Bible in 90 Days
135 Praise Hashem. Halelu Shem Hashem; Halelu, O ye avadim of Hashem.
2 Ye that stand ministering in the Beis Hashem, in the khatzerot Beis Eloheinu.
3 Praise Hashem; for Hashem is tov; sing praise unto Shmo; for it is na’im (lovely, pleasing).
4 For Hashem hath chosen Ya’akov unto Himself, and Yisroel for His segullah (peculiar treasure).
5 For I know that Hashem is gadol, and that Adoneinu is above kol elohim.
6 Whatsoever Hashem pleases, that He does in Shomayim, and in HaAretz, in HaYam, and kol tehomot.
7 He causeth the clouds to ascend at the end of HaAretz; He maketh lightning for the matar (rain); He bringeth the ruach out of His otzarot.
8 Who struck down the Bechorei Mitzrayim, both of adam and behemah.
9 Who sent otot and mofetim into the midst of thee, O Mitzrayim, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his avadim.
10 Who struck down Goyim rabbim, and slaughtered melachim atzumim (powerful kings);
11 Sichon Melech HaEmori, and Og Melech HaBashan, and all the mamlechot Kena’an;
12 And gave their land for a nachalah, an inheritance unto Yisroel Amo (His people).
13 Thy Shem, Hashem, endureth l’olam; and Thy remembrance, Hashem, l’dor vador.
14 For Hashem will vindicate His people; He will have compassion on His avadim.
15 The idols of the Goyim are kesef and zahav, the ma’aseh yedei adam.
16 They have mouths, but they speak not; einayim have they, but they see not;
17 They have oznayim, but they hear not; neither is there any ruach in their mouths.
18 They that oseihem (make them) will be like them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
19 Barakhu Hashem, O Bais Yisroel; barakhu Hashem, O Bais Aharon;
20 Barakhu Hashem, O Bais HaLevi; ye that fear Hashem, barakhu Hashem.
21 Baruch Hashem out of Tziyon, which dwelleth at Yerushalayim. Praise Hashem.
136 O give thanks unto Hashem; for He is tov; ki l’olam chasdo (His chesed indures forever).
2 O give thanks unto Elohei HaElohim; ki l’olam chasdo.
3 O give thanks to Adonei HaAdonim; ki l’olam chasdo.
4 To Him Who alone doeth nifla’ot gedolot; ki l’olam chasdo.
5 To Him that by tevunah (understanding) made HaShomayim; ki l’olam chasdo.
6 To Him that stretched out ha’aretz above the mayim; ki l’olam chasdo.
7 To Him that made ohrim gedolim (great lights); ki l’olam chasdo.
8 The shemesh to rule by yom; ki l’olam chasdo.
9 The yarei’ach and kokhavim to rule by lailah; ki l’olam chasdo.
10 To Him that struck down Mitzrayim in their bechorot (firstborn); ki l’olam chasdo.
11 And brought out Yisroel from among them; ki l’olam chasdo.
12 With a yad chazakah, and with a stretched out zero’a; ki l’olam chasdo.
13 To Him Who divided asunder Yam Suf; ki l’olam chasdo.
14 And made Yisroel to pass through the midst of it; ki l’olam chasdo.
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Yam Suf; ki l’olam chasdo.
16 To Him Who led His people through the midbar; ki l’olam chasdo.
17 To Him Who struck down melachim gedolim; ki l’olam chasdo.
18 And slaughtered mighty melachim; ki l’olam chasdo.
19 Sichon Melech HaEmori; ki l’olam chasdo.
20 And Og Melech HaBashan; ki l’olam chasdo.
21 And gave their land for a nachalah; ki l’olam chasdo.
22 Even a nachalah unto Yisroel His eved; ki l’olam chasdo.
23 Who remembered us in our low estate; ki l’olam chasdo.
24 And hath released us from our enemies; ki l’olam chasdo.
25 Who giveth lechem to kol basar; ki l’olam chasdo.
26 O give thanks unto the G-d of Shomayim; ki l’olam chasdo.
137 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yes, we wept, when we remembered Tziyon.
2 We hung up our kinnorot (lyres) upon the willows in the midst thereof.
3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a shir (song); and they that tormented us required of us simchah, saying, Sing us one of the Shir Tziyon.
4 How shall we sing Shir Hashem in an admat nekhar (foreign land).
5 If I forget thee, O Yerushalayim, let my yamin (right hand) forget [i.e., have paralysis].
6 If I do not remember thee, let my leshon cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Yerushalayim above my rosh simchah (chief joy).
7 Remember, Hashem, the Bnei Edom in the Yom Yerushalayim; who said, Raze it, raze it, even to the yesod (foundation) thereof.
8 O Bat Bavel, who art to be destroyed, ashrei shall he be, that repayeth thee the gemul thou hast done to us.
9 Ashrei shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy olalim against the sela.
138 (Of Dovid) I will thank Thee with my whole lev; before the elohim will I sing praise unto Thee.
