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Various Sins

21Have you sinned, my child? Do so no more,
   but ask forgiveness for your past sins.
² Flee from sin as from a snake;
   for if you approach sin, it will bite you.
Its teeth are lion’s teeth,
   and can destroy human lives.
³ All lawlessness is like a two-edged sword;
   there is no healing for the wound it inflicts.

⁴ Panic and insolence will waste away riches;
   thus the house of the proud will be laid waste.^*
5 The prayer of the poor goes from their lips to the ears of God,^*
   and his judgement comes speedily.
⁶ Those who hate reproof walk in the sinner’s steps,
   but those who fear the Lord repent in their heart.
⁷ The mighty in speech are widely known;
   when they slip, the sensible person knows it.

⁸ Whoever builds his house with other people’s money
   is like one who gathers stones for his burial mound.^*
9 An assembly of the wicked is like a bundle of tow,
   and their end is a blazing fire.
¹⁰ The way of sinners is paved with smooth stones,
   but at its end is the pit of Hades.

Wisdom and Foolishness

¹¹ Whoever keeps the law controls his thoughts,
   and the fulfilment of the fear of the Lord is wisdom.
¹² One who is not clever cannot be taught,
   but there is a cleverness that increases bitterness.
¹³ The knowledge of the wise will increase like a flood,
   and their counsel like a life-giving spring.
¹⁴ The mind^* of a fool is like a broken jar;
   it can hold no knowledge.

¹⁵ When an intelligent person hears a wise saying,
   he praises it and adds to it;
when a fool^* hears it, he laughs at^* it
   and throws it behind his back.
¹⁶ A fool’s chatter is like a burden on a journey,
   but delight is found in the speech of the intelligent.
¹⁷ The utterance of a sensible person is sought in the assembly,
   and they ponder his words in their minds.

¹⁸ Like a house in ruins is wisdom to a fool,
   and to the ignorant, knowledge is talk that has no meaning.
¹⁹ To a senseless person education is fetters on his feet,
   and like manacles on his right hand.
²⁰ A fool raises his voice when he laughs,
   but the wise^* smile quietly.
²¹ To the sensible person education is like a golden ornament,
   and like a bracelet on the right arm.

²² The foot of a fool rushes into a house,
   but an experienced person waits respectfully outside.
²³ A boor peers into the house from the door,
   but a cultivated person remains outside.
²⁴ It is ill-mannered for a person to listen at a door;
   the discreet would be grieved by the disgrace.

²⁵ The lips of babblers speak of what is not their concern,^*
   but the words of the prudent are weighed in the balance.
²⁶ The mind of fools is in their mouth,
   but the mouth of the wise is in^* their mind.
²⁷ When an ungodly person curses an adversary,^*
   he curses himself.
²⁸ A whisperer degrades himself
   and is hated in his neighbourhood.