Proverbs 1; Proverbs 2; Proverbs 3; Proverbs 4; Proverbs 5; Proverbs 6; Proverbs 7; Proverbs 8; Proverbs 9

Proverbs 1

1 The parables of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel; (The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, the king of Israel;)

2 to know wisdom and knowing (to know wisdom and knowledge); to understand the words of prudence;

3 and to take the learning of teaching; to take rightfulness, and doom, and equity; (and to receive learning from teaching, or from instruction; to gain righteousness, and judgement, or justice, and fairness;)

4 that fellness, or wariness, be given to little children, and knowing and understanding to a young waxing man. (so that cleverness, and caution, be given to people of little wit, or of low intelligence, and knowledge and understanding to a young growing man.)

5 A wise man hearing shall be the wiser; and a man (of) understanding shall hold governance. (A wise person listening shall become wiser; and a person understanding shall gain skills, or abilities.)

6 He shall perceive a parable, and the expounding; the words of wise men, and the dark figurative speeches of them. (He shall understand a proverb, and its expounding, or its explanation; yea, the words of the wise, and their riddles.)

7 The dread of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; fools despise wisdom and teaching. (The fear of the Lord/Reverence for the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; but fools despise wisdom and teaching.)

8 My son, hear thou the teaching of thy father, and forsake thou not the law of thy mother; (My son, listen thou to thy father's teaching; and do not thou abandon thy mother's principles;)

9 (so) that grace be added, either increased, to thine head, and a band to thy neck. (so that favour be added unto thee, and a band of honour be put about thy neck.)

10 My son, if sinners flatter thee, assent thou not to them.

11 If they say, Come thou with us, set we ambush to shed (out) blood, hide we snares of deceits against an innocent (person) without cause;

12 swallow we him, as hell swalloweth a man living; and all-whole, as (those) going down into a pit; (we shall swallow him up, like Sheol swalloweth up the living; yea, all-whole, like those going down into the pit;)

13 we shall find all precious chattel, (or possessions,) we shall fill our houses with spoils;

14 put thou lot with us, one purse be there of us all; (put thou thy lot with us, and let there be one purse for us all;)

15 my son, go thou not with them; forbid thy foot from the paths of them (do not let thy foot go onto their paths).

16 For the feet of them run to evil; and they hasten to shed out blood.

17 But a net is laid in vain before the eyes of birds, that have wings.

18 Also they set ambush against their own blood; and make ready frauds, or guiles, against their (own) souls.

19 So the paths of each avaricious man ravish, or take away, the souls of them that wield (them).

20 Wisdom preacheth withoutforth; in streets it giveth his voice. (Wisdom preacheth outside; yea, it raiseth up its voice in the streets.)

21 It crieth oft in the head of companies; in the leaves of [the] gates of the city it bringeth forth his words, and saith, (It crieth often at the tops of the streets; and at the leaves of the gates of the city, it bringeth forth its words, and saith,)

22 How long, little men in wit, love young childhood, and fools shall covet those things, that be harmful to themselves, and unprudent men shall hate knowing? (How long, ye of little wit, or of low intelligence, shall ye love foolishness, and shall fools desire those things that be harmful to themselves, and shall the imprudent hate knowledge, or understanding?)

23 Be ye converted at my reproving (Be ye changed by my rebukes); lo, I shall bring forth to you my spirit, and I shall show (you) my words.

24 For I called, and ye forsook; I held forth mine hand, and none there was that beheld. (For I called, but you would not listen to me; I held forth my hand, but no one paid any attention to it.)

25 Ye have despised all my counsel; and charged not my blamings (and would not listen to my rebukes).

26 And I shall laugh in your perishing; and I shall scorn you, when that, that ye dread, cometh to you. (And so I shall laugh at your misfortune, or at your tribulation; and I shall scorn you, when what ye fear, cometh to you.)

27 When sudden wretchedness falleth in, and perishing befalleth as (a) tempest; when tribulation and anguish cometh [up]on you.

28 Then they shall call me, and I shall not hear (but I shall not answer them); they shall rise early, and they shall not find me.

29 For they hated teaching, and they took not the dread of the Lord, (For they hated instruction, and they chose not to fear the Lord/and they chose not to have reverence for the Lord,)

30 neither they assented to my counsel, and they depraved all mine amending. (nor would they assent to my advice, and they have spurned all of my correction.)

