1In three things I was beautified,
and stood up beautiful before the Lord and men:
the concord of kindred, and friendship of neighbors,
and a woman and her husband who walk together in agreement.
2But my soul hates three sorts of people,
and I am greatly offended at their life:
a poor man who is arrogant, and a rich man who is a liar,
and an old man who is an adulterer lacking understanding.
3If you gathered nothing in your youth,
how could you find anything in your old age?
4How beautiful a thing is judgement for gray hairs,
and for elders to know counsel!
5How beautiful is the wisdom of old men,
and thought and counsel to men who are in honor!
6Much experience is the crown of old men.
Their glory is the fear of the Lord.
7There are nine things that I have thought of, and in my heart counted happy,
and the tenth I will utter with my tongue:
a man who has joy of his children,
a man who lives and sees the fall of his enemies.
8Happy is he who dwells with a wife of understanding,
he who has not slipped with his tongue,
Aad he who has not served a man who is unworthy of him.
9Happy is he who has found prudence,
and he who speaks in the ears of those who listen.
10How great is he who has found wisdom!
Yet is there none above him who fears the Lord.
11The fear of the Lord passes all things.
To whom shall he who holds it be likened? 12
13 Any plague but a plague of the heart!
Any wickedness but the wickedness of a woman!
14Any calamity, but a calamity from those who hate me!
Any vengeance, but the vengeance of enemies!
15There is no head above the head of a serpent.
There is no wrath above the wrath of an enemy.
16I would rather dwell with a lion and a dragon
than keep house with a wicked woman.
17The wickedness of a woman changes her appearance,
and darkens her countenance like that of a bear.
18Her husband will sit among his neighbors,
and when he hears it, he sighs bitterly.
19All malice is small compared to the malice of a woman.
Let the portion of a sinner fall on her.
20 As walking up a sandy way is to the feet of the aged,
so is a wife full of words to a quiet man.
21Don’t throw yourself upon the beauty of a woman.
Don’t desire a woman for her beauty.
22There is anger, impudence, and great reproach
if a woman supports her husband.
23A wicked woman is abasement of heart,
sadness of countenance, and a wounded heart.
A woman who won’t make her husband happy
is like hands that hang down, and palsied knees.
24The beginning of sin came from a woman.
Because of her, we all die.
25Don’t give water an outlet,
and don’t give a wicked woman freedom of speech.
26If she doesn’t go as you direct,
cut her off from your flesh.