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²²The Lord created me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of long ago.
²³Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
²⁴When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
²⁵Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth—
²⁶when he had not yet made earth and fields,
or the world’s first bits of soil.
²⁷When he established the heavens, I was there,
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,
²⁹when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth, ³⁰then I was beside him, like a master worker;
and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,
³¹rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the human race. ³²“And now, my children, listen to me:
happy are those who keep my ways.
³³Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
³⁴Happy is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
³⁵For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the Lord;
³⁶but those who miss me injure themselves;
all who hate me love death.” 9Wisdom has built her house,
she has hewn her seven pillars.
²She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
she has also set her table.
³She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls
from the highest places in the town,
⁴“You that are simple, turn in here!”
To those without sense she says,
⁵“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
⁶Lay aside immaturity, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.” ⁷Whoever corrects a scoffer wins abuse;
whoever rebukes the wicked gets hurt.
⁸A scoffer who is rebuked will only hate you;
the wise, when rebuked, will love you.
⁹Give instruction to the wise, and they will become wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will gain in learning.
¹⁰The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
¹¹For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.
¹²If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it. ¹³The foolish woman is loud;
she is ignorant and knows nothing.
¹⁴She sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the high places of the town,
¹⁵calling to those who pass by,
who are going straight on their way,
¹⁶“You who are simple, turn in here!”
And to those without sense she says,
¹⁷“Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
¹⁸But they do not know that the dead are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol. 10The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise child makes a glad father,
but a foolish child is a mother’s grief.
²Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
but righteousness delivers from death.
³The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
⁴A slack hand causes poverty,
but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
⁵A child who gathers in summer is prudent,
but a child who sleeps in harvest brings shame.
⁶Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
⁷The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
⁸The wise of heart will heed commandments,
but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
⁹Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out.
¹⁰Whoever winks the eye causes trouble,
but the one who rebukes boldly makes peace.
¹¹The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
¹²Hatred stirs up strife,
but love covers all offenses.
¹³On the lips of one who has understanding wisdom is found,
but a rod is for the back of one who lacks sense.
¹⁴The wise lay up knowledge,
but the babbling of a fool brings ruin near.
¹⁵The wealth of the rich is their fortress;
the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
¹⁶The wage of the righteous leads to life,
the gain of the wicked to sin.
¹⁷Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life,
but one who rejects a rebuke goes astray.
¹⁸Lying lips conceal hatred,
and whoever utters slander is a fool.
¹⁹When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but the prudent are restrained in speech.
²⁰The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
the mind of the wicked is of little worth.
²¹The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for lack of sense.
²²The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.
²³Doing wrong is like sport to a fool,
but wise conduct is pleasure to a person of understanding.
²⁴What the wicked dread will come upon them,
but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
²⁵When the tempest passes, the wicked are no more,
but the righteous are established forever.
²⁶Like vinegar to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes,
so are the lazy to their employers.
²⁷The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
but the years of the wicked will be short.
²⁸The hope of the righteous ends in gladness,
but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.
²⁹The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright,
but destruction for evildoers.
³⁰The righteous will never be removed,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.
³¹The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
³²The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.
11A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
but an accurate weight is his delight.
²When pride comes, then comes disgrace;
but wisdom is with the humble.
³The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
⁴Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.
⁵The righteousness of the blameless keeps their ways straight,
but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
⁶The righteousness of the upright saves them,
but the treacherous are taken captive by their schemes.
⁷When the wicked die, their hope perishes,
and the expectation of the godless comes to nothing.
⁸The righteous are delivered from trouble,
and the wicked get into it instead.
⁹With their mouths the godless would destroy their neighbors,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
¹⁰When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices;
and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
¹¹By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
¹²Whoever belittles another lacks sense,
but an intelligent person remains silent.
¹³A gossip goes about telling secrets,
but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence.
¹⁴Where there is no guidance, a nation falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
¹⁵To guarantee loans for a stranger brings trouble,
but there is safety in refusing to do so.
¹⁶A gracious woman gets honor,
but she who hates virtue is covered with shame.
The timid become destitute,
but the aggressive gain riches.
¹⁷Those who are kind reward themselves,
but the cruel do themselves harm.
¹⁸The wicked earn no real gain,
but those who sow righteousness get a true reward.
¹⁹Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live,
but whoever pursues evil will die.
²⁰Crooked minds are an abomination to the Lord,
but those of blameless ways are his delight.
²¹Be assured, the wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will escape.
²²Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman without good sense.
²³The desire of the righteous ends only in good;
the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
²⁴Some give freely, yet grow all the richer;
others withhold what is due, and only suffer want.
²⁵A generous person will be enriched,
and one who gives water will get water.
²⁶The people curse those who hold back grain,
but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it.
²⁷Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,
but evil comes to the one who searches for it.
²⁸Those who trust in their riches will wither,
but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.
²⁹Those who trouble their households will inherit wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.
³⁰The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
but violence takes lives away.
³¹If the righteous are repaid on earth,
how much more the wicked and the sinner!
12Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but those who hate to be rebuked are stupid.
²The good obtain favor from the Lord,
but those who devise evil he condemns.
³No one finds security by wickedness,
but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
⁴A good wife is the crown of her husband,
but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
⁵The thoughts of the righteous are just;
the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
⁶The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,
but the speech of the upright delivers them.
⁷The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
but the house of the righteous will stand.
⁸One is commended for good sense,
but a perverse mind is despised.
⁹Better to be despised and have a servant,
than to be self-important and lack food.
¹⁰The righteous know the needs of their animals,
but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
¹¹Those who till their land will have plenty of food,
but those who follow worthless pursuits have no sense.
¹²The wicked covet the proceeds of wickedness,
but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
¹³The evil are ensnared by the transgression of their lips,
but the righteous escape from trouble.