31 Therefore they shall eat the fruits of their (own) way; and they shall be filled with their (own) counsels.

32 The turning away of little men in wit shall slay them; and the prosperity of fools shall lose them. (This turning away by those with little wit, or with low intelligence, shall lead to their own slaughter, yea, the prosperity of fools shall bring about their own destruction.)

33 But he that heareth me, shall rest without dread; and he shall use abundance, when the dread of evils is taken away. (But he who listeneth to me, shall rest without fear; and he shall enjoy his abundance, when the fear of evil is taken away.)

Proverbs 2

1 My son, if thou receivest my words, and hidest my behests with thee (and hidest my commands with thee);

2 (so) that thine ear hear wisdom, bow (down) thine heart to know prudence.

3 For if thou inwardly callest (to) wisdom, and bowest thine heart to(ward) prudence;

4 if thou seekest it as money, and diggest it out as treasures;

5 then thou shalt understand the dread of the Lord, and shalt find the knowing of God. (then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord/then thou shalt understand reverence for the Lord, and shalt find the knowledge of God.)

6 For the Lord giveth wisdom; and prudence and knowing is of his mouth. (For the Lord giveth wisdom; and understanding and knowledge cometh from his mouth.)

7 He shall keep the health of rightful men, and he shall defend them that go simply. (He shall keep safe the salvation, or the deliverance, of the righteous, and he shall defend those who go with honesty, or with integrity.)

8 And he shall keep (safe) the paths of rightwiseness, and he shall keep (safe) the ways of holy men.

9 Then thou shalt understand rightfulness, and doom, and equity, and each good path. (Then thou shalt understand righteousness, and judgement, and fairness, and each good way.)

10 If wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowing pleaseth thy soul,

11 good counsel shall keep thee, and prudence shall keep thee; (good advice shall keep thee safe, and understanding shall keep thee safe;)

12 (so) that thou be delivered from an evil way, and from a man that speaketh wayward things (and from the person who speaketh wicked things).

13 Which forsake a rightful way (Yea, from those who abandon the right way), and go by dark ways;

14 which be glad, when they have done evil, and make full out joy in worst things; (who be glad, when they have done evil, and rejoice in the worst things;)

15 whose ways be wayward, and their goings be of evil fame. (whose ways be wicked, and whose deeds be shameful.)

16 That thou be delivered from an alien woman, and from a strange woman, that maketh soft her words; (And so that thou be rescued from a strange, or an unknown, woman, who maketh her words soft;)

17 and (who) forsaketh the duke, or (the) leader, of her time of marriage, and hath forgotten the covenant of her God.

18 For the house of her is bowed to death, and her paths to hell. (For her house is on the way to death, and her paths lead down to Sheol, or the land of the dead/and her paths lead down to hell.)

19 All that enter to her, shall not turn again, neither they shall catch the paths of life. (All who go to her, shall never return, nor shall they ever walk again on the paths of life.)

20 That thou go in a good way, and keep the paths of just men. (So see that thou go on a good way, and keep to the paths of the righteous.)

21 Forsooth they that be rightful, shall dwell in the land; and simple men shall perfectly dwell therein. (For they who be upright, shall live in the land; and those who be honest/and those with integrity shall live there.)

22 But unfaithful men shall be lost from the land; and they that do wickedly, shall be taken away from it. (But the unfaithful shall be destroyed from off the land; and those who do wickedly, shall be taken away from it.)

Proverbs 3

1 My son, forget thou not my law; and thine heart keep my commandments.

2 For they shall set to thee the length of days, and the years of life, and peace.

3 Mercy and truth forsake thee not; bind thou those to thy throat, and write them in the tables of thine heart. (Let not mercy and truth desert thee; bind thou them about thy neck, and write them on the tablets of thy heart.)

4 And thou shalt find grace (And thou shalt receive favour), and good teaching before God and men.

5 Have thou trust in the Lord, of all thine heart; and lean thou not to thy prudence. (Have thou trust in the Lord, with all thy heart, and lean thou not unto thy own understanding.)

6 In all thy ways think on him, and he shall (ad)dress thy goings. (In all thy ways, or in all thy deeds, think of him, and he shall direct thy steps.)

7 Be thou not wise with thyself; dread thou God, and go away from evil. (Do not think thyself wise; but fear God/but revere God, and go thou away from evil.)

8 For why health shall be in thy navel, and moisting of thy bones. (For that shall be health for thy body, or thy entrails, and moistening for thy bones.)

