1  THE PROVERBS of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

2  To know wisdom and instruction; to comprehend the words of understanding;

2  in order to know wisdom and discipline,

3  To receive the discipline of wisdom, justice, and right, and equity;

3  to receive also hard saying, and to understand true justice, and how to direct judgement;

3  to understand words of prudence, and to accept the instruction of doctrine, justice and judgment, and equity,

4  To give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion;

4  that he might give subtlety to the simple, and to the young man discernment and understanding.

4  so as to give discernment to little ones, knowledge and understanding to adolescents.

5  That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and the man of understanding may attain unto wise counsels;

5  By listening, the wise shall become wiser and the intelligent shall possess governments.

6  To understand a proverb, and a figure; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

6  and will understand a parable, and a dark speech; the saying of the wise also, and riddles.

6  He shall turn his soul to a parable and to its interpretation, to the words of the wise and their enigmas.

7  The fear of YHWH is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and discipline.

7  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and there is good understanding to all that practise it: and piety toward God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will set at nought wisdom and instruction.

7  The reverence of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise knowledge and instruction.

8  Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother;

8  Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother,

9  For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

9  For thou shalt receive for thine head a crown of graces, and a chain of gold round thy neck.

9  so that grace may be added to your head and a collar to your neck.

10  My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

10  My son, let not ungodly men lead thee astray, neither consent thou to them.

11  If they say: 'Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us lurk for the innocent without cause;

11  If they should exhort thee, saying, Come with us, partake in blood, and let us unjustly hide the just man in the earth

11  If they should say: “Come with us. We will lie in wait for blood. We will lay traps against the innocent, without cause.

12  Let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit;

12  and let us swallow him alive, as Hades would, and remove the memorial of him from the earth

12  Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit.

13  We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil;

13  let us seize on his valuable property, and let us fill our houses with spoils

13  We will discover every precious substance. We will fill our houses with spoils.

14  Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse'--

14  but do thou cast in thy lot with us, and let us all provide a common purse, and let us have one pouch

14  Cast your lot with us. One purse will be for us all.”

15  My son, walk not thou in the way with them, restrain thy foot from their path;

15  go not in the way with them, but turn aside thy foot from their paths

15  My son, do not walk with them. Preclude your feet from their paths.

16  For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

17  For in vain the net is spread in the eyes of any bird;

17  for nets are not without cause spread for birds.

18  And these lie in wait for their own blood, they lurk for their own lives.

18  For they that are concerned in murder store up evils for themselves; and the overthrow of transgressors is evil.

18  Likewise, they lie in ambush against their own blood, and they undertake deceits against their own souls.

19  So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; it taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

19  These are the ways of all that perform lawless deeds; for by ungodliness they destroy their own life.

19  Thus, the ways of all those who are greedy seize the souls of those who possess.

20  Wisdom crieth aloud in the streets, she uttereth her voice in the broad places;

20  Wisdom sings aloud in passages, and in the broad places speaks boldly.

20  Wisdom forewarns far and wide; she bestows her voice in the streets.

21  She calleth at the head of the noisy streets, at the entrances of the gates, in the city, she uttereth her words

21  And she makes proclamation on the top of the walls, and sits by the gates of princes; and at the gates of the city boldly says,

21  She preaches in the chief places of the concourse; in the openings of the gates of the city, she utters her words, saying,

22  'How long, ye thoughtless, will ye love thoughtlessness? And how long will scorners delight them in scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

22  So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, and are become subject to reproofs.

22  “Little ones, how long will you choose to be childish, and how long will the foolish desire what is harmful to themselves, and how long will the imprudent hate knowledge?

23  Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

23  Behold, I will bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech.

23  Be converted by my correction. Lo, I will offer my spirit to you, and I will reveal my words to you.

24  Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man attended,

24  Since I called, and ye did not hearken; and I spoke at length, and ye gave no heed;

24  For I called, and you refused. I extended my hand, and there was no one who watched.

25  But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof;

25  You have despised all my counsels, and you have neglected my rebukes.

26  I also, in your calamity, will laugh, I will mock when your dread cometh;

26  therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against you when ruin comes upon you

26  Similarly, I will ridicule you at your demise, and I will mock you, when that which you feared shall overcome you.

27  When your dread cometh as a storm, and your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; when trouble and distress come upon you.

