In Praise Of Wisdom

Listen! Wisdom is calling out.
Reason is making herself heard.
On the hilltops near the road
and at the cross-roads she stands.
At the entrance to the city,
beside the gates, she calls:
"I appeal to you mankind;
I call to everyone on earth.
Are you immature? Learn to be mature.
Are you foolish? Learn to have sense.
Listen to my excellent words;
all i tell you is right.
What i say is the truth;
lies are hatefil to me.
Everything i say is true;
nothing is false or misleading.
To the man with the insight, it is clear ;
to the well-informed, it is all plain.
Choose my instruction instead of silver;
choose knowledge rather than the finest gold.

"I am Wisdom, I am better than jewels;
nothing you want can compare with me.
I am Wisdom, and i have insight;
I have knowledge and sound judgement.
To honour the Lord is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil ways and false words.
I make plans and carry them out.
I have understanding and i am strong.
I help king to govern
and rulers to make good laws.
Every ruler on earth governs with my help,
statesmen and noblemen alike.
I love those who love me.
whoever looks for me can find me.
I have riches and honour to give,
prosperity and success.
What you get from me is better than the finest gold,
better than the purest silver.
I walk the way of righteousness;
I follow the paths of justice,
giving wealth to those who love me,
filling their houses with treasures.

"The Lord created me first of all,
the first of all his words, long ago.
I was made in the very beganing.
at the first, before the world began
I was born before the oceans,
when there were no springs of water.

I was born before the mountains,
before the hills were set in place,
before God made the earth and its fields
or even the first handful of soil.
I was there when he set the sky in
place,
when he streached the horizon across
the ocean,
when he placed the clouds in the sky,
when he opened the springs of the ocean
and ordered the waters of the sea
to rise no further than he said.
I was there when he laid the earth's
foundation.
I was beside him like an architect,
I was his daily source of joy,
always happy in his presence-
happy with the world
and pleased with the human race.


"Now, young men, listen to me.
Do as I say and you will be happy.
Listen to what you are taught.
Be wise; do not neglect it.
The man who listens to me will be happy-
the man who stays at my door everyday,
waiting at the entrance to my home.
The man who finds me finds life
and the lord will be pleased with him.
The man who does not find me hurts
himself; anyone who hates me loves death."

The Immoral Woman

Once i was looking out of the window of my house, and i saw many inexperianced young men, but noticed one foolish fellow in particular. He was walking along the street near the corner where a certain woman lived. He was passing near her house in the evening after it was dark. And then she met him; she was dressed like a prostitute and was making plans. She was a bold shameless woman who always walked the streets or stood waiting at the corner, sometimes in the streets, sometimes in the market-place. She threw her arms round the young man kissed him, looked him straight in the eye, and said, "I have made my offerings today and have the meat from sacrifices. So i came out looking for you. I wanted to find you, and here you are! I've covered my bed with sheets of covered linen from Eygpt I've perfumed it with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come on! Let's make love all night long. We'll be happy in each other's arms. My husband is isn't at home. He's gone away on a long journey. He took plenty of money with him and won't be back for two weeks." So she tempted him with her charms, and he gave in to her smooth talk. Suddenly he was going with her like ox on the way to get slaughtered, like a deer prancing into a trap where an arrow would pierce its heart. He was like a bird going into a net-he did not know that his life was in danger.

Now then, my sons, listen to me. Pay attention to what i say. Do not let such a woman win your heart; don't go wandering after her. She has been the ruin of many men and caused death of too many to count. If you go to her house, you are on the way to the world of the dead. It is a short cut to death.

Warning Against Adultery

Pay attention, my son, and listen to my wisdom and insight. Then you will know how to behave properly, and your words will show that you have knowledge. The lips of another man's wife may be as sweet as olive-oil, but when it is all over, she leaves you nothing but bitterness and pain. She will take take you down to the world of death. She does not stay on the road to life; but wanders off, and does not realize what is happening.

Now listen to me, my sons, and never forget what i am saying. Keep away from such a woman! Don't even go near her door! If you do, others wil gain the respect that once you had, and you will die young at the hands of merciless men. Yes, stangers will take all your wealth, and what you have worked for will belong to someone else. You will live groaning on your deathbed, your flesh and muscles beign eaten away, and you will say, "Why would i never learn? Why would I never let anyone correct me? I would'nt listen to my teachers. I paid no attention to them. And suddenly i found myself publicaly discgraced."

