For giving to simple ones -- prudence, To a youth -- knowledge and discretion.

For a graceful wreath are they to thy head, And chains to thy neck.

We swallow them as Sheol -- alive, And whole -- as those going down to the pit,

Thy lot thou dost cast among us, One purse is -- to all of us.'

For their feet to evil do run, And they haste to shed blood.

'Till when, ye simple, do ye love simplicity? And have scorners their scorning desired? And do fools hate knowledge?

Turn back at my reproof, lo, I pour forth to you my spirit, I make known my words with you.

I also in your calamity do laugh, I deride when your fear cometh,

Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and find me not.

They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,

And whoso is hearkening to me dwelleth confidently, And is quiet from fear of evil!'

To cause thine ear to attend to wisdom, Thou inclinest thy heart to understanding,

Even to lay up for the upright substance, A shield for those walking uprightly.

To keep the paths of judgment, And the way of His saints He preserveth.

For wisdom cometh into thy heart, And knowledge to thy soul is pleasant,

To deliver thee from an evil way, From any speaking froward things,

Who are forsaking paths of uprightness, To walk in ways of darkness,

Who are rejoicing to do evil, They delight in frowardness of the wicked,

To deliver thee from the strange woman, From the stranger who hath made smooth her sayings,

None going in unto her turn back, Nor do they reach the paths of life.

For the upright do inhabit the earth, And the perfect are left in it,

For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee.

Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.

Precious she is above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her.

A tree of life she is to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her is happy.

By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.

And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand is toward God to do it.

Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.

For an abomination to Jehovah is the perverted, And with the upright is His secret counsel.

If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.

Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!

Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.

For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.

For, a son I have been to my father -- tender, And an only one before my mother.

And he directeth me, and he saith to me: 'Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.

Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.

She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.

Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life are multiplied to thee.

In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.

Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she is thy life.

For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not some to stumble.

And the path of the righteous is as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,

My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,

For life they are to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.

Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Incline not to the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!

My son! to my wisdom give attention, To mine understanding incline thine ear,

To observe thoughtfulness, And knowledge do thy lips keep.

Her feet are going down to death, Sheol do her steps take hold of.

And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And turn not from sayings of my mouth.

Lest thou give to others thy honour, And thy years to the fierce,

And I have not hearkened to the voice of my directors, And to my teachers have not inclined mine ear.

Let them be to thee for thyself, And not to strangers with thee.

His own iniquities do capture the wicked, And with the ropes of his sin he is holden.

Do this now, my son, and be delivered, For thou hast come into the hand of thy friend. Go, trample on thyself, and strengthen thy friend,

Give not sleep to thine eyes, And slumber to thine eyelids,

A little sleep, a little slumber, A little clasping of the hands to rest,

These six hath Jehovah hated, Yea, seven are abominations to His soul.

A heart devising thoughts of vanity -- Feet hasting to run to evil --

Bind them on thy heart continually, Tie them on thy neck.

To preserve thee from an evil woman, From the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

They do not despise the thief, When he stealeth to fill his soul when he is hungry,

For jealousy is the fury of a man, And he doth not spare in a day of vengeance.

Say to wisdom, 'My sister Thou art.' And cry to understanding, 'Kinswoman!'

To preserve thee from a strange woman, From a stranger who hath made smooth her sayings.

And I do see among the simple ones, I discern among the sons, A young man lacking understanding,

Passing on in the street, near her corner, And the way to her house he doth step,

In the twilight -- in the evening of day, In the darkness of night and blackness.

And, lo, a woman to meet him -- (A harlot's dress, and watchful of heart,

And she laid hold on him, and kissed him, She hath hardened her face, and saith to him,

Sacrifices of peace-offerings are by me, To-day I have completed my vows.

Therefore I have come forth to meet thee, To seek earnestly thy face, and I find thee.

A bag of money he hath taken in his hand, At the day of the new moon he cometh to his house.'

And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And give attention to sayings of my mouth.

Let not thy heart turn unto her ways, Do not wander in her paths,

For many are the wounded she caused to fall, And mighty are all her slain ones.

For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips is wickedness.

All of them are plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.

The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.

By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.

I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.

In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,

To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.

Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight -- day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,

And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.

O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.

Who is simple? let him turn aside hither.' Whoso lacketh heart: she hath said to him,

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee, Give reproof to the wise, and he loveth thee.

Give to the wise, and he is wiser still, Make known to the righteous, And he increaseth learning.

For by me do thy days multiply, And added to thee are years of life.

To call to those passing by the way, Who are going straight on their paths.

Who is simple? let him turn aside hither.' And whoso lacketh heart -- she said to him,

Proverbs of Solomon. A wise son causeth a father to rejoice, And a foolish son is an affliction to his mother.

Jehovah causeth not the soul of the righteous to hunger, And the desire of the wicked He thrusteth away.

A traveller to life is he who is keeping instruction, And whoso is forsaking rebuke is erring.

The lips of the righteous delight many, And fools for lack of heart die.

To execute inventions is as play to a fool, And wisdom to a man of understanding.

As vinegar to the teeth, And as smoke to the eyes, So is the slothful to those sending him.

The way of Jehovah is strength to the perfect, And ruin to workers of iniquity.