If they say, 'Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,

Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.

And they for their own blood lay wait, They watch secretly for their own lives.

So are the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, The life of its owners it taketh.

Wisdom in an out-place crieth aloud, In broad places she giveth forth her voice,

At the head of the multitudes she calleth, In the openings of the gates, In the city her sayings she saith:

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

Because I have called, and ye refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,

And they eat of the fruit of their way, And from their own counsels they are filled.

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

And the wicked from the earth are cut off, And treacherous dealers plucked out of 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.

Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.

For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.

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

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

Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.

The way of the wicked is as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.

Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it are the outgoings of life.

Drink waters out of thine own cistern, Even flowing ones out of thine own well.

A hind of loves, and a roe of grace! Let her loves satisfy thee at all times, In her love magnify thyself continually.

Frowardness is in his heart, devising evil at all times, Contentions he sendeth forth.

A false witness who doth breathe out lies -- And one sending forth contentions between brethren.

In thy going up and down, it leadeth thee, In thy lying down, it watcheth over thee, And thou hast awaked -- it talketh with thee.

He who committeth adultery with a woman lacketh heart, He is destroying his soul who doth it.

For, at a window of my house, Through my casement I have looked out,

Now in an out-place, now in broad places, And near every corner she lieth in wait) --

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

Till an arrow doth split his liver, As a bird hath hastened unto a snare, And hath not known that it is for its life.

At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,

At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,

For better is wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.

I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.

While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.

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

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.

For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.

Wisdom hath builded her house, She hath hewn out her pillars -- seven.

'Come, eat of my bread, And drink of the wine I have mingled.

The instructor of a scorner Is receiving for it -- shame, And a reprover of the wicked -- his blemish.

If thou hast been wise, thou hast been wise for thyself, And thou hast scorned -- thyself bearest it.

A foolish woman is noisy, Simple, and hath not known what.

And she hath sat at the opening of her house, On a throne -- the high places of the city,

Whoso is covering hatred with lying lips, And whoso is bringing out an evil report is a fool.

The blessing of Jehovah -- it maketh rich, And He addeth no grief with it.

The feared thing of the wicked it meeteth him, And the desire of the righteous is given.

The mouth of the righteous uttereth wisdom, And the tongue of frowardness is cut out.

Balances of deceit are an abomination to Jehovah, And a perfect weight is His delight.

The righteous from distress is drawn out, And the wicked goeth in instead of him.

With the mouth a hypocrite corrupteth his friend, And by knowledge the righteous are drawn out.

There is who is scattering, and yet is increased, And who is keeping back from uprightness, only to want.

Whoso is earnestly seeking good Seeketh a pleasing thing, And whoso is seeking evil -- it meeteth him.

The words of the wicked are: 'Lay wait for blood,' And the mouth of the upright delivereth them.

In transgression of the lips is the snare of the wicked, And the righteous goeth out from distress.

Whoso is keeping his mouth, is keeping his soul, Whoso is opening wide his lips -- ruin to him!

Whoso is despising the Word is destroyed for it, And whoso is fearing the Command is repayed.

Every prudent one dealeth with knowledge, And a fool spreadeth out folly.

Every wise woman hath builded her house, And the foolish with her hands breaketh it down.

A faithful witness lieth not, And a false witness breatheth out lies.

A scorner hath sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge to the intelligent is easy.

Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright -- a pleasing thing.

The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breatheth out lies.

In the heart of the intelligent wisdom doth rest. And in the midst of fools it is known.

A healed tongue is a tree of life, And perverseness in it -- a breach in the spirit.

Better is a little with the fear of Jehovah, Than much treasure, and tumult with it.

Better is an allowance of green herbs and love there, Than a fatted ox, and hatred with it.

Without counsel is the making void of purposes, And in a multitude of counsellors it is established.

The house of the proud Jehovah pulleth down, And He setteth up the border of the widow.

When a man's ways please Jehovah, even his enemies, He causeth to be at peace with him.

The fury of a king is messengers of death, And a wise man pacifieth it.

A labouring man hath laboured for himself, For his mouth hath caused him to bend over it.

A crown of beauty are grey hairs, In the way of righteousness it is found.

Better is a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.

Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.

A stone of grace is the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

The beginning of contention is a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.

At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.

Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.

The face of the intelligent is to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool -- at the end of the earth.

A tower of strength is the name of Jehovah, Into it the righteous runneth, and is set on high.

Whoso is answering a matter before he heareth, Folly it is to him and shame.

The gift of a man maketh room for him, And before the great it leadeth him.

The lot causeth contentions to cease, And between the mighty it separateth.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.

Whoso hath found a wife hath found good, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.

A false witness is not acquitted, Whoso breatheth out lies is not delivered.

A false witness is not acquitted, And whoso breatheth out lies perisheth.

A man of great wrath is bearing punishment, For, if thou dost deliver, yet again thou dost add.

Many are the purposes in a man's heart, And the counsel of Jehovah it standeth.

The slothful hath hidden his hand in a dish, Even unto his mouth he bringeth it not back.

Wine is a scorner -- strong drink is noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.

Counsel in the heart of a man is deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.

Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.

An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.

Do not say, 'I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.

Rivulets of waters is the heart of a king in the hand of Jehovah, Wherever He pleaseth He inclineth it.

A treasure to be desired, and oil, Is in the habitation of the wise, And a foolish man swalloweth it up.

The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination, Much more when in wickedness he bringeth it.