I also will laugh at your disaster;
I will mock when your dread and panic come,

“Then they will call upon me (Wisdom), but I will not answer;
They will seek me eagerly but they will not find me,

They would not accept my counsel,
And they spurned all my rebuke.

My son, if you will receive my words
And treasure my commandments within you,

So that your ear is attentive to [skillful and godly] wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding [seeking it conscientiously and striving for it eagerly];

Then you will understand the [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome]
And discover the knowledge of God.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice [in every circumstance]
And integrity and every good path.

Do not let mercy and kindness and truth leave you [instead let these qualities define you];
Bind them [securely] around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.

Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart
And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].

Honor the Lord with your wealth
And with the first fruits of all your crops (income);

Her ways are highways of pleasantness and favor,
And all her paths are peace.

And they will be life to your soul (your inner self)
And a gracious adornment to your neck (your outer self).

Then you will walk on your way [of life] securely
And your foot will not stumble.

Do not be afraid of sudden fear
Nor of the storm of the wicked when it comes [since you will be blameless];

Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.

The wise will inherit honor and glory,
But dishonor and shame is conferred on fools.

“Do not turn away from her (Wisdom) and she will guard and protect you;
Love her, and she will watch over you.

“The beginning of wisdom is: Get [skillful and godly] wisdom [it is preeminent]!
And with all your acquiring, get understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation].

“Prize wisdom [and exalt her], and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.

“She will place on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty and glory.”

When you walk, your steps will not be impeded [for your path will be clear and open];
And when you run, you will not stumble.

For they are life to those who find them,
And healing and health to all their flesh.

Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.

Consider well and watch carefully the path of your feet,
And all your ways will be steadfast and sure.

For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey [like a honeycomb]
And her speech is smoother than oil;

“I was almost in total ruin
In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

Drink water from your own cistern [of a pure marriage relationship]
And fresh running water from your own well.

Let her be as a loving hind and graceful doe,
Let her breasts refresh and satisfy you at all times;
Always be exhilarated and delight in her love.

For the ways of man are directly before the eyes of the Lord,
And He carefully watches all of his paths [all of his comings and goings].

He will die for lack of instruction (discipline),
And in the greatness of his foolishness he will go astray and be lost.

How long will you lie down, O lazy one?
When will you arise from your sleep [and learn self-discipline]?

So your poverty will come like an approaching prowler who walks [slowly, but surely]
And your need [will come] like an armed man [making you helpless].

For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching [of the law] is light,
And reproofs (rebukes) for discipline are the way of life,

So is the one who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her will not be found innocent or go unpunished.

But when he is found, he must repay seven times [what he stole];
He must give all the property of his house [if necessary to meet his fine].

Wounds and disgrace he will find,
And his reproach (blame) will not be blotted out.

For jealousy enrages the [wronged] husband;
He will not spare [the guilty one] on the day of vengeance.

He will not accept any ransom [offered to buy him off from demanding full punishment];
Nor will he be satisfied though you offer him many gifts (bribes).

He has taken a bag of money with him,
And he will come home on the appointed day.”

Until an arrow pierced his liver [with a mortal wound];
Like a bird fluttering straight into the net,
He did not know that it would cost him his life.

For she has cast down many [mortally] wounded;
Indeed, all who were killed by her were strong.

“Listen, for I will speak excellent and noble things;
And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.

“All the words of my mouth are in righteousness (upright, in right standing with God);
There is nothing contrary to truth or perverted (crooked) in them.

“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 desirable things cannot compare with her.

“By me princes rule, and nobles,
All who judge and govern rightly.

While He had not yet made the earth and the fields,
Or the first of the dust of the earth.

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

Do not correct a scoffer [who foolishly ridicules and takes no responsibility for his error] or he will hate you;
Correct a wise man [who learns from his error], and he will love you.

Give instruction to a wise man and he will become even wiser;
Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself [for your own benefit];
If you scoff [thoughtlessly ridicule and disdain], you alone will pay the penalty.

The foolish woman is restless and noisy;
She is naive and easily misled and thoughtless, and knows nothing at all [of eternal value].

The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger [God will meet all his needs],
But He will reject and cast away the craving of the wicked.

