² To know wisdom and instruction,
To ^[a]perceive the words of understanding,
³ To receive the instruction of wisdom,
Justice, judgment, and equity;
⁴ To give prudence to the ^(B)simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion—
^5 (C)A wise man will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will ^[b]attain wise counsel,
⁶ To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their ^(D)riddles.

^7 (E)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

¹⁰ My son, if sinners entice you,
^(H)Do not consent.
¹¹ If they say, “Come with us,
Let us ^(I)lie in wait to shed blood;
Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
¹² Let us swallow them alive like ^[c]Sheol,
And whole, ^(J)like those who go down to the Pit;
¹³ We shall find all kinds of precious ^[d]possessions,
We shall fill our houses with ^[e]spoil;
¹⁴ Cast in your lot among us,
Let us all have one purse”—
¹⁵ My son, ^(K)do not walk in the way with them,
^(L)Keep your foot from their path;
^16 (M)For their feet run to evil,
And they make haste to shed blood.
¹⁷ Surely, in ^[f]vain the net is spread
In the sight of any ^[g]bird;
¹⁸ But they lie in wait for their own blood,
They lurk secretly for their own lives.
^19 (N)So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain;
It takes away the life of its owners.

²⁸ “Then^(U) they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
²⁹ Because they ^(V)hated knowledge
And did not ^(W)choose the fear of the Lord,
^30 (X)They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
³¹ Therefore ^(Y)they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
³² For the ^[l]turning away of the simple will slay them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
³³ But whoever listens to me will dwell ^(Z)safely,
And ^(AA)will be ^[m]secure, without fear of evil.”

¹⁰ When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
¹¹ Discretion will preserve you;
^(AH)Understanding will keep you,
¹² To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things,
¹³ From those who leave the paths of uprightness
To ^(AI)walk in the ways of darkness;
^14 (AJ)Who rejoice in doing evil,
And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
^15 (AK)Whose ways are crooked,
And who are devious in their paths;
¹⁶ To deliver you from ^(AL)the immoral woman,
^(AM)From the seductress who flatters with her words,
¹⁷ Who forsakes the companion of her youth,
And forgets the covenant of her God.
¹⁸ For ^(AN)her house ^[n]leads down to death,
And her paths to the dead;
¹⁹ None who go to her return,
Nor do they ^[o]regain the paths of life—
²⁰ So you may walk in the way of goodness,
And keep to the paths of righteousness.
²¹ For the upright will dwell in the ^(AO)land,
And the blameless will remain in it;
²² But the wicked will be ^[p]cut off from the ^[q]earth,
And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.

³ Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
^(AR)Bind them around your neck,
^(AS)Write them on the tablet of your heart,
^4 (AT)And so find favor and ^[r]high esteem
In the sight of God and man.

^5 (AU)Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
^(AV)And lean not on your own understanding;
^6 (AW)In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall ^[s]direct your paths.

⁷ Do not be wise in your own ^(AX)eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
⁸ It will be health to your ^[t]flesh,
And ^(AY)strength^[u] to your bones.

^9 (AZ)Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
^10 (BA)So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.

^11 (BB)My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction;
¹² For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
^(BC)Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

^13 (BD)Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding;
^14 (BE)For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies,
And ^(BF)all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
^16 (BG)Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honor.
^17 (BH)Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
¹⁸ She is ^(BI)a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who ^[v]retain her.

^19 (BJ)The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding He established the heavens;
²⁰ By His knowledge the depths were ^(BK)broken up,
And clouds drop down the dew.

²¹ My son, let them not depart from your eyes—
Keep sound wisdom and discretion;
²² So they will be life to your soul
And grace to your neck.
^23 (BL)Then you will walk safely in your way,
And your foot will not stumble.
²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
^25 (BM)Do not be afraid of sudden terror,
Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;
²⁶ For the Lord will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.

^27 (BN)Do not withhold good from ^[w]those to whom it is due,
When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
^28 (BO)Do not say to your neighbor,
“Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.
²⁹ Do not devise evil against your neighbor,
For he dwells by you for safety’s sake.
^30 (BP)Do not strive with a man without cause,
If he has done you no harm.

^31 (BQ)Do not envy the oppressor,
And choose none of his ways;
³² For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord,
^(BR)But His secret counsel is with the upright.
^33 (BS)The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,
But ^(BT)He blesses the home of the just.
^34 (BU)Surely He scorns the scornful,
But gives grace to the humble.
³⁵ The wise shall inherit glory,
But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

¹⁰ Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
^(CE)And the years of your life will be many.
¹¹ I have ^(CF)taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
¹² When you walk, ^(CG)your steps will not be hindered,
^(CH)And when you run, you will not stumble.
¹³ Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.

^14 (CI)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not walk in the way of evil.
¹⁵ Avoid it, do not travel on it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
^16 (CJ)For they do not sleep unless they have done evil;
And their sleep is ^[x]taken away unless they make someone fall.
¹⁷ For they eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.

^18 (CK)But the path of the just ^(CL)is like the shining ^[y]sun,
That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
^19 (CM)The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know what makes them stumble.

²⁰ My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
²¹ Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
²² For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
²³ Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of ^(CN)life.
²⁴ Put away from you a ^[z]deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
²⁵ Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
²⁶ Ponder the path of your ^(CO)feet,
And let all your ways be established.
²⁷ Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.

