
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 5
Translation and Transliteration of
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1My son, listen to my wisdom; Incline your ear to my insight,
b'-NI l'-khokh-MA-tee ha-k'-shi-VAH li-t'-vu-NA-tee ha-TA-oz-NE-kha
אבְּ֭נִי לְחׇכְמָתִ֣י הַקְשִׁ֑יבָה לִ֝תְבוּנָתִ֗י הַט־אׇזְנֶֽךָ׃
2That you may have foresight, While your lips hold fast to knowledge.
lish-MOT m'-zi-MOT v'-da-A-at s'-fa-TE-kha yin-tzo-RO
בלִשְׁמֹ֥ר מְזִמּ֑וֹת וְ֝דַ֗עַת שְׂפָתֶ֥יךָ יִנְצֹֽרוּ׃
3For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey; Her mouth is smoother than oil;
ki NO-fet ti-TOF-nah sif-TEI za-RAH v'-cha-LAK mi-SHE-men chi-KAH
גכִּ֤י נֹ֣פֶת תִּ֭טֹּפְנָה שִׂפְתֵ֣י זָרָ֑ה וְחָלָ֖ק מִשֶּׁ֣מֶן חִכָּֽהּ׃
4But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.
v'-a-kha-ree-TAH ma-RA khal-a-NAH, kha-DAH k'-khe-REV pi-YOT
דוְֽ֭אַחֲרִיתָהּ מָרָ֣ה כַֽלַּעֲנָ֑ה חַ֝דָּ֗ה כְּחֶ֣רֶב פִּיּֽוֹת׃
5Her feet go down to Death; Her steps take hold of Sheol.
ra-G'-le-HA yor-DOT ma-VET, she-OL t'-a-DE-ha yit-mo-KHU
הרַ֭גְלֶיהָ יֹרְד֣וֹת מָ֑וֶת שְׁ֝א֗וֹל צְעָדֶ֥יהָ יִתְמֹֽכוּ׃
6She does not chart a path of life; Her course meanders for lack of knowledge.
o-RACH cha-YEEM pen-te-fa-LES, NA-u ma-a-g'-lo-TE-ha lo te-DA
ואֹ֣רַח חַ֭יִּים פֶּן־תְּפַלֵּ֑ס נָע֥וּ מַ֝עְגְּלֹתֶ֗יהָ לֹ֣א תֵדָֽע׃
7So now, sons, pay heed to me, And do not swerve from the words of my mouth.
v'-a-TAH ba-NEEM shim-U-lee, v'-al-ta-SU-ru may-im-ray-fi
זוְעַתָּ֣ה בָ֭נִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִ֑י וְאַל־תָּ֝ס֗וּרוּ מֵאִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃
8Keep yourself far away from her; Do not come near the doorway of her house
har-CHEK me-a-LE-ha dar-KE-kha v'-al ti-KRAV el pe-TACH be-TA
חהַרְחֵ֣ק מֵעָלֶ֣יהָ דַרְכֶּ֑ךָ וְאַל־תִּ֝קְרַ֗ב אֶל־פֶּ֥תַח בֵּיתָֽהּ׃
9Lest you give up your vigor to others, Your years to a ruthless one;
pen-ti-TEN la-a-khe-REEM ho-DE-kha u-sh'-no-TE-kha l'-akh-z'-RAI
טפֶּן־תִּתֵּ֣ן לַאֲחֵרִ֣ים הוֹדֶ֑ךָ וּ֝שְׁנֹתֶ֗יךָ לְאַכְזָרִֽי׃
10Lest strangers eat their fill of your strength, And your toil be for the house of another;
pen-yis-B'-u za-REEM ko-KHE-kha va-a-tza-VE-kha b'-veit nokh-REE
יפֶּֽן־יִשְׂבְּע֣וּ זָרִ֣ים כֹּחֶ֑ךָ וַ֝עֲצָבֶ֗יךָ בְּבֵ֣ית נׇכְרִֽי׃
11And in the end you roar, When your flesh and body are consumed,
v'-na-ham-TA b'-a-cha-ree-TE-kha bikh-LOT b'-sa-r'-KHA u-sh'-E-re-kha
יאוְנָהַמְתָּ֥ בְאַחֲרִיתֶ֑ךָ בִּכְל֥וֹת בְּ֝שָׂרְךָ֗ וּשְׁאֵרֶֽךָ׃
12And say, “O how I hated discipline, And heartily spurned rebuke.
v'-a-MAR-ta, EYKH sa-NEE-tee mu-SAR, v'-to-KHA-khat na-ATZ li-BEE
יבוְֽאָמַרְתָּ֗ אֵ֭יךְ שָׂנֵ֣אתִי מוּסָ֑ר וְ֝תוֹכַ֗חַת נָאַ֥ץ לִבִּֽי׃
13I did not pay heed to my teachers, Or incline my ear to my instructors.