27  yea when dismay suddenly comes upon you, and your overthrow shall arrive like a tempest; and when tribulation and distress shall come upon you, or when ruin shall come upon you.

28  Then will they call me, but I will not answer, they will seek me earnestly, but they shall not find me.

28  For it shall be that when ye call upon me, I will not hearken to you: wicked men shall seek me, but shall not find me.

29  For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of YHWH;

29  For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord

29  Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the worship of the LORD.

30  They would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof.

30  neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs.

30  They were not pleased with my counsels; they rejected all of my reproof.

31  Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

31  Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their way, and they shall have their fill of their own counsels.

32  For the waywardness of the thoughtless shall slay them, and the confidence of fools shall destroy them.

32  For because they wronged the simple, they shall be slain; and an inquisition shall ruin the ungodly.

33  But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.'

33  But whoever will listen to me shall rest without terror, and shall have full enjoyment of abundance, without fear of evils.”

33  But he who listens to me shall live in hope, and shall refrain from many evils.

2:1  My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and lay up my commandments with thee;

1  My son, if you would accept my words, and conceal my commandments within you,

2:2  So that thou make thine ear attend unto wisdom, and thy heart incline to discernment;

2  thine ear shall hearken to wisdom; thou shalt also apply thine heart to understanding, and shalt apply it to the instruction of thy son.

2  And incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding,

2:3  Yea, if thou call for understanding, and lift up thy voice for discernment;

3  For it thou shalt call to wisdom, and utter thy voice for understanding;

3  For if you would call upon wisdom and bend your heart to prudence,

2:4  If thou seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures;

4  and if thou shalt seek it as silver, and search diligently for it as for treasures;

4  if you will seek her like money, and dig for her as if for treasure,

2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of YHWH, and find the knowledge of God.

5  then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will discover the knowledge of God.

2:6  For YHWH giveth wisdom, out of His mouth cometh knowledge and discernment;

6  For the Lord gives wisdom; and from his presence come knowledge and understanding,

6  For it is the LORD who gives wisdom; out of his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

2:7  He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright, He is a shield to them that walk in integrity;

7  and he treasures up salvation for them that walk uprightly: he will protect their way;

7  He stores up hope for the upright; he helps those who walk without blemish.

2:8  That He may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of His godly ones.

8  serving the paths of justice, and guarding the ways of sanctity.

8  He keeps the paths of justice, and preserves the ways of his saints.

2:9  Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, and equity, yea, every good path.

9  Then you shall understand justice and judgment, and equity, and every good path.

9  Then you will understand righteousness and justice and the uprightness of all good ways.

2:10  For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, and knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;

10  If wisdom is to enter into your heart, and if knowledge is to become pleasing to your soul,

2:11  Discretion shall watch over thee, discernment shall guard thee;

11  then counsel must guard you, and prudence must serve you,

11  Intelligence shall preserve you, and the understanding of the pious men shall deliver you;

2:12  To deliver thee from the way of evil, from the men that speak froward things;

12  so that you may be rescued from the evil way, and from the man who speaks perversities,

12  That you might be delivered from evil ways, from men who speak perverse things,

2:13  Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

13  Alas for those who forsake right paths, to walk in ways of darkness;

13  from those who leave the straight path to walk in dark ways,

2:14  Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of evil;

14  who rejoice in evils, and delight in wicked perverseness;

14  who rejoice when they have done evil, and who exult in the most wicked things.

2:15  Who are crooked in their ways, and perverse in their paths;

2:16  To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the alien woman that maketh smooth her words;

16  So may you be rescued from the foreign woman, and from the outsider, who softens her speech,

16  Wisdom shall deliver you from a strange woman who flatters with her words,

2:17  That forsaketh the lord of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

17  of her who has forsaken the instruction of her youth, and forgotten the covenant of God.

17  and who leaves behind the Guide of her youth,

2:18  For her house sinketh down unto death, and her paths unto the shades;

18  For she has fixed her house near death, and guided her wheels near Hades with the giants.

18  and who has forgotten the covenant of her God. For her household inclines toward death, and her paths toward Hell.

2:19  None that go unto her return, neither do they attain unto the paths of life;

19  None that go by her shall return, neither shall they take hold of right paths, for they are not apprehended of the years of life.

