Ecclesiasticus-Sirach

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Ecclesiasticus-Sirach

A Zadokite To Yisrael

Many great things have been delivered to us by The Torah and the Prophets and by others that have followed their steps, for which things Yisrael ought to be commended for learning and retaining its chochmah; and not only the readers must become skillful themselves; but also they that yearn to learn, that are without Torah and the Prophets, both by speaking and writing these things. My grandfather Yahusha, when he had spent much time reading The Torah and the Prophets and other scrolls of our fathers and matured, was then drawn to write something pertaining to the learning and chochmah he found; so that those who desire to learn and are dedicated to these things, might grow even more, in living according to The Torah. So let me encourage you to read it with favor and attention and to pardon us, if we may seem to come short of some words, which we have labored to interpret from him. For some things uttered in Hebrew and then translated into another language, loses some power: and not only these things but The Torah and Prophets and the rest of the scrolls, all are more or less the same, when read in their own Hebrew language. For in the 38th year of my coming into Mitzrayim, when Ptolemy III-Euergetes was melech, I found a scroll of great learning: therefore, I found it necessary to labor, so that I could interpret it. I used skill and was careful to translate the scroll correctly, so that those also in a strange country may also learn. For they also desire to live after The Torah.

1 All chochmah comes from YHUH and is with Him le-olam-va-ed.

2 Who can number the sand of the sea and the drops of rain and the yamim of perpetuity?

3 Who can find out the height of the shamayim and the breadth of the earth and the deep and chochmah?

4 Chochmah has been created before all things and the binah of caution from everlasting.

5 The Word of Ahlohim El-Elyon is the fountain of chochmah; and her derachot are everlasting mitzvoth.

6 To whom has the root of chochmah been revealed? Or, who has known her wise counsels?

7 Unto whom has the da’at of chochmah been made manifest? And who has understood her great experience?

8 There is one wise and greatly to be feared,YHUH sitting upon His kesay.

9 He created her and saw her and numbered her and poured her out upon all His works.

10 She is with all flesh according to His gift and He has given her to them that love Him.

11 The fear of YHUH is esteem, kavod and simcha and a keter of rejoicing.

12 The fear of YHUH makes a merry lev and gives simcha and gilah and a long chayim.

13 Whoever fears YHUH, it shall go well with him at the end of chayim and he shall find chen in the yom of his death.

14 To fear YHUH is the beginning of chochmah: and it was created with the faithful in the womb.

15 She has built an everlasting foundation with men and she shall continue with their zera.

16 To fear YHUH is fulness of chochmah and fills men with her fruits.

17 She fills all their bayit with things desirable and the collections of her increase.

18 The fear of YHUH is a keter of chochmah, making shalom and perfect health to flourish; both which are the gifts of Ahlohim: and it enlarges their rejoicing that love Him.

19 Chochmah rains down skill and da’at of binah and exalts them to esteem that hold her fast.

20 The root of chochmah is to fear YHUH and the netzarim of it are long chayim.

21 The fear of YHUH drives away sins: and where it is present, it turns away wrath.

22 A furious man cannot be justified; for the sway of his fury shall be his destruction.

23 A patient man will tear for a time and afterward simcha shall spring up to him.

24 He will hide his words for a time and the lips of many shall declare his chochmah.

25 The mishle of da’at are in the treasures of chochmah: but Shabbat guarding piety is an abomination to a sinner.

26 If you lack chochmah, keep the mitzvoth and YHUH shall give her to you.

27 For the fear of YHUH is chochmah and instruction: and emunah and meekness are His delight.

28 Distrust not the fear of YHUH when you are poor: and come not to Him with a double lev.

29 Be not a hypocrite in the sight of men and take tov heed what you speak.

30 Exalt not yourself, lest you fall and bring disparagement upon your being and so Ahlohim discover your secrets and cast you down in the midst of the kehilla because you came not in emet to the fear of YHUH but your lev is full of deceit.

2 My son, if you come to serve YHUH, prepare your being for testing.

2 Set your lev right and constantly endure and make not haste in time of trouble.

3 Cleave to Him and depart not, that you may be increased at your end.

4 Whatever is brought upon you take cheerfully and be patient when you are changed to a lower estate.

5 For gold is tried in the fire and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.

6 Believe in Him and He will help you; order your derech upright and trust in Him.

7 You that fear YHUH, wait for His rachamim; and go not aside, lest you fall.

8 You that fear YHUH, believe Him; and your reward shall not fail.

9 You that fear YHUH, tikvah for tov and le olam va-ed lasting simcha and rachamim.

10 Look at the generations of old and see; did anyone that trusted in YHUH stay confounded? Or, did any abide in His fear and was forsaken? Or, whom did He ever despise, that called upon Him?

11 For YHUH is full of rachamim and chen, longsuffering and full of pity and forgives sins and saves in the time of affliction.

12 Woe be to fearful levavot and faint hands and the sinner that goes in two derachot.

13 Woe to him that is fainthearted. for he believes not fully; therefore shall he not be defended.

14 Woe to you that have lost patience. And what will you do when YHUH shall visit you?

15 They that fear YHUH will not disobey His Word; and they that love Him will keep His derachot.

16 They that fear YHUH will seek that which is well pleasing to Him; and they that love Him shall be filled with The Torah.

17 They that fear YHUH will prepare their levavot and humble their naphsoth in His sight,

18 Saying, We will fall into the hands of YHUH and not into the hands of men: for as His majesty is, so is His rachamim.

3 Hear your abba, O children and do accordingly, that you may be safe.

2 For YHUH has given the abba esteem over the children and has confirmed the authority of the eema over the sons.

3 Whoever esteems his abba makes an keporah for his sins:

4 And he that esteems his eema is as one that lays up treasure.

5 Whoever esteems his abba shall have simcha from his own children; and when he makes tefillah, he shall be heard.

6 He that esteems his abba shall have a long chayim; and he that is obedient to YHUH shall be a comfort to his eema.

7 He that fears YHUH will esteem his abba and will do service to his parents, as to his masters.

8 Esteem your abba and eema both in word and deed, that a bracha may come upon you from them.

9 For the blessing of the abba establishes the houses of children; but the curse of the eema roots out foundations.

10 Esteem not in the disparagement of your abba; for your abba's disparagement is no esteem to you.

11 For the esteem of a man is from the esteem of his abba; and an eema in disparagement is a reproach to the children.

12 My son, help your abba in his older age and grieve him not as long as he lives.

13 And if his memory and strength fail, have patience with him; and despise him not when you are in your full strength.

14 For the elderly care of your abba shall not be forgotten: and instead of sins, it shall be added to build you up.

15 In the yom of your affliction it shall be remembered; your sins also shall melt away, as the ice in warm weather.

16 He that forsakes his abba is as a blasphemer; and he that angers his eema is cursed of Ahlohim.

17 My son, go on with your business in meekness; so shall you be beloved by him that is approved.

18 The greater you are, the more you should humble yourself and you shall find chen before YHUH.

19 Many are in high places of renown: but sods are revealed to the meek.

20 For the Power of YHUH is great and He is esteemed by the lowly.

21 Seek not things that are too hard for you, neither search the things that are above your strength.

22 But what is commanded to you, think upon it with reverence, for it is not needful for you to see with your eyes the things that are in secret.

23 Be not curious in unnecessary matters: for more things are shown to you, than other men understand

24 For many are deceived by their own vain opinion; and an evil suspicion has overthrown their mishpat.

25 Without eyes you shall want ohr: profess not the da’at therefore that you have not.

26 A stubborn lev shall fare evil at the end; and he that loves danger shall perish in it.

27 An obstinate lev shall be laden with sorrows; and the wicked man shall heap sin upon sin.

28 In the punishment of the proud there is no remedy; for the plant of wickedness has taken root in him.

29 The lev of the prudent will understand a parable; and an attentive ear is the longing of a wise man.

30 Mayim will quench a flaming fire; and rachamim makes a keporah for sins.

31 And he that returns tov for evil is mindful of that which may come in the future; and when he falls, he shall find help.

4 My son, defraud not the poor of his living and make not the needy eyes to wait long.

2 Make not a hungry being sorrowful; neither provoke a man in his distress.

3 Add not more trouble to a lev that is vexed; and defer not to give to him that is in need.

4 Reject not the supplication of the afflicted; neither turn away your face from a poor man.

5 Turn not away your eye from the needy and give him no occasion to curse you:

6 For if he curses you in the bitterness of his being, his tefillah shall be heard by Him that made him.

7 Get yourself the love of the kehilla and bow your head to a great man.

8 Let it not grieve you to bow down your ear to the poor and give him a kind answer with meekness.

9 Deliver him that suffers wrong from the hand of the oppressor; and be not fainthearted when you sit in mishpat.

10 Be as an abba to the orphan and a husband to their eema: so shall you be as the Son of El-Elyon and He shall love you more than your eema does.

11 Chochmah exalts her children and lays hold of them that seek her.

12 He that loves her loves chayim; and they that seek her early, shall be filled with simcha.

13 He that holds her fast shall inherit esteem; and wherever she enters, YHUH will bless.

14 They that serve her shall minister to The Set Apart One: and they that love her, YHUH does love.

15 Whoever gives ear to her shall judge the goyim: and he that attends to her shall dwell securely.

16 If a man commit himself to her, he shall inherit her; and his generation shall hold her in possession.

17 For at the first she will walk with him in his crooked derachot and bring fear and dread upon him and torment him with her discipline, until she may trust his nephesh and test him by her Torot.

18 Then will she return him to the straight derech and comfort him and show him her secrets.

19 But if he go astray, she will forsake him and give him over to his own ruin.

20 Observe opportunity and beware of evil; and be not ashamed when it concerns your nephesh.

21 For there is a shame that brings sin; and there is a shame which is esteem and chen.

22 Accept no flattery and let not the reverence of any man cause you to fall.

23 And refrain not to speak when there is occasion to do tov and hide not your chochmah in her beauty.

24 For by speech chochmah shall be known: and learning by the word of the tongue.

25 In no way speak against the emet; but be ashamed of the error of your ignorance.

26 Be not ashamed to confess your sins; and force not the course of the river.

27 Make not yourself an associate to a foolish man; neither accept the person of the mighty.

28 Strive for the emet to death and YHUH shall fight for you.

29 Be not hasty with your tongue and in your tov deeds do not be slack.

30 Be not as a lion in your bayit, nor frantic among your avadim.

31 Let not your hand be stretched out to receive and shut when it is time to repay.

5 Set your lev upon your goods; and say not, I have enough for my chayim.

2 Follow not your own mind and your strength, to walk in the derachot of your lev:

3 And say not, Who shall control me for my works? For YHUH will surely revenge your pride.

4 Say not, I have sinned and what harm has happened to me? For YHUH is longsuffering, He will in no wise let you go.

5 Concerning keporah, be not without fear to add sin to sin:

6 And say not His rachamim is great; He will be pacified for the multitude of my sins: for rachamim and wrath come from Him and His indignation rests upon sinners.

7 Do not delay to shuv to YHUH and do not put it off for another yom: for suddenly shall the wrath of YHUH come forth and in your security, you shall be destroyed and perish in the yom of vengeance.

8 Set not your lev upon goods unjustly gotten, for they shall not profit you in the yom of calamity.

9 Be not swayed with every ruach and go not into every derech: for so does the sinner that has a double tongue.

10 Be steadfast in your binah; and let your word be the same.

11 Be swift to hear; and let your chayim be sincere; and with patience give answers.

12 If you have binah, answer your neighbor; if not, lay your hand upon your mouth.

13 Esteem and shame is in talk: and the tongue of man is his fall.

14 Be not called a gossiper and lie not in wait with your tongue: for a foul shame is upon the thief and an evil condemnation upon the double tongue.

15 Be not ignorant of anything in a great matter or a small matter.

6 Instead of a chaver become not an enemy; for thereby you shall inherit an ill name, shame and reproach: even so shall a sinner that has a double tongue.

2 Extol not yourself in the counsel of your own lev; that your being be not torn in pieces as a bull straying alone.

3 You shall eat up your leaves and lose your fruit and leave yourself as a dry eytz.

4 A wicked being shall destroy him that has it and shall make him to be laughed to scorn by his enemies.

5 Sweet language will multiply chaverim: and a pleasant speaking tongue will increase kind greetings.

6 Be in shalom with many: nevertheless have but one counsellor from a thousand.

7 If you would get a chaver, prove him first and be not hasty to credit him.

8 For one may be a chaver for his own agenda and may not abide in the yom of your trouble.

9 And there is a chaver who, being turned to enmity and strife, will discover your reproach.

10 Again, some chaverim may be companions at the shulchan but not continue in the yom of your affliction.

11 But in your prosperity he will be as yourself and will be bold over your avadim.

12 If however you are brought low, he will be against you and will hide himself from your face.

13 Separate yourself from your enemies and take heed of your chaverim.

14 A faithful chaver is a strong defense: and he that has found such a one has found a treasure.

15 Nothing does affect a faithful chaver and his excellency is invaluable.

16 A faithful chaver is the medicine of chayim; and they that fear YHUH shall find Him.

17 Whoever fears YHUH shall make real chaverim: for he will treat them even as he treats himself.

18 My son, gather instruction from your youth up: so shall you find chochmah even in your old age.

19 Come to her as one that plows and sows and wait for her tov fruits: You will have to work at it for a while but you will soon be enjoying what you have earned.

20 She is very unpleasant to the unlearned: he that is without binah will not remain with her.

21 She will lie upon him as a mighty stone of trials; and he will cast her from him before long.

22 For chochmah is according to her name and she is not manifest to many.

23 Give ear, my son, receive my advice and refuse not my counsel,

24 And put your feet into her chains and your neck into her yoke.

25 Bow down your shoulder and bear her and be not grieved with her bonds.

26 Come to her with your whole lev and keep her derachot with all your power.

27 Search and seek and she shall be made known to you: and when you have gotten hold of her, let her not go.

28 For eventually you shall find her rest and that shall be turned to your simcha.

29 Then shall her fetters be a strong defense for you and her yoke a robe of esteem.

30 For there is a golden ornament upon her and her bands are purple lace.

31 You shall put her on as a robe of esteem and shall put her around you as a keter of simcha.

32 My son, if you will, you shall be taught: and if you will apply your mind, you shall be clever.

33 If you love to shema, you shall receive binah: and if you bow your ear, you shall be wise,

34 Stand in the multitude of the zechanim; and cleave to him that is wise.

35 Be willing to hear every tzadik discourse; and let not the mishle of binah escape you.

36 And if you see a man of binah, go frequently to him and let your foot wear out the steps of his door.

37 Let your mind be upon the chukim of YHUH and meditate continually in His mitzvoth: He shall establish your lev and give you chochmah at your own yearning. 

7 Do no evil, so shall no harm come to you.

2 Depart from the unjust and iniquity shall turn away from you.

3 My son, sow not upon the ground of unrighteousness and you shall not reap them sevenfold.

4 Seek not from YHUH preeminence, neither of the melech the seat of esteem.

5 Justify not yourself before YHUH; and boast not of your chochmah before The Melech.

6 Seek not to be shophet, being not able to take away iniquity; lest at any time you fear the person of the mighty, a stumbling block in the derech of your uprightness.

7 Offend not against the multitude of a city and then you shall not disgrace yourself among your people.

8 Bind not one sin upon another; for even in one you shall not be unpunished.

9 Say not, Ahlohim will look upon the multitude of my offerings and when I offer to El-Elyon Ahlohim, He will accept it.

10 Be not fainthearted when you make tefillah and neglect not to give charity.

11 Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his being: for there is One who humbles and exalts.

12 Devise not a lie against your brother; neither do the same to your chaver.

13 Do not use any manner of lying: for the custom of it is not tov.

14 Use not many words in a multitude of zechanim and make not much babbling when you make tefillah.

15 Hate not laborious work, neither farming, which El-Elyon has ordained.

16 Number not yourself among the multitude of sinners but remember that wrath will not tarry long.

17 Humble yourself greatly: for the vengeance of the wicked is fire and worms.

18 Change not a chaver for any tov by any means; neither a faithful brother for the gold of Ophir.

19 Don’t miss out on a wise and tov woman: for her chen is above gold.

20 Seeing that your eved works hard, entreat him not with evil. nor the hireling that gives himself wholly for you.

21 Let your being love a tov eved and defraud him not of liberty.

22 Have you cattle? Look out for them: and if they be for your profit, keep them with you.

23 Have you children? Instruct them and teach them discipline from their youth.

24 If you have daughters, keep them virtuous and don't be too indulgent with them.

25 Marry your daughter and so shall you have performed a weighty matter: but give her to a man of binah.

26 If you have a tov isha, do not give her a Sefer Keritut but do not trust yourself to someone you don't hold in ahava.

27 Esteem your abba with your whole lev and forget not the birth sorrows of your eema.

28 Remember that you were begotten by them; and how can you recompense them for the things that they have done for you?

29 Fear YHUH with all your being and reverence His kohaneem.

30 Treasure Him that made you with all your strength and forsake not His avadim.

31 Fear YHUH and so esteem the kohaneem; and give them their portion, as it is commanded to you; the bikkurim and the trespass offering and the gift of the shoulders and the sacrifices of sanctification and the bikkurim of the set apart things.

32 And stretch your hand to the poor, that your blessing may be perfected.

33 A gift has chen in the sight of every man living; for the dead retain it not.

34 Fail not to be with them that weep and mourn with them that mourn.

35 Be not slow to visit the sick: for that shall make you to be beloved.

36 Whatever you do, remember that some yom you must die. As long as you keep this in mind, you will never sin.

8 Do not challenge a person who has influence; you may fall into his power.

2 Do not quarrel with someone rich; he may bribe people to turn against you. Gold has destroyed many people and corrupted melechim.

3 Don't argue with someone who talks too much; you will just be adding fuel to his fire.

4 Don't make fun of someone who has bad manners; he may insult your ancestors.

5 Don't criticize someone if he is already turning away from sin. Remember that we are all guilty.

6 Never think less of someone because he is old; some of us are growing old, too.

7 Rejoice not over your greatest enemy being dead but remember that we all die.

8 Do not disregard what the wise have said. Study their mishle; from them you can learn to be cultured and to serve great people.

9 Pay attention to what old people say, for they learned from those who came before them. You can learn from them and they can teach you how to have an answer ready when you need one.

10 You should not provide a sinner with more opportunity to sin. You might get hurt yourself; it's as easy as getting burned while adding logs to a fire.

11 You should not get up and walk out on someone who is insolent. He might twist your words and use them against you.

12 You should not lend anything to someone more powerful than you. If you do, you might as well consider it lost.

13 You should not guarantee anyone else's loan to an extent that you cannot afford. You must be prepared to pay any such guarantee.

14 You should not bring a lawsuit against a shophet. He will win because of his position.

15 You should not travel with anyone who is reckless. It will cause you nothing but trouble. He will do any foolish thing he pleases and you will die with him.

16 You should not get into an argument with anyone who has a hot temper or go to some place where the two of you will be alone. Violence means nothing to such a person and he will attack you when there is no one to help you.

17 You should not ask a stupid person for advice. He will not be able to keep secret what you tell him.

18 You should not do anything in front of a ger that should be kept secret. There is no way of knowing what will happen if you do.

19 You should not reveal your most private thoughts to anyone. If you do, you may as well throw away any chance of simcha.

9 Don't be jealous of the isha you love. You will only be teaching her how to do you harm. 

2 Do not surrender your dignity to any woman.

3 Keep away from other men's wives or they will trap you.

4 Don't keep company with female musicians; they will trick you.

5 Don't look too intently at a virgin, or you may find yourself forced to pay a bride price.

6 Don't give yourself to prostitutes, or you may lose everything you own.

7 So don't go looking about in the streets or wandering around in the run-down parts of town.

8 When you see a tov-looking woman, look the other way; don't let your mind dwell on the beauty of any woman who is not your isha. Many men have been led astray by a woman's beauty. It kindles passion as if it were fire.

9 Don't sit down to eat with another man's isha or join her for a drink. You may give in to the temptation of her charms and be destroyed by your passion.

10 Never abandon old chaverim; you will never find a new one who can take their place. Friendship is like wine; it gets better as it grows older.

11 Don't be jealous of a sinner's success; you don't know what kind of disaster is in store for him.

12 Don't take pleasure in the things that make unrighteous people happy; remember that they will be held guilty as long as they live.

13 If you keep away from someone who has the power to put you to death, you will not have to fear for your chayim; but if you must go near him, be very careful, or he may kill you. Be conscious that you are walking among hidden traps, that you are an easy target.

14 Get to know the people around you as well as you can and take advice only from those who are qualified to give it.

15 Engage in conversation with intelligent people and let The Torah of El-Elyon be the topic of your discussions.

16 And let just men eat and drink with you; and let your esteem be in the fear of YHUH.

17 A skilled worker is admired for the things he makes and a leader's chochmah is proven by his words.

18 Someone who speaks rashly and recklessly is feared and hated by everyone in town.

10 A wise ruler will educate his people and his government will be orderly.

2 All the officials and all the citizens will be like their ruler.

3 An uneducated Melech will ruin his people but a government will grow strong if its rulers are wise.

4 YHUH sees to the government of the olam and brings the tzadik person to power at the right time.

5 The success of that person is in YHUH's hands.YHUH is the source of the esteem given to any official.

6 Don't be angry with someone le olam va-ed for every little thing he does wrong. Don't do anything out of injured pride.

7 Arrogance and injustice are hated by both YHUH and people.

8 Injustice, arrogance and wealth cause nations to fall from power and others then rise to take their place.

9 We are only dust and ashes; what have we got to be proud of? Our gooff decays even while we are alive.

10 A long illness puzzles the doctor. Even a melech may be alive today and dead tomorrow.

11 When a person dies, all he then possesses is worms, flies and maggots.

12 Pride has its beginning when a person abandons YHUH, his maker.

13 Pride is like a fountain pouring out sin and whoever persists in it will be full of wickedness. That is why YHUH brought terrible punishments on some people and completely destroyed them.

14 YHUH has overthrown melechim and put humbler people in their place.

15 YHUH has pulled up nations by the roots and established humbler ones in their place.

16 YHUH has overthrown empires and completely devastated their lands.

17 He destroyed some so completely that they are not even remembered anymore.

18 The Creator never intended for human beings to be arrogant and violent.

19 Who deserves esteem? The human race does, because people fear YHUH. Who does not deserve esteem? Also the human race does not, because people break YHUH's mitzvoth.

20 A leader should be esteemed by those who follow him;

21 And YHUH honors those who fear Him.

22 Rich people, famous people and poor people all take pride in their fear of YHUH.

23 It is not right to refuse esteem to a poor person who is intelligent and it is not right to give esteem to a sinner.

24 People of influence, rulers and shophtim will be esteemed but none of them is greater than a person who fears YHUH.

25 An eved who has chochmah will have free citizens serving him; and if they are sensible, they will not resent it.

26 When you do your work, don't make a show of your skill and don't try to put on a show when you are in trouble.

27 It is better to work and have more than you need, than to go around boasting but hungry.

28 My child, keep your self respect but remain modest. Value yourself at your true worth.

29 There is no excuse for a person to run himself down. No one respects a person who has no respect for himself.

30 Poor people can be esteemed for their tov sense and rich people can be esteemed for their wealth.

31 If someone is esteemed while he is poor, think how much he will be esteemed if he becomes rich. If someone is despised while he is rich, think how much more he will be despised if he becomes poor.

11 Chochmah lifts up the head of him that is of low degree and makes him to sit among great men.

2 Commend not a man for his beauty; neither abhor a man for his outward appearance.

3 The bee is little among things that fly; but her fruit is the best of sweet things.

4 Boast not of your clothing and raiment and exalt not yourself in the yom of esteem: for the works of YHUH are wonderful and His works among men are hidden.

5 Many melechim have sat down upon the ground; and one that was never respected before has worn the keter.

6 Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; and the esteemed delivered into other men's hands.

7 Blame not before you have examined the emet: understand first and then rebuke.

8 Answer not before you have heard the cause: neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk.

9 Strive not in a matter that concerns you not; and sit not in mishpat with sinners.

10 My son, meddle not with many matters: for if you meddle much, you shall not be innocent; and if you follow after these matters, you shall not obtain, neither shall you escape by fleeing.

11 There is one that labors hard and fast and still falls behind.

12 Again, there is another that is slow and has need of help, wanting ability and full of poverty; yet the eyes of YHUH looked upon him for tov and raised him up from his low estate,

13 And lifted up his head from misery; so that many saw that from YHUH is true shalom.

14 Prosperity and adversity, chayim and death, poverty and riches, all come from YHUH.

15 Chochmah, da’at and binah of The Torah, are of YHUH: love and The Derech of tov works, are from Him.

16 Error and darkness had their beginning together with sinners: and evil shall grow old with them that revel in it.

17 The gifts of YHUH remains with the favored and His chen brings prosperity le-olam-va-ed.

18 Someone may grow rich by working hard and denying himself pleasure but what does he get for it?

19 He says to himself, Now I can finally sit back and enjoy what I have worked for. But he has no idea how long it will be before he must die and leave his wealth to others.

20 Be steadfast in your brit and stay in your work.

21 Marvel not at the works of sinners; but trust in YHUH and remain in your labor: for it is an easy thing in the sight of YHUH to suddenly make a poor man rich.

22 The blessing of YHUH is in the reward of the tzadikim and suddenly He makes their brachot flourish.

23 Say not, What profit is there of my service? And what tov things shall I have from now on?

24 Again, say not, I have enough and possess many things and what evil shall I have from now on?

25 In the yom of prosperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction: and in the yom of affliction there is no more remembrance of prosperity.

26 For it is an easy thing for YHUH in the yom of death to reward a man according to his derachot.

27 The affliction of an hour makes a man forget pleasure: and in the end his deeds shall be discovered.

28 Judge none blessed before his death: for a man shall be known in his children’s legacy.

29 Bring not every man into your bayit: for the deceitful man has many tricks.

30 A proud person is a decoy to lure you into danger; like a spy, he will look for your weaknesses.

31 For he lies in wait and turns tov into evil; and in things worthy of esteem, he will blame you.

32 By a spark of fire a heap of coals is kindled: and a sinful man lays wait for dahm.

33 Take heed of a mischievous man, for he works wickedness; lest he bring upon you a perpetual blot.

34 If you bring a ger into your bayit with you, it will only cause trouble, even between you and your own mishpacha.

12 When you do a tov mitzvah, make sure you know who is benefiting from it; then what you do will not be wasted.

2 You will be repaid for any kindness you show to a tzadik person. If he doesn't repay you, El-Elyon will.

3 No tov ever comes to a person who gives comfort to the wicked; it is not a tzadik act.

4 Give to His people but don't help sinners.

5 Do tov to humble people but don't give anything to those who are not devout. Don't give them food, or they will use your kindness against you. Every tov thing you do for such people will bring you twice as much trouble in return.

6 The YHUH Himself hates sinners and He will punish them.

7 Give to tov people but do not help sinners.

8 When things are going well, it is hard to tell who your real chaverim are but in hard times you can recognize your enemies;

9 Even your chaverim will leave you then. But when you are successful, your enemies will act like chaverim.

10 Never trust an enemy; his wickedness is as destructive as rust.

11 Shomer and be on guard against him, even if he acts ever so humble. He is like a metal mirror that rusts away if you don't keep it polished.

12 Seat an enemy at your right hand and the next thing you know he'll be trying to get your own place of esteem. Put him next to you and he will overthrow you. Then you will realize the emet of my words and be stung with regret when you remember them.

13 Nobody feels sorry for snake charmers or wild animal tamers who get bitten,

14 And nobody will feel sorry for you if you run around with sinners and get involved in their evil.

15 An enemy will stay with you for a while but not when trouble comes.

16 He will speak fine words while he plots how to trap you. He will pretend to share your sorrows but he will kill you if he gets a chance.

17 If trouble comes your way, you will find him waiting, ready to trip you up while he pretends to help you.

18 He will be a different person then, rubbing his hands, nodding his head and spreading rumors about you.

13 If you touch tar, it will stick to you and if you keep company with arrogant people, you will come to be just like them.

2 Don't try to lift something too heavy for you and don't keep company with people who are richer and more powerful than you. You cannot keep a clay pot next to an iron kettle; the pot will break if it hits the kettle.

3 If a rich person wrongs someone, he can afford to add insult to injury; but if a poor person is wronged, he is forced to apologize for himself.

4 A rich person will use you as long as he can profit from it but when you need him, he will leave you helpless.

5 He will live with you as long as you have anything and will gladly drain you dry.

6 If he needs you, he will trick you with his smiles and cheerful, kindly words. Do you need anything? He will ask.

7 He will feed you until you are embarrassed. Finally, when he has drained you two or three times over, he will laugh at you. If you see him later, he will pretend he doesn't know you and will pass you by.

8 Be careful not to be misled; you can be enjoying yourself and suddenly find yourself humiliated.

9 If you are invited to the home of someone influential, be reserved in your behavior. Then he will invite you more often.

10 If you push yourself on him, he will put you in your place. On the other hand, if you keep your distance from him, he will forget about you.

11 Don't pretend to be his equal or trust everything he says. In spite of all of his long and polite conversation, he is testing you.

12 If a person does not keep confidences, he is cruel; he will not hesitate to hurt you or have you put in jail.

13 Keep your secrets to yourself and be very careful, for you are always walking on dangerous ground.

14 As long as you live, love YHUH and call on Him to rescue you.

15 Every creature prefers its own kind and people are no different.

16 Just as animals of the same species flock together, so people keep company with people like themselves.

17 A sinner has no more in common with a devout person than a wolf has with a lamb.

18 Rich people have no more in common with poor people than hyenas have with dogs.

19 The rich hunt down the poor just as lions hunt down wild donkeys in the open country.

20 Arrogant people have nothing but scorn for the humble and the rich think of the poor in the same way.

21 When a rich person stumbles, his chaverim will steady him but if a poor person falls, his chaverim will have nothing to do with him.

22 When someone rich makes a mistake, there are many people to cover up for him and explain away all the things he never should have said. But let someone poor make a mistake and he gets nothing but criticism. Even if what he says makes tov sense, nobody will listen.

23 When a rich person speaks, everyone is silent and they tehilla him to the shamayim for what he says. But let a poor person speak and everybody says, Who is that? They push him down if he so much as stumbles.

24 There is nothing wrong with being rich if you haven't sinned to get that way. But there is nothing sinful about being poor either. Only the lost think so.

25 It's what is in your lev that makes the expression on your face be in simcha or sad.

26 If you feel cheerful, you will look cheerful, although making up mishle calls for some intense thought.

14 Blessed is the man that has not slipped with his mouth and is not pierced with the multitude of sins.

2 Blessed is he whose conscience has not condemned him and who is not fallen from his tikvah in YHUH.

3 It isn't right for someone who is selfish to be rich. What use is money to a stingy person?

4 If you deny yourself in order to accumulate wealth, you are only accumulating it for someone else. Others will use your riches to live in luxury.

5 How can you be generous with others if you are stingy with yourself, if you are not willing to enjoy your own wealth?

6 No one is worse off than someone who is stingy with himself; it is a sin that brings its own punishment.

7 When such a person does something tov, it is only by accident; his selfishness will sooner or later be evident.

8 A selfish person is evil; he turns his back on people's needs;

9 And is never satisfied with what he has. Greed will shrivel up a person's nephesh.

10 Some people are too stingy to put lechem on their own table.

11 My child, treat yourself as well as you can and bring worthy offerings to YHUH.

12 Remember that death is coming for you some yom and you haven't been told when that will be.

13 Before that yom comes, be kind to your chaverim; be as generous as you can.

14 Don't deny yourself a single yom's enjoyment. If there is something you want to do and it is not in violation of Torah, go ahead.

15 Some yom all that you have worked for will be divided up and given to others.

16 So be generous; but also be willing to receive from others. Enjoy yourself, for you will not find any pleasures in the olam of the dead.

17 The human gooff wears out like a piece of clothing. The ancient Torah decrees that we must die.

18 Human beings are like leaves on a spreading eytz. New growth takes the place of the fallen leaves; while some of us die, others are being born.

