<p class="poetry">Even in laughter the heart may ache,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and the end<n id="2" /> of joy may be<n id="3" /> grief.p>

<p class="poetry">Plans fail<n id="1" /> when there is no counsel,p> <p class="poetry">but with abundant advisers they are established.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">The person<n id="1" /> who hears the reproof that leads to life<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">is at home<n id="3" /> among the wise.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">As for the one who repays<n id="1" /> evil for good,p> <p class="poetry">evil will not leave<n id="2" /> his house.<n id="3" />p>

If you strike<n id="1" /> him with the rod,p> <p class="poetry">you will deliver him<n id="2" /> from death.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Bloodthirsty people<n id="1" /> hate someone with integrity;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">as for the upright, they seek his life.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Who has ascended into heaven, and then descended?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Who has gathered up the winds in his fists?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Who has bound up the waters in his cloak?<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Who has established all the ends of the earth?<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">What is his name, and what is his son&#8217;s name?<n id="5" /> &#8211; if you know!p>

<p class="poetry">When you gaze upon riches,<n id="1" /> they are gone,p> <p class="poetry">for they surely make wings for themselves,p> <p class="poetry">and fly off into the sky like an eagle!<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">but these men lie in wait for their own blood,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">they ambush their own lives!<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;How long will you simpletons<n id="1" /> love naiveté?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">How long<n id="3" /> will mockers<n id="4" /> delight<n id="5" /> in mockery<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">and fools<n id="7" /> hate knowledge?p>

<p class="poetry">Do not let truth and mercy<n id="1" /> leave you;p> <p class="poetry">bind them around your neck,p> <p class="poetry">write them on the tablet of your heart.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">She is more precious than rubies,p> <p class="poetry">and none of the things<n id="1" /> you desire<n id="2" /> can compare<n id="3" /> with her.<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Do not withhold good from those who need it,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">when<n id="2" /> you<n id="3" /> have the ability<n id="4" /> to help.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Esteem her highly<n id="1" /> and she will exalt you;p> <p class="poetry">she will honor you if you embrace her.p>

<p class="poetry">Listen, my child,<n id="1" /> and accept my words,p> <p class="poetry">so that<n id="2" /> the years of your life will be many.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Hold on to instruction,<n id="1" /> do not let it go;p> <p class="poetry">protect it,<n id="2" /> because it is your life.p>

<p class="poetry">for they are life to those who find themp> <p class="poetry">and healing to one&#8217;s entire body.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">Lest<n id="1" /> she should make level the path leading to life,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">her paths are unstable<n id="3" /> but she does not know it.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Keep yourself<n id="1" /> far<n id="2" /> from her,p> <p class="poetry">and do not go near the door of her house,p>

<p class="poetry">The wicked<n id="1" /> will be captured by his<n id="2" /> own iniquities,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and he will be held<n id="4" /> by the cords of his own sin.<n id="5" />p>