An excellent wife, who can find her? For her worth is far above jewels. | Who can find a worthy woman? For her value is far above rubies. |
Open your mouth for the people who cannot speak, For the rights of all the unfortunate. | Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate. |
|
Open your mouth, judge righteously, And defend the rights of the poor and needy. | Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy. |
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. | Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised. |
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. | The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction. |
Turn to my rebuke, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. | Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you. |
For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. | For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. |
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity. | He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity. |
Guarding the paths of justice, And He watches over the way of His godly ones. | That he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. |
Then you will discern righteousness, justice, And integrity, and every good path. | Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. |
My son, do not forget my teaching, But have your heart comply with my commandments; For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you. | My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for they will add to you length of days, years of life, and peace. |
Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and a good reputation In the sight of God and man. | Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man. |
Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. | Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. |
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. | Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil. It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones. |
Honor the Lord from your wealth, And from the first of all your produce. | Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase. |
My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord Or loathe His rebuke, For whom the Lord loves He disciplines, Just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights. | My son, don’t despise Yahweh’s discipline, neither be weary of his correction; for whom Yahweh loves, he corrects, even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights. |
Blessed is a person who finds wisdom, And one who obtains understanding. | Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding. |
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. | Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it. |
Do not envy a violent person, And do not choose any of his ways. For the devious are an abomination to the Lord; But He is intimate with the upright. | Don’t envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways. For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh, but his friendship is with the upright. |
Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. | Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth. |
The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your possessions, acquire understanding. | Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding. |
Listen, my son, and accept my sayings, And the years of your life will be many. | Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many. |
I have instructed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths. | I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths. |
My son, pay attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. They are not to escape from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. | My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart. |
Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. | Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life. |