19 Everything made by human hands will decay and perish, along with the person who made it.

20 It is a person with simcha, who is concerned with cochmah, who uses common tov sense.

21 Anyone who studies the ways of chochmah will also learn her secrets.

22 Go after cochmah like a hunter looking for game.

23 Look into her windows and listen at her doors.

24 Camp as close to her bayit as you can get;

25 And you will have a fine place to live.

26 Build your bayit there, safe beneath her protecting branches.

27 There shaded from the heat.

15 He that fears YHUH will do tov and he that has the da’at of The Torah shall obtain her.

2 And as an eema shall she meet him and receive him as an isha married of a virgin.

3 With the lechem of binah shall she feed him and give him the mayim of chochmah to drink.

4 He shall be stayed upon her and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her and shall not be confounded.

5 She shall exalt him above his neighbors and in the midst of the kehilla shall she open his mouth.

6 He shall find simcha and a keter of gilah and she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.

7 But foolish men shall not attain her and sinners shall not see her.

8 For she is far from pride and men that are liars cannot remember her.

9 Tehillot are not becoming in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent to him by YHUH.

10 For tehillot shall be uttered in chochmah and YHUH will prosper it.

11 Say not, It is through YHUH that I fell away: for you ought not to do the things that He hates.

12 Say not, He has caused me to err: for He has no need of the sinful man.

13 YHUH hates all abomination; and they that fear Ahlohim love it not.

14 He himself made man from Beresheeth and left him in the hand of his own counsel;

15 If you will, keep the mitzvoth and perform acceptable faithfulness.

16 He has set fire and mayim before you: stretch forth your hand to which one you will choose.

17 Before man is chayim and death; and what he chooses shall be given to him.

18 For the chochmah of YHUH is great and He is mighty in Power and beholds all things:

19 And His eyes are upon them that fear Him and He knows every work of man.

20 He has commanded no man to do wickedly, neither has He given any man license to sin.

16 Do not long for a multitude of unprofitable children, neither delight in wicked sons.

2 Though they multiply, rejoice not in them, except the fear of YHUH be with them.

3 Trust not in their chayim, neither respect their multitude: for one that is tzadik, is better than a thousand; and better it is to die without children, than to have them that are wicked.

4 For by one that has binah shall the city be replenished: but the kindred of the wicked shall speedily become desolate.

5 Many such things have I seen with my eyes and my ear has heard greater things than these.

6 In the kehilla of the wicked shall a fire be kindled; and in a rebellious nation wrath is set on fire.

7 He was not pacified toward the old giants, who fell away in the strength of their foolishness.

8 Neither spared He the place where Lot sojourned but abhorred them for their pride.

9 He pitied not the people of perdition, who were taken away in their sins:

10 Nor the six hundred thousand footmen, who were gathered together in the hardness of their levavot.

11 And if there is even one stiff-necked among the people, it is a marvel if he escapes unpunished: for rachamim and wrath are with Him; He is mighty to forgive and to pour out displeasure.

12 As His rachamim is great, so is His correction also: He shophtim a man according to his works.

13 The sinner shall not escape with his spoils: and the patience of the tzadikim shall not be frustrated.

14 Make way le olam va-ed for every work of rachamim: le olam va-ed, man shall find according to his works.

15 YHUH hardened Pharaoh’s lev, so that he should not know Him, that His powerful works might be known to the olam.

16 His rachamim is manifest to every creature; and He has separated his ohr from the darkness with a plumbline.

17 Say not, I will hide myself from YHUH: shall any remember me from above? I shall not be remembered among so many people: for what is my being among such an infinite number of creatures?

18 Behold, the shamayim and the shamayim of shamayim, the deep and the earth and all that in it is, shall be moved when He shall visit.

19 The mountains also and foundations of the earth be shaken with trembling, when YHUH looks upon them.

20 No lev can think upon these things worthily: and who is able to conceive His derachot?

21 It is a tempest which no man can see: for the most part of His works are hidden.

22 Who can declare the works of His justice? Or, who can endure them? For His brit is far off and the trial of all things is in the end.

23 He that lacks binah will think upon vain things: and a foolish man imagines foolishness.

24 My son, listen to me and learn da’at and mark my words with your lev.

25 I will give you diligent and accurate instruction.

26 The works of YHUH are done in mishpat from the beginning: and from the time He made them, He gave everything a place of their own.

27 He arranged everything in an eternal order and decreed that it should be that way le-olam-va-ed. Not one part of creation ever grows hungry; no part grows tired or stops its work.

28 None of them hinders another and they shall never disobey His Word.

29 After this YHUH looked upon the earth and filled it with His brachot.

30 He covered it with all kinds of creatures that must die and return to the dust.

17 Then YHUH formed human beings from the dust and sent each of them back to it again.

2 He gave them only a limited time to live; but He gave them authority over everything on earth.

3 He made them to be like Himself, and gave them His own strength.

4 He made all other creatures afraid of them; He gave them authority over all the animals and birds.

5 YHUH gave them the five senses but he also gave them a sixth, intelligence and a seventh, reason, which enables them to interpret what comes to them through the senses.

6 He gave them their tongues, their eyes, their ears, their minds and their consciences.

7 He filled them with da’at and binah and showed them the difference between tov and evil.

8 He gave them His own insight to let them see the majesty of His creation.

9 And He allowed them to take pride le-olam-va-ed in His marvelous deeds.

10 They will give tehilla to His kadosh Name and proclaim the greatness of all He does.

11 He made da’at available to them and gave them The Torah as a source of chayim.

12 He made an eternal brit with them and revealed His mitzvoth to them.

13 They saw the splendor of His majesty and heard the esteem of His voice.

14 He warned them against unrighteousness and taught each person how to treat others.

15 YHUH is always aware of what people do; there is no way to hide from him.

16 From childhood on they tend to be evil; their levavot are like stone and they don't seem to be able to make it more human.

17 He divided the nations of the whole olam. He gave each nation its own ruler but Yisrael is YHUH 's own possession.

18 Whom being His bachor, He nourishes with discipline and giving them the ohr of His ahava does not forsake them.

19 YHUH is always watching what people do; everything they do is as clear as the yom to Him.

20 None of their sins are hidden from Him; He is aware of them all.

21 But YHUH is full of favor and knows His creatures; so He has spared them rather than abandon them.

22 When we give to the poor, YHUH considers it as precious, as a valuable ring. Human kindness is as precious to Him as chayim itself.

23 Later He will judge the wicked and punish them; they will get what they deserve.

24 But YHUH will allow those who make teshuvah to return to Him. He always gives encouragement to those who are losing tikvah.

25 Come to YHUH and leave your sin behind. Make tefillah sincerely, that He will help you live a better chayim.

26 Return to YHUH and turn away from sin. Have an intense hatred for wickedness; He will lead you of darkness into the ohr of health.

27 Those who are alive can give hodu to YHUH but can anyone in the realm of the dead shir tehillot to YHUH?

28 A person who is alive and well can shir YHUH’s tehillot; but the dead, who no longer exist, have no way to give Him hodu.

29 How great is YHUH’s rachamim and forgiveness to those who make teshuvah to Him.

30 But this is not the nature of human beings; not one of us is immortal.

31 Nothing is brighter than the shemesh but even the shemesh's ohr fails during an eclipse. How much easier it is for human thoughts to be eclipsed by evil.

32 YHUH can look out over all the cochavim in the shamayim. Human beings? They are just dust and ashes.

18 He that lives le-olam-va-ed has created all things in general.

2 YHUH only is tzadik and there is none other but He,

3 Who governs the olam with the palm of His hand and all things obey His will: for He is The Melech of all, by His Power dividing set apart things among them from the profane.

4 To whom has He given Power to declare His works? And who shall find out His noble acts?

5 Who shall calculate the strength of His majesty? And who shall also tell His rachamim?

6 As for the wondrous works of YHUH, there may nothing be taken from them, neither may anything be added to them, neither can the foundation of them be found out.

7 When we come to the end of that story, we have not even begun; we are simply at a loss for words.

8 What is man and for what purpose does he serve? What is his tov and what is his evil?

9 The number of a man's yamim at the most are a hundred years.

10 As a drop of mayim to the sea and a pebble in comparison to the sand; so are a thousand years to the yamim of perpetuity.

11 Therefore is Ahlohim patient with them and pours forth His rachamim upon them.

12 He saw and perceived their end to be evil; therefore He multiplied His rachamim.

13 The rachamim of man is toward his neighbor; but the rachamim of YHUH is upon all flesh: He reproves, nurtures, teaches and brings again, as a Shepherd His flock.

14 He has rachamim on them that receive discipline and that diligently seek after His mishpatim.

15 My son, blemish not your tov deeds, neither use uncomfortable words when you give anything.

16 Shall not the dew relieve one from the heat? So is a tov word better than a gift.

17 See, is not a word better than a gift? But both are with a gracious man.

18 It is stupid to be unkind and insulting. No one's eyes are going to sparkle at a gift that you resent giving.

19 Learn before you speak and guard your health before you become sick.

20 Before mishpat examine yourself and in the yom of visitation you shall find rachamim.

21 Humble yourself before you become sick and in the time of sins make teshuvah.

22 Let nothing hinder you to pay your vow in due time and defer not until death to be justified.

23 Before you make tefillah, prepare yourself; and be not as one that tries YHUH.

24 Think upon the wrath that shall be at the end and the time of vengeance, when He shall turn away His face.

25 When you have enough, remember the time of hunger: and when you are rich, think upon poverty and the needy.

26 From the boker until the same evening, things can change quickly before YHUH.

27 A wise man will fear in everything and in the yom of sinning he will beware of offence: but a fool knows not what time it is.

28 Every man of binah knows chochmah and will give tehilla to him that found her.

29 They that were of binah in sayings became also wise themselves and poured forth exquisite mishle.

30 Go not after your lusts but refrain yourself from your appetites.

31 If you give your being the longings that please it, she will make you a laughingstock to your enemies that malign you.

32 Don't indulge in luxurious living; the expense of it will ruin you.

33 Don't make yourself a beggar by borrowing for expensive banquets when you don't have enough money of your own.

19 A laboring man that is given to drunkenness shall not be rich: and he that contemns small things shall fall little by little.

2 Wine and women will make men of binah to fall away: and he that cleaves to harlots will become unwise.

3 Moths and worms shall have him as a heritage and such a man shall be taken away.

4 He that is hasty to give credit is foolish; and he that sins shall offend against his own being.

5 Whoever takes pleasure in wickedness shall be condemned: but he that resists pleasures crowns his chayim.

6 He that can rule his tongue shall live without strife; and he that hates babbling shall have less evil.

7 Do not repeat that which is told to you, and you shall be far better.

8 Whether it be to chaver or foe, talk not of other men's lives; and if you would be without offence, reveal them not.

9 Whoever hears you will take notice of it and sooner or later will hate you for it.

10 If you have heard a word, let it die with you; and be silent, it will not burst you.

11 A fool travails with a word, as a woman in labor with child.

12 As an arrow that sticks in a man's thigh, so is a word within a fool's belly.

13 If you hear that a chaver has done something wrong, ask him about it. Maybe it isn't emet. If it is emet, he won't do it again.

14 If you hear that a neighbor has said something he shouldn't, ask him about it. Maybe he didn't say it. If he did, he won't say it again.

15 Admonish a chaver: for many times it is a slander and believe not every tale.

16 There is one that slips in his speech but not from his lev; and who is he that has not offended with his tongue?

17 Admonish your neighbor before you threaten him; and not being angry, give place to The Torah of El-Elyon.

18 The fear of YHUH is the first step to be accepted by Him and chochmah obtains His love.

19 The da’at of the mitzvoth of YHUH is the doctrine of chayim: and they that do things that please Him, shall receive the fruit of the eytz of immortality.

20 The fear of YHUH is all chochmah; and in all chochmah is the performance of The Torah and the da’at of His omnipotence.

21 If an eved says to his master, I will not do as it pleases you; though afterward he does it, he angers him that nourishes him.

22 The da’at of wickedness is not chochmah, neither at any time is the counsel of sinners wise.

23 There is a wickedness and the same is an abomination; and there is a fool lacking chochmah.

24 He that has small binah and fears Ahlohim, is better than one that has much chochmah and transgresses The Torah of El-Elyon.

25 It is possible to be marvelously clever and still be dishonest, or to get what you want by being absurdly polite.

26 There is a wicked man that hangs down his head in false humility; but inwardly he is full of deceit,

27 They will turn their faces away and pretend not to hear you but they'll take advantage of you when you least expect it.

28 If for some reason they are unable to sin now, they'll get round to it at the first opportunity.

29 You can know people by their appearance. The first time you look at them, you can tell if they have tov sense.

30 Their character shows in the way they dress, the way they laugh and the way they have their halacha.

20 There is a reproof that is not comely: again, some man holds his tongue and he is wise.

2 It is much better to reprove, than to be angry secretly: and he that confesses his fault shall be preserved from hurt.

3 How tov is it, when you are reproved, to make teshuvah. For so shall you escape willful sin.

4 As is the lust of a eunuch to deflower a virgin; so is he that executes mishpat with violence.

5 There is one that keeps silent and is found with cochmah: and another by much babbling becomes hateful.

6 One man holds his tongue because he has no answer: and another keeps silent, knowing his time.

7 A man of cochmah will hold his tongue until he sees opportunity: but a babbler and a fool will regard no time.

8 He that uses many words shall be abhorred; and he that takes to himself authority in it shall be hated.

9 There is a sinner that has tov success in evil things; and there is a gain that turns to loss.

10 There is a gift that shall not profit you; and there is a gift whose recompence is double.

11 Esteem can be followed by disgrace but there are people who have risen from obscurity to places of esteem.

12 There is that buys much for a little and repays it sevenfold.

13 A wise man by his words makes himself beloved: but the chen of fools shall be poured out.

14 If such a person gives you something, it won't do any tov; it won't be as valuable as he thinks it is.

15 He isn't generous with anything but criticism, which he will shout for all the olam to hear. If he lends you something this yom, he'll want it back tomorrow.

16 Then that fool will say, Nobody likes me. Nobody appreciates what I do for them. They'll take what I give them but then talk about me behind my back.

17And he's right; he's a constant joke to everyone.

18 To slip upon a pavement is better than to slip with the tongue: so the fall of the wicked shall come speedily.

19 A foolish untimely tale will always be in the mouth of the unwise.

20 A sentence of cochmah shall be rejected when it comes out of a fool's mouth; for he will not speak it in due season.

21 If a person is too poor to afford sin, he can rest without a guilty conscience.

22 You can lose all your self respect by being reluctant to speak up in the presence of stupidity.

23 If you promise a chaver something because you are too bashful to say no, you're making an enemy needlessly.

24 A lie is a foul blot in a man, yet it is continually in the mouth of the untaught.

25 A thief is better than a man that is accustomed to lie: but they both shall have destruction as their legacy.

26 The disposition of a liar lacks chen and his shame is ever with him.

27 A man of cochmah shall promote himself to esteem with his words: and he that has binah will please great men.

28 He that tills his land shall increase his harvest: and he that pleases great men shall get pardon for iniquity.

29 Gifts and bribes make even those with cochmah blind to the emet and prevent them from being honest in their criticism.

30 Chochmah that is hidden and treasure that is hoarded up, what profit is in them both?

31 Better is he that hides his folly than a man that hides his chochmah.

32 Necessary patience in seeking YHUH is better than he that leads his chayim without a guide.

21 My son, have you sinned? Do so no more but ask pardon for your former sins.

2 Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent: for if you come too near it, it will bite you: the teeth of it are as the teeth of a lion, slaying the beings of men.

3 All iniquity is as a two edged sword, the wounds of it cannot be healed.

4 To terrify and do wrong will waste riches: so the bayit of proud men shall be made desolate.

5 A tefillah out of a poor man's mouth reaches to the ears of Ahlohim and his mishpat comes speedily.

6 He that hates to be reproved is in the derech of sinners: but he that fears YHUH will make teshuvah from his lev.

7 An eloquent man is known far and near; but a man of binah knows when he slips.

8 He that builds his bayit with other men's money is like one that gathers himself stones for the tomb of his burial.

9 The kehilla of the wicked is like a pile of junk: and the end of them all is a flame of fire to destroy them.

10 The derech of sinners is made plain with stones but at the end of it is the pit of Sheol.

11 He that keeps The Torah of YHUH gets the binah from it: and the perfection of the fear of YHUH is chochmah.

12 He that is not wise will not be taught: but there is a chochmah which multiplies bitterness.

13 The da’at of a wise man shall abound like a flood: and his counsel is like a pure fountain of chayim.

14 The inner parts of a fool are like a broken vessel and he will hold no da’at as long as he lives.

15 If a smart man hears a wise word, he will commend it and add to it: but as soon as one of no binah hears it, it displeases him and he casts it behind his back.

