Beginning

19 Better a poor man who lives with integrity^(A)
than someone who has deceitful lips and is a fool.

² Even zeal is not good without knowledge,^(B)
and the one who acts hastily^[a] sins.^(C)

³ A man’s own foolishness leads him astray,
yet his heart rages against the Lord.^(D)

⁴ Wealth attracts many friends,^(E)
but a poor man is separated from his friend.

⁵ A false witness will not go unpunished,^(F)
and one who utters lies will not escape.^(G)

⁶ Many seek a ruler’s favor,^(H)
and everyone is a friend of one who gives gifts.^(I)

⁷ All the brothers of a poor man hate him;^(J)
how much more do his friends
keep their distance from him!
He may pursue them with words,^(K)
but they are not there.^[b]

⁸ The one who acquires good sense^[c] loves himself;
one who safeguards understanding finds success.^(L)

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished,
and one who utters lies perishes.^(M)

¹⁰ Luxury is not appropriate for a fool^(N)—
how much less for a slave to rule over princes!^(O)

¹¹ A person’s insight gives him patience,^(P)
and his virtue is to overlook an offense.^(Q)

¹² A king’s rage is like the roaring of a lion,^(R)
but his favor is like dew on the grass.^(S)

¹³ A foolish son is his father’s ruin,^(T)
and a wife’s nagging is an endless dripping.^(U)

¹⁴ A house and wealth are inherited from fathers,^(V)
but a sensible wife is from the Lord.

¹⁵ Laziness induces deep sleep,
and a lazy person will go hungry.^(W)

¹⁶ The one who keeps commands preserves himself;^(X)
one who disregards^[d] his ways will die.^(Y)

¹⁷ Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord,^(Z)
and He will give a reward to the lender.^[e](AA)

¹⁸ Discipline your son while there is hope;
don’t be intent on killing him.^[f](AB)

¹⁹ A person with great anger bears the penalty;
if you rescue him, you’ll have to do it again.^(AC)

²⁰ Listen to counsel and receive instruction
so that you may be wise later in life.^[g](AD)

²¹ Many plans are in a man’s heart,
but the Lord’s decree will prevail.^(AE)

²² What is desirable in a man is his fidelity;
better to be a poor man than a liar.^(AF)

²³ The fear of the Lord leads to life;
one will sleep at night^[h] without danger.^(AG)

²⁴ The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth.^(AH)

²⁵ Strike a mocker, and the inexperienced learn a lesson;^(AI)
rebuke the discerning, and he gains knowledge.^(AJ)

²⁶ The one who assaults his father and evicts his mother
is a disgraceful and shameful son.

²⁷ If you stop listening to correction, my son,
you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸ A worthless witness mocks justice,
and a wicked mouth swallows iniquity.^(AK)

²⁹ Judgments are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.^(AL)

20 Wine is a mocker,^(AM) beer is a brawler,
and whoever staggers because of them is not wise.

² A king’s terrible wrath is like the roaring of a lion;
anyone who provokes him endangers himself.^(AN)

³ It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute,^(AO)
but any fool can get himself into a quarrel.^(AP)

⁴ The slacker does not plow during planting season;^[i]
at harvest time he looks,^[j] and there is nothing.^(AQ)

⁵ Counsel in a man’s heart is deep water;^(AR)
but a man of understanding draws it out.

⁶ Many a man proclaims his own loyalty,
but who can find a trustworthy man?^(AS)

⁷ The one who lives with integrity is righteous;^(AT)
his children^[k] who come after him will be happy.^(AU)

⁸ A king sitting on a throne to judge
sifts out all evil with his eyes.^(AV)

⁹ Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;
I am cleansed from my sin”?^(AW)

¹⁰ Differing weights and varying measures^[l]—
both are detestable to the Lord.^(AX)

¹¹ Even a young man is known by his actions—
if his behavior is pure and upright.^(AY)

¹² The hearing ear and the seeing eye—
the Lord made them both.^(AZ)

¹³ Don’t love sleep, or you will become poor;
open your eyes, and you’ll have enough to eat.^(BA)

¹⁴ “It’s worthless, it’s worthless!” the buyer says,
but after he is on his way, he gloats.