2 I will worship toward Thy Heikhal Kodesh, and praise Shmecha (Thy Name) for Thy chesed and for Thy emes; for Thou hast magnified Thy Word above Kol Shimcha (all Thy Name; Yn 1:1, 14 OJBC).
3 In the day when I called out, Thou answeredst me, and madest me bold with oz (strength) in my nefesh.
4 Kol Malchei Aretz shall praise Thee, Hashem, when they hear the words of Thy mouth.
5 Yes, they shall sing of the Darkhei Hashem; for gadol is the Kavod Hashem.
6 Though Hashem be on high, yet He looks upon the lowly; but the proud He knoweth from afar.
7 Though I walk in the midst of tzoros, Thou wilt preserve me alive; Thou shalt stretch forth Thine yad against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy Yamin (Right Hand) shall save me.
8 Hashem will fulfill that which concerneth me; Thy chesed, O Hashem, endureth l’olam; forsake not the works of Thine own yadayim.
139 (For the one directing, Mizmor of Dovid). Hashem, Thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou hast binah of my thought from afar off.
3 Thou comprehendeth my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my drakhim.
4 For there is not a milah (word) in my leshon, but, lo, Hashem, Thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast enclosed me achor (behind) and kedem (before), and laid Thine hand upon me.
6 Such da’as is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7 To where can I go from Thy Ruach [Hakodesh]? Or to where shall I flee from Thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into Shomayim, Thou art there; if I make my bed in Sheol, hinei, Thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the shachar (dawn), and dwell in the uttermost acharit yam (the extreme end of the sea);
10 Even there shall Thy yad lead me, and Thy yamin shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the choshech shall cover me, even the lailah shall be ohr about me.
12 Even the choshech is not dark to Thee; but the lailah shineth as the yom; the choshech and the ohr are both alike to Thee.
13 For Thou hast created my inmost being; Thou didst interweave me in the beten immi.
14 I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are Thy ma’asim; and that my nefesh knoweth very well.
15 My atzamim (bones, frame) were not hid from Thee, when I was made beseter (in secret), and skillfully wrought in the depths of the Eretz.
16 Thine eyes did see my golem (embryo), yet being unformed; and in Thy Sefer (Book) all the yamim (days) ordained for me were written down, when as yet there were none of them.
17 How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O El! How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the chol (sand); when I awake, I am still with Thee.
19 Surely Thou wilt slay the rasha, O Eloah; depart from me therefore, ye anshei damim (bloodthirsty men).
20 For they speak of Thee craftily, and it is taken lashav [Ex 20:7] by Thy enemies.
21 Should not I hate them, Hashem, that hate Thee? And am not I to be at odds with those that rise up against Thee?
22 I abhor them with complete sinah; I count them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O El, and know my levav; test me, and know my thoughts;
24 And see if there be any derech otzev (torturous crooked road) in me, and lead me in the Derech Olam.
140 (For the one directing. Mizmor of Dovid). Deliver me, Hashem, from adam rah; preserve me from ish chamasim (violent men);
2 (3) Which plan ra’ot (evils) in their lev; kol yom they incite milchamot (wars).
3 (4) They have sharpened their leshonot like a nachash; the venom of a spider is under their sfatayim (lips). Selah.
4 (5) Be shomer over me, Hashem, and keep me from the hands of the rashah; protect me from ish chamasim, whose scheme is to cause my steps to trip.
5 (6) The ge’im (proud, arrogant ones [of inordinate ambition]) have hid a pach for me, and chavalim (cords, ropes); they have spread a reshet (net) close by the path; they have set mokshim (traps) for me. Selah.
6 (7) I said unto Hashem, Thou art Eli; hear the kol tachanunai (voice of my supplications), Hashem.
7 (8) Hashem Adonoi, Oz Yeshuati (strength of my (salvation), Thou hast covered my rosh in the Yom Neshek (Day of Arms, Day of Battle).
8 (9) Grant not, Hashem, the desires of the rashah; let not his plot succeed; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
9 (10) As for the rosh of those that surround me, let the amal (trouble) of their own sfatayim (lips) cover them.
10 (11) Let burning coals fall upon them; let them be cast into the eish; into mahamorot (watery pits), that they rise not up again.
11 (12) Let not an ish lashon (idle talker, slanderer) be established in ha’aretz; rah shall hunt down the ish chamas to overthrow him.
12 (13) I know that Hashem will maintain the din oni (cause of the poor), and the mishpat evyonim (the right of the needy).
13 (14) Surely the tzaddikim shall give thanks unto Thy Shem; the upright shall dwell in Thy presence.
141 (Mizmor of Dovid) Hashem, I cry unto Thee; make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto Thee.
2 Let my tefillah be set forth before Thee like ketoret; and the lifting up of my hands as the minchat erev.
3 Be shomer, Hashem, over my mouth; guard the door of my lips.
4 Let not my lev incline to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity; and let me not eat of their dainties.
