And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

(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,

So I came out in the hope of meeting you, looking for you with care, and now I have you.

I’ve spread coverings on my bed—
richly colored linen from Egypt.

Come, let us revel in love until the morning, let us delight ourselves with loves.

For the man is not in his house, He hath gone on a long journey.

he hath taken the money-bag with him, he will come home on the day of the full moon.

He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

Till an arrow strike through his liver; As a bird hasteth to the snare, And knoweth not that it is for his life.

Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

For those wounded and made low by her are great in number; and all those who have come to their death through her are a great army.

Ways to hades, are in her house, descending into the chambers of death.

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

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.

O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

“Take my instruction rather than [seeking] silver,
And take knowledge rather than choicest gold,

For wisdom is better than jewels, and all things which may be desired are nothing in comparison with her.

"I, wisdom, have my dwelling with knowledge, and prudent counsel is mine own.

The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.

Through me chiefs have authority, and the noble ones are judging in righteousness.

“Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring wealth and righteousness (right standing with God).

I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

[in order] to endow those who love me [with] wealth, and I will fill their treasuries.

The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

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

When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was brought forth;

When he had not yet made earth and fields, or the first dust of the world,

When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

Happy [is the] person who listens to me, [in order] to keep watch at my doors day by day, [in order] to guard the frames of my entrances.

For the one who finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the Lord,

But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

She hath sent forth her damsels, She crieth on the tops of the high places of the city:

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

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

Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

The one who corrects a mocker
will bring dishonor on himself;
the one who rebukes a wicked man will get hurt.

Thou shalt not reprove him mocking, lest he shall hate thee: reprove to the wise one and he will love thee.

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

The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

For in me thy days shall be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to thee.

If you are wise, you are wise for your own benefit;
if you mock, you alone will bear the consequences.”

A foolish restless woman, full of words, and such one as hath no knowledge,

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

To call passengers who go right on their ways:

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

Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

Proverbs of Solomon. A wise son causeth a father to rejoice, And a foolish son is an affliction to his mother.

Treasures of wickedness and ill-gotten gains do not profit,
But righteousness and moral integrity in daily life rescues from death.

The Lord will not let the upright be in need of food, but he puts far from him the desire of the evil-doers.

Idle hands make one poor,
but diligent hands bring riches.

He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

Blessings are on the head of the righteous [the upright, those in right standing with God],
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

The memory of the just one for blessing: and the name of the wicked shall be rotten.

The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

He that walketh in integrity walketh securely; but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

The winking of an eye causes trouble, and the foolishness of lips comes to ruin.

The mouth of a righteous one is a well of life; but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

Wise men store up and treasure knowledge [in mind and heart],
But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

The wages of the righteous [the upright, those in right standing with God] is [a worthwhile, meaningful] life,
The income of the wicked, punishment.

He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.

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

In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

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

The lips of the righteous feed a whole multitude; but fools shall die in their own folly.

The blessing of Yahweh makes [one] rich, and he does not increase sorrow with it.

It is sport to the foolish man to do evil, but the man of good sense takes delight in wisdom.

The dread of the lawless one, the same, shall overtake him, but, the desire of the righteous, shall he granted.

As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.

Like vinegar to the tooth and like smoke to the eyes, thus [is] the lazy to one who employs him.

The [reverent] fear of the Lord [worshiping, obeying, serving, and trusting Him with awe-filled respect] prolongs one’s life,
But the years of the wicked will be shortened.

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 fortress to the upright one: and destruction to those doing iniquity.

The righteous shall never be removed; But the wicked shall not dwell in the land.

The speech of the righteous bears the fruit of wisdom, but the one who speaks perversion will be destroyed.

The lips of the righteous are occupied in acceptable things; but the mouth of the ungodly taketh them to the worst.

A false balance is an abomination to Jehovah; But a just weight is his delight.

When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

The innocent dealing of the just shall lead them; but the unfaithfulness of the despisers shall be their own destruction.

Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.

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

An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

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

When the upright are blessed, exalted is the city, but, by the mouth of the lawless, it is overthrown.

One who despises his neighbor is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding holds his peace.