8:1¤ Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?

8:2Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, in the midst of the paths,

8:3Beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:

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

8:5O little ones understand subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice.

8:6Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.

8:7My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.

8:8All my words are just, there is nothing wicked, nor perverse in them.

8:9They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.

8:10Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather than gold.

8:11For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.

8:12I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts.

8:13The fear of the Lord hateth evil; I hate arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.

8:14Counsel and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.

8:15By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things.

8:16By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.

8:17I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.

8:18With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice.

8:19For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver.

8:20I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,

8:21That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill their treasures.

8:22The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.

8:23I was set up from eternity, and of old, before the earth was made.

8:24The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived, neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out.

8:25The mountains, with their huge bulk, had not as yet been established: before the hills, I was brought forth:

8:26He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world.

8:27When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law, and compass, he enclosed the depths:

8:28When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters:

8:29When he compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when he balanced the foundations of the earth;

8:30I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times;

8:31Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.

8:32Now, therefore, ye children, hear me: 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, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.

8:35He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord.

8:36But he that shall sin against me shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.

9:1¤ Wisdom hath built herself a house, she hath hewn her out seven pillars.

9:2She hath slain her victims, mingled her wine, and set forth her table.

9:3She hath sent her maids to invite to the tower, and to the walls of the city:

9:4Whosoever is a little one, let him come to me. And to the unwise she said:

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

9:6Forsake childishness, and live, and walk by the ways of prudence.

9:7He that teacheth a scorner, doth an injury to himself; and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth himself a blot.

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

9:9Give an occasion to a wise man, and wisdom shall be added to him. Teach a just man, and he shall make haste to receive it.

9:10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is prudence.

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

9:12If thou be wise, thou shalt be so to thyself: and if a scorner, thou alone shalt bear the evil.

9:13A foolish woman and clamorous, and full of allurements, and knowing nothing at all,

9:14Sat at the door of her house, upon a seat, in a high place of the city,

9:15To call them that pass by the way, and go on their journey:

9:16He that is a little one, let him turn to me. And to the fool she said:

9:17Stolen waters are sweeter, and hidden bread is more pleasant.

9:18And he did not know that giants are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

10:1¤ A wise son maketh the father glad: but a foolish son is the sorrow of his mother.

10:2Treasures of wickedness shall profit nothing: but justice shall deliver from death.

10:3The Lord will not afflict the soul of the just with famine, and he will disappoint the deceitful practices of the wicked.

10:4The slothful hand hath wrought poverty: but the hand of the industrious getteth riches. He that trusteth to lies feedeth the winds: and the same runneth after birds, that fly away.

10:5He that gathereth in the harvest, is a wise son: but he that snorteth in the summer, is the son of confusion.

10:6The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of the just: but iniquity covereth the mouth of the wicked.

10:7The memory of the just is with praises: and the name of the wicked shall rot.

10:8The wise of heart receiveth precepts: a fool is beaten with lips.

10:9He that walketh sincerely, walketh confidently: but he that perverteth his ways, shall be manifest.

10:10He that winketh with the eye, shall cause sorrow: and the foolish in lips shall be beaten.

10:11The mouth of the just is a vein of life: and the mouth of the wicked covereth iniquity.

10:12Hatred stirreth up strifes: and charity covereth all sins.

10:13In the lips of the wise is wisdom found: and a rod on the back of him that wanteth sense.

10:14Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the fool is next to confusion.

10:15The substance of a rich man is the city of his strength: the fear of the poor is their poverty.

10:16The work of the just is unto life: but the fruit of the wicked unto sin.

10:17The way of life, to him that observeth correction: but he that forsaketh reproofs, goeth astray.

10:18Lying lips hide hatred: he that uttereth reproach, is foolish.

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

10:20The tongue of the just is as choice silver: but the heart of the wicked is nothing worth.

10:21The lips of the just teach many: but they that are ignorant, shall die in the want of understanding.

10:22The blessing of the Lord maketh men rich: neither shall affliction be joined to them.

10:23A fool worketh mischief as it were for sport: but wisdom is prudence to a man.

10:24That which the wicked feareth, shall come upon him: to the just their desire shall be given.

10:25As a tempest that passeth, so the wicked shall be no more: but the just is as an everlasting foundation.

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

10:27The fear of the Lord shall prolong days: and the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

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

10:29The strength of the upright is the way of the Lord: and fear to them that work evil.

10:30The just shall never be moved: but the wicked shall not dwell on the earth.

10:31The mouth of the just shall bring forth wisdom: the tongue of the perverse shall perish.

10:32The lips of the just consider what is acceptable: and the mouth of the wicked uttereth perverse things.

11:1A deceitful balance is an abomination before the Lord: and a just weight is his will.

11:2Where pride is, there also shall be reproach: but where humility is, there also is wisdom.

11:3The simplicity of the just shall guide them: and the deceitfulness of the wicked shall destroy them.

11:4Riches shall not profit in the day of revenge: but justice shall deliver from death.

11:5The justice of the upright shall make his way prosperous: and the wicked man shall fall by his own wickedness.

11:6The justice of the righteous shall deliver them: and the unjust shall be caught in their own snares.

11:7When the wicked man is dead, there shall be no hope any more: and the expectation of the solicitous shall perish.

11:8The just is delivered out of distress: and the wicked shall be given up for him.

11:9The dissembler with his mouth deceiveth his friend: but the just shall be delivered by knowledge.

11:10When it goeth well with the just, the city shall rejoice: and when the wicked perish, there shall be praise.

11:11By the blessing of the just the city shall be exalted: and by the mouth of the wicked it shall be overthrown.

11:12He that despiseth his friend, is mean of heart: but the wise man will hold his peace.

11:13He that walketh deceitfully, revealeth secrets: but he that is faithful, concealeth the thing committed to him by his friend.

11:14Where there is no governor, the people shall fall: but there is safety where there is much counsel.

11:15He shall be afflicted with evil, that is surety for a stranger: but he that is aware of snares, shall be secure.

11:16A gracious woman shall find glory: and the strong shall have riches.

11:17A merciful man doth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel casteth off even his own kindred.

11:18The wicked maketh an unsteady work: but to him that soweth justice, there is a faithful reward.

11:19Clemency prepareth life: and the pursuing of evil things, death.

11:20A perverse heart is abominable to the Lord: and his will is in them that walk sincerely.

11:21Hand in hand the evil man shall not be innocent: but the seed of the just shall be saved.

11:22A golden ring in a swine's snout, a woman fair and foolish.

11:23The desire of the just is all good, the expectation of the wicked is indignation.

11:24Some distribute their own goods, and grow richer: others take away what is not their own, and are always in want.

11:25The soul that blesseth, shall be made fat: and he that inebriateth, shall be inebriated also himself.

11:26He that hideth up corn, shall be cursed among the people: but a blessing upon the head of them that sell.

11:27Well doth he rise early who seeketh good things; but he that seeketh after evil things, shall be oppressed by them.

11:28He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the just shall spring up as a green leaf.

11:29He that troubleth his own house, shall inherit the winds: and the fool shall serve the wise.

11:30The fruit of the just man is a tree of life: and he that gaineth souls is wise.

11:31If the just man receive in the earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner.