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She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.

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Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.

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So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:

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“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. This day I have paid my vows.

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Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.

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I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.

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I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

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Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.

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For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.

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He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”

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With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.

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He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.

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Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.

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Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.

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Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,

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for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.

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Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the rooms of death.

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Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?

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On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.

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Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:

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“To you men, I call! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.

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You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.

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Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.

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For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

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All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

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They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.

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Receive my instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold.

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For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.

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“I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.

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The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.

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Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.

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By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

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By me princes rule; nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

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I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.

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With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.

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My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield than choice silver.

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I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice;

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That I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.

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“Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.

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I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.

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When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.

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Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was brought forth;

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while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

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When he established the heavens, I was there; when he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

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when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,

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when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth;

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then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,

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Rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.

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“Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.

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Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it.

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Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.

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For whoever finds me, finds life, and will obtain favor from Yahweh.

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But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.”

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Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars.

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She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has also set her table.

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She has sent out her maidens. She cries from the highest places of the city:

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“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

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“Come, eat some of my bread, Drink some of the wine which I have mixed!

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Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.”

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He who corrects a mocker invites insult. He who reproves a wicked man invites abuse.

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Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

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Instruct a wise man, and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

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The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

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For by me your days will be multiplied. The years of your life will be increased.

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If you are wise, you are wise for yourself. If you mock, you alone will bear it.

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The foolish woman is loud, Undisciplined, and knows nothing.

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She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,

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To call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,

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“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

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“Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”

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But he doesn’t know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

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The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

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Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.

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Yahweh will not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry, but he thrusts away the desire of the wicked.

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He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.

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He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.

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Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

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The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.

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The wise in heart accept commandments, but a chattering fool will fall.

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He who walks blamelessly walks surely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.

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One winking with the eye causes sorrow, but a chattering fool will fall.

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The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

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Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all wrongs.

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Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has discernment, but a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding.

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Wise men lay up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near ruin.

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The rich man’s wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

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The labor of the righteous leads to life. The increase of the wicked leads to sin.

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He is in the way of life who heeds correction, but he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.

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He who hides hatred has lying lips. He who utters a slander is a fool.

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In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience, but he who restrains his lips does wisely.

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The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver. The heart of the wicked is of little worth.

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The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding.

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Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.

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It is a fool’s pleasure to do wickedness, but wisdom is a man of understanding’s pleasure.

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What the wicked fear, will overtake them, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.

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When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more; but the righteous stand firm forever.

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As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.

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The fear of Yahweh prolongs days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

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The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hope of the wicked will perish.

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The way of Yahweh is a stronghold to the upright, but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.