9 Honour thou the Lord of thy chattel, and of the best of all thy fruits give thou to poor men; (Honour thou the Lord with thy possessions, and with the best of all thy fruits, or of all thy earnings;)

10 and (then) thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy pressers shall flow with wine (and thy winepresses shall flow with wine).

11 My son, cast thou not away the teaching of the Lord; and fail thou not, when thou art chastised of him (and faint thou not/and spurn thou him not, when thou art disciplined by him).

12 For the Lord chastiseth him, whom he loveth; and as a father in the son he pleaseth him (yea, like a father to his son who pleaseth him).

13 Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom, and that floweth with prudence. (Blessed is the person who findeth wisdom, and who floweth with understanding.)

14 The getting thereof is better than the merchandise of gold and of silver; the fruits thereof be the first and the cleanest.

15 It is more precious than all riches; and all things that be desired, may not be comparisoned to this (and nothing that is desired, can be compared to it).

16 Length of days is in the right half thereof, and riches and glory be in the left half thereof. (Length of days is in its right hand, and riches and glory be in its left hand.)

17 The ways thereof be fair ways, and all the paths thereof be peaceable. (Its way be fair ways, and all its paths be peaceful.)

18 It is a tree of life to them that take (hold of) it; and he that holdeth (onto) it, is blessed.

19 The Lord founded the earth by (his) wisdom; he stablished (the) heavens by (his) prudence.

20 The depths of waters brake out by his wisdom; and (the) clouds waxed (al)together with dew.

21 My son, these things float not away from thine eyes; keep thou my law, and my counsel; (My son, let not these things float away from thine eyes; keep thou my instructions, and my advice, near to thee;)

22 and life shall be to thy soul, and grace to thy cheeks. (and thou shalt have life, and gain favour.)

23 Then thou shalt go trustily in thy way (Then thou shalt go with trust on thy way); and thy foot shall not stumble.

24 If thou shalt sleep, thou shalt not dread; thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be soft [and sweet shall be thy sleep]. (When thou shalt sleep, thou shalt not fear; thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.)

25 Dread thou not of sudden fear, and the powers of wicked men falling in on thee. (Fear thou not sudden disaster, and the power, or the might, of the wicked falling in upon thee.)

26 For the Lord shall be at thy side; and he shall keep thy foot (safe), that thou be not taken.

27 Do not thou forbid to do well him that may; if thou mayest, also do thou well. (Do not thou forbid anyone to do good who can; and if thou be able, thou do good as well.)

28 Say thou not to thy friend, Go, and turn again, and tomorrow I shall give to thee; when thou mayest give anon. (Say thou not to thy friend, Go away, and return tomorrow, and then I shall give you what you need; when thou can give it to him at once.)

29 Imagine thou not evil to thy friend (Imagine thou not evil against thy friend), when he hath trust in thee.

30 Strive thou not against a man without cause, when he doeth none evil to thee. (Do not thou argue with someone for no reason, when he hath done nothing wrong to thee.)

31 Follow thou not an unjust man (Do not thou follow a law-breaker), follow thou not his ways.

32 For each deceiver is (an) abomination to the Lord; and his speaking is with simple men (and the Lord speaketh to those who be honest, or have integrity).

33 Neediness is sent of the Lord in(to) the house of a wicked man; but the dwelling places of just men shall be blessed. (Neediness is sent by the Lord into the houses of the wicked; but the dwelling places of the righteous shall be blessed.)

34 He shall scorn [the] scorners; and he shall give grace to mild men. (He shall mock the mockers; but he shall give favour to the humble, or to the meek.)

35 Wise men shall have glory; [the] enhancing of fools is shame. (The wise shall receive honour; but fools shall only increase their shame.)

Proverbs 4

1 Sons, hear ye the teaching of your father; and perceive ye (and understand ye), (so) that ye know prudence.

2 I shall give to you a good gift; forsake ye not my law. (I give you a good gift; do not ye abandon my instructions.)

3 For why and I was the son of my father, a tender son, and one begotten, before my mother. (For I was my father's son, a tender son, and my mother's only child.)

4 And my father taught me, and said, Thine heart receive my words; keep thou my behests (obey my commands), and thou shalt live.

5 Wield thou wisdom, wield thou prudence; forget thou not, neither bow thou away from the words of my mouth.

6 Forsake thou not it, and it shall keep thee (safe); love thou it, and it shall keep thee (safe).

7 The beginning of wisdom, wield thou wisdom; and in all thy possession, get thou prudence. (The beginning of wisdom, is that thou first obtain wisdom; and among all thy possessions, of greatest importance is that thou get understanding.)

