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Advice concerning Women

Do not be jealous of the wife whom you embrace,
    or you will teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt.(A)
Do not give yourself to a woman
    and let her trample down your strength.(B)
Do not go near a loose woman,[a]
    or you may fall into her snares.(C)
Do not dally with a female singer,
    or you may be caught in her activities.
Do not look intently at a virgin,
    or you may stumble and incur penalties for her.(D)
Do not give yourself to prostitutes,
    or you may lose your inheritance.(E)
Do not look around in the streets of a city
    or wander about in its deserted sections.(F)
Turn away your eyes from a shapely woman,
    and do not gaze at beauty belonging to another;
many have been seduced by a woman’s beauty,
    and by it passion is kindled like a fire.(G)
Never dine[b] with another man’s wife
    or revel with her at wine,
or your heart may turn aside to her,
    and in blood[c] you may plunge into destruction.(H)

Choice of Friends

10 Do not abandon old friends,
    for new ones cannot equal them.
A new friend is like new wine;
    when it has aged, you will drink it with pleasure.(I)

11 Do not envy the notoriety of sinners,
    for you do not know what their end will be like.(J)
12 Do not delight in what pleases the ungodly;[d]
    remember that they will not be held guiltless until Hades.(K)

13 Keep far from those who have power to kill,
    and you will not be haunted by the fear of death.
But if you approach them, make no misstep,
    or they may rob you of your life.
Know that you are stepping among snares
    and that you are walking on the city battlements.

14 As much as you can, aim to know your neighbors,
    and consult with the wise.(L)
15 Let your conversation be with intelligent people,
    and let all your discussion be about the law of the Most High.(M)
16 Let the righteous be your dinner companions,
    and let your boast be in the fear of the Lord.(N)

Concerning Rulers

17 A work is praised for the skill of the artisan,
    so a people’s leader is proved wise by his words.
18 The loud of mouth are feared in their city,
    and the one who is reckless in speech is hated.(O)

Footnotes

  1. 9.3 Heb strange woman
  2. 9.9 Heb: Gk sit down
  3. 9.9 Heb: Gk by your spirit
  4. 9.12 Gk: Heb the success of the arrogant