The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
My son, hear the instruction of thy father,
And forsake not the law of thy mother:
For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head,
And chains about thy neck.
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee:
Bind them about thy neck;
Write them upon the table of thine heart:
So shalt thou find favour and good understanding
In the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;
And lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him,
And he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes:
Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord;
Neither be weary of his correction:
For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth;
Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
And the man that getteth understanding.
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver,
And the gain thereof than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies:
And all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Length of days is in her right hand;
And in her left hand riches and honour.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom:
And with all thy getting get understanding.
Exalt her, and she shall promote thee:
She shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace:
A crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
The path of the just is as the shining light,
That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
The way of the wicked is as darkness:
They know not at what they stumble.
Keep thy heart with all diligence;
For out of it are the issues of life.
Go to the ant, thou sluggard;
Consider her ways, and be wise:
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
Provideth her meat in the summer,
And gathereth her food in the harvest.
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?
When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep:
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth,
And thy want as an armed man.
These six things doth the Lord hate:
Yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations,
Feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A false witness that speaketh lies,
And he that soweth discord among brethren.
Doth not wisdom cry?
And understanding put forth her voice?
She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the coming in at the doors.
Unto you, O men, I call;
And my voice is to the sons of man.
Wisdom is better than rubies;
And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
I love them that love me;
And those that seek me early shall find me.
Riches and honour are with me;
Yea, durable riches and righteousness.
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way,
Before his works of old.
I was set up from everlasting,
From the beginning, or ever the earth was.
When there were no depths, I was brought forth;
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills was I brought forth:
While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
Nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
When he prepared the heavens, I was there:
When he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
When he established the clouds above:
When he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
When he gave to the sea his decree,
That the waters should not pass his commandment:
When he appointed the foundations of the earth:
Then I was by him, as one brought up with him:
And I was daily his delight,
Rejoicing always before him;
Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth;
And my delights were with the sons of men.
Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children:
For blessed are they that keep my ways.
Hear instruction, and be wise,
And refuse it not.
Blessed is the man that heareth me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
For whoso findeth me findeth life,
And shall obtain favour of the Lord.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul:
All they that hate me love death.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom:
And the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
A wise son maketh a glad father:
But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand:
But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
Hatred stirreth up strifes:
But love covereth all sins.
He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction:
But he that refuseth reproof erreth.
He that hideth hatred with lying lips,
And he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin:
But he that refraineth his lips is wise.
The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich,
And he addeth no sorrow with it.
When pride cometh, then cometh shame:
But with the lowly is wisdom.
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast:
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes:
But he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
The lip of truth shall be established for ever:
But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Lying lips are abomination to the Lord:
But they that deal truly are his delight.
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise:
But a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
He that spareth his rod hateth his son:
But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth:
But he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
A soft answer turneth away wrath:
But grievous words stir up anger.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Beholding the evil and the good.
A fool despiseth his father's instruction:
But he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
Better is little with the fear of the Lord,
Than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is,
Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Pride goeth before destruction,
And an haughty spirit before a fall.
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
The hoary head is a crown of glory,
If it be found in the way of righteousness.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty;
And he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker:
And he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
Whoso rewardeth evil for good,
Evil shall not depart from his house.
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water:
Therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
A friend loveth at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:
But a broken spirit drieth the bones.
He also that is slothful in his work
Is brother to him that is a great waster.
Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep;
And an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
Even a child is known by his doings,
Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Whoso curseth his father or his mother,
His lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
To do justice and judgment
Is more acceptable to the