The Way of Wisdom
(Proverbs 1:1–7)

1  חָ֭כְמוֹת (Wisdom) בָּנְתָ֣ה (has built) בֵיתָ֑הּ (her house);

חָצְבָ֖ה (she has hewn out) עַמּוּדֶ֣יהָ (her pillars) שִׁבְעָֽה׃ (seven).

2  טָבְחָ֣ה (She has slaughtered) טִ֭בְחָהּ (her slaughter); מָסְכָ֣ה (she has mixed) יֵינָ֑הּ (her wine);

אַ֝֗ף (indeed) עָֽרְכָ֥ה (she has arranged) שֻׁלְחָנָֽהּ׃ (her table).

3  שָֽׁלְחָ֣ה (She has sent out) נַעֲרֹתֶ֣יהָ (her maidens);

תִקְרָ֑א (she calls out) עַל־ (on) גַּ֝פֵּ֗י (the tops) מְרֹ֣מֵי (of the heights) קָֽרֶת׃ (of the city).

4  מִי־ (Who is) פֶ֭תִי (simple), יָסֻ֣ר (let him turn) הֵ֑נָּה (in here)!

חֲסַר־ (To the lacking) לֵ֝֗ב (of heart), אָ֣מְרָה (she says) לּֽוֹ׃ (to him).

5  לְ֭כוּ (Come), לַחֲמ֣וּ (feed) בְֽלַחֲמִ֑י (on my bread),

וּ֝שְׁת֗וּ (and drink) בְּיַ֣יִן (the wine) מָסָֽכְתִּי׃ (I have mixed).

6  עִזְב֣וּ (Forsake) פְתָאיִ֣ם (foolishness) וִֽחְי֑וּ (and live),

וְ֝אִשְׁר֗וּ (and walk) בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ (in the way) בִּינָֽה׃ (of understanding).

7  יֹ֤סֵ֨ר׀ (The one correcting) לֵ֗ץ (one scoffing) לֹקֵ֣חַֽ (is receiving) ל֣וֹ (for himself) קָל֑וֹן (shame),

וּמוֹכִ֖יחַ (and the one rebuking) לְרָשָׁ֣ע (a wicked one), מוּמֽוֹ׃ (his blemish).

8  אַל־ (Not) תּ֣וֹכַח (do rebuke) לֵ֭ץ (one scoffing), פֶּן־ (lest) יִשְׂנָאֶ֑ךָּ (he hate you).

הוֹכַ֥ח (Give reproof) לְ֝חָכָ֗ם (to a wise one), וְיֶאֱהָבֶֽךָּ׃ (and he will love you).

9  תֵּ֣ן (Give) לְ֭חָכָם (to a wise one), וְיֶחְכַּם־ (and he will be wiser) ע֑וֹד (still).

הוֹדַ֥ע (Give knowledge) לְ֝צַדִּ֗יק (to a righteous one) וְי֣וֹסֶף (and he will increase) לֶֽקַח׃פ (in learning).

10  תְּחִלַּ֣ת (The beginning) חָ֭כְמָה (of wisdom) יִרְאַ֣ת (is the fear) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH),

וְדַ֖עַת (and the knowledge) קְדֹשִׁ֣ים (of the Holy One) בִּינָֽה׃ (is understanding).

11  כִּי־ (For) בִ֭י (through me) יִרְבּ֣וּ (will be multiplied) יָמֶ֑יךָ (your days),

וְיוֹסִ֥יפוּ (and will be added) לְּ֝ךָ֗ (to you) שְׁנ֣וֹת (years) חַיִּֽים׃ (of life).

12  אִם־ (If) חָ֭כַמְתָּ (you have been wise), חָכַ֣מְתָּ (you have been wise) לָּ֑ךְ (for yourself),

וְ֝לַ֗צְתָּ (and if you have scoffed), לְֽבַדְּךָ֥ (for yourself alone) תִשָּֽׂא׃ (you will bear it).

The Way of Folly

13  אֵ֣שֶׁת (The woman) כְּ֭סִילוּת (of foolishness) הֹֽמִיָּ֑ה (roars),

פְּ֝תַיּ֗וּת (she is simple), וּבַל־ (and not) יָ֥דְעָה (she has known) מָּֽה׃ (anything).

14  וְֽ֭יָשְׁבָה (And she sits) לְפֶ֣תַח (at the door) בֵּיתָ֑הּ (of her house),

עַל־ (upon) כִּ֝סֵּ֗א (a seat) מְרֹ֣מֵי (in the heights) קָֽרֶת׃ (of the city),

15  לִקְרֹ֥א (to call) לְעֹֽבְרֵי־ (to those passing by) דָ֑רֶךְ (the way),

הַֽ֝מְיַשְּׁרִ֗ים (those going straight) אֹֽרְחוֹתָֽם׃ (on their paths).

16  מִי־ (Who is) פֶ֭תִי (simple), יָסֻ֣ר (let him turn) הֵ֑נָּה (in here)!

וַחֲסַר־ (And the lacking) לֵ֝֗ב (of heart), וְאָ֣מְרָה (and she says) לּֽוֹ׃ (to him).

17  מַֽיִם־ (Waters) גְּנוּבִ֥ים (stolen) יִמְתָּ֑קוּ (are sweet),

וְלֶ֖חֶם (and bread) סְתָרִ֣ים (of secrecies) יִנְעָֽם׃ (is pleasant).

18  וְֽלֹא־ (Not) יָ֭דַע (does he know) כִּֽי־ (that) רְפָאִ֣ים (the Rephaim) שָׁ֑ם (are there)—

בְּעִמְקֵ֖י (that in the depths) שְׁא֣וֹל (of Sheol) קְרֻאֶֽיהָ׃פ (her called ones).