for giving prudence to the naive, and knowledge and discretion to the young.

My son, listen to your father's instruction, and do not let go of your mother's teaching.

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

My son, do not go along with them, and keep your feet away from their paths!

Look, it is useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds,

She calls out at the busiest part of the noisy streets, and at the entrance to the gates of the city she utters her words:

Return to my correction! Look, I will pour out my spirit on you, and I will make my words known to you.

"Because I called out to you and you refused to respond I appealed, but no one paid attention

"Then they will call out to me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

"But the person who listens to me will live safely and will be secure from the fear of evil."

making your ear attentive to wisdom, and turning your heart to understanding

then you will understand the fear of the LORD and learn to know God.

He stores up sound wisdom for the upright and is a shield to those who walk in integrity

For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

and from those who abandon the right path to travel along the ways of darkness;

For her house leads down to death, and her paths down to the realm of the dead.

None who go to her return, nor do they reach the paths of life.

This is how you will walk in the way of good men and will keep to the paths of the righteous.

My son, don't forget my instruction, and keep my commandments carefully in mind.

For they will add length to your days, years to your life, and abundant peace to you.

Do not let gracious love and truth leave 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 depend on your own understanding.

Do not be wise in your own opinion. Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

This will bring healing to your body, and refreshment to your bones.

My son, do not reject the LORD's discipline, and do not despise his correction,

By his knowledge the depths broke open, and the clouds drip with dew.

My son, do not let wisdom leave your sight. Carefully observe sound judgment and discernment,

and they will be life to you and a graceful ornament for your neck.

Do not be afraid of sudden disaster, or the devastation that comes to the wicked.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.

Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back. I will pay you tomorrow," when you have cash with you.

Do not plan to harm your neighbor, when he is living peacefully beside you.

Do not bring a lawsuit against a person for no reason, when he has done you no harm.

Do not envy a violent man, and do not emulate his lifestyle.

Indeed, a perverse man is utterly disgusting to the LORD, but he takes the upright into his confidence.

Though God scoffs at scoffers, he gives grace to the humble.

Listen, children, to your father's instruction, and pay attention in order to gain understanding.

I give you sound teaching, so do not abandon my instruction.

When I was a son to my father, not yet strong and an only son to my mother,

he taught me and told me, "Let your heart fully embrace what I have to say; keep my commandments and live!

Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget or turn aside from the words of my mouth!

Do not abandon her, and she will protect you. Love her, and she will watch over you.

Wisdom is of utmost importance, therefore get wisdom, and with all your effort work to acquire understanding.

She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will present to you a crown of beauty."

Hold on to instruction, do not let it go! Guard wisdom, because she is your life!

Do not enter the path of the wicked, or go along the way of evil men.

Avoid it! Don't travel on it! Turn away from it, and pass on by.

For they cannot sleep unless they are doing evil, and they are robbed of their sleep unless they cause someone to stumble.

The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that grows brighter until the full light of day.

But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness, and they do not know what they are stumbling over.

My son, pay attention to my words, and listen closely to what I say.

Do not let them out of your sight; keep them within your heart.

For they are life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.

Never talk deceptively and don't keep company with people whose speech is corrupt.

Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

My son, pay attention to my wisdom, and listen closely to my insight,

Her feet go down to death; her steps lead to Sheol.

You aren't thinking about where her life is headed; her steps wander, but you do not realize it.

Now, children, listen to me. Don't turn away from what I am saying.

Keep far away from her, and don't go near the entrance to her house,

so that you don't give your honor to others, and waste your best years;

so that strangers don't enrich themselves at your expense, and your work won't end up the possession of foreigners.

I did not obey my teachers and did not listen to my instructors.

Like a loving deer, a beautiful doe, let her breasts satisfy you all the time. Be constantly intoxicated by her love.

He will die for lack of discipline, and he goes astray because of his great folly.

My son, if you guarantee a loan for your neighbor, if you have agreed to a deal with a stranger,

then do this, my son, and deliver yourself, because you have come under your neighbor's control. Go, humble yourself! Plead passionately with your neighbor!

Don't allow yourself to sleep or even to close your eyes.

Go to the ant, you lazy man! Observe its ways and become wise.

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

Here are six things that the LORD hates seven, in fact, are detestable to him:

a heart crafting evil plans, feet running swiftly to wickedness,

by binding them to your heart continuously, fastening them around your neck.

to protect you from the evil woman, from the words of the seductive woman.

Do not focus on her beauty in your mind, nor allow her to take you prisoner with her flirting eyes,

A thief isn't despised if he steals to meet his needs when he is hungry,

He will receive a beating and dishonor, and his shame won't disappear,

He will not consider any payment, nor will he be willing to accept it, no matter how large the bribe.

Keep my commands and you'll live. Guard my teaching as you do your eyesight.

Strap them to your fingers and engrave them on the tablet of your heart.

Say to wisdom, "You're my sister!" and call understanding your close relative,

Look! A woman makes her way to meet him, dressed as a prostitute and intending to entrap him.

She is brazen and defiant her feet don't remain at home.

So she grabs hold of him and kisses him, with a brazen face she speaks to him,

Therefore, I've come out to meet you, I've looked just for you, and I found you!

because my husband isn't home. He left on a long trip.

until an arrow pierces his liver. As a bird darts into a snare, he doesn't realize his fatal decision.

So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to what I have to say.

Don't be led astray by her lifestyle, and don't imitate her behavior.

Her house leads to Sheol, descending to death's catacombs.

Isn't wisdom calling out; isn't understanding raising her voice?

Beside the gates, at the city entrance at the entrance to the portals she cries aloud:

"I'm calling to you, men! What I have to say pertains to all mankind!

Listen, because I have noble things to say, and what I have to say will reveal what is right.

For my mouth speaks the truth wickedness is detestable to me.

Everything I have to say is just; there isn't anything corrupt or perverse in my speech.

Everything I say is sensible to someone who understands, and correct to those who have acquired knowledge.

because wisdom is better than precious gems and nothing you desire can compare to it."

"I, wisdom, am related to prudence. I know how to be discreet.

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. Pride, arrogance, an evil lifestyle, and perverted speech I despise.