1. My whole being takes pleasurein three things,and these are beautiful to the Lordand to human beings:harmony among brothers and sisters,friendship among neighbors,and a wife and husbandwho adapt to each other.
2. My whole being despisesthree types of persons,and I am angered by the way they live:an arrogant poor person,a rich liar,an old adulterer who never learns.
3. If you have gathered nothingin your youth,how then will you find anythingin your old age?
4. How beautiful is sound judgmentin gray-haired womenand finding good advice in elderly men!
5. How beautiful is wisdom in the agedand thought and counselin those who are respectable!
6. Experience is the crown of the agedand respecting the Lordis their claim to fame.
7. In my heart, I would considernine conditions to be happy,and I’ll name a tenth with my tongue—people who are made gladby their children,and who live to see the downfallof their enemies.
8. Happy are thosewho live with sensible wives,who don’t slip with their tongue,and who haven’t been a servant to one inferior to themselves.
9. Happy is the onewho has gained good senseand who is passing this alongto listening ears.
10. How great is one who finds Wisdom,but no one does betterthan the one who fears the Lord.
11. Fear of the Lord surpasses everything;those who possess it are incomparable.
13. Any wound, but not a wound to the heart;and any wickedness,but not a woman’s wickedness!