¹⁵ There is gold and a multitude of jewels,
but knowledgeable lips are a rare treasure.^(BB)

¹⁶ Take his garment,^[m]
for he has put up security for a stranger;
get collateral if it is for foreigners.^(BC)

¹⁷ Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man,^(BD)
but afterward his mouth is full of gravel.

¹⁸ Finalize plans with counsel,^(BE)
and wage war with sound guidance.^(BF)

¹⁹ The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip;^(BG)
avoid someone with a big mouth.^(BH)

²⁰ Whoever curses his father or mother^(BI)—
his lamp will go out in deep darkness.^(BJ)

²¹ An inheritance gained prematurely
will not be blessed ultimately.^(BK)

²² Don’t say, “I will avenge this evil!”^(BL)
Wait on the Lord,^(BM) and He will rescue you.^(BN)

²³ Differing weights^[n] are detestable to the Lord,^(BO)
and dishonest scales^(BP) are unfair.

²⁴ A man’s steps are determined by the Lord,^(BQ)
so how can anyone understand his own way?

²⁵ It is a trap for anyone to dedicate something rashly
and later to reconsider his vows.^(BR)

²⁶ A wise king separates out the wicked^(BS)
and drives the threshing wheel^(BT) over them.

²⁷ The Lord’s lamp sheds light on a person’s life,^[o]
searching the innermost parts.^[p](BU)

²⁸ Loyalty and faithfulness deliver a king;
through loyalty he maintains his throne.

²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength,
and the splendor of old men is gray hair.^(BV)

³⁰ Lashes and wounds purge away evil,^(BW)
and beatings cleanse the innermost parts.^[q]

21 A king’s heart is like streams of water in the Lord’s hand:
He directs it wherever He chooses.^(BX)

² All a man’s ways seem right to him,
but the Lord evaluates the motives.^[r](BY)

³ Doing what is righteous and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.^(BZ)

⁴ The lamp^[s] that guides the wicked—
haughty eyes and an arrogant heart^(CA)—is sin.

⁵ The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,
but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.^(CB)

⁶ Making a fortune through a lying tongue
is a vanishing mist,^[t] a pursuit of death.^[u][v](CC)

⁷ The violence of the wicked sweeps them away
because they refuse to act justly.

⁸ A guilty man’s conduct is crooked,^(CD)
but the behavior of the innocent is upright.^(CE)

⁹ Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.^(CF)

¹⁰ A wicked person desires evil;
he has no consideration^[w] for his neighbor.^(CG)

¹¹ When a mocker is punished,
the inexperienced become wiser;
when one teaches a wise man,
he acquires knowledge.^(CH)

¹² The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked;
He brings the wicked to ruin.

¹³ The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
will himself also call out and not be answered.^(CI)

¹⁴ A secret gift soothes anger,
and a covert bribe,^[x] fierce rage.^(CJ)

¹⁵ Justice executed is a joy to the righteous
but a terror to those who practice iniquity.^(CK)

¹⁶ The man who strays from the way of wisdom
will come to rest
in the assembly of the departed spirits.^(CL)

¹⁷ The one who loves pleasure will become a poor man;
whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich.^(CM)

¹⁸ The wicked are a ransom for the righteous,
and the treacherous, for^[y] the upright.^(CN)

¹⁹ Better to live in a wilderness
than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.^(CO)

²⁰ Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person,
but a foolish man consumes them.^[z](CP)

²¹ The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love
will find life, righteousness, and honor.^(CQ)

²² A wise person went up against a city of warriors
and brought down its secure fortress.^(CR)

²³ The one who guards his mouth and tongue
keeps himself out of trouble.^(CS)

²⁴ The proud and arrogant person, named “Mocker,”
acts with excessive pride.^(CT)

²⁵ A slacker’s craving will kill him
because his hands refuse to work.^(CU)
26 He is filled with craving^[aa] all day long,
but the righteous give and don’t hold back.^(CV)

²⁷ The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable—
how much more so
when he brings it with ulterior motives!^(CW)

²⁸ A lying witness will perish,^(CX)
but the one who listens will speak successfully.

²⁹ A wicked man puts on a bold face,^(CY)
but the upright man considers his way.

³⁰ No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel
will prevail against the Lord.^(CZ)

³¹ A horse is prepared for the day of battle,^(DA)
but victory comes from the Lord.^(DB)