27 Her house is kthe way to Sheol,
going down to the chambers of death.
1 Does not lwisdom call?
Does not munderstanding raise her voice?
2 On nthe heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside othe gates in front of pthe town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O qmen, I call,
and my cry is to qthe children of man.
5 O rsimple ones, learn sprudence;
O tfools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak unoble things,
and from my lips will come vwhat is right,
7 for my wmouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing xtwisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all ystraight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 zTake my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 afor wisdom is better than jewels,
and ball that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and cdiscretion.
13 dThe fear of the Lord is ehatred of evil.
fPride and arrogance and the way of evil
and gperverted speech I hate.
14 I have hcounsel and isound wisdom;
I have insight; jI have strength.
15 By me kkings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.1
17 lI love those who love me,
and mthose who seek me diligently find me.
18 nRiches and honor are with me,
oenduring wealth and orighteousness.
19 My fruit is pbetter than qgold, even fine gold,
and my yield than rchoice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
22 s“The Lord tpossessed2 me at the beginning of his work,3
the first of his acts uof old.
23 Ages ago I was vset up,
at the first, wbefore the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no xdepths I was ybrought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains zhad been shaped,
abefore the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he bestablished the heavens, I was there;
when he drew ca circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he dmade firm the skies above,
when he established4 the fountains of the deep,
29 when he eassigned to the sea its flimit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out gthe foundations of the earth,
30 then hI was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his5 idelight,
rejoicing before him always,
31 jrejoicing in his kinhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.
32 “And now, lO sons, listen to me:
mblessed are those who keep my ways.
33 nHear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 oBlessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For pwhoever finds me qfinds life
and robtains favor from the Lord,
36 but he who fails to find me sinjures himself;
1 vWisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her wseven xpillars.
2 She has yslaughtered her beasts; she has zmixed her wine;
she has also aset her table.
3 She has bsent out her young women to ccall
from dthe highest places in the town,
4 e“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
fTo him who lacks sense she says,
5 “Come, geat of my bread
and hdrink of zthe wine I have mixed.
6 Leave iyour simple ways,6 and jlive,
kand walk in the way of insight.”
7 Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
8 lDo not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
mreprove a wise man, and he will love you.
9 Give instruction7 to a wise man, and he will be nstill wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will oincrease in learning.
10 pThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and qthe knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
11 For by me ryour days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.
12 sIf you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
she is seductive8 and vknows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on wthe highest places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
who are xgoing straight on their way,
16 y“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
And to him who lacks sense she says,
17 z“Stolen water is sweet,
and abread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know bthat the dead9 are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
1 cThe proverbs of Solomon.
dA wise son makes a glad father,
ebut a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
2 fTreasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
gbut righteousness delivers from death.
3 hThe Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
ibut he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
4 A slack hand jcauses poverty,
kbut the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He who lgathers in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps in harvest is ma son who brings shame.
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
but nthe mouth of the wicked conceals violence.10
7 oThe memory of the righteous is a blessing,
but pthe name of the wicked will rot.
8 qThe wise of heart will receive commandments,
but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
9 rWhoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but he who makes his ways crooked swill be found out.
10 Whoever twinks the eye causes trouble,
and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
11 uThe mouth of the righteous is va fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked nconceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
but wlove covers all offenses.
13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,
but xa rod is for the back of him who ylacks sense.
14 The wise zlay up knowledge,
but athe mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
15 bA rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
16 The wage of the righteous leads cto life,
the gain of the wicked to sin.
17 Whoever heeds instruction is on dthe path to life,
but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
and whoever utters slander is a fool.
19 eWhen words are many, transgression is not lacking,
fbut whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
20 The tongue of the righteous is gchoice silver;
the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for hlack of sense.
22 iThe blessing of the Lord makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.11
23 Doing wrong is jlike a joke to a fool,
but kwisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
24 lWhat the wicked dreads mwill come upon him,
but nthe desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When othe tempest passes, the wicked is no more,
but pthe righteous is established forever.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so is the sluggard to those who send him.
