Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹² Who is this person who fears the Lord?^(B)
He will show him the way he should choose.^(C)
13 He will live a good life,
and his descendants will inherit the land.^[a](D)
14 The secret counsel of the Lord
is for those who fear him,
and he reveals his covenant to them.^(E)
15 My eyes are always on the Lord,
for he will pull my feet out of the net.^(F)

¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am alone and afflicted.^(G)
17 The distresses of my heart increase;^[b](H)
bring me out of my sufferings.^(I)
18 Consider my affliction and trouble,^(J)
and forgive all my sins.^(K)
19 Consider my enemies; they are numerous,^(L)
and they hate me violently.^(M)
20 Guard me and rescue me;^(N)
do not let me be disgraced,
for I take refuge in you.^(O)

19 Better a poor person 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 person’s own foolishness leads him astray,
yet his heart rages against the Lord.^(D)

⁴ Wealth attracts many friends,^(E)
but a poor person 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 person 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 prudent 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)