Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?

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

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

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

O little ones understand subtlety, and ye unwise, take notice.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Counsel and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.

By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things.

By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.

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

With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice.

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

I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When 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;

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

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

Now, therefore, ye children, hear me: blessed are they that keep my ways.

Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.

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

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

Wisdom hath built herself a house, she hath hewn her out seven pillars.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Give 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hatred stirreth up strifes: and charity covereth all sins.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A golden ring in a swine’s snout, a woman fair and foolish.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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