1 In three things I was beautified,
And stood up beautiful before the Lord and men:
The concord of brethren, and friendship of neighbors,
And a woman and her husband that walk together in agreement.
2 But three sorts of men my soul hates,
And I am greatly offended at their life:
A poor man that is haughty, and a rich man that is a liar,
And an old man that is an adulterer lacking understanding.
3 In your youth you have not gathered,
And how should you find in your old age?
4 How beautiful a thing is judgement for gray hairs,
And for elders to know counsel!
5 How beautiful is the wisdom of old men,
And thought and counsel to men that are in honor!
6 Much experience is the crown of old men;
And their glorying is the fear of the Lord.
7 There be nine things that I have thought of, and in mine heart counted happy;
And the tenth I will utter with my tongue:
A man that has joy of his children;
A man that lives and looks upon the fall of his enemies:
8 Happy is he that dwells with a wife of understanding;
And he that has not slipped with his tongue;
And he that has not served a man that is unworthy of him:
9 Happy is he that has found prudence;
And he that discourseth in the ears of them that listen.
10 How great is he that has found wisdom!
Yet is there none above him that fears the Lord.
11 The fear of the Lord passes all things:
He that holds it, to whom shall he be likened? 12 * Verse 12 is omitted by the best authorities.
13 Give me any plague but the plague of the heart;
And any wickedness but the wickedness of a woman;
14 Any calamity, but a calamity from them that hate me;
And any vengeance, but the vengeance of enemies.
15 There is no head above the head of a serpent;
And there is no wrath above the wrath of an enemy.
16 I will rather dwell with a lion and a dragon,
Than keep house with a wicked woman.
17 The wickedness of a woman changes her look,
And darkens her countenance as a bear does.
18 Her husband shall sit at meat among his neighbors,
And when he hears it he sighs bitterly.
19 All malice is but little to the malice of a woman:
Let the portion of a sinner fall on her.
So is a wife full of words to a quiet man.
21 Throw not yourself upon the beauty of a woman;
And desire not a woman for her beauty.
22 There is anger, and impudence, and great reproach,
If a woman maintain her husband.
23 A wicked woman is abasement of heart,
And sadness of countenance, and a wounded heart:
A woman that will not make her husband happy
Is as hands that hang down, and palsied knees.
24 From a woman was the beginning of sin;
And because of her we all die.
25 Give not water an outlet;
Neither to a wicked woman freedom of speech.
26 If she go not † Gr. according to your hand. as you would have her,
Cut her off from your flesh. ‡ The remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.