Chapter 2

1My son, if you accept my words And treasure up my commandments;

b'-NI im-ti-KAKH a-ma-RAI u-mitz-VO-tai ti-TZ'-pon i-TAKH

אבְּ֭נִי אִם־תִּקַּ֣ח אֲמָרָ֑י וּ֝מִצְוֺתַ֗י תִּצְפֹּ֥ן אִתָּֽךְ׃

2If you make your ear attentive to wisdom And your mind open to discernment;

l'-ha-k'-SHEEV la-KH'-ma a-Z'-NE-kha, ta-TEH li-B'-kha la-t'-vu-NAH

בלְהַקְשִׁ֣יב לַחׇכְמָ֣ה אׇזְנֶ֑ךָ תַּטֶּ֥ה לִ֝בְּךָ֗ לַתְּבוּנָֽה׃

3If you call to understanding And cry aloud to discernment,

ki im la-bi-NAH tik-RA la-te-vu-NAH ti-TEN ko-LE-kha

גכִּ֤י אִ֣ם לַבִּינָ֣ה תִקְרָ֑א לַ֝תְּבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קוֹלֶֽךָ׃

4If you seek it as you do silver And search for it as for treasures,

im-t'-va-k'-SHE-nah kha-ka-SEF v'-kha-mat-mo-NEEM takh-p'-SE-nah

דאִם־תְּבַקְשֶׁ֥נָּה כַכָּ֑סֶף וְֽכַמַּטְמוֹנִ֥ים תַּחְפְּשֶֽׂנָּה׃

5Then you will understand the fear of Hashem And attain knowledge of Hashem.

az ta-VIN yir-AT a-do-NAI v'-da-AT e-lo-HIM tim-TZA

האָ֗ז תָּ֭בִין יִרְאַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת אֱלֹהִ֣ים תִּמְצָֽא׃

6For Hashem grants wisdom; Knowledge and discernment are by His decree.

ki-a-do-NAI yi-TAYN khokh-MAH mi-PIV da-AT u-t'-vu-NAH

וכִּֽי־יְ֭הֹוָה יִתֵּ֣ן חׇכְמָ֑ה מִ֝פִּ֗יו דַּ֣עַת וּתְבוּנָֽה׃

7He reserves ability for the upright And is a shield for those who live blamelessly,

(v'-TZ'-PON) [yits-PON] la-y'-sha-REEM tu-shi-YAH ma-GEN l'-hol-KHEI TOM

ז(וצפן) [יִצְפֹּ֣ן] לַ֭יְשָׁרִים תּוּשִׁיָּ֑ה מָ֝גֵ֗ן לְהֹ֣לְכֵי תֹֽם׃

8Guarding the paths of justice, Protecting the way of those loyal to Him.

li-n'-TZOR or-KHOT mish-PAT v'-de-REKH kha-see-DAV yish-MOR

חלִ֭נְצֹר אׇרְח֣וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְדֶ֖רֶךְ חֲסִידָ֣ו יִשְׁמֹֽר׃

9You will then understand what is right, just, And equitable—every good course.

az ta-VIN tze-DEK u-mish-PAT u-may-sha-REEM kol-ma-GAL-toV

טאָ֗ז תָּ֭בִין צֶ֣דֶק וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝מֵישָׁרִ֗ים כׇּל־מַעְגַּל־טֽוֹב׃

10For wisdom will enter your mind And knowledge will delight you.

ki-ta-VO kha-KH'-mah b'-li-BE-kha v'-da-A-at l'-naf-sh'-KHA yin-AHM

יכִּֽי־תָב֣וֹא חׇכְמָ֣ה בְלִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝דַ֗עַת לְֽנַפְשְׁךָ֥ יִנְעָֽם׃

11Foresight will protect you, And discernment will guard you.

m'-ZI-mah tish-MOR a-LE-kha t'-vu-NAH tin-tz'-RE-kah

יאמְ֭זִמָּה תִּשְׁמֹ֥ר עָלֶ֗יךָ תְּבוּנָ֥ה תִנְצְרֶֽכָּה׃

12It will save you from the way of evil men, From men who speak duplicity,

l'-ha-tzi-LE-kha mi-DE-rekh RA, me-EESH m'-da-BAYR tah-PU-khot

יבלְ֭הַצִּ֣ילְךָ מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ רָ֑ע מֵ֝אִ֗ישׁ מְדַבֵּ֥ר תַּהְפֻּכֽוֹת׃

