My son, walk not thou with them, refrain thy foot from their ways.

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and keep my commandments by thee,

that thou wilt incline thin ears unto wisdom; apply thine heart then to understanding.

For if thou criest after wisdom, and callest for knowledge;

If thou seekest after her as after money, and diggest for her as for treasures;

then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

Then shalt thou understand righteousness, judgment and equity - yea, and every good path.

That thou mayest be delivered from the evil way, and from the man that speaketh froward things;

That thou mayest be delivered also from the strange woman, and from her that is not thine own: which giveth sweet words,

Therefore walk thou in the good way, and keep the paths of the righteous.

So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and men.

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD, neither faint when thou are rebuked of him.

Wisdom is more worth than precious stones, and all the things that thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Then shalt thou walk safely in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble.

If thou sleepest thou shalt not be afraid, but shall take thy rest and sleep sweetly.

Thou needest not to be afraid of any sudden fear, neither for the violent rushing of the ungodly, when it cometh.

For the LORD shall be beside thee, and keep thy foot that thou be not taken.

whereas thou hast now to give him. Intend no hurt unto thy neighbour, seeing he hopeth to dwell in rest by thee.

he taught me also, saying, "Let thine heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.

The chief point of wisdom is that thou be willing to obtain wisdom, and before all thy goods to get the understanding.

Make much of her and she shall promote thee: Yea, if thou embracest her, she shall bring thee unto honour.

So that if thou goest therein, there shall no straitness hinder thee: and when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall.

that thou mayest regard good counsel, and that thy lips may keep nurture.

She regardeth not the path of life, so unsteadfast are her ways, that thou canst not know them.

That thou give not thine honour unto another, and thy years to the cruel;

Yea, that thou mourn not at the last, when thou hast spent thy body and goods,

My son, why wilt thou have pleasure in a harlot, and embrace the bosom of another woman?

My son, if thou be surety for thy neighbour, thou hast fastened thine hand with another man:

yea, thou art bound with thine own words, and taken with thine own speech.

Therefore my son, do this: and thou shalt be discharged, when thou art come into thy neighbour's danger. Go thy ways then soon, and entreat thy neighbour:

Go to the Emmet, thou sluggard: consider her ways, and learn to be wise.

How long wilt thou sleep, thou sluggish man? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

Yea, sleep on still a little, slumber a little, fold thy hands together yet a little, that thou mayest sleep:

That they may lead thee where thou goest, preserve thee when thou art asleep, and that when thou awakest, thou mayest talk of them.

that thou lust not after her beauty in thine heart, and lest thou be taken with her fair looks.

no, though thou wouldest offer him great gifts to make amends, he will not receive them.

Keep my commandments and my law, even as the apple of thine eye, and thou shalt live.

Say unto wisdom, "Thou art my sister," and call understanding thy kinswoman:

Let not thine heart wander in her ways, and be thou not deceived in her paths.

For wisdom is more worth than precious stones; yea, all the things that thou canst desire, are not to be compared unto it.

If thou be wise, thy wisdom shall do thyself good: but if thou thinkest scorn thereof, it shall be thine own harm.

Or ever thou canst turn thee about, the ungodly shall be overthrown; but the house of the righteous shall stand.

See that thou meddle not with a fool; and do as though thou hadst no knowledge.

Commit thy works unto the LORD, and look: what thou devisest, it shall prosper.

For great wrath bringeth harm; therefore let him go, and so mayest thou teach him more nurture.

O give ear unto good counsel, and be content to be reformed; that thou mayest be wise here after.

If thou smitest a scornful person, the ignorant shall take better heed; and if thou reprovest one that hath understanding, he will be the wiser.

Delight not thou in sleep, lest thou come to poverty; but open thine eyes, and thou shalt have bread enough.

Say not thou, "I will recompense evil"; but put thy trust in the LORD, and he shall defend thee.

If thou teachest a child in his youth what way he should go; he shall not leave it when he is old.

for it is a pleasant thing if thou keep it in thine heart, and practice it in thy mouth -

that thou mayest always put thy trust in the LORD.