16 The talk of a fool is like a burden in the derech: but chen shall be found in the lips of those with cochmah.

17 They enquire at the mouth of the wise man in the kehilla and they shall ponder his words in their lev.

18 As is a bayit that is destroyed, so is chochmah to a fool: and the da’at of the unwise is as talk without sense.

19 Sound doctrine to fools is as fetters on the feet and like chains on the right hand.

20 A fool lifts up his voice with laughter; but a wise man does barely smile a little.

21 Learning is to a wise man as an ornament of gold and like a bracelet upon his right arm.

22 A foolish man's foot is quickly in his neighbor's bayit: but a man of experience keeps a distance.

23 A fool will peep in at the door into the bayit: but he that is well nurtured will stand outside.

24 Eavesdropping at doors is bad manners and anyone with a sense of decency would be ashamed to do it.

25 The lips of talkers will tell things not pertaining to them: but the words of such as have binah are carefully weighed in the balance.

26 The lev of fools is in their mouth: but the mouth of those with cochmah is in their lev.

27 When a wicked person curses his enemy he is cursing himself.

28 A whisperer defiles his own being and is hated whereever he dwells.

22 Lazy people are no better than dung;

2 They are repulsive and no one wants to get near them.

3 It is a disgrace to an abba to have an undisciplined child, especially if it is a daughter.

4 A sensible daughter will get a husband but a shameless daughter brings her abba grief.

5 A girl with no sense of propriety will disgrace both her husband and her abba; neither will have any respect for her.

6 Lecturing your children can sometimes be as out of place as singing to people in mourning but a whipping is a wise choice of discipline at any time.

7 Trying to teach a fool is like gluing a broken pot together again, like waking someone out of a deep sleep.

8 Explaining something to a fool is like explaining it to a sleepy person;

9 When you have finished, he'll say,

10 What was that again?

11 We mourn for the dead because they have no access to ohr. We ought to mourn for fools, because they have no access to intelligence. In fact, we should go into deeper mourning for fools, because the chayim they lead is worse than death. The dead are at least at rest.

12 For seven yamim we mourn the dead but a foolish or unjust person causes a lifetime of grief.

13 Don't visit stupid people or spend a lot of time talking with them. Avoid them; then they can't contaminate you and you can live in shalom without being troubled or worn down by their foolishness.

14 Such people are a heavier burden to bear than lead; and the only word that fits them is fools.

15 It is easier to carry a load of sand, salt and iron than to put up with a stupid person.

16 A wooden beam can be put into a building so firmly that an earthquake cannot shake it loose; a person can be trained to use reason and tov sense so well, that he keeps his head when a crisis comes.

17 A mind that thinks things through intelligently is like a firm wall, finely decorated.

18 Small stones on top of a wall will not stay put when the wind blows and a person whose stupid ideas have made him timid will not be able to stand up to frightening situations.

19 If you stick something in your eye, tears will flow; and if you hurt a person deeply, you will discover his emet feelings.

20 If you throw stones at birds, you will scare them away; and if you insult a chaver, you will break up the friendship.

21 Even if you have a violent argument with a chaver and speak sharply, all is not lost. You can still make it up with him.

22 But any chaver will leave you if you insult him, if you are arrogant, if you reveal his secrets, or if you turn on him unexpectedly.

23 Gain the confidence of your neighbor if he is poor; then you can share his simcha if he becomes successful. Stand by him when he is in trouble if you want to share with him, when better times come his way.

24 Fumes and smoke appear before the flames do; insults come before violence.

25 I will never be afraid to protect a chaver and I will never turn a chaver away if he needs me.

26 If I suffer because of him, everyone who learns of it will be on guard against him.

27 I wish that a guard could be placed at my mouth, that my lips could be wisely sealed. It would keep me from making mistakes and prevent me from destroying myself with my own tongue.

23 O YHUH, Abba and Master of my chayim, do not leave me at the rachamim of my own words; don't let them cause my downfall.

2 I wish I could be whipped for my thoughts, so that cochmah could discipline my mind. I would not want to be spared when I am wrong; I would not want a single sin to be overlooked.

3 Then I would not keep on sinning, making one mistake after another. I could not fall to my enemies and be humiliated by them.

4 O YHUH, my Abba, Ahlohim of my chayim, keep me from being arrogant;

5 Protect me from evil desires.

6 Keep me from being overcome by greed or lust; do not leave me at the rachamim of these shameless passions.

7 My children, listen to what I have to say about proper speech; do as I teach you and you will never get trapped.

8 Sinners are caught by their own arrogant, insulting words.

9 Don't fall into the habit of taking oaths and don't use YHUH's kadosh Name too freely.

10 An eved who is constantly beaten will never be free of bruises; someone who is always taking an oath by the Kadosh Name, will never be free of sin.

11 Anyone who takes oaths all the time is sinful to the core and punishment is never far away from his bayit. If he fails to fulfill his oath, he is guilty. If he ignores his oath, he is twice as guilty. If his oath was insincere in the first place, he cannot be pardoned and will have a bayit full of trouble.

12 There is one derech of speaking that is like death itself ; may no Yisraelite ever be guilty of it. Devout people do not wallow in such sin and they will keep away from such behavior.

13 Don't fall into the habit of coarse, profane talk; it is sinful.

14 You might forget yourself while in the company of important people and make a fool of yourself with some foul word that comes to you naturally. Think how your parents would feel. You would curse the yom you were born and wish you were dead.

15 If you fall into the habit of using offensive language, you will never break yourself of it as long as you have chayim.

16 There are any number of derachot to sin and bring down YHUH's anger but sexual passion is a hot blazing fire, that cannot be put out at will; it can only burn itself out. A man who lives for nothing but sexual enjoyment will keep on, until that fire destroys him.

17 To such a man all women are desirable and he can never get enough as long as he lives.

18 The man who is unfaithful to his isha thinks to himself, No one will ever know. It's dark in here and no one sees me. I have nothing to worry about. As for El-Elyon, He won't even notice.

19 This man is only afraid of other people. He doesn't realize that the eyes of YHUH are ten thousand times brighter than the shemesh, that He sees everything we do, even when we try to hide it.

20 He knew everything before He created the olam, as well as after.

21That sinful man will be caught when he least expects it and punished publicly.

22 The same is true of an isha, who is unfaithful to her husband and presents him with a child by another man.

23 In the first place, she has broken The Torah of El-Elyon. In the second place, she has wronged her husband.

24 And in the third place, she has made a whore of herself by committing adultery and bearing the child of a man not her husband.

25 The children will suffer for her sin. They will not be able to find a place in society or establish mispachot.

26 She herself will be brought before the kehilla;

27 And permanently disgraced. There will be a curse on her memory. After she is gone;

28 Everyone will realize that nothing is better than fearing YHUH, nothing is sweeter than keeping His mitzvoth.

24 Chochmah shall tehilla herself and shall esteem in the midst of her people.

2 In the kehilla of El-Elyon shall she open her mouth and triumph before His Power.

3 I came out of the mouth of El-Elyon and covered the earth as a cloud.

4 I dwelt in high places and my kesay is in a cloudy pillar.

5 I alone compassed the circuit of the shamayim and walked in the bottom of the deep.

6 In the waves of the sea and in all the earth and in every people and nation, I got a possession.

7 With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?

8 So The Creator of all things gave me a mitzvah and He that made me caused my sukkah to rest and said, Let your dwelling be in Yaakov and your inheritance in Yisrael.

9 He created me from the beginning before the olam and I shall never fail.

10 In the set apart sukkah I served before Him; and so was I established in Tzion.

11 Likewise in the beloved city He gave me rest and in Yahrushalayim was my Power.

12 And I took root in an esteemed people, even in the portion of YHUH's inheritance.

13 I was exalted like a cedar in Levanon and as a cypress eytz upon the mountains of Hermon.

14 I was exalted like a palm eytz in Ein Gedi and as a rose plant in Yericho, as a fair olive eytz in a pleasant field and grew up as a green eytz by the mayim.

15 I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aspalathus and I yielded a pleasant odor like the best myrrh, as galbanum and onyx and sweet storax and as the fume of frankincense in the sukkah.

16 As the turpentine eytz I stretched out my netsarim and my netsarim are the branches of esteem and chen.

17 As the vine brought I forth pleasant savor and my flowers are the fruit of esteem and riches.

18 I am the eema of fair love and fear and da’at and set apart tikvah: I therefore, being perpetual, am given to all my children who are named of Him.

19 Come to me, all that are desirous of me and fill yourselves with my fruits.

20 For my memorial is sweeter than honey and my inheritance than the honeycomb.

21 They that eat me shall yet be hungry and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.

22 He that obeys me shall never be confounded and they that work with me shall not do wrong.

23 All these things are the scrolls of the brit of YHUH Ahlohim, even The Torah which Moshe Rabeinu commanded for a heritage to the kehillot of Yaakov.

24 Faint not; be strong in YHUH; that He may confirm you, cleave to Him: for YHUH Almighty is Ahlohim alone and beside Him there is no other Savior.

25 He fills all things with His chochmah, as Pishon and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits.

26 He makes the binah to abound like the Euphrates and as the Yarden in the time of the harvest.

27 It sparkles with teachings like the Nile, like the Gihon at grape-picking time.

28 The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out.

29 For her thoughts are more than the sea and her counsels profounder than the great deep.

30 I also came out as a brook from a river and as a conduit into a gan.

31 I said, I will water my best gan and will water abundantly my gan bed: and, lo, my brook became a river and my river became a sea.

32 I will yet make doctrine to shine as the boker and will send forth her ohr afar off.

33 I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy and leave it to all ages le-olam-va-ed.

34 Behold that I have not labored for myself only but for all them that seek chochmah.

25 In three things I was beautified and stood up beautiful both before Ahlohim and men: the unity of brethren, the ahava of neighbors, a man and an isha that agree together.

2 Three sorts of men my being hates and I am greatly offended at their chayim: a poor man that is proud, a rich man that is a liar and an old foolish adulterer.

3 If you have gathered nothing in your youth, how can you find anything in your age?

4 O how comely a thing is mishpat for gray hairs and for ancient men to know counsel.

5 O how comely is the chochmah of old men and binah and counsel to men of esteem.

6 Much experience is the keter of old men and the fear of Ahlohim is their esteem.

7 There are nine things which I have judged in my lev to be simcha and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: A man that has simcha from his children; and he that lives to see the fall of his enemy:

8 Well is he who dwells with an isha of binah and who has not slipped with his tongue and has not served a man more unworthy than himself:

9 Well is he who has found cochmah and he who speaks in the ears of them that will shema:

10 O how great is he who finds chochmah. Yet is there none above him that fears YHUH.

11 But the ahava of YHUH passes all things for insight: and he that holds it, to whom shall he be compared?

12 The fear of YHUH is the beginning of ahava: and emunah is the beginning of cleaving to Him.

13 Give me any plague but the plague of the lev: and any wickedness but the wickedness of a woman:

14 And any affliction but the affliction from them that hate me: and any revenge but the revenge of enemies.

15 There is no head above the head of a serpent; and there is no wrath above the wrath of an enemy.

16 I had rather dwell with a lion and a dragon, than to maintain a bayit with a wicked woman.

17 The wickedness of a woman changes her face and darkens her countenance like sackcloth.

18 Her husband shall sit among his neighbors; and when he hears it, he shall sigh bitterly.

19 All wickedness is little compared to the wickedness of a woman: let the portion of a sinner fall upon her.

20 As the climbing up of a sandy derech is to the feet of the aged, so is an isha full of words to a quiet man.

21 Stumble not at the beauty of a woman and do not lust after her for pleasure.

22 When a man is supported by his isha, there is sure to be anger, arrogance and humiliation.

23 A bad isha will make her husband gloomy and depressed and break his lev. Show me a timid ish who can never make up his mind and I will show you an isha who doesn't make her husband happy.

24 From the isha came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die.

25 Don't let a bad isha have her way, anymore than you would allow mayim to leak from your cistern.

26 If she will not walk in agreement with you, cut her off from your flesh and give her a Sefer Keritut and let her go.

26 Blessed is the man that has a virtuous isha, for the number of his yamim shall be doubled.

2 A virtuous isha brings simcha to her husband and he shall fulfill the years of his chayim in shalom.

3 A tov isha is a tov portion, which shall be given in the portion to them that fear YHUH.

4 Whether a man be rich or poor, if he has a tov lev towards YHUH, he shall at all times rejoice with a face of simcha.

5 There are three things that my lev fears; and for the fourth I was very afraid: the slander of a city, the gathering together of an unruly multitude and a false accusation: all these are worse than death.

6 But a grief of lev and sorrow is an isha that is jealous over another isha and a scourge of the tongue which communicates jealousy.

7 An evil isha is a yoke shaken to and fro: he that has hold of her is as though he held a scorpion.

8 A drunken woman and a wanderer causes great anger and she will not cover her own shame.

9 The whoredom of a woman may be known in her haughty looks and eyelids.

10 If your daughter be shameless, keep a close watch on her, lest she abuse herself through too much liberty.

11 If she is too self willed, be on guard and don't be surprised if she disappoints you.

12 She'll spread her legs anywhere for any man who wants her, just as a thirsty traveller will drink whatever mayim is available.

13 The chen of an isha delights her husband and her discretion will fatten his bones.

14 A silent and loving isha is a gift from YHUH; and there is nothing so precious as a mind well instructed.

15 A humble and faithful isha is a double chen and her stable mind cannot be valued.

16 As the shemesh when it arises in the high shamayim; so is the beauty of a tov isha in the administration of her bayit.

17 As the clear ohr is upon the set apart candlestick; so is the beauty of the face in ripe age.

18 As the golden pillars are upon the sockets of silver; so are the fair feet with a stable lev.

19 My son, keep the flower of your age sound; and give not your strength to strangers.

20 When you have gotten a fruitful possession through all the field, sow it with your own zera, trusting in the tov of your stock.

21 So your legacy which you leave shall be magnified, having the confidence of their tov lineage.

22 A harlot shall be accounted as small spit; but a married isha is a tower against death to her husband.

23 A wicked woman is given as a portion to a wicked man: but a tzadik woman is given to him that fears YHUH.

24 A dishonest isha brings shame: but an honest isha will reverence her husband.

25 A shameless isha shall be counted as a dog; but she that is humble will fear YHUH.

26 An isha that esteems her husband shall be judged wise by all; but she that disparages him in her pride shall be counted most wicked of all.

27 A loud crying woman and a nag, shall be sought out to drive away the enemies.

28 There are two things that grieve my lev; and the third makes me angry: a man of war that suffers poverty; and men of binah that are not respected; and one that turns from tzedakah to sin;YHUH prepares such a one for the sword.

29 A merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong; and a huckster shall not be free from sin.

27 Many have sinned for a small matter; and he that seeks for abundance will turn his eyes away.

2 As a nail sticks fast between the joints of the stones; so does sin stick close between buying and selling.

3 Unless a man hold himself diligently in the fear of YHUH, his bayit shall soon be overthrown.

4 As when one sifts with a sieve, the refuse remains; so the filth of man in his talk.

5 The furnace proves the potter's vessels; so the trial of man is in his reasoning.

6 The fruit declares if the eytz has been dressed; so is the utterance of a conceit in the lev of man.

7 Praise no man before you hear him speak; for this is the trial of men.

8 If you follow tzedakah, you shall obtain her and put her on as a wonderful long robe.

9 The birds will resort to their like; so will emet return to them that practice in her.

10 As the lion lies in wait for the prey; so sin for them that work iniquity.

11 The discourse of a tzadik man is always with chochmah; but a fool changes as the yarayach.

12 If you be among the indiscreet, observe the time; but be continually among men of binah.

13 The discourse of fools is irksome and their sport is the wantonness of sin.

14 The talk of him that swears much makes the hair stand upright; and their brawls make one stop his ears.

15 The strife of the proud is bloodshed and their oratory is grievous to the ear.

16 Whoever reveals secrets loses his credit and shall never find chaver to his mind.

17 Love your chaver and be faithful to him: but if you betray his secrets, follow no more after him.

18 For as a man has destroyed his enemy; so have you lost the love of your neighbor.

19 As one that lets a bird go out of his hand, so have you let your neighbor go and shall not get him again

20 Follow after him no more, for he is too far off; he is as a roe escaped out of the snare.

21 As for a wound, it may be bound up; and after reviling there may be reconcilement: but he that betrays secrets is without tikvah.

22 He that winks with the eyes works evil: and he that knows him will depart from him.

23 When you are present, he will speak sweetly and will admire your words: but at the last he will writhe his mouth and slander your sayings.