The wise in heart [are willing to learn so they] will accept and obey commands (instruction),
But the babbling fool [who is arrogant and thinks himself wise] will come to ruin.

He who [maliciously] winks the eye [of evil intent] causes trouble;
And the babbling fool [who is arrogant and thinks himself wise] will come to ruin.

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life and his words of wisdom are a source of blessing,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence and evil.

Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers and overwhelms all transgressions [forgiving and overlooking another’s faults].

When it goes well for the righteous, the city rejoices,
And when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

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 hand of the diligent will rule,
But the negligent and lazy will be put to forced labor.

Through pride and presumption come nothing but strife,
But [skillful and godly] wisdom is with those who welcome [well-advised] counsel.

Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles,
But he who gathers gradually by [honest] labor will increase [his riches].

A faithful and trustworthy witness will not lie,
But a false witness speaks lies.

Leave the presence of a [shortsighted] fool,
For you will not find knowledge or hear godly wisdom from his lips.

The naive or inexperienced person [is easily misled and] believes every word he hears,
But the prudent man [is discreet and astute and] considers well where he is going.

In all labor there is profit,
But mere talk leads only to poverty.

There is severe discipline for him who turns from the way [of righteousness];
And he who hates correction will die.

A scoffer [unlike a wise man] resents one who rebukes him and tries to teach him;
Nor will he go to the wise [for counsel and instruction].

All the days of the afflicted are bad,
But a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of the circumstances].

He who profits unlawfully brings suffering to his own house,
But he who hates bribes [and does not receive nor pay them] will live.

The ear that listens to and learns from the life-giving rebuke (reprimand, censure)
Will remain among the wise.

All the ways of a man are clean and innocent in his own eyes [and he may see nothing wrong with his actions],
But the Lord weighs and examines the motives and intents [of the heart and knows the truth].

Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him],
And your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance].

Everyone who is proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting and exceedingly offensive to the Lord;
Be assured he will not go unpunished.

A just balance and [honest] scales are the Lord’s;
All the weights of the bag are His concern [established by His eternal principles].

The wrath of a king is like a messenger of death,
But a wise man will appease it.

A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.

He who has a crooked mind finds no good,
And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil.

He who [willfully] separates himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire,
He quarrels against all sound wisdom.

When the wicked man comes [to the depth of evil], contempt [of all that is pure and good] also comes,
And with inner baseness (dishonor) comes outer shame (scorn).

The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall [of protection] in his own imagination and conceit.

The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin,
But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother.

Many will seek the favor of a generous and noble man,
And everyone is a friend to him who gives gifts.

All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his friends abandon him!
He pursues them with words, but they are gone.

He who is gracious and lends a hand to the poor lends to the Lord,
And the Lord will repay him for his good deed.

Discipline and teach your son while there is hope,
And do not [indulge your anger or resentment by imposing inappropriate punishment nor] desire his destruction.

A man of great anger will bear the penalty [for his quick temper and lack of self-control];
For if you rescue him [and do not let him learn from the consequences of his action], you will only have to rescue him over and over again.

Many plans are in a man’s mind,
But it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand (be carried out).

The lazy man buries his hand in the [food] dish,
But will not even bring it to his mouth again.

Strike a scoffer [for refusing to learn], and the naive may [be warned and] become prudent;
Reprimand one who has understanding and a teachable spirit, and he will gain knowledge and insight.

It is an honor for a man to keep away from strife [by handling situations with thoughtful foresight],
But any fool will [start a] quarrel [without regard for the consequences].

A plan (motive, wise counsel) in the heart of a man is like water in a deep well,
But a man of understanding draws it out.

A [discerning] king who sits on the throne of judgment
Sifts all evil [like chaff] with his eyes [and cannot be easily fooled].

Do not love [excessive] sleep, or you will become poor;
Open your eyes [so that you can do your work] and you will be satisfied with bread.

There is gold, and an abundance of pearls,
But the lips of knowledge are a vessel of preciousness [the most precious of all].

Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel [just as sin may be sweet at first, but later its consequences bring despair].

An inheritance hastily gained [by greedy, unjust means] at the beginning
Will not be blessed in the end.

Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
Wait [expectantly] for the Lord, and He will rescue and save you.

A wise king sifts out the wicked [from among the good]
And drives the [threshing] wheel over them [to separate the chaff from the grain].