The Beginning of Knowledge
(Proverbs 9:1–12)

1  מִ֭שְׁלֵי (The proverbs) שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה (of Solomon) בֶן־ (son) דָּוִ֑ד (of David),

מֶ֝֗לֶךְ (king) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (of Israel),

2  לָדַ֣עַת (for knowing) חָכְמָ֣ה (wisdom) וּמוּסָ֑ר (and discipline),

לְ֝הָבִ֗ין (for discerning) אִמְרֵ֥י (words) בִינָֽה׃ (of understanding),

3  לָ֭קַחַת (for receiving) מוּסַ֣ר (the instruction) הַשְׂכֵּ֑ל (of wisdom),

צֶ֥דֶק (righteousness) וּ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט (and justice), וּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃ (and uprightness),

4  לָתֵ֣ת (for giving) לִפְתָאיִ֣ם (to the simple ones) עָרְמָ֑ה (prudence),

לְ֝נַ֗עַר (to a youth) דַּ֣עַת (knowledge) וּמְזִמָּֽה׃ (and discretion).

5  יִשְׁמַ֣ע (Let hear) חָ֭כָם (the wise) וְי֣וֹסֶף (and add to) לֶ֑קַח (instruction),

וְ֝נָב֗וֹן (and the discerning) תַּחְבֻּל֥וֹת (wise counsel) יִקְנֶֽה׃ (acquire),

6  לְהָבִ֣ין (to understand) מָ֭שָׁל (a proverb) וּמְלִיצָ֑ה (and a parable),

דִּבְרֵ֥י (the words) חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים (of the wise ones) וְחִידֹתָֽם׃ (and their riddles).

7  יִרְאַ֣ת (The fear) יְ֭הוָה (of YHWH) רֵאשִׁ֣ית (is the beginning) דָּ֑עַת (of knowledge);

חָכְמָ֥ה (wisdom) וּ֝מוּסָ֗ר (and instruction) אֱוִילִ֥ים (fools) בָּֽזוּ׃פ (have despised).

The Enticement of Sin

8  שְׁמַ֣ע (Hear), בְּ֭נִי (my son), מוּסַ֣ר (the discipline) אָבִ֑יךָ (of your father),

וְאַל־ (and do not) תִּ֝טֹּ֗שׁ (forsake) תּוֹרַ֥ת (the instruction) אִמֶּֽךָ׃ (of your mother).

9  כִּ֤י׀ (For) לִוְיַ֤ת (a garland) חֵ֓ן (of grace) הֵ֬ם (they are) לְרֹאשֶׁ֑ךָ (to your head),

וַ֝עֲנָקִ֗ים (and pendants) לְגַרְגְּרֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (for your neck).

10  בְּנִ֡י (My son), אִם־ (if) יְפַתּ֥וּךָ (should entice you) חַ֝טָּאִ֗ים (sinners),

אַל־ (not) תֹּבֵֽא׃ (be willing).

11  אִם־ (If) יֹאמְרוּ֮ (they say), לְכָ֪ה (Come) אִ֫תָּ֥נוּ (with us), נֶאֶרְבָ֥ה (let us lie in wait) לְדָ֑ם (for blood),

נִצְפְּנָ֖ה (let us hide) לְנָקִ֣י (for the innocent one) חִנָּֽם׃ (without cause);

12  נִ֭בְלָעֵם (let us swallow them) כִּשְׁא֣וֹל (like Sheol) חַיִּ֑ים (alive)

וּ֝תְמִימִ֗ים (and complete) כְּי֣וֹרְדֵי (like those descending) בֽוֹר׃ (into the Pit);

13  כָּל־ (all) ה֣וֹן (wealth) יָקָ֣ר (precious) נִמְצָ֑א (we will find);

נְמַלֵּ֖א (we will fill) בָתֵּ֣ינוּ (our houses) שָׁלָֽל׃ (with plunder);

14  גּ֭וֹרָ֣לְךָ (your lot) תַּפִּ֣יל (let fall) בְּתוֹכֵ֑נוּ (in our midst);

כִּ֥יס (a purse) אֶ֝חָ֗ד (one) יִהְיֶ֥ה (there shall be) לְכֻלָּֽנוּ׃ (for all of us).

15  בְּנִ֗י (My son), אַל־ (do not) תֵּלֵ֣ךְ (walk) בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ (in the way) אִתָּ֑ם (with them);

מְנַ֥ע (withhold) רַ֝גְלְךָ֗ (your foot) מִנְּתִיבָתָֽם׃ (from their path),

16  כִּ֣י (for) רַ֭גְלֵיהֶם (their feet) לָרַ֣ע (to evil) יָר֑וּצוּ (run),

וִֽ֝ימַהֲר֗וּ (and they are swift) לִשְׁפָּךְ־ (to shed) דָּֽם׃ (blood).

17  כִּֽי־ (For) חִ֭נָּם (in vain) מְזֹרָ֣ה (is spread) הָרָ֑שֶׁת (the net)

בְּ֝עֵינֵ֗י (in the eyes) כָל־ (of any) בַּ֥עַל (owner)— כָּנָֽף׃ (of the wing).

18  וְ֭הֵם (And they) לְדָמָ֣ם (for their own blood) יֶאֱרֹ֑בוּ (lie in wait);

יִ֝צְפְּנ֗וּ (they lurk) לְנַפְשֹׁתָֽם׃ (for their own souls).