24 I have hated many things but nothing like him; for YHUH will hate him.

25 Whoever casts a stone on high casts it on his own head; and a deceitful stroke shall make wounds.

26 Whoever digs a pit shall fall in it: and he that sets a trap shall be taken in it.

27 He that works mischief, it shall fall upon him and he shall not know where it comes.

28 Mockery and reproach are from the proud; but vengeance, as a lion, shall lie in wait for them.

29 They that rejoice at the fall of the tzadik shall be taken in the snare; and anguish shall consume them before they die.

30 Malice and wrath, even these are abominations; and the sinful man shall have them both.

28 He that avenges shall find vengeance from YHUH and He will surely keep his sins in remembrance.

2 Forgive your neighbor the hurt that he has done to you, so shall your sins also be forgiven when you make tefillah.

3 One man bears hatred against another and does he seek pardon from YHUH?

4 He shows no rachamim to a man who is like himself: and does he ask forgiveness of his own sins?

5 If he that is but flesh nourish hatred, who will intreat for pardon of his sins?

6 Remember your end and let enmity cease; remember corruption and death and abide in the mitzvoth.

7 Remember the mitzvoth and bear no malice to your neighbor: remember the brit of the Highest and wink at ignorance.

8 Abstain from strife and you shall diminish your sins: for a furious man will kindle strife,

9 A sinful man disturbs chaverim and makes debate among them that be at shalom.

10 As the matter of the fire is, so it burns: and as a man's strength is, so is his wrath; and according to his riches his anger rises; and the stronger they are which contend, the more they will be inflamed.

11 A hasty contention kindles a fire: and a hasty fighting sheds dahm.

12 If you blow the spark, it shall burn: if you spit upon it, it shall be quenched: and both these come out of your mouth.

13 Curse the whisperer and double-tongued: for such have destroyed many that were at shalom.

14 A backbiting tongue has disquieted many and driven them from nation to nation: strong cities has it pulled down and overthrown the houses of great men.

15 A backbiting tongue has cast out virtuous women and deprived them of their labors.

16 Whoever listens to it shall never find rest and shall never dwell quietly.

17 The stroke of the whip makes marks in the flesh: but the stroke of the tongue breaks the bones.

18 Many have fallen by the edge of the sword: but not so many as have fallen by the tongue.

19 Well is he that is defended through the venom of it; who has not drawn the yoke of it, nor has been bound in her bands.

20 For the yoke of it is a yoke of iron and the bands of it are bands of brass.

21 The death of it is an evil death, the grave were better than it.

22 It shall not have rule over them that fear Ahlohim, neither shall they be burned with the flame of it.

23 Such as forsake YHUH shall fall into it; and it shall burn in them and not be quenched; it shall be sent upon them as a lion and devour them as a leopard.

24 Look that you hedge your possession about with thorns and bind up your silver and gold,

25 And weigh your words in a balance and make a door and bar for your mouth.

26 Beware you slide not by it, lest you fall before him that lies in wait.

29 Be kind enough to lend to your neighbor when he needs help. You are keeping YHUH 's commands if you help him.

2 If he needs something, lend it to him. And when you are in debt, pay it back as soon as you can.

3 If you meet your obligations, you will always be able to borrow what you need.

4 Many people treat a loan as something they found and can keep, causing embarrassment to those who helped them.

5 Some people will speak politely, bow and scrape until they get the loan they want, but when the time comes to pay it back, they'll put it off, say that it's inconvenient and make a lot of worthless excuses.

6 If the lender insists on being paid, he can count himself lucky to get back half. If he doesn't insist, the borrower has robbed him and made an unnecessary enemy. All the lender will get from him are curses, insults and disrespect, but never any gratitude.

7 Many people refuse to lend at all, not because they are stingy, but because they don't want to be cheated if they can avoid it.

8 Nevertheless, be understanding with those who are poor. Don't keep them waiting for your generosity.

9 YHUH has commanded us to help the poor; don't refuse them the help they need.

10 It is better to lose your money by helping a relative or a chaver than to lose it by letting it rust away under a rock somewhere.

11 Use your wealth as YHUH has commanded; this will do you more tov than keeping your money for yourself.

12 Count among your treasures the fact that you give to the poor. It will save you from all kinds of trouble

13 And will be a better defense against your enemies than the strongest shield or stoutest spear.

14 A tov man is willing to guarantee his neighbor’s debts. Only someone who has lost all sense of decency would refuse to do so.

15 If someone does this favor for you, don't forget it; he has risked his tov name for you.

16 There are some ungrateful sinners who abandon those who stand behind them and they cause them loss of property.

17 Guaranteeing loans has ruined many prosperous people and caused them unsettling storms of trouble.

18 Influential people have lost their homes over it and have had to go wandering in foreign countries.

19 A sinner who hopes to make a profit by guaranteeing a loan is going to find himself involved in lawsuits.

20 So help your neighbor as much as you can, but protect yourself against the dangers involved.

21The necessities of chayim are mayim, food, clothing and a bayit where you can have privacy.

22 It is better to be poor and live under your own crude roof than to enjoy lavish banquets in other people's homes.

23 Be in simcha with what you have, even if it isn't very much and don't listen to anyone who would insult your bayit and mishpacha.

24 Going from bayit to bayit is a miserable way to live. Anywhere you go, you don't dare to speak.

25 You welcome the guests and pour the drinks and nobody thanks you. Instead, people humiliate you by saying things like:

26 Oh ger. Come here and set the table. I want to eat what you've got there. Give it here.

27 Go away, ger. I've got an important guest. My brother is coming to visit and I need the room.

28 Being denied hospitality or having a moneylender hound you; these are hard things for any sensitive person to endure.

30 An abba who loves his son will whip him often, so that he can be proud of him later.

2 If a son is disciplined, he will be of some use and his abba can boast of him to his chaverim.

3 Anyone who gives tov guidance to his son can not only take pride in him among his chaverim, but he can make his enemies jealous.

4 While the abba is alive, the sight of his son makes him happy and when he dies, he has no regrets.

5 He is not really dead, because his son is like him.

6 He has left someone to take vengeance on his enemies and to return the favors he owes his chaverim.

7 But anyone who spoils his son will have to bandage his wounds. His lev will stop every time he hears a shout.

8 An untamed horse is going to be stubborn and an undisciplined son is no different.

9 If you pamper your child and play with him, he will be a disappointment and a source of grief.

10 Laugh with him now and one yom you will have to cry over him, grinding your teeth in regret.

11 Don't give him freedom while he is young and don't overlook what he does wrong.

12 Spank him while he is still a child and make him respect your authority. If you don't, he will be stubborn and disobedient and cause you nothing but sorrow.

13 So discipline your son and give him work to do, or else he will be an embarrassment to you.

14 It is better to be poor, but strong and healthy, than to be rich, but in poor health.

15 A sound, healthy gooff and a cheerful attitude are more valuable than gold and jewels.

16 Nothing can make you richer or give you greater simcha than these two things.

17 It would be better to be dead, asleep le-olam-va-ed, than to live in the misery of chronic illness.

18 The finest foods means nothing if you are too ill to eat it; it might as well be offered to an idol.

19 But there is no point in offering food to an idol; it can't eat it or smell it. It is just the same with someone whom the YHUH has afflicted.

20 He looks at his food and sighs, like a castrated man hugging a young woman.

21 Don't deliberately torture yourself by giving in to depression.

22 Inward simcha makes for a long chayim and makes it worth living.

23 Enjoy yourself and be in simcha; don't worry all the time. Worry never did anybody any tov and it has destroyed many people.

24 It will make you old before your time. Jealousy and anger will shorten your chayim.

25 A cheerful person with a tov attitude will have a tov appetite and enjoy his food.

31 Worrying about money will make you lose weight and lose sleep.

2 Worrying about business will keep you from sleeping just as surely as a serious illness does.

3 Rich people work hard to make a lot of money; then they can sit back and live in luxury.

4 Poor people work hard and have nothing to show for it and when they rest, they are still poor.

5 No one who loves money can be judged innocent; his efforts to get rich have led him into sin.

6 Many people have been ruined because of money, brought panayim-el-panayim with disaster.

7 Money is a trap for those who are fascinated by it, a trap that every fool falls into.

8 A person who gets rich without sinfully chasing after money is fortunate.

9 Do you know anyone like that? If so, we will congratulate him for performing a ness that no one else has ever been able to do.

10 If anyone has ever passed this test, he can well be proud. Has anyone ever known that he could get away with cheating someone and not taken advantage of it?

11 If so, he deserves his wealth and everyone will tehilla him for his generosity.

12 When you sit down at a fancy banquet, don't let your mouth hang open and don't say, Look at all that food.

13 It is impolite to have a greedy eye; remember that. Nothing in creation is greedier than the eye; that is why it sheds tears so often.

14 Don't reach out for everything you see and don't elbow people out of the way to get at the food.

15 Be considerate of the other people at the shulchan and treat them the way you want to be treated.

16 When you get your food, eat it like a human being. Don't smack your lips and slurp; nobody can stand that.

17 It's tov manners to be the first to stop eating; stuffing yourself is offensive.

18 If there are many people present, don't try to be the first to be served.

19 A little bit is plenty for anyone with tov manners. Besides, you won't be short of ruach when you go to bed.

20 People who eat too much get a stomachache and cannot sleep. If you don't overeat, you can get a tov lyla's sleep and wake up early the next boker feeling fine.

21 But if you do get a stomach-ache from eating too much, go off and vomit and you will feel better.

22 My child, if you listen to what I am saying and put it into practice, one of these yamim you will thank me for it. Be moderate in everything you do and you will never be sick.

23 People appreciate a generous host and he deserves their tehilla.

24 But everybody in town will complain about a host who is stingy with food and their complaints are justified.

25 Don't try to prove your manhood by how much you can drink. Wine has been the ruin of many.

26 An arrogant person's character shows through when he is in a drunken argument, in the same way that iron is tested when it is heated red hot and then dipped in mayim.

27 Wine can put new chayim into you if you drink it in moderation. What would chayim be like without it? Wine was created to make us happy.

28 If you drink it in moderation and at the right time, it can raise your spirits and make you cheerful,

29 But if you drink when you are angry and upset, it leads to headaches, embarrassment and disgrace.

30 A drunken fool can lose his temper and hurt himself. His drinking makes him weak and an easy target for angry blows.

31 Never rebuke a person when you have both been drinking. Don't hurt his feelings while he is having a tov time. It's not the time to criticize anyone, or to ask him to pay back a debt.

32 If you are chosen to preside at a banquet, don't put on airs. Just be like everyone else. Look after the guests before you sit down.

2 After you have performed your duties, you can sit down and enjoy yourself with the others. They will respect you for doing a tov job.

3 If you are older than most of the guests, you may talk; that is your right. But you should know what you are talking about and not interrupt the music.

4 If entertainment is being provided, don't keep up a steady conversation; it's the wrong time to show off your wit.

5 Music at a banquet where wine is served is like a ruby set in gold.

6 Tov music and tov wine, an emerald set in gold.

7 If you are young, don't speak unless you have to, but never more than twice and only if someone speaks to you first.

8 Come to the point and say it all in a few words. Show that you are well informed but stay quiet.

9 Don't treat important people as if you were their equal and don't make a nuisance of yourself by asking them a lot of questions.

10 The reputation of a modest person goes before him, as lightning before thunder.

11 Leave the party at the right time and never be the last to go. Don't linger at the door; just go straight to your bayit.

12 There you can enjoy yourself as you wish, but don't commit the sin of bragging.

13 And don't forget to thank your Creator for letting you enjoy so many tov things.

14 If you fear YHUH, you will accept His correction. He will bless those who get up early in the boker to make tefillah.

15 Study His Torah and you will master it, unless you are insincere about it, in which case you will fail.

16 If you fear YHUH, you will know what is right and you will be famous for your fairness.

17 Sinners have no use for correction and will interpret The Torah to suit themselves.

18 Sensible people will consider every opinion, but arrogant people will let nothing stand in their way.

19 Never do anything without thinking it through and once you have done something, don't look back and wish you had done something else.

20 Don't take a course of action that is dangerous and don't make the same mistake twice.

21 Don't be too sure of yourself, even when the derech looks easy.

22 Always watch where you are going.

23 Whatever you do be careful; this is keeping YHUH's mitzvoth.

24 Believing in The Torah means keeping YHUH's mitzvoth. If you trust YHUH, you cannot lose.

33 No evil will ever come to those who fear YHUH; however often danger comes, YHUH will come to their rescue.

2 A person who has no use for The Torah hasn't any sense and anyone who is insincere about it is going to be tossed about like a boat in a storm.

3 If you are wise, you will believe in The Torah; you will find it as reliable as the kadosh lots.

4 Prepare what you are going to say and people will listen to you. Use what you have learned before you start talking.

5 A foolish person's mind works like a cartwheel, going round and round in circles.

6 A sarcastic chaver is like a wild horse that neighs no matter who tries to ride him.

7 Why are some yamim holier than others, even though the same shemesh rises on every yom of the year?

8 It is because YHUH made them different by setting them apart as moadem and chagim.

9 He made some yamim kadosh and important and made other yamim ordinary.

10 Every human being was made from the earth, just as Ahdam was.

11 But YHUH, in His chochmah, made them all different and gave them different tasks.

12 He blessed some, making them esteemed and kadosh, keeping them near Him. Others He cursed, humbling them and removing them from their positions.

13 Just as clay is in the potter's hands for him to shape as he pleases, so we are in the hands of our Creator for Him to do with as He wishes.

14 Tov is the opposite of evil, chayim is the opposite of death and sin is the opposite of devotion to YHUH.

15 Think about it: El-Elyon has made everything in pairs, each thing the opposite of something else.

16 As for me, I have been the last to come on duty, as if going through vineyards to gather whatever the grape-pickers had left behind. But YHUH blessed me and I did well, like a grape-picker who has filled the winepress.

17 But I want you to know that I have not done all this work for myself alone, but le olam va-ed for anyone who wants to learn.

18 Shema, all you great leaders. All you leaders of the assemblies, hear what I have to say.

19 Never, as long as you have chayim, give anyone power over you; whether son, isha, brother, or chaver. Don't give your property to anyone; you might change your mind and have to ask for it back.

20 As long as you have breath in your gooff, don't let anyone lead your chayim for you.

21 It is better that your children be dependent on you than the other way round.

22 Keep control over all that you do; don't let anyone stain your reputation.

23 Wait until the last moment of your chayim, when you are breathing your last and then divide your property among your heirs.

24 A donkey should be given its fodder and its burden and it should be beaten. An eved should be given food and work and should be disciplined.

25 If you make your eved work, you can set your mind at ease. If you don't keep him busy, he will be looking for freedom.

26 You can use harness and yoke to tame an animal and an eved can be tortured in the stocks.

27 Keep him at work and don't let him be idle; idleness can only teach him how to make trouble.

28 Work is what he needs. If he won't obey you, put him in chains.

29 But don't be too severe with anyone and never be unfair.

30 If you have an eved, treat him as you would want to be treated; you bought him with your hard-earned money.

31 Treat him as a brother; you need him as you need yourself. If you ill-treat him and he runs away, where are you going to look for him?

34 Foolish people are deceived by vain tikvah and dreams get them all excited.

2 A person who pays any attention at all to dreams is like someone who tries to catch shadows or chase the ruach.

3 What you see in a dream is no more real than the reflection of your face in a mirror.

4 What is unreal can no more produce something real than what is dirty can produce something clean.

5 Dreams, divination and omens are all nonsense. You see in them only what you want to see.

6 Unless El-Elyon has sent you the dream, pay no attention to it.

7 Dreams have misled many people; they put their emunah in them, only to be disappointed.

8 The Torah is complete without such falsehood. Cochmah, as spoken by the tzadikim, is also complete without it.

9 A well-travelled person with wide experience knows many things and talks sense.

10 You can't know much if you haven't experienced much, but travel can make you cleverer.

11 In my own travels I have seen many things and learned more than I can put into words.

12 I have been in danger of death many times, but I have always been able to escape by relying on past experiences.

13 Those who fear YHUH will live, because they have put their trust in the One who can save them.

14 Fear YHUH and you will have nothing else to fear. If your trust is in Him, you will never act like a coward.

15 People who fear YHUH are fortunate, because they know where they can look for help.

16 YHUH watches over those who love Him; He is their strong protection and firm support. He shelters them from the heat, shades them from the noonday shemesh and keeps them from stumbling and falling.

