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Chapter 4
A Father’s Instruction
1
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅 𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤁 𐤌𐤅𐤎𐤓 𐤅𐤄𐤒𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤅 𐤋𐤃𐤏𐤕 𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤄
שִׁמְע֣וּ בָ֭נִים אָ֑ב מ֣וּסַר וְ֝הַקְשִׁ֗יבוּ לָדַ֥עַת בִּינָֽה׃ šim·‘ū ḇā·nîm ’āḇ mū·sar wə·haq·šî·ḇū lā·ḏa·‘aṯ bî·nāh — WLC · 1
2
For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
𐤊𐤉 𐤍𐤕𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤊𐤌 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤋𐤒𐤇 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤏𐤆𐤁𐤅 𐤕𐤅𐤓𐤕𐤉
כִּ֤י נָתַ֣תִּי לָכֶ֑ם ט֭וֹב לֶ֣קַח אַֽל־ תַּעֲזֹֽבוּ׃ תּֽ֝וֹרָתִ֗י kî nā·ṯat·tî lā·ḵem ṭō·wḇ le·qaḥ ’al- ta·‘ă·zō·ḇū tō·w·rā·ṯî — WLC · 2
3
When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤁𐤍 𐤋𐤀𐤁𐤉 𐤓𐤊 𐤅𐤉𐤇𐤉𐤃 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤌𐤉
כִּי־ הָיִ֣יתִי בֵ֭ן לְאָבִ֑י רַ֥ךְ וְ֝יָחִ֗יד לִפְנֵ֥י אִמִּֽי׃ kî- hā·yî·ṯî ḇên lə·’ā·ḇî raḵ wə·yā·ḥîḏ lip̄·nê ’im·mî — WLC · 3
4
he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
𐤅𐤉𐤓𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤁𐤊 𐤉𐤕𐤌𐤊 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤔𐤌𐤓 𐤌𐤑𐤅𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤇𐤉𐤄
וַיֹּרֵ֗נִי לִ֗י וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לִבֶּ֑ךָ יִֽתְמָךְ־ דְּבָרַ֥י שְׁמֹ֖ר מִצְוֺתַ֣י וֶֽחְיֵֽה׃ way·yō·rê·nî lî way·yō·mer lib·be·ḵā yiṯ·māḵ- də·ḇā·ray šə·mōr miṣ·wō·ṯay weḥ·yêh — WLC · 4
5
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget… my words… or turn from them.
𐤒𐤍𐤄 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤒𐤍𐤄 𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤔𐤊𐤇 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤌𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤉 𐤐𐤉 𐤕𐤈
קְנֵ֣ה חָ֭כְמָה קְנֵ֣ה בִינָ֑ה אַל־ תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח וְאַל־ מֵֽאִמְרֵי־ פִֽי׃ תֵּ֝֗ט qə·nêh ḥāḵ·māh qə·nêh ḇî·nāh ’al- tiš·kaḥ wə·’al- mê·’im·rê- p̄î têṭ — WLC · 5
6
Do not forsake [wisdom], and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤏𐤆𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤕𐤔𐤌𐤓𐤊 𐤀𐤄𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤕𐤑𐤓𐤊
אַל־ תַּעַזְבֶ֥הָ וְתִשְׁמְרֶ֑ךָּ אֱהָבֶ֥הָ וְתִצְּרֶֽךָּ׃ ’al- ta·‘az·ḇe·hā wə·ṯiš·mə·re·kā ’ĕ·hā·ḇe·hā wə·ṯiṣ·ṣə·re·kā — WLC · 6
7
