Bible in 90 Days
Warning Against the Strange Woman
7 My child, guard my sayings;
store my commandments with you.
2 Keep my commands and live,
and my teaching like the apple of your eye.[a]
3 Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom,[b] “you are my sister,”
and you shall call insight,[c] “intimate friend.”[d]
5 In order to guard yourself from an adulteress,[e]
from the foreigner who makes her words smooth.[f]
6 For at the window of my house,
through my lattice, I looked down.
7 And I saw among the simple,
I observed among the youth,
a young man lacking sense,[g]
8 passing on the street at[h] her corner,
and he takes the road to her house,
9 at twilight, at the day’s evening,
in the midst of night and the darkness.
10 Then behold! A woman comes to meet him
with the garment of a prostitute[i] and a secret heart.[j]
11 She is loud and stubborn;
her feet do not stay at her house.
12 Now in the street, now in the square,
at[k] every corner she lies in wait.
13 She took hold of [l] him and kissed him.
Her face was impudent, and she said to him,
14 “Sacrifices of peace offerings are upon me;
today[m] I completed my vows.
15 So[n] I have come out to meet you,
to seek your face, and I have found you.
16 With coverings I have adorned my couch,
spreads of the linen of Egypt;
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,
aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love making,
until the morning let us delight in love.
19 For there is no man[o] in his home;
he has gone on a long journey.[p]
20 The bag of money he took in his hand,
for on the day of the full moon he will come home.”
21 She persuades him with the greatness of her teachings;
with her smooth lips she compels him.
22 He goes after her suddenly;
like an ox to the slaughter he goes,
and like a stag to the instruction of a fool,
23 until an arrow pierces his entrails,[q]
like a bird rushing into a snare,
but he does not know that it will cost him his life.[r]
Reiteration of the Warning Against a Strange Woman
24 And now, my children, listen to me,
and be attentive to the sayings of my mouth.
25 May your heart not turn aside to her ways;
do not stray into her path.
26 For many slain she has laid low,
and countless[s] are all of her killings.
27 The ways of Sheol[t] are her house,
descending to chambers of death.
Wisdom Calls
8 Does not wisdom call,
and understanding raise its voice?
2 Atop the heights[u] beside the road,
at the crossroads she stands.
3 Beside gates, before towns,
at the entrance of doors, she cries out:
4 “To you, O people,[v] I call,
and my cry is to the children of humankind.
5 Learn prudence, O simple ones;
fools, learn intelligence.[w]
6 Listen! For noble things I will speak,
and upright things from the opening of my lips.
7 My mouth will utter truth,
and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All sayings of my mouth are in righteousness;
none of them are twisted and crooked.
9 All of them are straight to him who understands,
and upright to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my teaching and not silver;
may you choose knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than jewels,
and all desires shall not compare with her.
12 I, wisdom, live with prudence,
and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of Yahweh is hatred of evil,
pride, and arrogance and an evil way.
And I hate a mouth of perversity.
14 Advice and sound judgment[x] are mine;
I am understanding, strength is mine.[y]
15 By me kings reign,
and rulers decree righteousness.
16 By me rulers rule,
and nobles—all judges of righteousness.
17 I love those who love me,[z]
and those who seek me diligently shall find me.
18 Fortune and glory are with me,
enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold,[aa] even refined gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
20 In the way of righteousness I walk,
in the midst of paths of justice,
21 in order to endow those who love me with wealth,
and I will fill their treasuries.
Wisdom at Creation
22 “Yahweh possessed[ab] me, the first of his ways,
before his acts of old.[ac]
23 From eternity, I was set up from the first,
from the beginning[ad] of the earth.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth,
when there were no springs of abounding[ae] water.
25 Before mountains had been shaped,
before hills, I was brought forth.
