Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to what I have to say.

Does not wisdom call,
And understanding lift up her voice?

On the top of high places by the way, at the cross-paths she taketh her stand.

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

“People, I call out to you;
my cry is to mankind.

Listen, for I speak of noble things,
and what my lips say is right.

For good faith goes out of my mouth, and false lips are disgusting to me.

“They are all straightforward to him who understands [with an open and willing mind],
And right to those who find knowledge and live by it.

For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

It is by me that kings reign
and rulers enact just law;

My fruit is better than the purest gold, and what I produce is better than choice silver.

“The Lord created and possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old [were accomplished].

At the outset of the ages, had I been established, in advance of the antiquities of the earth;

When there were no ocean depths, I brought them to birth at a time when there were no springs.

Ere yet the mountains had been settled, before the hills, had I been brought forth;

While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

“When He established the heavens, I [Wisdom] was there;
When He drew a circle upon the face of the deep,

When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth;

Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight -- day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,

As for the round compass of his world, I make it joyful: for my delight is to be among the children of men.

Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.

Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:

She hath killed her victuals, poured out her wine, and prepared her table.

She has sent out her maidens, she calls
From the highest places of the city:

Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.

The instructor of a scorner Is receiving for it -- shame, And a reprover of the wicked -- his blemish.

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

A foolish woman is noisy, Simple, and hath not known what.

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:

The Lord will not let the righteous go hungry,
but He denies the wicked what they crave.

He who gathers in the summer [is] a child who is prudent; he who sleeps at the harvest [is] a child who brings shame.

The memory of the righteous, yieldeth blessing, but, the name of the lawless, dieth out.

He who walks in integrity and with moral character walks securely,
But he who takes a crooked way will be discovered and punished.

What the righteous say is a flowing fountain, but what the wicked say conceals violence.

Wise men, treasure up knowledge, but, the mouth of the foolish, is a terror near at hand.

Whoso is covering hatred with lying lips, And whoso is bringing out an evil report is a fool.

Transgression is at work where people talk too much, but anyone who holds his tongue is prudent.

The tongue of the righteous is like precious silver (greatly valued);
The heart of the wicked is worth little.

What the righteous person says nourishes many, but fools die because they lack discerning hearts.

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.

The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.

The fear of Jehovah will add days, and the years of the unjust shall be diminished.

The hope of the righteous [those of honorable character and integrity] is joy,
But the expectation of the wicked [those who oppose God and ignore His wisdom] comes to nothing.

The way of Jehovah is a stronghold to the upright; But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.

The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.

When pride appears, disgrace accompanies it, but humility is present with wisdom.

The righteousness of the blameless will smooth their way and keep it straight,
But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.

At the death of an upright man his hope does not come to an end, but the hope of the evil-doer comes to destruction.

The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

With the mouth a hypocrite corrupteth his friend, And by knowledge the righteous are drawn out.

When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.

By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

A fool bringeth up a slander of his neighbour; but a wise man will keep it secret.

He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.

Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished,
But the descendants of the righteous will be freed.

The desire of the righteous turns out well,
but the hope of the wicked leads to wrath.

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.

If the righteous will be rewarded on the earth [with godly blessings],
How much more [will] the wicked and the sinner [be repaid with punishment]!

The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

It is better to be lowly and a servant {to someone} than self-glorifying and lacking food.

The righteous person looks out for the welfare of his livestock, but even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

Whoever tills his soil will have a lot to eat, but anyone who pursues fantasies lacks sense.

The wicked desire what evil men have,
but the root of the righteous produces fruit.

The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

Look: what a fool taketh in hand, he thinketh it well done; but he that is wise, will be counseled.

A fool’s displeasure is known at once,
but whoever ignores an insult is sensible.

He who speaks truth [when he testifies] tells what is right,
But a false witness utters deceit [in court].

Some speak rashly like the cutting of a sword, but what the wise say promotes healing.

Deceit is at home in the heart of those who plan evil, but those who promote peace rejoice.

A prudent man keeps what he knows to himself, but the hearts of fools shout forth their foolishness.

Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

A righteous person will seek out his neighbor, but the way of the wicked will lead them astray.

The slothful roasteth not what he took in hunting; but man's precious substance is to the diligent.

In the way of righteousness is life; and in the path of it there is no death.

A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.

He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

The slacker craves, yet has nothing,
but the diligent is fully satisfied.

There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.

The ransom for a man’s life is his wealth,
But the poor man does not even have to listen to a rebuke or threats [from the envious].

The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

Wealth gotten by vanity diminisheth; but he that gathereth by manual-labour shall increase it.

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

Whoso despiseth the word shall be held by it; but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

What the wise have to teach is a fountain of life and causes someone to avoid the snares of death.

Every prudent one dealeth with knowledge, And a fool spreadeth out folly.

The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.

Walk with wise men, and thou shalt be wise; But the companion of fools shall smart for it.

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for [the hands of] the righteous.