“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”^[c](C)—
³ “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”^[d](D)

A wise son brings joy to his father,^(C)
    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

² Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,^(D)
    but righteousness delivers from death.^(E)

³ The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,^(F)
    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.^(G)

⁴ Lazy hands make for poverty,^(H)
    but diligent hands bring wealth.^(I)

⁵ He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
    but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.^(J)

⁶ Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.^[a](K)

⁷ The name of the righteous^(L) is used in blessings,^[b]
    but the name of the wicked^(M) will rot.^(N)

⁸ The wise in heart accept commands,
    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.^(O)

⁹ Whoever walks in integrity^(P) walks securely,^(Q)
    but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.^(R)

¹⁰ Whoever winks maliciously^(S) causes grief,
    and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,^(T)
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.^(U)

¹² Hatred stirs up conflict,
    but love covers over all wrongs.^(V)

¹³ Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,^(W)
    but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.^(X)

¹⁴ The wise store up knowledge,^(Y)
    but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.^(Z)

¹⁵ The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,^(AA)
    but poverty is the ruin of the poor.^(AB)

¹⁶ The wages of the righteous is life,^(AC)
    but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.^(AD)

¹⁷ Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,^(AE)
    but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

¹⁸ Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips^(AF)
    and spreads slander is a fool.

¹⁹ Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
    but the prudent hold their tongues.^(AG)

²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
    but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

²¹ The lips of the righteous nourish many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.^(AH)

²² The blessing of the Lord^(AI) brings wealth,^(AJ)
    without painful toil for it.^(AK)

²³ A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,^(AL)
    but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

²⁴ What the wicked dread^(AM) will overtake them;^(AN)
    what the righteous desire will be granted.^(AO)

²⁵ When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
    but the righteous stand firm^(AP) forever.^(AQ)

²⁶ As vinegar to the teeth and smoke^(AR) to the eyes,
    so are sluggards to those who send them.^(AS)

²⁷ The fear of the Lord adds length to life,^(AT)
    but the years of the wicked are cut short.^(AU)

²⁸ The prospect of the righteous is joy,
    but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.^(AV)

²⁹ The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless,
    but it is the ruin of those who do evil.^(AW)

³⁰ The righteous will never be uprooted,
    but the wicked will not remain in the land.^(AX)

³¹ From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,^(AY)
    but a perverse tongue^(AZ) will be silenced.

³² The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,^(BA)
    but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.^(BB)

11 The Lord detests dishonest scales,^(BC)
    but accurate weights find favor with him.^(BD)

² When pride comes, then comes disgrace,^(BE)
    but with humility comes wisdom.^(BF)

³ The integrity of the upright guides them,
    but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.^(BG)

⁴ Wealth^(BH) is worthless in the day of wrath,^(BI)
    but righteousness delivers from death.^(BJ)

⁵ The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,^(BK)
    but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.^(BL)

⁶ The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.^(BM)

⁷ Hopes placed in mortals die with them;^(BN)
    all the promise of^[c] their power comes to nothing.^(BO)

⁸ The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
    and it falls on the wicked instead.^(BP)

⁹ With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
    but through knowledge the righteous escape.^(BQ)

¹⁰ When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;^(BR)
    when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.^(BS)

¹¹ Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,^(BT)
    but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.^(BU)

¹² Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,^(BV)
    but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.^(BW)

¹³ A gossip betrays a confidence,^(BX)
    but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.^(BY)

¹⁴ For lack of guidance a nation falls,^(BZ)
    but victory is won through many advisers.^(CA)

¹⁵ Whoever puts up security^(CB) for a stranger will surely suffer,
    but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.^(CC)

¹⁶ A kindhearted woman gains honor,^(CD)
    but ruthless men gain only wealth.

¹⁷ Those who are kind benefit themselves,
    but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.

¹⁸ A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
    but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.^(CE)

¹⁹ Truly the righteous attain life,^(CF)
    but whoever pursues evil finds death.^(CG)

²⁰ The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse,^(CH)
    but he delights^(CI) in those whose ways are blameless.^(CJ)

²¹ Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
    but those who are righteous will go free.^(CK)

²² Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
    is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
    but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

²⁴ One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
    another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

²⁵ A generous^(CL) person will prosper;
    whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.^(CM)

²⁶ People curse the one who hoards grain,
    but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.

²⁷ Whoever seeks good finds favor,
    but evil comes to one who searches for it.^(CN)

²⁸ Those who trust in their riches will fall,^(CO)
    but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.^(CP)

²⁹ Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise.^(CQ)

³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,^(CR)
    and the one who is wise saves lives.

³¹ If the righteous receive their due^(CS) on earth,
    how much more the ungodly and the sinner!