26 When he had not yet made earth and fields,
or the first dust of the world,
27 when he established[af] the heavens, there I was,
when he drew[ag] a circle upon the face of the deep,
28 when he made[ah] skies from above,
when he founded fountains of the deep,
29 when he assigned[ai] his limits to the sea,
that waters shall not transgress his command,[aj]
when he marked[ak] the foundations of the earth,
30 I was beside[al] him, a master workman,
and I was delighting day by day,
rejoicing before him always,[am]
31 rejoicing in the world of his earth,
and my delight was with the children of humankind.
Benefits of Following Wisdom
32 “And now, children, listen to me;
happy are those who will keep my ways.
33 Hear teaching and be wise;
do not neglect it.
34 Happy is the person who listens to me,
in order to keep watch at my doors day by day,
in order to guard the frames of my entrances.
35 For he who finds me is he who finds[an] life,
and he obtains favor from Yahweh.
36 But he who misses me injures himself.[ao]
All those who hate me love death.”
Wisdom’s Banquet
9 Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
2 She has slaughtered her slaughtering, mixed her wine,
and also set her table.
3 She has sent her servant girls,[ap] she calls
upon the wings of the high places of town,
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn here.”
As for the one who lacks sense,[aq] she says to him,
5 “Come, eat with my bread;
drink with the wine I have mixed.
6 Lay aside simplicity and live;
walk in the way of understanding.”
7 He who corrects a scoffer gains abuse for himself,
and he who rebukes the wicked gets hurt.[ar]
8 Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you;
rebuke the wise and he will love you.
9 Give to a wise one and he will become more wise;
teach[as] a righteous one and he will increase learning.
Foolishness’ Banquet
10 The start of wisdom is fear of Yahweh,
and knowledge of the Holy One,[at] insight.
11 For by me your days shall increase,
and years of life shall multiply for you.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
and if you scoff, alone you shall bear it.
13 A woman of foolishness is loud,
simple, and does not know it.[au]
14 She sits at the door of her house,
upon a throne at the high places of town,
15 in order to call to those who pass by the road,
those who go straight on their way:
16 “Whoever is simple, may he turn here!”
As for he who lacks sense,[av] she says to him,
17 “Stolen waters are sweet,
and bread of secrecy is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the dead[aw] are there,
in the depths of Sheol[ax] are her guests.
Proverbs of Solomon
10 The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise child makes a father glad,
but a foolish child grieves his mother.
2 Treasures of wickedness do not profit,
but righteousness delivers from death.
3 Yahweh will not cause a righteous person[ay] to go hungry,
but the craving of the wicked he will thwart.
4 A slack hand causes poverty,
but the hand of the diligent enriches.
5 He who gathers in the summer is a child who is prudent;
he who sleeps at the harvest is a child who brings shame.
6 Blessings belong to the head of the righteous,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
7 The memory of righteousness is like a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
8 A heart of wisdom will heed commandments,
but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
9 Whoever walks in integrity[az] will walk securely,
but whoever follows perversity, his ways will be made known.
10 The winking of an eye causes[ba] trouble,
and the foolishness of lips comes to ruin.
11 A fountain of life is a mouth of righteousness,
and a mouth of wickedness conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
but love covers over all offenses.
13 On the lips of one who has understanding, wisdom is found,
but a rod is for the back of one who lacks sense.[bb]
14 Those who are wise lay up knowledge,
but to the mouth of the fool, ruin draws near.
15 The wealth of the rich is the city of his strength;
the ruin of the poor is their poverty.
16 The wage of the righteous leads to life;
the gain of the wicked to sin.
17 On the path to life is he who guards instruction,
but he who rejects rebuke goes astray.
18 He who conceals hatred has lips of deceit,
and he who utters slander—he is a fool.
19 In many words, transgression is not lacking,
but he who restrains his lips is prudent.
20 Choice silver is a tongue of righteousness,
a heart[bc] of wickedness is of little worth.[bd]
21 Lips of righteousness feed many,
but fools die for lack of sense.[be]
22 The blessing of Yahweh makes one rich,
and he does not increase sorrow with it.
23 It is like a sport for a fool to do wrong,
wisdom for a person of understanding.
24 The dread of the wicked will come upon him,
but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 With the passing of the tempest, there is no wickedness,
but the righteous have a foundation forever.