27 qThe fear of the Lord prolongs life,
rbut the years of the wicked will be short.
28 sThe hope of the righteous brings joy,
tbut the expectation of the wicked will perish.
29 uThe way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,
but destruction to evildoers.
30 vThe righteous will never be removed,
but wthe wicked will not dwell in the land.
31 xThe mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous yknow what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked, zwhat is perverse.
1 aA false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
bbut a just weight is his delight.
2 cWhen pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with dthe humble is wisdom.
3 eThe integrity of the upright guides them,
fbut the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
4 gRiches do not profit in the day of wrath,
hbut righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless ikeeps his way straight,
but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
6 hThe righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the treacherous jare taken captive by their lust.
7 When the wicked dies, his khope will perish,
and lthe expectation of wealth12 perishes too.
8 mThe righteous is delivered from trouble,
and the wicked walks into it instead.
9 With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
10 nWhen it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but oby the mouth of the wicked pit is overthrown.
12 Whoever qbelittles his neighbor lacks sense,
but a man of understanding remains silent.
13 Whoever rgoes about slandering reveals secrets,
but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
14 Where there is sno guidance, a people falls,
sbut in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
15 tWhoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,
but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
16 uA gracious woman gets honor,
and vviolent men get riches.
17 wA man who is kind benefits himself,
but a cruel man hurts himself.
18 The wicked earns deceptive wages,
but one who xsows righteousness gets a sure reward.
19 Whoever is steadfast in righteousness ywill live,
but zhe who pursues evil will die.
20 Those of acrooked heart are ban abomination to the Lord,
but those of cblameless ways are dhis delight.
21 eBe assured, fan evil person will not go unpunished,
but gthe offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
22 Like ha gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman without discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
ithe expectation of the wicked in wrath.
24 jOne gives kfreely, yet grows all the richer;
another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
25 lWhoever brings blessing mwill be enriched,
and none who waters will himself be watered.
26 oThe people curse him who holds back grain,
but pa blessing is on the head of him who qsells it.
27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,13
but evil comes to rhim who searches for it.
28 Whoever strusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will tflourish like a green leaf.
29 Whoever utroubles his own household will vinherit the wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
30 The fruit of the righteous is wa tree of life,
and whoever xcaptures souls is wise.
31 If ythe righteous is repaid on earth,
how much more the wicked and the sinner!
1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who zhates reproof is astupid.
2 A good man bobtains favor from the Lord,
but a man of evil devices he condemns.
3 No one is established by wickedness,
but the root of cthe righteous will never be moved.
4 dAn excellent wife is ethe crown of her husband,
but she who fbrings shame is like grottenness in his bones.
5 hThe thoughts of the righteous are just;
the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
6 The words of the wicked ilie in wait for blood,
but jthe mouth of the upright delivers them.
7 kThe wicked are loverthrown and are no more,
mbut the house of the righteous will stand.
8 A man is commended according to his good sense,
but one of twisted mind is ndespised.
9 Better to be lowly and have a servant
than to play the great man and lack bread.
10 oWhoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,
but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
11 pWhoever works his land qwill have plenty of bread,
rbut he who follows sworthless pursuits lacks sense.
12 Whoever is wicked covets tthe spoil of evildoers,
but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
13 An evil man is ensnared uby the transgression of his lips,14
vbut the righteous escapes from trouble.
14 From the fruit of his mouth wa man is satisfied with good,
xand the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.
15 yThe way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
but a wise man listens to advice.
16 zThe vexation of a fool is known at once,
but the prudent ignores an insult.
17 aWhoever speaks15 the truth gives honest evidence,
but ba false witness utters deceit.
18 cThere is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings dhealing.
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
but ea lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of fthose who devise evil,
but those who plan peace have joy.
21 gNo ill befalls the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with trouble.
22 hLying lips are ian abomination to the Lord,
jbut those who act faithfully are his delight.
