Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding a close relative,

The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the middle of the streets!”

The one who says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him.

The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A lion in the streets!”

for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,” than to put you lower before a prince, whom your eyes have seen.