
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 4
Translation and Transliteration of
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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׃
4:3 Once I was a son to my father
Although this verse can be understood literally, it also contains a parable. The speaker represents the Nation of Israel, described in the Bible (Exodus 4:22) as Hashem’s firstborn son. It is to that chosen child that God imparts the wisdom of His Torah, just as a father imparts precious wisdom to his son (see verse 4). Like the child in this verse, the Nation of Israel received the Torah at a tender stage, shortly after being released from the bondage of Egypt.
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׃