19  All those who enter to her will not return again, nor will they take hold of the paths of life.

2:20  That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

20  For had they gone in good paths, they would have found the paths of righteousness easy.

20  So may you walk in the good way, and keep to the difficult paths of the just.

2:21  For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the whole-hearted shall remain in it.

21  For those who are upright shall live upon the earth, and the simple shall continue upon it.

2:22  But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the faithless shall be plucked up out of it.

22  The paths of the ungodly shall perish out of the earth, and transgressors shall be driven away from it.

22  Yet truly, the impious shall perish from the earth, and those who act unjustly shall be taken away from it.

3:1  My son, forget not my teaching; but let thy heart keep my commandments;

1  My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart guard my precepts.

3:2  For length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to thee.

2  For they shall set before you length of days, and years of life, and peace.

2  For the length of days and long life will they add to you;

3:3  Let not kindness and truth forsake thee; bind them about thy neck, write them upon the table of thy heart;

3  Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; but bind them about thy neck

3  And peace, mercy, and truth will not forsake you; bind them about your neck; write them upon the tablets of your heart

3:4  So shalt thou find grace and good favour in the sight of God and man.

4  And so shall you discover grace and good discipline, in the sight of God and men.

3:5  Trust in YHWH with all thy heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding.

5  Have confidence in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend upon your own prudence.

3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths.

6  In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths.

6  In all your ways, consider him, and he himself will direct your steps.

3:7  Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear YHWH, and depart from evil;

7  Do not seem wise to yourself. Fear God, and withdraw from evil.

3:8  It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

8  Then shall there be health to thy body, and good keeping to thy bones.

8  Certainly, it shall be health to your navel, and refreshment to your bones.

3:9  Honour YHWH with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase;

9  Honour the Lord with thy just labours, and give him the first of thy fruits of righteousness

9  Honor the Lord with your substance, and give to him from the first of all your fruits,

3:10  So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy vats shall overflow with new wine.

10  that thy storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that thy presses may burst forth with wine.

10  and then your storehouses will be filled with abundance, and your presses shall overflow with wine.

3:11  My son, despise not the chastening of YHWH, neither spurn thou His correction;

11  My son, do not discard the discipline of the Lord, and do not fall away when you are corrected by him.

3:12  For whom YHWH loveth He correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

12  for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.

12  For whomever the Lord loves, he corrects, and just as a father does with a son, he wins him over.

3:13  Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that obtaineth understanding.

13  Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.

3:14  For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

14  For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.

14  Her acquisition is better than trading in silver, and her fruit is better than the first and purest gold.

3:15  She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

15  And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.

3:16  Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honour.

16  For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.

3:17  Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

3:18  She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that holdest her fast.

3:19  YHWH by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens.

19  God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.

19  The Lord founded the earth on wisdom. He secured the heavens with prudence.

3:20  By His knowledge the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.

20  By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.

20  By his wisdom, the abyss erupted and the clouds increased with dew.

3:21  My son, let not them depart from thine eyes; keep sound wisdom and discretion;

21  My son, let not these things move away from your eyes. Preserve law as well as counsel.

3:22  So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

22  that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round thy neck; and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy bones

22  And so shall there be life in your soul and grace in your voice.

3:23  Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely, and thou shalt not dash thy foot.

23  that thou mayest go confidently in peace in all thy ways, and that thy foot may not stumble.

23  Then you shall walk confidently in your way, and your feet will not stumble.

3:24  When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

24  For if thou rest, thou shalt be undismayed; and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber sweetly.

24  When you slumber, you shall not fear. When you rest, your sleep also will be sweet.

3:25  Be not afraid of sudden terror, neither of the destruction of the wicked, when it cometh;

25  And thou shalt not be afraid of alarm coming upon thee, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.

25  Do not fear unexpected terror, nor the power of the impious falling upon you.

3:26  For YHWH will be thy confidence, and will keep thy foot from being caught.

26  For the Lord shall be over all thy ways, and shall establish thy foot that thou be not moved.

26  For the Lord will be at your side, and he will guard your feet, so that you may not be seized.

3:27  Withhold not good from him to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.

27  Forbear not to do good to the poor, whensoever thy hand may have power to help him.

27  Do not prevent him who is able from doing good. When you are able, do good yourself too.

3:28  Say not unto thy neighbour: 'Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give'; when thou hast it by thee.

28  Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while thou art able to do him good: for thou knowest not what the next day will bring forth.

