1וְאֵלּוּ הֵן עֲשֶׂרֶת הַבָּתִּים יִכְלֹל בָּהֶן שַׁעֲרֵי הַסֵּפֶר. בַּיִת אֶחָד לְכָל שַׁעַר.
These are the ten stanzas: Which include the topics of the gates of this book. One stanza per gate.
2וְרָשׁוּם בְּרָאשֵׁי הַבָּתִּים שֵׁם הַמְחַבֵּר:
(Meter: Yated, two Tenuot, Yated, two Tenuot, Yated and Tenuah in the first half of the stanza, and likewise repeated in the second half.)
3בְּנִי. יַחֵד יְחִידָתְךָ לְצוּרָךְ. בְּיַחֶדְךָ לְאֵל אֶחָד יְצָרָךְ: יִחוּד הָאֵל.
(Unity of G-d) - My son, devote your unique soul wholly to its Rock, when you declare the Unity of the One G-d who formed you.
4חֲקוֹר וּדְרוֹשׁ. וְהִתְבּוֹנֵן פְּלָאָיו. וְשִׂים שֵׂכֶל וְדַת צֶדֶק אֲזוֹרָךְ: בְּחִינָה.
(Reflection) - Examine, investigate, and contemplate His wonders, and let understanding and the law of righteousness be your girdle.
5יְרָא הָאֵל. וְעֵדֹתָיו וְחֻקָּיו. שְׁמֹר לָעַד. לְבַל תִּמְעַד אֲשׁוּרָךְ: עֲבוֹדָה.
(Service) - Fear G-d, and guard His testimonies and laws always, so that your steps shall not stray.
6יְהִי סָמוּךְ לְבָבְךָ. וְתָמוּךְ. וּבָטוּחַ בְּצוּר יִהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרָךְ: בִּטָּחוֹן.
(Trust) - Let your heart be confident and assured, trusting in G-d, the Rock, that He will be your help.
7בְּלֵב טָהוֹר. עֲשֵׂה חֻקָּיו לְמַעֲנוֹ. וְאַל תִּשָּׂא פְּנֵי אָדָם בְּדוֹרָךְ: יִחוּד הַמַּעֲשֶׂה.
(Devotion) - With a pure heart do His laws for His sake, and exalt no human being in your generation.
8רְאָה כִּי סוֹף יְצִיר עָפָר לְעָפָר. וְשַׁח. כִּי חוֹל וְגוּשׁ עָפָר מְגוּרָךְ: כְּנִיעָה.
(Submission) - See, that the end of a creature is to the dust, be lowly for sand, and dirt will be your dwelling place.
9יְרִיבְךָ לְשׁוֹן שִׂכְלָךְ לְסִכְלָךְ. וְשׁוּבָה מִזְּדוֹן לִבָּךְ וְיִצְרָךְ: תְּשׁוּבָה.
(Repentance) - Let the speech of your understanding contend against your folly, and repent from the brazen of your heart and [evil] inclination.
10וְדַרְכֵי אֵל בְּדִין צֶדֶק וּמִישׁוֹר. חֲכַם לָתוּר בְּמַחְשָׁבָךְ וְסִתְרָךְ: חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַנֶּפֶשׁ.
(Accounting) - The ways of G-d, in just and proper judgment, search with wisdom in your thoughts and inner being.
11סְחֵה יַלְדוּת וְשַׁחֲרוּת מִלְּבָבָךְ. וְאַל תִּתְאָיו לְמַחֲמַדֵּי נְעוּרָךְ: פְּרִישׁוּת.
(Abstinence) - Remove from your heart the childish and adolescent, and do not desire the desires of your youth
12פְּנֵי אֵל חַי אֲזַי תִּרְאֶה בְּחִשְׁקָךְ. וְתִתְיַחֵד יְחִידָתָךְ לְצוּרָךְ: אַהֲבַת ה׳.
(love of G-d) - In your yearning, you will see the face of the everlasting G-d, and your unique soul will commune with your Rock
Hebrew with nekudos: Sefaria Vocalized Edition of Ibn Tibbon (public domain). English: Rabbi Yosef Sebag (CC-BY); Treatises 2 and 3: Rabbi Moses Hyamson, 1925 (public domain). Via Sefaria. Learning for halacha? Please ask your Rav. All the library · Jer’s Torah Page