6 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to a stranger.

2 Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words.

3 Do therefore, my son, what I say, and deliver thyself: because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend:

4 Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.

5 Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom:

7 Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,

8 Provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou rise out of thy sleep?

10 Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep:

11 And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.

12 A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,

13 He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.

14 With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.

15 To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.

16 Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:

17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

18 A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,

19 A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.

20 My son, keep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

21 Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck.

22 When thou walkest, let them go with thee: when thou sleepest, let them keep thee; and when thou awakest, talk with them.

23 Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

24 That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.

25 Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks:

26 For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man.

27 Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?

28 Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt?

29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.

30 The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:

31 And if he be taken he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house.

32 But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul:

33 He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:

34 Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,

35 Nor will he yield to any man's prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.

7 My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son,

2 Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye:

3 Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart.

4 Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend,

5 That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words.

6 For I look out of the window of my house through the lattice,

7 And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man,

8 Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house.

9 In the dark, when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night,

10 And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot's attire prepared to deceive souls; talkative and wandering,

11 Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,

12 Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners.

13 And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying:

14 I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows.

15 Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee.

16 I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from Egypt.

17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18 Come, let us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear.

19 For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey.

20 He took with him a bag of money: he mill return home the day of the full moon.

21 She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips.

22 Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim, and as a lamb playing the wanton, and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds,

23 Till the arrow pierce his liver: as if a bird should make haste to the snare, and knoweth not that his life is in danger.

24 Now therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth.

25 Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths.

26 For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her.

27 Her house is the way to hell, reaching even to the inner chambers of death.

8 Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?

2 Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, in the midst of the paths.

3 Beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:

4 O ye men, to you I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.

5 O little ones, understand subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice.

6 Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.

7 My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.

8 All my words are just, there is nothing wicked nor perverse in them.

9 They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.

10 Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather than gold.

11 For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.

12 I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts.

13 The fear of the Lord hateth evil: I hate arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.

14 Counsel and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.

15 By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things,

16 By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.

17 I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.

18 With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice.

19 For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver.

20 I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,

21 That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill their treasures.

22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.

23 I was set up from eternity, and of old before the earth was made.

24 The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived. neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out:

25 The mountains with their huge bulk had not as yet been established: before the hills I was brought forth:

26 He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world.

27 When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths:

28 When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters:

29 When he compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when be balanced the foundations of the earth;

30 I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times;

31 Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.

32 Now therefore, ye children, hear me: Blessed are they that keep my ways.

33 Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.

34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.

35 He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord:

36 But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.

9 Wisdom hath built herself a house, she hath hewn her out seven pillars.

2 She hath slain her victims, mingled her wine, and set forth her table.

3 She hath sent her maids to invite to the tower, and to the walls of the city:

4 Whosoever is a little one, let him come to me. And to the unwise she said:

5 Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you.

6 Forsake childishness, and live, and walk by the ways of prudence.

7 He that teacheth a scorner, doth an injury to himself: and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth himself a blot.

8 Rebuke not a scorner lest he hate thee. Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

9 Give an occasion to a wise man, and wisdom shall be added to him. Teach a just man, and he shall make haste to receive it.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is prudence.

11 For by me shall thy days be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to thee.

12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be so to thyself: and if a scorner, thou alone shalt bear the evil.

13 A foolish woman and clamorous, and full of allurements, and knowing nothing at all,

14 Sat at the door of her house, upon a seat, in a high place of the city,

15 To call them that pass by the way, and go on their journey:

16 He that is a little one, let him turn to me. And to the fool she said:

17 Stolen waters are sweeter, and hid den bread is more pleasant.

18 And he did not know that giants are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

10 A wise son maketh the father glad: but a foolish son is the sorrow of his mother.

2 Treasures of wickedness shall profit nothing: but justice shall deliver from death.

3 The Lord will not afflict the soul of the just with famine, and he will disappoint the deceitful practices of the wicked.

4 The slothful hand hath wrought poverty: but the hand of the industrious getteth riches. He that trusteth to lies feedeth the winds: and the same runneth after birds that fly away.

5 He that gathered in the harvest is a wise son: but he that snorteth in the summer, is the son of confusion.

6 The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of the just: but iniquity covereth the mouth of the wicked.

7 The memory of the just is with praises: and the name of the wicked shall rot.

8 The wise of heart receiveth precepts: a fool is beaten with lips.

9 He that walketh sincerely, walketh confidently: but he that perverteth his ways, shall be manifest.

10 He that winketh with the eye shall cause sorrow: and the foolish in lips shall be beaten.

11 The mouth of the just is a vein of life: and the mouth of the wicked covereth iniquity.

12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: and charity covereth all sins.

13 In the lips of the wise is wisdom found: and a rod on the back of him that wanteth sense.

14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the fool is next to confusion.

15 The substance of a rich man is the city of his strength: the fear of the poor is their poverty.

16 The work of the just is unto life: but the fruit of the wicked, unto sin.

17 The way of life, to him that observeth correction: but he that forsaketh reproofs goeth astray.

18 Lying lips hide hatred: he that uttereth reproach is foolish.

19 In the multitude of words there shall not want sin: but he that refraineth his lips is most wise.

20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: but the heart of the wicked is nothing worth.

21 The lips of the just teach many: but they that are ignorant, shall die in the want of understanding.

22 The blessing of the Lord maketh men rich: neither shall affliction be joined to them.

23 A fool worketh mischief as it were for sport: but wisdom is prudence to a man.

24 That which the wicked feareth, shall come upon him: to the just their desire shall be given.

25 As a tempest that passeth, so the wicked shall be no more: but the just is as an everlasting foundation.

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

27 The fear of the Lord shall prolong days: and the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

28 The expectation of the just is joy; but the hope of the wicked shall perish.

29 The strength of the upright is the way of the Lord: and fear to them that work evil.

30 The just shall never be moved: but the wicked shall not dwell on the earth.

31 The mouth of the just shall bring forth wisdom: the tongue of the perverse shall perish.

32 The lips of the just consider what is acceptable: and the mouth of the wicked uttereth perverse things.