8 Take thou it, and it shall enhance thee; thou shalt be glorified of it, when thou hast embraced it. (Take thou it unto thy heart, and it shall advance thee, or shall promote thee, or raise thee up; thou shalt be honoured, when thou hast embraced it.)

9 It shall give increasings of graces to thine head; and a noble crown shall defend thee. (It shall bring many favours upon thee; and they shall adorn thee like a noble crown.)

10 My son, hear thou, and take my words (to heart); (so) that the years of (thy) life be multiplied to thee.

11 I shall show to thee the way of wisdom; and I shall lead thee by the paths of equity (and I shall lead thee on the fair ways).

12 Into which when thou hast entered, thy goings shall not be made strait; and thou shalt run, and shalt not have hurting (and thou shalt not be caused to stumble).

13 Hold thou (fast to my) teaching, and forsake [thou] it not; keep thou it (near), for it is thy life.

14 Delight thou not in the paths of wicked men; and the way of evil men please not thee. (Delight thou not in the paths of the wicked; and do not let the ways of evil people please thee.)

15 Flee thou from it, and pass thou not thereby; bow thou away, and forsake it.

16 For they sleep not, no but they have done evil; and sleep is ravished from them, no but they have deceived simple men. (For they do not sleep, unless first they have done some evil; and sleep is taken from them, unless first they have deceived those who be honest, or have integrity.)

17 They eat the bread of unpiety, and drink the wine of wickedness. (They eat evil bread, and drink wicked wine.)

18 But the path of just men goeth forth as light shining (But the path of the righteous goeth forth like a shining light), and increaseth till to perfect day.

19 The way of wicked men is dark (The way of the wicked is dark); they know not where, (or when,) they shall fall.

20 My son, harken thou (to) my words; and bow down thine ears to my speeches.

21 Go not they away from thine eyes (Let them not go away from thine eyes); keep thou them in the middle of thine heart.

22 For those be life to men finding those, and health of all flesh. (For they be life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.)

23 With all (safe) keeping keep thine heart (safe), for life cometh forth of it (for life cometh forth from it).

24 Remove thou a shrewd mouth from thee (Do not thou speak depraved things); and backbiting lips be far from thee.

25 Thine eyes see rightful things; and thine eyelids go before thy steps.

26 (Ad)dress thou [the] paths to thy feet (Direct thou the steps of thy feet), and all thy ways shall be stablished.

27 Bow thou not to the right side, neither to the left side; turn away thy foot from evil.

Proverbs 5

1 My son, perceive thou my wisdom, and bow down thine ear to my prudence; (My son, pay attention to my wisdom, and listen to my understanding of things;)

2 (so) that thou keep thy thoughts (proper), and thy lips keep teaching (and thy lips speak knowingly).

3 Give thou not attention to the falseness of a woman; for the lips of an whore be an honeycomb dropping (for a whore's lips be like a dripping honeycomb), and her throat is clearer than oil;

4 but the last things [of her] be (as) bitter as wormwood, and her tongue is (as) sharp as a sword carving, (or cutting,) on each side.

5 Her feet go down into death; and her steps pierce to hells. (Her feet go downward unto death; and her steps shall lead thee unto Sheol, or the land of the dead/and her steps shall lead thee to hell.)

6 Those go not by the path of life; her steps be uncertain, and may not be sought out. (They do not go on the path of life; her steps be uncertain, and should not be followed.)

7 Now therefore, my son, hear thou me (And so now, my son, listen to me), and go thou not away from the words of my mouth.

8 Make far thy way from her (Make thy way far away from her), and nigh thou not to the doors of her house.

9 Give thou not thine honour to aliens (Give thou not thy honour to strangers), and thy years to the cruel;

10 lest peradventure strangers be filled with thy strengths, and lest (the rewards of) thy travails be in an alien's house; (lest perhaps strangers take all thy wealth, and the rewards of all thy efforts be in someone else's house;)

11 and thou bewail in the last days, when thou hast wasted thy flesh, and thy body;

12 and say, Why loathed I teaching, and mine heart assented not to blamings; (and thou say, Why did I loathe discipline, and why did I not listen to rebukes;)

13 neither I heard the voice of men teaching me, and I bowed not down mine ear to masters?

14 Almost I was in all-evil, in the midst of the church, and of the synagogue. (I was almost uniformly despised, in the midst of the congregation, and among those in the assembly.)