Be faithful to your own wife and give your love to her alone. Children that you have from another women will do you no good. Your children will grow up to help you, not strangers. So be happy with your wife and find your joy with the girl that you married-pretty and graceful as a deer. Let her charms keep you happy; let her surround you with her love. Why should you give your love to another woman, my son? Why should you prefer the charm of another man's wife? The Lord sees everything you do. Whereever you go, he is watching. The sins of a wicked man are a trap. He gets caught in the net of his own sin. He dies because he has no self-control. His utter stupidity will send him to grave.

The Benefits Of Wisdom

Listen to what your father teaches you my sons. Pay attention, and you will have understanding. What i am teaching you is good, so remember it all, When i was a little boy my parents' only son, my father would teach me. He would say, "Remember what i say and never forget it. Do as i tell you and you will live. Get wisdom and insight ! Do not forget or ignore what i say. Do not adandon wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will keep you safe.

Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do. Whatever else you get, get insight. Love wisdom, and she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will bring you honor. She will be your crowning glory."

Listen to me, my son. Take seriously what i am telling you, and you will live for long life. I have taught you wisdom and the right way to live. Nothing will stand in your way if you walk wisely, and you will not stumble when you run. Always remember what you have learnt. Your education is your life- guard it well. Do not go where evil men go. Do not follow the example of the wicked. Don't do it! Keep away from evil ! Refuse it and go on your way. Wicked people cannot sleep unless they have done something wrong. They lie awake unless they have hurt someone. Wickedness and violence are like food and drink to them.

The road the righeous travel is like the sunrise, getting brighter and brighter untill the daylight has come. The road of the wicked how ever, is a dark as night. They fall, but cannot see what they have stumbled over.

Pay attention to what i say, my son. Listen to my words. Never let them get away from you. Remember them and keep them in your heart. They will give life and health to anyone who understands them. Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. Never say anything that isn't true. Have nothing to do with lies and misleading words. Look straight ahead with honest confidence; don't hang your head in shame. Plan carefully what you do, and what ever you do will turn out right. Avoid evil and walk straight ahead. Don't go one step off the right way.

Advice To young Men

Don't forget what i teach you, my son. Always remember what i tell you to do. My teachings will give you a long and prosperous life. Never let go of loyalty and faithfilness. Tie them round your neck; write them on your heart. If you do this, both God and man will be pleased with you.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do and he will show you the right way. Never let yourself think think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong. If you do, it will be like a good medicine, healing for wounds and easing your pains. Honor the Lord by making him an offering from the best of all that your land produces. If you do your barn will be filled with grains; and you will have too much wine to be able to store it all.

When the Lord corrects you, my son, pay close attention and take it as a warning. The Lord corrects those he loves, as a father corrects a son of whom he is proub. Happy is the man who becomes wise-who gains undersanding. There is more profit in it than there is in silver; it is worth more than gold. Wisdom is more to you than gold. Wisdom is more vauable than jewels; nothing you could want can compare with it. Wisdom offers you long life, as well as wealth and honor. Wisdom can make your life pleasant and lead you safely through it. Those who become wise are happy; wisdom will give them life.

The Lord created the earth by his wisdom; by his knowledge he set the sky in place. His wisdom cause the rivers to flow and the clouds to give rain to the earth.

Hold on to your wisdom and insight, my son. Never let them get away from you. They will provide you with life-a pleasant and happy life. You can go safely on your way and never even stumble. You will not be afraid when you go to bed, and you will sleep soundly through the night. You will not have to worry about the sudden disasters, such as come on the wicked like a storm. The Lord will keep you safe. He will not let you fall into a trap.

When you possibly can, do good to those who need it. Never tell your neighbour to wait until tommorrow if you can help him now. Don't plan anything that will hurt your neighbour; he lives beside you, trusting you. Don't argue with someone for no reason whe he has done you any harm. Don't be jealous of violent people or decide to act as they do, because the Lord hates people who do evil, but he takes righteous people into his confidence. The Lord puts a curse on homes of the wicked men, but blesses the homes of the righteous. He has no use for conceited people, but shows favour to those who are humble. Wise men will gain on honourable reputation, but stupid men will only add to their own disgrace.