⁷ Therefore hear me now, my children,
And do not depart from the words of my mouth.
⁸ Remove your way far from her,
And do not go near the door of her house,
⁹ Lest you give your ^[ae]honor to others,
And your years to the cruel one;
¹⁰ Lest aliens be filled with your ^[af]wealth,
And your labors go to the house of a foreigner;
¹¹ And you mourn at last,
When your flesh and your body are consumed,
¹² And say:
“How I have hated instruction,
And my heart despised correction!
¹³ I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers,
Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!
¹⁴ I was on the verge of total ruin,
In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

¹⁵ Drink water from your own cistern,
And running water from your own well.
¹⁶ Should your fountains be dispersed abroad,
^[ag]Streams of water in the streets?
¹⁷ Let them be only your own,
And not for strangers with you.
¹⁸ Let your fountain be blessed,
And rejoice with ^(CT)the wife of your youth.
^19 (CU)As a loving deer and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
And always be ^[ah]enraptured with her love.
²⁰ For why should you, my son, be enraptured by ^(CV)an immoral woman,
And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?

^21 (CW)For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord,
And He ^[ai]ponders all his paths.
^22 (CX)His own iniquities entrap the wicked man,
And he is caught in the cords of his sin.
^23 (CY)He shall die for lack of instruction,
And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

¹⁶ These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to ^[aq]Him:
^17 (DK)A^[ar] proud look,
^(DL)A lying tongue,
^(DM)Hands that shed innocent blood,
^18 (DN)A heart that devises wicked plans,
^(DO)Feet that are swift in running to evil,
^19 (DP)A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who ^(DQ)sows discord among brethren.

³⁰ People do not despise a thief
If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.
³¹ Yet when he is found, ^(EB)he must restore sevenfold;
He may have to give up all the substance of his house.
³² Whoever commits adultery with a woman ^(EC)lacks understanding;
He who does so destroys his own soul.
³³ Wounds and dishonor he will get,
And his reproach will not be wiped away.
³⁴ For ^(ED)jealousy is a husband’s fury;
Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
³⁵ He will ^[au]accept no recompense,
Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.

¹⁰ And there a woman met him,
With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.
^11 (EL)She was loud and rebellious,
^(EM)Her feet would not stay at home.
¹² At times she was outside, at times in the open square,
Lurking at every corner.
¹³ So she caught him and kissed him;
With an ^[ax]impudent face she said to him:
¹⁴ “I have peace offerings with me;
Today I have paid my vows.
¹⁵ So I came out to meet you,
Diligently to seek your face,
And I have found you.
¹⁶ I have spread my bed with tapestry,
Colored coverings of ^(EN)Egyptian linen.
¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed
With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
¹⁸ Come, let us take our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with love.
¹⁹ For ^[ay]my husband is not at home;
He has gone on a long journey;
²⁰ He has taken a bag of money ^[az]with him,
And will come home ^[ba]on the appointed day.”

^21 [bb]With ^(EO)her enticing speech she caused him to yield,
^(EP)With her flattering lips she ^[bc]seduced him.
²² Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or ^[bd]as a fool to the correction of the ^[be]stocks,
²³ Till an arrow struck his liver.
^(EQ)As a bird hastens to the snare,
He did not know it ^[bf]would cost his life.

²⁴ Now therefore, listen to me, my children;
Pay attention to the words of my mouth:
²⁵ Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;
²⁶ For she has cast down many wounded,
And ^(ER)all who were slain by her were strong men.
^27 (ES)Her house is the way to ^[bg]hell,
Descending to the chambers of death.

¹² “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
^13 (EW)The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
^(EX)Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And ^(EY)the perverse mouth I hate.
¹⁴ Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, ^(EZ)I have strength.
^15 (FA)By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
¹⁶ By me princes rule, and nobles,
All the judges of ^[bj]the earth.
^17 (FB)I love those who love me,
And ^(FC)those who seek me diligently will find me.
^18 (FD)Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
And my revenue than choice silver.
²⁰ I ^[bk]traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
²¹ That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.

²² “The^(FE) Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
^23 (FF)I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
²⁴ When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
^25 (FG)Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
²⁶ While as yet He had not made the earth or the ^[bl]fields,
Or the ^[bm]primal dust of the world.
²⁷ When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸ When He established the clouds above,
When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
^29 (FH)When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When ^(FI)He marked out the foundations of the earth,
^30 (FJ)Then I was beside Him as ^[bn]a master craftsman;
^(FK)And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
³¹ Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And ^(FL)my delight was with the sons of men.

³² “Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For ^(FM)blessed are those who keep my ways.
³³ Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
^34 (FN)Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life,
And ^(FO)obtains favor from the Lord;
³⁶ But he who sins against me ^(FP)wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.”

⁷ “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,
And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
^8 (FV)Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;
^(FW)Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
⁹ Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
Teach a just man, ^(FX)and he will increase in learning.

¹⁰ “The^(FY) fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
^11 (FZ)For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
^12 (GA)If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.”

^(GH)A wise son makes a glad father,
But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.

^2 (GI)Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,
^(GJ)But righteousness delivers from death.
^3 (GK)The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish,
But He casts away the desire of the wicked.

^4 (GL)He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But ^(GM)the hand of the diligent makes rich.
⁵ He who gathers in ^(GN)summer is a wise son;
He who sleeps in harvest is ^(GO)a son who causes shame.

⁶ Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
^7 (GP)The memory of the righteous is blessed,
But the name of the wicked will rot.

⁸ The wise in heart will receive commands,
^(GQ)But ^[bs]a prating fool will ^[bt]fall.

^9 (GR)He who walks with integrity walks securely,
But he who perverts his ways will become known.

¹⁰ He who winks with the eye causes trouble,
But a prating fool will fall.

¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

¹² Hatred stirs up strife,
But ^(GS)love covers all sins.

¹³ Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,
But ^(GT)a rod is for the back of him who ^[bu]is devoid of understanding.

¹⁴ Wise people store up knowledge,
But ^(GU)the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

¹⁵ The ^(GV)rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

¹⁶ The labor of the righteous leads to ^(GW)life,
The wages of the wicked to sin.

