1 These are the proverbs collected by King Solomon of Yisrael (King David’s son):

2 These will help you to know wisdom and instruction,

≈ and to comprehend sayings that give understanding.

3 Also to learn insight

and to understand what’s right and leads to justice and integrity.

4 They give good advice to those who are naive—

≈ teaching knowledge and discretion to young people.

5 Let wise people also listen to these sayings to keep learning more,

and discerning people can acquire guidance—

6 understanding proverbs and parables—

the words of wise people plus their challenges.

7 Deciding to obey Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge.

Fools despise wisdom and being told what they should do.[ref]

8 My child, listen to your father’s instructions.

≈ Don’t reject what your mother has told you to do,

9 because their teaching is like a graceful garland to wear on your head,

≈ or like beautiful necklaces to wear around your neck.

10 My child, if evil people tempt you to join them, don’t agree to it. 11 If they say,

“Come with us. We’ll find someone to kill—

≈ we’ll hide and ambush an innocent person just for fun.

12 Let’s swallow innocent people just like the grave does,

≈ and healthy people just like those going down to the pit.

13 We’ll find lots of valuable loot.

≈ We’ll fill our houses with what we take.

14 You need to come and join us—

we share everything equally.”

15 My child, don’t follow their ways.

≈ Keep your foot away from their path

16 because their feet run towards evil,

and they rush to pour out blood.

17 Surely it would be a waste of time

to spread out a net while the bird is watching,

18 but they lie in wait for their own blood—

they ambush their own lives.

19 That’s what happens to anyone who gains wealth illegally—

it takes that person’s life.

20 Wisdom calls out loudly on the street—

≈ she makes her voice known in the plazas.[ref]

21 She calls out from above the busy streets.

≈ She tells her sayings at the meeting place at the city gates.

22 How much longer will naive people love their naivety,

≈ and mockers enjoy their mockery,

≈ and stupid people despise knowledge?

23 Change your ways when I correct you.

Listen, I’ll pour my spirit out on you all.

Let me declare my messages to you all

24 because I’ve called and you’ve all refused to listen.

≈ I held out my hand but no one paid any attention

25 and you all ignored all my advice

and took no notice when I corrected you.

26 So I’ll laugh when calamity hits you all

and I’ll ridicule you when you’re all terrified

27 when panic strikes you all like a storm

and calamity comes like a whirlwind

and when trouble and anguish reach you all.

28 Then they’ll call out to me for help but I won’t answer.

≈ They’ll search for me but won’t be able to find me

29 because they hated wisdom

≈ and didn’t choose to respect and obey Yahweh.

30 They didn’t listen to my advice.

≈ They didn’t want to hear whenever I corrected them,

31 so they’ll eat the fruit of their own chosen path

≈ and they’ll be filled with their own schemes.

32 Naive people will get killed as a result of their own turning away,

≈ and the fools’ own complacency will destroy them.

33 However, those who listen to me will have secure lives

and be able to relax without worrying about troubles coming.

2 My child, if you accept my sayings

≈ and internalise my commands,

2 so you’ll be attentive to wisdom

≈ and your mind will look for understanding,

3 if you’ll call out for insight,

≈ raising your voice to ask for understanding,

4 if you go after it as if it’s silver

≈ and search for it as if it was hidden treasure,

5 then you’ll understand how to respect and obey Yahweh

≈ and you’ll learn more about God.

6 That’s because Yahweh gives wisdom—

knowledge and understanding come from his mouth

7 and he gives true wisdom to godly people—

a protective shield for those walking with integrity.

8 to guard the paths of justice,

and he will preserve the way of those who are faithful to him.

9 Then you’ll understand righteousness and justice and integrity—every good path to walk,

10 because wisdom will enter into your mind

≈ and knowledge will give you pleasure.

11 Discretion will watch over you.

≈ Understanding will guard you

12 to rescue you off the path of wicked people—

from people who speak perversely—

13 the ones who abandon the paths of godliness

to walk in the ways of darkness,

14 the ones who are glad to do evil.

≈ They rejoice in perverse things of evil,

15 whose paths are crooked

≈ and going astray in their tracks.

16 Being discreet and insightful will rescue you from a strange woman—

≈ from a foreign woman who makes her sayings smooth,

17 who’s left her husband from her younger days,

≈ and has forgotten her promise to her god.