The Rewards Of Wisdom

Learn what I teach you my son, and never forget what i tell you to do. Listen to what is wise and try to understand it. Yes beg for knowledge; plead for insight. Look for it as hard as you would for silver or some hidden treasure. If you do, you will know what it means to fear the Lord and you will succeed in learning about God. It is the Lord who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding. He provides help and protection for righteous, honest men. He protects those who treat others fairly, and guards those who are devoted to him.

If you listen to me, you will know what is right,just, and fair. You will know what you should do. You will become wise, and your knowledge will give you pleasure. Your insight and understanding will protect you and will prevent you from doing wrong things. They will keep you away from people who stir up trouble by what they say- men who have abandoned a righteous life to live in the darkness of the sin, men who find pleasure in doing wrong and who enjoy senseless evil, unreliable men who cannot be trusted.

You will be able to resist any immoral woman who try to seduce you with her smooth talk, who is failthless to her own husband and forgets her sacred vows. If you go to her house, you are travelling the road to death. To go there is to approach the world of dead. No one who visits her ever come back. He never returns to road of life. Righteous men- men of integrity- will live in this land of ours. But God will snatch wicked men from the land and pull sinners out of it like plants from the ground.

Wisdom Calls

Listen! Wisdom is calling out in the streets and market-places, calling loudly at the city gates and whereever people come together:

"Foolish people! How long will you enjoy pouring scorn on knowledge? Will you never learn? Listen when i remind you; will give you good advice and share my knowledge with you. I have been calling you , inviting you to come, but you would not listen. You paid no attention to me. You have ignored all my advice and have not been willing to let me correct you. So when you get in trouble, i will laugh at you. I will mock you when terror strikes- when it comes on you like a storm, bringing fierce wind of trouble, and you are in pain and misery. Then you will call for wisdom, but i will not answer. You may look for me everywhere, but you will not find me. You have never had any use for knowledge and have always refused to obey the Lord. You have never wanted my advice or paid any attention when i corrected you. So then, you will get what you deserve, and your own actions will make you sick. Inexperienced people die because they reject wisdom. Stupid people are destroyed by their own lack of concern. But whoever listens to me will have security. He will be safe, with no reason to be afraid."

Advice to Young Men

To have knowledge, you must have reverence for the Lord. Stupid people have no respect for wisdom and refuse to learn.

Pay attention to what your father and mother tell you, my son. Their teching will improve your character as a handsome turban or a necklace imroves your appearance.

When sinners tempt you, my son, don't give in. Suppose they say "Come on; let's find someone and kill ! Let's attack some innocent people for the fun of it! They may be alive and well when we find them, but they'll be dead when we're through with them! We'll find all kinds of riches and fill our houses with loot! Come and join us, and we'll all share what we steal."

Don't go with the people like that, my son. Stay away from them. they can't wait to do something bad. They're always ready to kill. It does not do good to spread the net when the bird you want to catch is watching, but men like them are setting a trap for themselves, a trap in which they will die. Robbery always claims the life of a robber- this is what happens to anyone who lives by violence.

The Value Of Proverbs

The proverbs of solomon, son of David and king of israel.

Here are proverbs that will help you to recognize wisdom and good advice and understand saying with deep meaning. They can teach you how to live inteligently and how to be honest, just, and fair. They can make an inexperianced person clever and teach young men how to be resourceful. These proverbs can even add to the knowledge of wise men and give guidence to the educated, so that they can understand the hidden meanings of proverbs and problems that wise men raise.

What is Proverbs ?

The book of Proverbs is a collection of moral and religious teachings in the form of sayings and proverbs. Much of it has to do with practical, everyday concerns. It begins with the reminder that "To have knowledge, you must first have reverene for the Lord," and then goes on to deal with matters not only of religious morality, but also of common sense and good manners. Its many shrt sayings reveal the insights of ancient israelite teachers about what a wise person will do in certain situations. Some of these concern family relations, others business dealings. Some deal with matters of etiquette in social relationships, and others with the need for self-control. Much is said about such qualities a humility, patiece, respect for the poor, and loyalty to friends.