5 Let the tzaddik strike me; it shall be chesed; and let him reprove me; it shall be shemen, which my rosh shall not refuse; for still shall my tefillah be against their evil deeds.
6 Their shofetim are overthrown in stony places; they hear my words; for they are pleasant.
7 Atzameinu (our bones) are scattered at the mouth of Sheol, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon ha’aretz.
8 But mine eyes are unto Thee, Hashem Adonoi; in Thee do I take refuge; leave not my nefesh defenseless.
9 Keep me from the pach (snare, trap) which they have laid for me, and the traps of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the resha’im fall into their own nets, while I escape safely.
142 (Mashkil of Dovid; A tefillah when he was in the me’arah) I cried out unto Hashem with my voice; with my voice unto Hashem did I make my techinnah (supplication).
2 (3) I poured out my complaint before Him; I showed before Him my tzoros.
3 (4) When my ruach became faint within me, then Thou had da’as of my path. In the way wherein I walked have they laid a pach (snare, hidden trap) for me.
4 (5) I looked on my right, and behold, there was no man that would know me; refuge failed me; no man cared for my nefesh.
5 (6) I cried unto Thee, Hashem; I said, Thou art my refuge and my chelek (portion) in the Eretz HaChayyim.
6 (7) Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low; save me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
7 (8) Release my nefesh from prison, to praise Shemecha (Thy Name); the tzaddikim shall gather about me; for Thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
143 (Mizmor of Dovid) Hear my tefillah, Hashem, give ear to my techinot (supplications); in Thy emunah answer me, and in Thy tzedakah.
2 And enter not into mishpat with Thy eved; for in Thy sight shall no man living be yitzadak (justified).
3 For the oyev (enemy) hath persecuted my nefesh; he hath struck down my life to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in places of choshech (darkness), like metei olam (those long dead).
4 Therefore is my ruach become faint within me; my lev within me is desolate.
5 I remember yamim mikedem (days of old), I meditate on all Thy works; I muse on the ma’aseh (work) of Thy hands.
6 I stretch forth my hands unto Thee; my nefesh thirsteth after Thee, like an eretz ayefah (a parched, thirsty land). Selah.
7 Hear me speedily, Hashem; my ruach faileth; hide not Thy face from me, lest I be like those that go down into the bor (pit).
8 Cause me to hear Thy chesed in the boker; for in Thee do I trust; cause me to know the Derech wherein I should walk; for I lift up my nefesh unto Thee.
9 Save me, Hashem, from mine oyevim (enemies); I flee unto Thee to hide me.
10 Teach me to do Retzonecha (Thy will); for Thou art Elohai; may Thy Ruach Tov lead me on level ground.
11 Revive me, Hashem, l’ma’an (for the sake of) Thy Shem (Name); in Thy tzedakah bring my nefesh out of tzoros.
12 And in Thy chesed silence mine enemies, and destroy all them that oppress my nefesh; for I am Thy eved.
144 (Mizmor of Dovid). Baruch Hashem my Tzur (rock) which teacheth my hands for war, and my fingers for milchamah (battle);
2 My Chesed, and my Metzudah (Fortress); my Stronghold, and my Deliverer; my Mogen, and He in Whom I take refuge; Who subdueth my people under me.
3 Hashem, what is adam, that Thou takest knowledge of him! Or the ben enosh, that Thou takest account of him!
4 Adam is like hevel; his days are as a tzel that passeth away.
5 Part Thy heavens, Hashem, and come down; touch the harim, and they shall smoke.
6 Cast forth lightning, and scatter them; shoot Thine khitzim (arrows), and destroy them.
7 Send Thine Yad from above; rescue me, and deliver me out of mayim rabbim, from the yad Bnei Nekhar;
8 Whose mouth speaketh shav (lies), and their right hand is a right hand of sheker.
9 I will sing a shir chadash unto Thee, O Elohim; upon a nevel of ten strings will I make music unto Thee.
10 It is He that giveth Teshu’ah (deliverance, salvation) unto melachim; Who delivereth Dovid His eved from the cherev ra’ah.
11 Rescue me, and save me from the yad Bnei Nekhar, whose mouth speaketh shav (lies) and their right hand is a right yad of sheker;
12 In their youth, may baneinu (our sons) be like plants full grown; may benoteinu (our daughters) be like cornerstones, columns wrought for the Heikhal;
13 That our barns may be full, affording all manner of provision; that our tzon may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our meadows;
14 That our oxen may be strong to labor; that there be no peretz (breach) nor golus; that there be no cry of anquish in our streets.
15 Ashrei are such people; Ashrei is the people that Hashem is Elohav.
145 (Tehillah of Dovid). [Alef} I will extol Thee, Elohai HaMelech; and I will bless Thy Shem l’olam va’ed .
2 [Beis] Kol yom will I bless Thee; and I will praise Thy Shem l’olam va’ed.