26 Like vinegar to the tooth and like smoke to the eyes,
thus is the lazy to one who employs[bf] him.
27 The fear of Yahweh adds life,
but the years of the wicked are shortened.
28 The hope of the righteous is gladness,
but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.
29 A stronghold for the upright is the way of Yahweh,
but ruin belongs to evildoers.[bg]
30 The righteous one is forever; he will not be removed.
But the wicked will not remain in the land.[bh]
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but a tongue of perversity will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous know the acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked, the perverse.
11 Balances of deceit are an abomination of Yahweh,
but an accurate weight[bi] delights him.
2 Pride comes, then disgrace comes,
but wisdom is with the humble.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Wealth does not profit on the day of wrath,
but righteousness will deliver from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless will keep his ways straight,
but the wicked will fall by his wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright will save them,
but by a scheme the treacherous will be taken captive.
7 With the death of a wicked person, hope will die,
and the expectation of the godless perishes.
8 The righteous is delivered from trouble,
but the wicked enters into it.
9 With a mouth, the godless shall destroy his neighbor,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
10 When good is with the righteous, the city rejoices,
and with the perishing of the wicked, jubilation.
11 By the blessing of the upright, a city will be exalted,
but by the mouth of the wicked, it will be overthrown.
12 He who lacks sense[bj] belittles his neighbor,
but a person of intelligence will remain silent.
13 A gossip walks about telling a secret,
but the trustworthy in spirit keeps the matter.
14 Where there is no guidance, a nation[bk] shall fall,
but there is safety in an abundance of counsel.
15 He will suffer trouble when he loans to a stranger,
but he who refuses a pledge is safe.
16 A woman of grace receives honor,
but the ruthless gets wealth.
17 A person of kindness rewards himself,[bl]
but a cruel person harms his own flesh.
18 The wicked earns[bm] deceptive gain,[bn]
but he who sows righteousness, a true reward.[bo]
19 He who is steadfast in righteousness is to life
as[bp] he who pursues evil is to death.
20 An abomination of Yahweh are the crooked of heart,[bq]
but his delight are those with blameless ways.[br]
21 Rest assured,[bs] the wicked will not go unpunished,
but the offspring[bt] of the righteous will escape.
22 A ring of gold in the snout of a pig
is a woman who is beautiful but without discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous is only good,
but the expectation of the wicked, wrath.
24 There is one who gives yet grows richer,[bu]
but he who withholds what is right[bv] only finds need.
25 A person of blessing will be enriched,
and he who gives water also will be refreshed.
26 He who withholds grain, the people curse him,
but a blessing is for the head of him who sells.
27 He who diligently seeks good seeks favor,
but he who inquires of evil, it will come to him.
28 He who trusts in his wealth is he who will fall,
but like a green leaf the righteous will flourish.
29 He who brings trouble to his household, he will inherit wind,[bw]
and a fool will serve the wise of heart.
30 The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life,
and he who captures souls[bx] is wise.
31 If the righteous on earth will be repaid,
how much more[by] the wicked and sinner.
12 He who loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates rebuke is stupid.
2 The good obtains favor from Yahweh,
but anyone who schemes, he condemns.
3 A person will not be established by wickedness,
but the root of the righteous will not be moved.
4 A woman of strength[bz] is the crown of her master,[ca]
but like rot in his bones is she who brings shame.
5 The thoughts of the righteous are[cb] just;
the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
6 The words of the wicked are an ambush of blood,
but the mouth of the upright delivers them.
7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more,[cc]
but the house of the righteous shall stand.
8 For his mouth of good sense, a man will be recommended,
but he who is of perverse mind[cd] will be despised.
9 It is better to be lowly and a servant to someone[ce]
than self-glorifying and lacking food.
10 The righteous knows the life[cf] of his animal,
but the compassion[cg] of the wicked is cruel.