¹⁷ He who keeps instruction is in the way of life,
But he who refuses correction ^[bv]goes astray.

¹⁸ Whoever ^(GX)hides hatred has lying lips,
And ^(GY)whoever spreads slander is a fool.

^19 (GZ)In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,
But ^(HA)he who restrains his lips is wise.
²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of ^[bw]wisdom.

^22 (HB)The blessing of the Lord makes one rich,
And He adds no sorrow with it.

^23 (HC)To do evil is like sport to a fool,
But a man of understanding has wisdom.
^24 (HD)The fear of the wicked will come upon him,
And ^(HE)the desire of the righteous will be granted.
²⁵ When the whirlwind passes by, ^(HF)the wicked is no more,
But ^(HG)the righteous has an everlasting foundation.

²⁶ As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy man to those who send him.

^27 (HH)The fear of the Lord prolongs days,
But ^(HI)the years of the wicked will be shortened.
²⁸ The hope of the righteous will be gladness,
But the ^(HJ)expectation of the wicked will perish.
²⁹ The way of the Lord is strength for the upright,
But ^(HK)destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

^30 (HL)The righteous will never be removed,
But the wicked will not inhabit the ^[bx]earth.
^31 (HM)The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
But the perverse tongue will be cut out.
³² The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.

² When pride comes, then comes ^(HO)shame;
But with the humble is wisdom.

³ The integrity of the upright will guide ^(HP)them,
But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.
^4 (HQ)Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
But ^(HR)righteousness delivers from death.
⁵ The righteousness of the blameless will ^[ca]direct his way aright,
But the wicked will fall by his own ^(HS)wickedness.
⁶ The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,
But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.

⁷ When a wicked man dies, his expectation will ^(HT)perish,
And the hope of the unjust perishes.
^8 (HU)The righteous is delivered from trouble,
And it comes to the wicked instead.
⁹ The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor,
But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
^10 (HV)When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices;
And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
¹¹ By the blessing of the upright the city is ^(HW)exalted,
But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

¹² He who ^[cb]is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor,
But a man of understanding holds his peace.

^13 (HX)A talebearer reveals secrets,
But he who is of a faithful spirit ^(HY)conceals a matter.

^14 (HZ)Where there is no counsel, the people fall;
But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

¹⁵ He who is ^(IA)surety^[cc] for a stranger will suffer,
But one who hates ^[cd]being surety is secure.

¹⁶ A gracious woman retains honor,
But ruthless men retain riches.
^17 (IB)The merciful man does good for his own soul,
But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.
¹⁸ The wicked man does deceptive work,
But ^(IC)he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.
¹⁹ As righteousness leads to ^(ID)life,
So he who pursues evil pursues it to his own ^(IE)death.
²⁰ Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the Lord,
But the blameless in their ways are His delight.
^21 (IF)Though they join ^[ce]forces, the wicked will not go unpunished;
But ^(IG)the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.

²² As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout,
So is a lovely woman who lacks ^[cf]discretion.

²³ The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the expectation of the wicked ^(IH)is wrath.

²⁴ There is one who ^(II)scatters, yet increases more;
And there is one who withholds more than is right,
But it leads to poverty.
^25 (IJ)The generous soul will be made rich,
^(IK)And he who waters will also be watered himself.
²⁶ The people will curse ^(IL)him who withholds grain,
But ^(IM)blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

²⁷ He who earnestly seeks good ^[cg]finds favor,
^(IN)But trouble will come to him who seeks evil.

^28 (IO)He who trusts in his riches will fall,
But ^(IP)the righteous will flourish like foliage.

²⁹ He who troubles his own house ^(IQ)will inherit the wind,
And the fool will be ^(IR)servant to the wise of heart.

³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And ^(IS)he who ^[ch]wins souls is wise.

^31 (IT)If the righteous will be ^[ci]recompensed on the earth,
How much more the ungodly and the sinner.

² A good man obtains favor from the Lord,
But a man of wicked intentions He will condemn.

³ A man is not established by wickedness,
But the ^(IU)root of the righteous cannot be moved.

^4 (IV)An^[cj] excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who causes shame is ^(IW)like rottenness in his bones.

⁵ The thoughts of the righteous are right,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
^6 (IX)The words of the wicked are, “Lie in wait for blood,”
^(IY)But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.

^7 (IZ)The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand.

⁸ A man will be commended according to his wisdom,
^(JA)But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised.

^9 (JB)Better is the one who is ^[ck]slighted but has a servant,
Than he who honors himself but lacks bread.

^10 (JC)A righteous man regards the life of his animal,
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

^11 (JD)He who ^[cl]tills his land will be satisfied with ^(JE)bread,
But he who follows ^[cm]frivolity ^(JF)is devoid of ^[cn]understanding.

¹² The wicked covet the catch of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
^13 (JG)The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
^(JH)But the righteous will come through trouble.
^14 (JI)A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth,
^(JJ)And the recompense of a man’s hands will be rendered to him.

^15 (JK)The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But he who heeds counsel is wise.
^16 (JL)A fool’s wrath is known at once,
But a prudent man covers shame.

^17 (JM)He who speaks truth declares righteousness,
But a false witness, deceit.
^18 (JN)There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
¹⁹ The truthful lip shall be established forever,
^(JO)But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
²⁰ Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
^21 (JP)No grave ^[co]trouble will overtake the righteous,
But the wicked shall be filled with evil.
^22 (JQ)Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal truthfully are His delight.

^23 (JR)A prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.

^24 (JS)The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.

^25 (JT)Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,
But ^(JU)a good word makes it glad.

²⁶ The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray.

²⁷ The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
But diligence is man’s precious possession.

²⁸ In the way of righteousness is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.

^2 (JW)A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth,
But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.
^3 (JX)He who guards his mouth preserves his life,
But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.

