Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother,

My son, if sinners entice thee be not willing.

My son! go not in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path,

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 ye slight all my counsel, And my reproof ye have not desired.

Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and find me not.

They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,

And whoso is hearkening to me dwelleth confidently, And is quiet from fear of evil!'

My son, if thou dost accept my sayings, And my commands dost lay up with thee,

My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,

Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,

My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,

For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.

For, a son I have been to my father -- tender, And an only one before my mother.

And he directeth me, and he saith to me: 'Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.

Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.

Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life are multiplied to thee.

My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,

My son! to my wisdom give attention, To mine understanding incline thine ear,

And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And turn not from sayings of my mouth.

And hast said, 'How have I hated instruction, And reproof hath my heart despised,

And I have not hearkened to the voice of my directors, And to my teachers have not inclined mine ear.

And why dost thou magnify thyself, My son, with a stranger? And embrace the bosom of a strange woman?

My son! if thou hast been surety for thy friend, Hast stricken for a stranger thy hand,

Do this now, my son, and be delivered, For thou hast come into the hand of thy friend. Go, trample on thyself, and strengthen thy friend,

Keep, my son, the command of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother.

My son! keep my sayings, And my commands lay up with thee.

Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of thine eye.

Say to wisdom, 'My sister Thou art.' And cry to understanding, 'Kinswoman!'

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

Sacrifices of peace-offerings are by me, To-day I have completed my vows.

With ornamental coverings I decked my couch, Carved works -- cotton of Egypt.

I sprinkled my bed -- myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And give attention to sayings of my mouth.

Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice is unto the sons of men.

Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips is uprightness.

For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips is wickedness.

In righteousness are all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.

Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.

By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,

By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.

I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.

Wealth and honour are with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.

Better is my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.

To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.

Jehovah possessed me -- the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.

Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights are with the sons of men.

And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.

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.

And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!

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

For by me do thy days multiply, And added to thee are years of life.

Cease, my son, to hear instruction -- To err from sayings of knowledge.

Who saith, 'I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?'

Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,

That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.

My son, if thy heart hath been wise, My heart rejoiceth, even mine,

And my reins exult when thy lips speak uprightly.

Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And make happy in the way thy heart,

Give, my son, thy heart to me, And let thine eyes watch my ways.

They smote me, I have not been sick, They beat me, I have not known. When I awake -- I seek it yet again!'

Eat my son, honey that is good, And the honeycomb -- sweet to thy palate.

Fear Jehovah, my son, and the king, With changers mix not up thyself,

Say not, 'As he did to me, so I do to him, I render to each according to his work.'

And I see -- I -- I do set my heart, I have seen -- I have received instruction,

Be wise, my son, and rejoice my heart. And I return my reproacher a word.

Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from me before I die.

Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,

Lest I become satiated, and have denied, And have said, 'Who is Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the name of my God.

Three things have been too wonderful for me, Yea, four that I have not known:

'What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?

The grace is false, and the beauty is vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.