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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 9

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn her seven pillars.

khokh-MOT ba-n'-TAH vay-TAH kha-tz'-VAH a-mu-DE-ha shiv-AH

אחׇ֭כְמוֹת בָּנְתָ֣ה בֵיתָ֑הּ חָצְבָ֖ה עַמּוּדֶ֣יהָ שִׁבְעָֽה׃

 9:1   She has hewn her seven pillars

Rashi (1040-1105)

The number seven is a recurring motif in the Bible, typically representing nature. It is used in the book of Mishlei as a way of expressing multitudes, so here it means wisdom has many pillars. According to the medieval commentator Rashi, in this context the number seven represents the seven days of creation. When Hashem created the world, the “house” referred to in the first half of this verse, He created it with wisdom.

2She has prepared the feast, Mixed the wine, And also set the table.

ta-VE-kha ti-v'-KHAH mas-KHAH yei-NAH af a-r'-KHAH shul-KHA-na

בטָבְחָ֣ה טִ֭בְחָהּ מָסְכָ֣ה יֵינָ֑הּ אַ֝֗ף עָרְכָ֥ה שֻׁלְחָנָֽהּ׃

3She has sent out her maids to announce On the heights of the town,

sha-le-KHA na-a-ro-TE-ha tik-RA al ga-PAY me-ro-MAY ka-RET

גשָׁלְחָ֣ה נַעֲרֹתֶ֣יהָ תִקְרָ֑א עַל־גַּ֝פֵּ֗י מְרֹ֣מֵי קָֽרֶת׃

4“Let the simple enter here”; To those devoid of sense she says,

mi-fe-TI ya-SUR he-Na, cha-SAR-lev a-m'-RAH lo

דמִי־פֶ֭תִי יָסֻ֣ר הֵ֑נָּה חֲסַר־לֵ֝֗ב אָ֣מְרָה לּֽוֹ׃

5“Come, eat my food And drink the wine that I have mixed;

le-KHU la-cha-MU ve-la-cha-MI, u-she-TU be-ya-YIN ma-sa-KH'-TI

הלְ֭כוּ לַחֲמ֣וּ בְֽלַחֲמִ֑י וּ֝שְׁת֗וּ בְּיַ֣יִן מָסָֽכְתִּי׃

6Give up simpleness and live, Walk in the way of understanding.”

IZ-vu f'-ta-YIM vi-KHU, v'-ish-ROO b'-DE-rekh bi-NAH.

ועִזְב֣וּ פְתָאיִ֣ם וִֽחְי֑וּ וְ֝אִשְׁר֗וּ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ בִּינָֽה׃

7To correct a scoffer, Or rebuke a wicked man for his blemish, Is to call down abuse on oneself.*

yo-SAYR lAYTS lo-KAY-akh LO ka-LON u-mo-KHEE-aKH l'-ra-SHA mu-MO

זיֹ֤סֵ֨ר ׀ לֵ֗ץ לֹקֵ֣חַֽ ל֣וֹ קָל֑וֹן וּמוֹכִ֖יחַ לְרָשָׁ֣ע מוּמֽוֹ׃

8Do not rebuke a scoffer, for he will hate you; Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

al-TO-khakh LETS pen-yis-NA-e-KHA ho-KHAKH l'-kha-KHAM v'-ye-e-HA-ve-KHA

חאַל־תּ֣וֹכַח לֵ֭ץ פֶּן־יִשְׂנָאֶ֑ךָּ הוֹכַ֥ח לְ֝חָכָ֗ם וְיֶאֱהָבֶֽךָּ׃

9Instruct a wise man, and he will grow wiser; Teach a righteous man, and he will gain in learning.

TAYN l'-kha-KHAM v'-ye-kh'-KAM-OD ho-DA l'-tza-DEEK v'-yo-SEF le-KAKH

טתֵּ֣ן לְ֭חָכָם וְיֶחְכַּם־ע֑וֹד הוֹדַ֥ע לְ֝צַדִּ֗יק וְי֣וֹסֶף לֶֽקַח׃

10The beginning of wisdom is fear of Hashem, And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

t'-khi-LAT kho-KH'-mah yir-AT a-do-NAI v'-da-A-at k'-do-SHEEM bi-NAH

יתְּחִלַּ֣ת חׇ֭כְמָה יִרְאַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת קְדֹשִׁ֣ים בִּינָֽה׃

11For through me your days will increase, And years be added to your life.

ki-vi YIR-bu ya-ME-kha v'-yo-see-FOO l'-KHA sh'-NOT kha-YEEM

יאכִּי־בִ֭י יִרְבּ֣וּ יָמֶ֑יךָ וְיוֹסִ֥יפוּ לְּ֝ךָ֗ שְׁנ֣וֹת חַיִּֽים׃

12If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; If you are a scoffer, you bear it alone.

im-kha-KHAM-ta kha-KHAM-ta LAKH, v'-la-TZ-ta l'-ba-D'-KHA ti-SA

יבאִם־חָ֭כַמְתָּ חָכַ֣מְתָּ לָּ֑ךְ וְ֝לַ֗צְתָּ לְֽבַדְּךָ֥ תִשָּֽׂא׃

13The stupid woman bustles about; She is simple and knows nothing.

e-SHET ke-see-LOOT ho-mi-YAH pe-ta-YUT u-val-ya-d'-AH mah

יגאֵ֣שֶׁת כְּ֭סִילוּת הֹמִיָּ֑ה פְּ֝תַיּ֗וּת וּבַל־יָ֥דְעָה מָּֽה׃

14She sits in the doorway of her house, Or on a chair at the heights of the town,

v'-ya-SHE-vah l'-pe-TACH b'-ei-TAH al-ki-SAY m'-ro-MAY ka-RET

ידוְֽ֭יָשְׁבָה לְפֶ֣תַח בֵּיתָ֑הּ עַל־כִּ֝סֵּ֗א מְרֹ֣מֵי קָֽרֶת׃

15Calling to all the wayfarers Who go about their own affairs,

lik-RO l'-o-v'-REI-da-REKH ha-m'-ya-sh'-REEM o-r'-kho-TAM

טולִקְרֹ֥א לְעֹֽבְרֵי־דָ֑רֶךְ הַֽ֝מְיַשְּׁרִ֗ים אֹֽרְחוֹתָֽם׃

16“Let the simple enter here”; And to those devoid of sense she says,

mi-PE-ti ya-SUR he-Na, va-cha-SAR-LEV v'-a-M'-RAH lo

טזמִי־פֶ֭תִי יָסֻ֣ר הֵ֑נָּה וַחֲסַר־לֵ֝֗ב וְאָ֣מְרָה לּֽוֹ׃

17“Stolen waters are sweet, And bread eaten furtively is tasty.”

ma-YIM g'-nu-VEEM yim-ta-KU, v'-LE-khem s'-ta-REEM yin-AHM.

יזמַֽיִם־גְּנוּבִ֥ים יִמְתָּ֑קוּ וְלֶ֖חֶם סְתָרִ֣ים יִנְעָֽם׃

18He does not know that the shades are there, That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

v'-lo ya-DA kee-re-FA-eem SHAM b'-im-KAY she-OL k'-ru-E-ha

יחוְֽלֹא־יָ֭דַע כִּֽי־רְפָאִ֣ים שָׁ֑ם בְּעִמְקֵ֖י שְׁא֣וֹל קְרֻאֶֽיהָ׃