9 ¹Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: ²She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. ³She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, ⁴Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, ⁵Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. ⁶Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. ⁷He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. ⁸Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. ⁹Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. ¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. ¹¹For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. ¹²If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

¹³A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing. ¹⁴For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, ¹⁵To call passengers who go right on their ways: ¹⁶Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, ¹⁷Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. 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. ²Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. ³The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked. ⁴He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. ⁵He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. ⁶Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. ⁷The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. ⁸The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall. ⁹He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. ¹⁰He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall. ¹¹The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. ¹²Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. 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. ¹⁴Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. ¹⁵The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. ¹⁶The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. ¹⁷He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. ¹⁸He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. ¹⁹In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. ²⁰The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. ²¹The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. ²²The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. ²³It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom. ²⁴The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted. ²⁵As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. ²⁶As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him. ²⁷The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. ²⁸The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. ²⁹The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. ³⁰The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth. ³¹The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. 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. ²When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. ³The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. ⁴Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death. ⁵The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. ⁶The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness. ⁷When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth. ⁸The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead. ⁹An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. ¹⁰When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting. ¹¹By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. ¹²He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace. ¹³A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. ¹⁴Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. ¹⁵He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure. ¹⁶A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches. ¹⁷The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. ¹⁸The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. ¹⁹As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. ²⁰They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight. ²¹Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. ²²As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion. ²³The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath. ²⁴There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. ²⁵The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. ²⁶He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. ²⁷He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. ²⁸He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. ²⁹He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. ³⁰The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. ³¹Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.