3 [Gimel] Gadol is Hashem, and me’od to be praised; and His greatness is not cheker (searchable).
4 [Dalet] Dor l’dor (generation to generation) shall praise Thy ma’asim, and shall declare Thy gevurot (mighty acts).
5 [Heh] I will speak of the hadar kavod of Thy hod, and of Thy nifle’ot (wonderful works).
6 [Vav] And men shall speak of the power of Thy norot; and I will declare Thy greatness.
7 [Zayin] They shall utter the zekher (memory, recollection) of Thy rav tov and shall sing of Thy tzedakah.
8 [Chet] Channun (gracious) is Hashem, and full of compassion; erech apayim (slow to anger), and of great chesed.
9 [Tet] Tov is Hashem to all; and His rachamim is over all His ma’asim.
10 [Yod] All Thy ma’asim shall praise Thee, Hashem; and Thy chasidim shall bless Thee.
11 [Khaf] They shall speak of the kavod of Thy Malchus, and tell of Thy gevurah;
12 [Lamed] To make known to the Bnei HaAdam His gevurah, and the kavod hadar of His Malchus.
13 [Mem] Thy Malchus is a Malchus kol olamim, and Thy Memshelet for kol dor vador.
14 [Samekh] Hashem upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that are bowed down.
15 [Ayin] The eyes of all look to Thee; and Thou givest them their okhel (food) in its season.
16 [Peh] Thou openest Thine Yad, and satisfiest the ratzon of kol chai.
17 [Tzadi] Tzaddik is Hashem in all His drakhim, and chasid in all His ma’asim,
18 [Koph] Karov (near) is Hashem unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in emes.
19 [Resh] He will fulfil the ratzon of them that fear Him; He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
20 [Shin] Shomer is Hashem over all them that love Him; but kol haresha’im will He destroy.
21 [Tav] My mouth shall speak the tehillat Hashem; and let kol basar bless His Shem Kodesh l’olam va’ed. [T.N. See Messianic Psalms which include Ps 2, 22, 45, 72, 110, 47, 93, 96-99, 89 and which indicate Moshiach’s righteous character, experience, ideals, call, and reign.]
146 Praise Hashem. Praise Hashem, O my nefesh.
2 While I live will I praise Hashem: I will sing praise unto Elohai while I have any being.
3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the ben adam, in whom there is no teshuah (salvation).
4 His ruach departs, he returneth to his adamah; in yom hahu his plans come to nothing.
5 Ashrei is he that hath El Ya’akov for his ezer, whose hope is in Hashem Elohav:
6 Oseh Shomayim vaAretz, the yam, and all that therein is: HaShomer Emes l’olam (Who keepeth Truth forever):
7 Oseh mishpat for the oppressed; Who giveth lechem to the hungry. Hashem mattir asurim (sets free the prisoners):
8 Hashem openeth the eyes of the ivrim: Hashem raiseth them that are bowed down: Hashem loveth the tzaddikim:
9 Hashem shomer over the gerim; He relieveth the yatom (fatherless, orphan) and almanah; but the Derech Resha’im He frustrates.
10 Hashem shall reign l’olam, even thy G-d, O Tziyon, l’dor vador. Praise Hashem.
147 Praise ye Hashem: for it is tov to sing praises unto Eloheinu; for it is na’im (pleasant); and tehillah is fitting.
2 Hashem is the Boneh Yerushalayim (builder of Jerusalem): He gathereth together the nidkhei Yisroel (the outcasts Of Israel, those of the Golus).
3 He is the Rofeh (healer) of the Shevurei-lev (broken in heart), binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the mispar of the kokhavim; He calleth them all by their shemot.
5 Gadol is Adoneinu, and of rav ko’ach; to His tevunah (understanding, intelligence) there is no mispar (number, limit).
6 Hashem lifteth up the anavim (meek ones, humble ones); He casteth the resha’im down to the ground.
7 Sing unto Hashem with todah; make music upon the kinnor (harp) unto Eloheinu:
8 Who covereth Shomayim with clouds, Who prepareth matar (rainfall) for ha’aretz, HaMatzemi’ach (Who maketh to spring up) the khatzir (grass) upon the harim (hills, mountains).
9 He giveth to the behemah her lechem, and to the bnei orev (young ravens) when they cry out.
10 He delighteth not in the gevurat hasus: He taketh not pleasure in the shokayim of an ish (legs of a man).
11 Hashem taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His chesed.
12 Praise Hashem, O Yerushalayim; praise thy G-d, O Tziyon.
13 For He hath strengthened the bars of thy she’arim (gates); He hath blessed thy banim within thee.
14 He granteth shalom within thy borders, and filleth thee with the chelev chittim (the finest of wheat).
15 He sendeth forth His imrah (command) upon eretz: His Devar runneth swiftly.
16 He giveth sheleg (snow) like tzemer (wool); He scattereth the kfor (frost) like ashes.
17 He casteth down His kerach (ice) like crumbs: who can stand before His cold?
18 He sendeth out His Devar, and melteth them: He causeth His ruach to blow, and the mayim to flow.
19 He declareth His Devar unto Ya’akov, His chukkot and His mishpatim unto Yisroel.
20 He hath not dealt so with any Goy (nation): and as for His mishpatim, they have not known them. Praise ye Hashem.
148 Praise Hashem. Praise Hashem from HaShomayim: praise Him in the heights above.
2 Praise ye Him, all His malachim: praise ye Him, all Tzivos Hashem.
3 Praise ye Him, shemesh and yarei’ach: praise Him, all ye kokhavim of ohr.
4 Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above HaShomayim.
