That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:

Wisdom crieth aloud in the street; She uttereth her voice in the broad places;

She crieth in the chief place of concourse; At the entrance of the gates, In the city, she uttereth her words:

If thou seek her as silver, And search for her as for hid treasures:

To deliver thee from the strange woman, Even from the foreigner that flattereth with her words;

That forsaketh the friend of her youth, And forgetteth the covenant of her God:

For her house inclineth unto death, And her paths unto the dead;

None that go unto her return again, Neither do they attain unto the paths of life:

She is more precious than rubies: And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto 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 them that lay hold upon her: And happy is every one that retaineth her.

Hear, my'sons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding:

Forsake her not, 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 dost embrace her.

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

Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: Keep her; for she is thy life.

For the lips of a strange 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 findeth not the level path of life: Her ways are unstable, and'she knoweth it not.

Remove thy way far from her, And come not nigh the door of her house;

As 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:

Provideth her bread in the summer, And gathereth her food in the harvest.

Lust not after her beauty in thy heart; Neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

So he that goeth in to his neighbor's wife; Whosoever toucheth her shall not be unpunished.

That they may keep thee from the strange woman, From the foreigner that flattereth with her words.

Passing through the street near her corner; And he went the way to her house,

She is clamorous and wilful; Her feet abide not in her house:

With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield; With the flattering of her lips she forceth him along.

He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the correction of the fool;

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

For she hath 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.

Doth not wisdom cry, 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 refuse it not.

Wisdom hath builded her house; She hath hewn out her seven pillars:

She hath killed her beasts; She hath mingled her wine; She hath also furnished her table:

She hath sent forth her maidens; She crieth upon the highest places of the city:

And she sitteth at the door of her house, On a seat in the high places of the city,

But he knoweth 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 that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

Every wise woman buildeth her house; But the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.

Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, Rather than a fool in his folly.

A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him.

Hear counsel, and receive instruction, That thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.

Cease, my son, to hear instruction Only to err from the words of knowledge.

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

Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And guide thy heart in the way.

Let thy father and thy mother be glad, And let her that bare thee rejoice.

As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, So the curse that is causeless alighteth not.

As a bird that wandereth from her nest, So is a man that wandereth from his place.

He that would restrain her restraineth the wind; And his right hand encountereth oil.

So is the way of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, I have done no wickedness.

For an odious woman when she is married; And a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

The lizard taketh hold with her hands, Yet is she in kings palaces.

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

The heart of her husband trusteth in her, And he shall have no lack of gain.

She doeth him good and not evil All the days of her life.

She seeketh wool and flax, And worketh willingly with her hands.

She is like the merchant-ships; She bringeth her bread from afar.

She riseth also while it is yet night, And giveth food to her household, And their task to her maidens.

She considereth a field, and buyeth it; With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

She girdeth her loins with strength, And maketh strong her arms.

She perceiveth that her merchandise is profitable: Her lamp goeth not out by night.

She layeth her hands to the distaff, And her hands hold the spindle.

She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; Yea, she reacheth 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 maketh for herself carpets of tapestry; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth among the elders of the land.

Strength and dignity are her clothing; And she laugheth at the time to come.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And the law of kindness is on her tongue.

She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also , and he praiseth her,'saying :

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