Beginning
Chapter 22
Reflections on the Human Condition[a]
1 An honorable name[b] is more to be desired than great riches,
and high esteem is preferable to silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common:
all of them were made by the Lord.[c]
3 A prudent man perceives danger and seeks shelter,
while the simple[d] continue forward and pay for it.
4 The reward of humility and fear of the Lord[e]
is wealth, honor, and life.
5 Thorns and snares cover the path of the perverse;
whoever values his life will steer clear of them.
6 Train a child in the way he should go,
and he will not deviate from it, even in old age.
7 The wealthy man lords it over the poor,[f]
and the borrower becomes the slave of the lender.
8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
and the rod of his wrath will disappear.
9 One who is kindly will be blessed,[g]
for he shares his food with the poor.
10 Banish the scoffer[h] and strife will cease;
discord and abuse will come to an end.
11 The Lord loves the pure of heart;
the man of gracious speech will have the king as a friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord[i] preserve knowledge,
but he ruins the plans of the unfaithful.
13 The idler cries out, “There is a lion outside;
I will be killed if I go out on the street.”[j]
14 The mouth of an adulteress[k] is a deep pit;
the man with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
15 Folly is rooted deep in the heart of a child,
but the rod of correction[l] will remove it far from him.
16 A man becomes rich by crushing the poor,
but presents to the rich will only impoverish him.[m]
The Sayings of the Wise[n]
Lend Your Ear[o]
17 These are the sayings of the wise:
Incline your ear and listen to my words,
and apply your mind to the knowledge I impart.
18 They will afford pleasure if you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 In order that your trust may be in the Lord,
I will make them known to you today.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings[p]
of admonition and knowledge
21 to show you what is right and true
so that you can offer sound answers to the one who sent you?
Practical Counsels[q]
22 Do not rob the poor because they are helpless
or oppress the needy at the gate.
23 For the Lord will take up their cause[r]
and rob of life those who despoiled them.
24 Never make friends with a man prone to anger,
and do not associate with anyone who is wrathful.
25 Otherwise you may learn his ways[s]
and find yourself entangled in a snare.
26 Do not be one of those who give pledges
and become surety for another’s debts.
27 For if you have no means of paying,
your bed will be taken from under you.
28 Never remove the ancient boundary stone
that your ancestors set up.
29 If you see a man who is skilled in his work,[t]
remember that he will serve kings;
he will not stand before common people.
Chapter 23
When You Sit Down To Dine with a Ruler . . .[u]
1 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
take careful note of what is before you.
2 Control yourself[v]
if you are given to overindulgence.
3 Do not yearn for the ruler’s delicacies,
for they are deceptive food.
Wealth Passes Away[w]
4 Do not wear yourself out in the pursuit of wealth,
and cease even to think about it.
5 When you fix your gaze upon it,
it is gone before you realize it.
For it suddenly sprouts wings
and flies up to the sky like an eagle.
Do Not Dine with a Stingy Man[x]
6 Do not dine with a stingy man
or hanker for his delicacies.
7 For, like a hair,
they will stick in your throat.
“Eat and drink,” he will say to you,
but he does not mean it in his heart.
8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten
and find that your compliments have been wasted.
9 Do not waste your words on a fool
who will only despise the wisdom of your comments.[y]
God Vindicates the Defenseless[z]
10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone
or encroach on the lands of orphans.
11 For their redeemer is powerful,
and he will take up their cause against you.
Direct Your Heart along the Right Path[aa]
12 Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
14 Rather, if you beat him with a rod,
you will save him from the netherworld.[ab]
15 My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad.
16 Also my innermost being will rejoice
when your lips utter what is right.
17 Do not allow your heart to envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord;[ac]
18 there truly is a future for you,
and your hope will not be cut short.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise
as you direct your heart along the right path.
20 Do not consort with drunkards[ad]
or be one of those who gorge themselves with meat.
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will become impoverished,
and stupor will clothe them in rags.
22 Listen to your father who begot you,
and do not despise your mother[ae] when she is old.
23 Buy truth and do not sell it;
this is wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 The father of a good man will rejoice;
he who begets a wise son will delight in him.
25 May your father and mother be glad;
may the one who bore you exult.
The Prostitute Is a Deep Well[af]
26 My son, pay attention to me
and let your eyes delight in my ways.
27 For a prostitute is a deep well,
and an adulteress is a narrow pit.
28 Such a woman lies in wait like a robber,
and many are the men she deludes.
The Joys and Dangers of Wine[ag]
29 Who endures misery? Who endures remorse?
Who has strife? Who has anxiety?
Who becomes bruised without knowing the reason?
Who has blackened eyes?
30 Those who linger over their wine too long,
those who sample blended wines.
31 Do not note how red the wine is,
how it sparkles in the cup,
and how smoothly it goes down.
32 For in the end its bite is like that of a serpent
or that of a poisonous viper.
33 Then your eyes will behold strange sights,
and your heart will utter distorted words.
34 You will become like one sleeping at sea
or clinging to the top of the mast.
35 You will say, “They struck me, but I was not hurt.
They beat me, but I did not feel it.
When will I awaken,
so that I can seek another drink?”
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