That leaves the companion of her youth
And forgets the covenant of her God;

For her profit is better than the profit of silver
And her gain better than fine gold.

She is more precious than jewels;
And nothing you desire compares with her.

Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father,
And give attention that you may gain understanding,

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.

That you may observe discretion
And your lips may reserve knowledge.

For the lips of an adulteress drip honey
And smoother than oil is her speech;

Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,

A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,

That they may keep you from an adulteress,
From the foreigner who flatters with her words.

Until an arrow pierces through his liver;
As a bird hastens to the snare,
So he does not know that it will cost him his life.

“Take my instruction and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choicest gold.

“For wisdom is better than jewels;
And all desirable things cannot compare with her.

“My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold,
And my yield better than choicest silver.

To endow those who love me with wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.

When He set for the sea its boundary
So that the water would not transgress His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth;

But he does not know that the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich,
And He adds no sorrow to it.

Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant
Than he who honors himself and lacks bread.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
That one may avoid the snares of death.

Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.

Better is a dish of vegetables where love is
Than a fattened ox served with hatred.

The path of life leads upward for the wise
That he may keep away from Sheol below.

Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.

How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.

It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly
Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

A man of violence entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.

Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of feasting with strife.

A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows into a fool.

Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.

A man of too many friends comes to ruin,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.

Listen to counsel and accept discipline,
That you may be wise the rest of your days.

What is desirable in a man is his kindness,
And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.

The fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.

It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself
If his conduct is pure and right.

Stripes that wound scour away evil,
And strokes reach the innermost parts.

To do righteousness and justice
Is desired by the Lord more than sacrifice.

It is better to live in a corner of a roof
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

A good name is to be more desired than great wealth,
Favor is better than silver and gold.

For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
That they may be ready on your lips.

So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I have taught you today, even you.

To make you know the certainty of the words of truth
That you may correctly answer him who sent you?

When you set your eyes on it, it is gone.
For wealth certainly makes itself wings
Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

Know that wisdom is thus for your soul;
If you find it, then there will be a future,
And your hope will not be cut off.

For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?

For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

Have you found honey? Eat only what you need,
That you not have it in excess and vomit it.

It is better to live in a corner of the roof
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

Like a city that is broken into and without walls
Is a man who has no control over his spirit.

Answer a fool as his folly deserves,
That he not be wise in his own eyes.

Like a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who repeats his folly.

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can give a discreet answer.

A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,
But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.

Better is open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.

Like a bird that wanders from her nest,
So is a man who wanders from his home.

Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.

Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
That I may reply to him who reproaches me.

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than he who is crooked though he be rich.

A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth
And does not know that want will come upon him.

He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
Than he who flatters with the tongue.

Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Surely I am more stupid than any man,
And I do not have the understanding of a man.

Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,

That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or that I not be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God.

The leech has two daughters,
“Give,” “Give.”
There are three things that will not be satisfied,
Four that will not say, “Enough”:

Sheol, and the barren womb,
Earth that is never satisfied with water,
And fire that never says, “Enough.”

The eye that mocks a father
And scorns a mother,
The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young eagles will eat it.

Do not give your strength to women,
Or your ways to that which destroys kings.

She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.