Then I was by his side, as a master workman: and I was his delight from day to day, playing before him at all times;

Give ear to me then, my sons: for happy are those who keep my ways.

Take my teaching and be wise; do not let it go.

Happy is the man who gives ear to me, watching at my doors day by day, keeping his place by the pillars of my house.

For whoever gets me gets life, and grace from the Lord will come to him.

But he who does evil to me, does wrong to his soul: all my haters are in love with death.

She has put her fat beasts to death; her wine is mixed, her table is ready.

She has sent out her women-servants; her voice goes out to the highest places of the town, saying,

Whoever is simple, let him come in here; and to him who has no sense, she says:

He who gives teaching to a man of pride gets shame for himself; he who says sharp words to a sinner gets a bad name.

Do not say sharp words to a man of pride, or he will have hate for you; make them clear to a wise man, and you will be dear to him.

Give teaching to a wise man, and he will become wiser; give training to an upright man, and his learning will be increased.

Crying out to those who go by, going straight on their way, she says:

Whoever is simple, let him come in here: and to him who is without sense, she says:

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

The memory of the upright is a blessing, but the name of the evil-doer will be turned to dust.

Where there is much talk there will be no end to sin, but he who keeps his mouth shut does wisely.

The lips of the upright man give food to men, but the foolish come to death for need of sense.

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

The thing feared by the evil-doer will come to him, but the upright man will get his desire.

Like acid drink to the teeth and as smoke to the eyes, so is the hater of work to those who send him.

The way of the Lord is a strong tower for the upright man, but destruction to the workers of evil.

Wealth is of no profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness keeps a man safe from death.

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 man who has mercy will be rewarded, but the cruel man is the cause of trouble to himself.

A man may give freely, and still his wealth will be increased; and another may keep back more than is right, but only comes to be in need.

He who puts his faith in wealth will come to nothing; but the upright man will be full of growth like the green leaf.

The troubler of his house will have the wind for his heritage, and the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.

A woman of virtue is a crown to her husband; but she whose behaviour is a cause of shame is like a wasting disease in his bones.

The resting-place of the sinner will come to destruction, but the root of upright men is for ever.

The way of the foolish man seems right to him? but the wise man gives ear to suggestions.

No trouble will come to upright men, but sinners will be full of evil.

The hand of the ready worker will have authority, but he who is slow in his work will be put to forced work.

The upright man is a guide to his neighbour, but the way of evil-doers is a cause of error to them.

In the road of righteousness is life, but the way of the evil-doer goes to death.

A wise son is a lover of teaching, but the ears of the haters of authority are shut to sharp words.

The upright man is a hater of false words: the evil-doer gets a bad name and is put to shame.

A man will give his wealth in exchange for his life; but the poor will not give ear to sharp words.

Hope put off is a weariness to the heart; but when what is desired comes, it is a tree of life.

He who makes sport of the word will come to destruction, but the respecter of the law will be rewarded.

To get one's desire is sweet to the soul, but to give up evil is disgusting to the foolish.

The heritage of the good man is handed down to his children's children; and the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the upright man.

He who keeps back his rod is unkind to his son: the loving father gives punishment with care.

The upright man has food to the full measure of his desire, but there will be no food for the stomach of evil-doers.

The hater of authority, searching for wisdom, does not get it; but knowledge comes readily to the open-minded man.

The house of the sinner will be overturned, but the tent of the upright man will do well.

The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.

He who is quickly angry will do what is foolish, but the man of good sense will have quiet.

Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.

A king's glory is in the number of his people: and for need of people a ruler may come to destruction.

He who is slow to be angry has great good sense; but he whose spirit is over-quick gives support to what is foolish.

By righteousness a nation is lifted up, but sin is a cause of shame to the peoples.

The offering of the evil-doer is disgusting to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright man is his delight.

The way of the evil-doer is disgusting to the Lord, but he who goes after righteousness is dear to him.

The hater of authority has no love for teaching: he will not go to the wise.

An angry man makes men come to blows, but he who is slow to get angry puts an end to fighting.

Foolish behaviour is joy to the unwise; but a man of good sense makes his way straight.

Where there are no wise suggestions, purposes come to nothing; but by a number of wise guides they are made certain.

Evil designs are disgusting to the Lord, but the words of the clean-hearted are pleasing.

He whose desires are fixed on profit is a cause of trouble to his family; but he who has no desire for offerings will have life.

The heart of the upright gives thought to his answer; but from the mouth of the evil-doer comes a stream of evil things.

The Lord is far from sinners, but his ear is open to the prayer of the upright.

The light of the eyes is a joy to the heart, and good news makes the bones fat.

The man whose ear is open to the teaching of life will have his place among the wise.

He who will not be controlled by training has no respect for his soul, but he who gives ear to teaching will get wisdom.

All a man's ways are clean to himself; but the Lord puts men's spirits into his scales.

The Lord has made everything for his purpose, even the sinner for the day of evil.

Everyone who has pride in his heart is disgusting to the Lord: he will certainly not go free from punishment.

When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his haters be at peace with him.

Evil-doing is disgusting to kings: for the seat of the ruler is based on righteousness.

Lips of righteousness are the delight of kings; and he who says what is upright is dear to him.

How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! and to get knowledge is more to be desired than silver.

The highway of the upright is to be turned away from evil: he who takes care of his way will keep his soul.

Better it is to have a gentle spirit with the poor, than to take part in the rewards of war with men of pride.

He who gives attention to the law of right will get good; and whoever puts his faith in the Lord is happy.

Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it; but the punishment of the foolish is their foolish behaviour.

The heart of the wise man is the teacher of his mouth, and gives increased learning to his lips.

Pleasing words are like honey, sweet to the soul and new life to the bones.

He who is slow to be angry is better than a man of war, and he who has control over his spirit than he who takes a town.

A thing may be put to the decision of chance, but it comes about through the Lord.

A wrongdoer gives attention to evil lips, and a man of deceit gives ear to a damaging tongue.

Fair words are not to be looked for from a foolish man, much less are false lips in a ruler.

It is better to come face to face with a bear whose young ones have been taken away than with a foolish man acting foolishly.

The start of fighting is like the letting out of water: so give up before it comes to blows.

He who gives a decision for the evil-doer and he who gives a decision against the upright, are equally disgusting to the Lord.

Nothing good comes to him whose heart is fixed on evil purposes: and he who has an evil tongue will come to trouble.

A sinner takes an offering out of his robe, to get a decision for himself in a cause.

A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitter pain to her who gave him birth.

To give punishment to the upright is not good, or to give blows to the noble for their righteousness.

Even the foolish man, when he keeps quiet, is taken to be wise: when his lips are shut he is credited with good sense.

A foolish man has no pleasure in good sense, but only to let what is in his heart come to light.

To have respect for the person of the evil-doer is not good, or to give a wrong decision against the upright.

A foolish man's lips are a cause of fighting, and his mouth makes him open to blows.

He who does not give his mind to his work is brother to him who makes destruction.

To give an answer before hearing is a foolish thing and a cause of shame.

The man who first puts his cause before the judge seems to be in the right; but then his neighbour comes and puts his cause in its true light.

The decision of chance puts an end to argument, parting the strong.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and those to whom it is dear will have its fruit for their food.

Great numbers will make attempts to get the approval of a ruler: and every man is the special friend of him who has something to give.

All the brothers of the poor man are against him: how much more do his friends go far from him! ...