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕 𐤒𐤍𐤄 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤁𐤊𐤋 𐤒𐤍𐤉𐤍𐤊 𐤒𐤍𐤄 𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤄
חָ֭כְמָה רֵאשִׁ֣ית קְנֵ֣ה חָכְמָ֑ה וּבְכָל־ קִ֝נְיָנְךָ֗ קְנֵ֣ה בִינָֽה׃ ḥāḵ·māh rê·šîṯ qə·nêh ḥāḵ·māh ū·ḇə·ḵāl qin·yā·nə·ḵā qə·nêh ḇî·nāh — WLC · 7
8
Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
𐤎𐤋𐤎𐤋𐤄 𐤅𐤕𐤓𐤅𐤌𐤌𐤊 𐤊𐤉 𐤕𐤇𐤁𐤒𐤍𐤄 𐤕𐤊𐤁𐤃𐤊
סַלְסְלֶ֥הָ וּֽתְרוֹמְמֶ֑ךָּ כִּ֣י תְחַבְּקֶֽנָּה׃ תְּ֝כַבֵּ֗דְךָ sal·sə·le·hā ū·ṯə·rō·wm·me·kā kî ṯə·ḥab·bə·qen·nāh tə·ḵab·bê·ḏə·ḵā — WLC · 8
9
She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
𐤕𐤕𐤍 𐤋𐤅𐤉𐤕 𐤇𐤍 𐤋𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤊 𐤕𐤌𐤂𐤍𐤊 𐤏𐤈𐤓𐤕 𐤕𐤐𐤀𐤓𐤕
תִּתֵּ֣ן לִוְיַת־ חֵ֑ן לְ֭רֹאשְׁךָ תְּמַגְּנֶֽךָּ׃ עֲטֶ֖רֶת תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת tit·tên liw·yaṯ- ḥên lə·rō·šə·ḵā tə·mag·gə·ne·kā ‘ă·ṭe·reṯ tip̄·’e·reṯ — WLC · 9
10
Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many. -
𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤒𐤇 𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤉 𐤔𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤓𐤁𐤅 𐤋𐤊
שְׁמַ֣ע בְּ֭נִי וְקַ֣ח אֲמָרָ֑י שְׁנ֣וֹת חַיִּֽים׃ וְיִרְבּ֥וּ לְ֝ךָ֗ šə·ma‘ bə·nî wə·qaḥ ’ă·mā·rāy šə·nō·wṯ ḥay·yîm wə·yir·bū lə·ḵā — WLC · 10
11
I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
𐤄𐤓𐤕𐤉𐤊 𐤁𐤃𐤓𐤊 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤄𐤃𐤓𐤊𐤕𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤔𐤓 𐤁𐤌𐤏𐤂𐤋𐤉
הֹרֵתִ֑יךָ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ חָ֭כְמָה הִ֝דְרַכְתִּ֗יךָ יֹֽשֶׁר׃ בְּמַעְגְּלֵי־ hō·rê·ṯî·ḵā bə·ḏe·reḵ ḥāḵ·māh hiḏ·raḵ·tî·ḵā yō·šer bə·ma‘·gə·lê- — WLC · 11
12
When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
𐤁𐤋𐤊𐤕𐤊 𐤑𐤏𐤃𐤊 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤑𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤌 𐤕𐤓𐤅𐤑 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤊𐤔𐤋
בְּֽ֭לֶכְתְּךָ צַעֲדֶ֑ךָ לֹא־ יֵצַ֣ר וְאִם־ תָּ֝ר֗וּץ לֹ֣א תִכָּשֵֽׁל׃ bə·leḵ·tə·ḵā ṣa·‘ă·ḏe·ḵā lō- yê·ṣar wə·’im- tā·rūṣ lō ṯik·kā·šêl — WLC · 12
13
Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
𐤄𐤇𐤆𐤒 𐤁𐤌𐤅𐤎𐤓 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤓𐤐 𐤍𐤑𐤓𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤊
הַחֲזֵ֣ק בַּמּוּסָ֣ר אַל־ תֶּ֑רֶף נִ֝צְּרֶ֗הָ כִּי־ הִ֥יא חַיֶּֽיךָ׃ ha·ḥă·zêq bam·mū·sār ’al- te·rep̄ niṣ·ṣə·re·hā kî- hî ḥay·ye·ḵā — WLC · 13
14
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked [or] walk in the way of evildoers.
