² Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
    to help them understand the insights of the wise.
³ Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
    to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
⁴ These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
    knowledge and discernment to the young.

⁵ Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
    Let those with understanding receive guidance
⁶ by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
    the words of the wise and their riddles.

⁷ Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
    but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

¹⁰ My child, if sinners entice you,
    turn your back on them!
¹¹ They may say, “Come and join us.
    Let’s hide and kill someone!
    Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
¹² Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave^[b];
    let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.
¹³ Think of the great things we’ll get!
    We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.
¹⁴ Come, throw in your lot with us;
    we’ll all share the loot.”

¹⁵ My child, don’t go along with them!
    Stay far away from their paths.
¹⁶ They rush to commit evil deeds.
    They hurry to commit murder.
¹⁷ If a bird sees a trap being set,
    it knows to stay away.
¹⁸ But these people set an ambush for themselves;
    they are trying to get themselves killed.
¹⁹ Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money;
    it robs them of life.

²⁴ “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come.
    I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.
²⁵ You ignored my advice
    and rejected the correction I offered.
²⁶ So I will laugh when you are in trouble!
    I will mock you when disaster overtakes you—
²⁷ when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
    when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone,
    and anguish and distress overwhelm you.

²⁸ “When they cry for help, I will not answer.
    Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.
²⁹ For they hated knowledge
    and chose not to fear the Lord.
³⁰ They rejected my advice
    and paid no attention when I corrected them.
³¹ Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way,
    choking on their own schemes.
³² For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
    Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
³³ But all who listen to me will live in peace,
    untroubled by fear of harm.”

⁹ Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
    and you will find the right way to go.
¹⁰ For wisdom will enter your heart,
    and knowledge will fill you with joy.
¹¹ Wise choices will watch over you.
    Understanding will keep you safe.

¹² Wisdom will save you from evil people,
    from those whose words are twisted.
¹³ These men turn from the right way
    to walk down dark paths.
¹⁴ They take pleasure in doing wrong,
    and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil.
¹⁵ Their actions are crooked,
    and their ways are wrong.

¹⁶ Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman,
    from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman.
¹⁷ She has abandoned her husband
    and ignores the covenant she made before God.
¹⁸ Entering her house leads to death;
    it is the road to the grave.^[d]
19 The man who visits her is doomed.
    He will never reach the paths of life.

²⁰ So follow the steps of the good,
    and stay on the paths of the righteous.
²¹ For only the godly will live in the land,
    and those with integrity will remain in it.
²² But the wicked will be removed from the land,
    and the treacherous will be uprooted.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.

⁷ Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
    Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
⁸ Then you will have healing for your body
    and strength for your bones.

⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the best part of everything you produce.
¹⁰ Then he will fill your barns with grain,
    and your vats will overflow with good wine.

¹¹ My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
    and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
¹² For the Lord corrects those he loves,
    just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.^[f]

¹³ Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
    the one who gains understanding.
¹⁴ For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
    and her wages are better than gold.
¹⁵ Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
    nothing you desire can compare with her.
¹⁶ She offers you long life in her right hand,
    and riches and honor in her left.
¹⁷ She will guide you down delightful paths;
    all her ways are satisfying.
¹⁸ Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
    happy are those who hold her tightly.

¹⁹ By wisdom the Lord founded the earth;
    by understanding he created the heavens.
²⁰ By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth,
    and the dew settles beneath the night sky.

²¹ My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment.
    Hang on to them,
²² for they will refresh your soul.
    They are like jewels on a necklace.
²³ They keep you safe on your way,
    and your feet will not stumble.
²⁴ You can go to bed without fear;
    you will lie down and sleep soundly.
²⁵ You need not be afraid of sudden disaster
    or the destruction that comes upon the wicked,
²⁶ for the Lord is your security.
    He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those who deserve it
    when it’s in your power to help them.
²⁸ If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say,
    “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.”

²⁹ Don’t plot harm against your neighbor,
    for those who live nearby trust you.
³⁰ Don’t pick a fight without reason,
    when no one has done you harm.

³¹ Don’t envy violent people
    or copy their ways.
³² Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord,
    but he offers his friendship to the godly.

³³ The Lord curses the house of the wicked,
    but he blesses the home of the upright.

³⁴ The Lord mocks the mockers
    but is gracious to the humble.^[g]

³⁵ The wise inherit honor,
    but fools are put to shame!

⁴ My father taught me,
“Take my words to heart.
    Follow my commands, and you will live.
⁵ Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
    Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
⁶ Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
    Love her, and she will guard you.
⁷ Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
    And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
⁸ If you prize wisdom, she will make you great.
    Embrace her, and she will honor you.
⁹ She will place a lovely wreath on your head;
    she will present you with a beautiful crown.”

