שִׁמְע֣וּ Hear, šāmaʿ בָ֭נִים ye children, bēn מ֣וּסַר the instruction mûsār אָ֑ב of a father, ʾāb וְ֝הַקְשִׁ֗יבוּ and attend qāšab לָדַ֥עַת to know yādaʿ בִּינָֽה׃ understanding. bînâ

כִּ֤י For kî לֶ֣קַח doctrine, leqaḥ ט֭וֹב you good ṭôb נָתַ֣תִּי I give nātan לָכֶ֑ם תּֽ֝וֹרָתִ֗י my law. tôrâ אַֽל ye not ʾal תַּעֲזֹֽבוּ׃ forsake ʿāzab

כִּי For kî בֵ֭ן son, bēn הָיִ֣יתִי I was hāyâ לְאָבִ֑י my father's ʾāb רַ֥ךְ tender rak וְ֝יָחִ֗יד and only yāḥîd לִפְנֵ֥י in the sight pānîm אִמִּֽי׃ of my mother. ʾēm

וַיֹּרֵ֗נִי He taught yārâ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר me also, and said ʾāmar לִ֗י יִֽתְמָךְ retain tāmak דְּבָרַ֥י my words: dābār לִבֶּ֑ךָ unto me, Let thine heart lēb שְׁמֹ֖ר keep šāmar מִצְוֹתַ֣י my commandments, miṣwâ וֶֽחְיֵֽה׃ and live. ḥāyâ

קְנֵ֣ה Get qānâ חָ֭כְמָה wisdom, ḥokmâ קְנֵ֣ה get qānâ בִינָ֑ה understanding: bînâ אַל not; ʾal תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח forget šākaḥ וְאַל neither ʾal תֵּ֝֗ט decline nāṭâ מֵֽאִמְרֵי from the words ʾēmer פִֽי׃ of my mouth. pe

אַל her not, ʾal תַּעַזְבֶ֥הָ Forsake ʿāzab וְתִשְׁמְרֶ֑ךָּ and she shall preserve šāmar אֱהָבֶ֥הָ thee: love ʾāhab וְתִצְּרֶֽךָּ׃ her, and she shall keep thee. nāṣar

רֵאשִׁ֣ית the principal thing; rēʾšît חָ֭כְמָה Wisdom ḥokmâ קְנֵ֣ה get qānâ חָכְמָ֑ה wisdom: ḥokmâ וּבְכָל and with all kōl קִ֝נְיָנְךָ֗ thy getting qinyān קְנֵ֣ה get qānâ בִינָֽה׃ understanding. bînâ

סַלְסְלֶ֥הָ Exalt sālal וּֽתְרוֹמְמֶ֑ךָּ her, and she shall promote rûm תְּ֝כַבֵּ֗דְךָ thee: she shall bring thee to honour, kābad כִּ֣י when kî תְחַבְּקֶֽנָּה׃ thou dost embrace her. ḥābaq

תִּתֵּ֣ן She shall give nātan לְ֭רֹאשְׁךָ to thine head rōš לִוְיַת an ornament liwyâ חֵ֑ן of grace: ḥēn עֲטֶ֖רֶת a crown ʿăṭārâ תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת of glory tipʾārâ תְּמַגְּנֶֽךָּ׃ shall she deliver to thee. māgan

שְׁמַ֣ע Hear, šāmaʿ בְּ֭נִי O my son, bēn וְקַ֣ח and receive lāqaḥ אֲמָרָ֑י my sayings; ʾēmer וְיִרְבּ֥וּ shall be many. rābâ לְ֝ךָ֗ שְׁנ֣וֹת and the years šāne חַיִּֽים׃ of thy life ḥay

בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ thee in the way derek חָ֭כְמָה of wisdom; ḥokmâ הֹרֵתִ֑יךָ I have taught yārâ הִ֝דְרַכְתִּ֗יךָ I have led dārak בְּמַעְגְּלֵי paths. maʿgāl יֹֽשֶׁר׃ thee in right yōšer

בְּֽ֭לֶכְתְּךָ When thou goest, hālak לֹא shall not lōʾ יֵצַ֣ר be straitened; yāṣar צַעֲדֶ֑ךָ thy steps ṣaʿad וְאִם and when ʾim תָּ֝ר֗וּץ thou runnest, rûṣ לֹ֣א thou shalt not lōʾ תִכָּשֵֽׁל׃ stumble. kāšal

הַחֲזֵ֣ק Take fast hold ḥāzaq בַּמּוּסָ֣ר of instruction; mûsār אַל let not ʾal תֶּ֑רֶף go: rāpâ נִ֝צְּרֶ֗הָ keep nāṣar כִּי her; for kî הִ֥יא she hûʾ חַיֶּֽיךָ׃ thy life. ḥay