11 He who works his land will have plenty of food,
but he who follows worthless things lacks sense.[ch]
12 The wicked covets the proceeds of evil,
but the root of the righteous bears fruit.[ci]
13 By the transgression of lips, evil is ensnared,
but the righteous escapes from trouble.
14 From the fruit of the mouth of a man, he is filled with good,
and the reward of a man’s labor[cj] will return to him.
15 The way of a fool is upright in his own eyes,
but he who listens to advice is wise.
16 As for a fool, on that very day[ck] he makes his anger known,
but he who ignores an insult is prudent.
17 He who will speak truth will reveal righteousness,
but the witness of falsehood, deceit.
18 There is one who speaks rashly, like the thrust of a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 A lip of truth endures forever,
but a tongue of deception lasts only a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart[cl] of those who plan[cm] evil,
but to those who plan[cn] peace, there is joy.
21 No evil will happen[co] to the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with trouble.
22 An abomination of Yahweh are lips of deceit,
but they who act faithfully are his delight.
23 A clever person conceals knowledge,
but the heart[cp] of a fool[cq] announces folly.
24 The hand of the diligent ones will rule,
but the lazy will belong to forced labor.
25 Anxiety in the heart[cr] of a man will weigh him down,
but a good word will cheer him.
26 A righteous person will seek out his neighbor,
but the way of the wicked will lead them astray.
27 The lazy will not roast his game,
but diligence is the precious wealth of a man.
28 On the road of righteousness is life,
and on the way of the path, may there be no death.
13 A wise child hears the discipline of a father,
but a scoffer does not listen to a rebuke.
2 From the fruit of the mouth of a man, he shall eat what is good,
but the desire[cs] of the treacherous, wrongdoing.
3 He who keeps his mouth guards his life;[ct]
he who opens his lips, ruin belongs to him.
4 The soul[cu] of the lazy craves, but there is nothing,
but the person of diligence is richly supplied.
5 The righteous hates a word of falsehood;
the wicked will bring shame and disgrace.[cv]
6 Righteousness will guard the upright of way,
but wickedness will overthrow sin.
7 There is one who acts rich but has nothing;[cw]
another who pretends to be poor but has wealth.
8 The ransom of the life of a man is his wealth,
but the poor does not receive a threat.
9 The light of the righteous will rejoice,
but the lamp of the wicked will die out.
10 Only by insolence is strife set up,
and wisdom is with those who take advice.
11 Wealth gained from haste[cx] will dwindle,
but he who gathers little by little[cy] will increase it.
12 Hope that is deferred makes the heart[cz] sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 He who despises a word will bring destruction on himself,
but he who respects a commandment will be rewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
in order to avoid the snares of death.
15 Good sense grants favor,
but the way of the faithless is coarse.
16 Anyone who is clever will act with intelligence,
but the fool will display folly.
17 A messenger of wickedness will fall into trouble,
but an envoy of the faithful brings healing.
18 Poverty and disgrace belong to him who ignores instruction,
but he who guards reproof will be honored.
19 A desire fulfilled[da] will be sweet to the soul,
but an abomination of fools is turning from evil.
20 Walk with the wise and be wise,
but as for the companion of fools, he will suffer harm.
21 Misfortune will pursue sinners,
but the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.[db]
22 He who is good will leave an inheritance to his grandchildren,[dc]
and stored up for the righteous is the wealth of a sinner.
23 There is much food in the field of the poor,
but it is swept away[dd] by injustice.[de]
24 He who withholds his rod hates his child,
but he who loves him gives him[df] discipline.
25 The righteous eats to satisfy his life,[dg]
but the belly of the wicked will lack.
14 The wisest of women[dh] builds her house,
but the foolish tears it down with her hands.
2 He who walks in uprightness fears Yahweh,
but he who is devious in his ways displeases him.
3 In the mouth of a fool is the rod of pride,
but the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 When there are no[di] oxen the manger is empty,
but an abundance of crops comes by the strength of an ox.[dj]
5 A faithful witness does not lie,
but he who breathes out falsehood is a witness of deceit.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom, but there is none,
but knowledge comes easily to him who understands.[dk]
7 Leave the presence of a foolish man,[dl]
for you will not come to know words of knowledge.[dm]
8 The wisdom of the clever is understanding his ways,
but the folly of fools is deceit.