18 Her house sinks down to death,

≈ and her paths to the departed spirits.

19 No one who goes into her place will return,

≈ and they won’t find the paths that lead to life.

20 So follow the ways of good people,

≈ and stay on the path of those who want to do what’s right,

21 because it’s people who do what is right who’ll live in this land,

≈ and those who are blameless will remain in it.

22 However, the wicked people will be taken off the land,

≈ and those who are treacherous will be torn away from it.

3 My son, don’t forget my instructions,

≈ and keep my commands in your thoughts,

2 → because they’ll give you a longer lifetime

≈ and add peace to your life.

3 Don’t let loyal commitment and faithfulness leave you:

tie them around your neck,

≈ and inscribe them into your mind.

4 Then you’ll find favour and good insight

in the eyes of God and man.[ref]

5 Trust in Yahweh with everything in you,

^ and don’t rely on your own logic.

6 Acknowledge Yahweh’s involvement in everything you do,

and he will show you the best course to follow.

7 Don’t pride yourself on your own wisdom,[ref]

^ but rather obey Yahweh and turn away from evil.

8 It will be healing for your stomach,

≈ and refreshment for your bones.

9 Honour Yahweh from your wealth

≈ and from the first of everything you harvest,

10 → then your barns will be completely filled,

≈ and your vats will overflow with new wine.

11 My son, don’t reject correction from Yahweh,

≈ and don’t resent his rebuke,[ref]

12 because Yahweh disciplines those he loves,[ref]

≈ just like a father does to his child that he appreciates.

13 The person who discovers wisdom is blessed,

≈ as is the one who obtains understanding,

14 because it’s better than a good income.

≈ Being wise is of more value than gold.

15 Wisdom is more valuable than jewelry.

→ There’s nothing else you could want that’s worth as much as being wise.

16 On one hand, wisdom leads to a longer life.

≈ On the other hand, being wise will enable riches and honour.

17 The ways of wisdom are pleasant,

≈ and all its ways are peaceful.

18 Wisdom is a tree of life for those who embrace it.

≈ People who are consistently wise are blessed.

19 Yahweh founded the world using wisdom.

≈ He established the atmosphere and sky by understanding.

20 As a result of his knowledge, the ocean depths broke open,

≈ and the clouds dripped dew.

21 My son, don’t let wisdom, knowledge, or understanding escape from your sight.

Safeguard sound wisdom and discretion

22 and they’ll liven your mind,

and then people will notice it about you.

23 Then you’ll walk in confidence

without tripping or stumbling.

24 When you go to bed, your mind won’t be filled with fear.

≈ You’ll lie down and your sleep will be relaxing.

25 Don’t worry about something terrible suddenly happening to you,

or about when you see wicked people facing ruin,

26 because your confidence will be in Yahweh,

and he will protect you on your journey.

27 Don’t hold back when you’re able to do good to someone—

when you have the ability and opportunity to act.

28 Don’t tell your neighbour, “Go home now, but come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you then,”

when you had it there the whole time.

29 Don’t plot how to take advantage of your neighbour,

when he’s living beside you and trusting you.

30 Don’t quarrel with others for no reason—

if they haven’t done anything wrong to you.

31 Don’t envy violent people,

and don’t imitate how they behave,

32 because Yahweh detests crooked people

^ but is friendly towards those who are godly.

33 Yahweh’s curse is on the household of wicked people,

^ but he blesses the home of those who do what’s right.

34 He mocks those who mock others,[ref]

but he shows favour towards those who are humble.

35 Wise people will inherit honour,

but fools will receive shame.

4 My children, listen to your father’s teachings.

≈ Pay attention so you’ll learn well,

2 because I’ll give you good teaching.

Don’t abandon my instructions.

3 When I was a boy in my father’s house,

≈ and I was my mother’s tender son,

4 then he taught me and told me,

“Remember what I have told you.

≈ Follow my instructions and live.

5 Acquire wisdom and understanding.

≈ Always remember what I’ve told you and keep doing it.

6 Don’t abandon wisdom and it’ll preserve you.

≈ Love it, and it will guard you.

7 Wisdom is the priority—get hold of it,

and more than anything, acquire understanding.

8 Esteem wisdom and it will lift you up.

≈ Wisdom will honour you when you embrace it.

9 Wisdom will place a wreath of grace on your head.

≈ It’ll present you with a crown of beauty.

