3  Let not ^csteadfast love and ^dfaithfulness forsake you;

^ebind them around your neck;

^fwrite them on the tablet of your heart.

4  So you will ^gfind favor and ^hgood success¹

in the sight of God and man.

13  ^uBlessed is the one who finds wisdom,

and the one who gets understanding,

14  ^vfor the gain from her is better than gain from silver

and her profit better than ^wgold.

15  She is more precious than ^xjewels,

and ^ynothing you desire can compare with her.

16  ^zLong life is in her right hand;

in her left hand are ^ariches and honor.

17  Her ^bways are ways of pleasantness,

and all her paths are peace.

18  She is ^ca tree of life to those who ^dlay hold of her;

those who hold her fast are called blessed.

35  The wise will inherit honor,

but fools get¹ disgrace.

7  ^pThe beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,

and whatever you get, get ^ginsight.

8  Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;

she will ^qhonor you ^rif you embrace her.

9  She will place on your head ^sa graceful garland;

she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

7  ^oThe memory of the righteous is a blessing,

but ^pthe name of the wicked will rot.

16  ^uA gracious woman gets honor,

and ^vviolent men get riches.

26  ^oThe people curse him who holds back grain,

but ^pa blessing is on the head of him who ^qsells it.

27  Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,¹

but evil comes to ^rhim who searches for it.

8  A man is commended according to his good sense,

but one of twisted mind is ⁿdespised.

9  Better to be lowly and have a servant

than to play the great man and lack bread.

15  ^oGood sense wins ^pfavor,

but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.¹

18  Poverty and disgrace come to him who ^tignores instruction,

^ubut whoever ^vheeds reproof is honored.

35  A servant who deals wisely has ^cthe king’s favor,

but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

33  ^jThe fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,

and ^khumility comes before honor.

13  ^dRighteous lips are the delight of a king,

and he loves him who speaks what is right.

28  Even a fool ^xwho keeps silent is considered wise;

when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

12  ^mBefore destruction a man’s heart is haughty,

but ⁿhumility comes before honor.

11  Even a child ^pmakes himself known by his acts,

by whether his conduct is pure and upright.¹

21  Whoever ^zpursues righteousness and kindness

will find ^alife, righteousness, and honor.

4  The reward for humility and fear of the Lord

is ^triches and honor and life.¹

6  Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence

or stand in the place of the great,

7  for ^uit is better to be told, “Come up here,”

than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

What your eyes have seen

13  Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest

is ^ba faithful messenger to those who send him;

he refreshes the soul of his masters.

27  It is ^qnot good to eat much honey,

nor is it glorious to ^rseek one’s own glory.¹

18  ^rWhoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,

and he who ^sguards his master will be honored.

23  Whoever ^prebukes a man will afterward find more favor

than ^qhe who flatters with his tongue.

17  ^yDiscipline your son, and he will give you rest;

he will give delight to your heart.

25  ⁱStrength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come.

26  She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

27  She looks well to the ways of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28  Her children rise up and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

29  “Many ^jwomen have done ^kexcellently,

but you surpass them all.”

30  ^lCharm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

31  Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates.