The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,

My son, if sinners entice you,
don’t be persuaded.

my son, don’t travel that road with them
or set foot on their path,

My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,

My son, don’t forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commands;

Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son,
and do not loathe His discipline;

for the Lord disciplines the one He loves,
just as a father, the son he delights in.

Maintain your competence and discretion.
My son, don’t lose sight of them.

When I was a son with my father,
tender and precious to my mother,

Listen, my son. Accept my words,
and you will live many years.

My son, pay attention to my words;
listen closely to my sayings.

My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
listen closely to my understanding

Why, my son, would you be infatuated
with a forbidden woman
or embrace the breast of a stranger?

A wicked man’s iniquities entrap him;
he is entangled in the ropes of his own sin.

My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor
or entered into an agreement with a stranger,

Do this, then, my son, and free yourself,
for you have put yourself in your neighbor’s power:
Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor.

My son, keep your father’s command,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching.

My son, obey my words,
and treasure my commands.

Solomon’s proverbs:

A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son, heartache to his mother.

The son who gathers during summer is prudent;
the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.

The labor of the righteous leads to life;
the activity of the wicked leads to sin.

When there are many words, sin is unavoidable,
but the one who controls his lips is wise.

A wise son responds to his father’s discipline,
but a mocker doesn’t listen to rebuke.

The one who will not use the rod hates his son,
but the one who loves him disciplines him diligently.

The wicked one is thrown down by his own sin,
but the righteous one has a refuge in his death.

Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a disgrace to any people.

A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.

A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and share an inheritance among brothers.

A foolish son is grief to his father
and bitterness to the one who bore him.

A foolish son is his father’s ruin,
and a wife’s nagging is an endless dripping.

Discipline your son while there is hope;
don’t be intent on killing him.

The one who assaults his father and evicts his mother
is a disgraceful and shameful son.

If you stop listening to correction, my son,
you will stray from the words of knowledge.

Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;
I am cleansed from my sin”?

The lamp that guides the wicked—
haughty eyes and an arrogant heart—is sin.

As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears,
for it makes wings for itself
and flies like an eagle to the sky.

My son, if your heart is wise,
my heart will indeed rejoice.

Listen, my son, and be wise;
keep your mind on the right course.

The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly,
and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him.

My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe my ways.

A foolish scheme is sin,
and a mocker is detestable to people.

Eat honey, my son, for it is good,
and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate;

My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king,
and don’t associate with rebels,

To those who send him, a trustworthy messenger
is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day;
he refreshes the life of his masters.

Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,
honor is inappropriate for a fool.

Be wise, my son, and bring my heart joy,
so that I can answer anyone who taunts me.

A discerning son keeps the law,
but a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.

It is not good to show partiality—
yet a man may sin for a piece of bread.

The one who robs his father or mother
and says, “That’s no sin,”
is a companion to a man who destroys.

An evil man is caught by sin,
but the righteous one sings and rejoices.

Discipline your son, and it will bring you peace of mind
and give you delight.

Do you see a man who speaks too soon?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle.

The man’s oration to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind in His hands?
Who has bound up the waters in a cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name,
and what is the name of His Son—
if you know?

What should I say, my son?
What, son of my womb?
What, son of my vows?