Chapter 8

1 Does not wisdom ^R289 call, And understanding lift ^F87 up her voice? 2 On top of the ^R290 heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand; 3 Beside the gates, ^R291 at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out: 4 "To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. 5 "O naive ^{R292 F88} ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, ^R293 understand wisdom. ^F89 6 "Listen, for I will speak noble ^R294 things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right ^R295 things. 7 "For my mouth ^R296 will utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 "All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked ^R297 or perverted in them. 9 "They are all straightforward ^R298 to him who understands, And right to those who find ^R299 knowledge. 10 "Take my instruction ^R300 and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold. 11 "For wisdom is better ^R301 than jewels; ^F90 And all ^R302 desirable things cannot compare with her.

12 "I, wisdom, dwell ^R303 with prudence, And I find knowledge ^R304 and discretion. 13 "The fear ^R305 of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride ^R306 and arrogance and the ^R307 evil way And the perverted ^R308 mouth, I hate. 14 "Counsel ^R309 is mine and sound ^R310 wisdom; I am understanding, power ^R311 is mine. 15 "By me kings ^R312 reign, And rulers decree justice. 16 "By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly. 17 "I love ^R313 those who love me; And those ^R314 who diligently seek me will find me. 18 "Riches ^R315 and honor are with me, Enduring wealth ^R316 and righteousness. 19 "My fruit is better ^R317 than gold, even pure gold, And my yield better than choicest ^R318 silver. 20 "I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, 21 To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill ^R319 their treasuries.

22 "The LORD possessed me at ^R320 the beginning of His way, Before His works of ^F91 old. 23 "From everlasting I was established, ^{R321 F92} From the beginning, from ^R322 the earliest times of the earth. 24 "When there were no depths ^R323 I was brought ^F93 forth, When there were no springs abounding with water. 25 "Before ^R324 the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought ^F94 forth; 26 While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, ^F95 Nor the first dust of the world. 27 "When He established ^R325 the heavens, I was there, When He ^R326 inscribed a circle on the face of the deep, 28 When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became fixed, ^F96 29 When He ^R327 set for the sea its boundary So that the water would not transgress His command, ^F97 When He marked out the ^R328 foundations of the earth; 30 Then I ^R329 was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing ^F98 always before Him, 31 Rejoicing ^F99 in the world, His earth, And having my ^R330 delight in the sons of men.

32 "Now therefore, O sons, listen ^R331 to me, For blessed ^R332 are they who keep my ways. 33 "Heed ^R333 instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it. 34 "Blessed ^R334 is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts. 35 "For he ^R335 who finds me finds life And obtains ^R336 favor from the LORD. 36 "But he who sins ^F100 against me injures ^R337 himself; All those who hate ^R338 me love ^R339 death."

Chapter 9

1 Wisdom has built ^R340 her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; 2 She has prepared ^{R341 F101} her food, she has mixed ^R342 her wine; She has also set ^R343 her table; 3 She has sent ^R344 out her maidens, she calls ^R345 From the tops ^R346 of the heights of the city: 4 "Whoever ^R347 is naive, ^F102 let him turn in here!" To him who lacks ^R348 understanding ^F103 she says, 5 "Come, eat ^R349 of my food And drink of the wine I have mixed. 6 "Forsake ^F104 your folly and live, ^R350 And proceed ^R351 in the way of understanding." 7 He who corrects ^R352 a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults ^F105 for himself. 8 Do ^R353 not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove ^R354 a wise man and he will love you. 9 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man and he will increase ^R355 his learning. 10 The fear ^R356 of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For by ^R357 me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you. 12 If you are wise, you are wise for ^R358 yourself, And if you scoff, ^R359 you alone will bear it.

13 The woman ^F106 of folly is boisterous, ^R360 She is naive ^F107 and knows ^R361 nothing. 14 She sits at the doorway of her house, On a seat by the ^R362 high places of the city, 15 Calling to those who pass by, Who are making their paths straight: 16 "Whoever ^R363 is naive, ^F108 let him turn in here," And to him who lacks understanding ^F109 she says, 17 "Stolen water is sweet; And bread ^R364 eaten in secret is pleasant." 18 But he does not know that the dead ^F110 are there, That her guests are in the depths ^R365 of Sheol.

Chapter 10

1 The proverbs ^R366 of Solomon. A ^R367 wise son makes a father glad, But a ^R368 foolish son is a grief to his mother.

2 Ill-gotten ^{R369 F111} gains do not profit, But righteousness delivers from death. 3 The LORD will ^R370 not allow the righteous ^F112 to hunger, But He will ^R371 reject ^F113 the craving of the wicked.

4 Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand ^R372 of the diligent makes rich.

