¹Don’t become an enemy

instead of a friend.

If you get a bad name, you will also inherit shame and reproach,

²Don’t be enamored

of your own intelligence

lest your strength be taken captive

like a bull.

³You will devour your leaves,

destroy your fruit,

and leave yourself like a withered tree.

⁴If you have a bad soul, it will destroy you;

it will make you a joke to your enemies.

Friendship

⁵Pleasant speech gains more friends for itself,

and a sweet-speaking tongue

will multiply pleasant exchanges.

Let those who are at peace with you

be many,

but let only one in a thousand

be your advisor.

⁷If you make friends, test them thoroughly

and don’t trust them quickly.

⁸Some are friends when it is convenient,

but they won’t stay around

during hard times.

⁹There are friends who turn into enemies,

and they will reveal

your disgraceful arguments.

¹⁰There are friends who are companions

at your table,

but they won’t stay during hard times.

¹¹They will act as if your belongings

are theirs,

and they will be bold

toward your household slaves.

¹²If you are brought low,

they will be against you,

and they will abandon you.

¹³Stay away from your enemies,

and be careful with your friends.

¹⁴Trustworthy friends are a strong shelter;

whoever finds one

has found a treasure.

¹⁵Trustworthy friends have no price,

and no one can estimate their worth.

¹⁶Trustworthy friends are life’s medicine,

and those who fear the Lord

will find them.

¹⁷Those who fear the Lord

will direct their friendships well,

because they will associate with people

of like mind.

Submission to Wisdom

¹⁸My child, from your youth

welcome education, and you will continue to discover Wisdom

until you are gray-haired.

¹⁹Approach her like one who plows

and one who sows,

When cultivating her,

you will labor a little,

²⁰Wisdom is rugged terrain

to the uneducated,

and the fainthearted

won’t persevere with her.

²¹She will be like a heavy stone

that tests them,

and they won’t hesitate

to throw her aside.

²²Wisdom is like her name,

and she won’t be visible to many.

²³Listen, my child,

and welcome my opinion.

Don’t reject my advice.

²⁴Put your feet into her shackles

and your neck into her collar.

²⁵Bend your shoulder down and carry her,

and don’t chafe at her bonds.

²⁶Come to her with your whole being,

and keep to her ways

with all your strength.

²⁷Track her down and seek her,

and she will become known to you.

When you get possession of her,

don’t let her go.

²⁸In the end, you will find rest in her,

and she will turn to you

and make you happy.

²⁹Her shackles will be

a strong shelter for you,

and her collar will be a glorious robe.

³⁰She bears[#6.30 Or her yoke is]

a gold ornament,

and her bonds

will be like blue embroidery.

³¹You will wear her like a glorious robe,

and you will put her on

like a crown of joy.

³²If you want, my child,

you will be instructed,

and if you devote your whole being,

you will be intelligent.

³³If you love to listen, you will receive,

and if you pay attention,

you will be wise.

³⁴Keep company with the elders,

and stick closely to their wisdom.

³⁵Desire to listen

to every godly conversation,

and don’t let intelligent proverbs escape you.

³⁶If you find individuals who are intelligent,

get up before dawn to see those people,

and let your foot

wear out their doorsteps.

³⁷Think about the Lord’s decrees,

and meditate constantly

on his commandments.

He will make your heart steadfast,

and will grant your desire for wisdom.