Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
The one who despises the word will be in debt to it,
But the one who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
The instruction of the wise is a fountain of life,
To turn aside from the snares of death.
•••
He who holds back his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, And the good deed of a man’s hands will return to him.
•••
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad.
•••
In the path of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.

He who troubles his own house will inherit wind,
And the ignorant fool will be a slave to the wise of heart.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And he who is wise wins souls.
If the righteous will be repaid in the earth,
How much more the wicked and the sinner!

The proverbs of Solomon.
A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish son is a grief to his mother.
Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
But righteousness delivers from death.
Yahweh will not allow the soul of the righteous to hunger,
But He will push away the craving of the wicked.
•••
When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable,
But he who holds back his lips has insight.
•••
It is the blessing of Yahweh that makes rich,
And He adds no pain with it.

Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you,
Reprove a wise man and he will love you.
Give knowledge to a wise man and he will be still wiser,
Make a righteous man know it and he will increase his learning.
The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
For by me your days will become many,
And years of life will be added to you.
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
And if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And I find knowledge and discretion.
The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the mouth of perverted words, I hate.
Counsel is mine and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, might is mine.
By me kings reign,
And rulers mark out righteousness.
By me princes rule, and nobles,
All who judge rightly.
I love those who love me;
And those who earnestly seek me will find me.
Riches and glory are with me,
Enduring wealth and righteousness.
My fruit is better than fine gold, even pure gold,
And my produce better than choice silver.
I walk in the path of righteousness,
In the midst of the pathways of justice,
To give those who love me an inheritance of wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.

My son, keep my words
And treasure my commandments within you.
Keep my commandments and live,
And my law as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your intimate friend;
In order to keep you from the strange woman,
From the foreign woman who flatters with her words.

My son, if you have become a guarantor for your neighbor,
Have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
If you have been snared with the words of your mouth,
Have been caught with the words of your mouth,
Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself;
Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor,
Go, humble yourself, and badger your neighbor.
Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids;
Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand
And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
Incline your ear to my discernment;
That you may keep discretion
And that your lips may guard knowledge.
For the lips of a strange woman drip honey
And smoother than oil is her speech;
But her end is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.
•••
Drink water from your own cistern
And fresh water from your own well.
Should your springs be dispersed abroad,
Streams of water in the streets?
Let them be for you alone,
And not for strangers with you.
Let your fountain be blessed,
And be glad in the wife of your youth.

Hear, O sons, the discipline of a father,
And pay attention that you may know understanding,
For I give you sound learning;
Do not forsake my instruction.
When I was a son to my father,
Tender and the only son before my mother,
Then he instructed me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
Keep my commandments and live;
Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!
Do not forget and do not turn away from the sayings of my mouth.
Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
Love her, and she will guard you.
The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, acquire understanding.
Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
She will give for your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.”