^4 (JY)The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing;
But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

⁵ A righteous man hates lying,
But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.
^6 (JZ)Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless,
But wickedness overthrows the sinner.

^7 (KA)There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing;
And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.

⁸ The ransom of a man’s life is his riches,
But the poor does not hear rebuke.

⁹ The light of the righteous rejoices,
^(KB)But the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

¹⁰ By pride comes nothing but ^(KC)strife,
But with the well-advised is wisdom.

^11 (KD)Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished,
But he who gathers by labor will increase.

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But ^(KE)when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

¹³ He who ^(KF)despises the word will be destroyed,
But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
^14 (KG)The law of the wise is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from ^(KH)the snares of death.

¹⁵ Good understanding ^[cp]gains ^(KI)favor,
But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
^16 (KJ)Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool lays open his folly.

¹⁷ A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
But ^(KK)a faithful ambassador brings health.

¹⁸ Poverty and shame will come to him who ^[cq]disdains correction,
But ^(KL)he who regards a rebuke will be honored.

¹⁹ A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.

²⁰ He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

^21 (KM)Evil pursues sinners,
But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.

²² A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
But ^(KN)the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

^23 (KO)Much food is in the ^[cr]fallow ground of the poor,
And for lack of justice there is ^[cs]waste.

^24 (KP)He who spares his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him ^[ct]promptly.

^25 (KQ)The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul,
But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.

² He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
^(KR)But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.

³ In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,
^(KS)But the lips of the wise will preserve them.

⁴ Where no oxen are, the ^[cu]trough is clean;
But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.

⁵ A ^(KT)faithful witness does not lie,
But a false witness will utter ^(KU)lies.

⁶ A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,
But ^(KV)knowledge is easy to him who understands.
⁷ Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of ^(KW)knowledge.
⁸ The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But the folly of fools is deceit.

^9 (KX)Fools mock at ^[cv]sin,
But among the upright there is favor.

¹⁰ The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.

^11 (KY)The house of the wicked will be overthrown,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.

^12 (KZ)There is a way that seems right to a man,
But ^(LA)its end is the way of ^(LB)death.

¹³ Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,
And ^(LC)the end of mirth may be grief.

¹⁴ The backslider in heart will be ^(LD)filled with his own ways,
But a good man will be satisfied ^[cw]from ^(LE)above.

¹⁵ The simple believes every word,
But the prudent considers well his steps.
^16 (LF)A wise man fears and departs from evil,
But a fool rages and is self-confident.
¹⁷ A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of wicked intentions is hated.
¹⁸ The simple inherit folly,
But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
¹⁹ The evil will bow before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

^20 (LG)The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor,
But ^[cx]the rich has many ^(LH)friends.
²¹ He who despises his neighbor sins;
^(LI)But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

²² Do they not go astray who devise evil?
But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good.

²³ In all labor there is profit,
But ^[cy]idle chatter leads only to poverty.

²⁴ The crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is folly.

²⁵ A true witness ^[cz]delivers ^(LJ)souls,
But a deceitful witness speaks lies.

²⁶ In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge.
^27 (LK)The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from the snares of death.

²⁸ In a multitude of people is a king’s honor,
But in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince.

^29 (LL)He who is slow to wrath has great understanding,
But he who is ^[da]impulsive exalts folly.

³⁰ A sound heart is life to the body,
But ^(LM)envy is ^(LN)rottenness to the bones.

^31 (LO)He who oppresses the poor reproaches ^(LP)his Maker,
But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.

³² The wicked is banished in his wickedness,
But ^(LQ)the righteous has a refuge in his death.

³³ Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But ^(LR)what is in the heart of fools is made known.

³⁴ Righteousness exalts a ^(LS)nation,
But sin is a ^[db]reproach to any people.

^35 (LT)The king’s favor is toward a wise servant,
But his wrath is against him who causes shame.

^3 (LX)The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

⁴ A ^[dc]wholesome tongue is a tree of life,
But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

^5 (LY)A fool despises his father’s instruction,
^(LZ)But he who ^[dd]receives correction is prudent.

⁶ In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
But in the revenue of the wicked is trouble.

⁷ The lips of the wise ^[de]disperse knowledge,
But the heart of the fool does not do so.

^8 (MA)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight.
⁹ The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves him who ^(MB)follows righteousness.

^10 (MC)Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way,
And ^(MD)he who hates correction will die.

^11 (ME)Hell^[df] and ^[dg]Destruction are before the Lord;
So how much more ^(MF)the hearts of the sons of men.

^12 (MG)A scoffer does not love one who corrects him,
Nor will he go to the wise.

^13 (MH)A merry heart makes a cheerful ^[dh]countenance,
But ^(MI)by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

¹⁴ The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

¹⁵ All the days of the afflicted are evil,
^(MJ)But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

^16 (MK)Better is a little with the fear of the Lord,
Than great treasure with trouble.
^17 (ML)Better is a dinner of ^[di]herbs where love is,
Than a fatted calf with hatred.

^18 (MM)A wrathful man stirs up strife,
But he who is slow to anger allays contention.

^19 (MN)The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns,
But the way of the upright is a highway.

^20 (MO)A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man despises his mother.

^21 (MP)Folly is joy to him who is destitute of ^[dj]discernment,
^(MQ)But a man of understanding walks uprightly.

^22 (MR)Without counsel, plans go awry,
But in the multitude of counselors they are established.

²³ A man has joy by the answer of his mouth,
And ^(MS)a word spoken ^[dk]in due season, how good it is!

^24 (MT)The way of life winds upward for the wise,
That he may ^(MU)turn away from ^[dl]hell below.