5 Let them praise the Shem of Hashem: for He commanded, and they were created.
6 He hath also established them forever and ever: He hath made a Chok (decree) which shall not pass away.
7 Hallelu Hashem from ha’aretz, ye sea creatures, and all tehomot:
8 Eish, and barad; snow, and cloud; stormy wind fulfilling His Devar:
9 Mountains, and all hills; etz pri (fruitful trees), and all cedars:
10 Beasts, and all cattle; remesh (creeping things), and flying fowl:
11 Malchei eretz, and all people; sarim (princes), and all shoftei aretz:
12 Both bochurim, and betulot; zekenim, and ne’arim:
13 Let them praise the Shem of Hashem: for Shmo alone is excellent; His hod is above Eretz and Shomayim.
14 He also exalteth the keren of His people, tehillah (the praise) of all His Chasidim; even of the Bnei Yisroel, an Am (people) close unto Him. Hallelu Hashem.
149 Praise Hashem. Shiru l’Adonoi shir chadash (Sing unto Hashem a new song), and His praise in the Kahal Chasidim.
2 Let Yisroel rejoice in Him that made him; let the Bnei Tziyon be glad in their Melech.
3 Let them praise Shmo in the dance; let them sing zemirot unto Him with the tambourine and kinnor.
4 For Hashem taketh pleasure in His people; He will crown the meek with Yeshuah (salvation).
5 Let the Chasidim be joyful in kavod; let them sing for joy upon their beds.
6 Let the high praises of G-d be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;
7 To execute vengeance upon the Goyim, and punishments upon the people;
8 To bind their melachim with chains, and their nobles with shackles of barzel (iron);
9 To execute upon them the mishpat katuv (written judgment); this honor have all His Chasidim. Hallelu Hashem.
150 Praise Hashem. Hallelu El (Praise G-d) in His Kodesh [Beis Hamikdash]; Hallelu Him in the raki’a [see Bereshis 1:6] of His might.
2 Hallelu Him for His gevurot (mighty acts); hallelu Him according to His surpassing greatness.
3 Hallelu Him with the sound of the shofar; hallelu Him with the nevel (harp) and kinnor (lyre).
4 Hallelu Him with the tambourine and dance; hallelu Him with stringed instruments and flute.
5 Hallelu Him upon the clashing cymbals; hallelu Him upon the resounding cymbals.
6 Let every thing that hath neshamah praise Hashem. Praise Hashem!
1 Mishlei Sh’lomo Ben Dovid, Melech Yisroel;
2 To have da’as of chochmah and musar (discipline); to understand the words of binah;
3 To receive the musar of those with seichel, tzedek and mishpat, and meisharim (equity, uprightness);
4 To give subtlety to the simple, to the na’ar, da’as and discretion.
5 A chacham (wise person) will hear, and will increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
6 To understand a mashal (proverb), and the melitzah (enigma); the divrei chachamim, and their chidot (riddles).
7 The Yirat Hashem is the reshit da’as, but fools despise chochmah and musar.
8 Beni (my son), hear the musar Avicha, and forsake not the Torat Immecha.
9 For they shall be a garland of chen unto thy rosh, and a chain about thy neck.
10 Beni (my son), if chatt’aim (sinners) entice thee, consent thou not.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lie in wait for dahm, let us lurk secretly for the naki (innocent, harmless) chinnom (without cause);
12 Let us swallow them up chayyim (alive) like She’ol; and whole, as those that go down into the bor (pit);
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill bateinu (our houses) with plunder;
14 Throw in thy goral (lot) among us; let all of us have kis echad (one pouch, purse).
15 Beni (my son), walk not thou in the derech with them; refrain thy regel from their path;
16 For their raglayim run to rah, and make haste for shefach dahm (shedding of blood).
17 Surely in vain the reshet (net) is spread in the eyes of kol ba’al kanaf (all the birds, i.e., lit. master of [the] wing);
18 And they lie in wait for their own dahm; they lurk secretly for their own nafshot.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy for betza (ill-gotten gain); which taketh away the nefesh of the be’alim (owners) thereof.
20 Chochmot crieth out in the street; she lifts up her voice in the rechovot (city squares);
21 She crieth out in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the she’arim (gates); in the Ir (city) she uttereth her words, saying,
22 Ad mosai, ye simple ones, will ye love being simpletons? And the scoffers delight in their mockery, and kesilim (fools) hate da’as?
