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

8:2On the top of high places by the way, at the cross-paths she taketh her stand.

8:3Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud.

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

8:5O ye simple, understand prudence; and ye foolish, understand sense.

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

8:7For my palate shall meditate truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8:8All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing tortuous 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 equal to it.

8:12I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find the knowledge which cometh of reflection.

8:13The fear of Jehovah 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 intelligence; I have strength.

8:15By me kings reign, and rulers make just decrees;

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

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

8:18Riches and honour are with me; durable wealth and righteousness.

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

8:20I walk in the path 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 treasuries.

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

8:23I was set up from eternity, from the beginning, before 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 beginning of the dust of the world.

8:27When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he ordained the circle upon the face of the deep;

8:28when he established the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong;

8:29when he imposed on 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 his nursling, 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.

8:32And now, sons, hearken unto me, and 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 obtaineth favour of Jehovah;

8:36but he that sinneth against me doeth violence to his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

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

9:2she hath slaughtered her cattle, she hath mingled her wine, she hath also prepared her table;

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

9:4Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. To him that is void of understanding, she saith,

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

9:6Forsake follies and live, and go in the way of intelligence.

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

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

9:9Impart to a wise man, and he will become yet wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase learning.

9:10The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the Holy is intelligence.

9:11For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to thee.

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

9:13The foolish woman is clamorous; she is stupid, and knoweth nothing.

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

9:15to call passers-by who go right on their ways:

9:16Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. And to him that is void of understanding she saith,

9:17Stolen waters are sweet, and the bread of secrecy is pleasant.

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

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

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

10:3Jehovah suffereth not the soul of the righteous man to famish; but he repelleth the craving of the wicked.

10:4He cometh to want that dealeth with a slack hand; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

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

10:6Blessings are upon the head of a righteous man; but the mouth of the wicked covereth violence.

10:7The memory of the righteous man shall be blessed; but the name of the wicked shall rot.

10:8The wise in heart receiveth commandments; but a prating fool shall fall.

10:9He that walketh in integrity walketh securely; but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

10:10He that winketh with the eye causeth grief, and a prating fool shall fall.

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

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

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

10:14The wise lay up knowledge; but the mouth of the fool 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 a righteous man tendeth to life; the revenue of a wicked man, to sin.

10:17Keeping instruction is the path to life; but he that forsaketh reproof goeth astray.

10:18He that covereth hatred hath lying lips, and he that sendeth forth a slander is a fool.

10:19In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; but he that restraineth his lips doeth wisely.

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

10:21The lips of a righteous man feed many; but fools die for want of understanding.

10:22The blessing of Jehovah, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow to it.

10:23It is as sport to a foolish man to do wickedness; but a man of understanding hath wisdom.

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

10:25As a 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 Jehovah prolongeth days; but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

10:28The hope of the righteous is joy; but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

10:29The way of Jehovah is strength to the perfect man, but destruction to the workers of iniquity.

10:30The righteous man shall never be moved; but the wicked shall not inhabit the land.

10:31The mouth of a righteous man putteth forth wisdom; but the froward tongue shall be cut out.

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

11:1A false balance is an abomination to Jehovah; 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 guideth them; but the crookedness of the unfaithful destroyeth them.

11:4Wealth profiteth not in the day of wrath; but righteousness delivereth from death.

11:5The righteousness of the perfect maketh plain his way; but the wicked falleth by his own wickedness.

11:6The righteousness of the upright delivereth them; but the treacherous are taken in their own craving.

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

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

11:9With his mouth a hypocrite destroyeth his neighbour; but through knowledge are the righteous 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 despiseth his neighbour is void of heart; but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

11:13He that goeth about talebearing revealeth secrets; but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

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

11:15It goeth ill with him that is surety for another; but he that hateth suretyship is secure.

11:16A gracious woman retaineth honour; and the violent retain riches.

11:17The merciful man doeth good to his own soul; but the cruel troubleth his own flesh.

11:18The wicked worketh a deceitful work; but he that soweth righteousness hath a sure reward.

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

11:20The perverse in heart are abomination to Jehovah; but they that are perfect in their way are his delight.

11:21Hand for hand! an evil man shall not be held innocent; but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

11:22A fair woman who is without discretion, is as a gold ring in a swine's snout.

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

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

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

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

11:27He that is earnest after good seeketh favour; but he that searcheth for mischief, it shall come upon him.

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

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

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

11:31Behold, the righteous shall be requited on the earth: how much more the wicked and the sinner.