That I might show thee the truth and that thou with the verity mightest answer them that lay anything against thee?

See that thou rob not the poor because he is weak, and oppress not the simple in judgment;

lest thou learn his ways, and receive hurt unto thy soul.

Be not thou one of them that bind their hand upon promise, and are surety for debt;

for if thou hast nothing to pay, they shall take away thy bed from under thee.

Thou shalt not remove the landmark, which thy fore elders have set.

Seest thou not, that they which be diligent in their business stand before kings, and not among the simple people?

When thou sittest at the table to eat with a lord, order thyself mannerly with the things that are set before thee.

and if thou wilt rule thy own self, be not over greedy of his meat, for meat beguileth and deceiveth.

Why wilt thou set thine eye upon the thing, which suddenly vanisheth away? For riches make themselves wings, and take their flight like an Eagle into the air.

Eat not thou with the envious, and desire not his meat,

Yea the morsels that thou hast eaten shalt thou parbreak and loose those sweet words.

Withhold not correction from the child; for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die thereof.

Thou smitest him with the rod; but thou deliverest his soul from hell.

Look not thou upon the wine, how red it is, and what a color it giveth in the glass.

Yea, thou shalt be as though thou slept in the midst of the sea, or on the top of the mast of a ship.

"They wounded me," shalt thou say, "but it hath not hurt me. They smote me, but I felt it not. When I am well awakened, I will go to the drink again."

Be not thou jealous over wicked men, and desire not thou to be among them.

If thou be overseen and negligent in time of need, then is thy strength but small.

If thou wilt say, "I knew not of it"; Thinkest thou that he which made the hearts, doth not consider it? And that he which regardeth thy soul, seeth it not? Shall not he recompense every man according to his works?

My son, thou eatest honey and the sweet honeycomb, because it is good and sweet in thy mouth.

Even so shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul, as soon as thou hast gotten it. And there is good hope; yea, thy hope shall not be in vain.

Rejoice not thou at the fall of thine enemy; and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth.

My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and keep no company with them that slide back from his fear:

He that sayeth unto the ungodly, "Thou art righteous," him shall the people curse; yea, the commonality shall abhor him.

First, make up thy work that is without, and look well unto that which thou hast in the field, and then build thine house.

Better it is that it be said unto thee, "Come up hither," than thou to be set down in the presence of the prince whom thou seest with thine eyes.

Be not hasty to go to the law, lest thou knowest not what to do when thy neighbor hath confounded thee.

If thou findest honey, eat so much as is sufficient for thee; lest thou be overfull, and parbreak it out again.

For so shalt thou heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

Give not the fool an answer after his foolishness, lest thou become like unto him;

If thou seest a man that is wise in his own conceit, there is more hope in a fool than in him.

Make not thy boast of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what may happen today.

Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, see thou forsake not; but go not into thy brother's house in time of thy trouble. Better is a friend at hand than a brother far off.

My son, be wise, and thou shalt make me a glad heart; so that I shall make answer unto my rebukers.

Though thou shouldest bray a fool with a pedestal in a mortar like oatmeal, yet will not his foolishness go from him.

See that thou know the number of thy cattle thy self, and look well to thy flocks.

The lambs shall clothe thee, and for the goats thou shalt have money to thy husbandry.

Thou shalt have goats' milk enough to feed thee, to uphold thy household, and to sustain thy maidens.

If thou seest a man that is hasty to speak unadvised; thou mayest trust a fool more than him.

Who hath climbed up into heaven? Who hath come down from thence? Who hath holden the wind fast in his hand? Who hath comprehended the waters in a garment? Who hath set all the ends of the world? What is his name, or his son's name? Canst thou tell?

Put thou nothing therefore unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found as a liar.

Two things I require of thee, that thou will not deny me before I die.

Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he speak evil of thee also, and thou be hurt.

If thou be so foolish to magnify thyself, or meddlest with any such thing, then lay thine hand upon thy mouth.

My son, thou son of my body: O my dear beloved son,

Be thou an advocate and stand in judgment thyself, to speak for all such as be dumb and sucourless.

Many daughters there be that gather riches together, but thou goest above them all.