1
חָכְמוֹת בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ חָצְבָה עַמּוּדֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה
Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars;
Ἡ σοφία ᾠκοδόμησεν ἑαυτῇ οἶκον, καὶ ὑπήρεισε στύλους ἑπτά.
Wisdom has built a house for herself, And set up seven pillars.
2
טָבְחָה טִבְחָהּ מָסְכָה יֵינָהּ אַף עָרְכָה שֻׁלְחָנָהּ
She hath prepared her meat, she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
Ἔσφαξε τὰ ἑαυτῆς θύματα, ἐκέρασεν εἰς κρατῆρα τὸν ἑαυτῆς οἶνον, καὶ ἡτοιμάσατο τὴν ἑαυτῆς τράπεζαν.
She has killed her beasts; She has mingled her wine in a bowl, And prepared her table.
3
שָׁלְחָה נַעֲרֹתֶיהָ תִקְרָא עַל־גַּפֵּי מְרֹמֵי קָרֶת
She hath sent forth her maidens, she calleth, upon the highest places of the city:
Ἀπέστειλε τοὺς ἑαυτῆς δούλους, συγκαλοῦσα μετὰ ὑψηλοῦ κηρύγματος ἐπὶ κρατῆρα, λέγουσα,
She has sent forth her servants, Calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying,
4
מִי־פֶתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה חֲסַר־לֵב אָמְרָה לּוֹ
'Whoso is thoughtless, let him turn in hither'; as for him that lacketh understanding, she saith to him:
Ὅς ἐστιν ἄφρων, ἐκκλινάτω πρὸς μέ· καὶ τοῖς ἐνδεέσι φρενῶν εἶπεν,
Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside to me: And to them that want understanding she says,
5
לְכוּ לַחֲמוּ בְלַחֲמִי וּשְׁתוּ בְּיַיִן מָסָכְתִּי
'Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.
ἔλθατε, φάγετε τῶν ἐμῶν ἄρτων, καὶ πίετε οἶνον ὃν ἐκέρασα ὑμῖν.
Come, eat of my bread, And drink wine which I have mingled for you.
6
עִזְבוּ פְתָאיִם וִחְיוּ וְאִשְׁרוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ בִּינָה
Forsake all thoughtlessness, and live; and walk in the way of understanding.
Ἀπολείπετε ἀφροσύνην, ἵνα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα βασιλεύσητε· καὶ ζητήσατε φρόνησιν, καὶ κατορθώσατε ἐν γνώσει σύνεσιν.
Leave folly, that ye may reign forever; And seek wisdom, And improve understanding by knowledge.
7
יֹסֵר לֵץ לֹקֵחַ לוֹ קָלוֹן וּמוֹכִיחַ לְרָשָׁע מוּמוֹ
He that correcteth a scorner getteth to himself shame, and he that reproveth a wicked man, it becometh unto him a blot.
Ὁ παιδεύων κακοὺς λήψεται ἑαυτῷ ἀτιμίαν· ἐλέγχων δὲ τὸν ἀσεβῆ μωμήσεται ἑαυτόν.
He that reproves evil [men] shall get dishonor to himself; And he that rebukes an ungodly [man] shall disgrace himself.
8
אַל־תּוֹכַח לֵץ פֶּן־יִשְׂנָאֶךָּ הוֹכַח לְחָכָם וְיֶאֱהָבֶךָּ
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee; reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.
Μὴ ἔλεγχε κακοὺς, ἵνα μὴ μισήσωσί σε· ἔλεγχε σοφὸν, καὶ ἀγαπήσει σε.
Rebuke not evil [men], lest they should hate thee: Rebuke a wise [man], and he will love thee.
9
תֵּן לְחָכָם וְיֶחְכַּם־עוֹד הוֹדַע לְצַדִּיק וְיוֹסֶף לֶקַח
Give to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
Δίδου σοφῷ ἀφορμὴν, καὶ σοφώτερος ἔσται· γνώριζε δικαίῳ, καὶ προσθήσει τοῦ δέχεσθαι.
Give an opportunity to a wise [man], and he will be wiser: Instruct a just man, and he will receive more [instruction].
10
תְּחִלַּת חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יְהוָה וְדַעַת קְדֹשִׁים בִּינָה
The fear of HaShem is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the All-holy is understanding.
Ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίου, καὶ βουλὴ ἁγίων σύνεσις· 10aτὸ γὰρ γνῶναι νόμον, διανοίας ἐστὶν ἀγαθῆς.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the counsel of saints is understanding:
11
כִּי־בִי יִרְבּוּ יָמֶיךָ וְיוֹסִיפוּ לְּךָ שְׁנוֹת חַיִּים
For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
Τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ τρόπῳ πολὺν ζήσεις χρόνον, καὶ προστεθήσεταί σοι ἔτη ζωῆς σου.