15 Drink thou water of thy cistern, and the floods of thy well. (Drink thou water from thy own cistern, and out-flowings from thy own well.)

16 Thy wells be streamed forth; and part thy waters in streets. (Let thy well floweth forth; and let thy water be parted in the streets.)

17 Have thou alone them; and aliens be not thy partners. (Have thou them alone; and let not strangers be thy partners.)

18 Thy vein be blessed (Let thy fountain be blessed); and be thou glad with the woman of thy young waxing age.

19 An hind most dearworthy; and an hart calf most acceptable. Her teats fill thee in all time; and delight thou continually in the love of her. (She is like a most dearworthy deer; and a most acceptable hart calf. Let her breasts fulfill, or satisfy, thee at all times; and delight thou continually in her love.)

20 My son, why art thou deceived of an alien woman; and art fostered in the bosom of another? (My son, why art thou deceived by a strange, or an unknown, woman; and why art thou comforted in the bosom of another?)

21 The Lord seeth the way(s) of a man; and he beholdeth all his steps.

22 The wickednesses of a wicked man take (hold of) him; and he is bound with the ropes of his sins.

23 He shall die, for he had not learning (He shall die, for he had no discipline); and he shall be deceived in the muchliness of his folly.

Proverbs 6

1 My son, if thou hast promised for thy friend, thou hast fastened thine hand at a stranger. (My son, if thou hast pledged yourself, or made a guarantee, for thy friend, then thou hast fastened thy hand to a stranger.)

2 Thou art bound by the words of thy mouth; and thou art taken with thine own words (and thou art caught by thy own words, or thy promises).

3 Therefore, my son, do thou that that I say, and deliver thyself; for thou hast fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run thou about, haste thou, raise thy friend; (And so my son, do thou what I say, and save thyself; for thou hast fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run thou about, haste thou, implore thy friend;)

4 give thou not sleep to thine eyes, neither (let) thine eyelids nap.

5 Be thou ravished, as a doe from the hand; and as a bird from [the] ambushings of the fowler. (Be thou released, like a doe from the hand of the hunter; and like a bird from the ambush of the fowler.)

6 O! thou slow man (O! thou lazy one), go to the ant; and behold thou his ways, and learn thou wisdom.

7 Which when he hath no duke, neither commander, nor prince (nor leader);

8 maketh ready in summer meat to himself, and gathereth together in harvest that, that he shall eat. (prepareth food for himself in the summer, and gathereth together at harvest time what he shall eat.)

9 How long shalt thou, slow man, sleep? (How long shalt thou, O lazy one, sleep?) when shalt thou rise from thy sleep?

10 A little thou shalt sleep, a little thou shalt nap; (and) a little thou shalt join together thine hands that thou sleep (again).

11 And then neediness, as a waygoer, shall come to thee; and poverty, as an armed man. Forsooth if thou art not slow (But if thou art not lazy), thy ripe corn shall come as a well; and neediness shall flee far from thee.

12 A man apostate, a man unprofitable, (is) he (who) goeth with a wayward mouth;

13 he beckoneth with (the) eyes, he trampeth with the foot, he speaketh with the finger,

14 by shrewd heart he imagineth evil, and in all time he soweth dissensions. (with a depraved heart he imagineth all kinds of evil, and at all times he soweth discord.)

15 His perdition shall come to him anon, and he shall be broken suddenly; and he shall no more have medicine. (His perdition shall come upon him at once, and suddenly he shall be broken; and then he shall be without any remedy.)

16 Six things there be, which the Lord hateth; and his soul curseth the seventh thing.

17 High eyes, a tongue liar, that is, accustomable to deadly leasing (a lying tongue, that is, one accustomed to deadly lies), hands shedding out innocent blood,

18 an heart imagining full wicked thoughts, feet swift to run into evil (feet quick to run to evil),

19 a man bringing forth leasing, a false witness; and him that soweth discord among brethren. (a liar, that is, a false witness; and he who soweth discord among brothers, or among friends.)

20 My son, keep the commandments of thy father; and forsake [thou] not the law of thy mother. (My son, obey thy father's commands; and do not thou abandon thy mother's instructions.)

21 Bind thou those continually in thine heart; and encompass to thy throat. (Bind thou them continually to thy heart; and tie them about thy neck.)