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤁𐤀 𐤁𐤀𐤓𐤇 𐤓𐤔𐤏𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤁𐤃𐤓𐤊 𐤓𐤏𐤉𐤌
אַל־ תָּבֹ֑א בְּאֹ֣רַח רְ֭שָׁעִים וְאַל־ תְּ֝אַשֵּׁ֗ר בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ רָעִֽים׃ ’al- tā·ḇō bə·’ō·raḥ rə·šā·‘îm wə·’al- tə·’aš·šêr bə·ḏe·reḵ rā·‘îm — WLC · 14
15
Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
𐤐𐤓𐤏𐤄𐤅 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤏𐤁𐤓 𐤁𐤅 𐤔𐤈𐤄 𐤌𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤏𐤁𐤅𐤓
פְּרָעֵ֥הוּ אַל־ תַּעֲבָר־ בּ֑וֹ שְׂטֵ֖ה מֵעָלָ֣יו וַעֲבֽוֹר׃ pə·rā·‘ê·hū ’al- ta·‘ă·ḇār- bōw śə·ṭêh mê·‘ā·lāw wa·‘ă·ḇō·wr — WLC · 15
16
For they cannot sleep unless… they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until… they make someone fall.
𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤔𐤍𐤅 𐤀𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤓𐤏𐤅 𐤅𐤍𐤂𐤆𐤋𐤄 𐤔𐤍𐤕𐤌 𐤀𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤊𐤔𐤅𐤋𐤅
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א יִֽ֭שְׁנוּ אִם־ לֹ֣א יָרֵ֑עוּ וְֽנִגְזְלָ֥ה שְׁ֝נָתָ֗ם אִם־ לֹ֥א יִכְשׁוֹלוּ׃ kî lō yiš·nū ’im- lō yā·rê·‘ū wə·niḡ·zə·lāh šə·nā·t̲ām ’im- lō yiḵ·šō·lū — WLC · 16
17
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤅 𐤋𐤇𐤌 𐤓𐤔𐤏 𐤉𐤔𐤕𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤇𐤌𐤎𐤉𐤌
כִּ֣י לָ֭חֲמוּ לֶ֣חֶם רֶ֑שַׁע יִשְׁתּֽוּ׃ וְיֵ֖ין חֲמָסִ֣ים kî lā·ḥă·mū le·ḥem re·ša‘ yiš·tū wə·yên ḥă·mā·sîm — WLC · 17
18
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam… of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday…
𐤅𐤀𐤓𐤇 𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤀𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤅𐤓 𐤍𐤂𐤄 𐤄𐤅𐤋𐤊 𐤏𐤃 𐤍𐤊𐤅𐤍 𐤄𐤉𐤅𐤌
וְאֹ֣רַח צַ֭דִּיקִים כְּא֣וֹר וָ֝א֗וֹר נֹ֑גַהּ הוֹלֵ֥ךְ עַד־ נְכ֥וֹן הַיּֽוֹם׃ wə·’ō·raḥ ṣad·dî·qîm kə·’ō·wr wā·’ō·wr nō·ḡah hō·w·lêḵ ‘aḏ- nə·ḵō·wn hay·yō·wm — WLC · 18
19
But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
𐤃𐤓𐤊 𐤓𐤔𐤏𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤀𐤐𐤋𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤅 𐤁𐤌𐤄 𐤉𐤊𐤔𐤋𐤅𐤐
דֶּ֣רֶךְ רְ֭שָׁעִים כָּֽאֲפֵלָ֑ה לֹ֥א יָ֝דְע֗וּ בַּמֶּ֥ה יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ׃פ de·reḵ rə·šā·‘îm kā·’ă·p̄ê·lāh lō yā·ḏə·‘ū bam·meh yik·kā·šê·lū — WLC · 19
20
My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤒𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤄 𐤋𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤄𐤈 𐤀𐤆𐤍𐤊 𐤋𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤉
בְּ֭נִי הַקְשִׁ֑יבָה לִדְבָרַ֣י הַט־ אָזְנֶֽךָ׃ לַ֝אֲמָרַ֗י bə·nî haq·šî·ḇāh liḏ·ḇā·ray haṭ- ’ā·zə·ne·ḵā la·’ă·mā·ray — WLC · 20