^25 (MV)The Lord will destroy the house of the proud,
But ^(MW)He will establish the boundary of the widow.

^26 (MX)The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
^(MY)But the words of the pure are pleasant.

^27 (MZ)He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house,
But he who hates bribes will live.

²⁸ The heart of the righteous ^(NA)studies how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

^29 (NB)The Lord is far from the wicked,
But ^(NC)He hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰ The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
And a good report makes the bones ^[dm]healthy.

³¹ The ear that hears the rebukes of life
Will abide among the wise.
³² He who disdains instruction despises his own soul,
But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding.
^33 (ND)The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom,
And ^(NE)before honor is humility.

² All the ways of a man are pure in his own ^(NH)eyes,
But the Lord weighs the spirits.

^3 (NI)Commit^[do] your works to the Lord,
And your thoughts will be established.

⁴ The ^(NJ)Lord has made all for Himself,
^(NK)Yes, even the wicked for the day of ^[dp]doom.

^5 (NL)Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Though they join ^[dq]forces, none will go unpunished.

^6 (NM)In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And ^(NN)by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.

⁷ When a man’s ways please the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

^8 (NO)Better is a little with righteousness,
Than vast revenues without justice.

^9 (NP)A man’s heart plans his way,
^(NQ)But the Lord directs his steps.

¹⁰ Divination is on the lips of the king;
His mouth must not transgress in judgment.
^11 (NR)Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s;
All the weights in the bag are His ^[dr]work.
¹² It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,
For ^(NS)a throne is established by righteousness.
^13 (NT)Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And they love him who speaks what is right.
¹⁴ As messengers of death is the king’s wrath,
But a wise man will ^(NU)appease it.
¹⁵ In the light of the king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a ^(NV)cloud of the latter rain.

^16 (NW)How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

¹⁷ The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before ^[ds]a fall.
¹⁹ Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,
Than to divide the ^[dt]spoil with the proud.

²⁰ He who heeds the word wisely will find good,
And whoever ^(NX)trusts in the Lord, happy is he.

²¹ The wise in heart will be called prudent,
And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

²² Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it.
But the correction of fools is folly.

²³ The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
And adds learning to his lips.

²⁴ Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

²⁵ There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of ^(NY)death.

²⁶ The person who labors, labors for himself,
For his hungry mouth drives ^(NZ)him on.

^27 [du]An ungodly man digs up evil,
And it is on his lips like a burning ^(OA)fire.
²⁸ A perverse man sows strife,
And ^(OB)a whisperer separates the best of friends.
²⁹ A violent man entices his neighbor,
And leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰ He winks his eye to devise perverse things;
He ^[dv]purses his lips and brings about evil.

^31 (OC)The silver-haired head is a crown of glory,
If it is found in the way of righteousness.

^32 (OD)He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

³³ The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord.

² A wise servant will rule over ^(OF)a son who causes shame,
And will share an inheritance among the brothers.

³ The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
^(OG)But the Lord tests the hearts.

⁴ An evildoer gives heed to false lips;
A liar listens eagerly to a ^[dx]spiteful tongue.

^5 (OH)He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;
^(OI)He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

^6 (OJ)Children’s children are the crown of old men,
And the glory of children is their father.

⁷ Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,
Much less lying lips to a prince.

⁸ A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.

^9 (OK)He who covers a transgression seeks love,
But ^(OL)he who repeats a matter separates friends.

^10 (OM)Rebuke is more effective for a wise man
Than a hundred blows on a fool.

¹¹ An evil man seeks only rebellion;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

¹² Let a man meet ^(ON)a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.

¹³ Whoever ^(OO)rewards evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.

¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like releasing water;
Therefore ^(OP)stop contention before a quarrel starts.

^15 (OQ)He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.

¹⁶ Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Since he has no heart for it?

^17 (OR)A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.

^18 (OS)A man devoid of ^[dy]understanding ^[dz]shakes hands in a pledge,
And becomes ^[ea]surety for his friend.

¹⁹ He who loves transgression loves strife,
And ^(OT)he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.

²⁰ He who has a ^[eb]deceitful heart finds no good,
And he who has ^(OU)a perverse tongue falls into evil.

²¹ He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.

²² A ^(OV)merry heart ^[ec]does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

²³ A wicked man accepts a bribe ^[ed]behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.

^24 (OW)Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding,
But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

²⁵ A ^(OX)foolish son is a grief to his father,
And bitterness to her who bore him.

²⁶ Also, to punish the righteous is not good,
Nor to strike princes for their uprightness.

^27 (OY)He who has knowledge spares his words,
And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.
^28 (OZ)Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;
When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.

² A fool has no delight in understanding,
But in expressing his ^(PA)own heart.

³ When the wicked comes, contempt comes also;
And with dishonor comes reproach.

^4 (PB)The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
^(PC)The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.

⁵ It is not good to show partiality to the wicked,
Or to overthrow the righteous in ^(PD)judgment.

⁶ A fool’s lips enter into contention,
And his mouth calls for blows.
^7 (PE)A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
And his lips are the snare of his ^(PF)soul.
^8 (PG)The words of a ^[ef]talebearer are like ^[eg]tasty trifles,
And they go down into the ^[eh]inmost body.

⁹ He who is slothful in his work
Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.

¹⁰ The name of the Lord is a strong ^(PH)tower;
The righteous run to it and are ^[ei]safe.
¹¹ The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own esteem.

^12 (PI)Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,
And before honor is humility.

¹³ He who answers a matter before he hears it,
It is folly and shame to him.

¹⁴ The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness,
But who can bear a broken spirit?

¹⁵ The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

^16 (PJ)A man’s gift makes room for him,
And brings him before great men.

¹⁷ The first one to plead his cause seems right,
Until his neighbor comes and examines him.

