For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.

Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.

For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil:

Remove thy way far from her, And come not nigh the door of her house;

Let them be for thyself alone, And not for strangers with thee.

For why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?

For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah; And he maketh level all his paths.

He shall die for lack of instruction; And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

My son, if thou art become surety for thy neighbor, If thou hast stricken thy hands for a stranger;

For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; And reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread; And the adulteress hunteth for the precious life.

Can a man take fire in his bosom, And his clothes not be burned?

For jealousy is the rage of a man; And he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;

For the man is not at home; He is gone a long journey:

With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield; With the flattering of her lips she forceth him along.

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

For she hath cast down many wounded: Yea, all her slain are a mighty host.

Hear, for I will speak excellent things; And the opening of my lips shall be right things.

For my mouth shall utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

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

The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the perverse mouth, do I hate.

Now therefore, my'sons, hearken unto me; For blessed are they that keep my ways.

For whoso findeth me findeth life, And shall obtain favor of Jehovah.

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: As for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him,

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

For by me thy days shall be multiplied, And the years of thy life shall be increased.

If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself; And if thou scoffest, thou alone shalt bear it.

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; And as for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him,

In the lips of him that hath discernment wisdom is found; But a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

The lips of the righteous feed many; But the foolish die for lack of understanding.

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

The fear of Jehovah prolongeth days; But the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it; But he that hateth suretyship is secure.

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

The words of the wicked are of lying in wait for blood; But the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

The lip of truth shall be established for ever; But a lying tongue is but for a moment.

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

A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children; And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous.

In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his pride; But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence; And his children shall have a place of refuge.

The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life, That one may depart from the snares of death.

There is grievous correction for him that forsaketh the way; And he that hateth reproof shall die.

Better is little, with the fear of Jehovah, Than great treasure and trouble therewith.

Jehovah is far from the wicked; But he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

The fear of Jehovah is the instruction of wisdom; And before honor goeth humility.

Jehovah hath made everything for its own end; Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for; And by the fear of Jehovah men depart from evil.

It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness; For the throne is established by righteousness.

The appetite of the laboring man laboreth for him; For his mouth urgeth him thereto .

A worthless man deviseth mischief; And in his lips there is as a scorching fire.

The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But Jehovah trieth the hearts.

Whoso rewardeth evil for good, Evil shall not depart from his house.

A friend loveth at all times; And a brother is born for adversity.

Also to punish the righteous is not good, Nor to smite the noble for their uprightness.

A fool's lips enter into contention, And his mouth calleth for stripes.

A man's gift maketh room for him, And bringeth him before great men.

All the brethren of the poor do hate him: How much more do his friends go far from him! He pursueth them with words, but they are gone.

Delicate living is not seemly for a fool; Much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

A man of great wrath shall bear the penalty; For if thou deliver him , thou must do it yet again.

The fear of Jehovah tendeth to life; And he that hath it'shall abide satisfied; He shall not be visited with evil.

Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And stripes for the back of fools.

It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; But every fool will be quarrelling.

Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; And hold him in pledge that is surety for foreigners.

Say not thou, I will recompense evil: Wait for Jehovah, and he will save thee.

The getting of treasures by a lying tongue Is a vapor driven to and fro by them that seek death.

The way of him that is laden with guilt is exceeding crooked; But as for the pure, his work is right.

The wicked is a ransom for the righteous; And the treacherous cometh in the stead of the upright.

The desire of the sluggard killeth him; For his hands refuse to labor.

A wicked man hardeneth his face; But as for the upright, he establisheth his ways.

A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

The reward of humility and the fear of Jehovah Is riches, and honor, and life.

Thorns and'snares are in the way of the perverse: He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; For he giveth of his bread to the poor.

He that loveth pureness of heart, For the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; But the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, If they be established together upon thy lips.

For Jehovah will plead their cause, And despoil of life those that despoil them.

Be thou not one of them that strike hands, Or of them that are sureties for debts.

Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings, Like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.

For as he thinketh within himself, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; But his heart is not with thee.

Speak not in the hearing of a fool; For he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

For their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their cause against thee.

Withhold not correction from the child; For if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.

Let not thy heart envy sinners; But be thou in the fear of Jehovah all the day long:

For surely there is a reward; And thy hope shall not be cut off.

For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.

For a harlot is a deep ditch; And a foreign woman is a narrow pit.

For their heart studieth oppression, And their lips talk of mischief.

For by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war; And in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

Wisdom is too high for a fool: He openeth not his mouth in the gate.

My son, eat thou honey, for it is good; And the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste:

For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

For there shall be no reward to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king; And company not with them that are given to change:

For their calamity shall rise suddenly; And the destruction from them both, who knoweth it?

Prepare thy work without, And make it ready for thee in the field; And afterwards build thy house.

As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

Take away the dross from the silver, And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner: