1  ^jIncline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,

for I am ^kpoor and needy.

2  Preserve my life, for I am ^lgodly;

save your servant, who ^mtrusts in you—you are my God.

3  ⁿBe gracious to me, O Lord,

for to you do I cry all the day.

4  Gladden the soul of your servant,

for ^oto you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5  For you, O Lord, are good and ^pforgiving,

^qabounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

6  ^rGive ear, O Lord, to my prayer;

listen to my plea for grace.

7  In ^sthe day of my trouble I call upon you,

^tfor you answer me.

8  There is ^unone like you among the gods, O Lord,

^vnor are there any works like yours.

9  ^wAll the nations you have made shall come

and worship before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name.

10  For ^xyou are great and ^ydo wondrous things;

^zyou alone are God.

11  ^aTeach me your way, O Lord,

that I may ^bwalk in your truth;

^cunite my heart to fear your name.

12  I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,

and I will glorify your name forever.

13  ^dFor great is your steadfast love toward me;

you have ^edelivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

14  O God, insolent men have ^frisen up against me;

a band of ruthless men seeks my life,

and they do not set you before them.

15  But you, O Lord, are a God ^gmerciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

16  ^hTurn to me and be gracious to me;

give your strength to ⁱyour servant,

and save ⁱthe son of your maidservant.

17  ^jShow me a sign of your ^kfavor,

that those who hate me may see and be put to shame

because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

1  ^vWisdom has built her house;

she has hewn her ^wseven ^xpillars.

2  She has ^yslaughtered her beasts; she has ^zmixed her wine;

she has also ^aset her table.

3  She has ^bsent out her young women to ^ccall

from ^dthe highest places in the town,

4  ^e“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

^fTo him who lacks sense she says,

5  “Come, ^geat of my bread

and ^hdrink of ^zthe wine I have mixed.

6  Leave ⁱyour simple ways,¹ and ^jlive,

^kand walk in the way of insight.”

7  Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,

and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.

8  ^lDo not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;

^mreprove a wise man, and he will love you.

9  Give instruction² to a wise man, and he will be ⁿstill wiser;

teach a righteous man, and he will ^oincrease in learning.

10  ^pThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

and ^qthe knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

11  For by me ^ryour days will be multiplied,

and years will be added to your life.

12  ^sIf you are wise, you are wise for yourself;

if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

13  ^tThe woman Folly is ^uloud;

she is seductive³ and ^vknows nothing.

14  She sits at the door of her house;

she takes a seat on ^wthe highest places of the town,

15  calling to those who pass by,

who are ^xgoing straight on their way,

16  ^y“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

And to him who lacks sense she says,

17  ^z“Stolen water is sweet,

and ^abread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

18  But he does not know ^bthat the dead⁴ are there,

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.