Bible-Reading.comProverbs 7
1My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
3Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
5that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
7I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
8passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,
9in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.
12Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
13So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
15Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
23Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.
24Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,
26for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
27Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the rooms of death.
Proverbs 8
1Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?
2On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.
3Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:
4“I call to you men! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.
5You simple, understand prudence! You fools, be of an understanding heart!
6Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.
7For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
9They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.
10Receive my instruction rather than silver, knowledge rather than choice gold.
11For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.
12“I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.
13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
14Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.
15By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16By me princes rule, nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.
17I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.
18With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.
19My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, my yield than choice silver.
20I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice,
21that I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.
22“The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.
23I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.
24When there were no depths, I was born, when there were no springs abounding with water.
25Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was born;
26while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
27When he established the heavens, I was there. When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,
28when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,
29when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,
31rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.
32“Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it.
34Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.
35For whoever finds me finds life, and will obtain favor from the LORD.
36But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.”
Proverbs 9
1Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars.
2She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has also set her table.
3She has sent out her maidens. She cries from the highest places of the city:
4“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
5“Come, eat some of my bread, Drink some of the wine which I have mixed!
6Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.”
7One who corrects a mocker invites insult. One who reproves a wicked man invites abuse.
8Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise person, and he will love you.
9Instruct a wise person, and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous person, and he will increase in learning.
10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11For by me your days will be multiplied. The years of your life will be increased.
12If you are wise, you are wise for yourself. If you mock, you alone will bear it.
13The foolish woman is loud, undisciplined, and knows nothing.
14She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
15to call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,
16“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
17“Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.