Let us swallow them alive like Sheol (the place of the dead),
Even whole, as those who go down to the pit [of death];

None who go to her return again,
Nor do they regain the paths of life—

Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.

Take hold of instruction; [actively seek it, grip it firmly and] do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your life.

Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not go the way of evil men.

Avoid it, do not travel on it;
Turn away from it and pass on.

Her feet go down to death;
Her steps take hold of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead),

And strangers will be filled with your strength
And your hard-earned wealth will go to the house of a foreigner [who does not know God];

Why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an immoral woman
And embrace the bosom of an outsider (pagan)?

He will die for lack of instruction (discipline),
And in the greatness of his foolishness he will go astray and be lost.

Do this now, my son, and release yourself [from the obligation];
Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor,
Go humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor [to pay his debt and release you].

Go to the ant, O lazy one;
Observe her ways and be wise,

When you walk about, they (the godly teachings of your parents) will guide you;
When you sleep, they will keep watch over you;
And when you awake, they will talk to you.

Or can a man walk on hot coals
And his feet not be scorched?

So is the one who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her will not be found innocent or go unpunished.

Calling to those who pass by,
Who are making their paths straight:

Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished,
But the descendants of the righteous will be freed.

The righteous man is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Leave the presence of a [shortsighted] fool,
For you will not find knowledge or hear godly wisdom from his lips.

A scoffer [unlike a wise man] resents one who rebukes him and tries to teach him;
Nor will he go to the wise [for counsel and instruction].

Everyone who is proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting and exceedingly offensive to the Lord;
Be assured he will not go unpunished.

Whoever mocks the poor taunts his Maker,
And he who rejoices at [another’s] disaster will not go unpunished.

The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten];
They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon].

All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his friends abandon him!
He pursues them with words, but they are gone.

A false witness will perish,
But a man who listens to the truth will speak forever and go unchallenged.

Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents],
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go away;
Even strife and dishonor will cease.

Those who linger long over wine,
Those who go to taste mixed wine.

But to those [honorable judges] who rebuke the wicked, it will go well with them and they will find delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.

The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten];
They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon].

Do not abandon your own friend and your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster.
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.

A faithful (right-minded) man will abound with blessings,
But he who hurries to be rich will not go unpunished.

The locusts have no king,
Yet all of them go out in groups;

She looks well to how things go in her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.