8:1Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

8:2She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

8:3She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

8:4Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

8:5O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

8:6Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

8:7For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8:8All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

8:9They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

8:10Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

8:11For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

8:12I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

8:13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

8:14Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

8:15By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

8:16By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

8:17I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

8:18Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

8:19My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

8:20I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

8:21That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

8:22The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

8:23I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

8:24When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

8:25Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

8:26While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

8:27When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

8:28When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

8:29When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

8:30Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

8:31Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

8:32Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

8:33Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

8:34Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

8:35For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.

8:36But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

9:1Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:

9:2She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

9:3She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

9:4Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

9:5Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.

9:6Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

9:7He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.

9:8Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

9:9Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

9:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

9:11For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.

9:12If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

9:13A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.

9:14For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,

9:15To call passengers who go right on their ways:

9:16Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

9:17Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

9:18But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

10:1The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

10:2Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.

10:3The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.

10:4He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

10:5He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

10:6Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

10:7The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

10:8The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

10:9He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

10:10He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

10:11The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

10:12Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

10:13In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

10:14Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

10:15The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

10:16The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

10:17He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.

10:18He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

10:19In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

10:20The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.

10:21The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

10:22The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

10:23It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.

10:24The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.

10:25As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.

10:26As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.

10:27The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

10:28The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

10:29The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

10:30The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.

10:31The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.

10:32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

11:1A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.

11:2When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

11:3The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

11:4Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

11:5The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

11:6The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

11:7When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.

11:8The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

11:9An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

11:10When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.

11:11By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

11:12He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

11:13A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

11:14Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

11:15He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

11:16A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.

11:17The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

11:18The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.

11:19As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.

11:20They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.

11:21Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

11:22As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

11:23The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

11:24There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

11:25The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

11:26He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

11:27He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.

11:28He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

11:29He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

11:30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

11:31Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.