22 When thou goest, go they with thee; when thou sleepest, keep they thee (safe); and thou waking, speak with them.

23 For the commandment of God is a lantern, and the law is light, and the blaming of teaching is the way of life; (For the commandment of God is a lantern, and the Law is a light, and the rebukes of discipline pointeth to the way of life;)

24 (so) that they keep thee from an evil woman, and from a flattering tongue of a strange woman.

25 Thine heart covet not the fairness of her; neither be thou taken (in) by the beckonings of her. (Do not let thy heart desire her beauty; nor be thou taken in by her beckonings.)

26 For the price of a whore is scarcely a gobbet of bread; but (such) a woman taketh (away) the precious soul of a man.

27 Whether a man may hide fire in his bosom, that his clothes burn not; (Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his clothes not burn?)

28 either go on coals, and his feet be not burnt? (or go upon coals, and his feet not be burned?)

29 So he that entereth to the wife of his neighbour; (he) shall not be clean, when he hath touched her.

30 It is no great sin, when a man stealeth; for he stealeth to fill an hungry soul.

31 And he taken shall yield the seventhfold (And if he is caught, he shall give back sevenfold); and he shall give all the chattel of his house, and (so he) shall deliver himself.

32 But he that is an adulterer, shall lose his soul, for the poverty of heart, that is, (for the) wanting of reason.

33 He gathereth filth, and scandal to himself; and his shame shall not be done away.

34 For the fervent love and strong vengeance of the man shall not spare in the day of vengeance, (For the husband's fervent love, and desire for revenge, shall not spare him on the day of vengeance,)

35 neither shall (the husband) assent to the prayers of any; neither he shall take many gifts for ransom (nor shall he take any number of gifts for recompense).

Proverbs 7

1 My son, keep thou my words; and keep my behests to thee. (My son, remember my words; and keep my commands with thee.)

2 Keep thou my behests, and thou shalt live; and my law, as the apple of thine eye. (Keep thou my commands, and thou shalt live; and my instructions, or my teaching, as the apple of thine eyes.)

3 Bind thou it in thy fingers; write thou it in the tables of thine heart. (Bind thou it to thy fingers; write thou it on the tablets of thy heart.)

4 Say thou to wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call thou prudence thy love (and call thou understanding, thy friend).

5 That it keep thee from a strange woman; and from an alien woman, that maketh her words sweet. (So that they keep thee safe from a strange woman; yea, from an unknown woman, who maketh her words sweet.)

6 (For she saith,) For why from the window of mine house, by the lattice, I beheld;

7 and I see little children, that is, fools that have little wit. I behold a young man coward, (and I see fools, who have little intelligence. I behold a cowardly young man,)

8 that passeth by the streets, beside the corner (who passeth along the street, beside the corner); and he goeth nigh the way of her house,

9 in dark time, when the day draweth to night, in the darkness and mist in the night.

10 And lo! a woman, made ready with (the) ornament of an whore to deceive souls, meeteth him,

11 and she is a jangler, and going about, and unpatient of rest, and may not stand in the house with her feet; (and she is a gossip, who goeth about restlessly, yea, who cannot stand still in her own house;)

12 and now withoutforth, now in [the] streets, now beside [the] corners, she ambusheth (him).

13 And she taketh (hold of), and kisseth the young man; and flattereth (him) with wooing cheer, that is, unrestful(ly), and without shame, and saith,

14 I owed sacrifices for health (I have paid my offerings for my deliverance); today I have yielded my vows.

15 Therefore I went out into thy meeting, and I desired to see thee; and I have found thee.

16 I have made (ready) my bed with cords, I have arrayed it with tapets painted of Egypt; (I have prepared my bed, yea, I have arrayed it with coloured tapestries from Egypt;)

17 I have besprinkled my bed with myrrh, and aloes, and canel (and cinnamon).

18 Come thou, be we filled with touching of teats, and use we embracings that be coveted; till the day begin to be clear.

19 For mine husband is not in his house; he is gone (away) a full long way.

20 He took with him a bag of money; he shall turn again in to his house in the day of [the] full moon. (He took a bag of money with him; and he shall not return to his house until the day of the full moon.)

21 She bound him with many words; and she drew forth him with flatterings of lips. (And so she bound him with many words; and she drew him forth with the flattery from her lips.)

22 Anon he as an ox led to slain sacrifice followeth her, and as a jolly lamb and unknowing; and the fool knoweth not, that he is drawn to bonds, (And so at once he followeth her, like an ox led away to be slain for the offering, and like a jolly, and unknowing, lamb; and the fool knoweth not, that he is drawn into bonds,)

23 till an arrow pierce his maw. As if a bird hasteth to the snare; and knoweth not, that it is done of the peril of his life. (until an arrow pierce his belly. Yea, like a bird that hasteneth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is done at the peril of its own life.)

