Warning against Unchastity

51 My son! to my wisdom give attention, To mine understanding incline thine ear, 2 To observe thoughtfulness, And knowledge do thy lips keep. 3 For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And smoother than oil 'is' her mouth, 4 And her latter end 'is' bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a sword 'with' mouths. 5 Her feet are going down to death, Sheol do her steps take hold of. 6 The path of life—lest thou ponder, Moved have her paths—thou knowest not. 7 And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And turn not from sayings of my mouth. 8 Keep far from off her thy way, And come not near unto the opening of her house, 9 Lest thou give to others thy honour, And thy years to the fierce, 10 Lest strangers be filled 'with' thy power, And thy labours in the house of a stranger, 11 And thou hast howled in thy latter end, In the consumption of thy flesh and thy food, 12 And hast said, 'How have I hated instruction, And reproof hath my heart despised, 13 And I have not hearkened to the voice of my directors, And to my teachers have not inclined mine ear. 14 As a little thing I have been all evil, In the midst of an assembly and a company.

15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, Even flowing ones out of thine own well. 16 Let thy fountains be scattered abroad, In broad places rivulets of waters. 17 Let them be to thee for thyself, And not to strangers with thee. 18 Let thy fountain be blessed, And rejoice because of the wife of thy youth, 19 A hind of loves, and a roe of grace! Let her loves satisfy thee at all times, In her love magnify thyself continually. 20 And why dost thou magnify thyself, My son, with a stranger? And embrace the bosom of a strange woman? 21 For over-against the eyes of Jehovah are the ways of each, And all his paths He is pondering. 22 His own iniquities do capture the wicked, And with the ropes of his sin he is holden. 23 He dieth without instruction, And in the abundance of his folly magnifieth himself!

Exhortations to Obedience

31 My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep, 2 For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee. 3 Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart, 4 And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man. 5 Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not. 6 In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil. 8 Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones. 9 Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase; 10 And filled are thy barns 'with' plenty, And 'with' new wine thy presses break forth. 11 Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof, 12 For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.

13 O the happiness of a man 'who' hath found wisdom, And of a man 'who' bringeth forth understanding. 14 For better 'is' her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold—her increase. 15 Precious she 'is' above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her. 16 Length of days 'is' in her right hand, In her left 'are' wealth and honour. 17 Her ways 'are' ways of pleasantness, And all her paths 'are' peace. 18 A tree of life she 'is' to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her 'is' happy. 19 Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding. 20 By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.

21 My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness, 22 And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck. 23 Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble. 24 If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep. 25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh. 26 For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.

27 Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand 'is' toward God to do 'it'. 28 Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee. 29 Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee. 30 Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil. 31 Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways. 32 For an abomination to Jehovah 'is' the perverted, And with the upright 'is' His secret counsel. 33 The curse of Jehovah 'is' in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth. 34 If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace. 35 Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!