23 Turn you at my tokhechah (reproof); hinei, I will pour out my ruach unto you, I will make known my devarim unto you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my yad, and no man regarded;
25 But ye have disdained all my etza (counsel), and would have none of my tokhechah (reproof);
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your pachad (terror) cometh;
27 When your pachad (terror) cometh like a storm, and your calamity cometh like a whirlwind; when tzarah (distress) and oppression cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall look for me diligently, but they shall not find me;
29 For that they hated da’as, and did not choose the Yirat Hashem;
30 They would have none of my etza (counsel); they despised all my tokhechah (reproof).
31 Therefore shall they eat of the p’ri (fruit) of their own derech, and be filled with their own mo’atzot (schemes, devices).
32 For the waywardness of the simple shall slay them, and the complacent contentment of kesilim (fools) shall destroy them.
33 But the one who payeth heed unto me [Chochmat Hashem, i.e., the Redemptive Word, not only Hashem’s creative agent (Ps 33:6; Prov 8:30; 30:4) but the one who comes with a healing mission according to Ps 107:20, though Moshiach has to die in the midst of his healing Mission to accomplish our healing from guilt and punitive dread-Isa 53:5] shall dwell safely, and shall be secure from pachad ra’ah (terror of evil).
2 Beni (my son), if thou wilt receive my words, and treasure my mitzvot with thee;
2 So that thou incline thine ear unto chochmah, and apply thine lev to tevunah (understanding);
3 Yea, if thou criest out after binah, and liftest up thy voice for tevunah (understanding)
4 If thou seekest her as kesef, and searchest for her as for matmonim (hidden treasures);
5 Then shalt thou understand the Yirat Hashem, and find the Da’as Elohim.
6 For Hashem giveth chochmah; out of His Peh (mouth) cometh da’as (knowledge) and tevunah (understanding).
7 He layeth up tushiyyah (wise Torah counsel) for the yesharim (upright ones); He is a mogen (shield) to them that walk in blamelessness.
8 He keepeth the orkhot mishpat, and is shomer over the derech of His Chasidim.
9 Then shalt thou understand tzedek, and mishpat, and mesharim (equity, fairness)‖every ma’agal tov (good path).
10 When chochmah entereth into thine lev, and da’as (knowledge) is pleasant unto thy nefesh;
11 Mezimah (discretion) shall be shomer over thee, tevunah (understanding) shall safeguard thee;
12 To save thee from the derech rah, from the ish medaber tahpukhot (man speaking perverse things);
13 Who leaving the orkhot yosher (paths of uprightness), walk in the drakhei choshech (ways of darkness);
14 Who rejoice to do rah, and delight in the tahpukhot (perverse things) of rah (evil);
15 Whose orkhot (paths) are crooked ones, and they are devious in their ma’agalot (paths);
16 To save thee from the isha zarah (strange woman), even from the nokhriyah (strange [immoral] woman) which useth smooth words;
17 Which forsaketh the alluf (companion, husband) of her youth, and forgetteth the brit (covenant) of her G-d.
18 For her bais inclineth toward mavet, and her ma’agalot (paths) to the refa’im (spirits of the dead).
19 None that go unto her return again, neither attain they to the orkhot chayyim (paths of life).
20 That thou mayest walk in the derech tovim, and be shomer over the orkhot tzaddikim (paths of the righteous).
21 For the yesharim (upright ones) shall dwell in the land, and the tamimim (blameless, faultless ones) shall remain in it.
22 But the resha’im shall be cut off from ha’aretz, and the bogedim (treacherous ones) shall be rooted out of it.
3 Beni (my son), forget not my torah; but let thine lev keep my mitzvot;
2 For orekh yamim (length of days), and shnot chayyim, and shalom, shall they add to thee.
3 Let not chesed and emes forsake thee; bind them about thy neck; write them upon the luach (tablet) of thine lev;
4 So shalt thou find chen and seichel tov in the eyes of Elohim and adam.
5 Trust in Hashem with all thine lev, and lean not unto thine own binah (understanding).
6 In all thy drakhim acknowledge Him, and He shall make yosher thy orkhot (paths).
7 Be not chacham in thine own eyes; fear Hashem, and depart from rah.
8 It shall be rife’ut (health) to thy navel, and marrow to thy atzmot.
9 Honor Hashem with thy substance, and with the reshit (firstfruit) of all thine increase;
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy vats shall burst out with tirosh.
11 Beni (my son), despise not the musar Hashem; neither be weary of His tokhakhah (reproof);
12 For whom Hashem loveth, He correcteth; even as an av the ben in whom he delighteth.
13 Ashrei (happy) is the man that findeth chochmah, and the man that getteth tevunah (understanding).
14 For the gain of it is better than the gain of kesef, and the increase thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than peninim (pearls); and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16 Orekh yamim is in her right hand; and in her left hand osher and kavod.