¹⁸ Casting ^(PK)lots causes contentions to cease,
And keeps the mighty apart.

¹⁹ A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a castle.

^20 (PL)A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;
From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

^21 (PM)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

^22 (PN)He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the Lord.

²³ The poor man uses entreaties,
But the rich answers ^(PO)roughly.

²⁴ A man who has friends ^[ej]must himself be friendly,
^(PP)But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

² Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge,
And he sins who hastens with his feet.

³ The foolishness of a man twists his way,
And his heart frets against the Lord.

^4 (PR)Wealth makes many friends,
But the poor is separated from his friend.

⁵ A ^(PS)false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies will not escape.

⁶ Many entreat the favor of the nobility,
And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.
^7 (PT)All the brothers of the poor hate him;
How much more do his friends go ^(PU)far from him!
He may pursue them with words, yet they ^[ek]abandon him.

⁸ He who gets ^[el]wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding ^(PV)will find good.

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies shall perish.

¹⁰ Luxury is not fitting for a fool,
Much less ^(PW)for a servant to rule over princes.

^11 (PX)The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
^(PY)And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

^12 (PZ)The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is ^(QA)like dew on the grass.

^13 (QB)A foolish son is the ruin of his father,
^(QC)And the contentions of a wife are a continual ^[em]dripping.

^14 (QD)Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,
But ^(QE)a prudent wife is from the Lord.

^15 (QF)Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And an idle person will ^(QG)suffer hunger.

^16 (QH)He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who ^[en]is careless of his ways will die.

^17 (QI)He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,
And He will pay back what he has given.

^18 (QJ)Chasten your son while there is hope,
And do not set your heart ^[eo]on his destruction.

¹⁹ A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;
For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

²⁰ Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise ^(QK)in your latter days.

²¹ There are many plans in a man’s heart,
^(QL)Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

²² What is desired in a man is ^[ep]kindness,
And a poor man is better than a liar.

^23 (QM)The fear of the Lord leads to life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will not be visited with evil.

^24 (QN)A lazy man buries his hand in the ^[eq]bowl,
And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

²⁵ Strike a scoffer, and the simple ^(QO)will become wary;
^(QP)Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.

²⁶ He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother
Is ^(QQ)a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

²⁷ Cease listening to instruction, my son,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸ A ^[er]disreputable witness scorns justice,
And ^(QR)the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

²⁹ Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
^(QS)And beatings for the backs of fools.

² The ^[es]wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.

^3 (QU)It is honorable for a man to stop striving,
Since any fool can start a quarrel.

^4 (QV)The lazy man will not plow because of winter;
^(QW)He will beg during harvest and have nothing.

⁵ Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding will draw it out.

⁶ Most men will proclaim each his own ^[et]goodness,
But who can find a faithful man?

^7 (QX)The righteous man walks in his integrity;
^(QY)His children are blessed after him.

⁸ A king who sits on the throne of judgment
Scatters all evil with his eyes.

^9 (QZ)Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin”?

^10 (RA)Diverse weights and diverse measures,
They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord.

¹¹ Even a child is ^(RB)known by his deeds,
Whether what he does is pure and right.

^12 (RC)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made them both.

^13 (RD)Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.

¹⁴ “It is ^[eu]good for nothing,” cries the buyer;
But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.

¹⁵ There is gold and a multitude of rubies,
But ^(RE)the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

^16 (RF)Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.

^17 (RG)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

^18 (RH)Plans are established by counsel;
^(RI)By wise counsel wage war.

^19 (RJ)He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one ^(RK)who flatters with his lips.

^20 (RL)Whoever curses his father or his mother,
^(RM)His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.

^21 (RN)An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning
^(RO)Will not be blessed at the end.

^22 (RP)Do not say, “I will ^[ev]recompense evil”;
^(RQ)Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.

²³ Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And dishonest scales are not good.

²⁴ A man’s steps are of the Lord;
How then can a man understand his own way?

²⁵ It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy,
And afterward to reconsider his vows.

^26 (RR)A wise king sifts out the wicked,
And brings the threshing wheel over them.

^27 (RS)The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the ^[ew]inner depths of his heart.

^28 (RT)Mercy and truth preserve the king,
And by ^[ex]lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength,
And ^(RU)the splendor of old men is their gray head.

³⁰ Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,
As do stripes the ^[ey]inner depths of the heart.

^2 (RV)Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
^(RW)But the Lord weighs the hearts.

^3 (RX)To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

^4 (RY)A haughty look, a proud heart,
And the ^[fa]plowing of the wicked are sin.

^5 (RZ)The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

^6 (SA)Getting treasures by a lying tongue
^[fb]Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.

⁷ The violence of the wicked will ^[fc]destroy them,
Because they refuse to do justice.

⁸ The way of ^[fd]a guilty man is perverse;
But as for the pure, his work is right.

⁹ Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with ^(SB)a contentious woman.

^10 (SC)The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

¹¹ When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;
But when the ^(SD)wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

¹² The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked,
Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.

^13 (SE)Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
Will also cry himself and not be heard.

¹⁴ A gift in secret pacifies anger,
And a bribe ^[fe]behind the back, strong wrath.

¹⁵ It is a joy for the just to do justice,
But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

¹⁶ A man who wanders from the way of understanding
Will rest in the assembly of the ^(SF)dead.

¹⁷ He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

¹⁸ The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
And the unfaithful for the upright.

¹⁹ Better to dwell ^[ff]in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman.

^20 (SG)There is desirable treasure,
And oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man squanders it.

^21 (SH)He who follows righteousness and mercy
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.

²² A ^(SI)wise man ^[fg]scales the city of the mighty,
And brings down the trusted stronghold.

^23 (SJ)Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles.

²⁴ A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name;
He acts with arrogant pride.

