A Father’s Instruction
1 שִׁמְע֣וּ (Hear), בָ֭נִים (my sons), מ֣וּסַר (the discipline) אָ֑ב (of a father),
וְ֝הַקְשִׁ֗יבוּ (and pay attention) לָדַ֥עַת (to know) בִּינָֽה׃ (understanding).
2 כִּ֤י (For) לֶ֣קַח (teaching) ט֭וֹב (good) נָתַ֣תִּי (I have given) לָכֶ֑ם (to you⁺);
תּֽ֝וֹרָתִ֗י (my instruction) אַֽל־ (do not) תַּעֲזֹֽבוּ׃ (forsake).
3 כִּי־ (For) בֵ֭ן (a son) הָיִ֣יתִי (I was) לְאָבִ֑י (to my father),
רַ֥ךְ (tender) וְ֝יָחִ֗יד (and the only one) לִפְנֵ֥י (before the face) אִמִּֽי׃ (of my mother),
4 וַיֹּרֵ֗נִי (and he instructed me) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (and said) לִ֗י (to me),
יִֽתְמָךְ־ (Let take hold of) דְּבָרַ֥י (my words) לִבֶּ֑ךָ (your heart);
שְׁמֹ֖ר (keep) מִצְוֺתַ֣י (my commands) וֶֽחְיֵֽה׃ (and live).
5 קְנֵ֣ה (Acquire) חָ֭כְמָה (wisdom), קְנֵ֣ה (acquire) בִינָ֑ה (understanding)!
אַל־ (Do not) תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח (forget) וְאַל־ (and not) תֵּ֝֗ט (bend away) מֵֽאִמְרֵי־ (from the words) פִֽי׃ (of my mouth).
6 אַל־ (Do not) תַּעַזְבֶ֥הָ (forsake her), וְתִשְׁמְרֶ֑ךָּ (and she will preserve you);
אֱהָבֶ֥הָ (love her) וְתִצְּרֶֽךָּ׃ (and she will guard you).
7 רֵאשִׁ֣ית (The first thing) חָ֭כְמָה (is wisdom); קְנֵ֣ה (acquire) חָכְמָ֑ה (wisdom),
וּבְכָל־ (and in all) קִ֝נְיָנְךָ֗ (your acquiring) קְנֵ֣ה (acquire) בִינָֽה׃ (understanding).
8 סַלְסְלֶ֥הָ (Lift her up) וּֽתְרוֹמְמֶ֑ךָּ (and she will exalt you);
תְּ֝כַבֵּ֗דְךָ (she will bring you honor) כִּ֣י (when) תְחַבְּקֶֽנָּה׃ (you embrace her).
9 תִּתֵּ֣ן (She will give) לְ֭רֹאשְׁךָ (to your head) לִוְיַת־ (a wreath) חֵ֑ן (of grace);
עֲטֶ֖רֶת (a crown) תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת (of beauty) תְּמַגְּנֶֽךָּ׃ (she will deliver to you).
10 שְׁמַ֣ע (Hear), בְּ֭נִי (my son), וְקַ֣ח (and receive) אֲמָרָ֑י (my sayings),
וְיִרְבּ֥וּ (will be multiplied) לְ֝ךָ֗ (for you) שְׁנ֣וֹת (the years) חַיִּֽים׃ (of life).
11 בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ (In the way) חָ֭כְמָה (of wisdom) הֹרֵתִ֑יךָ (I have instructed you);
הִ֝דְרַכְתִּ֗יךָ (I have made you step) בְּמַעְגְּלֵי־ (in paths) יֹֽשֶׁר׃ (of uprightness).
12 בְּֽ֭לֶכְתְּךָ (In your walking), לֹא־ (not) יֵצַ֣ר (will be restricted) צַעֲדֶ֑ךָ (your steps),
וְאִם־ (and when) תָּ֝ר֗וּץ (you run), לֹ֣א (not) תִכָּשֵֽׁל׃ (will you stumble).
13 הַחֲזֵ֣ק (Hold on) בַּמּוּסָ֣ר (to instruction); אַל־ (do not) תֶּ֑רֶף (let go);
נִ֝צְּרֶ֗הָ (Guard her), כִּי־ (for) הִ֥יא (she is) חַיֶּֽיךָ׃ (your life).