24 Now therefore, my son, hear thou me; and perceive the words of my mouth. (And so now, my son, listen thou to me; and understand the words that I speak.)

25 Lest thy soul be drawn away in the ways of her; neither be thou deceived in the paths of her. (Lest thy life be drawn away by her ways; go thou not forth on her deceptive paths.)

26 For she hath cast down many wounded men; and all [the] strongest men were slain of her. (For she hath wounded, and cast down, many men; yea, even the strongest men have been slain by her.)

27 The ways of hell is her house; and pierce(th) into the inner things of death. (Her house is the way, or the entrance, to Sheol/to hell; yea, it leadeth down to the land of the dead.)

Proverbs 8

1 Whether wisdom crieth not oft; and prudence giveth her voice? (Whether not wisdom crieth often, and understanding giveth forth her voice?)

2 In most sovereign and high tops, above the way, in the midst of paths, (On hilltops, on the way, in the midst of paths,)

3 and it standeth beside the gate(s) of the city, in those enclosings, and speaketh, and saith,

4 A! ye men, I cry oft to you; and my voice is to the sons of men. (O! ye people, I often cry to you; and my words be for the sons and daughters of men.)

5 Little children, that is, little of wit, understand ye wisdom; and ye unwise men, perceiveth in heart. (Ye of little intelligence, understand ye wisdom; and ye who be unwise, think in your hearts.)

6 Hear ye (Listen ye), for I shall speak of great things; and my lips shall be opened, to preach rightful things.

7 My throat shall bethink truth; and my lips shall curse a wicked man. (My mouth shall speak the truth; and my lips shall curse the wicked/for my lips hate wicked words.)

8 My words be just; no shrewd thing, neither wayward is in those. (My words be right, or true; there is nothing depraved, or wicked, in them.)

9 They be rightful to them that understand; and they be even to them that find knowing. (They be right to those who understand; and they be obvious to those who find knowledge.)

10 Take ye my chastising, and not money (Receive, or accept, ye my discipline, and not money); choose ye teaching, more than treasure.

11 For wisdom is better than all riches most precious (For wisdom is better than all of the most precious riches); and all desirable thing may not be comparisoned thereto.

12 I, wisdom, dwell in counsel (live in good advice); and I am among learned thoughts.

13 The dread of the Lord hateth evil; I curse boast, and pride, and a shrewd way, and a double-tongued mouth. (The fear of the Lord is to hate evil/To have reverence for the Lord is to hate evil; I curse boast, and pride, and a depraved way, and speaking with a double-tongue, or with duplicity.)

14 Counsel is mine, and equity; prudence is mine, and strength. (Forethought is mine, and fairness, or equality; understanding is mine, and strength.)

15 Kings reign by me; and makers of laws deem just things by me. (Kings reign by me; and law-makers justly judge by me/and rulers make just laws by me.)

16 Princes command by me; and mighty men deem rightfulness by me. (Leaders command by me; and mighty men judge rightly, or with justice, by me.)

17 I love them that love me; and they that wake early to me, shall find me. (I love them who love me; and they who wake up early to seek me, shall find me.)

18 With me be riches, and glory; sovereign riches, and rightfulness.

19 My fruit is better than gold, and precious stone(s); and my seeds be better than chosen silver (and my recompense is better than chosen silver).

20 I go in the ways of rightfulness, in the midst of the paths of doom; (I go on the ways of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice;)

21 that I make rich them that love me (so that I make rich those who love me), and that I fill their treasures/their treasuries.

22 The Lord wielded me in the beginning of his ways (The Lord created me at the beginning of his ways); before that he made anything, (yea,) at the (very) beginning.

23 From without beginning I was ordained; and from eld times, before that the earth was made.

24 [The] Depths of waters were not yet (made); and I was conceived then. The wells of waters had not broken out yet (The water wells had not yet broken forth),

25 and hills stood not (al)together yet by firm heaviness; before little hills I was born. (and the mountains did not yet stand with firm heaviness; yea, I was born before the little hills.)

26 Yet he had not made [the] earth; and floods, and the earths of the world. (He had not yet made the earth; and the rivers, and the dust of the world.)

27 When he made ready heavens, I was present (When he prepared the heavens, I was there); (and) when he compassed, [or (en)closed,] the depths of (the) waters by certain law and compass.