23 kA prudent man conceals knowledge,
kbut the heart of fools proclaims folly.
24 lThe hand of the diligent will rule,
while the slothful will be mput to forced labor.
25 nAnxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
but a good word makes him glad.
26 One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor,16
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27 oWhoever is slothful will not roast his game,
but the diligent man will get precious wealth.17
28 pIn the path of righteousness is life,
and in its pathway there is no death.
1 A wise son hears his father’s instruction,
but qa scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 From the fruit of his mouth a man reats what is good,
but the desire of the treacherous sis for violence.
3 tWhoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
uhe who opens wide his lips vcomes to ruin.
4 wThe soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent xis richly supplied.
5 The righteous hates falsehood,
but the wicked brings shame18 and disgrace.
6 yRighteousness guards him whose zway is blameless,
but sin overthrows the wicked.
7 aOne pretends to be rich,19 yet has nothing;
banother pretends to be poor,20 yet has great wealth.
8 The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
but a poor man chears no threat.
9 dThe light of the righteous rejoices,
but ethe lamp of the wicked will be put out.
10 fBy insolence comes nothing but strife,
but with those who take advice is wisdom.
11 gWealth gained hastily21 will dwindle,
but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
hbut a desire fulfilled is ia tree of life.
13 Whoever jdespises kthe word22 brings destruction on himself,
but he who reveres the commandment23 will be lrewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is ma fountain of life,
that one may nturn away from the snares of death.
but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.24
16 qEvery prudent man acts with knowledge,
rbut a fool flaunts his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
but sa faithful envoy brings healing.
18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who tignores instruction,
ubut whoever vheeds reproof is honored.
19 wA desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
21 xDisaster25 pursues sinners,
ybut the righteous are rewarded with good.
22 zA good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
but athe sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
23 The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,
but it is swept away through binjustice.
24 cWhoever spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.26
25 dThe righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
but the belly of the wicked suffers want.
1 eThe wisest of women fbuilds her house,
but folly with her own hands gtears it down.
2 Whoever hwalks in uprightness fears the Lord,
but he who is idevious in his ways despises him.
3 By the mouth of a fool comes ja rod for his back,27
kbut the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5 lA faithful witness does not lie,
but ma false witness breathes out lies.
6 nA scoffer seeks wisdom oin vain,
but pknowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7 Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.
9 qFools mock at the guilt offering,
but the upright enjoy acceptance.28
10 The heart knows its own rbitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.
11 sThe house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 tThere is a way that seems right to a man,
but uits end is the way to death.29
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and vthe end of joy may be wgrief.
14 The backslider in heart will be xfilled with the fruit of his ways,
and ya good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
15 zThe simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
16 aOne who is wise is cautious30 and bturns away from evil,
but a fool is reckless and careless.
17 A man of cquick temper acts foolishly,
and a man of evil devices is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 dThe evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 eThe poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
fbut the rich has many friends.
21 Whoever gdespises his neighbor is a sinner,
but hblessed is he who is generous to the poor.
22 Do they not go astray who idevise evil?
Those who devise good meet31 jsteadfast love and faithfulness.
23 In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk ktends only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the folly of fools brings folly.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who lbreathes out lies is deceitful.
26 In the fear of the Lord one has mstrong confidence,
and nhis children will have oa refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is pa fountain of life,
that one may qturn away from the snares of death.
28 In ra multitude of people is the glory of a king,
but without people a prince is ruined.
29 Whoever is sslow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
30 A tranquil32 heart gives tlife to the flesh,
but uenvy33 makes vthe bones rot.
31 Whoever oppresses a poor man winsults his xMaker,
ybut he who is generous to the needy honors him.
32 zThe wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
but athe righteous finds refuge in his death.
33 Wisdom brests in the heart of a man of understanding,
but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.34
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 A servant who deals wisely has cthe king’s favor,
but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
1 dA soft answer turns away wrath,
but ea harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but fthe mouths of fools pour out folly.