17 He makes them cheerful and puts a sparkle in their eyes. He blesses them with chayim and health.

18 If you offer as a sacrifice an animal that you have obtained dishonestly, it is defective and unacceptable.

19 El-Elyon gets no pleasure from sacrifices made by sinful people; no amount of sacrifices can make up for their sins.

20 Anyone who steals an animal from the poor to offer as a sacrifice is like someone who kills a boy before his abba's eyes.

21 Food means chayim itself to poor people and taking it away from them is murder.

22 It is murder to deprive someone of his living or to cheat an employee of his wages.

23 When one person builds and somebody else tears down, has anything been accomplished but hard work?

24 When one person blesses and somebody else curses, which one is YHUH going to listen to?

25 If you touch a dead gooff and then purify yourself by washing, but then go and touch it again, what tov did the washing do?

26 If you fast because of your sins and then go out and commit the same sins over again, what have you gained by going without food? Who do you think is going to listen to your tefillot?

35 Keeping The Torah is worth many offerings; it is a chavurah offering in itself.

2 Returning a kindness is like a grain offering; giving to the poor is like a thanksgiving offering.

3 Keeping away from sin will please YHUH and make keporah for sin.

4 But don't come to the Beit HaMikdash without an offering.

5 The Torah requires that you bring one.

6 When a tzadik person offers a sacrifice and the fat drips down on the altar, a pleasant smell rises to El-Elyon.

7 YHUH will accept the offerings made by a tzadik person and will not forget them.

8 Praise YHUH by making generous offerings to Him; don't be stingy with the bikkur of your crops.

9 Be in gilah with every gift you make and when you pay your ma’aser, do it gladly.

10 Give to El-Elyon as He has given to you, just as generously as you can.

11 YHUH always repays and will do it many times over.

12 But don't try to bribe Him or rely on offerings that you have obtained dishonestly. He will not accept them. YHUH is fair and does not show partiality.

13 He is not prejudiced against the poor; when someone makes tefillah, who has been wronged, YHUH listens.

14 When orphans and widows pour out their tefillot, He does not ignore them.

15 The tears running down a widow's cheek cry out in accusation against the one who has caused her distress.

16 Serve YHUH willingly and YHUH will accept you; your tefillot will reach the shamayim.

17 The tefillah of a humble person goes past the clouds and keeps on going until it reaches YHUH El-Elyon, where it stays until He answers by seeing that mishpat is done and that the guilty are punished.

18 And YHUH will act quickly. He will show no patience with wicked people. He will take vengeance by crushing the heathen. He will completely wipe out those without rachamim and the arrogant and will destroy the authority of the wicked.

19 He will give each of us what our thoughts and actions deserve. Because of YHUH's rachamim, His people will gilah when He has given mishpat to their case.

20 In times of trouble His rachamim is as welcome as rain after a long drought.

36 O YHUH of the universe, look upon us and have rachamim.

2 Make every nation stand in fear of you.

3 Take action against the foreign nations and let them witness Your Power.

4 You have used us to show them how kadosh You are; now use them to show us how great You are.

5 Let them learn, as we have learned, that there is no Ahlohim, O YHUH, but You.

6 Give new otot, perform new nissim; show us Your great strength.

7 Bring on that appointed time when everyone can talk about the great things You do.

8 Pour out Your furious, flaming anger and let none of our enemies survive.

9 Destroy those who have oppressed Your people.

10 Crush all those enemy rulers who think they are the only people in the olam who matter.

11 Gather the tribes of Yisrael together again and give them back their land as you gave it to them long ago.

12 YHUH, have rachamim on Yisrael, the people who are known by Your Name, whom You called your bachor ben.

13 Take pity on Yahrushalayim, your kadosh city, where You chose to stay.

14 Fill Your Beit HaMikdash on Har Tzion with Your beauty and with hymns of tehilla.

15 Testify for Your people, whom You created in the beginning; fulfil the prophecies that have been spoken in your Name.

16 Reward those who have put their emunah in You and vindicate Your neviim.

17 You have always been gracious to Your people; listen to Your avadim as we make tefillah. Then everyone in the olam will recognize that you are YHUH, The Ahlohim of the ages.

18 Any kind of food can be eaten, but some foods are better than others.

19 And just as the tongue can distinguish the flavors of different kinds of meat, so a sharp mind can detect lies.

20 A person with a warped mind causes trouble, but an experienced person knows how to pay it back.

21 A woman has to take any man as a husband, but a man must choose his isha carefully.

22 A woman's beauty makes a man gilah; there is no fairer sight for the human eye to see.

23 If the isha is kind and gentle in her speech, her husband is the most fortunate of men.

24 When a man marries, he gets the finest thing he will ever have; an isha to help and encourage him.

25 If property is not fenced in, thieves will wander in and help themselves. And if a man has no isha, he is a sighing wanderer;

26 People have no more trust in a homeless person who sleeps in a different place every lyla than they have in a wandering thief who goes from town to town.

37 Anyone can claim to be your chaver, but some people are chaverim in name only.

2 The grief caused when a close friendship turns sour is as bad as death.

3 This evil impulse we have. Why was it ever formed? How did it manage to cover the olam with deceit?

4 Some people will be your chaver as long as things are going well, but they will turn against you when trouble comes.

5 A real chaver will help you against your enemies and protect you in the fight.

6 Never forget such a companion in battle; share the results of your victory with him.

7 Anyone can give advice, but some people do so only in their own interest.

8 Be careful when somebody offers you advice. Find out first what his interest in the matter is, because you can be sure that he is thinking primarily of himself. Why should he come out on top instead of you?

9 He will assure you that things look tov and then stand back to watch what happens to you.

10 Don't ask advice of anyone who doesn't trust you and don't give advice to anyone who is jealous of you.

11 Don't ask a woman for advice about a rival of hers, a coward about war, a merchant about a bargain, a buyer about selling, a stingy person about gratitude, a cruel person about kindness, a lazy person about work, a casual worker about finishing a job, a lazy eved about a difficult task. Pay no attention to any advice they may give.

12 Instead, rely on someone who is Ruach filled and known to keep YHUH's mitzvoth, someone who is sympathetic with you, who will be sorry to see you fail.

13 And trust your own mishpat; no one's advice is more reliable.

14 Sometimes your own intuition can tell you more than seven watchmen on a high tower.

15 Above all, make tefillah to El Elyon that He will show you the right thing to do.

16 Planning and thought lie behind everything that is done.

17 The mind concerns itself with four things: these are tov and evil, chayim and death.

18They all begin in the mind, but the tongue is their absolute ruler.

19 Someone may have the ability to teach, but still not be of much use to himself.

20 He may be clever with words, but end up starving because people hate him.

21 This may happen if he hasn't any sense, if YHUH has not given him tact.

22 Someone may consider himself wise and let you know that he is certain about what he knows.

23 Anyone who really is wise will be the teacher of his people and they can be certain that what he teaches is the emet.

24 Everyone will give tehilla for such a person and speak of him as fortunate.

25 A person's chayim has only a limited number of yamim, but the chayim of Yisrael cannot be measured in yamim at all.

26 The wise will win the confidence of others and will be remembered le-olam-va-ed.

27 My child, as you go through chayim, keep your appetite under control and don't eat anything that you know is bad for you.

28 All food doesn't agree with everyone and everyone doesn't like the same kinds of food.

29 Don't feel that you just have to have all sorts of fancy food and don't be a glutton over any food.

30 If you eat too much, you'll be sick; if you do it all the time, you'll always have stomach trouble.

31 Gluttony has been the death of many people. Avoid it and live longer.

38 Give doctors the esteem they deserve, for YHUH gave them their work to do.

2 Their skill came from El-Elyon and melechim reward them for it.

3 Their knowledge gives them a position of importance and powerful people hold them in high regard.

4 YHUH created medicines from the earth and a sensible person will not hesitate to use them.

5 Didn't a tree once make bitter mayim fit to drink, so that YHUH's Power might be known?

6 He gave medical knowledge to human beings, so that we would give tehilla to Him for the nessim He performs.

7 The chemist mixes these medicines and the doctor will use them to cure diseases and ease pain.

8 There is no end to the activities of YHUH, who gives health to the people of the olam.

9 My child, when you feel ill, don't ignore it. Make tefillah to YHUH and He will make you well.

10 Confess all your sins and determine that in the future you will live a tzadik chayim.

11 Offer incense and a grain offering, as fine as you can afford.

12Then call the doctor for YHUH created him and keep him at your side; you need him.

13There are times when you have to depend on his skill.

14The doctor's tefillah is that YHUH will make him able to ease his patients' pain and make them well again.

15 As for the person who sins against his Creator, he deserves to be sick.

16 My child, when someone dies, you should mourn. Weep and wail to show how deeply you feel the loss. Prepare the gooff in the proper way and be present at the burial.

17 Weep bitterly and passionately; observe the proper period of mourning for the person. Mourn for a whole yom or maybe two, to keep people from talking, but then pull yourself together and reconcile yourself to the loss.

18 Grief can undermine your health and even lead to your own death.

19 Grief lingers on after the death of a loved one, but it is not wise to let it lead you into poverty.

20 Don't lose yourself in sorrow; drive it away. Remember that we must all die sometime.

21 There is no way to bring the dead person back. All your sorrow does him no tov and it hurts you. Don't forget that.

22 You will die, just as he did. Today it was his turn; tomorrow it will be yours.

23 When the dead have been laid to rest, let the memory of them fade. Once they are gone, take courage.

24 Scholars must have time to study if they are going to be wise; they must be relieved of other responsibilities.

25 How can a farmhand gain knowledge, when his only ambition is to drive the oxen and make them work, when all he is able to talk about is livestock?

26 He takes great pains to plough a straight furrow and will work far into the lyla to feed the animals.

27 It is the same with the artist and the craftsman, who work lyla and yom engraving precious stones, carefully working out new designs. They take great pains to produce a lifelike image and will work far into the lyla to finish the work.

28 It is the same with the blacksmith at his anvil, planning what he will make from a piece of iron. The heat from the fire sears his skin as he sweats away at the forge. The clanging of the hammer deafens him as he carefully watches the object he is working take shape. He takes great pains to complete his task and will work far into the lyla to bring it to perfection.

29 It is the same with the potter, sitting at his wheel and turning it with his feet, always concentrating on his work, concerned with how many objects he can produce.

30 He works the clay with his feet until he can shape it with his hands; then he takes great pains to glaze it properly and will work far into the lyla to clean out the kiln.

31 All these people are skilled with their hands, each of them an expert at his own craft.

32 Without such people there could be no cities; no one would live or visit where these services were not available.

33 These people are not sought out to serve on the public councils and they never attain positions of great importance. They do not serve as shophtim and they do not understand legal matters. They have no education and are not known for their chochmah. You never hear them quoting Mishle.

34 But the work they do holds this olam together. When they do their work, it is the same as offering tefillah.

39 But it is different with the person who devotes himself to studying The Torah of El-Elyon. He examines the chochmah of all the ancient writers and concerns himself with the prophecies.

2 He memorizes the sayings of famous men and is a skilled interpreter of mishle.

3 He studies the sod meaning of mishle and is able to discuss the obscure points of mishle.

4 Great people call on him for his services and he is seen in the company of rulers. He travels to foreign lands in his efforts to learn about human tov and evil.

5 It is his practice to get up early and make tefillah aloud to YHUH his Creator, asking El-Elyon to forgive his sins.

6 Then, if the great YHUH is willing, he will be filled with understanding. He will pour out a stream of wise sayings and give thanks to YHUH in tefillah.

7 He will have knowledge to share and tov advice to give, as well as insight into YHUH's sod.

8 He will demonstrate his learning in what he teaches and his pride will be in YHUH's Torah and brit.

9 He will be widely praised for his chochmah and it will never be lost, because people for generations to come will remember him.

10 The goyim will talk about his chochmah and he will be praised aloud in the assembly.

11 If he lives to old age, he will die famous, but if he is laid to rest before he is famous, he will be content.

12 Like the yarayach, I am full of more ideas to be discussed.

13 Shema, you devout children of mine and blossom like a rosebush by a stream.

14 Bloom like a sweet smelling lily and send your fragrance into the air like incense. Shir YHUH's tehillot and thank Him for all that He has done.

15 Proclaim His beauty in grateful tehilla. To the music of the harp, shir this shir:

16 All that YHUH has done is very tov; all that He commands is sooner or later done.

17 No one should ask why things are as they are; these questions will be answered at the right time. He commanded and the mayim piled up high, great walls of mayim arose when He spoke.

18 Whatever He commands is promptly done; there are no limits to His Power to save.

19 He sees all that every human being does; there is no way to hide from His sight.

20 He sees the whole of time, from beginning to end, and nothing takes Him by surprise.

21 No one should ask why things are as they are; everything in creation has its purpose.

22 His brachot overflow like the Nile, enriching the earth in a fertile flood.

23 He turns fresh mayim into salt mayim and He turns his anger on the goyim.

24 For the devout, His ways are yahshar; for the wicked, they are laid with traps.

25 From Beresheeth He has made tov things for the tov and terrible things for sinners.

26 The basic needs for chayim are these: mayim, fire, iron and salt, flour, honey and milk, wine, clothing and oil.

27 All these things are tov for those who are devout, but they turn into evils for sinners.

28 There are ruachim that were created to bring punishment, fierce enough to move mountains. In times of mishpat, they unleash their strength and calm the anger of their Maker.

29 Vicious animals, scorpions and snakes; the sword that destroys the wicked;

30 Fire, hail, famine and disease; these have all been created as punishments.

31 They are all glad to obey YHUH's command and are ready to serve Him here on earth. When their times of duty comes, they never disobey.

32 I was long convinced of this, so after thinking it over I put it in writing.

33 Everything made by YHUH is tov; He meets every need at the proper time.

34 No one can claim that some things are worse than others, le olam va-ed; everything is tov in its proper place.

35 Now then, shir tehillot with all your lev and give tehilla to The Name of YHUH.

40 Every person has been given a great deal of work to do. A heavy burden lies on all of us from the yom of our birth until the yom we go back to the earth, the mother of us all.

2 We are confused and fearful, dreading the yom of our death.

3 All of us from the melech on his splendid kesay wearing royal robes and a keter;

4 To the humblest person dressed in sacks and living in poverty.

5 All through our lives we meet anger, jealousy and trouble. Things disturb us; we live with furious conflicts and with the fear of death. Even when we go to bed, we think up new troubles in our sleep.

6 We get little rest, if any at all. When we sleep, it is as if we were awake, disturbed by our imaginations. If we dream that we are running from an enemy;

7 Just as we are about to be caught, we wake up and are relieved to find there is nothing to be afraid of.

8 These are what all creatures, both human and animal, must face (but it is seven times worse for sinners):

9 Death, violence, conflict, murder, disaster, famine, sickness, epidemic.

10 All these things were created because of the wicked; they are the ones who have caused destruction.

11 Everything that comes from the earth goes back to the earth, just as all mayim flows into the sea.

12 Nothing that comes from bribery or injustice will last, but the effects of loyalty will remain le-olam-va-ed.

13 Wealth that has been obtained dishonestly is like a stream that runs full during a thunderstorm;

14 Tumbling rocks along as it flows, but then suddenly goes dry.

15 The children of sinful people will not leave large mishpachot; they are like plants trying to take root on rock;

16 Like reeds along a river bank, withering before any other plant.

17 Acts of kindness and charity are as lasting as eternity.

18 Having independent means or working for a living; both can make chayim pleasant, but it is better to find a treasure.

19 Your name can be preserved if you have children or if you establish a city; but finding Cochmah is a better way. Owning livestock and orchards will make you famous, but it is better to have an isha you love.

20 Wine and music can make you gilah, but a happy marriage is even better.

21 Flutes and harps make fine music, but a pleasant voice is better than either.

22 Gracefulness and beauty please the eye, but not as much as new growth in the spring.

23 You can't go wrong with a tov chaver or neighbor, but an intelligent isha is better than either.

24 Relatives and helpers are tov to have in times of trouble, but it will be an even greater help if you have made a practice of giving to the poor.

25 Gold and silver provide security, but tov advice is better.

26 Wealth and strength give confidence, but the fear of YHUH can give you even greater confidence. When you fear YHUH you need nothing more; it is all the support you need.

27 The fear of YHUH is like a rich garden of brachot; you could not want a more esteemed shelter.

28 My child, don't live the chayim of a beggar; it is better to die than to beg.

29 If you have to depend on someone else for your food, you are not really living your own chayim. You pollute yourself by accepting food from another. Begging is torture to the nephesh of any sensitive person.

