The wise sayings of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.

My son, give ear to the training of your father, and do not give up the teaching of your mother:

My son, if sinners would take you out of the right way, do not go with them.

My son, do not go with them; keep your feet from their ways:

My son, if you will take my words to your heart, storing up my laws in your mind;

My son, keep my teaching in your memory, and my rules in your heart:

My son, do not make your heart hard against the Lord's teaching; do not be made angry by his training:

For to those who are dear to him the Lord says sharp words, and makes the son in whom he has delight undergo pain.

My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes.

Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:

For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.

Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.

My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.

My son, give attention to my wisdom; let your ear be turned to my teaching:

Give ear to me then, my sons, and do not put away my words from you.

Why let yourself, my son, go out of the way with a strange woman, and take another woman in your arms?

My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,

Do this, my son, and make yourself free, because you have come into the power of your neighbour; go without waiting, and make a strong request to your neighbour.

My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:

My son, keep my sayings, and let my rules be stored up with you.

So now, my sons, give ear to me; give attention to the sayings of my mouth;

I am crying out to you, O men; my voice comes to the sons of men.

Playing in his earth; and my delight was with the sons of men.

Give ear to me then, my sons: for happy are those who keep my ways.

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

He who in summer gets together his store is a son who does wisely; but he who takes his rest when the grain is being cut is a son causing shame.

A wise son is a lover of teaching, but the ears of the haters of authority are shut to sharp words.

He who keeps back his rod is unkind to his son: the loving father gives punishment with care.

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man has no respect for his mother.

A servant who does wisely will have rule over a son causing shame, and will have his part in the heritage among brothers.

He who has an unwise son gets sorrow for himself, and the father of a foolish son has no joy.

A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitter pain to her who gave him birth.

A foolish son is the destruction of his father; and the bitter arguments of a wife are like drops of rain falling without end.

Give your son training while there is hope; let not your heart be purposing his death.

He who is violent to his father, driving away his mother, is a son causing shame and a bad name.

A son who no longer gives attention to teaching is turned away from the words of knowledge.

My son, if your heart becomes wise, I, even I, will be glad in heart;

Give ear, my son, and be wise, guiding your heart in the right way

My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes take delight in my ways.

My son, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which is sweet to your taste:

My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:

My son, be wise and make my heart glad, so that I may give back an answer to him who puts me to shame.

He who keeps the law is a wise son, but he who keeps company with feasters puts shame on his father.

Give your son training, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your soul.

The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, from Massa. The man says: I am full of weariness, O God, I am full of weariness; O God, I have come to an end:

Who has gone up to heaven and come down? who has taken the winds in his hands, prisoning the waters in his robe? by whom have all the ends of the earth been fixed? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if you are able to say?

What am I to say to you, O Lemuel, my oldest son? and what, O son of my body? and what, O son of my oaths?