v'-LO-sha-MA-tee b'-KOL mo-RAI, v'-lim-la-m'-DAI lo hi-t'-TEE a-z'-NEE
יגוְֽלֹא־שָׁ֭מַעְתִּי בְּק֣וֹל מוֹרָ֑י וְ֝לִֽמְלַמְּדַ֗י לֹֽא־הִטִּ֥יתִי אׇזְנִֽי׃
14Soon I was in dire trouble Amidst the assembled congregation.”
ki-m'-AT ha-YEE-tee b'-KOL ra b'-TOKH ka-HAL v'-ay-DAH
ידכִּ֭מְעַט הָיִ֣יתִי בְכׇל־רָ֑ע בְּת֖וֹךְ קָהָ֣ל וְעֵדָֽה׃
15Drink water from your own cistern, Running water from your own well.
sh'-TEH ma-YIM mi-bo-RE-kha v'-noz-LIM mi-TOKH b'-E-re-kha
טושְׁתֵה־מַ֥יִם מִבּוֹרֶ֑ךָ וְ֝נֹזְלִ֗ים מִתּ֥וֹךְ בְּאֵרֶֽךָ׃
16Your springs will gush forth In streams in the public squares.
ya-FOO-tzu ma-y'-no-TE-kha KHO-tzu-ZAH ba-RE-kho-VOT pal-GEI-ma-YIM
טזיָפ֣וּצוּ מַעְיְנֹתֶ֣יךָ ח֑וּצָה בָּ֝רְחֹב֗וֹת פַּלְגֵי־מָֽיִם׃
17They will be yours alone, Others having no part with you.
y'-hi-YU l'-KHA l'-va-DE-kha, v'-AYN l'-za-REEM i-TAKH
יזיִֽהְיוּ־לְךָ֥ לְבַדֶּ֑ךָ וְאֵ֖ין לְזָרִ֣ים אִתָּֽךְ׃
18Let your fountain be blessed; Find joy in the wife of your youth—
y'-HEE m'-ko-r'-KHA va-RUKH us-MAKH may-AY-shet n'-u-RE-kha
יחיְהִֽי־מְקוֹרְךָ֥ בָר֑וּךְ וּ֝שְׂמַ֗ח מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת נְעוּרֶֽךָ׃
5:18 Find joy in the wife of your youth
King Shlomo compares the wife of one’s youth to a fountain, a source of life-giving water, because she is a source of continued life through the children she bears. Water is a precious commodity in Israel, as rain falls in unpredictable and sometimes limited quantities, and only in its season. Being dependent on the Lord for rain ensures that His children must maintain a close connection with Him in the Land of Israel, and recognize the He is the true source of life and all of its blessings.
19A loving doe, a graceful mountain goat. Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be infatuated with love of her always.
a-YE-let a-ha-VIM v'-ya-a-LAT-khayn da-DE-ha ye-ra-VU-kha b'-khol-EYT b'-a-ha-va-TAH tish-GEH ta-MEED
יטאַיֶּ֥לֶת אֲהָבִ֗ים וְֽיַעֲלַ֫ת־חֵ֥ן דַּ֭דֶּיהָ יְרַוֻּ֣ךָ בְכׇל־עֵ֑ת בְּ֝אַהֲבָתָ֗הּ תִּשְׁגֶּ֥ה תָמִֽיד׃
20Why be infatuated, my son, with a forbidden woman? Why clasp the bosom of an alien woman?
v'-LA-MA tish-GEH v'-NEE b'-za-RAH u-t'-cha-BEK khayk nokh-ree-YAH
כוְלָ֤מָּה תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה בְנִ֣י בְזָרָ֑ה וּ֝תְחַבֵּ֗ק חֵ֣ק נׇכְרִיָּֽה׃
21For a man's ways are before the eyes of Hashem; He surveys his entire course.
ki no-KHAK ay-NAY a-do-NAI dar-KAY eesh v'-kol ma-g'-lo-TAV m'-fa-LES
כאכִּ֤י נֹ֨כַח ׀ עֵינֵ֣י יְ֭הֹוָה דַּרְכֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְֽכׇל־מַעְגְּלֹתָ֥יו מְפַלֵּֽס׃
22The wicked man will be trapped in his iniquities; He will be caught up in the ropes of his sin.
a-vo-NO-tav yil-ke-DU-no et-ha-ra-SHA, u-v'-khav-LAY kha-ta-TO yit-ta-MEKH
כבעֲֽווֹנֹתָ֗יו יִלְכְּדֻנ֥וֹ אֶת־הָרָשָׁ֑ע וּבְחַבְלֵ֥י חַ֝טָּאת֗וֹ יִתָּמֵֽךְ׃
23He will die for lack of discipline, Infatuated by his great folly.
HU ya-MUT b'-EYN mu-SAR u-v'-ROV i-vu-LA-to yish-GEH.
כגה֗וּא יָ֭מוּת בְּאֵ֣ין מוּסָ֑ר וּבְרֹ֖ב אִוַּלְתּ֣וֹ יִשְׁגֶּֽה׃