18There be threeשְׁלֹשָׁ֣הshe.lo.ShahH7969things whichare too wonderfulנִפְלְא֣וּnif.le.'UH6381for me, yea, fourוְ֝אַרְבָּעָ֗הve.'ar.ba'H702which I knowיְדַעְתִּֽים׃ye.da'.TimH3045not:
19The wayדֶּ֤רֶךְDe.rekhH1870of an eagleהַנֶּ֨שֶׁר׀ha.Ne.sherH5404in the airבַּשָּׁמַיִם֮ba.sha.ma.YimH8064;the wayדֶּ֥רֶךְDe.rekhH1870of a serpentנָחָ֗שׁna.ChashH5175upon a rockצ֥וּרtzurH6697;the wayדֶּֽרֶךְ־de.rekh-H1870of a shipאֳנִיָּ֥ה'o.ni.YahH591in the midstבְלֶב־ve.lev-H3820of the seaיָ֑םYamH3220;and the wayוְדֶ֖רֶךְve.De.rekhH1870of a manגֶּ֣בֶרGe.verH1397with a maidבְּעַלְמָֽה׃be.'al.MahH5959.
20Such isthe wayדֶּ֥רֶךְDe.rekhH1870of an adulterousמְנָ֫אָ֥פֶתme.Na.'A.fetH5003womanאִשָּׁ֗ה'i.ShahH802;she eatethאָ֭כְלָה'A.khe.lahH398,and wipethוּמָ֣חֲתָהu.Ma.cha.tahH4229her mouthפִ֑יהָFi.haH6310,and saithוְ֝אָמְרָ֗הve.'a.me.RahH559,I have doneפָעַ֥לְתִּיfa.'Al.tiH6466no wickednessאָֽוֶן׃ פ'A.venH205.
21For threeשָׁ֭לוֹשׁSha.lo.oshH7969thingsthe earthאֶ֑רֶץ'E.retzH776is disquietedרָ֣גְזָהRa.ge.zahH7264,and for fourאַ֝רְבַּ֗ע'ar.Ba'H702whichit cannotתוּכַ֥לtu.KhalH3201bearשְׂאֵֽת׃se.'EtH5375:
22For a servantעֶ֭בֶד'E.vedH5650when he reignethיִמְל֑וֹךְyim.LokhH4427;and a foolוְ֝נָבָ֗לve.na.ValH5036when he is filledיִֽשְׂבַּֽע־yis.ba'-H7646with meatלָֽחֶם׃La.chemH3899;
23For an odiousשְׂ֭נוּאָהSe.nu.'ahH8130womanwhen she is marriedתִבָּעֵ֑לti.ba.'ElH1166;and an handmaidוְ֝שִׁפְחָ֗הve.shif.ChahH8198that is heirתִירַ֥שׁti.RashH3423to her mistressגְּבִרְתָּֽהּ׃ פge.vir.TahH1404.
24There be fourאַרְבָּ֣עָה'ar.Ba.'ahH702things which arelittleקְטַנֵּי־ke.ta.nei-H6996upon the earthאָ֑רֶץ'A.retzH776, but they areexceedingמְחֻכָּמִֽים׃me.chu.ka.MimH2449wiseחֲכָמִ֥יםcha.kha.MimH2450:
25The antsהַ֭נְּמָלִיםHa.ne.ma.limH5244area peopleעַ֣ם'amH5971not strongעָ֑ז'AzH5794,yet they prepareוַיָּכִ֖ינוּvai.ya.Khi.nuH3559their meatלַחְמָֽם׃lach.MamH3899in the summerבַקַּ֣יִץva.Ka.yitzH7019;
26The coniesשְׁ֭פַנִּיםShe.fa.nimH8227are buta feebleעָצ֑וּם'a.TzumH6099folkעַ֣ם'amH5971,yet makeוַיָּשִׂ֖ימוּvai.ya.Si.muH7760they their housesבֵּיתָֽם׃bei.TamH1004in the rocksבַסֶּ֣לַעva.Se.la'H5553;
27The locustsלָאַרְבֶּ֑הla.'ar.BehH697have no kingמֶ֭לֶךְMe.lekhH4428,yet go they forthוַיֵּצֵ֖אvai.ye.Tze'H3318all of them by bandsחֹצֵ֣ץcho.TzetzH2686;
28The spiderשְׂ֭מָמִיתSe.ma.mitH8079taketh holdתְּתַפֵּ֑שׂte.ta.PesH8610with her handsבְּיָדַ֣יִםbe.ya.Da.yimH3027,and is in kings’מֶֽלֶךְ׃ פMe.lekhH4428palacesבְּהֵ֣יכְלֵיbe.Hei.khe.leiH1964.
29There be threeשְׁלֹשָׁ֣הshe.lo.ShahH7969thingswhich goצָ֑עַדTza.'adH6806wellH3190,yea, fourוְ֝אַרְבָּעָ֗הve.'ar.ba.'AhH702are comelyH2895in goingH3212:
30A lionלַ֭יִשׁLa.yishH3918which isstrongestגִּבּ֣וֹרgi.BorH1368among beastsבַּבְּהֵמָ֑הba.be.he.MahH929,and turneth not awayיָ֝שׁ֗וּבya.ShuvH7725forמִפְּנֵי־mi.pe.nei-H6440any;
31A greyhoundזַרְזִ֣יר מָתְנַ֣יִםzar.Zir ma.te.Na.yimH2223H4975;an he goatתָ֑יִשׁTa.yishH8495alsoאוֹ־'ov-H176;and a kingוּ֝מֶ֗לֶךְu.Me.lekhH4428, against whom there isno rising upאַלְק֥וּם'al.KumH510.
Commentaries