TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 7
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1My son, heed my words; And store up my commandments with you.
אבְּנִי שְׁמֹר אֲמָרָי וּמִצְוׂתַי תִּצְפֹּן אִתָּךְ׃
2Keep my commandments and live, My teaching, as the apple of your eye.
בשְׁמֹר מִצְוׂתַי וֶחְיֵה וְתוֹרָתִי כְּאִישׁוֹן עֵינֶיךָ׃
3Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your mind.
גקָשְׁרֵם עַל־אֶצְבְּעֹתֶיךָ כָּתְבֵם עַל־לוּחַ לִבֶּךָ׃
4Say to Wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call Understanding a kinswoman.
דאֱמֹר לַחָכְמָה אֲחֹתִי אָתְּ וּמֹדָע לַבִּינָה תִקְרָא׃
5She will guard you from a forbidden woman; From an alien woman whose talk is smooth.
הלִשְׁמָרְךָ מֵאִשָּׁה זָרָה מִנָּכְרִיָּה אֲמָרֶיהָ הֶחֱלִיקָה׃
6From the window of my house, Through my lattice, I looked out
וכִּי בְּחַלּוֹן בֵּיתִי בְּעַד אֶשְׁנַבִּי נִשְׁקָפְתִּי׃
7And saw among the simple, Noticed among the youths, A lad devoid of sense.
זוָאֵרֶא בַפְּתָאיִם אָבִינָה בַבָּנִים נַעַר חֲסַר־לֵב׃
8He was crossing the street near her corner, Walking toward her house
חעֹבֵר בַּשּׁוּק אֵצֶל פִּנָּהּ וְדֶרֶךְ בֵּיתָהּ יִצְעָד׃
9In the dusk of evening, In the dark hours of night.
טבְּנֶשֶׁף־בְּעֶרֶב יוֹם בְּאִישׁוֹן לַיְלָה וַאֲפֵלָה׃
10A woman comes toward him Dressed like a harlot, with set purpose.
יוְהִנֵּה אִשָּׁה לִקְרָאתוֹ שִׁית זוֹנָה וּנְצֻרַת לֵב׃
11She is bustling and restive; She is never at home.
יאהֹמִיָּה הִיא וְסֹרָרֶת בְּבֵיתָהּ לֹא־יִשְׁכְּנוּ רַגְלֶיהָ׃
12Now in the street, now in the square, She lurks at every corner.
יבפַּעַם בַּחוּץ פַּעַם בָּרְחֹבוֹת וְאֵצֶל כָּל־פִּנָּה תֶאֱרֹב׃
13She lays hold of him and kisses him; Brazenly she says to him,
יגוְהֶחֱזִיקָה בּוֹ וְנָשְׁקָה־לּוֹ הֵעֵזָה פָנֶיהָ וַתֹּאמַר לוֹ׃
14“I had to make a sacrifice of well-being; Today I fulfilled my vows.
ziv-KHAY sh'-la-MEEM a-LAI ha-YOM shi-LAM-tee n'-da-RAI
ידזִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים עָלָי הַיּוֹם שִׁלַּמְתִּי נְדָרָי׃
7:14 Sacrifice of well-being
Jerusalem
The sacrifice of well-being is often called the ‘peace-offering’ based on its Hebrew name, korban sh’lamim (קרבן שלמים), which is related to the Hebrew word shalom (שלום), ‘peace.’ According to Jewish tradition, it is called this because the korban sh’lamim symbolizes peace and unity, as it is the only offering that is shared by all relevant parties: Hashem, via the portions burned on the altar, and the priest and the owner of the sacrifice who each consume part of the meat. It is not a coincidence that this is also the only offering that is not restricted to the Beit Hamikdash, but may be eaten anywhere in the city of Jerusalem. The Hebrew name for Jerusalem, Yerushalayim, also has the word shalom at its root, and indeed, Jerusalem is known as ir shel shalom, the city of peace. Yerushalayim is meant to be the source for all peace on earth, and is therefore closely connected with the well-being offering.
15Therefore I have come out to you, Seeking you, and have found you.
טועַל־כֵּן יָצָאתִי לִקְרָאתֶךָ לְשַׁחֵר פָּנֶיךָ וָאֶמְצָאֶךָּ׃
16I have decked my couch with covers Of dyed Egyptian linen;
טזמַרְבַדִּים רָבַדְתִּי עַרְשִׂי חֲטֻבוֹת אֵטוּן מִצְרָיִם׃
17I have sprinkled my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
יזנַפְתִּי מִשְׁכָּבִי מֹר אֲהָלִים וְקִנָּמוֹן׃
18Let us drink our fill of love till morning; Let us delight in amorous embrace.
יחלְכָה נִרְוֶה דֹדִים עַד־הַבֹּקֶר נִתְעַלְּסָה בָּאֳהָבִים׃
19For the man of the house is away; He is off on a distant journey.
יטכִּי אֵין הָאִישׁ בְּבֵיתוֹ הָלַךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ מֵרָחוֹק׃
20He took his bag of money with him And will return only at mid-month.”
כצְרוֹר־הַכֶּסֶף לָקַח בְּיָדוֹ לְיוֹם הַכֵּסֶא יָבֹא בֵיתוֹ׃
21She sways him with her eloquence, Turns him aside with her smooth talk.
כאהִטַּתּוּ בְּרֹב לִקְחָהּ בְּחֵלֶק שְׂפָתֶיהָ תַּדִּיחֶנּוּ׃
22Thoughtlessly he follows her, Like an ox going to the slaughter, Like a fool to the stocks for punishment—
כבהוֹלֵךְ אַחֲרֶיהָ פִּתְאֹם כְּשׁוֹר אֶל־טָבַח יָבוֹא וּכְעֶכֶס אֶל־מוּסַר אֱוִיל׃
23Until the arrow pierces his liver. He is like a bird rushing into a trap, Not knowing his life is at stake.
כגעַד יְפַלַּח חֵץ כְּבֵדוֹ כְּמַהֵר צִפּוֹר אֶל־פָּח וְלֹא־יָדַע כִּי־בְנַפְשׁוֹ הוּא׃
24Now, sons, listen to me; Pay attention to my words;
כדוְעַתָּה בָנִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִי וְהַקְשִׁיבוּ לְאִמְרֵי־פִי׃
25Let your mind not wander down her ways; Do not stray onto her paths.
כהאַל־יֵשְׂטְ אֶל־דְּרָכֶיהָ לִבֶּךָ אַל־תֵּתַע בִּנְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ׃
26For many are those she has struck dead, And numerous are her victims.
כוכִּי־רַבִּים חֲלָלִים הִפִּילָה וַעֲצֻמִים כָּל־הֲרֻגֶיהָ׃
27Her house is a highway to Sheol Leading down to Death's inner chambers.
כזדַּרְכֵי שְׁאוֹל בֵּיתָהּ יֹרְדוֹת אֶל־חַדְרֵי־מָוֶת׃
