1  ^aBetter is a poor person who ^bwalks in his integrity

than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.

2  Desire¹ 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,²

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.³

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.