Chronological
More danger![a]
7 My child, remember what I say. Keep my commands in your mind.
2 Obey my commands, so that you live well. Keep my teaching safe. It is as valuable as your own eyes. 3 Keep it always in front of you. Think about my message all the time, as if you have written it on your heart.
4 Love wisdom in the same way that you love your sister. Be very careful to understand what is right. 5 If you do that, it will keep you safe from sin. You will not agree to sleep with an adulteress or a prostitute when she speaks sweet words to you.
The adulteress[b]
6 Once I was looking out through the window of my house. 7 I saw a group of silly young men. One of them was not wise at all. 8 He was walking along the street near the house of a bad woman. 9 It was in the evening after it had become dark. 10 Then the woman came out to meet him! She was wearing the clothes of a prostitute. She knew what she wanted to do.
11 This was a woman who did not respect anyone. She was not ashamed of the bad things that she did. She never stayed at her home. 12 Instead she would stand in the streets and in the market place. She would wait at the corners of the streets to find a man.
13 Now she took hold of the young man and she kissed him. She looked into his eyes without any shame. 14 She said to him, ‘I offered a sacrifice to God today and I have the meat at my home. 15 That is why I came out to meet you. I was looking for you, and now I have found you!
16 I have covered my bed with beautiful blankets and with valuable cloths from Egypt. 17 I have splashed many kinds of perfume on my bed, like myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. 18 So come and join me for the night. We can lie in each other's arms. All night, we can enjoy as much sex as we like. 19 My husband is not at home. He has gone away on a long journey. 20 He took a big bag of money with him. He will not come back until later this month.’
21 With those sweet words she deceived the young man. She made him want to be with her. 22 Suddenly he hurried to follow her! He went like an ox that men are leading to its death. He went like a deer that is running towards a trap. 23 Then an arrow will go straight into its body and kill it! The young man was like a bird that is flying into a trap. He did not know that his life was in danger.
24 So listen to me, my sons. Listen carefully to what I am saying. 25 Do not let that kind of woman spoil your mind. Do not let her lead you away from what is right. 26 She has caused many men to fall. Because of her, too many men have thrown away their lives.
27 If you go to her house, you are on the road to death. You will soon be in your grave.
Listen to Wisdom![c]
8 Listen! Wisdom is calling out. She wants you to understand what is right, so she speaks in a loud voice. 2 She stands where people will hear her, on the hills along the road. She stands where different paths meet. 3 She stands near the gates where people go into the city. This is what she says:
4 ‘I call out to all of you, wherever you live on earth.
5 You who are silly, learn to be wise!
You who are fools, learn to understand what is right.
6 Listen! I have important things to tell you.
Everything that I will speak is right.
7 I say only things that are true.
I hate all wicked lies.
8 Everything that I say is right and true.
I say nothing that will deceive you.
9 If you understand what is right, you will understand all my words.
If you have knowledge, you will know that they are true.
10 Receive my wise teaching and knowledge as valuable things.
They are more valuable than silver or the best gold.
11 Wisdom is more valuable than jewels.
Nothing that you might ever want is equal to it.
12 I, wisdom, live with an honest mind as my friend.
I have knowledge and I understand what is right.
13 If you respect the Lord with fear, then you will hate anything that is evil.
I hate proud people who boast.
I hate people who live evil lives.
I hate people who say things to deceive others.
14 I tell people how to do wise things that are right.
I understand what is right and I am strong.
15 I help kings to rule well.
I help rulers to make fair laws.
16 I help leaders, officers and all judges to lead people in a good way.
17 I love those people who love me.
Whoever looks for me will find me.
18 I am able to give people riches and honour.
I help people to use their money well and to do what is right.
19 What you receive from me is better than the best gold.
It is better than the best silver.
20 I walk along the way that is righteous.
I follow the path of justice.
21 In that way, people who love me will receive riches.
I fill their houses with valuable things.
22 The Lord created me as the first thing that he did.
That was the first of his acts long ago.
23 He chose me as his servant from the beginning of time.
That was before the world began.
24 I was born before the deep seas were there.
There were not yet springs that poured out water.
25 I was born before the mountains or the hills appeared in their places.
26 I was born before the Lord made the earth and its fields,
before there was soil on the earth.
27 I was there when he put the heavens in their place.
I was there when he made the border of the sea where it meets the sky.
28 I was there when he put the clouds in the sky.
I was there when he made streams of water fill the seas.
29 He gave his command to the seas, that they should obey him.
The waters of the sea must stay inside its borders.
I was there when he built the foundations of the earth.
30 When the Lord made all that happen,
I was beside him as his faithful helper.
I pleased him every day, and I was happy to be with him.
31 The world that he had made gave me great joy.
The people who lived on it made me happy.
32 So listen to me, my children.
Anyone who obeys my teaching will be happy.
33 Listen when I tell you what is right for you to do.
Then you will be wise.
Do not forget what I tell you.
34 Anyone who listens to me is in a happy place.
You can wait outside my home each day, and I will teach you.
35 Anyone who finds me, wisdom, finds true life.
The Lord will bless that person.
36 But anyone who does not find me brings trouble on himself.
Everybody who hates me loves death.’
Two women[d]
9 The woman who is called ‘Wisdom’ has built her house with seven pillars to make it strong.
2 She has killed an animal for a big meal. She has mixed her wine. She has also prepared her table. 3 She has sent her servants to shout a message from the highest places in the town.
4 She says to foolish people, ‘Come here to me.’
She says to people who do not understand what is right, 5 ‘Come here and eat my food. Drink the wine that I have mixed. 6 Leave foolish ways so that you may live. Learn to understand what is right, so that you can do it.’
7 If you warn a person who is proud, he will insult you. If you tell a wicked person that he is wrong, he will hurt you. 8 So do not warn proud people. They will only hate you.
But if you warn a wise person, he will love you. 9 If you teach a wise person, he will become even more wise. If you teach a righteous person, he will learn whatever you tell him.
10 If you want to be wise in the way that you live, first you must respect the Lord with fear. If you know God, the Holy One, you will understand what is right.
11 Wisdom will add more days and years to your life.
12 If you are wise, it will help you in many ways. But if you think that you do not need wisdom, you will bring trouble on yourself.
13 The woman who is called ‘Fool’ speaks in a loud voice. She is silly and she does not know anything. 14 She sits at the door of her house. She also has a seat at the highest part of the city. 15 She shouts her message to people as they pass along the road to do their work.
16 She says to people who do not understand what is right, ‘Anyone who is foolish should come in here. 17 If you drink water that belongs to someone else, it tastes very sweet! If you eat food secretly, it tastes better than anything! So come and enjoy my meal!’
18 But those foolish people do not realize that her home is a place for dead people. Her visitors are already in their graves.
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