9 Fools mock[dn] the guilt offering,
but among the upright, it is favorable.
10 The heart[do] knows the bitterness of its soul,[dp]
but in its joy, it will not share itself with a stranger.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems upright to[dq] a man,
but its end is the way of death.
13 Even in laughter, a heart may be sad,
and the end of joy may be grief.
14 From his ways, the perverse of heart will be satisfied,
and from his own,[dr] so shall a good man.
15 The simple will believe every word,
but the clever will consider his step.
16 The wise is cautious and turns from evil,
but the fool throws off restraint and is confident.
17 He who is short of temper[ds] will act foolishly,
and the man who schemes will be hated.
18 The simple are adorned with folly,
but the clever are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good,
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
but the lovers of the rich are many.
21 He who despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but he who has mercy on the poor blesses him.
22 Have they not erred, those who plan evil?
But loyalty and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.
23 In all toil, there is profit,
but the talk[dt] of lips leads only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth;
the folly of fools is folly.
25 He who saves lives[du] is a witness of truth,
but he who utters lies is a betrayer.
26 In the fear of Yahweh, there is confidence of strength,
and for his children, there will be refuge.
27 The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life,
in order to turn from the snares of death.
28 In the multitude of people is the glory of the king,
but without a population, a prince is ruined.
29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
but the hasty of spirit[dv] exalts folly.
30 A heart[dw] of tranquility[dx] is life to the flesh,
but causes bones of passion to rot.
31 He who oppresses the poor insults him who made him,
but he who has mercy on the poor honors him.
32 By his evildoing, the wicked will be overthrown,
and the righteous will find refuge in his death.
33 In the heart[dy] of him who has understanding, wisdom rests,
but even in the midst of fools it becomes known.
34 Righteousness will exalt a nation,
but sin is a reproach to a people.
35 The favor of a king is for the servant who deals wisely,
but his wrath will be on him who acts shamefully.
15 A soft answer will turn away wrath,
but a word of trouble will stir anger.[dz]
2 The tongue of the wise will dispense knowledge,
but the mouth of fools will pour out folly.
3 In every place, the eyes of Yahweh
keep watch over the evil and the good.
4 Gentleness[ea] of tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it[eb] causes a break in spirit.
5 A fool will despise the instruction of his father,
but he who guards reproof is prudent.
6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but the income of the wicked brings trouble.
7 The lips of the wise will spread knowledge,
but the heart[ec] of fools, not so.
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination of Yahweh,
but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
9 An abomination of Yahweh is the way of the wicked,
but he who pursues righteousness he will love.
10 Severe discipline belongs to him who forsakes the way;
he who hates a rebuke will die.
11 Sheol[ed] and Abaddon[ee] are before Yahweh,
how much more[ef] the hearts of the children of men!
12 A scoffer does not like his rebuke;[eg]
to the wise he will not go.
13 A heart[eh] of gladness will make good countenance,[ei]
but in sorrow of heart[ej] a spirit is broken.
14 The heart of him who understands will seek knowledge,
but the faces of fools, they[ek] will feed on folly.
15 All the days of the poor are hard,
but goodness of heart[el] is a continuous feast.
16 Better is little with the fear of Yahweh
than great treasure and trouble with it.[em]
17 Better is a dinner of vegetables when[en] love is there
than a fattened ox and hatred with it.[eo]
18 A man who is hot-tempered will stir up strife,
but he who is slow to anger,[ep] he will calm contention.
19 The way of the lazy is like a hedge of thorns,[eq]
but the path of the upright is a highway.
20 A child of wisdom will make a father glad,
but a foolish person,[er] he despises his mother.
21 Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,[es]
and a person of understanding will walk upright.[et]
22 Plans go wrong when there is no counsel,
but with many advisors it will succeed.
23 Joy belongs to a man with answers in his mouth,
and a word in its time, how good it is!
