| 1 He that feareth the Lord will do good, and he that hath the knowledge of the law shall obtain her. | 1 The man who fears the Lord will do this, and he who holds to the law will obtain wisdom. |
| 2 And as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married of a virgin. | 2 She will come to meet him like a mother, and like the wife of his youth she will welcome him. |
| 3 With the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink. | 3 She will feed him with the bread of understanding, and give him the water of wisdom to drink. |
| 4 He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded. | 4 He will lean on her and will not fall, and he will rely on her and will not be put to shame. |
| 5 She shall exalt him above his neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth. | 5 She will exalt him above his neighbors, and will open his mouth in the midst of the assembly. |
| 6 He shall find joy and a crown of gladness, and she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name. | 6 He will find gladness and a crown of rejoicing, and will acquire an everlasting name. |
| 7 But foolish men shall not attain unto her, and sinners shall not see her. | 7 Foolish men will not obtain her, and sinful men will not see her. |
| 8 For she is far from pride, and men that are liars cannot remember her. | 8 She is far from men of pride, and liars will never think of her. |
| 9 Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent him of the Lord. | 9 A hymn of praise is not fitting on the lips of a sinner, for it has not been sent from the Lord. |
| 10 For praise shall be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it. | 10 For a hymn of praise should be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it. |
| 11 Say not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away: for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth. | 11 Do not say, "Because of the Lord I left the right way"; for he will not do what he hates. |
| 12 Say not thou, He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of the sinful man. | 12 Do not say, "It was he who led me astray"; for he had no need of a sinful man. |
| 13 The Lord hateth all abomination; and they that fear God love it not. | 13 The Lord hates all abominations, and they are not loved by those who fear him. |
| 14 He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel; | 14 It was he who created man in the beginning, and he left him in the power of his own inclination. |
| 15 If thou wilt, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness. | 15 If you will, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice. |
| 16 He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt. | 16 He has placed before you fire and water: stretch out your hand for whichever you wish. |
| 17 Before man is life and death; and whether him liketh shall be given him. | 17 Before a man are life and death, and whichever he chooses will be given to him. |
| 18 For the wisdom of the Lord is great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things: | 18 For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees everything; |
| 19 And his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of man. | 19 his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows every deed of man. |
| 20 He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man licence to sin. | 20 He has not commanded any one to be ungodly, and he has not given any one permission to sin. |