10 My child, listen to my words and accept them,

→ and that’ll increase the years of your life.

11 I taught you how to act wisely,

≈ and I directed you towards the right paths.

12 When you walk, your steps won’t be hampered,

≈ and if you run, you won’t stumble.

13 Take hold of my discipline—don’t let it go.

≈ Guard it, because it’s your lifeline.

14 Don’t imitate what wicked people do,

≈ and don’t go the same way as evil people.

15 Avoid that path—don’t even walk across it.

≈ Keep right away from it and go somewhere else,

16 because they can’t nap unless they’ve done some harm,

≈ and they’ll be robbed of sleep if they haven’t caused trouble.

17 Those evil people eat the bread of wickedness,

≈ and drink the wine of violence.

18 In contrast, the path of those who do what is right, is like a bright light,

→ that keeps getting brighter until the brightest time of day.

19 The path of wicked people is like the deep darkness,

→ so they don’t even know what they’re stumbling over.

20 My child, pay attention to what I’m saying,

≈ and let my words sink in.

21 Don’t let them out of your sight,

≈ and keep them in the centre of your thoughts,

22 because they’re life to those who find them,

≈ and healing to their entire bodies.

23 Guard your mind and thoughts more than anything else,

→ because the way you live all your life, bubbles out from your values.

24 Remove perverse talk from your mouth,

≈ and keep devious words away from your lips.

25 Keep your eyes looking towards the front,

≈ and let your gaze be straight ahead.

26 Make the path level for your footsteps,

and let everything you do be straight-forward.

27 Don’t veer to the left or to the right—

keep your feet away from evil paths.

5 My child, pay attention to my wise words,

≈ and listen carefully to what I’ve learnt

2 so you won’t lose your discretion,

≈ and so your lips might guard knowledge.

3 Although the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey,

≈ and her speech is smoother than oil,

4 in the end, she’s as bitter as wormwood,

≈ and sharper than a double-sided sword.

5 Her feet are heading down towards death,

≈ and her steps will take her to her grave.

6 She doesn’t consider the path of life.

≈ Her paths wander so she doesn’t know where she’ll end up.

7 So now my children, listen to me,

≈ and don’t deviate from my advice.

8 Stay far away from her,

≈ and don’t go near the entrance to her house,

9 in case you end up giving your youthful strength to others,

≈ and your best years to a cruel person.

10 Then strangers might make use of your strength (as a slave)

≈ and you end up working in a foreigner’s house.

11 Then you’ll groan when you are about to die

≈ when your flesh and your body are worn out

12 and you recall, “How I hated discipline,

≈ and didn’t like being told what not to do.

13 I didn’t listen to those who were teaching me,

≈ and I didn’t take any notice of those who were instructing me.

14 I was so close to utter calamity,

and everyone would have noticed me.

15 Drink water from your own supply[fn]

≈ and flowing water from your own well.

16 Should your springs overflow out onto the streets,

≈ with streams of water in the plaza?

17 Let them be for you alone,

≈ and not for any strangers who are with you.

18 May your fountain be blessed,

and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth—

19 a loving doe, yes, a graceful deer.

Let her breasts satisfy you always.

≈ Constantly be overwhelmed by her love.

20 My son, why would you stagger along with a strange woman,

≈ or embrace the bosom of a foreign woman

21 because everything a person does is in front of Yahweh’s eyes,

≈ and he observes all of your decisions?

22 Wicked people get trapped by their own disobedience,

and they get tangled in their ropes of rebellion.

23 They’ll die from a lack of discipline,

and their own stupidity will lead them astray.

6 My child, if you offer something as a guarantee for your neighbour’s loan,

≈ or you’ve shaken hands on a deal with a stranger,

2 then you’ve become trapped by your own lips—

≈ you’ve been caught by the words out of your own mouth.

3 In that case, my child, go and rescue yourself:

Since you’ve fallen into your neighbour’s control,

go and humbly appeal to your neighbour to release you from that pledge.

4 Don’t say that you’ll just sleep on it.

≈ Don’t think that you’ll just have a nap first.

5 Save yourself immediately like a deer when it’s snagged,

≈ or a bird fleeing from a trapper.

6 You lazy person, go and watch an ant.

→ Think about its behaviour, and be wise.

7 It doesn’t even have a commander,

≈ or overseer or ruler.

8 It prepares its food in the summer.

≈ It stores up its supplies in the harvest season.

