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

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

Wisdom cries aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the broad places.

She cries in the chief place of concourse, at the entrance of the gates, in the city. She utters her words:

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

to deliver thee from the interloping woman, even from the stranger who flatters with her words,

who forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God

(for her house inclines to death, and her paths to the dead;

none who go to her return again, nor do they attain to the paths of life),

She is more precious than rubies, and none of the things thou can desire are to be compared to her.

Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand are 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 retains her.

Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

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

Exalt her, and she will promote thee. She will bring thee to honor when thou embrace her.

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

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

For the lips of an interloping woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil.

Her feet go down to death. Her steps take hold on Sheol,

so that she does not find the level path of life. Her ways are unstable, [and] she does not know.

Remove thy way far from her, and do not come near the door of her house,

a loving hind and a pleasant doe. Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times, and be thou ravished always with her love.

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

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

Do not lust after her beauty in thy heart, nor let her take thee with her eyelids.

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

that they may keep thee from the interloping 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 headstrong. Her feet abide not in her house.

With her much fair speech she causes him to yield. With the flattering of her lips she forces him along.

He goes after her straightaway, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,

Let not thy heart decline to her ways. Go not astray in her paths.

For she has cast down many wounded. Yea, all her slain are a mighty host.

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

Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding put forth her voice?

Hear, for I will speak 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 hewn out her seven pillars.

She has killed her beasts. She has mingled her wine. She has also furnished her table.

She has sent forth her maidens. She cries out upon the highest places of the city:

He who is simple, let him turn in here. As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

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

He who is simple, let him turn in here. And as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

But he knows not that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

A worthy woman is the crown of her husband, but she who makes ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish woman plucks it down with her own hands.

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

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

Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou may be wise in thy latter end.

To err from the words of knowledge, cease, my son, to hear instruction.

Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart to my knowledge.

For it is better that it be said to thee, Come up here, than that thou should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom thine eyes have seen.

As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, so the curse that is causeless does not alight.

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

He who would restrain her restrains the wind, and his right hand encounters oil.

So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no iniquity.

for a hateful woman when she is married, and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

the lizard takes hold with her hands, yet she is in kings' palaces.

A worthy woman who can find? For her price is far above rubies.

The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he shall have no lack of gain.

She does 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 merchant ships: she brings her bread from afar.

She also rises while it is yet night, and gives food to her household, and their task to her maidens.

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

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

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out by night.

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

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 for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

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

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the law of kindness is on her tongue.

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 works praise her in the gates.