3 gThe eyes of the Lord are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
4 hA gentle35 tongue is ia tree of life,
but jperverseness in it breaks the spirit.
5 kA fool ldespises his father’s instruction,
but mwhoever heeds reproof is prudent.
6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
7 nThe lips of the wise spread knowledge;
nnot so the hearts of fools.36
8 oThe sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but pthe prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but he loves him qwho pursues righteousness.
10 There is rsevere discipline for him who forsakes the way;
swhoever hates reproof will die.
11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord;
how much more tthe hearts of the children of man!
12 uA scoffer vdoes not like to be reproved;
he will not go to the wise.
13 wA glad heart makes a cheerful face,
but by xsorrow of heart the spirit is ycrushed.
14 zThe heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil,
but athe cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
16 bBetter is a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure and trouble with it.
17 cBetter is a dinner of herbs where love is
than da fattened ox and hatred with it.
18 eA hot-tempered man fstirs up strife,
but he who is gslow to anger quiets contention.
19 The way of ha sluggard is like a hedge of ithorns,
but the path of the upright is ja level highway.
20 kA wise son makes a glad father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.
21 lFolly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
but a man of understanding mwalks straight ahead.
22 nWithout counsel plans fail,
but with many advisers they succeed.
23 To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and oa word in season, how good it is!
24 The path of life leads upward pfor the prudent,
that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.
25 The Lord tears down the house of qthe proud
but rmaintains sthe widow’s boundaries.
26 tThe thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
but ugracious words are pure.
27 Whoever is vgreedy for unjust gain wtroubles his own household,
but he who hates xbribes will live.
28 The heart of the righteous yponders how to answer,
but zthe mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29 The Lord is afar from the wicked,
but he bhears the prayer of the righteous.
30 cThe light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and dgood news refreshes37 the bones.
31 eThe ear that listens to flife-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
32 Whoever gignores instruction hdespises himself,
but he who listens to reproof igains intelligence.
33 jThe fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and khumility comes before honor.
1 The plans of the heart belong to man,
but lthe answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 mAll the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord nweighs the spirit.38
3 oCommit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
4 pThe Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even qthe wicked for the day of trouble.
5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is ran abomination to the Lord;
sbe assured, he will not go unpunished.
6 By tsteadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by uthe fear of the Lord one vturns away from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,
whe makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 xBetter is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice.
9 yThe heart of man plans his way,
but zthe Lord establishes his steps.
10 aAn oracle is on the lips of a king;
his mouth does not sin in judgment.
11 bA just balance and scales are the Lord’s;
all the weights in the bag are his work.
12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
for cthe throne is established by righteousness.
13 dRighteous lips are the delight of a king,
and he loves him who speaks what is right.
14 eA king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
and a wise man will fappease it.
15 gIn the light of a king’s face there is life,
and his dfavor is like hthe clouds that bring the spring rain.
16 iHow much better to get wisdom than jgold!
To get understanding is to be chosen rather than ksilver.
17 The highway of the upright lturns aside from evil;
whoever guards his way preserves his life.
18 mPride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 nIt is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
than to odivide the spoil with the proud.
20 Whoever gives thought to the word39 pwill discover good,
and blessed is he qwho trusts in the Lord.
21 The wise of heart is called discerning,
and sweetness of speech rincreases persuasiveness.
22 Good sense is sa fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 tThe heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 uGracious words are like va honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and whealth to the body.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.40
26 A worker’s appetite works for him;
his xmouth urges him on.
27 yA worthless man plots evil,
and his speech41 is like za scorching fire.
28 aA dishonest man spreads strife,
and ba whisperer cseparates close friends.
29 A man of violence dentices his neighbor
and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans42 edishonest things;
he who fpurses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 gGray hair is ha crown of glory;
it iis gained in a righteous life.
32 jWhoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 kThe lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is lfrom the Lord.
1 mBetter is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting43 with strife.