24 The path of life leads upward for him who has insight,
in order to turn away from Sheol below.
25 The house of the proud, Yahweh will tear it down,
but he will maintain the property line[eu] of the widow.
26 Plans of evil are an abomination of Yahweh,
but gracious words are pure.
27 He who makes trouble for his house is he who is greedy for unjust gain,
but he who hates bribes will live.
28 A heart[ev] of righteousness will ponder the answer,
but a mouth of wickedness will pour out deceit.
29 Yahweh is far from the wicked,
but the prayers of the righteous he will hear.
30 From the light of the eyes, the heart[ew] will rejoice,
and good news will enliven the bones.[ex]
31 The ear of him who listens to admonitions of life,
in the midst of the wise it will lodge.
32 He who ignores instruction despises himself,[ey]
but he who hears admonition gains heart.[ez]
33 Fear of Yahweh is the instruction of the wise,
and before honor comes humility.
16 To mortals belong the plans of the heart,
but from Yahweh comes the answer of the tongue.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but Yahweh weighs the spirit.[fa]
3 Commit your work to Yahweh,
and your plans will be established.
4 All Yahweh has made is for his[fb] purpose,
and even the wicked for the day of trouble.
5 An abomination of Yahweh are all who are arrogant of heart;[fc]
rest assured,[fd] he will not go unpunished.
6 By loyalty and faithfulness, iniquity will be covered over,[fe]
and by fear of Yahweh one turns[ff] from evil.
7 When the ways of a man are pleasing to Yahweh,
even his enemies he will cause to make peace with him.
8 Better is little with righteousness
than great income with no justice.
9 The mind[fg] of a person will plan his ways,
and Yahweh will direct his steps.
10 A decision is upon the lips of a king;
in judgment his mouth will not sin.
11 A balance and scales of justice belong to Yahweh;
all the weights of the bag are his work.
12 An abomination to kings is doing evil,
for by righteousness the throne will be established.
13 The delight of kings are the lips of righteousness,
and he who speaks what is upright he will love.
14 The wrath of a king is a messenger of death,
but one who is wise will appease[fh] it.
15 In the light of the face of the king there is life,
and his favor is like a cloud of spring rain.
16 Getting wisdom: how much[fi] better than gold!
And getting understanding: it is chosen over[fj] silver.
17 The highway of the upright, it turns from evil,
he who guards himself[fk] keeps his way.
18 Before destruction comes pride,
and before a fall, a haughty spirit.[fl]
19 Better a lowly spirit with the poor
than dividing the spoil with the proud.
20 He who is attentive to a matter will find goodness,
and he who trusts in Yahweh, his own happiness.
21 The wise of heart[fm] is called perceptive,
but he who is pleasant of lips will increase persuasiveness.
22 A fountain of life is wisdom for its owner,[fn]
but the instruction[fo] of fools is folly.
23 The heart[fp] of the wise will make his mouth judicious,
and upon his lips, it[fq] will add persuasiveness.
24 Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and healing to the bones.
25 There is a way that seems upright to[fr] a man,
but its end is the way of death.
26 The life[fs] of a worker works for him,
for his hunger[ft] urges him.
27 A man of wickedness concocts evil,
and his lips are like a scorching fire.
28 A person of perversity will spread dissent,
and he who whispers separates a close friend.
29 A person of violence will entice his neighbor
and cause him to walk on a way that is not good.
30 He who winks his eyes does so in order to plan perverse things;
he who purses his lips will bring evil to pass.
31 A crown of glory is gray hair;
by a righteous life it is gained.
32 He who is slow to anger[fu] is better than him who is mighty,
and he who controls his spirit than him who captures a city.
33 The lot will be cast into the lap,
but all of its decisions are from Yahweh.
17 Better a dry morsel and quiet with it
than a house filled with feasts of strife.
2 A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully,
and in the midst of brothers he will share his inheritance.
3 A crucible is for the silver, and a furnace is for the gold,
but Yahweh will test hearts.
