1 שִׁמְעוּ דְבַר־יְהוָה בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי רִיב לַיהוָה עִם־יֹושְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ כִּי אֵין־אֱמֶת וְאֵין־חֶסֶד וְאֵין־דַּעַת אֱלֹהִים בָּאָרֶץ | 1 My son, rob not the poor man of his livelihood; force not the eyes of the needy to turn away. |
2 אָלֹה וְכַחֵשׁ וְרָצֹחַ וְגָנֹב וְנָאֹף פָּרָצוּ וְדָמִים בְּדָמִים נָגָעוּ | 2 A hungry man grieve not, a needy man anger not; |
3 עַל־כֵּן ׀ תֶּאֱבַל הָאָרֶץ וְאֻמְלַל כָּל־יֹושֵׁב בָּהּ בְּחַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה וּבְעֹוף הַשָּׁמָיִם וְגַם־דְּגֵי הַיָּם יֵאָסֵפוּ | 3 Do not exasperate the downtrodden; delay not to give to the needy. |
4 אַךְ אִישׁ אַל־יָרֵב וְאַל־יֹוכַח אִישׁ וְעַמְּךָ כִּמְרִיבֵי כֹהֵן | 4 A beggar in distress do not reject; avert not your face from the poor. |
5 וְכָשַׁלְתָּ הַיֹּום וְכָשַׁל גַּם־נָבִיא עִמְּךָ לָיְלָה וְדָמִיתִי אִמֶּךָ | 5 From the needy turn not your eyes, give no man reason to curse you; |
6 נִדְמוּ עַמִּי מִבְּלִי הַדָּעַת כִּי־אַתָּה הַדַּעַת מָאַסְתָּ וְאֶמְאָסְאךָ מִכַּהֵן לִי וַתִּשְׁכַּח תֹּורַת אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶשְׁכַּח בָּנֶיךָ גַּם־אָנִי | 6 For if in the bitterness of his soul he curse you, his Creator will hear his prayer. |
7 כְּרֻבָּם כֵּן חָטְאוּ־לִי כְּבֹודָם בְּקָלֹון אָמִיר | 7 Endear yourself to the assembly; before a ruler bow your head. |
8 חַטַּאת עַמִּי יֹאכֵלוּ וְאֶל־עֲוֹנָם יִשְׂאוּ נַפְשֹׁו | 8 Give a hearing to the poor man, and return his greeting with courtesy; |
9 וְהָיָה כָעָם כַּכֹּהֵן וּפָקַדְתִּי עָלָיו דְּרָכָיו וּמַעֲלָלָיו אָשִׁיב לֹו | 9 Deliver the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor; let not justice be repugnant to you. |
10 וְאָכְלוּ וְלֹא יִשְׂבָּעוּ הִזְנוּ וְלֹא יִפְרֹצוּ כִּי־אֶת־יְהוָה עָזְבוּ לִשְׁמֹר | 10 To the fatherless be as a father, and help their mother as a husband would; Thus will you be like a son to the Most High, and he will be more tender to you than a mother. |
11 זְנוּת וְיַיִן וְתִירֹושׁ יִקַּח־לֵב | 11 Wisdom instructs her children and admonishes those who seek her. |
12 עַמִּי בְּעֵצֹו יִשְׁאָל וּמַקְלֹו יַגִּיד לֹו כִּי רוּחַ זְנוּנִים הִתְעָה וַיִּזְנוּ מִתַּחַת אֱלֹהֵיהֶם | 12 He who loves her loves life; those who seek her out win her favor. |
13 עַל־רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים יְזַבֵּחוּ וְעַל־הַגְּבָעֹות יְקַטֵּרוּ תַּחַת אַלֹּון וְלִבְנֶה וְאֵלָה כִּי טֹוב צִלָּהּ עַל־כֵּן תִּזְנֶינָה בְּנֹותֵיכֶם וְכַלֹּותֵיכֶם תְּנָאַפְנָה | 13 He who holds her fast inherits glory; wherever he dwells, the LORD bestows blessings. |
14 לֹא־אֶפְקֹוד עַל־בְּנֹותֵיכֶם כִּי תִזְנֶינָה וְעַל־כַּלֹּותֵיכֶם כִּי תְנָאַפְנָה כִּי־הֵם עִם־הַזֹּנֹות יְפָרֵדוּ וְעִם־הַקְּדֵשֹׁות יְזַבֵּחוּ וְעָם לֹא־יָבִין יִלָּבֵט | 14 Those who serve her serve the Holy One; those who love her the LORD loves. |
15 אִם־זֹנֶה אַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אַל־יֶאְשַׁם יְהוּדָה וְאַל־תָּבֹאוּ הַגִּלְגָּל וְאַל־תַּעֲלוּ בֵּית אָוֶן וְאַל־תִּשָּׁבְעוּ חַי־יְהוָה | 15 He who obeys her judges nations; he who hearkens to her dwells in her inmost chambers. |
16 כִּי כְּפָרָה סֹרֵרָה סָרַר יִשְׂרָאֵל עַתָּה יִרְעֵם יְהוָה כְּכֶבֶשׂ בַּמֶּרְחָב | 16 If one trusts her, he will possess her; his descendants too will inherit her. |
17 חֲבוּר עֲצַבִּים אֶפְרָיִם הַנַּח־לֹו | 17 She walks with him as a stranger, and at first she puts him to the test; Fear and dread she brings upon him and tries him with her discipline; With her precepts she puts him to the proof, until his heart is fully with her. |
18 סָר סָבְאָם הַזְנֵה הִזְנוּ אָהֲבוּ הֵבוּ קָלֹון מָגִנֶּיהָ | 18 Then she comes back to bring him happiness and reveal her secrets to him. |
19 צָרַר רוּחַ אֹותָהּ בִּכְנָפֶיהָ וְיֵבֹשׁוּ מִזִּבְחֹותָם׃ ס | 19 But if he fails her, she will abandon him and deliver him into the hands of despoilers. |
| 20 Use your time well; guard yourself from evil, and bring upon yourself no shame. |
| 21 There is a sense of shame laden with guilt, and a shame that merits honor and respect. |
| 22 Show no favoritism to your own discredit; let no one intimidate you to your own downfall. |
| 23 Refrain not from speaking at the proper time, and hide not away your wisdom; |
| 24 For it is through speech that wisdom becomes known, and knowledge through the tongue's rejoinder. |
| 25 Never gainsay the truth, and struggle not against the rushing stream. |
| 26 Be not ashamed to acknowledge your guilt, but of your ignorance rather be ashamed. |
| 27 Do not abase yourself before an impious man, nor refuse to do so before rulers. |
| 28 Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you. |
| 29 Be not surly in your speech, nor lazy and slack in your deeds. |
| 30 Be not a lion at home, nor sly and suspicious at work. |
| 31 Let not your hand be open to receive and clenched when it is time to give. |