²⁵ The ^(SK)desire of the lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor.
²⁶ He covets greedily all day long,
But the righteous ^(SL)gives and does not spare.

^27 (SM)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!

²⁸ A false witness shall perish,
But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.

²⁹ A wicked man hardens his face,
But as for the upright, he ^[fh]establishes his way.

^30 (SN)There is no wisdom or understanding
Or counsel against the Lord.

³¹ The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But ^(SO)deliverance is of the Lord.

² The ^(SQ)rich and the poor have this in common,
The ^(SR)Lord is the maker of them all.

³ A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself,
But the simple pass on and are ^(SS)punished.

⁴ By humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches and honor and life.

⁵ Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards his soul will be far from them.

^6 (ST)Train up a child in the way he should go,
^[fi]And when he is old he will not depart from it.

⁷ The ^(SU)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.

⁸ He who sows iniquity will reap ^(SV)sorrow,^[fj]
And the rod of his anger will fail.

^9 (SW)He who has a ^[fk]generous eye will be ^(SX)blessed,
For he gives of his bread to the poor.

^10 (SY)Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave;
Yes, strife and reproach will cease.

^11 (SZ)He who loves purity of heart
And has grace on his lips,
The king will be his friend.

¹² The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the faithless.

^13 (TA)The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be slain in the streets!”

^14 (TB)The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit;
^(TC)He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.

¹⁵ Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
^(TD)The rod of correction will drive it far from him.

¹⁶ He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches,
And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.

²² Do not rob the ^(TG)poor because he is poor,
Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;
^23 (TH)For the Lord will plead their cause,
And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

²⁴ Make no friendship with an angry man,
And with a ^(TI)furious man do not go,
²⁵ Lest you learn his ways
And set a snare for your soul.

^26 (TJ)Do not be one of those who ^[fm]shakes hands in a pledge,
One of those who is ^[fn]surety for debts;
²⁷ If you have nothing with which to pay,
Why should he take away your bed from under you?

^28 (TK)Do not remove the ancient ^[fo]landmark
Which your fathers have set.

²⁹ Do you see a man who ^[fp]excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before ^[fq]unknown men.

^4 (TL)Do not overwork to be rich;
^(TM)Because of your own understanding, cease!
^5 [fr]Will you set your eyes on that which is not?
For riches certainly make themselves wings;
They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.

⁶ Do not eat the bread of ^(TN)a^[fs] miser,
Nor desire his delicacies;
⁷ For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” ^(TO)he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
⁸ The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up,
And waste your pleasant words.

^9 (TP)Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
For he will despise the wisdom of your words.

¹⁰ Do not remove the ancient ^[ft]landmark,
Nor enter the fields of the fatherless;
^11 (TQ)For their Redeemer is mighty;
He will plead their cause against you.

¹² Apply your heart to instruction,
And your ears to words of knowledge.

^13 (TR)Do not withhold correction from a child,
For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
¹⁴ You shall beat him with a rod,
And deliver his soul from ^[fu]hell.

¹⁵ My son, if your heart is wise,
My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;
¹⁶ Yes, my ^[fv]inmost being will rejoice
When your lips speak right things.

^17 (TS)Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But ^(TT)be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;
^18 (TU)For surely there is a ^[fw]hereafter,
And your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁹ Hear, my son, and be wise;
And guide your heart in the way.
^20 (TV)Do not mix with winebibbers,
Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
²¹ For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.

^22 (TW)Listen to your father who begot you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.

^23 (TX)Buy the truth, and do not sell it,
Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.

^24 (TY)The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And he who begets a wise child will delight in him.
²⁵ Let your father and your mother be glad,
And let her who bore you rejoice.

²⁶ My son, give me your heart,
And let your eyes observe my ways.
^27 (TZ)For a harlot is a deep pit,
And a seductress is a narrow well.
^28 (UA)She also lies in wait as for a victim,
And increases the unfaithful among men.

^29 (UB)Who has woe?
Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions?
Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who ^(UC)has redness of eyes?
^30 (UD)Those who linger long at the wine,
Those who go in search of ^(UE)mixed wine.
³¹ Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it ^[fx]swirls around smoothly;
³² At the last it bites like a serpent,
And stings like a viper.
³³ Your eyes will see strange things,
And your heart will utter perverse things.
³⁴ Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the ^[fy]midst of the sea,
Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
³⁵ “They^(UF) have struck me, but I was not hurt;
They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
When shall ^(UG)I awake, that I may seek another drink?”

³ Through wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
⁴ By knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.

^5 (UI)A wise man is strong,
Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;
^6 (UJ)For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,
And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

^7 (UK)Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;
He does not open his mouth in the gate.

⁸ He who ^(UL)plots to do evil
Will be called a ^[fz]schemer.
⁹ The devising of foolishness is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

¹⁰ If you ^(UM)faint in the day of adversity,
Your strength is small.

^11 (UN)Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
¹² If you say, “Surely we did not know this,”
Does not ^(UO)He who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to each man ^(UP)according to his deeds?

¹³ My son, ^(UQ)eat honey because it is good,
And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;
^14 (UR)So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;
If you have found it, there is a ^[ga]prospect,
And your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁵ Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not plunder his resting place;
^16 (US)For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again,
^(UT)But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

^17 (UU)Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
¹⁸ Lest the Lord see it, and ^[gb]it displease Him,
And He turn away His wrath from him.

^19 (UV)Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the wicked;
²⁰ For there will be no prospect for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

²¹ My son, ^(UW)fear the Lord and the king;
Do not associate with those given to change;
²² For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin those two can bring?

^(UX)It is not good to ^[gc]show partiality in judgment.
^24 (UY)He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Him the people will curse;
Nations will abhor him.
²⁵ But those who rebuke the wicked will have ^(UZ)delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.

²⁶ He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.

