1 All wisdom comes from the master,

and is with him forever.

2 Who can count the sand of the seas,

the drops of rain,

and the days of eternity?

3 Who’ll search out the height of the sky,

the breadth of the earth, the deep,

and wisdom?

4 Wisdom has been created before all things,

and the understanding of prudence from eternal. 5 [fn]

6 To whom has the root of wisdom been revealed?

Who’s known her shrewd counsels? 7 [fn]

8 There’s one wise, greatly to be feared,

sitting on his throne: the master.

9 He created her.

He saw and measured her.

He poured her out on all his works.

10 She’s with all flesh according to his gift.

He gave her freely to those who love him.

11 The fear of the master is glory, exultation,

gladness, and a crown of rejoicing.

12 The fear of the master will delight the heart,

and will give gladness, joy, and length of days.

13 All those who fear the master, it’ll go well with him at the last.

He’ll be blessed in the day of his death.

14 To fear the master is the beginning of wisdom.

It was created together with the faithful in the womb.

15 She[fn] laid an eternal foundation with men.

She’ll be trusted among their descendants.

16 To fear the master is the fullness of wisdom.

She inebriates men with her fruits.

17 She’ll fill all her house with desirable things,

and her storehouses with her produce.

18 The fear of the master is the crown of wisdom,

making peace and[fn] perfect health to flourish.[fn]

19 He both saw and measured her.

He rained down skill and knowledge of understanding,

and exalted the honour of those who hold her fast.

20 To fear the master is the root of wisdom.

Her branches are length of days. 21 [fn]

22 Unjust anger can never be justified,

for his anger tips the scale to his downfall.

23 A man that’s patient will resist for a season,

and afterward gladness will spring up to him.

24 He’ll hide his words until the right moment,

and the lips of many will tell of his understanding.

25 A wise saying is in the treasures of wisdom;

but godliness is an abomination to a sinner.

26 If you desire wisdom, keep the commandments

and the master will give her to you freely;

27 for the fear of the master is wisdom and instruction.

Faith and humility are his good pleasure.

28 Don’t disobey the fear of the master.

Don’t come to him with a double heart.

29 Don’t be a hypocrite in men’s sight.

Keep watch over your lips.

30 Don’t exalt yourself,

or you might fall and bring dishonour on your soul.

The master will reveal your secrets

and will throw you down among the congregation,

because you didn’t come to the fear of the master

and your heart was full of deceit.

2 My son, if you come to serve the master,

prepare your soul for temptation.

2 Set your heart aright, constantly endure,

and don’t hurry in time of calamity.

3 Cling to him, and don’t depart,

that you may be increased at your latter end.

4 Accept whatever is brought on you,

and be patient when you suffer humiliation.

5 Because gold is tried in the fire,

and acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.

6 Put your trust in him, and he’ll help you.

Make your ways straight, and set your hope on him.

7 All you who fear the master, wait for his mercy.

Don’t turn aside, or you might fall.

8 All you who fear the master, put your trust in him,

and your reward won’t fail.

9 All you who fear the master, hope for good things,

and for eternal gladness and mercy.

10 Look at the generations of old, and see:

Who ever put his trust in the master, and was ashamed?

Or who remained in his fear, and was forsaken?

Or who called on him, and he neglected him?

11 Because the master is full of compassion and mercy.

He forgives sins and saves in time of affliction.

12 Woe to fearful hearts, to faint hands,

and to the sinner who goes two ways!

13 Woe to the faint heart! Because it doesn’t believe.

Therefore it won’t be defended.

14 Woe to you who’ve lost your patience!

And what’ll you all do when the master visits you?

15 Those who fear the master won’t disobey his words.

Those who love him will keep his ways.

16 Those who fear the master will seek his good pleasure.

Those who love him will be filled with the law.

17 Those who fear the master will prepare their hearts,

and will humble their souls in his sight.

18 We’ll fall into the master’s hands,

and not into men’s hands;

for as his majesty is,

so also is his mercy.

3 Hear me, your father, Oh my children,

and do what you hear, that you all may be safe.

2 Because the master honours the father over the children,

and has confirmed the mother’s judgement over her sons.