28  Do not say to your friend: “Go away, and then return. Tomorrow I will give to you.” When you are able to do so, give in the present.

3:29  Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

29  Do not undertake evil against your friend, even though he has trust in you.

29  Do not devise evil against your neighbor, seeing he dwells in peace beside you.

3:30  Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.

30  Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do thee some harm.

30  Do not contend against a man without cause, even though he has done no evil to you.

3:31  Envy thou not the man of violence, and choose none of his ways.

31  Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do thou covet their ways.

31  Do not rival an unjust man, and do not imitate his ways.

3:32  For the perverse is an abomination to YHWH; but His counsel is with the upright.

32  For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.

32  For everyone who ridicules is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is for the simple.

3:33  The curse of YHWH is in the house of the wicked; but He blesseth the habitation of the righteous.

33  Destitution in the house of the impious is from the Lord. But the habitations of the just shall be blessed.

3:34  If it concerneth the scorners, He scorneth them, but unto the humble He giveth grace.

34  The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.

34  He will ridicule those who ridicule, but he will bestow grace upon the mild.

3:35  The wise shall inherit honour; but as for the fools, they carry away shame.

35  The wise will possess glory. The exaltation of the foolish is disgraceful.

35  Wise men shall inherit glory; but fools shall receive disgrace.

4:1  Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

1  Listen, sons, to the discipline of a father, and pay attention, so that you may know prudence.

1  HEAR, O my children, the instruction of a father, and give ear to knowledge and understanding.

4:2  For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my teaching.

2  I will bestow upon you a good gift. Do not relinquish my law.

2  Because I give you good doctrine, do not forsake my law.

4:3  For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother.

4:4  And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments, and live;

4  who spoke and instructed me, saying, Let our speech be fixed in thine heart, keep our commandments, forget them not

4  He taught me, and said to me, Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live; and let my law be as the pupil of the eye.

4:5  Get wisdom, get understanding; forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;

5  and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.

5  Obtain wisdom, obtain prudence. May you neither forget, nor turn away from, the words of my mouth.

4:6  Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; love her, and she will keep thee.

6  And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to thee: love it, and it shall keep thee.

6  Do not send her away, and she will guard you. Love her, and she will preserve you.

4:7  The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding.

7  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all your substance get understanding.

4:8  Extol her, and she will exalt thee; she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

8  Secure it, and it shall exalt thee: honour it, that it may embrace thee;

8  Love her, and she shall exalt you; embrace her, and she shall honor you.

4:9  She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee.'

9  that it may give unto thy head a crown of graces, and may cover thee with a crown of delight.

9  She shall put upon your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory shall she bestow upon you.

4:10  Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

10  Hear, my son, and receive my words; and the years of thy life shall be increased, that the resources of thy life may be many.

10  Listen, my son, and accept my words, so that years of life may be multiplied for you.

4:11  I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.

11  For I teach thee the ways of wisdom; and I cause thee to go in right paths.

11  I will demonstrate to you the way of wisdom. I will lead you along the paths of equity.

4:12  When thou goest, thy step shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

12  When you have entered by these, your steps will not be constrained, and when running, you will have no obstacle.

12  When you walk, your steps will not be unsteady; and when you run, you will not stumble.

4:13  Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is thy life.

13  Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for thyself for thy life.

13  Take hold of discipline. Do not dismiss it. Guard it, for it is your life.

4:14  Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.

14  Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.

14  Do not delight in the paths of the impious, nor permit the way of evil-doers to please you.

4:15  Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.

15  In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not thither; but turn from them, and pass away.

4:16  For they sleep not, except they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

16  For they do not sleep, unless they have done evil. And their sleep is quickly taken away from them, unless they have overthrown.

4:17  For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

17  For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.

17  They eat the bread of impiety, and they drink the wine of iniquity.

4:18  But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

18  But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.

4:19  The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.

19  But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.

4:20  My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

20  My son, pay attention to my sermons, and incline your ear to my eloquent words.

4:21  Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.

21  that thy fountains may not fail thee; keep them in thine heart.

21  Do not let them depart from your eyes; but keep them in the midst of your heart.

4:22  For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

4:23  Above all that thou guardest keep thy heart; for out of it are the issues of life.