5 He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.

6 Blessings ^R373 are on the head of the righteous, But the ^R374 mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

7 The memory ^R375 of the righteous is blessed, But the ^R376 name of the wicked will rot.

8 The wise ^R377 of heart will receive commands, But a ^F114 babbling fool will be ruined. ^F115

9 He who ^R378 walks in integrity walks securely, But he ^R379 who perverts his ways will be found out.

10 He who ^R380 winks the eye causes trouble, And a ^{R381 F116} babbling fool will be ruined. ^F117

11 The mouth ^R382 of the righteous is a fountain of life, But the ^R383 mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love ^R384 covers all transgressions.

13 On the ^R385 lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, But a ^R386 rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding. ^F118

14 Wise men store ^R387 up knowledge, But with the ^R388 mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

15 The rich ^R389 man's wealth is his fortress, ^F119 The ruin ^R390 of the poor is their poverty.

16 The wages ^{R391 F120} of the righteous is life, The income of the wicked, punishment.

17 He is ^R392 on the path of life who heeds instruction, But he who ignores reproof goes astray.

18 He who ^R393 conceals hatred has lying lips, And he who spreads slander is a fool.

19 When there are many ^R394 words, transgression is unavoidable, But he ^R395 who restrains his lips is wise.

20 The tongue of the righteous is as choice ^R396 silver, The heart of the wicked is worth little. 21 The lips ^R397 of the righteous feed many, But fools die ^R398 for lack of understanding. ^F121

22 It is the blessing ^R399 of the LORD that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it.

23 Doing wickedness is like sport ^R400 to a fool, And so is wisdom to a man of understanding.

24 What the ^R401 wicked fears will come upon him, But the desire ^R402 of the righteous will be granted. 25 When the whirlwind ^R403 passes, the wicked is no more, But the righteous ^R404 has an everlasting foundation.

26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, So is the lazy ^R405 one to those who send him.

27 The fear ^R406 of the LORD prolongs life, ^F122 But the years ^R407 of the wicked will be shortened. 28 The hope ^R408 of the righteous is gladness, But the expectation ^R409 of the wicked perishes.

29 The way ^R410 of the LORD is a stronghold to the upright, But ruin ^R411 to the workers of iniquity. 30 The righteous ^R412 will never be shaken, But the ^R413 wicked will not dwell in the land.

31 The mouth ^R414 of the righteous flows with wisdom, But the perverted ^R415 tongue will be cut out. 32 The lips of the righteous bring forth what ^R416 is acceptable, But the mouth ^R417 of the wicked what is perverted.

Chapter 11

1 A false ^R418 balance is an abomination to the LORD, But a just ^R419 weight is His delight.

2 When pride ^R420 comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.

3 The integrity ^R421 of the upright will guide them, But the crookedness ^R422 of the treacherous will destroy them.

4 Riches ^R423 do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness ^R424 delivers from death.

5 The righteousness ^R425 of the blameless will smooth his way, But the ^R426 wicked will fall by his own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the treacherous will be ^R427 caught by their own greed.

7 When a wicked man dies, his expectation ^R428 will perish, And the hope ^R429 of strong men perishes.

8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, But the wicked takes ^F123 his place.

9 With his mouth ^R430 the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous ^R431 will be delivered.

10 When it goes ^R432 well with the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting. 11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.

12 He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, ^F124 But a man of understanding keeps silent. 13 He who ^R433 goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy ^F125 conceals ^R434 a matter.

14 Where there is no guidance ^R435 the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory. ^F126

15 He who is guarantor ^R436 for a stranger will surely suffer for it, But he who hates being ^F127 a guarantor is secure.

16 A gracious ^R437 woman attains honor, And ruthless men attain riches.

17 The merciful ^R438 man does himself ^F128 good, But the cruel man does ^F129 himself harm.

18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows ^R439 righteousness gets a true reward.

19 He who is steadfast in righteousness ^R440 will attain to life, And he ^R441 who pursues evil will bring about his own death.

20 The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, But the blameless ^R442 in their walk ^F130 are His delight. ^R443

21 Assuredly, ^F131 the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants ^F132 of the righteous will be delivered.

22 As a ring ^R444 of gold in a swine's snout So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion. ^F133

23 The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation ^R445 of the wicked is wrath.

24 There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want.

25 The generous ^{R446 F134} man will be prosperous, ^F135 And he who waters ^R447 will himself be watered.

26 He who withholds grain, the people ^R448 will curse him, But blessing ^R449 will be on the head of him who sells ^R450 it.

27 He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, But he ^R451 who seeks evil, evil will come to him.

28 He who trusts ^R452 in his riches will fall, But the ^R453 righteous will flourish like the green leaf.

29 He who troubles ^R454 his own house will inherit ^R455 wind, And the ^R456 foolish will be servant to the wisehearted.

30 The fruit of the righteous is a ^R457 tree of life, And he ^R458 who is wise wins ^F136 souls.

31 If the ^R459 righteous will be rewarded in the earth, How much more the wicked and the sinner!