4 He who does evil listens to lips of wickedness,
and the liar gives heed to the tongue of mischief.
5 He who mocks the poor insults him who made him;
he who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.
6 The crown of the elderly are grandchildren,[fv]
and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine speech[fw] is not becoming a fool,
still less[fx] is false speech[fy] for a ruler.
8 The bribe is a stone of magic in the eyes of its owner;[fz]
everywhere[ga] he will turn, he will prosper.
9 He who forgives an affront fosters love,
but he who waits on a matter will alienate a friend.
10 A rebuke strikes him who understands
deeper than one hundred blows to a fool.
11 An evil person will seek only rebellion,
and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 May a man meet a she-bear robbed of offspring
and not a fool in his folly.
13 For he who returns evil for good,
evil will not depart from his house.
14 Like the release of water is the beginning of strife;
before it breaks out, stop the quarrel.
15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,
the two of them are both abominations of Yahweh.
16 Why is this? A price in the hand of a fool,
in order to buy wisdom where[gb] there is no sense.[gc]
17 The friend loves at all times[gd],
but a brother is born for adversity.
18 A person who lacks sense[ge] pledges;[gf]
he becomes security before his neighbor.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife;
he who builds his high thresholds seeks destruction.
20 He who is crooked of heart[gg] will not find goodness,
and he who is perverse, by his tongue he will fall into calamity.
21 He who begets a fool, there is trouble for him;
the father of a fool will not rejoice.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a downcast spirit will dry out bones.
23 The wicked will accept a bribe from the lap,
in order to pervert the ways of justice.
24 He who understands sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool, to the end of the earth.[gh]
25 A grief to his father is the child of a fool,
and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 Also, imposing a fine on the righteous is not good,
nor to flog nobles for uprightness.
27 He who spares his sayings knows knowledge,
and a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool who keeps silent shall be considered wise;[gi]
he who closes his lips is intelligent.
18 He who is selfish seeks a craving;[gj]
against all sound judgment he shows contempt.
2 A fool will not take pleasure in understanding,
but in expressing his heart.[gk]
3 With the coming of wickedness comes contempt also,
and with dishonor, disgrace.
4 Deep waters are words of the mouth of a man;
a gushing stream is a fountain of wisdom.
5 Being partial to faces of evil is not good,
nor to subvert the righteous at the judgment.
6 The lips of a fool will bring strife,
and his mouth calls out for a flogging.
7 The mouth of a fool is ruin to him,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.[gl]
8 The words of a whisper are like delicious morsels,
and they themselves go down to inner parts of the body.
9 Even he who is slack in his work,
he is brother to a master[gm] of destruction.
10 A tower of strength is the name of Yahweh;
into him[gn] the righteous will run and be safe.
11 The wealth of the rich is his strong city,[go]
and like a wall, it is high in his imagination.
12 In the presence of destruction, the heart[gp] of a man will be haughty,
but in the presence of honor, humble.
13 He who returns a word before he will hear,
folly itself belongs to him as well as[gq] shame.
14 The spirit of a man will endure his sickness,
but a broken spirit, who may bear it?
15 An intelligent mind[gr] will acquire knowledge,
and the ear of the wise will seek knowledge.
16 The gift of a person will open doors for him,
and before the great, it gives him access.
17 The first in his dispute is deemed righteous,
but his neighbor will come and examine him.
18 The lot will put an end to disputes,
and between powerful contenders it will decide.
19 A brother who is offended is worse than a city of strength,
and quarrels are like the bars of a fortification.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth, his stomach will be satisfied,
as for the yield of his lips, it will satisfy.
21 Death and life are in the power[gs] of the tongue,
and those who love her[gt] will eat of her fruit.
22 He who finds a wife[gu] finds good,
and he will obtain favor from Yahweh.
23 The poor may speak entreaties,
but the rich will answer roughly.
24 A man of many friends will come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
19 Better a poor person walking in integrity
than one who is perverse in his speech[gv] and is a fool.