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over na son who acts shamefully
and owill share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 pThe crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
qand the Lord tests hearts.
4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor rinsults his Maker;
he who is sglad at calamity will not go tunpunished.
6 uGrandchildren are vthe crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine speech is not wbecoming to a fool;
still less is xfalse speech to a prince.
8 yA bribe is like a magic44 stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.
9 Whoever zcovers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter aseparates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and ba cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet ca she-bear robbed of her cubs
drather than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone ereturns evil for good,
fevil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
so gquit before the quarrel breaks out.
15 He who hjustifies the wicked and he who icondemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should a fool have money in his hand jto buy wisdom
when he has no sense?
17 kA friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge
and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
he who lmakes his door high seeks destruction.
20 mA man of crooked heart does not discover good,
and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
21 He who nsires a fool gets himself sorrow,
and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 oA joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit pdries up the bones.
23 The wicked accepts qa bribe in secret45
to rpervert the ways of justice.
24 sThe discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 nA foolish son is a grief to his father
tand bitterness to uher who bore him.
26 vTo impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 Whoever wrestrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool xwho keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
1 Whoever yisolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment.
2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only zin expressing his opinion.
3 When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are adeep waters;
the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
5 It is not good to bbe partial to46 the wicked
or to cdeprive the righteous of justice.
6 A fool’s lips walk into a fight,
and his mouth invites da beating.
7 eA fool’s mouth is his ruin,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.
8 fThe words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into gthe inner parts of the body.
9 Whoever is slack in his work
is a hbrother to him who destroys.
10 iThe name of the Lord is ja strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and kis safe.
11 lA rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
and like a high wall in his imagination.
12 mBefore destruction a man’s heart is haughty,
but nhumility comes before honor.
13 If one gives an answer obefore he hears,
it is his folly and shame.
14 A man’s spirit will endure sickness,
but pa crushed spirit who can bear?
15 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man’s qgift makes room for him
and brings him before the great.
17 The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him.
18 rThe lot puts an end to quarrels
and decides between powerful contenders.
19 A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
20 sFrom the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
21 tDeath and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.
22 He who finds ua wife finds va good thing
and wobtains favor xfrom the Lord.
23 The poor use entreaties,
but ythe rich answer roughly.
24 A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but zthere is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
1 aBetter is a poor person who bwalks in his integrity
than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
2 Desire47 without knowledge is not good,
and whoever cmakes haste with his feet misses his way.
3 When a man’s folly dbrings his way to ruin,
his heart erages against the Lord.
4 fWealth brings many new friends,
fbut a poor man is deserted by his friend.
5 gA false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who hbreathes out lies will not escape.
6 Many seek the favor of a generous man,48
and everyone is a friend to a man who gives igifts.
7 jAll a poor man’s brothers hate him;
khow much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them.49
8 lWhoever gets sense loves his own soul;
he who keeps understanding will mdiscover good.
9 gA false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who hbreathes out lies will perish.
10 nIt is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
much less for oa slave to rule over princes.
11 pGood sense makes one slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 A king’s wrath is like qthe growling of a lion,
but his rfavor is like sdew on the grass.
13 tA foolish son is ruin to his father,
and ua wife’s quarreling is va continual dripping of rain.
14 wHouse and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a prudent wife is xfrom the Lord.
15 ySlothfulness casts into za deep sleep,
and aan idle person will suffer hunger.
16 Whoever bkeeps the commandment keeps his life;
he who despises his ways will die.
17 cWhoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he dwill repay him for his edeed.
18 fDiscipline your son, for there is hope;
do not set your heart on gputting him to death.
19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom in hthe future.
21 iMany are the plans in the mind of a man,
but jit is the purpose of the Lord kthat will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord lleads to life,
and whoever has it rests msatisfied;
he will nnot be visited by harm.
24 oThe sluggard buries his hand in pthe dish
and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 qStrike ra scoffer, and the simple will slearn prudence;
treprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
is ua son who brings shame and reproach.
