Chapter 4

1Sons, heed the discipline of a father; Listen and learn discernment,

SHI-m'u va-NIM mu-SAR AV v'-ha-K'-shi-VO la-DA-at bi-NAH

אשִׁמְע֣וּ בָ֭נִים מ֣וּסַר אָ֑ב וְ֝הַקְשִׁ֗יבוּ לָדַ֥עַת בִּינָֽה׃

2For I give you good instruction; Do not forsake my teaching.

ki le-KAKH tov na-TA-tee la-KHEM to-RA-tee al ta-a-ZO-vu

בכִּ֤י לֶ֣קַח ט֭וֹב נָתַ֣תִּי לָכֶ֑ם תּ֝וֹרָתִ֗י אַֽל־תַּעֲזֹֽבוּ׃

3Once I was a son to my father, The tender darling of my mother.

kee VAYN ha-YEE-tee l'-a-VEE RAKH v'-ya-KHEED lif-NAY i-MEE

גכִּֽי־בֵ֭ן הָיִ֣יתִי לְאָבִ֑י רַ֥ךְ וְ֝יָחִ֗יד לִפְנֵ֥י אִמִּֽי׃

4He instructed me and said to me, “Let your mind hold on to my words; Keep my commandments and you will live.

va-yo-RE-nee va-yo-MER lee yit-MOKH d'-va-RAI li-BE-kha sh'-MOR mitz-VO-tai ve-khe-YEH

דוַיֹּרֵ֗נִי וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לִ֗י יִֽתְמׇךְ־דְּבָרַ֥י לִבֶּ֑ךָ שְׁמֹ֖ר מִצְוֺתַ֣י וֶחְיֵֽה׃

5Acquire wisdom, acquire discernment; Do not forget and do not swerve from my words.

K'-NEH kha-KH'-mah, k'-NEH vee-NAH, al tish-KAKH v'-al tayt may-im-ray-fee.

הקְנֵ֣ה חׇ֭כְמָה קְנֵ֣ה בִינָ֑ה אַל־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח וְאַל־תֵּ֝֗ט מֵאִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃

6Do not forsake her and she will guard you; Love her and she will protect you.

al-ta-a-Z'-VE-ha v'-tish-M'-RE-kha e-ha-VE-ha v'-ti-tz'-RE-kha

ואַל־תַּעַזְבֶ֥הָ וְתִשְׁמְרֶ֑ךָּ אֱהָבֶ֥הָ וְתִצְּרֶֽךָּ׃

7The beginning of wisdom is—acquire wisdom; With all your acquisitions, acquire discernment.

RE-shit KHO-kh'-MAH k'-NEH KHO-kh'-MAH u-v'-KOL ki-n'-YAN-kha k'-NEH vi-NAH

זרֵאשִׁ֣ית חׇ֭כְמָה קְנֵ֣ה חׇכְמָ֑ה וּבְכׇל־קִ֝נְיָנְךָ֗ קְנֵ֣ה בִינָֽה׃

8Hug her to you and she will exalt you; She will bring you honor if you embrace her.

sal-se-le-HA u-te-ro-m'-ME-kha, te-kha-be-DE-kha ki te-kha-b'-KE-na

חסַלְסְלֶ֥הָ וּֽתְרוֹמְמֶ֑ךָּ תְּ֝כַבֵּ֗דְךָ כִּ֣י תְחַבְּקֶֽנָּה׃

9She will adorn your head with a graceful wreath; Crown you with a glorious diadem.”

ti-TEN l'-rosh-KHA liv-YAT-khein a-TE-ret tif-E-ret t'-ma-GE-ne-KHA

טתִּתֵּ֣ן לְ֭רֹאשְׁךָ לִוְיַת־חֵ֑ן עֲטֶ֖רֶת תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת תְּמַגְּנֶֽךָּ׃

10My son, heed and take in my words, And you will have many years of life.

SH'-ma BE-nee v'-KAKH a-ma-RAI v'-yir-BU le-KHA sh'-NOT kha-YIM

ישְׁמַ֣ע בְּ֭נִי וְקַ֣ח אֲמָרָ֑י וְיִרְבּ֥וּ לְ֝ךָ֗ שְׁנ֣וֹת חַיִּֽים׃

11I instruct you in the way of wisdom; I guide you in straight courses.

b'-DE-rekh KHO-kh'-MA ho-RE-tee-KHA, hid-ra-TI-kha b'-ma-g'-LEI yo-SHER

יאבְּדֶ֣רֶךְ חׇ֭כְמָה הֹרֵיתִ֑יךָ הִ֝דְרַכְתִּ֗יךָ בְּמַעְגְּלֵי־יֹֽשֶׁר׃

12You will walk without breaking stride; When you run, you will not stumble.

b'-LEKH-te-KHA lo-y'-TZAR tza-a-DE-kha v'-im-ta-RUT lo ti-ka-SHEL

יבבְּֽ֭לֶכְתְּךָ לֹא־יֵצַ֣ר צַעֲדֶ֑ךָ וְאִם־תָּ֝ר֗וּץ לֹ֣א תִכָּשֵֽׁל׃

13Hold fast to discipline; do not let go; Keep it; it is your life.

ha-cha-ZEK ba-mu-SAR al-TE-ref, ni-tze-RE-ha ki-hi cha-YE-kha

יגהַחֲזֵ֣ק בַּמּוּסָ֣ר אַל־תֶּ֑רֶף נִ֝צְּרֶ֗הָ כִּי־הִ֥יא חַיֶּֽיךָ׃

14Do not enter on the path of the wicked; Do not walk on the way of evil men.

b'-o-RACH r'-sha-EEM al-ta-VO v'-al-t'-a-SHER b'-de-REKH ra-EEM

ידבְּאֹ֣רַח רְ֭שָׁעִים אַל־תָּבֹ֑א וְאַל־תְּ֝אַשֵּׁ֗ר בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ רָעִֽים׃

15Avoid it; do not pass through it; Turn away from it; pass it by.