¹⁰ My child,^[i] listen to me and do as I say,
    and you will have a long, good life.
¹¹ I will teach you wisdom’s ways
    and lead you in straight paths.
¹² When you walk, you won’t be held back;
    when you run, you won’t stumble.
¹³ Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
    Guard them, for they are the key to life.

¹⁴ Don’t do as the wicked do,
    and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
¹⁵ Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
    Turn away and keep moving.
¹⁶ For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
    They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
¹⁷ They eat the food of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence!

¹⁸ The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
    which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
    They have no idea what they are stumbling over.

²⁰ My child, pay attention to what I say.
    Listen carefully to my words.
²¹ Don’t lose sight of them.
    Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
²² for they bring life to those who find them,
    and healing to their whole body.

²³ Guard your heart above all else,
    for it determines the course of your life.

²⁴ Avoid all perverse talk;
    stay away from corrupt speech.

²⁵ Look straight ahead,
    and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
²⁶ Mark out a straight path for your feet;
    stay on the safe path.
²⁷ Don’t get sidetracked;
    keep your feet from following evil.

⁷ So now, my sons, listen to me.
    Never stray from what I am about to say:
⁸ Stay away from her!
    Don’t go near the door of her house!
⁹ If you do, you will lose your honor
    and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved.
¹⁰ Strangers will consume your wealth,
    and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
¹¹ In the end you will groan in anguish
    when disease consumes your body.
¹² You will say, “How I hated discipline!
    If only I had not ignored all the warnings!
¹³ Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers?
    Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors?
¹⁴ I have come to the brink of utter ruin,
    and now I must face public disgrace.”

¹⁵ Drink water from your own well—
    share your love only with your wife.^[k]
16 Why spill the water of your springs in the streets,
    having sex with just anyone?^[l]
17 You should reserve it for yourselves.
    Never share it with strangers.

¹⁸ Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you.
    Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
¹⁹ She is a loving deer, a graceful doe.
    Let her breasts satisfy you always.
    May you always be captivated by her love.
²⁰ Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman,
    or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman?

²¹ For the Lord sees clearly what a man does,
    examining every path he takes.
²² An evil man is held captive by his own sins;
    they are ropes that catch and hold him.
²³ He will die for lack of self-control;
    he will be lost because of his great foolishness.

⁶ Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones.
    Learn from their ways and become wise!
⁷ Though they have no prince
    or governor or ruler to make them work,
⁸ they labor hard all summer,
    gathering food for the winter.
⁹ But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep?
    When will you wake up?
¹⁰ A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest—
¹¹ then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
    scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

¹² What are worthless and wicked people like?
    They are constant liars,
¹³ signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye,
    a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers.
¹⁴ Their perverted hearts plot evil,
    and they constantly stir up trouble.
¹⁵ But they will be destroyed suddenly,
    broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing.

¹⁶ There are six things the Lord hates—
    no, seven things he detests:
¹⁷ haughty eyes,
    a lying tongue,
    hands that kill the innocent,
¹⁸ a heart that plots evil,
    feet that race to do wrong,
¹⁹ a false witness who pours out lies,
    a person who sows discord in a family.

²⁰ My son, obey your father’s commands,
    and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
²¹ Keep their words always in your heart.
    Tie them around your neck.
²² When you walk, their counsel will lead you.
    When you sleep, they will protect you.
    When you wake up, they will advise you.
²³ For their command is a lamp
    and their instruction a light;
their corrective discipline
    is the way to life.
²⁴ It will keep you from the immoral woman,
    from the smooth tongue of a promiscuous woman.
²⁵ Don’t lust for her beauty.
    Don’t let her coy glances seduce you.
²⁶ For a prostitute will bring you to poverty,^[n]
    but sleeping with another man’s wife will cost you your life.
²⁷ Can a man scoop a flame into his lap
    and not have his clothes catch on fire?
²⁸ Can he walk on hot coals
    and not blister his feet?
²⁹ So it is with the man who sleeps with another man’s wife.
    He who embraces her will not go unpunished.

³⁰ Excuses might be found for a thief
    who steals because he is starving.
³¹ But if he is caught, he must pay back seven times what he stole,
    even if he has to sell everything in his house.
³² But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool,
    for he destroys himself.
³³ He will be wounded and disgraced.
    His shame will never be erased.
³⁴ For the woman’s jealous husband will be furious,
    and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
³⁵ He will accept no compensation,
    nor be satisfied with a payoff of any size.