For in this way thou shalt live long, And years of thy life shall be added to thee.
12
אִם־חָכַמְתָּ חָכַמְתָּ לָּךְ וְלַצְתָּ לְבַדְּךָ תִשָּׂא
If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself; and if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.'
Υἱὲ ἐὰν σοφὸς γένῃ σεαυτῷ, σοφὸς ἔσῃ καὶ τοῖς πλησίον· ἐὰν δὲ κακὸς ἀποβῇς, μόνος ἂν ἀντλήσεις κακά· 12aὃς ἐρείδεται ἐπὶ ψεύδεσιν, οὗτος ποιμαίνει ἀνέμους, ὁ δʼ αὐτὸς διώξεται ὄρνεα πετόμενα· 12bἀπέλιπε γὰρ ὁδοὺς τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ ἀμπελῶνος, τοὺς δὲ ἄξονας τοῦ ἰδίου γεωργίου πεπλάνηται· 12cδιαπορεύεται δὲ διʼ ἀνύδρου ἐρήμου, καὶ γῆν διατεταγμένην ἐν διψώδεσι, συνάγει δὲ χερσὶν ἀκαρπίαν.
Son, if thou be wise for thyself, thou shalt also be wise for thy neighbors; And if thou shouldest prove wicked, thou alone wilt bear the evil.
13
אֵשֶׁת כְּסִילוּת הֹמִיָּה פְּתַיּוּת וּבַל־יָדְעָה מָּה
The woman Folly is riotous; she is thoughtless, and knoweth nothing.
Γυνὴ ἄφρων καὶ θρασεῖα ἐνδεὴς ψωμοῦ γίνεται, ἣ οὐκ ἐπίσταται αἰσχύνην.
A foolish and bold woman, who knows not modesty, Comes to want a morsel.
14
וְיָשְׁבָה לְפֶתַח בֵּיתָהּ עַל־כִּסֵּא מְרֹמֵי קָרֶת
And she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
Ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ θύραις τοῦ ἑαυτῆς οἴκου, ἐπὶ δίφρου ἐμφανῶς ἐν πλατείαις,
She sits at the doors of her house, On a seat openly in the streets,
15
לִקְרֹא לְעֹבְרֵי־דָרֶךְ הַמְיַשְּׁרִים אֹרְחוֹתָם
To call to them that pass by, who go right on their ways:
προσκαλουμένη τοὺς παριόντας καὶ κατευθύνοντας ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν·
Calling to passers by, And to those that are going right on their ways;
16
מִי־פֶתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה וַחֲסַר־לֵב וְאָמְרָה לּוֹ
'Whoso is thoughtless, let him turn in hither'; and as for him that lacketh understanding, she saith to him:
Ὅς ἐστιν ὑμῶν ἀφρονέστατος, ἐκκλινάτω πρὸς μέ· καὶ τοῖς ἐνδεέσι φρονήσεως παρακελεύομαι, λέγουσα,
[saying], Whoso is most senseless of you, let him turn aside to me; And I exhort those that want prudence, saying,
17
מַיִם־גְּנוּבִים יִמְתָּקוּ וְלֶחֶם סְתָרִים יִנְעָם
'Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.'
ἄρτων κρυφίων ἡδέως ἅψασθε, καὶ ὕδατος κλοπῆς γλυκεροῦ.
Take and enjoy secret bread, And the sweet water of theft.
18
וְלֹא־יָדַע כִּי־רְפָאִים שָׁם בְּעִמְקֵי שְׁאוֹל קְרֻאֶיהָ
But he knoweth not that the shades are there; that her guests are in the depths of the nether-world.
Ὁ δὲ οὐκ οἶδεν ὅτι γηγενεῖς παρʼ αὐτῇ ὄλλυνται, καὶ ἐπὶ πέταυρον ᾅδου συναντᾷ· 18aἀλλὰ ἀποπήδησον, μὴ χρονίσῃς ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, μηδὲ ἐπιστήσῃς τὸ σὸν ὄμμα πρὸς αὐτὴν, 18bοὕτως γὰρ διαβήσῃ ὕδωρ ἀλλότριον· 18cἀπὸ δὲ ὕδατος ἀλλοτρίου ἀπόσχου, καὶ ἀπὸ πηγῆς ἀλλοτρίας μὴ πίῃς 18dἵνα πολὺν ζησῃς χρόνον, προστεθῇ δέ σοι ἔτη ζωῆς.
But he knows that mighty men die by her, And he falls in with a snare of hell.