9 How much longer will you lie there, lazy person?

≈ When will you get up from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a quick nap,

≈ a little folding of your arms to rest,

11 and poverty will sneak in like a robber,

≈ and need will threaten like an armed man.

12 The wicked and worthless man

walks around with a crooked mouth,

13 winking with his eyes,

shuffling his feet along,

and pointing with his fingers.

14 People like that think perversely—

always devising evil plans

and spreading dissension.

15 Because of that, disaster will come suddenly—

they’ll be instantly broken beyond healing.

16 There are six things that Yahweh hates,

actually seven that he finds detestable.

17 ₁ arrogant eyes,

₂ a lying tongue,

₃ hands that shed innocent blood,

18 ₄ a mind that devises wicked plans,

₅ feet that rush off to do something evil,

19 ₆ a dishonest witness that breathes out lies, and

₇ a person that stirs up conflict within the family.

20 My child, follow your father’s commands,

≈ and don’t abandon what your mother taught you.

21 Lock them into your mind.

≈ Tie them around your neck.

22 When you walk around, what you learnt will guide you.

When you lie down, it will preserve you.

When you wake up, it’ll speak to your mind,

23 because rules are like a lamp and teaching like a light.

Rebuke and discipline are the pathway to life

24 by keeping your from the evil woman—

from the smooth tongue of a foreign woman.

25 Don’t lust in your mind for her beauty,

and don’t let her capture you with her eyelashes,

26 because the price of a prostitute might be as cheap as a loaf of bread,

but another man’s wife might cost you your precious life.

27 Can anyone carry fire against their chest,

without their clothes catching fire.

28 If a person walks on coals,

won’t they get their feet burnt?

29 It’s like that for anyone sleeping with his neighbour’s wife,

No one will go unpunished for doing that.

30 They might not despite a thief

if they’re stealing to satisfy their hunger,

31 yet even the thief has to pay back seven times as much if they’re caught—

they might lose everything in their house.

32 Anyone who commits adultery lacks judgement—

they end up destroying their own life.

33 They’ll discover pain and dishonour,

and their shame will never be wiped away,

34 because jealousy arouses rage in an offended person

who won’t show any compassion when it’s time to avenge.

35 You won’t just be able to pay them off,

even if you try to increase the amount.

7 My child, obey what I’ve told you,

and store my instructions securely inside you.

2 Follow my instructions and live,

≈ and keep my teaching as the focus of your eyes.

3 Tie them onto your fingers.

≈ Write them onto your mind.

4 Tell wisdom that she’s your sister,

≈ and call understanding a close relative,

5 so they’ll keep you from the street woman—

≈ from the ungodly woman whose words sound so smooth.

6 Once from the window of my house,

I looked down through the lattice slits,

7 and I saw a simple lad—

a youth lacking much judgement.

8 He was passing through her street near the corner,

then he strode along the path to her house.

9 In the twilight as evening began—

halfway towards night and darkness.

10 Then look, a woman greets him,

dressed like a prostitute and skilled at seduction.

11 She’s boisterous and defiant,

and her feet don’t know how to stay home.

12 She’s often on the street or in the plazas,

and she lies in wait at every corner.

13 Then she grabbed him and kissed him.

She looks serious and tells him,

14 “I have meat at home from my sacrifice earlier—

today I’ve done my religious duties.

15 That’s why I came out to meet you—

to look all around until I found you.

16 I’ve put nice covers on my couch—

coloured linen fabric from Egypt.

17 I’ve perfumed my bed

with fragrant myrrh and aloes and cinnamon.

18 Come and let’s enjoy making love until morning.

We can delight ourselves in our love

19 because the man of the house is away—

he’s gone away on a long journey.

20 He took a bag of money with him.

He won’t be back home until the middle of the month.”

21 She persuades him with her seductive talk.

She compels him with her smooth lips.

22 He suddenly started following her,

like a cow going to be slaughtered—

like a fool with a noose around his neck,

23 until an arrow pierces his stomach,

like a bird rushing into a trap,

not knowing that it will cost him his life.

24 So listen to me now my children,

and pay attention to what I’m telling you.

25 Do let your desires drive you in her direction.

Don’t wander onto her pathways

26 because she’s caused many to be pierced and fall—

it would be difficult to count them all.

27 Her house is the pathway to the grave—

descending downwards to deathly rooms.