I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

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

That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

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

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

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

Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

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

when He set a limit for the sea
so that the waters would not violate His command,
when He laid out 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.

Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

Hear ye correction, and be wise, and do not neglect.

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

For he who finds me [is] he who finds life, and he obtains favor from Yahweh.

“But he who fails to find me or sins against me injures himself;
All those who hate me love and court death.”

Wisdom hath builded herself a house, and hewn out seven pillars:

She hath slaughtered her slaughter, She hath mingled her wine, Yea, she hath arranged her table.

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.

He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, 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 the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

For by me your days shall increase, and years of life shall multiply for you.

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

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,

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.

The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

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

Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

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

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

He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

Hate is a cause of violent acts, but all errors are covered up by love.

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 lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

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

He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

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

The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.

The lips of a righteous man feed many; but fools die for want of understanding.

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

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

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

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

As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.

The fear of Yahweh adds life, but the years of the wicked are shortened.

The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

The upright man will never be moved, but evil-doers will not have a safe resting-place in the land.

The mouth of a righteous man putteth 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 cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

Wealth profiteth not in a day of wrath, And 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.

A righteous person is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked takes his place.

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.

By the blessing of the upright is a city exalted, And by the mouth of the wicked thrown down.

He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellers there is safety.

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

A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.

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

They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.

Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

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

A liberal soul is made fat, And whoso is watering, he also is watered.

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

Whoso is earnestly seeking good Seeketh a pleasing thing, And whoso is seeking evil -- it meeteth him.

He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

Behold, a righteous man shall be recompensed in the earth, how much more the wicked man and the sinner!

Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.

A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.

A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

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