to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;

to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;

to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man:

that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:

to understand a proverb, and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.

My son, listen to your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching:

for they will be a garland to grace your head, and a necklace around your neck.

My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your foot from their path,

for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.

Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.

But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm."

So as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;

He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity;

For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things;

who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil;

To deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words;

for her house leads down to death, her paths to the dead.

None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life:

My son, do not forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments:

for length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you.

Do not let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.

My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline, neither be weary of his reproof:

She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.

She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her, and those who hold on to her are blessed

By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.

so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.

Then you shall walk in your way securely, and your foot won't stumble.

Do not be afraid of sudden fear, or of the storm of the wicked when it comes:

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you," when you have it by you.

Do not devise evil against your neighbor, seeing he dwells securely by you.

Do not strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.

Do not envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.

For the perverse is an abomination to the LORD, but his friendship is with the upright.

Surely he is scornful to scoffers, but he gives grace to the humble.

Listen, sons, to a father's instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

for I give you sound learning. Do not forsake my law.

For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

He taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

Get wisdom. Get understanding. Do not forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.

Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her.

She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you."

Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.

Do not enter into the path of the wicked. Do not walk in the way of evil men.

Avoid it, and do not pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.

For they do not sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.

But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.

The way of the wicked is like darkness. They do not know what they stumble over.

My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.

For they are life to him who finds them, and health to all of his body.

Do not turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.

My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding:

But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword.

Her feet go down to death. Her steps lead straight to Sheol.

She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn't know it.

Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Do not depart from the words of my mouth.

Remove your way far from her. Do not come near the door of her house,

lest you give your honor to others, and your years to the cruel one;

neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor turned my ear to those who instructed me.

I have come to the brink of utter ruin, in the midst of the gathered assembly."

A loving doe and a graceful deer?let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated always with her love.

He will die for lack of instruction. In the greatness of his folly, he will go astray.

Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, seeing you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.

Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.

Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

There are six things which the LORD hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:

a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,

My son, keep your father's commandment, and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.

to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the foreign woman.

Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.

For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.

So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.

Men do not despise a thief, if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry:

For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won't spare in the day of vengeance.

He won't regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.

passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,

in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.

She is loud and defiant. Her feet do not stay in her house.

So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:

"Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. This day I have paid my vows.

Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.

For my husband isn't at home. He has gone on a long journey.

He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool to the correction of the stocks.

Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn't know that it will cost his life.

Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.

Do not let your heart turn to her ways. Do not go astray in her paths,

Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.

Doesn't wisdom cry out? Doesn't understanding raise her voice?

"To you men, I call. I send my voice to the sons of mankind.

For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.