[כָּל חָכְמָה מֵיהֹוָה, וִעמּוֹ הִיא לְעוֹלָמִים.] All wisdom is from the Lord, and is with him forever.
[חוֹל יַמִּים וְנִטְפֵי מָטָר, וִימוֹת עוֹלָם מִי יִמְנֶה.] The sands of the seas, the drops of rain, and the days of eternity, who can count them?
[רוּם שָׁמַיִם וְרֹחַב אָרֶץ, וְעֹמֶק תְּהוֹם מִי יַחֲקֹר.] The height of the sky, the breadth of the earth, and the depth of the abyss, who can estimate?
[מִכָּל אֵלֶּה רַבָּה הַחָכְמָה, וְגָבְרָה הָאֱמֶת מֵעוֹלָם.] But exceeding the scope of these is wisdom, and truth is broader still.
[שֹׁרֶשׁ הַחָכְמָה לְמִי נִגְלָה, וּמַעֲרֻמֶּיהָ מִי יָדַע.] To whom shall the root of wisdom be revealed (uncovered), and who knows her wiles (nakednesses).
[אֶחָד הוּא נוֹרָא בִּלְבַדּוֹ, אֱלֹהִים מוֹשֵׁל עַל כָּל אוֹצָרֶיהָ.] He is uniquely awesome, God is executor of all of her treasuries.
[הוּא בְחָנָהּ וְרָאָהּ וְסְפָרָהּ, וּנְתָנָהּ לְאֹהֲבָיו.] He scrutinized her and examined her and counted her, and he gave her to his lovers.
[אֶל כָּל בָּשָׂר כִּרְצוֹנוֹ נְתָנָהּ, וַיִּתְּנָהּ לְאֹהֲבָיו.] Unto all flesh he gave her according to his desire, and he will give her to his lovers.
[יִרְאַת יְהֹוָה כָּבוֹד וִיקָר, וּגְדֻלָּה וְעֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאָרֶת.] The fear of the Lord is glory and honor, and greatness and a crown of splendor.
[יִרְאַת יְהֹוָה מְשַׂמַּחַת לֵב, וְנוֹתֶנֶת שִׂמְחָה וְחֵן וְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים.] The fear of the Lord gladdens the heart, and grants joy, and grace, and length of days.
[יְרֵא יְהֹוָה תִּיטַב אַחֲרִיתוֹ, וּבְאַחֲרִית יָמָיו יִתְבָּרָךְ.] Fear the Lord and do good by Him, and at the end of your days he will bless you.
[רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יְהֹוָה, וְעִם נֶאֱמָנִים נוֹצְרָה בַבָּטֶן.] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and for the faithful it gestates in the belly.
[עִם אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת מֵעוֹלָם הוּכָנָה, וְעִם זַרְעָם נֶאֱמָן חַסְדּוֹ.] From eternity it has been prepared for those who have integrity, and His grace is faithful to their offspring.
[רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יְהֹוָה, וּמַרְבָּה שָׁלוֹם וְחַיִּים וּמַרְפֵּא.] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and it increases peace, life, and wellbeing.
[כָּל אוֹצָרֶיהָ תְּמַלֵּא חֶמְדָּה, וַאֲסָמֶיהָ בִּתְבוּאָתָהּ.] All her treasuries will be filled to satisfaction, and her granaries with her satiation.
[רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יְהֹוָה, וּתְרַוֵּה בְּרֹב תְּבוּאָתָהּ.] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, she will intoxicate with her ample satiation.
[מַטּהֵ עֹז הִיא וּמַשְׁעֵנָה, תְּהִלָּה וּכְבוֹד עוֹלָם לְכָל הַהוֹלֵךְ אַחֲרֶיהָ.] She is a strong and reliable rod, praise and eternal glory unto those that follow her.
[שָׁרְשֶׁיהָ לְעוֹלָם, וַעֲנָפֶיהָ אֹרֶך יָמִים.] Her roots are eternal, and her branches are ever-reaching.