21
Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤆𐤅 𐤌𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤔𐤌𐤓𐤌 𐤁𐤕𐤅𐤊 𐤋𐤁𐤁𐤊
אַל־ יַלִּ֥יזוּ מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ שָׁ֝מְרֵ֗ם בְּת֣וֹךְ לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ ’al- yal·lî·zū mê·‘ê·ne·ḵā šā·mə·rēm bə·ṯō·wḵ lə·ḇā·ḇe·ḵā — WLC · 21
22
For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤌 𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤌𐤑𐤀𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤌𐤓𐤐𐤀 𐤅𐤋𐤊𐤋 𐤁𐤔𐤓𐤅
כִּֽי־ הֵ֭ם חַיִּ֣ים לְמֹצְאֵיהֶ֑ם מַרְפֵּֽא׃ וּֽלְכָל־ בְּשָׂר֥וֹ kî- hêm ḥay·yîm lə·mō·ṣə·’ê·hem mar·pê ū·lə·ḵāl- bə·śā·rōw — WLC · 22
23
Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
𐤍𐤑𐤓 𐤋𐤁𐤊 𐤌𐤊𐤋 𐤌𐤔𐤌𐤓 𐤊𐤉 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤅 𐤕𐤅𐤑𐤀𐤅𐤕 𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌
נְצֹ֣ר לִבֶּ֑ךָ מִֽכָּל־ מִ֭שְׁמָר כִּֽי־ מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ תּוֹצְא֥וֹת חַיִּֽים׃ nə·ṣōr lib·be·ḵā mik·kāl miš·mār kî- mim·men·nū tō·wṣ·’ō·wṯ ḥay·yîm — WLC · 23
24
Put away deception from your mouth; keep… your lips from perverse speech.
𐤄𐤎𐤓 𐤌𐤌𐤊 𐤏𐤒𐤔𐤅𐤕 𐤐𐤄 𐤄𐤓𐤇𐤒 𐤌𐤌𐤊 𐤔𐤐𐤕𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤋𐤆𐤅𐤕
הָסֵ֣ר מִ֭מְּךָ עִקְּשׁ֣וּת פֶּ֑ה הַרְחֵ֥ק מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם וּלְז֥וּת hā·sêr mim·mə·ḵā ‘iq·qə·šūṯ peh har·ḥêq mim·me·kā śə·p̲ā·t̲a·yim ū·lə·zūṯ — WLC · 24
25
Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤁𐤉𐤈𐤅 𐤋𐤍𐤊𐤇 𐤅𐤏𐤐𐤏𐤐𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤅 𐤍𐤂𐤃𐤊
עֵ֭ינֶיךָ יַבִּ֑יטוּ לְנֹ֣כַח וְ֝עַפְעַפֶּ֗יךָ יַיְשִׁ֥רוּ נֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃ ‘ê·ne·ḵā yab·bî·ṭū lə·nō·ḵaḥ wə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pe·ḵā yay·ši·rū neḡ·de·ḵā — WLC · 25
26
Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
𐤐𐤋𐤎 𐤌𐤏𐤂𐤋 𐤓𐤂𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤃𐤓𐤊𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤊𐤍𐤅
פַּ֭לֵּס מַעְגַּ֣ל רַגְלֶ֑ךָ וְֽכָל־ דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ יִכֹּֽנוּ׃ pal·lês ma‘·gal raḡ·le·ḵā wə·ḵāl də·rā·ḵe·ḵā yik·kō·nū — WLC · 26
27
Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet {away} from evil.
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤈 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤍 𐤅𐤔𐤌𐤀𐤅𐤋 𐤄𐤎𐤓 𐤓𐤂𐤋𐤊 𐤌𐤓𐤏
אַֽל־ תֵּט־ יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול הָסֵ֖ר רַגְלְךָ֣ מֵרָֽע׃ ’al- têṭ- yā·mîn ū·śə·mō·wl hā·sêr raḡ·lə·ḵā mê·rā‘ — WLC · 27