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.

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.