P'-ra-E-hu al ta-a-VOR bo, s'-TEH me-a-LAV va-a-VOR.

טופְּרָעֵ֥הוּ אַל־תַּעֲבׇר־בּ֑וֹ שְׂטֵ֖ה מֵעָלָ֣יו וַעֲבֹֽר׃

16For they cannot sleep unless they have done evil; Unless they make someone fall they are robbed of sleep.

ki LO yi-SHE-nu im-LO ya-RE-u, v'-ni-g'-z'-LAH sh'-NA-tam im-LO (yakh-shi-LO) [yakh-shi-LO]

טזכִּ֤י לֹ֣א יִֽ֭שְׁנוּ אִם־לֹ֣א יָרֵ֑עוּ וְֽנִגְזְלָ֥ה שְׁ֝נָתָ֗ם אִם־לֹ֥א (יכשולו) [יַכְשִֽׁילוּ]׃

17They eat the bread of wickedness And drink the wine of lawlessness.

ki la-KHA-mu LE-khem re-SHA, v'-YEYN cha-ma-SEEM yish-TOO

יזכִּ֣י לָ֭חֲמוּ לֶ֣חֶם רֶ֑שַׁע וְיֵ֖ין חֲמָסִ֣ים יִשְׁתּֽוּ׃

18The path of the righteous is like radiant sunlight, Ever brightening until noon.

v'-o-RACH tza-DEE-KEEM k'-OR no-GAH ho-LEKH va-oR ad-ne-KHON ha-YOM

יחוְאֹ֣רַח צַ֭דִּיקִים כְּא֣וֹר נֹ֑גַהּ הוֹלֵ֥ךְ וָ֝א֗וֹר עַד־נְכ֥וֹן הַיּֽוֹם׃

19The way of the wicked is all darkness; They do not know what will make them stumble.

de-REKH r'-sha-EEM ka-a-FAY-lah, lo ya-d'-U ba-ME yik-KA-she-LO. (P)

יטדֶּ֣רֶךְ רְ֭שָׁעִים כָּאֲפֵלָ֑ה לֹ֥א יָ֝דְע֗וּ בַּמֶּ֥ה יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ׃

20My son, listen to my speech; Incline your ear to my words.

b'-NI lid-va-RAI ha-k'-shi-VAH la-a-ma-RAI ha-TA-oz-NE-kha

כבְּ֭נִי לִדְבָרַ֣י הַקְשִׁ֑יבָה לַ֝אֲמָרַ֗י הַט־אׇזְנֶֽךָ׃

21Do not lose sight of them; Keep them in your mind.

al-ya-li-ZU me-EY-ne-KHA, sh'-me-REM b'-TO-kh l'-va-VE-kha

כאאַל־יַלִּ֥יזוּ מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ שׇׁ֝מְרֵ֗ם בְּת֣וֹךְ לְבָבֶֽךָ׃

22They are life to him who finds them, Healing for his whole body.

ki-CHAI-yim HEM le-mo-tze-E-hem u-le-KOL b'-sa-RO mar-PE

כבכִּֽי־חַיִּ֣ים הֵ֭ם לְמֹצְאֵיהֶ֑ם וּֽלְכׇל־בְּשָׂר֥וֹ מַרְפֵּֽא׃

23More than all that you guard, guard your mind, For it is the source of life.

mi-KOL mi-SHA-mar n'-TZOR li-BE-kha, ki-mi-ME-nu to-tz'-OT cha-YIM.

כגמִֽכׇּל־מִ֭שְׁמָר נְצֹ֣ר לִבֶּ֑ךָ כִּֽי־מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ תּוֹצְא֥וֹת חַיִּֽים׃

24Put crooked speech away from you; Keep devious talk far from you.

ha-SEIR mi-m'-KA ik-K'-SHUT PEH u-l'-ZUT s'-fa-TA-yim har-KHEK mi-ME-kha

כדהָסֵ֣ר מִ֭מְּךָ עִקְּשׁ֣וּת פֶּ֑ה וּלְז֥וּת שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם הַרְחֵ֥ק מִמֶּֽךָּ׃

25Let your eyes look forward, Your gaze be straight ahead.

EY-ne-KHA l'-no-KHAKH ya-BI-tu, v'-a-fa-PE-kha ya-y'-SHI-ru ne-G'-DE-kha.

כהעֵ֭ינֶיךָ לְנֹ֣כַח יַבִּ֑יטוּ וְ֝עַפְעַפֶּ֗יךָ יַיְשִׁ֥רוּ נֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃

26Survey the course you take, And all your ways will prosper.

PA-LES ma-GAL rag-LE-kha v'-KOL d'-RA-khe-KHA yi-KO-nu

כופַּ֭לֵּס מַעְגַּ֣ל רַגְלֶ֑ךָ וְֽכׇל־דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ יִכֹּֽנוּ׃

27Do not swerve to the right or the left; Keep your feet from evil.

al-TET ya-MEEN u-s'-mo-OL ha-SEER rag-l'-KHA may-RA

כזאַֽל־תֵּט־יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול הָסֵ֖ר רַגְלְךָ֣ מֵרָֽע׃