14 בְּאֹ֣רַח (Into the path) רְ֭שָׁעִים (of the wicked ones) אַל־ (not) תָּבֹ֑א (enter),
וְאַל־ (and not) תְּ֝אַשֵּׁ֗ר (walk) בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ (in the way) רָעִֽים׃ (of evil ones).
15 פְּרָעֵ֥הוּ (Avoid it); אַל־ (do not) תַּעֲבָר־ (pass) בּ֑וֹ (onto it);
שְׂטֵ֖ה (turn aside) מֵעָלָ֣יו (from it) וַעֲבֽוֹר׃ (and pass by).
16 כִּ֤י (For) לֹ֣א (not) יִֽ֭שְׁנוּ (can they sleep)
אִם־ (if) לֹ֣א (not) יָרֵ֑עוּ (they have done evil);
וְֽנִגְזְלָ֥ה (and is stolen) שְׁ֝נָתָ֗ם (their sleep)
אִם־ (if) לֹ֥א (not) יִכְשׁוֹלוּ׃ (they do cause stumbling).
17 כִּ֣י (Indeed) לָ֭חֲמוּ (they eat) לֶ֣חֶם (the bread) רֶ֑שַׁע (of wickedness),
וְיֵ֖ין (and the wine) חֲמָסִ֣ים (of violence) יִשְׁתּֽוּ׃ (they drink).
18 וְאֹ֣רַח (And the path) צַ֭דִּיקִים (of the righteous) כְּא֣וֹר (is like the light) נֹ֑גַהּ (of brightness),
הוֹלֵ֥ךְ (and going forth) וָ֝א֗וֹר (and shining)
עַד־ (until) נְכ֥וֹן (is established) הַיּֽוֹם׃ (the day).
19 דֶּ֣רֶךְ (But the way) רְ֭שָׁעִים (of the wicked) כָּֽאֲפֵלָ֑ה (is like the darkness);
לֹ֥א (not) יָ֝דְע֗וּ (do they know) בַּמֶּ֥ה (over what) יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ׃פ (they stumble).
20 בְּ֭נִי (My son) לִדְבָרַ֣י (to my words) הַקְשִׁ֑יבָה (pay attention);
לַ֝אֲמָרַ֗י (and to my sayings) הַט־ (incline) אָזְנֶֽךָ׃ (your ear).
21 אַל־ (Do not) יַלִּ֥יזוּ (let them depart) מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ (from your eyes);
שָׁ֝מְרֵ֗ם (keep them) בְּת֣וֹךְ (in the midst) לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ (of your heart).
22 כִּֽי־ (For) חַיִּ֣ים (life) הֵ֭ם (they are) לְמֹצְאֵיהֶ֑ם (to those finding them),
וּֽלְכָל־ (and to all) בְּשָׂר֥וֹ (his flesh) מַרְפֵּֽא׃ (healing).
23 מִֽכָּל־ (With all) מִ֭שְׁמָר (diligence) נְצֹ֣ר (guard) לִבֶּ֑ךָ (your heart),
כִּֽי־ (for) מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ (from it) תּוֹצְא֥וֹת (are the outgoings) חַיִּֽים׃ (of life).
24 הָסֵ֣ר (Turn away) מִ֭מְּךָ (from you) עִקְּשׁ֣וּת (the crookedness) פֶּ֑ה (of the mouth),
וּלְז֥וּת (and perverse) שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם (lips) הַרְחֵ֥ק (put far) מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ (from you).
25 עֵ֭ינֶיךָ (Your eyes) לְנֹ֣כַח (forward) יַבִּ֑יטוּ (shall look),
וְ֝עַפְעַפֶּ֗יךָ (and your eyelids) יַיְשִׁ֥רוּ (keep straight) נֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃ (before you).
26 פַּ֭לֵּס (Make level) מַעְגַּ֣ל (the path) רַגְלֶ֑ךָ (for your feet),
וְֽכָל־ (and all) דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ (your ways) יִכֹּֽנוּ׃ (shall be established).
27 אַֽל־ (Do not) תֵּט־ (bend away) יָמִ֥ין (to the right) וּשְׂמֹ֑אול (or the left);
הָסֵ֖ר (turn aside) רַגְלְךָ֣ (your foot) מֵרָֽע׃ (from evil).