^27 (VA)Prepare your outside work,
Make it fit for yourself in the field;
And afterward build your house.

^28 (VB)Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
^[gd]For would you deceive with your lips?
^29 (VC)Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.”

³⁰ I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
³¹ And there it was, ^(VD)all overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.
³² When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:
^33 (VE)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;
^34 (VF)So shall your poverty come like ^[ge]a prowler,
And your need like ^[gf]an armed man.

^2 (VH)It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

³ As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

^4 (VI)Take away the dross from silver,
And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.
⁵ Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne will be established in ^(VJ)righteousness.

⁶ Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of the great;
^7 (VK)For it is better that he say to you,
“Come up here,”
Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

^8 (VL)Do not go hastily to ^[gg]court;
For what will you do in the end,
When your neighbor has put you to shame?
^9 (VM)Debate your case with your neighbor,
And do not disclose the secret to another;
¹⁰ Lest he who hears it expose your shame,
And ^[gh]your reputation be ruined.

¹¹ A word fitly ^(VN)spoken is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.
¹² Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.

^13 (VO)Like the cold of snow in time of harvest
Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.

^14 (VP)Whoever falsely boasts of giving
Is like ^(VQ)clouds and wind without rain.

^15 (VR)By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.

¹⁶ Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.

¹⁷ Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he become weary of you and hate you.

^18 (VS)A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.

¹⁹ Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.

²⁰ Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who ^(VT)sings songs to a heavy heart.

^21 (VU)If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
²² For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
^(VV)And the Lord will reward you.

²³ The north wind brings forth rain,
And ^(VW)a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

^24 (VX)It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

²⁵ As cold water to a weary soul,
So is ^(VY)good news from a far country.

²⁶ A righteous man who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a ^[gi]polluted well.

²⁷ It is not good to eat much honey;
So ^(VZ)to seek one’s own glory is not glory.

^28 (WA)Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.

² Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow,
So ^(WC)a curse without cause shall not alight.

^3 (WD)A whip for the horse,
A bridle for the donkey,
And a rod for the fool’s back.
⁴ Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you also be like him.
^5 (WE)Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
⁶ He who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
⁷ Like the legs of the lame that hang limp
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
⁸ Like one who binds a stone in a sling
Is he who gives honor to a fool.
⁹ Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
^10 [gj]The great God who formed everything
Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.
^11 (WF)As a dog returns to his own vomit,
^(WG)So a fool repeats his folly.
^12 (WH)Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

¹³ The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road!
A fierce lion is in the ^[gk]streets!”
¹⁴ As a door turns on its hinges,
So does the lazy man on his bed.
¹⁵ The ^(WI)lazy man buries his hand in the ^[gl]bowl;
It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
¹⁶ The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can answer sensibly.

¹⁷ He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own
Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.

¹⁸ Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
¹⁹ Is the man who deceives his neighbor,
And says, ^(WJ)“I was only joking!”

²⁰ Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
And where there is no ^[gm]talebearer, strife ceases.
^21 (WK)As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
²² The words of a ^[gn]talebearer are like ^[go]tasty trifles,
And they go down into the ^[gp]inmost body.

²³ Fervent lips with a wicked heart
Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.

²⁴ He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
And lays up deceit within himself;
^25 (WL)When ^[gq]he speaks kindly, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart;
²⁶ Though his hatred is covered by deceit,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.

^27 (WM)Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

²⁸ A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,
And a flattering mouth works ^(WN)ruin.

^2 (WP)Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.

³ A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.

⁴ Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,
But ^(WQ)who is able to stand before jealousy?

^5 (WR)Open rebuke is better
Than love carefully concealed.

⁶ Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are ^(WS)deceitful.

⁷ A satisfied soul ^[gr]loathes the honeycomb,
But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

⁸ Like a bird that wanders from its nest
Is a man who wanders from his place.

⁹ Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by ^[gs]hearty counsel.

¹⁰ Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
^(WT)Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

¹¹ My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
^(WU)That I may answer him who reproaches me.

¹² A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
The simple pass on and are ^(WV)punished.

¹³ Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.

¹⁴ He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,
It will be counted a curse to him.

¹⁵ A ^(WW)continual dripping on a very rainy day
And a contentious woman are alike;
¹⁶ Whoever ^[gt]restrains her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.

¹⁷ As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

^18 (WX)Whoever ^[gu]keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
So he who waits on his master will be honored.

¹⁹ As in water face reflects face,
So a man’s heart reveals the man.

^20 (WY)Hell^[gv] and ^[gw]Destruction are never full;
So ^(WZ)the eyes of man are never satisfied.

^21 (XA)The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And a man is valued by what others say of him.

^22 (XB)Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

²³ Be diligent to know the state of your ^(XC)flocks,
And attend to your herds;
²⁴ For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
^25 (XD)When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
²⁶ The lambs will provide your clothing,
And the goats the price of a field;
²⁷ You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And the nourishment of your maidservants.

² Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
But by a man of understanding and knowledge
Right will be prolonged.

^3 (XF)A poor man who oppresses the poor
Is like a driving rain ^[gx]which leaves no food.

^4 (XG)Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
^(XH)But such as keep the law contend with them.

^5 (XI)Evil men do not understand justice,
But ^(XJ)those who seek the Lord understand all.

⁶ Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

⁷ Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
But a companion of gluttons shames his father.

⁸ One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.

⁹ One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
^(XK)Even his prayer is an abomination.

^10 (XL)Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,
He himself will fall into his own pit;
^(XM)But the blameless will inherit good.

¹¹ The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding searches him out.

¹² When the righteous rejoice, there is great ^(XN)glory;
But when the wicked arise, men ^[gy]hide themselves.

^13 (XO)He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

¹⁴ Happy is the man who is always reverent,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

^15 (XP)Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
^(XQ)Is a wicked ruler over poor people.