28 When he made steadfast the air above; and weighed the wells of waters (and set in place the water wells).

29 When he compassed to the sea his mark (When he set the boundaries for the seas); and setted law to (the) waters, that they should not pass their coasts. When he weighed the foundaments of [the] earth;

30 I was making all (these) things with him. And I delighted by all days, and played before him in all time,

31 and I played in the world; and my delights be to be with the sons of men (and my delight is to be with the sons and daughters of men).

32 Now, therefore, sons, hear ye me; blessed be they that keep my ways. (And so now, sons and daughters, listen ye to me; blessed be those who follow my ways.)

33 Hear ye teaching, and be ye wise men; and do not ye cast it away. (Listen ye to my teaching, and be ye wise; and do not ye throw it away.)

34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth at my gates all day (Happy is the person who listeneth to me, and who standeth watch at my gates all day long); and keepeth (guard) at the posts of my door[s].

35 He that findeth me, shall find life; and he shall draw health of the Lord. (He who findeth me, shall find life; and he shall obtain favour from the Lord.)

36 But he that sinneth against me shall hurt his soul; all that hate me, love death. (But he who sinneth against me shall hurt his own soul; all who hate me, love death.)

Proverbs 9

1 Wisdom builded an house to himself (Wisdom built a house for himself); he hewed out seven pillars,

2 he offered his slain sacrifices, he meddled wine (he mixed in spices with the wine), and setted forth his table.

3 He sent his handmaids (He sent forth his servantesses), that they should call to the tower; and to the walls of the city.

4 If any man is little (in wit), come he to me. And wisdom spake to unwise men, (and said,) (And that they should say, If any one hath little intelligence, come he to me. And then wisdom spoke to the unwise, and said,)

5 Come ye, eat ye my bread; and drink ye the wine, which I have meddled to you (and drink ye the wine, in which I have mixed in spices for you).

6 Forsake ye young childhood, and live ye; and go ye by the way of prudence. (Abandon ye foolishness, and have life; and go ye on the way of understanding.)

7 He that teacheth a scorner, doeth wrong to himself; and he that reproveth a wicked man, engendereth a wem to himself. (He who trieth to teach a mocker, only wrongeth himself; and he who reproveth the wicked, begetteth a wound for himself.)

8 Do not thou reprove a scorner; lest he hate thee. Reprove thou a wise man; and he shall love thee. (Do not thou rebuke a mocker; lest he hate thee. Rebuke thou a wise person; and he shall love thee.)

9 Give thou occasion to a wise man; and wisdom shall be increased to him. Teach thou a just man; and he shall hasten to take it (to heart). (Give thou advice, or instruction, to a wise person; and his wisdom shall be increased. Teach thou a righteous person; and he shall hasten to take it to heart.)

10 The beginning of wisdom is the dread of the Lord; and prudence is the knowing of saints. (The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord; and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding./The beginning of wisdom is reverence for the Lord; and to know the Holy One is to have understanding.)

11 For thy days shall be multiplied by me; and [the] years of (thy) life shall be increased to thee.

12 If thou art wise, thou shalt be wise to thyself, and to thy neighbours. Forsooth if thou art a scorner, thou alone shalt bear evil. (If thou art wise, thou shalt be wise, or gain advantage, for thyself, and for thy friends as well. But if thou art a mocker, thou alone shalt bear the evil.)

13 A fond woman, and full of cry, and full of unleaveful lusts, and that knoweth nothing utterly, (A loud and foolish woman, full of unlawful lusts, who knoweth utterly nothing,)

14 sitteth in the doors of her house (sitteth at the door of her house), on a seat, in an high place of the city;

15 to call men passing by the way, and men going in their journey. (to call to men passing by the way, and to men going on their journey.)

16 Who is a little man in wit; bow he to me (And she saith to herself, Who is a man of little intelligence; turn he unto me). And she spake to a coward, (and said,)

17 Waters of theft be sweeter, and bread hid is sweeter. (Stolen water is sweeter, and hidden bread is sweeter.)

18 And [he] knew not that giants be there; and the guests of her be in the depths of hell. Soothly he that shall be applied, either fastened, to her, shall go down to hells. For why he that goeth away from her shall be saved. (And he knew not that death is there; and that her guests be in the depths of hell. Truly, he who shall be fastened to her, shall go down to Sheol, that is, to the land of the dead/shall go down to hell. But he who goeth away from her, shall be saved.)