27 Cease to hear instruction, my son,
vand you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked wdevours iniquity.
29 Condemnation is ready for rscoffers,
and xbeating for the backs of fools.
1 yWine is a mocker, zstrong drink a brawler,
and whoever ais led astray by it is not wise.50
2 The terror of a king is like bthe growling of a lion;
whoever provokes him to anger cforfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to dkeep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.
4 eThe sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
fhe will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like gdeep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many a man hproclaims his own steadfast love,
but ia faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who jwalks in his integrity—
kblessed are his children after him!
8 lA king who sits on the throne of judgment
mwinnows all evil with his eyes.
9 nWho can say, “I have made my heart pure;
I am clean from my sin”?
10 oUnequal51 weights and unequal measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child pmakes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright.52
12 qThe hearing ear and the seeing eye,
rthe Lord has made them both.
13 sLove not sleep, lest you tcome to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have uplenty of bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of vcostly stones,
wbut the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 xTake a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and yhold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.53
17 zBread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of agravel.
18 bPlans are established by counsel;
19 Whoever egoes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with fa simple babbler.54
20 gIf one curses his father or his mother,
hhis lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 iAn inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, j“I will repay evil”;
kwait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
23 lUnequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and mfalse scales are not good.
24 A man’s nsteps are from the Lord;
how then can man understand his way?
25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and to reflect only oafter making vows.
26 A wise king pwinnows the wicked
and drives qthe wheel over them.
27 rThe spirit55 of man is the lamp of the Lord,
ssearching all this innermost parts.
28 uSteadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
and by steadfast love his vthrone is upheld.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
but wthe splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 xBlows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean tthe innermost parts.
1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he yturns it wherever he will.
2 zEvery way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord aweighs the heart.
3 bTo do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 cHaughty eyes and a proud heart,
dthe lamp56 of the wicked, are sin.
5 The plans of ethe diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is fhasty comes gonly to poverty.
6 hThe getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a ifleeting jvapor and a ksnare of death.57
7 The violence of the wicked will lsweep them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
8 The way of the guilty mis crooked,
but the conduct of the pure is upright.
9 It is nbetter to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11 When oa scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12 The Righteous One pobserves the house of the wicked;
he throws the wicked down to ruin.
13 qWhoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
will himself call out and not be answered.
14 rA gift in secret averts anger,
and a concealed bribe,58 strong wrath.
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
sbut terror to evildoers.
16 One who wanders from the way of good sense
twill rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 uThe wicked is a vransom for the righteous,
and the traitor for the upright.
19 It is wbetter to live in a desert land
than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
20 xPrecious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling,
but a foolish man ydevours it.
21 Whoever zpursues righteousness and kindness
will find alife, righteousness, and honor.
22 bA wise man scales the city of the mighty
and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 cWhoever keeps his mouth and his tongue
dkeeps himself out of etrouble.
24 f“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man
who acts with arrogant pride.
25 The desire of gthe sluggard kills him,
for his hands refuse to labor.
26 All day long he craves and craves,
but the righteous hgives and does not hold back.
27 iThe sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
how much more jwhen he brings it with evil intent.
28 kA false witness will perish,
but the word of a man who hears will endure.
29 A wicked man puts on a bold face,
but the upright lgives thought to59 his ways.
30 mNo wisdom, no understanding, no counsel
can avail against the Lord.
31 nThe horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but othe victory belongs to the Lord.
1 pA good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 qThe rich and the poor meet together;
the Lord is rthe Maker of them all.
3 sThe prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but the simple go on and suffer for it.
4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
is triches and honor and life.60
5 uThorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
whoever vguards his soul will keep far from them.
6 wTrain up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 xThe rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 Whoever ysows injustice will reap calamity,
and zthe rod of his fury will fail.
9 aWhoever has a bountiful61 eye will be blessed,
for he bshares his bread with the poor.
