12 Now about the spiritual gifts (the special endowments of supernatural energy), brethren, I do not want you to be misinformed.

² You know that when you were heathen, you were led off after idols that could not speak [habitually] as impulse directed and whenever the occasion might arise.

³ Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking under the power and influence of the [Holy] Spirit of God can [ever] say, Jesus be cursed! And no one can [really] say, Jesus is [my] Lord, except by and under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are distinctive varieties and distributions of endowments (gifts, ^[a]extraordinary powers distinguishing certain Christians, due to the power of divine grace operating in their souls by the Holy Spirit) and they vary, but the [Holy] Spirit remains the same.

⁵ And there are distinctive varieties of service and ministration, but it is the same Lord [Who is served].

⁶ And there are distinctive varieties of operation [of working to accomplish things], but it is the same God Who inspires and energizes them all in all.

⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the [Holy] Spirit [the evidence, the spiritual illumination of the Spirit] for good and profit.

⁸ To one is given in and through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] a message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] a word of knowledge and understanding according to the same [Holy] Spirit;

⁹ To another [^[b]wonder-working] faith by the same [Holy] Spirit, to another the extraordinary powers of healing by the one Spirit;

¹⁰ To another the working of miracles, to another prophetic insight (^[c]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose); to another the ability to discern and distinguish between [the utterances of true] spirits [and false ones], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, to another the ability to interpret [such] tongues.

¹¹ All these [gifts, achievements, abilities] are inspired and brought to pass by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, Who apportions to each person individually [exactly] as He chooses.

20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a riotous brawler; and whoever errs or reels because of it is not wise.^(A)

² The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger or angers himself against him sins against his own life.

³ It is an honor for a man to cease from strife and keep aloof from it, but every fool will quarrel.

⁴ The sluggard does not plow when winter sets in; therefore he begs in harvest and has nothing.

⁵ Counsel in the heart of man is like water in a deep well, but a man of understanding draws it out.^(B)

⁶ Many a man proclaims his own loving-kindness and goodness, but a faithful man who can find?

⁷ The righteous man walks in his integrity; blessed (happy, fortunate, enviable) are his children after him.

⁸ A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows out all evil [like chaff] with his eyes.

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

¹⁰ Diverse weights [one for buying and another for selling] and diverse measures—both of them are exceedingly offensive and abhorrent to the Lord.^(D)

¹¹ Even a child is known by his acts, whether [or not] what he does is pure and right.

¹² The hearing ear and the seeing eye—the Lord has made both of them.

¹³ Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes and you will be satisfied with bread.

¹⁴ It is worthless, it is worthless! says the buyer; but when he goes his way, then he boasts [about his bargain].

¹⁵ There is gold, and a multitude of pearls, but the lips of knowledge are a vase of preciousness [the most precious of all].^(E)

¹⁶ [The judge tells the creditor] Take the garment of one who is security for a stranger; and hold him in pledge when he is security for foreigners.

¹⁷ Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

¹⁸ Purposes and plans are established by counsel; and [only] with good advice make or carry on war.

¹⁹ He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore associate not with him who talks too freely.^(F)

²⁰ Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in complete darkness.

²¹ An inheritance hastily gotten [by greedy, unjust means] at the beginning, in the end it will not be blessed.^(G)

²² Do not say, I will repay evil; wait [expectantly] for the Lord, and He will rescue you.^(H)

²³ Diverse and deceitful weights are shamefully vile and abhorrent to the Lord, and false scales are not good.

²⁴ Man’s steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way?

²⁵ It is a snare to a man to utter a vow [of consecration] rashly and [not until] afterward inquire [whether he can fulfill it].

²⁶ A wise king winnows out the wicked [from among the good] and brings the threshing wheel over them [to separate the chaff from the grain].

²⁷ The spirit of man [that factor in human personality which proceeds immediately from God] is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.^(I)

²⁸ Loving-kindness and mercy, truth and faithfulness, preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by [the people’s] loyalty.

²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is their gray head [suggesting wisdom and experience].

³⁰ Blows that wound cleanse away evil, and strokes [for correction] reach to the innermost parts.