The Benefits of Wisdom
1 בְּ֭נִי (My son), אִם־ (if) תִּקַּ֣ח (you receive) אֲמָרָ֑י (my words)
וּ֝מִצְוֺתַ֗י (and my commands) תִּצְפֹּ֥ן (and treasure) אִתָּֽךְ׃ (within you),
2 לְהַקְשִׁ֣יב (to make attentive) לַֽחָכְמָ֣ה (to wisdom) אָזְנֶ֑ךָ (your ear),
תַּטֶּ֥ה (you incline) לִ֝בְּךָ֗ (your heart) לַתְּבוּנָֽה׃ (to understanding),
3 כִּ֤י (for) אִ֣ם (if) לַבִּינָ֣ה (for understanding) תִקְרָ֑א (you call out)
לַ֝תְּבוּנָ֗ה (and for insight) תִּתֵּ֥ן (you give forth) קוֹלֶֽךָ׃ (your voice),
4 אִם־ (if) תְּבַקְשֶׁ֥נָּה (you seek her) כַכָּ֑סֶף (like silver),
וְֽכַמַּטְמוֹנִ֥ים (and like hidden treasures) תַּחְפְּשֶֽׂנָּה׃ (you search for her),
5 אָ֗ז (then) תָּ֭בִין (you will understand) יִרְאַ֣ת (the fear) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH),
וְדַ֖עַת (and the knowledge) אֱלֹהִ֣ים (of God) תִּמְצָֽא׃ (you will find).
6 כִּֽי־ (For) יְ֭הוָה (YHWH) יִתֵּ֣ן (gives) חָכְמָ֑ה (wisdom);
מִ֝פִּ֗יו (from His mouth is) דַּ֣עַת (knowledge) וּתְבוּנָֽה׃ (and understanding).
7 וְצָפַן (He stores up) לַ֭יְשָׁרִים (for the upright) תּוּשִׁיָּ֑ה (good sense)—
מָ֝גֵ֗ן (protection) לְהֹ֣לְכֵי (for those walking) תֹֽם׃ (with integrity).
8 לִ֭נְצֹר (He watches over) אָרְח֣וֹת (the paths) מִשְׁפָּ֑ט (of justice),
וְדֶ֖רֶךְ (and the way) חֲסִידוֹ (of His holy ones) יִשְׁמֹֽר׃ (He guards).
9 אָ֗ז (Then) תָּ֭בִין (you will understand) צֶ֣דֶק (righteousness) וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט (and justice) וּ֝מֵישָׁרִ֗ים (and uprightness)—
כָּל־ (every) מַעְגַּל־ (path) טֽוֹב׃ (of goodness).
10 כִּֽי־ (For) תָב֣וֹא (will enter) חָכְמָ֣ה (wisdom) בְלִבֶּ֑ךָ (into your heart),
וְ֝דַ֗עַת (and knowledge) לְֽנַפְשְׁךָ֥ (to your soul) יִנְעָֽם׃ (will be pleasant).
11 מְ֭זִמָּה (Discretion) תִּשְׁמֹ֥ר (will guard) עָלֶ֗יךָ (over you);
תְּבוּנָ֥ה (understanding) תִנְצְרֶֽכָּה׃ (will guard you),
12 לְ֭הַצִּ֣ילְךָ (to snatch you) מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ (from the way) רָ֑ע (of evil),
מֵ֝אִ֗ישׁ (from the man) מְדַבֵּ֥ר (speaking) תַּהְפֻּכֽוֹת׃ (perversity)—
13 הַ֭עֹ֣זְבִים (those abandoning) אָרְח֣וֹת (the paths) יֹ֑שֶׁר (of uprightness)
לָ֝לֶ֗כֶת (to walk) בְּדַרְכֵי־ (in the ways) חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ (of darkness),
14 הַ֭שְּׂמֵחִים (those glad) לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת (to do) רָ֑ע (evil)
יָ֝גִ֗ילוּ (they rejoice) בְּֽתַהְפֻּכ֥וֹת (in the perversity) רָֽע׃ (of evil),
15 אֲשֶׁ֣ר (whose) אָרְחֹתֵיהֶ֣ם (ways are) עִקְּשִׁ֑ים (crooked),
וּ֝נְלוֹזִ֗ים (and who are turning aside) בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָֽם׃ (in their paths)—
16 לְ֭הַצִּ֣ילְךָ (It will deliver you) מֵאִשָּׁ֣ה (from a woman) זָרָ֑ה (strange),
מִ֝נָּכְרִיָּ֗ה (from a foreign woman) אֲמָרֶ֥יהָ (her words) הֶחֱלִֽיקָה׃ (having made smooth).
17 הַ֭עֹזֶבֶת (The one having forsaken) אַלּ֣וּף (the guide) נְעוּרֶ֑יהָ (of her youth)
וְאֶת־ (and) בְּרִ֖ית (the covenant) אֱלֹהֶ֣יהָ (of her God) שָׁכֵֽחָה׃ (she has forgotten).
18 כִּ֤י (For) שָׁ֣חָה (sinks down) אֶל־ (to) מָ֣וֶת (death) בֵּיתָ֑הּ (her house),
וְאֶל־ (and to) רְ֝פָאִ֗ים (the Rephaim) מַעְגְּלֹתֶֽיהָ׃ (her paths).
19 כָּל־ (All) בָּ֭אֶיהָ (those coming to her) לֹ֣א (not) יְשׁוּב֑וּן (will return),
וְלֹֽא־ (none) יַ֝שִּׂ֗יגוּ (will they reach) אָרְח֥וֹת (the paths) חַיִּֽים׃ (of life).
20 לְמַ֗עַן (So) תֵּ֭לֵךְ (you must walk) בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ (in the way) טוֹבִ֑ים (of the good ones)
וְאָרְח֖וֹת (and the paths) צַדִּיקִ֣ים (of the righteous ones) תִּשְׁמֹֽר׃ (guard).
21 כִּֽי־ (For) יְשָׁרִ֥ים (the upright) יִשְׁכְּנוּ (will dwell in) אָ֑רֶץ (the land),
וּ֝תְמִימִ֗ים (and the blameless ones) יִוָּ֥תְרוּ (will remain) בָֽהּ׃ (in it).
22 וּ֭רְשָׁעִים (And the wicked) מֵאֶ֣רֶץ (from the earth) יִכָּרֵ֑תוּ (will be cut off), וּ֝בוֹגְדִ֗ים (and treacherous ones)
יִסְּח֥וּ (will be plucked out) מִמֶּֽנָּה׃פ (from it),