⁴ Love wisdom like a sister;
    make insight a beloved member of your family.
⁵ Let them protect you from an affair with an immoral woman,
    from listening to the flattery of a promiscuous woman.

⁶ While I was at the window of my house,
    looking through the curtain,
⁷ I saw some naive young men,
    and one in particular who lacked common sense.
⁸ He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman,
    strolling down the path by her house.
⁹ It was at twilight, in the evening,
    as deep darkness fell.
¹⁰ The woman approached him,
    seductively dressed and sly of heart.
¹¹ She was the brash, rebellious type,
    never content to stay at home.
¹² She is often in the streets and markets,
    soliciting at every corner.
¹³ She threw her arms around him and kissed him,
    and with a brazen look she said,
¹⁴ “I’ve just made my peace offerings
    and fulfilled my vows.
¹⁵ You’re the one I was looking for!
    I came out to find you, and here you are!
¹⁶ My bed is spread with beautiful blankets,
    with colored sheets of Egyptian linen.
¹⁷ I’ve perfumed my bed
    with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
¹⁸ Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning.
    Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses,
¹⁹ for my husband is not home.
    He’s away on a long trip.
²⁰ He has taken a wallet full of money with him
    and won’t return until later this month.^[p]”

²¹ So she seduced him with her pretty speech
    and enticed him with her flattery.
²² He followed her at once,
    like an ox going to the slaughter.
He was like a stag caught in a trap,^[q]
23     awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart.
He was like a bird flying into a snare,
    little knowing it would cost him his life.

²⁴ So listen to me, my sons,
    and pay attention to my words.
²⁵ Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her.
    Don’t wander down her wayward path.
²⁶ For she has been the ruin of many;
    many men have been her victims.
²⁷ Her house is the road to the grave.^[r]
    Her bedroom is the den of death.

¹² “I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment.
    I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.
¹³ All who fear the Lord will hate evil.
    Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance,
    corruption and perverse speech.
¹⁴ Common sense and success belong to me.
    Insight and strength are mine.
¹⁵ Because of me, kings reign,
    and rulers make just decrees.
¹⁶ Rulers lead with my help,
    and nobles make righteous judgments.^[s]

¹⁷ “I love all who love me.
    Those who search will surely find me.
¹⁸ I have riches and honor,
    as well as enduring wealth and justice.
¹⁹ My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold,
    my wages better than sterling silver!
²⁰ I walk in righteousness,
    in paths of justice.
²¹ Those who love me inherit wealth.
    I will fill their treasuries.

²² “The Lord formed me from the beginning,
    before he created anything else.
²³ I was appointed in ages past,
    at the very first, before the earth began.
²⁴ I was born before the oceans were created,
    before the springs bubbled forth their waters.
²⁵ Before the mountains were formed,
    before the hills, I was born—
²⁶ before he had made the earth and fields
    and the first handfuls of soil.
²⁷ I was there when he established the heavens,
    when he drew the horizon on the oceans.
²⁸ I was there when he set the clouds above,
    when he established springs deep in the earth.
²⁹ I was there when he set the limits of the seas,
    so they would not spread beyond their boundaries.
And when he marked off the earth’s foundations,
³⁰     I was the architect at his side.
I was his constant delight,
    rejoicing always in his presence.
³¹ And how happy I was with the world he created;
    how I rejoiced with the human family!

³² “And so, my children,^[t] listen to me,
    for all who follow my ways are joyful.
³³ Listen to my instruction and be wise.
    Don’t ignore it.
³⁴ Joyful are those who listen to me,
    watching for me daily at my gates,
    waiting for me outside my home!
³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life
    and receives favor from the Lord.
³⁶ But those who miss me injure themselves.
    All who hate me love death.”

9 Wisdom has built her house;
    she has carved its seven columns.
² She has prepared a great banquet,
    mixed the wines, and set the table.
³ She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come.
    She calls out from the heights overlooking the city.
⁴ “Come in with me,” she urges the simple.
    To those who lack good judgment, she says,
⁵ “Come, eat my food,
    and drink the wine I have mixed.
⁶ Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live;
    learn to use good judgment.”

⁷ Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return.
    Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt.
⁸ So don’t bother correcting mockers;
    they will only hate you.
But correct the wise,
    and they will love you.
⁹ Instruct the wise,
    and they will be even wiser.
Teach the righteous,
    and they will learn even more.

¹⁰ Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
    Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.

¹¹ Wisdom will multiply your days
    and add years to your life.
¹² If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.
    If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.