1 אַל־תִּשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל ׀ אֶל־גִּיל כָּעַמִּים כִּי זָנִיתָ מֵעַל אֱלֹהֶיךָ אָהַבְתָּ אֶתְנָן עַל כָּל־גָּרְנֹות דָּגָן | 1 You should not be jealous of the wife of your bosom, lest she reveal, because of you, the malice of a wicked lesson. |
2 גֹּרֶן וָיֶקֶב לֹא יִרְעֵם וְתִירֹושׁ יְכַחֶשׁ בָּהּ | 2 You should not give authority over your soul to a woman, lest she obtain your strength, and then you would be confounded. |
3 לֹא יֵשְׁבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ יְהוָה וְשָׁב אֶפְרַיִם מִצְרַיִם וּבְאַשּׁוּר טָמֵא יֹאכֵלוּ | 3 You should not look with favor on a woman with many desires, lest perhaps you may fall into her traps. |
4 לֹא־יִסְּכוּ לַיהוָה ׀ יַיִן וְלֹא יֶעֶרְבוּ־לֹו זִבְחֵיהֶם כְּלֶחֶם אֹונִים לָהֶם כָּל־אֹכְלָיו יִטַמָּאוּ כִּי־לַחְמָם לְנַפְשָׁם לֹא יָבֹוא בֵּית יְהוָה | 4 You should not be continually in need of entertainment, nor should you be persuaded by it, lest perhaps you may perish by its effectiveness. |
5 מַה־תַּעֲשׂוּ לְיֹום מֹועֵד וּלְיֹום חַג־יְהוָה | 5 You should not stare at a virgin, lest perhaps you may be scandalized by her beauty. |
6 כִּי־הִנֵּה הָלְכוּ מִשֹּׁד מִצְרַיִם תְּקַבְּצֵם מֹף תְּקַבְּרֵם מַחְמַד לְכַסְפָּם קִמֹּושׂ יִירָשֵׁם חֹוחַ בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶם | 6 You should not give your soul, in any way, to fornicators, lest you destroy yourself and your inheritance. |
7 בָּאוּ ׀ יְמֵי הַפְּקֻדָּה בָּאוּ יְמֵי הַשִׁלֻּם יֵדְעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֱוִיל הַנָּבִיא מְשֻׁגָּע אִישׁ הָרוּחַ עַל רֹב עֲוֹנְךָ וְרַבָּה מַשְׂטֵמָה | 7 Do not choose to look around in the streets of the city, nor should you wander along its thoroughfares. |
8 צֹפֶה אֶפְרַיִם עִם־אֱלֹהָי נָבִיא פַּח יָקֹושׁ עַל־כָּל־דְּרָכָיו מַשְׂטֵמָה בְּבֵית אֱלֹהָיו | 8 Avert your face from an ornate woman, for you should not gaze upon strange beauty. |
9 הֶעְמִיקוּ־שִׁחֵתוּ כִּימֵי הַגִּבְעָה יִזְכֹּור עֲוֹנָם יִפְקֹוד חַטֹּאותָם׃ ס | 9 Many have perished because of the beauty of a woman; and by this, desire is kindled like a fire. |
10 כַּעֲנָבִים בַּמִּדְבָּר מָצָאתִי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּבִכּוּרָה בִתְאֵנָה בְּרֵאשִׁיתָהּ רָאִיתִי אֲבֹותֵיכֶם הֵמָּה בָּאוּ בַעַל־פְּעֹור וַיִּנָּזְרוּ לַבֹּשֶׁת וַיִּהְיוּ שִׁקּוּצִים כְּאָהֳבָם | 10 Every woman who is a fornicator will be trampled down, like the filth in the street. |
11 אֶפְרַיִם כָּעֹוף יִתְעֹופֵף כְּבֹודָם מִלֵּדָה וּמִבֶּטֶן וּמֵהֵרָיֹון | 11 Many, by admiring the beauty of the wife of another, have become reprobate. For familiarity with her flares up like a fire. |
12 כִּי אִם־יְגַדְּלוּ אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶם וְשִׁכַּלְתִּים מֵאָדָם כִּי־גַם־אֹוי לָהֶם בְּשׂוּרִי מֵהֶם | 12 You should not sit down at all with another man’s wife, nor recline with her on a couch. |
13 אֶפְרַיִם כַּאֲשֶׁר־רָאִיתִי לְצֹור שְׁתוּלָה בְנָוֶה וְאֶפְרַיִם לְהֹוצִיא אֶל־הֹרֵג בָּנָיו | 13 And you should not argue with her over wine, lest perhaps your heart may turn toward her, and by your emotion, you would be toppled into perdition. |
14 תֵּן־לָהֶם יְהוָה מַה־תִּתֵּן תֵּן־לָהֶם רֶחֶם מַשְׁכִּיל וְשָׁדַיִם צֹמְקִים | 14 You should not abandon a old friend. For a new one will not be similar to him. |
15 כָּל־רָעָתָם בַּגִּלְגָּל כִּי־שָׁם שְׂנֵאתִים עַל רֹעַ מַעַלְלֵיהֶם מִבֵּיתִי אֲגָרְשֵׁם לֹא אֹוסֵף אַהֲבָתָם כָּל־שָׂרֵיהֶם סֹרְרִים | 15 A new friend is like new wine. It will grow old, and then you will enjoy drinking it. |
16 הֻכָּה אֶפְרַיִם שָׁרְשָׁם יָבֵשׁ פְּרִי [בְלִי־ כ] (בַל־יַעֲשׂוּן ק) גַּם כִּי יֵלֵדוּן וְהֵמַתִּי מַחֲמַדֵּי בִטְנָם׃ ס | 16 You should not envy the glory and wealth of a sinner. For you do not know what may be his undoing in the future. |
17 יִמְאָסֵם אֱלֹהַי כִּי לֹא שָׁמְעוּ לֹו וְיִהְיוּ נֹדְדִים בַּגֹּויִם׃ ס | 17 The injury of the unjust should not please you, knowing that, until they are in hell, the impious will not please. |
| 18 Keep yourself far from a man having the power to kill, and then you will not have the fear of death suspended over you. |
| 19 But if you do approach him, do nothing to offend, lest perhaps he may take away your life. |
| 20 Know that this is a communion with death. For you would be entering the midst of snares, and walking upon the arms of the grieving. |
| 21 According to your ability, be cautious of your neighbor, and treat him as the wise and prudent would. |
| 22 Let just men be your companions, and let your glory be in the fear of God. |
| 23 And let the thought of God be in your mind, and let all your discourse be on the precepts of the Most High. |
| 24 Works will be praised for the hands of the artists, and a leader of the people will be praised for the wisdom of his words, yet truly, the word of the elders will be praised for its understanding. |
| 25 A man full of words is a dread to his city, but one who speaks rashly will be hated for his word. |