27 Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

² Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

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

⁴ Wrath is cruel and anger is outraging, but who is able to stand before envy?

⁵ Open rebuke is better than secret love.

⁶ Faithful are the wounds from a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

⁷ The full soul loathes a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

⁸ As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man who wandereth from his place.

⁹ Ointment and perfume make the heart rejoice; so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by counsel from the heart.

¹⁰ Thine own friend and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go to thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity; for better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.

¹¹ My son, be wise and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.

¹² A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.

¹³ Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, but take a pledge from him for a strange woman.

¹⁴ He that, rising early in the morning, blesseth his friend with a loud voice: it shall be counted as a curse to him.

¹⁵ A continual dripping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.

¹⁶ Whosoever would hide her would hide the wind, and the ointment of his right hand which betrayeth itself.

¹⁷ Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

¹⁸ Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof; so he that waiteth on his master shall be honored.

¹⁹ As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

²⁰ Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

²¹ As the refining pot for silver and the furnace for gold, so is a man tried by praise.

²² Though thou shouldest grind a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

²³ Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds,

²⁴ for riches are not for ever; and doth the crown endure to every generation?

²⁵ The hay appeareth, and the tender grass showeth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered;

²⁶ the lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats pay the price of the field;

²⁷ and thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food for thy household, and for the maintenance of thy maidens.

28 The wicked flee when no man pursueth, but the righteous are bold as a lion.

² For the transgression of a land, many are the princes thereof; but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.

³ A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.

⁴ They that forsake the law praise the wicked, but such as keep the law contend with them.

⁵ Evil men understand not judgment, but they that seek the Lord understand all things.

⁶ Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

⁷ Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son, but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.

⁸ He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.

⁹ He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

¹⁰ Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way shall himself fall into his own pit, but the upright shall possess good things.

¹¹ The rich man is wise in his own conceit, but the poor man that hath understanding searcheth him out.

¹² When righteous men rejoice, there is great glory; but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.

¹³ He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

¹⁴ Happy is the man that feareth God always, but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into evil.

¹⁵ As a roaring lion and a ranging bear, so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.

¹⁶ The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great oppressor, but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

¹⁷ A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.

¹⁸ Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved, but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once!

¹⁹ He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread, but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

²⁰ A faithful man shall abound with blessings, but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

²¹ To have respect of persons is not good, for that man will transgress for a piece of bread.

²² He that hasteneth to be rich hath an evil eye and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

²³ He that rebuketh a man shall afterwards find more favor than he that flattereth with his tongue.

²⁴ Whoso robbeth his father or his mother and saith, “It is no transgression,” the same is the companion of a destroyer.

²⁵ He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife, but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall prosper.

²⁶ He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool, but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

²⁷ He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack, but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

²⁸ When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous increase.

29 He that, being often reproved, stiffeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

² When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.

³ Whoso loveth wisdom maketh his father rejoice, but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.

⁴ The king by judgment establisheth the land, but he that receiveth bribes overthroweth it.

⁵ A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet.

⁶ In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare, but the righteous doth sing and rejoice.

⁷ The righteous considereth the cause of the poor, but the wicked regardeth not to know it.

⁸ Scornful men bring a city into a snare, but wise men turn away wrath.

⁹ If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.

¹⁰ The bloodthirsty hate the upright, but the just seek his soul.

¹¹ A fool uttereth all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it in until afterwards.

¹² If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants will be wicked.

¹³ The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the Lord lighteneth their eyes.

¹⁴ The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.

¹⁵ The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

¹⁶ When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth; but the righteous shall see their fall.

¹⁷ Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.

¹⁸ Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

¹⁹ A servant will not be corrected by words; for though he understand, he will not give heed.

²⁰ Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

²¹ He that delicately bringeth up his servant from childhood shall have him become his son in the end.

²² An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

²³ A man’s pride shall bring him low, but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.

²⁴ Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul; he heareth cursings, but revealeth it not.

²⁵ The fear of man bringeth a snare, but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

²⁶ Many seek the ruler’s favor, but every man’s judgment cometh from the Lord.

²⁷ An unjust man is an abomination to the just, and he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.

10 Now I, Paul, myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ — I, who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you —

² I beseech you that when I am present I need not be bold with that confidence with which I have in mind to be bold against some, who think of us as though we walked according to the flesh.

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds,

⁵ casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ,

⁶ and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

⁷ Do ye look on things according to the outward appearance? If any man trust himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.

⁸ For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority (which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction), I should not be ashamed,

⁹ that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

¹⁰ “For his letters,” say they, “are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.”

¹¹ Let such a one think this: that as we are in word by letters when we are absent, so will we be also in deed when we are present.

¹² For we dare not number ourselves, or compare ourselves, with some who commend themselves. For in measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, they are not wise.

¹³ But we will not boast of things beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

¹⁴ For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you. For we have come as far as to you also in preaching the Gospel of Christ,

¹⁵ not boasting of things beyond our own measure, that is, of other men’s labors; but having hope that, when your faith has increased, we shall be magnified in you according to our rule abundantly,

¹⁶ to preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s rule, which he made ready for our hand.

¹⁷ But “he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

¹⁸ For it is not he that commendeth himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.