[1] Be not jealous over the wife of your bosom, And teach her not an evil lesson against thyself.
[2] Give not your soul to a woman, That she should set her foot upon your strength.
[3] Go not to meet a woman that playeth the harlot, Lest haply you fall into her snares.
[4] Use not the company of a woman that is a singer, Lest haply you be caught by her attempts.
[5] Gaze not on a maid, lest haply you be trapped in her penalties.
[6] Give not your soul to harlots, That you lose not your inheritance.
[7] Look not round about you in the streets of the city, Neither wander you in the solitary places thereof.
[8] Turn away your eye from a comely woman, And gaze not on another's beauty: By the beauty of a woman many have been led astray; And herewith love is kindled as a fire.
[9] Sit not at all with a woman that has a husband; And revel not with her at the wine; Lest haply your soul turn aside to her, And with your spirit you slide into destruction.
[10] Forsake not an old friend; For the new is not comparable to him: As new wine,so is a new friend; If it become old, you shall drink it with gladness.
[11] Envy not the glory of a sinner; For you know not what shall be his overthrow.
[12] Delight not in the delights of the ungodly: Remember they shall not go unpunished to the grave.
[13] Keep you far from the man that has power to kill, And you shall have no suspicion of the fear of death: And if you come to him, commit no fault, Lest he take away your life: Know surely that you go about in the midst of snares, And walkest upon the battlements of a city.
[14] As well as you can, guess at your neighbors; And take counsel with the wise.
[15] Let your converse be with men of understanding; And let all your discourse be in the law of the Most High.
[16] Let just men be the companions of your board; And let your glorying be in the fear of the Lord.
[17] For the hand of the artificers a work shall be commended: And he that rules the peopleshall be counted wise for his speech.
[18] A man full of tongue is dangerous in his city; And he that is headlong in his speech shall be hated.