17 Her drakhim are drakhim of pleasantness, and all her netivot (trodden paths) are shalom.
18 She is an Etz Chayyim (Tree of Life) to them that lay hold upon her; and me’usher (blessed) is every one that holdeth her fast.
19 Hashem by chochmah hath founded Eretz (Earth); by tevunah (understanding) hath He established Shomayim.
20 By His da’as (knowledge) the tehomot (oceanic depths) were divided, and the clouds drop down the tal (dew).
21 Beni (my son), let not them depart from thine eyes; keep sound judgment and mezimah (discretion);
22 So shall they be chayyim unto thy nefesh, and chen to thy neck.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy derech safely, and thy regel shall not stumble.
24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; when thou liest down, thy sheynah (sleep) shall be sweet.
25 Be not afraid of sudden pachad (terror), neither of the desolation of the resha’im (wicked ones), when it cometh.
26 For Hashem shall be thy confidence, and shall be shomer over thy regel from the snare.
27 Withhold not tov from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine yad to do it.
28 Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and come again, and makhar (tomorrow) I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
29 Devise not ra’ah against thy re’a, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Strive not with adam without cause, if he have done thee no ra’ah.
31 Envy thou not the ish chamas, and choose none of his drakhim.
32 For the perverse person is to’avat (detestable) to Hashem; but His sod (secret, intimate counsel) is with the yesharim (upright ones).
33 The curse of Hashem is in the bais of the rasha; but He puts a bracha on the dwelling of the tzaddikim.
34 Surely He scorneth the scorners; but He giveth chen (grace, favor) unto the anayim (lowly, humble ones).
35 The chachamim shall inherit kavod, but shame shall be the promotion of kesilim (fools).
4 Hear, ye banim, the musar (instruction, discipline) of an av, and attend to know binah (understanding).
2 For I give you lekach tov (good doctrine, good instruction), forsake ye not my torah.
3 For I was ben to avi, tender and yachid (an only child) before immi.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine lev retain my words; be shomer over my mitzvot, and live.
5 Acquire chochmah, acquire binah (understanding); forget it not; neither turn from the words of my peh (mouth).
6 Forsake her not, and she shall be shomer over thee; love her, and she shall protect thee.
7 Chochmah is the principal thing; therefore get chochmah, and with all thy getting get binah (understanding).
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee; she shall honor thee with kavod, when thou dost embrace her.
9 She shall give to thine head a garland of chen; an ateret (crown) of tiferet (glory) shall she present to thee.
10 Hear, O beni (my son), and receive my sayings; and thy shnot chayyim shall be many.
11 I have taught thee in the derech chochmah; I have led thee in ma’aglei yosher (right paths).
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be hindered; and when thou runnest, lo tikashel (thou shalt not stumble).
13 Take firm hold of musar; let her not go; guard her; for she is thy chayyim.
14 Enter not into the orach resha’im, and go not on the derech ra’im (road of the wicked).
15 Avoid it, travel al (not) on it, turn from it, and pass on.
16 For they sleep not, unless they have done evil; and their sheynah (sleep) is robbed, unless they cause some to fall.
17 For they eat the lechem of resha, and drink the yayin of chamasim (violences).
18 But the orach tzaddikim (path of the righteous) is as the bright light, that shineth brighter and brighter unto the full day.
19 The derech resha’im is as deep darkness; they know not at what they stumble.
20 Beni (my son), attend to my words; incline thine ozen unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; be shomer over them within thine lev.
22 For they are chayyim unto those that find them, and health to all their basar.
23 Set watch over and guard thy lev with all diligence; for out of it are the totze’ot chayyim (issues, wellsprings of life cf Mk 7:20-23).
24 Put away from thee a deceitful peh (mouth), and perverse sfatayim (lips) put far from thee.
25 Let thine eynayim look straight forward, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Ponder the ma’agal (path) of thy raglayim, and let all thy drakhim be firm.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy regel from rah [T.N. Everyone in life has two paths to choose from just as Moshiach Tzidkeinu spoke of two gates, a wide one crowded with traffic and leading to destruction, and another one found by few but leading to life and redemption‖Mt 7:13-14].
5 Beni (my son), attend unto my chochmah, and bow thine ozen to my tevunah (understanding);
2 That thou mayest regard mezimah (discretion), and that thy sfatayim (lips) may keep da’as (knowledge).
3 For the sfatayim (lips) of a zarah (strange woman) drip as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than shemen (olive oil);
4 But her end is marah (bitter) as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged cherev.
5 Her raglayim go down to mavet; her steps lead to Sheol.
6 Lest thou shouldest compare [hers] to the orach chayyim, her ma’agalot (paths) are crooked, that thou canst not know them.
