The commentary of the Me'am Lo'ez for Mishlei/Proverbs never appeared in Ladino, but resulted from Rav Shmuel Yerushalmi's work.
Rav Shmuel Yerushalmi translated the original Me'am Lo'ez commentaries from Ladino to Hebrew, incorporating more Torah commentary as he did so.
(In other words, they aren't literal translations; they are adaptations, which include translation & other well-sourced additions.)
The Me'am Lo'ez evolved into a collaborative work spanning the centuries since Rav Yaakov Culi's initial publication of the Me'am Lo'ez in Ladino in Turkey in 1730.
Other great sages continued Rav Culi's work after Rav Culi passed on in 1732, two-thirds of the way through completing Sefer Shemot/Exodus.
But not all books of Tanach merited a Ladino translation & commentary.
As Rav Yerushalmi went through each book of Tanach, he added his own wealth of knowledge to the collaborative series. This including preparing his own extensively footnoted anthology of Torah sources for any book not already appearing in the original Ladino of the Me'am Lo'ez series.
Such is the case with the Book of Mishlei, which never appeared in Ladino, but only Hebrew around 1985, courtesy of the efforts & knowledge of Rav Shmuel Yerushalmi.
Fortunately, Zvi Faier translated the Hebrew masterpiece into English in 1993.
And that's what I'd like to quote from now (Yalkut Me'am Lo'ez, The Torah Anthology, The Book of Mishlei I by Zvi Faier, page 53-54), regarding Mishlei 2:4:
Rav Shmuel Yerushalmi translated the original Me'am Lo'ez commentaries from Ladino to Hebrew, incorporating more Torah commentary as he did so.
(In other words, they aren't literal translations; they are adaptations, which include translation & other well-sourced additions.)
The Me'am Lo'ez evolved into a collaborative work spanning the centuries since Rav Yaakov Culi's initial publication of the Me'am Lo'ez in Ladino in Turkey in 1730.
Other great sages continued Rav Culi's work after Rav Culi passed on in 1732, two-thirds of the way through completing Sefer Shemot/Exodus.
But not all books of Tanach merited a Ladino translation & commentary.
As Rav Yerushalmi went through each book of Tanach, he added his own wealth of knowledge to the collaborative series. This including preparing his own extensively footnoted anthology of Torah sources for any book not already appearing in the original Ladino of the Me'am Lo'ez series.
Such is the case with the Book of Mishlei, which never appeared in Ladino, but only Hebrew around 1985, courtesy of the efforts & knowledge of Rav Shmuel Yerushalmi.
Fortunately, Zvi Faier translated the Hebrew masterpiece into English in 1993.
And that's what I'd like to quote from now (Yalkut Me'am Lo'ez, The Torah Anthology, The Book of Mishlei I by Zvi Faier, page 53-54), regarding Mishlei 2:4:
If thou seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures | אִם-תְּבַקְשֶׁנָּה כַכָּסֶף; וְכַמַּטְמוֹנִים תַּחְפְּשֶׂנָּה |
At times, a man performs mitzvoth and does good deeds, studies and prays, yet despite all that, he does not feel that he has achieved any kind of higher plane of living.
As a result, he may begin to despair.
Since it appears to him that he has not been successful until now, he may conclude that there is no hope, that he will never succeed.
This state of mind may lead to sin and breakdown.
Therefore, the scripture says, "If you seek her like silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures."
Follow the example of those who mine for silver.
Even if after a long search they find nothing, they are not discouraged, but continue to dig.
The same obtains when serving God.
Continue to dig, do not give up, persevere until you attain a high plane.
So many people reach this point—oftentimes repeatedly.
They conclude there is no hope to succeed in that area.
If they keep on that process of despair, they eventually break down. They sin.
Rav Yerushalmi did not make stuff up. He culled ancient sources commenting on Mishlei.
This all-too-human tendency has existed for millennia, and the above describes exactly how it manifests in avodat Hashem.
In fact, this way of thinking is so prevalent & so lethal, Shlomo HaMelech himself sought to address the issue toward the beginning of his immemorial masterpiece.
After addressing the issue in the 4th verse of the 2nd chapter, he reassures us in the following verse (2:5) that in the end, we'll definitely get there:
They conclude there is no hope to succeed in that area.
If they keep on that process of despair, they eventually break down. They sin.
Rav Yerushalmi did not make stuff up. He culled ancient sources commenting on Mishlei.
This all-too-human tendency has existed for millennia, and the above describes exactly how it manifests in avodat Hashem.
In fact, this way of thinking is so prevalent & so lethal, Shlomo HaMelech himself sought to address the issue toward the beginning of his immemorial masterpiece.
After addressing the issue in the 4th verse of the 2nd chapter, he reassures us in the following verse (2:5) that in the end, we'll definitely get there:
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will find the knowledge of God. | אָ֗ז תָּ֖בִין יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת אֱלֹהִ֣ים תִּמְצָֽא |
Why?
Because wisdom comes from Hashem.
It's a gift He grants those who work for it.
As noted with Rashi in Mishlei 2:6:
Because wisdom comes from Hashem.
It's a gift He grants those who work for it.
As noted with Rashi in Mishlei 2:6:
For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth [come] knowledge and discernment. | כִּֽי־יְ֖הוָה יִתֵּ֣ן חָכְמָ֑ה מִ֜פִּ֗יו דַּ֣עַת וּתְבוּנָֽה |
For the Lord gives wisdom:
Here you have learned that it [wisdom] is great, for it was given from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He.
Therefore, you must acquire it.
(Rashi)
The timely Torah advice contained in the Me'am Lo'ez also applies to those who've already broken down and sinned.
You can still pick yourself up & renew your efforts!
Again:
You can still pick yourself up & renew your efforts!
Again:
Continue to dig, do not give up, persevere until you attain a high plane.
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