2 Also, a life[gw] without knowledge is not good,
and he who moves quickly with his feet misses the mark.[gx]
3 As for the folly of humankind, its way leads to ruin,
and against Yahweh his heart[gy] will rage.
4 Wealth adds many friends,
but the poor will be left by his friends.
5 A witness of falsehood will not go unpunished,
and he who breathes lies will not escape.
6 Many will seek favor before the generous,
and everyone is the friend of a man of gifts.[gz]
7 All the brothers of the poor, if they hate him,
how much more will his friends keep away from him.
He pursues them with words, and they are gone.[ha]
8 He who acquires wisdom loves himself;[hb]
he who guards understanding loves to find good.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who breathes lies will perish.
10 For a fool living in luxury is not fitting,
any more than it is for a slave to rule over princes.
11 The understanding of a person makes him slow to his anger,[hc]
and his glory overlooks offense.
12 The rage of a king growls like a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 A foolish child is a ruin to his father,
and the quarreling of a woman[hd] is a continuous dripping.
14 A house and wealth are an inheritance from fathers,
but from Yahweh comes a woman[he] who is prudent.
15 Laziness will bring on a deep sleep,
and a person[hf] of idleness will suffer hunger.
16 He who guards commandments guards his life;[hg]
he who is careless of his ways will be killed.
17 He who lends to Yahweh is he who is kind to the poor,
and his benefits he will repay to him.
18 Discipline your child, for there is hope,
but on his destruction do not set your desire.[hh]
19 A hot-tempered person pays a penalty;
if you rescue him, you will do it yet again.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction
so that you will gain wisdom for your future.[hi]
21 Many plans are in the heart[hj] of a man,
but the purpose of Yahweh will be established.
22 The craving of a man is his steadfast loyalty,
and it is better to be poor than a liar.[hk]
23 Fear of Yahweh leads to life;
he who is filled with it will rest—he will not suffer harm.
24 A lazy person buries his hand in the dish,
and even to his mouth he will not bring it back.
25 The scoffer you shall strike, and the simple, may they learn prudence,
and reprove the intelligent and he will gain knowledge.
26 He who does violence to a father, he who chases away a mother,
is a child who causes shame and brings reproach.
27 Cease to listen to instruction, my child,
and you will stray[hl] from sayings of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness will mock justice,
and the mouth of the wicked will devour iniquity.
29 Judgments[hm] are prepared for the scoffers,
and flogging for the back of fools.
20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
and any who go astray by it are not wise.
2 Roaring like the lion is the dreaded anger of a king;
he who provokes him forfeits his life.[hn]
3 It is honorable for the man to refrain from strife,
but every fool will be quick to quarrel.
4 The lazy person will not plow in season;
he will expect at the harvest, but there will be nothing.
5 Deep waters are like purpose in the heart[ho] of a man,
and a man of understanding will draw it[hp] out.
6 Many a person will proclaim his loyalty for himself,
but a man who is trustworthy, who can find?
7 He who walks in his integrity is righteous;
happy are his children who follow him.
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 Who will say “I have made my heart[hq] clean;
I am pure from my sin”?
10 Stone and stone, measure and measure,
both of them[hr] are an abomination of Yahweh.
11 Even by his acts, a young man[hs] will make himself known,
whether his acts are pure and upright.
12 The ear that hears and the eye that sees,
Yahweh has made them both.[ht]
13 Do not love sleep, lest you become poor;
open your eyes and have plenty bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” the buyer will say,
but when one goes to him, then he will boast.
15 There is gold and many costly stones,
but precious jewels are lips of knowledge.
16 Take his garment, for he has given security to a stranger,
and on behalf of a foreigner—take it as pledge.
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet for the man,
but afterward, his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18 A plan[hu] will be established by advice,
and with guidance make war.
19 He reveals a secret, he who walks about with gossip,
and do not associate with a babbler’s lips.
20 He who curses his father and his mother,
his lamp will be extinguished in the midst of darkness.[hv]
21 An inheritance acquired hastily at the beginning[hw]
will not be blessed at its end.
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