30 A shameless person can make begging sound sweet, but something inside him burns.

41 Death. The very thought of it is bitter to someone who is prosperous, living in shalom with his possessions, free of worries and still able to enjoy his food.

2 Death. Its sentence is welcome to someone living in poverty, with failing health, very old, burdened with worries, blind and without tikvah.

3 Do not be afraid of death's decree. Remember that it came to those before you and will come to those after you.

4 YHUH has decreed it le olam va-ed to every living creature. Who are you to object to what El-Elyon wishes? In the olam of the dead, no one will care whether you lived ten years, a hundred, or a thousand.

5 The children of sinners, brought up in sinful surroundings, turn out to be hateful people.

6 They will lose whatever they inherit and their own descendants will live in permanent disgrace.

7 The children will put the blame for their disgrace on their sinful parents.

8 You are doomed, you who are not kadosh people, who have abandoned The Torah of El-Elyon.

9 When you have children, disaster will strike them and you will be left with nothing but sorrow. There will be great simcha whenever you stumble and even after your death you will be cursed.

10 What comes into being from nothing will return to nothing; so it will be with the unsaved, doomed to extinction.

11 A person's gooff amounts to nothing, but a tov reputation will last le-olam-va-ed.

12 Protect your reputation; it will outlive you and last longer than a thousand treasures of gold.

13 A tov chayim lasts only a short time, but a tov reputation will last le-olam-va-ed.

14 My children, do as I teach you and live at shalom. Cochmah that is not expressed is like a treasure that has been hidden; both are useless.

15 A person who covers up his foolishness is better than one who keeps his chochmah to himself.

16 My children, listen and I will teach you the circumstances when it is proper to be ashamed. Sometimes it is entirely out of place.

17 Before your parents, be ashamed of immoral behavior. Before a ruler or an important person, be ashamed of a lie.

18 Before a shophet, be ashamed of criminal behavior. Before a public assembly, be ashamed of breaking the law. Before a chaver or partner, be ashamed of dishonesty.

19 Before your neighbors, be ashamed of theft. Be ashamed of breaking a promise of leaning on the dinner table with your elbows, of stinginess when you are asked for something;

20 Of not returning a greeting, of staring at a prostitute,

21 Of turning down a relative's request, of depriving someone of what is rightly his, of staring at another man's isha,

22 Of playing around with his eved woman (keep away from her bed.) of insulting your chaverim, of following up your gifts with criticism.

23 Of betraying secrets. These are times when it is proper for you to be ashamed and people will respect you for it.

42 On the other hand, it is possible to sin by giving in to other people too much. Here are some things you should not be ashamed of:

2 The Torah of El-Elyon and His brit, judging even sinful people fairly;

3 Sharing expenses with a business partner or a travelling companion, sharing an inheritance;

4 Using accurate weights and measures;

5 Making a profit, whether great or small, bargaining with a merchant, disciplining your children often, beating a disloyal eved until the blood flows.

6 It is wise to lock things up if you cannot trust your isha or if too many people are around.

7 Keep an accurate record of any deposits you make or of anything you give or receive.

8 Don't hesitate to correct someone who is acting foolishly or an old man who goes about with prostitutes. All this is worthwhile advice and if you follow it, everyone will approve of your behavior.

9 Although he will not let his daughter know it, an abba will lie awake at lyla worrying about her. If she is young, he worries that she might not get married. If she is already married, he worries about her simcha.

10 If she is a virgin, he worries that she might be seduced and become pregnant while living in his house. If she is married, he worries that she might be unfaithful, or that she might not be able to have children.

11 Keep a close watch over your daughter if she is determined to have her own halacha. If you don't, she may make a fool of you in front of your enemies. You will be a constant joke to everyone in town, a public disgrace. Make sure that her room has no windows or any place where she can look out to the entrance of the house.

12 Don't let her show off her beauty in front of men, or spend her time talking with the women.

13 Women hurt other women just as moths damage clothing.

14 A man's wickedness is better than a woman's goodness; women bring shame and disgrace.

15 Now I will remind you of the works of YHUH and describe the things I have seen. The Words of YHUH brought His works into being, and the whole of creation obeys His commands.

16 The ohr of the shemesh shines down on everything and everything is filled with YHUH's beauty.

17 Not even to His kadosh malachim has YHUH given power to describe all His mighty deeds, even though He has given them Power to stand unharmed in His esteemed presence.

18 He sees into the oceans and into the human lev and He knows the secrets of both. El-Elyon knows everything that can be known and understands the signs of the ages.

19 He knows all that has ever been and all that ever will be; He uncovers the deepest of mysteries.

20 He takes notice of our every thought and hears our every word.

21 The orderly olam shows the greatness of His chochmah; He is the same le olam va-ed and ever. Nothing can be added to Him and nothing taken away; He needs no one to give Him advice.

22 All His works are beautiful, down to the smallest and faintest spark of ohr.

23 All these things go on le-olam-va-ed and all of them have their purpose.

24 All things are in pairs, each the opposite of the other, but nothing YHUH made is incomplete.

25 Everything completes the tov of something else. Could anyone ever see enough of this beauty?

43 How beautiful is the bright, clear shamayim above us. What a esteemed sight it is.

2 The shemesh, when it appears, proclaims as it rises how marvelous a thing it is, made by El-Elyon.

3 At noon it dries up the land; no one can stand its blazing heat.

4 The setting shemesh sets fire to the hilltops, like a metal furnace glowing from the heat. It sends out fiery rays, blinding the eyes with its brightness.

5 YHUH, who made it, is great; it speeds on its way at His command.

6 There is also the yarayach, marking the passage of time, an eternal sign of the changing moadem.

7 The yarayach determines the kadosh yamim. Its ohr grows full and then grows dim.

8 The yarayach is named by Him, marvelous to watch, as it grows fuller each lyla, a signal of ohr for the heavenly armies, shining out in the dome of the shamayim.

9 The shining cochavim make the lyla lovely, brilliant ornaments in YHUH's high shamayim.

10 They stay in the places assigned to them by the Kadosh One and never relax their dutiful watch.

11 Look at the rainbow and give tehilla to its Creator. How magnificent, how radiant, its beauty.

12 Like a bow bent by the hands of El-Elyon, it spans the horizon in a circle of beauty.

13 He commands and snow begins to fall; lightning strikes to carry out His mishpatim.

14 The storerooms of the shamayim are thrown open, and the clouds roll out like flying birds.

15 With His Power He forms great masses of clouds and shatters the ice into hailstones.

16 He speaks and thunder twists the earth in pain; the mountains are shaken by His strength. Whenever He wishes, the south wind blows, large ruachim come and windstorms from the north.

17 He sends the snow fluttering down like birds, like locusts filling the ground.

18 We marvel at its beautiful whiteness and in fascination we watch it fall.

19 He sprinkles frost over the ground like salt, and it freezes into thorny flowers of ice.

20 He sends the cold north wind blowing and the water hardens into ice; every lake and pond freezes over, putting on a coat of icy armor.

21 He scorches the hills of the midbar with drought, and the grass turns brown from its heat;

22 But a cloudy mist restores it all to chayim as the weather cools and dew appears.

23 By His chochmah He calmed the great oceans and placed the islands there.

24 Sailors tell about the dangers of the sea and we listen to their tales in amazement.

25 In the sea are strange and marvelous creatures: huge monsters and all kinds of living things.

26 Each of YHUH's messengers succeeds at its task. Everything is held together by His Word.

27 We could say much more and never finish, but it all means this: YHUH is everything.

28 How can we find the power to give tehilla to Him? He is greater than all His creation.

29 YHUH is awesome in His greatness; His Power is overwhelming.

30 Though you do your best to give tehilla to Him, He is greater than you can ever express. Though you esteem Him tirelessly and with all your strength, you still cannot give tehilla to Him enough.

31 No one has seen Him, no one can describe Him; no one can give tehilla to Him as He deserves.

32 Mysteries greater than these are still unknown; we know only a fraction of His works.

33 YHUH made the universe and then gave chochmah to devout people.

44 So let us now give tehilla to kadosh men, our ancestors of generations past.

2 Those whom YHUH esteemed with great beauty, in whom His greatness has been seen from the beginning of time.

3 There were some who ruled malchutim and some who were known for their strength. Some were wise advisers, and some spoke prophecies.

4 There were political leaders whose policies governed the people, rulers who issued decrees, scholars who spoke wise words, and those who used pointed mishle.

5 Poets and composers of music.

6 Rich and powerful men living in shalom at home.

7 All these were famous in their own times, esteemed by the people of their yom.

8 Some left a reputation, and people still esteem them today.

9 There are others who are not remembered, as if they had never lived, they died and were forgotten, they and their children after them.

10 But we will esteem these kadosh men, whose tzadik deeds have never been forgotten.

11 Their reputations will be passed on to their descendants and this will be their inheritance.

12 Their descendants continue to keep the brit and always will, because of what their ancestors did.

13 Their family line will go on le-olam-va-ed and their fame will never fade.

14 Their bodies were laid to rest, but their reputations will live le-olam-va-ed.

15 Nations will tell about their chochmah and Ahlohim's people will esteem them.

16 Chanok pleased YHUH and was taken up into the shamayim. He became an inspiration for teshuvah for all time to come.

17 Noach was a perfectly tzadik man. After destruction came, he gave the human race a new start. Because of him there were people left on the earth when the flood was over.

18 YHUH made an eternal brit with him, promising that chayim would never again be destroyed by a flood.

19 Avraham was the great ancestor of many nations; his reputation was faultless.

20 He kept The Torah of El-Elyon and made a brit with Him, a brit marked on his gooff. When he was put to the test, he was found faithful.

21 And so YHUH made him a solemn promise that his descendants would be a bracha to the olam; that their number would be countless, like the dust of the earth; that they would be esteemed more than any other people on earth; and that their land would extend from sea to sea, from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.

22 YHUH renewed that brit with Yitzchak and then again with Yisrael, repeating the promise that Avraham's descendants would be a bracha, mixed in to the whole human race.

23 YHUH assured Yaakov that He would bless him; He gave him the land that would be his, dividing it into twelve parts, one for each of the tribes.

45 From Yaakov's descendants YHUH raised up a kadosh man who won the favor of everyone, loved by Ahlohim and human beings alike. This man was Moshe, whose very memory is a blessing.

2 YHUH made him as esteemed as the malachim and made his enemies fear him.

3 There in Mitzrayim at his command the disaster struck. YHUH made melechim hold him in respect. YHUH gave him His commands for His people and showed him the dazzling ohr of His presence.

4 YHUH chose Moshe out of the whole human race and consecrated him because of his loyalty and humility.

5 He let him hear His voice and led him into the dark cloud, where, panayim-el-panayim, He gave him the mitzvoth, The Torah that gives chayim and knowledge, so that Moshe might teach the brit’s regulations to the Yisraelites.

6 YHUH raised up Aharon, a kadosh man like his brother Moshe, of the tribe of Lewi.

7 He made an eternal brit with him, giving him the privilege of serving as kohen to YHUH's people. He honored him by clothing him with magnificent robes and fine ornaments.

8 Perfect in their splendor. He granted him the symbols of authority: the linen shorts, the shirt and the robe with the pomegranates around the hem.

9 Gold bells were also around its hem, so that when he walked, their ringing would be heard in the Beit HaMikdash and YHUH would remember His people.

10 YHUH gave Aharon the kadosh robe with the gold, blue and purple embroidery; the breast piece with the Urim and Thummim.

11 The red yarn, spun by an expert; the precious stones with names engraved on them, mounted in a gold setting by a jeweler, placed on the breast piece to remind YHUH of the twelve tribes of Yisrael.

12 He gave him the turban with the gold ornament engraved with the words Kadosh Le-YHUH. It was expertly crafted, a beautiful work of art and it was a high esteem to wear it.

13 Before Aharon's time such beautiful things were never seen. No one but Aharon and his descendants ever wore them, or ever will.

14 The grain offering is to be presented twice a yom and burnt completely.

15 Moshe ordained Aharon to the office by pouring the kadosh anointing oil over his head. An eternal brit was made with him and his descendants, that they would serve YHUH as His kohanim and bless the people in YHUH's Name.

16 YHUH chose Aharon out of the whole human race to offer sacrifices, to burn fragrant incense, to remind YHUH of His people and to take away their sins.

17 He entrusted the mitzvoth to Aharon's keeping and gave him the authority to make legal decisions and to teach Yisrael The Torah.

18 Once, while the people were in the midbar, an angry group of jealous outsiders conspired against Moshe. These were Dathan, Aviram and Korach with their supporters.

19 YHUH saw what they were doing and became angry, so furious that He performed a ness and destroyed them in a blazing fire.

20 Then He rewarded Aharon again, giving him a special honor: the right to the offerings of the bikkur produce, so that the kohanim should have enough to eat.

21 Their food is the sacrifices offered to YHUH;YHUH gave this to Aharon and his descendants.

22 But Aharon, unlike the rest of the people, was to inherit no land, no special portion of his own. YHUH Himself would be all he needed.

23 Only Moshe and Aharon were more famous for their intense devotion to YHUH than Pinchus son of El Azar. He brought about forgiveness for Yisrael's sin by standing firm in brave determination when everyone else was in revolt.

24 And so YHUH made a brit with him, valid for all time to come, that he should be in charge of the tent of meeting and of His people, that he and his descendants should hold the office of Kohen Gadol le-olam-va-ed.

25 Unlike the brit made with Dawid son of Yishai, from the tribe of Yahudah, where the kesay passed only from abba to son, the kohanut was to pass from Aharon to all his descendants le-olam-va-ed.

26 Now give tehilla to YHUH, who is tov, who has crowned you with beauty. May He give you chochmah to judge His people fairly, so that their success and your authority may continue le-olam-va-ed.

46 Yahusha son of Nun was a great soldier and the next of the neviim after Moshe. He lived up to the meaning of his name, as the great deliverer of YHUH's chosen people. He defeated the enemies that attacked them, so that Yisrael could claim its land.

2 How magnificent it was when he raised his arm and then led the attack on the cities.

3 No one could stand up to him; he was fighting a kadosh war for YHUH.

4 Remember how he held back the shemesh and made one yom as long as two?

5 When his enemies were threatening him from every side, he prayed to the mighty YHUH El-Elyon and his tefillah was answered with a hailstorm of devastating force.

6 YHUH hurled the hail down on the enemy and destroyed them at the pass at Beth Choron, so that the nations would realize how strong Yahusha was, since he was fighting as a devoted follower of YHUH.

7 Yahusha was loyal as long as Moshe lived, both he and Calev son of Yahphunneh. They stood up to the whole community, made them stop their ungrateful complaining and kept them from sinning.

8 Out of the six hundred thousand Yisraelites who marched through the midbar, these two were the only ones spared and allowed to enter the rich and fertile land that was to be theirs.

9 YHUH made Calev strong and when he was an old man, he was still strong enough to go up into the hill country and capture it for himself and his descendants.

10 Then all Yisrael could see how tov it is to follow YHUH.

11 Then there were the shophtim, each of them famous in their own right, who never fell into idolatry and never abandoned YHUH.

12 May their memory be honored. May these whom we esteem spring from the grave to new chayim in their descendants.

13 Shmuel was loved by YHUH. As YHUH's navi he established the malchut and appointed rulers for the people.

14 He judged the nation in accordance with The Torah of YHUH and YHUH protected Yisrael.

15 Because Shmuel was faithful, he was accepted as a true navi. People trusted him as a seer because of his words.

16 When his enemies were threatening him from every side, he called upon Almighty YHUH and offered him a young lamb as a sacrifice.

17 Then YHUH thundered from the shamayim with a mighty roar;

18 And destroyed all the enemy rulers of the Plishtim.

19 When Shmuel was about to die, he gave assurances before YHUH and the anointed melech that he had never taken anyone's property, not even so much as a pair of shoes and no one contradicted him.

20 Even after he died, he prophesied to Melech Shaul how he would die. Out of the grave he spoke as a navi, to blot out his people's wickedness.

47 After him came Nathan, who was a navi at the time of Dawid.

2 As the choice fat portion of the chavurah offering is reserved for YHUH, so Dawid was chosen from among the Yisraelites.

3 He played with lions and bears as if they were lambs or little goats.

4 When he was still a boy, he killed a giant to rescue his people. He put a stone in his sling, took aim and put an end to Golyath's bragging.

5 He made tefillah to YHUH, El-Elyon and was given the strength to kill that famous soldier, so that the nations would have respect for the power of His people.