3 He who honours his father will make atonement for sins.

4 He who gives glory to his mother is as one who lays up treasure.

5 Anyone who honours his father will have joy in his own children.

He’ll be heard in the day of his prayer.

6 He who gives glory to his father will have length of days.

He who listens to the master will bring rest to his mother,

7 and[fn] will serve under his parents, as to masters.

8 Honour your father in deed and word,

that a blessing may come on you from him.

9 Because the blessing of the father establishes children’s houses,

but the curse of the mother roots out the foundations.

10 Don’t glorify yourself in the dishonour of your father,

for your father’s dishonour is no glory to you.

11 Because a man’s glory is from the honour of his father,

and a mother in dishonour is a reproach to her children.

12 My son, help your father in his old age,

and don’t grieve him as long as he lives.

13 If he fails in understanding, have patience with him.

Don’t dishonour him in your full strength.

14 Because the kindness to your father won’t be forgotten.

Instead of sins it’ll be added to build you up.

15 In the day of your affliction it’ll be remembered for you,

as fair weather on ice,

so your sins will also melt away.

16 He who forsakes his father is as a blasphemer.

He who provokes his mother is cursed by the master.

17 My son, go on with your business in humility;

so you’ll be loved by an acceptable man.

18 The greater you are, humble yourself the more,

and you’ll find favour before the master. 19 [fn]

20 Because the master’s power is great,

and he’s glorified by those who are lowly.

21 Don’t seek things that are too hard for you,

and don’t search out things that are above your strength.

22 Think about the things that have been commanded you,

for you have no need of the things that are secret.

23 Don’t be overly busy in tasks that are beyond you,

for more things are shown to you than men can understand.

24 Because the conceit of many has led them astray.

Evil opinion has caused their judgement to slip.

25 There[fn] is no light without eyes.

There’s no wisdom without knowledge.

26 A stubborn heart will do badly at the end.

He who loves danger will perish in it.

27 A stubborn heart will be burdened with troubles.

The sinner will heap sin on sins.

28 The calamity of the proud has no healing,

for a weed of wickedness has taken root in him.

29 The heart of the prudent will understand a proverb.

A wise man desires the ear of a listener.

30 Water will quench a flaming fire;

almsgiving will make atonement for sins.

31 He who repays good turns is mindful of that which comes afterward.

In the time of his falling he’ll find a support.

11 Wisdom exalts her sons,

and takes hold of those who seek her.

12 He who loves her loves life.

Those who seek her early will be filled with gladness.

13 He who holds her fast will inherit glory.

Where[fn] he enters, the master will bless.

14 Those who serve her minister to the Holy One.

The master loves those who love her.

15 He who listens to her will judge the nations.

He who heeds her will live securely.

16 If he trusts her, he’ll inherit her,

and his generations will possess her.

17 Because at the first she’ll walk with him in crooked ways,

and will bring fear and dread on him,

and torment him with her discipline,

until she may trust his soul, and try him by her judgements.

18 Then she’ll return him again to the straight way,

and will gladden him, and reveal to him her secrets.

19 If he goes astray, she’ll forsake him,

and hand him over to his fall.

20 Watch for the opportunity, and beware of evil.

Don’t be ashamed of your soul.

21 Because there’s a shame that brings sin,

and there’s a shame that’s glory and grace.

22 Don’t show partiality, discrediting your soul.

Don’t revere any man to your falling.

23 Don’t refrain from speaking when it’s for safety.

Don’t hide your wisdom for the sake of seeming fair.[fn]

24 Because wisdom will be known by speech,

and instruction by the word of the tongue.

25 Don’t speak against the truth

and be shamed for your ignorance.

26 Don’t be ashamed to confess your sins.

Don’t fight the river’s current.

27 Don’t lay yourself down for a fool to tread on.

Don’t be partial to one who’s mighty.

28 Strive for the truth to death,

and the master God will fight for you.

29 Don’t be hasty with your tongue,

or slack and negligent in your actions.

30 Don’t be like a lion in your house,

or suspicious of your servants.

31 Don’t let your hand be stretched out to receive,

and closed when you should repay.

5 Don’t set your heart on your goods.

Don’t say, “They’re sufficient for me.”

