The proverbs (truths obscurely expressed, maxims) of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

My son, hear the instruction of your father,
And do not reject the teaching of your mother.

My son, if sinners entice you,
Do not consent.

My son, do not walk on the road with them;
Keep your foot [far] away from their path,

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

My son, do not forget my teaching,
But let your heart keep my commandments;

My son, do not reject or take lightly the discipline of the Lord [learn from your mistakes and the testing that comes from His correction through discipline];
Nor despise His rebuke,

For those whom the Lord loves He corrects,
Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

My son, let them not escape from your sight,
But keep sound wisdom and discretion,

When I was a son with my father (David),
Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother (Bathsheba),

Hear, my son, and accept my sayings,
And the years of your life will be many.

My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn;
Open your ears to my sayings.

My son, be attentive to my wisdom [godly wisdom learned by costly experience],
Incline your ear to my understanding;

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

Why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an immoral woman
And embrace the bosom of an outsider (pagan)?

The iniquities done by a wicked man will trap him,
And he will be held with the cords of his sin.

My son, if you have become surety (guaranteed a debt or obligation) for your neighbor,
If you have given your pledge for [the debt of] a stranger or another [outside your family],

Do this now, my son, and release yourself [from the obligation];
Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor,
Go humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor [to pay his debt and release you].

My son, be guided by your father’s [God-given] commandment (instruction)
And do not reject the teaching of your mother;

My son, keep my words
And treasure my commandments within you [so they are readily available to guide you].

But he does not know that the spirits of the dead are there,
And that her guests are [already] in the depths of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead).

The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish [stubborn] son [who refuses to learn] is a grief to his mother.

He who gathers during summer and takes advantage of his opportunities is a son who acts wisely,
But he who sleeps during harvest and ignores the moment of opportunity is a son who acts shamefully.

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

As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout,
So is a beautiful woman who is without discretion [her lack of character mocks her beauty].

A wise son heeds and accepts [and is the result of] his father’s discipline and instruction,
But a scoffer does not listen to reprimand and does not learn from his errors.

Righteousness (being in right standing with God) guards the one whose way is blameless,
But wickedness undermines and overthrows the sinner.

He who withholds the rod [of discipline] hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines and trains him diligently and appropriately [with wisdom and love].

Fools mock sin [but sin mocks the fools],
But among the upright there is good will and the favor and blessing of God.

Righteousness [moral and spiritual integrity and virtuous character] exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.

A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man despises his mother.

A wise servant will rule over the [unworthy] son who acts shamefully and brings disgrace [to the family]
And [the worthy servant] will share in the inheritance among the brothers.

A foolish son is a grief and anguish to his father
And bitterness to her who gave birth to him.

Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries with his feet [acting impulsively and proceeding without caution or analyzing the consequences] sins (misses the mark).

A foolish (ungodly) son is destruction to his father,
And the contentions of a [quarrelsome] wife are like a constant dripping [of water].

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.

He who assaults his father and chases away his mother
Is a son who brings shame and disgrace.

Cease listening, my son, to instruction and discipline
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,
I am pure from my sin?”

Haughty and arrogant eyes and a proud heart,
The lamp of the wicked [their self-centered pride], is sin [in the eyes of God].

My son, if your heart is wise,
My heart will also be glad;

Listen, my son, and be wise,
And direct your heart in the way [of the Lord].

My son, give me your heart
And let your eyes delight in my ways,

The devising of folly is sin,
And the scoffer is repulsive to men.

My son, eat honey, because it is good,
And the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

My son, fear the Lord and the king;
And do not associate with those who are given to change [of allegiance, and are revolutionary],

For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

Do not rush out to argue your case [before magistrates or judges];
Otherwise what will you do in the end [when your case is lost and]
When your neighbor (opponent) humiliates you?

Like the cold of snow [brought from the mountains] in the time of harvest,
So is a faithful messenger to those who send him;
For he refreshes the life of his masters.

Like snow in summer and like rain in harvest,
So honor is not fitting for a [shortsighted] fool.

My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
That I may reply to him who reproaches (reprimands, criticizes) me.

He who keeps the law [of God and man] is a wise and discerning son,
But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father [and himself].

He who robs his father or his mother
And says, “This is no sin,”
Is [not only a thief but also] the companion of a man who destroys.

Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
Yes, he will delight your soul.

He who pampers his slave from childhood
Will find him to be a son in the end.

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle:

The man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ucal:

Who has ascended into heaven and descended?
Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound the waters in His garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son’s name?
Certainly you know!

What, O my son?
And what, O son of my womb?
And what [shall I advise you], O son of my vows?

She does not fear the snow for her household,
For all in her household are clothed in [expensive] scarlet [wool].