[אַשְׁרֵי אֱנוֹשׁ יֶהְגֶּה בָּהּ, וְטוֹבָה הִיא לוֹ מִכָּל אוֹצָר.] Happy is the person who meditates on her, and she benefits them more than any other treasury.
[אַשְׁרֵי אֱנוֹשׁ יִקְרַב אֵלֶיהָ, וּפְקוּדֶיהָ יִשְׁתַּעֲשַׁע.] Happy is the person who draws close to her, and those in her presence enjoy themselves.
[עֲטֶרֶת עוֹלָם תָּשִׁית עָלָיו, וּזְכוּת עוֹלָמִים בֵּין קְדוֹשִׁים.] She will crown them with an eternal diadem, and eternal merit among holy ones.
[יִשְׂמַח בָּהּ וְתִשְׂמַח בּוֹ, וּבַל תַּעַזְבֵהוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.] They will rejoice in her and she in them, and she will never ever abandon them.
[מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים יִשְׂמְחוּ בָּהּ, וִיסַפְּרוּ כָּל תְּהִלַּת יְהֹוָה.] Angels of God will rejoice in her, and recount all the praises of the Lord.
[הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה כֻּלּוֹ מָלֵא מִמֶּנָּה, אַשְׁרֵי אֱנוֹשׁ יִשְׁמַע וְיַעֲשֶׂה.] And this recounting is entirely replete with her, happy is the one who attends and acts.
[שְמָעוּנִי יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים, וְהַאֲזִינוּ וְהִתְבּוֹנְנוּ לִדְבָרַי.]
[מִי הֶחָפֵץ לָרֶשֶׁת אוֹתָהּ, נַחֲלַת עוֹלָם וְשִׂמְחָה רַבָּה.] Hearken unto me fearers of God, listen and understand my words. The one who is steadfast in receiving her, has an eternal inheritance and great joy.
[כָּל דְבָרַי שְׁמַע וַעֲשֵׂה, וְתִכָּתֵב בְּסֵפֶר הַחַיִּים.] Attend to and act upon all my words, that you may be written in the book of life.
[אֱהַב יִרְאַת יְהֹוָה, וְאַשֵּׁר בָּהּ לִבְּךָ וְאַל תִּירָא.] Love the fear of the Lord, that your heart may be happy and do not fear.
[קְרַב וְאַל תְּאַחֵר, וְתִמְצָא חַיִּים לְנַפְשְׁךָ.]
[וְכַאֲשֶר תִּהְיֶה קָרוּב, כְּגִבּוֹר וּכְאִישׁ חַיִל.] Draw near and do not distance yourself, that your soul may live. And in your drawing near, be like a hero and a warrior.
[בְּנִי אַל תְּכַזֵּב בְּיִרְאַת יְהֹוָה, וְאַל תִּקְרַב אֵלָיו בְּלֵב וָלֵב.] My child, do not fail in fearing the Lord, and do not approach God with attention divided (lit. a heart and a heart).
[אַל תִּתְכַּבֵּד בָּהּ לְעֵין אָדָם, וּבִשְׂפָתֶיךָ הִזָּהֵר מְאֹד.] Give no weight to human regard, and be most careful with your speech.
[אַל תְּשַׁנֶּה מַאֲמרוֹ וְאַל תִּירָא, וְאַל תָּבִיא קְלָלָה עַל נַפְשְׁךָ.] Do not alter God's word and have no fear, lest you bring a curse on your soul.
[פֶּן יְגַלֶּה יְהֹוָה מִסְתָרֶיךָ, וּבְתוֹךְ קָהָל יַפִּילֶךָ.] For the Lord reveal your secrets, and bring your downfall in the midst of the community.
[כִּי הִתְגָאֵיתָ בְּיִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים, וְתוֹךְ לִבְּךָ מָלֵא נִקְלָה.] For you exalted yourself with feigned piety, but within your heart is full of shame.