¹² Wisdom will save you from the ways of evil men.
    It will save you from men who twist their words.
¹³ Men like that have left the straight paths
    to walk in dark ways.
¹⁴ They take delight in doing what is wrong.
    They take joy in twisting everything around.
¹⁵ Their paths are crooked.
    Their ways are not straight.

¹⁶ Wisdom will save you from a woman who commits adultery.
    It will save you from a sinful woman and her tempting words.
¹⁷ She has left the man she married when she was young.
    She has broken the promise she made in front of God.
¹⁸ Surely her house leads down to death.
    Her paths lead to the spirits of the dead.
¹⁹ No one who goes to her comes back
    or reaches the paths of life.

²⁰ You will walk in the ways of good people.
    You will follow the paths of those who do right.
²¹ Honest people will live in the land.
    Those who are without blame will remain in it.
²² But sinners will be cut off from the land.
    Those who aren’t faithful will be torn away from it.

³¹ Don’t be jealous of a person who hurts others.
    Don’t choose any of their ways.
³² The Lord really hates sinful people.
    But he makes honest people his closest friends.

¹² An evil troublemaker
    goes around saying twisted things with his mouth.
¹³     He winks with his eyes.
    He makes signals with his feet.
    He motions with his fingers.
¹⁴     His plans are evil, and he has lies in his heart.
    He is always stirring up fights.
¹⁵ Trouble will catch up with him in an instant.
    He will suddenly be destroyed, and nothing can save him.

⁶ Blessings are like crowns on the heads of those who do right.
    But the trouble caused by what sinners say destroys them.

¹¹ The mouths of those who do right pour out life like a fountain.
    But the mouths of sinners hide their evil plans.

¹² Hate stirs up fights.
    But love erases all sins by forgiving them.

¹³ Wisdom is found on the lips of those who understand what is right.
    But those who have no sense are punished.

¹⁸ Anyone who hides hatred with lying lips
    and spreads lies is foolish.

¹³ Those who talk about others will tell secrets.
    But those who can be trusted keep the secrets of others.

¹⁵ The way of foolish people seems right to them.
    But those who are wise listen to advice.

¹⁶ Foolish people are easily upset.
    But wise people pay no attention to hurtful words.

¹⁷ An honest witness tells the truth.
    But a dishonest witness tells lies.

¹⁸ The words of thoughtless people cut like swords.
    But the tongue of wise people brings healing.

¹⁶ Wise people act with knowledge.
    But foolish people show how foolish they are.