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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 2

Translation and Transliteration of 

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׃

 2:21   For the upright will inhabit the earth

The word eretz, translated here as ‘earth,’ also means ‘land.’ According to Yehuda Keel, author of the Da’at Mikra commentary on Sefer Mishlei, this is a reference to the Land of Israel. In this verse, King Shlomo reminds us of Hashem’s promise to the Israelites in the desert, that if they walk in His ways, they will remain in the land which He has given them (see Deuteronomy 4:1). Eretz Yisrael is promised to those who remain steadfast in their commitment to God’s words, not only in deed, but also in thought.

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׃