6 The people honored him for killing his tens of thousands and when he was crowned melech, they praised him for being chosen by YHUH.

7 He wiped out all his enemies and permanently crushed the Plishtim, so that they never again became a threat.

8 In everything Dawid did, he gave thanks and tehilla to the Kadosh YHUH, El-Elyon. He loved his Creator and sang tehillot to Him with all his lev.

9 He put singers at the altar to provide beautiful music.

10 He prepared the times of the moadem throughout the year and made them splendid occasions; the Beit HaMikdash rang with YHUH's tehillot all yom long.

11 YHUH forgave Dawid's sin and established his power le-olam-va-ed. He made a brit with him that he and his descendants would reign in splendor over Yisrael.

12 David prepared the derech well for his son, a wise man, to rule after him.

13 There was no war while Shlomo was melech. Ahlohim gave him shalom on all his borders, so that he could build for YHUH a Beit HaMikdash which would stand le olam va-ed.

14 How wise you were, Shlomo, when you were young. Your da’at was like the Nile in its high tide.

15 Your influence reached over all the olam; your mishle and riddles were known everywhere.

16 You were famous everywhere and people loved you for bringing shalom.

17 Nations around the olam held you in admiration for your shirim, mishle and witty sayings.

18 You gathered silver and gold as if it were tin or lead, all in the Name of YHUH Ahlohim of Yisrael.

19 But your lust for strange women was your downfall.

20 You stained your reputation and that of your descendants. They suffered punishment for that foolishness of yours, which caused them so much grief.

21 It divided the nation and a rival malchut arose in northern Yisrael.

22 But YHUH will always have rachamim and keep all His promises. He will never fully destroy the descendants of Dawid, whom He chose and who loved Him. So, for Yisrael's sake, He allowed Dawid's mishpacha to survive.

23 Shlomo followed his ancestors in death and left one of his sons to rule after him. This was Rechavam, a man of little intelligence and great foolishness, whose policies caused a rebellion. There was also the unspeakable Yerovam, who led northern Yisrael in sinful ways.

24 His people became so sinful that they were exiled from their land.

25 They tried all kinds of wickedness, until YHUH took vengeance on them.

48 Then there arose the fiery navi Eliyahu, whose words blazed like a torch.

2 He brought a famine on the people and many of them died because of his persistence.

3 Speaking in the Name of YHUH, he kept the rain from coming and on three occasions he called down fire.

4 Eliyahu, your neseem were marvelous. No one else can boast of such mitzvoth.

5 In the Name of El-Elyon, you brought a dead man back to chayim.

6 You brought a famous melech down to sickness and death.

7 At Har Senai you heard YHUH rebuke you and declare His determination to punish His enemies.

8 You anointed a melech to be the instrument of that punishment and a navi to take your place.

9 You were taken up to the shamayim in a fiery whirlwind, a mirkavah drawn by fiery horses.

10 The Katuv says that you are ready to appear at the designated time, to cool Ahlohim's anger before it breaks out in fury; that you will bring parents and children together again and restore the tribes of Yisrael.

11 Fortunate are those who live to see you come, as well as those who have already died in ahava, for we too shall live.

12 When Eliyahu was hidden by the whirlwind, Elisha was filled with his Ruach. As long as he lived, he was not afraid of rulers and they could not make him do as they wished.

13 Nothing was too hard for him. Even when he was dead, his gooff worked a ness.

14 In chayim and in death he performed amazing neseem.

15 But in spite of all this, the people did not abandon their sinful ways, until they were taken from their land as prisoners and scattered all over the olam. This left the nation few in number, but those who remained were still ruled by the descendants of Dawid.

16 Some of the people did what was pleasing to YHUH, but others committed sin after sin.

17 Hezkeyahu prepared his city to resist a siege and provided it with a supply of mayim. He had a tunnel built through solid rock with iron tools and had cisterns built to hold the mayim.

18 During his reign Sennacheriv attacked the city and sent his chief official from Lachish. He challenged Yahrushalayim and boasted arrogantly.

19 The people lost their courage and shook with fear; they were in pain, like a woman in labor.

20 But they prayed to YHUH, full of rachamim, The Kadosh One in the shamayim, who quickly answered their tefillot and sent Yeshayahu to save them.

21 YHUH struck the Ashurim camp; His Malach wiped them out.

22 Yes, Hezkeyahu did what was pleasing to YHUH and firmly followed the example of his ancestor Dawid. This was what was commanded by the great navi Yeshayahu, whose visions were trusted.

23 He made the shemesh move backward and lengthened the melech's chayim.

24 He comforted the mourners in Yahrushalayim. His powerful ruach looked into the future.

25 And he predicted what was to happen before the end of time, hidden things that had not yet occurred.

49 The memory of Yoshiyahu is as sweet as the fragrance of expertly blended incense, sweet as honey to the taste, like music with wine at a banquet.

2 He followed the correct policy of reforming the nation and removed the horrors of idolatry.

3 He was completely loyal to YHUH and strengthened the one true emunah in those wicked times.

4 All the melechim, except Dawid, Hezkeyahu and Yoshiyahu, were terrible sinners, because they abandoned The Torah of El-Elyon to the very end of their malchut.

5 They surrendered their power and esteem to gerim.

6 Who set fire to the kadosh city and left its streets deserted, just as Yirmeyahu had predicted.

7 Yirmeyahu had been badly treated, even though he was chosen as a navi before he was born, to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, but also to build and to plant.

8 It was Yechezkel who was shown the vision of the divine beauty over the mirkavah and the living creatures.

9 He also referred to the navi Iyov, who always did the right thing.

10 May the bones of the twelve neviim rise to new chayim, because these men encouraged the people of Yisrael and saved them with confident tikvah.

11 Exactly how can we give hodu for Zerubbavel? He was like a signet ring on YHUH's Right Hand,

12 As was Yahusha son of Yahozadak. They rebuilt YHUH's kadosh Beit HaMikdash, destined for eternal fame.

13 The memory of Nechemyah is also great. He rebuilt the ruined walls of Yahrushalayim, installing the gates and bars. He rebuilt our homes.

14 No one else like Chanok has ever walked the face of the earth, for he was taken up from the earth.

15 No one else like Yoseph has ever been born; even his bones were honored.

16 Shem, Seth and Enosh were highly honored, but Ahdam's beauty was above that of any other living being.

50 The greatest of his brothers and the pride of his people was the Kohen Gadol, Shimon son of Oniyah, who repaired the Beit HaMikdash.

2 And laid the foundation for the high double wall and the fortifications of the Beit HaMikdash.

3 The reservoir, as big as the bronze tank, was dug while he was in office.

4 He made plans to protect his people from attack and fortified the city, so that it could withstand a siege.

5 How esteemed he was when he came out of the Most Kadosh Place.

6 He was like the boker cochav shining through the clouds, like the full yarayach.

7 Like the shemesh shining on the Beit HaMikdash of El-Elyon, like the rainbow gleaming in beauty against the clouds,

8 Like roses in springtime, like lilies beside a stream, like the cedars of Levanon in summer,

9 Like burning incense, like a cup made of hammered gold and decorated with all kinds of jewels,

10 Like an olive-tree loaded with fruit, like a cypress-tree towering into the clouds.

11 When Shimon put on his magnificent priestly robe and went up to the kadosh altar dressed in perfect splendor, he made the Beit HaMikdash courtyard a majestic sight.

12 When the kohanim handed him the portions of the sacrifice as he stood beside the altar with his assistants circling him like a wreath, he was like a young cedar of Levanon surrounded by palm trees.

13 Those were the descendants of Aharon in their splendid garments, standing before the whole assembly of Yisrael, holding in their hands the offerings made to YHUH.

14 When he had finished the service at the altar and had arranged the sacrifice to El-Elyon, The Almighty.

15 He reached for a cup and poured out sweet-smelling wine at the foot of the altar as an offering to El-Elyon, the Universal Melech.

16 Then the kohanim shouted and blew their chatzotroth of hammered silver. They made a loud noise that El-Elyon would hear.

17 All the people immediately bowed down with their faces to the ground to worship YHUH, the Almighty, El-Elyon.

18 Then the choir began to shir His tehillot and the beautiful music rang out.

19 The people made tefillah to the YHUH El-Elyon full of rachamim, until the service of worship had come to a close.

20 Then Shimon came down from the altar, raised his hands over the whole assembly of Yisrael and reverently pronounced the blessing from YHUH.

21 While the people bowed a second time in worship to receive that blessing from El-Elyon.

22 Now then, give tehilla to the Ahlohim of the universe, who has done great things everywhere, who brings us up from the time we are born and deals with us with rachamim.

23 May He give us simcha and allow us to have shalom in Yisrael le olam va-ed.

24 May He continue His rachamim to us and rescue us in our time of need.

25 There are two nations that I detest and a third that does not even deserve to be called a nation.

26 These are the Edomites, the inhabitants of the Plishtim cities and the stupid Shomronites.

27 I, Yahusha son of Sirach El-Azar of Yahrushalayim, put all my chochmah into writing this book to provide instruction and knowledge for others.

28 May Ahlohim bless everyone who gives attention to these teachings. Whoever takes them to lev will become wise.

29 Whoever lives by them will be strong enough for any occasion, because he will be walking in the ohr of YHUH.

51 I give you hodu, O YHUH and Melech; I give tehilla to you as my Ahlohim and Savior. I give You hodu,

2 For You have helped me and protected me. You have rescued me from death, from dangerous lies and slander.

3 You helped me when no one else would; in your great rachamim You saved me from the many troubles I have known: from the glaring hatred of my enemies, who wanted to put an end to my chayim.

4 From suffocation in oppressive smoke rising from fires I did not start.

5 From death itself; from vicious slander reported to the melech.

6 I was once brought panayim-el-panayim with death.

7 Enemies surrounded me everywhere. I looked for someone to help me, but there was no one there.

8 But then, O YHUH, I remembered how merciful You are and what You had done in times past. I remembered that You rescue those who rely on You, that You save them from their enemies.

9 Then from here on earth, I made tefillah to You to rescue me from death.

10 I prayed, O YHUH You are my Abba; do not abandon me to my troubles when I am helpless against arrogant enemies.

11 I will always give tehilla to You and shir shirim of hodu. You answered my tefillah.

12 And saved me from the threat of destruction. And so I thank You and give tehilla to You. O YHUH, I give tehilla to You.

13 When I was still young, before I started out on my travels, I boldly made tefillah for chochmah.

14 I went to the Beit HaMikdash and asked for her and I will look for her as long as I live.

15 From my blossoming youth to my ripe old age, she has been my delight. I have followed directly in her path ever since I was young.

16 I received chochmah as soon as I began listening for her and I have been rewarded with great da’at.

17 I have always been a learner and am grateful to everyone who has been my teacher.

18 I was determined to live wisely and was devoted to the cause of tov. I have no regrets.

19 I fought for chochmah and was strict in my conduct. When I made tefillah, I sadly confessed how far short of chochmah I fell.

20 But I was determined to have her and I found her by keeping myself apart from sin. I have grown in chochmah since first I found her and I will never be without her.

21 Because I was driven by the desire to find her, I have been richly rewarded.

22 YHUH gave me a gift for words and I have used it for His tehilla.

23 Come to me, all you that need instruction and learn in my school.

24 Why do you not admit that you are ignorant and do nothing about it?

25 This is what I say: It costs nothing to be wise.

26 Put on the yoke of Torah and be willing to learn. The opportunity is always near you.

27 See for yourselves. I have really not studied very hard, but I still have found great contentment.

28 No matter how much it costs you to get chochmah, it will be well worth it.

29 Be grateful for YHUH's rachamim and never be ashamed to give tehilla to Him.

30 Do your duty at the proper time and YHUH, at the time He thinks proper, will give you your great reward. X

ECCLESIASTICUS/SIRACH

Many great things have been delivered to us by The Torah and the Prophets and by others that have followed their steps, for which things Yisrael ought to be commended for learning and retaining its chochmah; and not only the readers must become skillful themselves; but also they that yearn to learn, that are without Torah and the Prophets, both by speaking and writing these things. My grandfather Yahusha, when he had spent much time reading The Torah and the Prophets and other scrolls of our fathers and matured, was then drawn to write something pertaining to the learning and chochmah he found; so that those who desire to learn and are dedicated to these things, might grow even more, in living according to The Torah. So let me encourage you to read it with favor and attention and to pardon us, if we may seem to come short of some words, which we have labored to interpret from him. For some things uttered in Hebrew and then translated into another language, loses some power: and not only these things but The Torah and Prophets and the rest of the scrolls, all are more or less the same, when read in their own Hebrew language. For in the 38th year of my coming into Mitzrayim, when Ptolemy III-Euergetes was melech, I found a scroll of great learning: therefore, I found it necessary to labor, so that I could interpret it. I used skill and was careful to translate the scroll correctly, so that those also in a strange country may also learn. For they also desire to live after The Torah.

• SIRAC 4:10 Messiah, YAH’s Son, who adopted us; we shoukd do likewise to the fatherless and the widow.

• SIRAC 8:7 The fact is that, without the Master Yahusha’s help, one is one’s own worst enemy.

• SIRAC 19:7 That is, don’t engage in hearsay.

• SIRAC 25:24 The woman was deceived by the original sinner, the father of lies and murder (John 8:44) and then the man went along to get along.

• SIRAC 33:13 From the beginning the Master Yahusha gave us choice: life and blessing on the one hand and death and curses on the other and said, “Therefore choose chayim, that both you and your seed may live” (Devarim / Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

• SIRAC 34:2 Torah teaches us not to rely on dreams real, false or imagined, as we have a more sure Word of Prophecy, the recorded Words of YAH. Any dream must be measured and weighed against what is written in His inspired Word. This so more are not deceived away from YAH’s will crucial believers grasp.

• SIRAC 40:10 The flood saved the wicked from the miseries they would have yet caused for themselves.

• SIRAC 42:14 Meaning wild women out of control; not all women.

• SIRAC 43:6 This verse contradicts all other Torah witnesses which state that the sun alone guides the moadem, times and feasts of Israel. It is troublesome and one can only guess that it was inserted later into the text, perhaps by Sirach’s grandson himself doing the translation or that lunar reckonings had erroneously already begun among Israel and are noted as such, even in their error.

• SIRAC 43:7 This is a reference to the ancient practice of using the full moon, not to tell time or months, but rather to affirm which year of the priestly cycle and which week the priests were to appear for their work in Jerusalem. Records found in the DSS at Qumran clearly affirm that this is what is being referenced by Sirach.

• SIRAC 46:1 Joshua called a deliverer like Moses and carrying the same name as the Savior, Messiah Yahusha, to be born in Bethlehem.

• SIRAC 46:4 This is an added understanding of the account in the Book of Joshua.

• SIRAC 46:20 According to Sirach, then, it was indeed the spirit of Samuel that spoke to King Saul, when he went to the medium at Endor and asked her to summon Shmuel and not a demon, as some have speculated. This is further proof that the saved and redeemed are alive in spirit after death.

• SIRAC 47:19 Due to their idolatry. Polygyny was never wrong or sinful.

• SIRAC 48:10 A reference to Malachi chapter four, when Elijah will return with Messiah Son of David, to rescue the earth from YAH’s total wrath.

• SIRAC 48:11 Hope in the promised resurrection of the saved saints.

• SIRAC 48:25 Such as places like Isaiah Chapter 53, written in a style called the prophetic perfect, something still future but written as if it had already occurred.

• SIRAC 49:2 Josiah was one of Israel’s greatest kings and in history; he is viewed as great as was David. Many remain ignorant to his awesome ministry of restoration of both houses in his lifetime.

• SIRAC 49:4 This does not mean these three kings were sinless; simply that their hearts were perfect in their desire and actions for Torah based divine government.

• SIRAC 49:10 The key major prophets as Sirach saw them. See Ezekiel chapter 37 for the vision of dry bones coming alive.

• SIRAC 49:14 As stated, many times, Enoch was not only the greatest teacher and follower of YAH but the first former human to become an immortal angelic being, living among the angels while judging the fallen ones as well, as seen in the Book of Revelation. True Torah faith must be based on his teachings, as was most of Messiah’s themes in the Renewed Covenant as well.

• SIRAC 50:21 Numbers Chapter 6, the Aaronic Benediction.

• SIRAC 50:26 This is Sirach talking in frustration, not YAH, as YAH desires all men to be saved and pardoned, as seen in the Good News of Messiah’s love.

• SIRAC 51:23 Apparently Sirach oversaw his own learning center.

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