thy motherאִמֶּֽךָ׃'i.Me.khaH517when she is oldזָקְנָ֥הza.ke.NahH2204.

23Buyקְ֭נֵהKe.nehH7069the truthאֱמֶ֣ת'e.MetH571,and sellתִּמְכֹּ֑רtim.KorH4376it not; alsowisdomחָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahH2451,and instructionוּמוּסָ֣רu.mu.SarH4148,and understandingוּבִינָֽה׃u.vi.NahH998.

24The fatherאֲבִ֣י'a.ViH1of the righteousצַדִּ֑יקtza.DikH6662shall greatlyH1524rejoiceH1523:and he that begettethוְיוֹלֵ֥דve.yo.ledH3205a wiseחָ֝כָ֗םcha.KhamH2450childshall have joyH8055of him.

25Thy fatherאָבִ֥יךָ'a.Vi.khaH1and thy motherוְאִמֶּ֑ךָve.'i.Me.khaH517shall be gladיִֽשְׂמַח־yis.mach-H8055,and she that bareיֽוֹלַדְתֶּֽךָ׃Yo.lad.Te.khaH3205thee shall rejoiceוְ֝תָגֵ֗לve.ta.GelH1523.

26My sonבְנִ֣יve.NiH1121,giveתְּנָֽה־te.nah-H5414me thine heartלִבְּךָ֣li.be.KhaH3820,and let thine eyesוְ֝עֵינֶ֗יךָve.'ei.Nei.khaH5869observeתִּצֹּֽרְנָה׃tir.tze.nahH5341 H7521my waysדְּרָכַ֥יde.ra.KhaiH1870.

27For a whoreזוֹנָ֑הzo.NahH2181isa deepעֲמֻקָּ֣ה'a.mu.KahH6013ditchשׁוּחָ֣הshu.ChahH7745;and a strange womanנָכְרִיָּֽה׃na.khe.ri.YahH5237isa narrowצָ֝רָ֗הtza.RahH6862pitוּבְאֵ֥רu.ve.'ErH875.

28She also lieth in waitתֶּֽאֱרֹ֑בte.'e.RoH693as fora preyכְּחֶ֣תֶףke.Che.tefH2863,and increasethתּוֹסִֽף׃to.SifH3254the transgressorsוּ֝בוֹגְדִ֗יםu.Vog.DimH898among menבְּאָדָ֥םbe.'a.DamH120.

29Who hath woeא֥וֹי'oH188?who hath sorrowאֲב֡וֹי'a.VoH17?who hath contentionsמִדְיָנִ֨יםmi.do.nimH4066 H4079?who hath babblingשִׂ֗יחַSi.achH7879?who hath woundsפְּצָעִ֣יםpe.tza.'ImH6482without causeחִנָּ֑םchi.NamH2600?who hath rednessחַכְלִל֥וּתchakh.li.LutH2448of eyesעֵינָֽיִם׃'ei.Na.yimH5869?

30They that tarry longלַֽמְאַחֲרִ֥יםlam.'a.cha.RimH309at the wineהַיָּ֑יִןhai.Ya.yinH3196;they that goלַ֝בָּאִ֗יםla.ba.'ImH935to seekלַחְקֹ֥רlach.KorH2713mixed wineמִמְסָֽךְ׃mi.SakhH4469.

31Lookתֵּ֥רֶאTe.re'H7200not thou upon the wineיַיִן֮ya.YinH3196when it is redיִתְאַ֫דָּ֥םyit.'A.DamH119,when it givethיִתֵּ֣ןyi.TenH5414his colourעֵינ֑וֹei.NoH5869in the cupבַּכּ֣וֹסba.kisH3599 H3563, whenit movethיִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ךְyit.ha.LekhH1980itself arightבְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃be.mei.sha.RimH4339.

32At the lastאַ֭חֲרִיתוֹ'a.cha.ri.toH319it bitethיִשָּׁ֑ךְyi.ShakhH5391like a serpentכְּנָחָ֣שׁke.na.ChashH5175,and stingethיַפְרִֽשׁ׃yaf.RishH6567like an adderוּֽכְצִפְעֹנִ֥יu.khe.tzif.'o.NiH6848.

33Thine eyesעֵ֭ינֶיךָ'Ei.nei.khaH5869shall beholdיִרְא֣וּyir.'UH7200strange womenזָר֑וֹתza.RotH2114,and thine heartוְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ve.li.be.khaH3820shall utterיְדַבֵּ֥רye.da.BerH1696perverse thingsתַּהְפֻּכֽוֹת׃tah.pu.KhotH8419.

34Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth downכְּשֹׁכֵ֣בke.sho.KhevH7901in the midstבְּלֶב־be.lev-H3820of the seaיָ֑םYamH3220,or as he that liethוּ֝כְשֹׁכֵ֗בu.khe.sho.KhevH7901upon the topבְּרֹ֣אשׁbe.RoshH7218of a mastחִבֵּֽל׃chi.BelH2260.

35They have strickenהִכּ֥וּנִיhi.Ku.niH5221me, shalt thou say, andI was not sickחָלִיתִי֮cha.li.TiH2470;they have beatenהֲלָמ֗וּנִיha.la.Mu.niH1986me, andI feltיָ֫דָ֥עְתִּיya.Da.'e.tiH3045itnot: when shall I awakeאָקִ֑יץ'a.KitzH6974?I will seekאֲבַקְשֶׁ֥נּוּ'a.vak.She.nuH1245it yetא֝וֹסִ֗יף'o.SifH3254again.

Commentaries on Proverbs 23