Chapter 3

1My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your mind retain my commandments;

אבְּנִי תּוֹרָתִי אַל־תִּשְׁכָּח וּמִצְוׂתַי יִצֹּר לִבֶּךָ׃

2For they will bestow on you length of days, Years of life and well-being.

בכִּי אֹרֶךְ יָמִים וּשְׁנוֹת חַיִּים וְשָׁלוֹם יוֹסִיפוּ לָךְ׃

3Let fidelity and steadfastness not leave you; Bind them about your throat, Write them on the tablet of your mind,

גחֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת אַל־יַעַזְבֻךָ קָשְׁרֵם עַל־גַּרְגְּרוֹתֶיךָ כָּתְבֵם עַל־לוּחַ לִבֶּךָ׃

4And you will find favor and approbation In the eyes of Hashem and man.

דוּמְצָא־חֵן וְשֵׂכֶל־טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי אֱלֹהִים וְאָדָם׃

5Trust in Hashem with all your heart, And do not rely on your own understanding.

הבְּטַח אֶל־יְהֹוָה בְּכָל־לִבֶּךָ וְאֶל־בִּינָתְךָ אַל־תִּשָּׁעֵן׃

6In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths smooth.

ובְּכָל־דְּרָכֶיךָ דָעֵהוּ וְהוּא יְיַשֵּׁר אֹרְחֹתֶיךָ׃

7Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear Hashem and shun evil.

זאַל־תְּהִי חָכָם בְּעֵינֶיךָ יְרָא אֶת־יְהֹוָה וְסוּר מֵרָע׃

8It will be a cure for your body, A tonic for your bones.

חרִפְאוּת תְּהִי לְשָׁרֶּךָ וְשִׁקּוּי לְעַצְמוֹתֶיךָ׃

9Honor Hashem with your wealth, With the best of all your income,

ka-BAYD et a-do-NAI may-ho-NE-kha u-may-ray-SHEET kol t'-vu-a-TE-kha

טכַּבֵּד אֶת־יְהֹוָה מֵהוֹנֶךָ וּמֵרֵאשִׁית כָּל־תְּבוּאָתֶךָ׃

10And your barns will be filled with grain, Your vats will burst with new wine.

יוְיִמָּלְאוּ אֲסָמֶיךָ שָׂבָע וְתִירוֹשׁ יְקָבֶיךָ יִפְרֹצוּ׃

11Do not reject the discipline of Hashem, my son; Do not abhor His rebuke.

יאמוּסַר יְהֹוָה בְּנִי אַל־תִּמְאָס וְאַל־תָּקֹץ בְּתוֹכַחְתּוֹ׃

12For whom Hashem loves, He rebukes, As a father the son whom he favors.

יבכִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶאֱהַב יְהֹוָה יוֹכִיחַ וּכְאָב אֶת־בֵּן יִרְצֶה׃

13Happy is the man who finds wisdom, The man who attains understanding.

יגאַשְׁרֵי אָדָם מָצָא חָכְמָה וְאָדָם יָפִיק תְּבוּנָה׃

14Her value in trade is better than silver, Her yield, greater than gold.

ידכִּי טוֹב סַחְרָהּ מִסְּחַר־כָּסֶף וּמֵחָרוּץ תְּבוּאָתָהּ׃

15She is more precious than rubies; All of your goods cannot equal her.

טויְקָרָה הִיא מפניים [מִפְּנִינִים] וְכָל־חֲפָצֶיךָ לֹא יִשְׁווּ־בָהּ׃

16In her right hand is length of days, In her left, riches and honor.

טזאֹרֶךְ יָמִים בִּימִינָהּ בִּשְׂמֹאולָהּ עֹשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד׃

17Her ways are pleasant ways, And all her paths, peaceful.

יזדְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹעַם וְכָל־נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם׃

18She is a tree of life to those who grasp her, And whoever holds on to her is happy.

יחעֵץ־חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ וְתֹמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר׃

19Hashem founded the earth by wisdom; He established the heavens by understanding;

יטיְהֹוָה בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד־אָרֶץ כּוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה׃

20By His knowledge the depths burst apart, And the skies distilled dew.

כבְּדַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמוֹת נִבְקָעוּ וּשְׁחָקִים יִרְעֲפוּ־טָל׃

21My son, do not lose sight of them; Hold on to resourcefulness and foresight.

כאבְּנִי אַל־יָלֻזוּ מֵעֵינֶיךָ נְצֹר תֻּשִׁיָּה וּמְזִמָּה׃

22They will give life to your spirit And grace to your throat.

כבוְיִהְיוּ חַיִּים לְנַפְשֶׁךָ וְחֵן לְגַרְגְּרֹתֶיךָ׃

23Then you will go your way safely And not injure your feet.

כגאָז תֵּלֵךְ לָבֶטַח דַּרְכֶּךָ וְרַגְלְךָ לֹא תִגּוֹף׃

24When you lie down you will be unafraid; You will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

כדאִם־תִּשְׁכַּב לֹא־תִפְחָד וְשָׁכַבְתָּ וְעָרְבָה שְׁנָתֶךָ׃

25You will not fear sudden terror Or the disaster that comes upon the wicked,

כהאַל־תִּירָא מִפַּחַד פִּתְאֹם וּמִשֹּׁאַת רְשָׁעִים כִּי תָבֹא׃

26For Hashem will be your trust; He will keep your feet from being caught.

כוכִּי־יְהֹוָה יִהְיֶה בְכִסְלֶךָ וְשָׁמַר רַגְלְךָ מִלָּכֶד׃

27Do not withhold good from one who deserves it When you have the power to do it [for him].

כזאַל־תִּמְנַע־טוֹב מִבְּעָלָיו בִּהְיוֹת לְאֵל ידיך [יָדְךָ] לַעֲשׂוֹת׃

28Do not say to your fellow, “Come back again; I'll give it to you tomorrow,” when you have it with you.

כחאַל־תֹּאמַר לרעיך [לְרֵעֲךָ ] לֵךְ וָשׁוּב וּמָחָר אֶתֵּן וְיֵשׁ אִתָּךְ׃

29Do not devise harm against your fellow Who lives trustfully with you.

כטאַל־תַּחֲרֹשׁ עַל־רֵעֲךָ רָעָה וְהוּא־יוֹשֵׁב לָבֶטַח אִתָּךְ׃

30Do not quarrel with a man for no cause, When he has done you no harm.

לאַל־תרוב [תָּרִיב] עִם־אָדָם חִנָּם אִם־לֹא גְמָלְךָ רָעָה׃

31Do not envy a lawless man, Or choose any of his ways;

לאאַל־תְּקַנֵּא בְּאִישׁ חָמָס וְאַל־תִּבְחַר בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו׃

32For the devious man is an abomination to Hashem, But He is intimate with the straightforward.

לבכִּי תוֹעֲבַת יְהֹוָה נָלוֹז וְאֶת־יְשָׁרִים סוֹדוֹ׃

33The curse of Hashem is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the abode of the righteous.

לגמְאֵרַת יְהֹוָה בְּבֵית רָשָׁע וּנְוֵה צַדִּיקִים יְבָרֵךְ׃

34At scoffers He scoffs, But to the lowly He shows grace.

לדאִם־לַלֵּצִים הוּא־יָלִיץ ולעניים [וְלַעֲנָוִים] יִתֶּן־חֵן׃

35The wise shall obtain honor, But dullards get disgrace as their portion.

להכָּבוֹד חֲכָמִים יִנְחָלוּ וּכְסִילִים מֵרִים קָלוֹן׃