If they say, “Come with us;
Let us lie in wait to shed blood,
Let us ambush the innocent without cause;

For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

she who forsakes the partner of her youth and has forgotten the covenant of her God,

For she hath appointed, unto death, her house, and unto the shades, her courses;

for she is more profitable than silver,
and her revenue is better than gold.

She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

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

Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

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

But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.

So that she findeth not the level path of life: Her ways are unstable, and'she knoweth it not.

[She is] a deer of love and a doe of grace; may her breasts satisfy you {always}; by her love may you be intoxicated continually.

She hath no guide, no teacher, no leader:

She doth prepare in summer her bread, She hath gathered in harvest her food.

A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

{When you walk}, she will lead you, {When you lie down}, she will watch over you, and [when] you awake, she will converse [with] you.

Do not desire her beauty in your heart; may she not capture you with her eyelashes.

She will keep you from a forbidden woman,
a stranger with her flattering talk.

Suddenly a woman came out to meet him! She was dressed like a prostitute and with secret intent.

(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

so long till she hath wounded his liver with her dart: like as if a bird hasted to the snare, not knowing that the peril of his life lieth thereupon.

For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

"It is you, O ye men," sayeth she, "whom I call! Unto you, O ye children of men, lift I up my voice.

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,

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.

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

Crying out to those who go by, going straight on their way, she says:

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

A ring of gold in the nose of a swine, a fair woman and she departed from discernment

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

The words of the wicked lie in wait to shed innocent blood, but the words of the upright will deliver them.

Wisdom resides in the heart of the discerning;
she is known even among fools.

[May] a man meet a she-bear robbed of offspring and not a fool in his folly.

He withholding his words will shew knowledge: I man of understanding is a cool spirit

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,

Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.

Whoever attempts to restrain her [criticism] might as well try to stop the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.

The eye which makes sport of a father, and sees no value in a mother when she is old will be rooted out by the ravens of the valley, and be food for the young eagles.

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

Under three things, a land is stirred, yea, under four, she cannot bear up:

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

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

An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous], who is he who can find her?
Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls.

She will do 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 merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion 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 strengtheneth her arms.

She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

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

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 herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

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

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

Give her credit for what she has accomplished, and let her works praise her in the city gates.