7 Hear me now therefore, O ye banim, and turn not from the words of my peh (mouth).
8 Remove thy derech far from her, and come not near the petach (doorway) of her bais;
9 Lest thou give thine hod (strength) unto others, and thy shanim unto the cruel one;
10 Lest zarim (strangers) be filled with thy koach; and thy toilings be in the bais nochri;
11 And thou mourn at the acharit (last, latter end, future), when thy basar and thy body are consumed,
12 And say, How have I hated musar, and my lev spurned tokhakhat (reproof);
13 And have not obeyed the voice of my morim (teachers), nor inclined mine ear to the ones who were my melamed!
14 I was at the brink of all rah (evil, ruin) in the midst of the kahal (congregation) and edah (assembly).
15 Drink mayim out of thine own bor (cistern), and running waters out of thine own well.
16 Should thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and channels of mayim in the rekhovot (town squares)?
17 Let them be only thine own, and never zarim (strangers) with thee.
18 Let thy makor (fountain) be blessed; and rejoice with the isha of thy youth.
19 Let her be as the loving deer and graceful doe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou enraptured tamid (ever) with ahavat (love of) her.
20 And why wilt thou, beni (my son), be intoxicated with a zarah (strange woman), and embrace the kheyk (bosom) of a nochriyah (foreign [heathen] woman)?
21 For the drakhim ish are before the eyes of Hashem, and He pondereth all his ma’agalot (paths).
22 His own avonot shall entrap the rashah himself, and he shall be held fast by the cords of his chattat.
23 He shall die without musar; and in the greatness of his folly he shall be led astray.
6 Beni (my son), if thou put up collateral for thy re’a, if thou hast shaken hands in pledge with a zar (stranger),
2 Thou art snared with the words of thy peh (mouth), thou art trapped with the words of thy peh (mouth).
3 Do this now, beni (my son), and deliver thyself, since thou art come into the palm of thy re’a; go, humble thyself, and plead with thy re’a.
4 Give not sheynah to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
5 Deliver thyself as a gazelle from the yad [of the hunter], and as a tzippor (bird) from the yad of the fowler.
6 Go to the nemalah (ant), thou atzel (sluggard, lazy one); consider her drakhim (ways), and be chacham (wise);
7 Which having no katzin (officer, leader) or shoter (policeman) or moshel,
8 Prepareth her lechem in the kayitz (summer), and gathereth her food in the katzir (harvest).
9 Ad mosai wilt thou lie down, O atzel (sluggard, lazy one)? When wilt thou arise out of thy sheynah (sleep)?
10 Yet a little sheynot (sleep [pl.]), a little slumber, a little folding of the yadayim to sleep;
11 So shall thy poverty come as a prowler, and thy need as an ish mogen (man of armor).
12 A worthless person, a wicked man, walketh with a perverse peh (mouth).
13 He winketh with his eyes, he shuffleth with his regel, he pointeth with his fingers;
14 Tahpukhot (perversity) is in his lev, he deviseth rah continually; he stirs up midanim (contention, strife, discord [pl.]).
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be destoyed without marpeh (remedy).
16 These shesh (six) things doth Hashem hate; indeed, shevah (seven) are an abomination unto His Nefesh;
17 Haughty eyes, a lashon sheker, and hands guilty of shefach dahm naki,
18 A lev that deviseth wicked machshevot (plans), raglayim that are swift in running to ra’ah,
19 An ed sheker that speaketh lies, and he that soweth midanim (contention, strife, discords) among achim.
20 Beni (my son), keep the mitzvat Avicha, and forsake not the torat Immecha;
21 Bind them tamid (continually) upon thine lev, and tie them about thy neck.
22 When thou goest, it shall guide thee; when thou sleepest, it shall be shomer over thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
23 For the mitzvah is a ner (lamp); and torah an ohr; and tokhakhot musar (reproofs of discipline) are the Derech Chayyim (Life Lane);
24 To be shomer over thee, keeping thee from the eshet rah, from the smooth lashon of the nokhriyah (strange woman).
25 Lust not after her beauty in thine lev; neither let her allure thee with her eyelids.
26 For by means of an isha zonah a man is reduced to a kikar lechem; and [another] man’s wife will prey on the nefesh yekara (precious soul).
27 Can a man take eish in his kheyk, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one walk upon hot coals, and his regel not be burned?
29 So is he that goeth into his eshet re’a; whosoever toucheth her shall not go unpunished.
30 Men do not despise a ganav if he steal to satisfy his nefesh when he is starving;
31 But if he be found out, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give hon (substance, wealth) of his bais;
32 But the no’ef (one who committeth adultery) with an isha lacketh lev [of understanding]; he that doeth it destroyeth his own nefesh.
33 A nega [see Isaiah 53:8 for Moshiach’s nega taken for unfaithful Israel] and dishonor shall he get; and his cherpah (reproach) shall not be wiped away.
34 For kina (jealousy) is the chamat gever (husband’s rage); therefore he will not spare in the yom nakam (day of vengeance).
35 He will not regard kofer (compensation); neither will he be the appeased, though shochad (bribe) be great.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International