A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

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

Wisdom cries aloud outside; she raises her voice in the open square:

She cries in the chief place of concourse, 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 hid treasures;

To deliver you from the immoral woman, even from the seductress who flatters with her words;

Who forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God.

For her house leads unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

She is more precious than rubies: and all the things you can desire are not to be compared unto 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 them that lay hold upon her: and happy is everyone that retains her.

Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

Forsake her not, and she shall preserve you: love her, and she shall keep you.

Exalt her, and she shall promote you: she shall bring you to honor, when you do embrace her.

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

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

For the lips of an immoral woman drop as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on sheol.

Lest you should ponder the path of life, her ways are unstable, that you can not know them.

Hear me now therefore, O you children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

Remove your way far from her, and come not near the door of her house:

Let her be as the loving deer and graceful doe; let her breasts satisfy you at all times; and be ravished always with her love.

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

Provides her food in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

Lust not after her beauty in your heart; neither let her allure you with her eyelids.

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

That they may keep you from the immoral woman, from the seductress 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 abide not in her house:

With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she seduced him.

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

Let not your heart turn aside to her ways, go not 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 sheol, going down to the chambers of death.

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

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

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

Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn out her seven pillars:

She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also furnished her table.

She has sent forth her maidens: she cries upon the highest places of the city,

Whosoever is simple, let him turn in here: as for him that lacks understanding, she says to him,

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

Whosoever is simple, let him turn in here: and as for him that lacks understanding, she says to him,

But he knows not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of the grave.

A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that makes ashamed is like rottenness in his bones.

Every wise woman builds her house: but the foolish plucks it down with her hands.

White hair is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness.

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 bore him.

Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days.

Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causes to stray from the words of knowledge.

Bow down your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart unto my knowledge.

Hear you, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.

For better it is that it be said unto you, Come up here; than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince whom your eyes have seen.

The great God that formed all things gives the fool his hire, and the transgressor his wages.

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

Whosoever restrains her restrains the wind, or grasps oil with his right hand.

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

For an unloved woman when she is married; and a maidservant that is heir to her mistress.

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

The heart of her husband does safely trust in her, so that he shall have no lack of gain.

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 rises also while it is yet night, and gives food to her household, and a portion to her maidservants.

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

She girds her loins with strength, and strengthens her arms.

She perceives that her merchandise is good: her lamp goes not 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 herself coverings 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 honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

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

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

Her children arise 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.