19  כֵּ֗ן (Such) אָ֭רְחוֹת (are the ways) כָּל־ (of everyone) בֹּ֣צֵֽעַ (being greedy) בָּ֑צַע (for dishonest gain);

אֶת־ (-) נֶ֖פֶשׁ (the soul) בְּעָלָ֣יו (of its masters) יִקָּֽח׃פ (it takes away).

Wisdom Calls Aloud

20  חָ֭כְמוֹת (Wisdom) בַּח֣וּץ (in the street) תָּרֹ֑נָּה (calls aloud);

בָּ֝רְחֹב֗וֹת (in the open squares) תִּתֵּ֥ן (she gives forth) קוֹלָֽהּ׃ (her voice).

21  בְּרֹ֥אשׁ (At the head) הֹמִיּ֗וֹת (of the clamoring) תִּ֫קְרָ֥א (she cries out);

בְּפִתְחֵ֖י (at the openings) שְׁעָרִ֥ים (of the gates) בָּעִ֗יר (in the city) אֲמָרֶ֥יהָ (her words) תֹאמֵֽר׃ (she speaks):

22  עַד־ (Until) מָתַ֣י׀ (when) פְּתָיִם֮ (O simple ones), תְּֽאֵהֲב֫וּ (will you⁺ love) פֶ֥תִי (simplicity),

וְלֵצִ֗ים (and those mocking) לָ֭צוֹן (in mockery) חָמְד֣וּ (delight) לָהֶ֑ם (themselves),

וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים (and the foolish ones) יִשְׂנְאוּ־ (hate) דָֽעַת׃ (knowledge)?

23  תָּשׁ֗וּבוּ (Turn back) לְֽת֫וֹכַחְתִּ֥י (at my rebuke);

הִנֵּ֤ה (behold) אַבִּ֣יעָה (I will pour out) לָכֶ֣ם (on you⁺) רוּחִ֑י (my spirit);

אוֹדִ֖יעָה (I will make known) דְבָרַ֣י (my words) אֶתְכֶֽם׃ (to you⁺).

24  יַ֣עַן (Instead) קָ֭רָאתִי (I have called) וַתְּמָאֵ֑נוּ (and you⁺ refused),

נָטִ֥יתִי (I have stretched out) יָ֝דִ֗י (my hand) וְאֵ֣ין (and no one) מַקְשִֽׁיב׃ (is paying attention),

25  וַתִּפְרְע֥וּ (and you⁺ have neglected) כָל־ (all) עֲצָתִ֑י (my counsel),

וְ֝תוֹכַחְתִּ֗י (and to my rebuke) לֹ֣א (not) אֲבִיתֶֽם׃ (you⁺ did consent),

26  גַּם־ (also) אֲ֭נִי (I) בְּאֵידְכֶ֣ם (at your⁺ calamity) אֶשְׂחָ֑ק (will laugh).

אֶ֝לְעַ֗ג (I will mock) בְּבֹ֣א (the coming) פַחְדְּכֶֽם׃ (of your⁺ dread),

27  בְּבֹ֤א (comes) כְשַׁאֲוָה (like a storm) פַּחְדְּכֶ֗ם (your⁺ dread)

וְֽ֭אֵידְכֶם (and your⁺ calamity) כְּסוּפָ֣ה (like a whirlwind) יֶאֱתֶ֑ה (comes),

בְּבֹ֥א (in the coming) עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם (upon you⁺) צָרָ֥ה (of distress) וְצוּקָֽה׃ (and anguish),

28  אָ֣ז (then) יִ֭קְרָאֻנְנִי (they will call on me), וְלֹ֣א (and not) אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ה (will I answer);

יְ֝שַׁחֲרֻ֗נְנִי (they will seek me diligently), וְלֹ֣א (and not) יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי׃ (will they find me),

29  תַּ֭חַת (upon) כִּי־ (that) שָׂ֣נְאוּ (they hated) דָ֑עַת (knowledge),

וְיִרְאַ֥ת (and the fear) יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה (of YHWH) לֹ֣א (not) בָחָֽרוּ׃ (have they choosen).

30  לֹא־ (Not) אָב֥וּ (did they consent) לַעֲצָתִ֑י (to my counsel);

נָ֝אֲצ֗וּ (they have despised) כָּל־ (all) תּוֹכַחְתִּֽי׃ (my reproof).

31  וְֽ֭יֹאכְלוּ (And they shall eat) מִפְּרִ֣י (the fruit) דַרְכָּ֑ם (of their own way),

וּֽמִמֹּעֲצֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם (and from their own counsels) יִשְׂבָּֽעוּ׃ (they shall be filled).

32  כִּ֤י (For) מְשׁוּבַ֣ת (the turning away) פְּתָיִ֣ם (of the simple ones) תַּֽהַרְגֵ֑ם (slays them),

וְשַׁלְוַ֖ת (and the complacency) כְּסִילִ֣ים (of fools) תְּאַבְּדֵֽם׃ (destroys them).

33  וְשֹׁמֵ֣עַֽ (And the one listening) לִ֭י (to me) יִשְׁכָּן־ (will dwell) בֶּ֑טַח (in safety),

וְ֝שַׁאֲנַ֗ן (and will be at ease) מִפַּ֥חַד (from the dread) רָעָֽה׃פ (of evil).