10 cDrive out a scoffer, dand strife will go out,
and equarreling and abuse will cease.
11 He who floves purity of heart,
and whose gspeech is gracious, hwill have the king as his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he ioverthrows the words of the traitor.
13 jThe sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of kforbidden62 women is la deep pit;
mhe with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but nthe rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
or gives to the rich, owill only come to poverty.
17 pIncline your ear, and hear qthe words of the wise,
rand apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That your trust may be in the Lord,
I have made them known to you today, even to you.
20 Have I not written for you sthirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
21 to tmake you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
22 uDo not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or vcrush the afflicted at wthe gate,
23 for xthe Lord will plead their cause
and rob of life those who rob them.
24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
nor go with a wrathful man,
25 lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not one of those who ygive pledges,
who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should zyour bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move the ancient alandmark
that your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will bstand before kings;
he will not stand before obscure men.
1 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
observe carefully what63 is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to appetite.
3 cDo not desire his delicacies,
for they are deceptive food.
4 dDo not toil to acquire wealth;
ebe discerning enough to desist.
5 When your eyes light on it, it is gone,
ffor suddenly it sprouts wings,
flying like an eagle toward heaven.
6 gDo not eat the bread of a man who is hstingy;64
ido not desire his delicacies,
7 for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.65
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
but his jheart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten,
and waste your pleasant words.
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
for he will despise the good sense of your words.
10 kDo not move an ancient landmark
or enter the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their lRedeemer is strong;
he will mplead their cause against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction
and your ear to words of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold ndiscipline from a child;
oif you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14 If you strike him with the rod,
you will psave his soul from Sheol.
15 qMy son, if your heart is wise,
my heart too will be glad.
16 My rinmost being66 will exult
when your lips speak swhat is right.
17 Let not your heart tenvy sinners,
but continue in uthe fear of the Lord all the day.
18 Surely vthere is a future,
and your whope will not be cut off.
19 Hear, my son, and xbe wise,
and ydirect your heart in the way.
or among agluttonous eaters of meat,
21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and bslumber will clothe them with rags.
22 cListen to your father who gave you life,
dand do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 eBuy truth, and do not sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 fThe father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
25 fLet your father and mother be glad;
let gher who bore you rejoice.
26 My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe68 my ways.
27 For a prostitute is ha deep pit;
ian adulteress69 is a narrow jwell.
28 kShe lies in wait like a robber
and increases the traitors among mankind.
29 lWho has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has mwounds without cause?
Who has nredness of eyes?
30 Those who otarry long over wine;
those who go to try pmixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
32 In the end it qbites like a serpent
and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
and your heart utter rperverse things.
34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
like one who lies on the top of a mast.70
35 “They sstruck me,” you will say,71 “but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
I tmust have another drink.”
1 Be not uenvious of evil men,
nor desire to be vwith them,
2 for their hearts wdevise violence,
and their lips xtalk of trouble.
3 By ywisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all zprecious and pleasant riches.
5 aA wise man is full of strength,
and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
6 for by bwise guidance you can wage your war,
and in cabundance of counselors there is victory.
7 Wisdom is dtoo high for a fool;
in ethe gate he does not open his mouth.
8 Whoever fplans to do evil
will be called a schemer.
9 gThe devising72 of folly is sin,
and hthe scoffer is an abomination to mankind.
10 If you ifaint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
11 jRescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
kdoes not he who lweighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who mkeeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man naccording to his work?
13 My son, oeat honey, for it is good,
and pthe drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14 Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
if you find it, there will be qa future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
15 rLie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;
do no violence to his home;
16 sfor the righteous falls tseven times and rises again,
but uthe wicked stumble in times of calamity.
17 vDo not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
and turn away his anger from him.
19 wFret not yourself because of evildoers,
and be not xenvious of the wicked,
20 for the evil man has no qfuture;
ythe lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21 My son, zfear the Lord and the king,
and do not join with those who do otherwise,
22 for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?
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