My son, hear the instruction of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother;

Wisdom cries outside; she utters her voice in the streets;

she cries in the chief place of gathering, in the openings of the gates; in the city she utters her words, saying,

if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures,

They will deliver you from the strange woman, the stranger who flatters with her words,

who forsakes the guide of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God.

For her house bows down to death, and her paths to the dead.

All who go in to her do not return, nor do they take hold of the paths of life,

she is more precious than rubies; and all the things you can desire are not to be compared with her.

Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand, riches and honor.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to those who lay hold upon her; and happy is everyone who keeps her.

Sons, hear the instruction of a father, and listen in order to know understanding.

Do not forsake her, and she shall preserve you; love her, and she shall keep you.

Prize her, and she shall lift you up; she shall bring you to honor when you embrace her.

Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of your life shall be many.

Take fast hold of instruction; do not let go; keep her; for she is your life.

For the lips of a strange woman drip honey, and her palate is smoother than oil;

Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell,

lest you should meditate on the path of life, her tracks are movable; you cannot know them.

And now hear me, O sons, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.

Remove your ways far from her, and do not come near the door of her house,

Like the loving deer and pleasant doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times, and be ravished always with her love.

Go to the ant, sluggard; consider her ways and be wise;

provides her food in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest.

Do not lust after her beauty in your heart; nor let her take you with her eyelids.

So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife; whoever touches her shall not be innocent.

so that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words.

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

She is loud and stubborn; her feet do not stay in her house;

With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

He goes after her immediately, like an ox goes to the slaughter, or like a fool to the correction of the stocks;

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

For she has cast down many wounded; yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

Her house is the way to hell, going down to the rooms of death.

Does not wisdom call? And does not understanding put forth her voice?

Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not refuse it.

Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out her seven pillars;

she has killed her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table.

She has sent out her young women; she cries upon the highest places of the city,

The simple one, let him turn in here. To one lacking heart, she says to him,

For she sits at the door of her house, in a seat in the high places of the city,

The simple one, let him turn in here. And to one lacking heart, she says to him,

But he does not know that the dead are there; her guests are in the depths of hell.

A woman of virtue is a crown to her husband, but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.

A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a scorner does not hear rebuke.

The ransom of a man's life is his riches, but the poor does not hear rebuke.

A wise woman builds her house, but the foolish plucks it down with her hands.

Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him.

Hear advice, and receive instruction, so that you may be wise in your latter end.

My son, cease to hear the discipline, only to stray from the words of knowledge.

Bow down your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to My knowledge.

My son, hear and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.

for it is better that it should be said to you, Come up here, than that you should be put lower in the presence of a noble whom your eyes have seen.

As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his place.

Whoever hides her hides the wind, and his right hand encounters slippery oil.

Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no evil.

for a hateful woman when she is married; and a servant girl that is heir to her mistress.

Who can find a woman of virtue? For her value is far above rubies.

The heart of her husband trusts safely in her, so that he shall have no need of plunder.

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

She seeks wool and flax, and works willingly with her hands.

She is like the merchants' ships; she brings her food from afar.

She also rises while it is still night, and gives food to her household, and a share to her young women.

She considers a field, and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

She binds her loins with strength, and makes her arms strong.

She sees that her merchandise is good; her lamp does not go out by night.

She lays her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

She stretches out her hand to the poor; yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy.

She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

She makes herself coverings; her clothing is silk and purple.

Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.

Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her sons rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.

Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.