בְּאֹ֣רַח into the path ʾōraḥ רְ֭שָׁעִים of the wicked, rāšāʿ אַל not ʾal תָּבֹ֑א Enter bôʾ וְאַל not ʾal תְּ֝אַשֵּׁ֗ר and go ʾāšar בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ in the way derek רָעִֽים׃ of evil raʿ

פְּרָעֵ֥הוּ Avoid pāraʿ אַל not ʾal תַּעֲבָר it, pass ʿābar בּ֑וֹ שְׂטֵ֖ה by it, turn śāṭâ מֵעָלָ֣יו from ʿal וַעֲבֹֽר׃ it, and pass away. ʿābar

כִּ֤י For kî לֹ֣א not, lōʾ יִֽ֭שְׁנוּ they sleep yāšēn אִם except ʾim לֹ֣א lōʾ יָרֵ֑עוּ they have done mischief; rāʿaʿ וְֽנִגְזְלָ֥ה is taken away, gāzal שְׁ֝נָתָ֗ם and their sleep šēnâ אִם unless ʾim לֹ֥א lōʾ יַכְשִֽׁולוּ׃ they cause to fall. kāšal

כִּ֣י For kî לָ֭חֲמוּ they eat lāḥam לֶ֣חֶם the bread leḥem רֶ֑שַׁע of wickedness, rešaʿ וְיֵ֖ין the wine yayin חֲמָסִ֣ים of violence. ḥāmās יִשְׁתּֽוּ׃ and drink šātâ

וְאֹ֣רַח But the path ʾōraḥ צַ֭דִּיקִים of the just ṣaddîq כְּא֣וֹר light, ʾôr נֹ֑גַהּ as the shining nōgah הוֹלֵ֥ךְ more and more hālak וָ֝א֗וֹר that shineth ʾôr עַד unto ʿad נְכ֥וֹן the perfect kûn הַיּֽוֹם׃ day. yôm

דֶּ֣רֶךְ The way derek רְ֭שָׁעִים of the wicked rāšāʿ כָּֽאֲפֵלָ֑ה as darkness: ʾăpēlâ לֹ֥א not lōʾ יָ֝דְע֗וּ they know yādaʿ בַּמֶּ֥ה at what mâ יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ׃ they stumble. kāšal

בְּ֭נִי My son, bēn לִדְבָרַ֣י to my words; dābār הַקְשִׁ֑יבָה attend qāšab לַ֝אֲמָרַ֗י unto my sayings. ʾēmer הַט incline nāṭâ אָזְנֶֽךָ׃ thine ear ʾōzen

אַל Let them not ʾal יַלִּ֥יזוּ depart lûz מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ from thine eyes; ʿayin שָׁ֝מְרֵ֗ם keep šāmar בְּת֣וֹךְ them in the midst tāwek לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ of thine heart. lēbāb

כִּֽי For kî חַיִּ֣ים life ḥay הֵ֭ם they hēm לְמֹצְאֵיהֶ֑ם unto those that find māṣāʾ וּֽלְכָל to all kōl בְּשָׂר֥וֹ their flesh. bāśār מַרְפֵּֽא׃ them, and health marpēʾ

מִֽכָּל with all kōl מִ֭שְׁמָר diligence; mišmār נְצֹ֣ר Keep nāṣar לִבֶּ֑ךָ thy heart lēb כִּֽי for kî מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ out of min תּוֹצְא֥וֹת it the issues tôṣāʾâ חַיִּֽים׃ of life. ḥay

הָסֵ֣ר Put away sûr מִ֭מְּךָ from min עִקְּשׁ֣וּת thee a froward ʿiqqĕšût פֶּ֑ה mouth, pe וּלְז֥וּת and perverse lĕzût שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם lips śāpâ הַרְחֵ֥ק put far rāḥaq מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ from thee. min

עֵ֭ינֶיךָ Let thine eyes ʿayin לְנֹ֣כַח right on, nōkaḥ יַבִּ֑יטוּ look nābaṭ וְ֝עַפְעַפֶּ֗יךָ and let thine eyelids ʿapʿap יַיְשִׁ֥רוּ look straight yāšar נֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃ before thee. neged

פַּ֭לֵּס Ponder pālas מַעְגַּ֣ל the path maʿgāl רַגְלֶ֑ךָ of thy feet, regel וְֽכָל and let all kōl דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ thy ways derek יִכֹּֽנוּ׃ be established. kûn

אַֽל not ʾal תֵּט Turn nāṭâ יָמִ֥ין to the right hand yāmîn וּשְׂמֹ֑אול nor to the left: śĕmōwl הָסֵ֖ר remove sûr רַגְלְךָ֣ thy foot regel מֵרָֽע׃ from evil. raʿ