13Who leave the paths of rectitude To follow the ways of darkness,

ha-o-Z'-veem or-KHOT yo-SHER la-LE-khet b'-dar-khay-KHO-shekh

יגהַ֭עֹ֣זְבִים אׇרְח֣וֹת יֹ֑שֶׁר לָ֝לֶ֗כֶת בְּדַרְכֵי־חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

14Who rejoice in doing evil And exult in the duplicity of evil men,

ha-s'-ME-kheem la-a-SOT RA ya-GI-lu b'-ta-h'-PU-khot RA

ידהַ֭שְּׂמֵחִים לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רָ֑ע יָ֝גִ֗ילוּ בְּֽתַהְפֻּכ֥וֹת רָֽע׃

15Men whose paths are crooked And who are devious in their course.

a-SHER or-KHO-tei-HEM i-K'-shim u-n'-lo-ZIM b'-ma-g'-lo-TAM

טואֲשֶׁ֣ר אׇרְחֹתֵיהֶ֣ם עִקְּשִׁ֑ים וּ֝נְלוֹזִ֗ים בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָֽם׃

16It will save you from the forbidden woman, From the alien woman whose talk is smooth,

l'-ha-tzi-L'-kha me-i-SHA za-RAH mi-no-kh'-ri-YAH a-ma-RE-ha he-khe-li-KAH

טזלְ֭הַצִּ֣ילְךָ מֵאִשָּׁ֣ה זָרָ֑ה מִ֝נׇּכְרִיָּ֗ה אֲמָרֶ֥יהָ הֶחֱלִֽיקָה׃

17Who forsakes the companion of her youth And disregards the covenant of her God.

ha-O-ze-VET a-LUF ne-u-RE-ha, v'-et b'-REET e-lo-HE-ha sha-KHE-kha

יזהַֽ֭עֹזֶבֶת אַלּ֣וּף נְעוּרֶ֑יהָ וְאֶת־בְּרִ֖ית אֱלֹהֶ֣יהָ שָׁכֵֽחָה׃

18Her house sinks down to Death, And her course leads to the shades.

ki sha-KHA el-MA-vet BEI-tah v'-el-re-fa-EEM ma-g'-lo-TE-ha

יחכִּ֤י שָׁ֣חָה אֶל־מָ֣וֶת בֵּיתָ֑הּ וְאֶל־רְ֝פָאִ֗ים מַעְגְּלֹתֶֽיהָ׃

19All who go to her cannot return And find again the paths of life.

KOL-BA-E-ha LO y'-SHU-vun, v'-LO ya-SEE-gu or-KHOt kha-YIM.

יטכׇּל־בָּ֭אֶיהָ לֹ֣א יְשׁוּב֑וּן וְלֹֽא־יַ֝שִּׂ֗יגוּ אׇרְח֥וֹת חַיִּֽים׃

20So follow the way of the good And keep to the paths of the just.

l'-ma-AN tay-LEKH b'-de-REKH to-VIM v'-or-KHOT tza-DEE-KEEM tish-MOR

כלְמַ֗עַן תֵּ֭לֵךְ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ טוֹבִ֑ים וְאׇרְח֖וֹת צַדִּיקִ֣ים תִּשְׁמֹֽר׃

21For the upright will inhabit the earth, The blameless will remain in it.

kee y'-sha-REEM yish-k'-nu A-retz ut-mee-MEEM yi-va-t'-RU VAH

כאכִּֽי־יְשָׁרִ֥ים יִשְׁכְּנוּ־אָ֑רֶץ וּ֝תְמִימִ֗ים יִוָּ֥תְרוּ בָֽהּ׃

22While the wicked will vanish from the land And the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

u-r'-sha-EEM me-E-retz yi-ka-RE-tu u-vo-g'-DEEM yi-s'-KHU mi-me-Na.

כבוּ֭רְשָׁעִים מֵאֶ֣רֶץ יִכָּרֵ֑תוּ וּ֝בוֹגְדִ֗ים יִסְּח֥וּ מִמֶּֽנָּה׃