2 Don’t follow your own mind and your strength

to walk in the desires of your heart.

3 Don’t say, “Who’ll have dominion over me?”

for the master will surely take vengeance on you.

4 Don’t say, “I sinned, and what happened to me?”

for the master is patient.

5 Don’t be so confident of atonement

that you add sin on sins.

6 Don’t say, “His compassion is great.

He’ll be pacified for the multitude of my sins,”

for mercy and anger are with him,

and his indignation will rest on sinners.

7 Don’t wait to turn to the master.

Don’t put off from day to day;

for suddenly the master’s anger will come on you,

and you’ll perish in the time of vengeance.

8 Don’t set your heart on unrighteous gains,

for you’ll profit nothing in the day of calamity.

9 Don’t winnow with every wind.

Don’t walk in every path.

This is what the sinner who has a double tongue does.

10 Be steadfast in your understanding.

Let your speech be consistent.

11 Be swift to hear

and answer with patience.

12 If you have understanding, answer your neighbour;

but if not, put your hand over your mouth.

13 Glory and dishonour is in talk.

A man’s tongue may be his downfall.

14 Don’t be called a whisperer.

Don’t lie in wait with your tongue;

for shame is on the thief,

and an evil condemnation is on him who has a double tongue.

15 Don’t be ignorant in a great or small matter.

5 Sweet words will multiply a man’s friends.

A gracious tongue will multiply courtesies.

6 Let those that are at peace with you be many,

but your advisers one of a thousand.

7 If you want to gain a friend, get him in a time of testing,

and don’t be in a hurry to trust him.

8 Because there’s a friend just for an occasion.

He won’t continue in the day of your affliction.

9 And there’s a friend who turns into an enemy.

He’ll discover strife to your reproach.

10 And there’s a friend who’s a companion at the table,

but he won’t continue in the day of your affliction.

11 In your prosperity he’ll be as yourself,

and will be bold over your servants.

12 If you’re brought low, he’ll be against you,

and will hide himself from your face.

13 Separate yourself from your enemies,

and beware of your friends.

14 A faithful friend is a strong defence.

He who’s found him has found a treasure.

15 There’s nothing that can be taken in exchange for a faithful friend.

His excellency is beyond price.

16 A faithful friend is a life-saving medicine.

Those who fear the master will find him.

17 He who fears the master directs his friendship properly;

for as he is, so is his neighbour also.

18 My son, gather instruction from your youth up.

Even when you have grey hair you’ll find wisdom.

19 Come to her as one who ploughs and sows

and wait for her good fruit;

for your toil will be little in her cultivation,

and you’ll soon eat of her fruit.

20 How extremely harsh she’s to the unlearned!

He who’s without understanding won’t remain in her.

21 She’ll rest on him as a mighty stone of trial.

He won’t hesitate to throw her from him.

22 Because wisdom is according to her name.

She isn’t manifest to many.

23 Give ear, my son, and accept my judgement.

Don’t refuse my counsel.

24 Bring your feet into her fetters,

and your neck into her chain.

25 Put your shoulder under her and bear her.

Don’t be grieved with her bonds.

26 Come to her with all your soul.

Keep her ways with your whole power.

27 Search and seek, and she’ll be made known to you.

When you get hold of her, don’t let her go.

28 Because at the last you’ll find her rest;

and she’ll be turned for you into gladness.

29 Her fetters will be to you for a covering of strength,

and her chains for a robe of glory.

30 Because there’s a golden ornament on her,

and her bands are a purple cord.[ref]

31 You’ll put her on as a robe of glory,

and will put her on as a crown of rejoicing.

32 My son, if you’re willing, you’ll be instructed.

If you’ll yield your soul, you’ll be prudent.

33 If you love to hear, you’ll receive.

If you incline your ear, you’ll be wise.

34 Stand in the multitude of the elders.

Attach yourself to whomever is wise.

35 Be willing to listen to every godly discourse.

Don’t let the proverbs of understanding escape you.

36 If you see a man of understanding, get to him early.

Let your foot wear out the steps of his doors.

37 Let your mind live on the ordinances of the master

and meditate continually on his commandments.

He’ll establish your heart

and your desire for wisdom will be given to you.