¹ For a bad name inherits shame and reproach: so fares the double-tongued sinner.

² Do not exalt yourself through your soul’s counsel, lest your strength be plundered like a bull.

³ You will devour your leaves and destroy your fruit and will leave yourself like a withered tree.

⁴ An evil soul will destroy the one who has it and make him a laughing-stock of his enemies.

Friendship, False and True

⁵ A pleasant voice will multiply its friends, and a gracious tongue will multiply courtesies.

⁶ Let those that are at peace with you be many, but let your advisers be one in a thousand.

⁷ When you gain a friend, gain him through testing and do not trust him hastily.

⁸ For there is a friend who is such at his own convenience and who will never stand by you in your day of trouble.

⁹ And there is a friend who changes into an enemy and will disclose a quarrel to your disgrace.

¹⁰ And there is a friend who is a table companion, but who will never stand by you in your day of trouble.

¹¹ In your prosperity he will make himself your equal and be bold with your servants;

¹² but if you are brought low he will be against you and will hide himself from your presence.

¹³ Keep yourself far from your enemies and be on guard towards your friends.

¹⁴ A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter: he that has found one has found a treasure.

¹⁵ There is nothing so precious as a faithful friend, and no scales can measure his excellence.

¹⁶ A faithful friend is an elixir of life; and those who fear the Lord will find him.

¹⁷ Whoever fears the Lord directs his friendship aright, for as he is, so is his neighbour also.

Blessings of Wisdom

¹⁸ My son, from your youth up choose instruction, and until you are old you will keep finding wis dom.

¹⁹ Come to her like one who ploughs and sows and wait for her good fruits. For in cultivating her you will toil a little, and quickly you will eat of her produce.

²⁰ She seems very harsh to the uninstructed; a weakling will not remain with her.

²¹ She will weigh him down like a heavy testing stone, and he will not be slow to cast her off.

²² For wisdom is like her name and is not manifest to many.

²³ Listen, child, and accept my judgement; and do not reject my counsel.

²⁴ Put your feet into her fetters and your neck into her collar.

²⁵ Put your shoulder under her and carry her and do not chafe under her bonds.

²⁶ Come to her with all your soul and keep her ways with all your might.

²⁷ Search out and seek, and she will become known to you; and when you get hold of her, do not let her go.

²⁸ For at last you will find the rest she gives, and she will be changed into joy for you.

²⁹ Then her fetters will become for you a strong shelter, and her collar a glorious robe.

³⁰ Her yoke is a golden ornament, and her bonds are a cord of blue.

³¹ You will wear her like a glorious robe and put her on like a crown of gladness.

³² If you are willing, child, you will be taught, and if you apply yourself you will become clever.

³³ If you love to listen you will receive, and if you incline your ear you will become wise.

³⁴ Stand in the assembly of the elders and cling to their wisdom.

³⁵ Be ready to listen to every narrative and do not let wise proverbs escape you.

³⁶ If you see an intelligent man, visit him early; let your foot wear out his doorstep.

³⁷ Reflect on the statutes of the Lord and attend to his commandments at all times. He himself will strengthen your heart, and your desire for wisdom will be granted.