Women

¹ Do not be jealous of the wife of your bosom and do not teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt.

² Do not give your soul to a woman so that she gains mastery over your strength.

³ Do not go to meet a loose woman, lest you fall into her snares.

⁴ Do not associate with a woman singer, lest you be caught in her intrigues.

⁵ Do not look intently at a virgin, lest you stumble and incur penalties for her.

⁶ Do not give yourself to prostitutes, lest you lose your inheritance.

⁷ Do not look around in the alleys of a city or wander about in its deserted sections.

⁸ Turn away your eyes from a shapely woman and do not look intently at beauty belonging to another; many have been misled by a woman’s beauty, and by it passion is kindled like a fire.

⁹ Never sit down with another man’s wife or share a meal with her over wine; lest your soul turn aside to her, and in your spirit you will slip into destruction.

Choice of Friends

¹⁰ Do not abandon an old friend, for a new one does not compare with him. A new friend is like new wine; if it ages, you will drink it with pleasure.

¹¹ Do not envy a sinner’s reputation, for you do not know what his end will be.

¹² Do not delight in what pleases the ungodly; remember that they will not be justified as far as Hades. 

¹³ Keep far from a man who has the authority to kill, and you will not be worried by the fear of death. But if you approach him, make no misstep, lest he rob you of your life. Know that you are walking in the midst of snares and that you are going about on the city battlements.

¹⁴ As much as you can, aim at those who are near you and consult with the wise.

¹⁵ Let your conversation be with men of understanding, and let all your discussion be about the law of the Most High.

¹⁶ Let righteous men be your dinner companions, and let your boast be in the fear of the Lord. Rulers

¹⁷ In the hand of artisans a work will be praised, and so a people’s leader is wise in his speech.

¹⁸ A babbler is feared in his city, and the man who is reckless in speech will be hated.