23  Preserve your heart with all watchfulness, for life proceeds from this.

4:24  Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

24  Remove from thee a froward mouth, and put far away from thee unjust lips.

4:25  Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

25  Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids precede your steps.

4:26  Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

26  Make straight paths for thy feet, and order thy ways aright.

26  Direct the path of your feet, and all your ways shall be secure.

4:27  Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.

27  Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away thy foot from an evil way: for God knows the ways on the right hand, but those on the left are crooked: and he will make thy ways straight, and will guide thy steps in peace.

27  Turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left; yet turn your foot away from evil. For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right, and truly, those that are on the left are perverse. But he himself will make your courses straight. Then your journey will advance in peace.

5:1  My son, attend unto my wisdom; incline thine ear to my understanding;

1  My son, pay attention to my wisdom, and incline your ear to my prudence,

5:2  That thou mayest preserve discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.

2  that thou mayest keep good understanding, and the discretion of my lips gives thee a charge. Give no heed to a worthless woman;

2  so that you may guard your thinking, and so that your lips may preserve discipline. Do not pay attention to the deceit of a woman.

5:3  For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil;

3  for honey drops from the lips of a harlot, who for a season pleases thy palate

5:4  But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

4  but afterwards thou wilt find her more bitter than gall, and sharper than a two-edged sword.

4  But in the end, she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword.

5:5  Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on the nether-world;

5  For the feet of folly lead those who deal with her down to the grave with death; and her steps are not established.

5  Her feet descend into death, and her steps reach even to Hell.

5:6  Lest she should walk the even path of life, her ways wander, but she knoweth it not.

6  For she goes not upon the paths of life; but her ways are slippery, and not easily known.

6  They do not walk along the path of life; her steps are wandering and untraceable.

5:7  Now therefore, O ye children, hearken unto me, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

7  Now then, my son, hear me, and make not my words of none effect.

7  Therefore, my son, listen to me now, and do not withdraw from the words of my mouth.

5:8  Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house;

8  Make your way at a distance from her, and do not approach the doors of her house.

5:9  Lest thou give thy vigour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel;

9  Do not give your honor to foreigners, and your years to the cruel.

5:10  Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labours be in the house of an alien;

10  Otherwise, outsiders may be filled with your strength, and your labors may be in a foreign house,

5:11  And thou moan, when thine end cometh, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,

11  and you may mourn in the end, when you will have consumed your flesh and your body. And so you may say

11  And you have remorse in your old age, when the flesh of your body is consumed,

5:12  And say: 'How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;

12  and thou shalt say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart avoided reproofs!

12  “Why have I detested discipline, and why has my heart not been quieted by correction?

5:13  Neither have I hearkened to the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!

13  I heard not the voice of him that instructed me, and taught me, neither did I apply mine ear.

13  And why have I not listened to the voice of those who guided me? And why has my ear not inclined to my teachers?

5:14  I was well nigh in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.'

14  I have almost been with all evil in the midst of the church and of the assembly.”

5:15  Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.

15  Drink water from your own cistern and from the springs of your own well.

5:16  Let thy springs be dispersed abroad, and courses of water in the streets.

16  Let not waters out of thy fountain be spilt by thee, but let thy waters go into thy streets.

16  Let your water overflow into your streets, let it be disbursed abroad.

5:17  Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.

17  Hold them for yourself alone, and do not let strangers be partakers with you.

17  Let it be for yourself alone, let not strangers be partners with you.

5:18  Let thy fountain be blessed; and have joy of the wife of thy youth.

18  Let your spring be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth

5:19  A lovely hind and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; with her love be thou ravished always.

19  Let thy loving hart and thy graceful colt company with thee, and let her be considered thine own, and be with thee at all times; for ravished with her love thou shalt be greatly increased.

5:20  Why then wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of an alien?

5:21  For the ways of man are before the eyes of YHWH, and He maketh even all his paths.

21  The Lord beholds the ways of man, and he considers all his steps.

5:22  His own iniquities shall ensnare the wicked, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin.

22  Iniquities ensnare a man, and every one is bound in the chains of his own sins.

22  The wicked shall be caught by his own iniquities, and he will be bound with the cords of his sins.

5:23  He shall die for lack of instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall reel.

23  Such a man dies with the uninstructed; and he is cast forth from the abundance of his own substance, and has perished through folly.

23  He shall die, for he has not held to discipline. And by the multitude of his foolishness, he shall be deceived.