¹⁴From the fruit of the mouth one is filled with good things,
and manual labor has its reward.
¹⁵Fools think their own way is right,
but the wise listen to advice.
¹⁶Fools show their anger at once,
but the prudent ignore an insult.
¹⁷Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
but a false witness speaks deceitfully.
¹⁸Rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
¹⁹Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
²⁰Deceit is in the mind of those who plan evil,
but those who counsel peace have joy.
²¹No harm happens to the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with trouble.
²²Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
but those who act faithfully are his delight.
²³One who is clever conceals knowledge,
but the mind of a fool broadcasts folly.
²⁴The hand of the diligent will rule,
while the lazy will be put to forced labor.
²⁵Anxiety weighs down the human heart,
but a good word cheers it up.
²⁶The righteous gives good advice to friends,
but the way of the wicked leads astray.
²⁷The lazy do not roast their game,
but the diligent obtain precious wealth.
²⁸In the path of righteousness there is life,
in walking its path there is no death.
13A wise child loves discipline,
but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
²From the fruit of their words good persons eat good things,
but the desire of the treacherous is for wrongdoing.
³Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives;
those who open wide their lips come to ruin.
⁴The appetite of the lazy craves, and gets nothing,
while the appetite of the diligent is richly supplied.
⁵The righteous hate falsehood,
but the wicked act shamefully and disgracefully.
⁶Righteousness guards one whose way is upright,
but sin overthrows the wicked.
⁷Some pretend to be rich, yet have nothing;
others pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.
⁸Wealth is a ransom for a person’s life,
but the poor get no threats.
⁹The light of the righteous rejoices,
but the lamp of the wicked goes out.
¹⁰By insolence the heedless make strife,
but wisdom is with those who take advice.
¹¹Wealth hastily gotten will dwindle,
but those who gather little by little will increase it.
¹²Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
¹³Those who despise the word bring destruction on themselves,
but those who respect the commandment will be rewarded.
¹⁴The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
so that one may avoid the snares of death.
¹⁵Good sense wins favor,
but the way of the faithless is their ruin.
¹⁶The clever do all things intelligently,
but the fool displays folly.
¹⁷A bad messenger brings trouble,
but a faithful envoy, healing.
¹⁸Poverty and disgrace are for the one who ignores instruction,
but one who heeds reproof is honored.
¹⁹A desire realized is sweet to the soul,
but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
²⁰Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
but the companion of fools suffers harm.
²¹Misfortune pursues sinners,
but prosperity rewards the righteous.
²²The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children,
but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
²³The field of the poor may yield much food,
but it is swept away through injustice.
²⁴Those who spare the rod hate their children,
but those who love them are diligent to discipline them.
²⁵The righteous have enough to satisfy their appetite,
but the belly of the wicked is empty.
14The wise woman builds her house,
but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
²Those who walk uprightly fear the Lord,
but one who is devious in conduct despises him.
³The talk of fools is a rod for their backs,
but the lips of the wise preserve them.
⁴Where there are no oxen, there is no grain;
abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
⁵A faithful witness does not lie,
but a false witness breathes out lies.
⁶A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
but knowledge is easy for one who understands.
⁷Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not find words of knowledge.
⁸It is the wisdom of the clever to understand where they go,
but the folly of fools misleads.
⁹Fools mock at the guilt offering,
but the upright enjoy God’s favor.
¹⁰The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.
¹¹The house of the wicked is destroyed,
but the tent of the upright flourishes.
¹²There is a way that seems right to a person,
but its end is the way to death.
¹³Even in laughter the heart is sad,
and the end of joy is grief.
¹⁴The perverse get what their ways deserve,
and the good, what their deeds deserve.
¹⁵The simple believe everything,
but the clever consider their steps.
¹⁶The wise are cautious and turn away from evil,
but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.
¹⁷One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly,
and the schemer is hated.
¹⁸The simple are adorned with folly,
but the clever are crowned with knowledge.
¹⁹The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
²⁰The poor are disliked even by their neighbors,
but the rich have many friends.
²¹Those who despise their neighbors are sinners,
but happy are those who are kind to the poor.
²²Do they not err that plan evil?
Those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.
²³In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
²⁴The crown of the wise is their wisdom,
but folly is the garland of fools.
²⁵A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who utters lies is a betrayer.
²⁶In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
and one’s children will have a refuge.
²⁷The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
so that one may avoid the snares of death.
²⁸The glory of a king is a multitude of people;
without people a prince is ruined.
²⁹Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
³⁰A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh,
but passion makes the bones rot.
³¹Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,
but those who are kind to the needy honor him.
³²The wicked are overthrown by their evildoing,
but the righteous find a refuge in their integrity.
³³Wisdom is at home in the mind of one who has understanding,
but it is not known in the heart of fools.
³⁴Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.
³⁵A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor,
but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
15A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
²The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge,
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
³The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
⁴A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
⁵A fool despises a parent’s instruction,
but the one who heeds admonition is prudent.
⁶In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
⁷The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
not so the minds of fools.
⁸The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
⁹The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but he loves the one who pursues righteousness.
¹⁰There is severe discipline for one who forsakes the way,
but one who hates a rebuke will die.
¹¹Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord,
how much more human hearts!
¹²Scoffers do not like to be rebuked;
they will not go to the wise.
¹³A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance,
but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.
¹⁴The mind of one who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
¹⁵All the days of the poor are hard,
but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.
¹⁶Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure and trouble with it.
¹⁷Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is
than a fatted ox and hatred with it.
¹⁸Those who are hot-tempered stir up strife,
but those who are slow to anger calm contention.
¹⁹The way of the lazy is overgrown with thorns,
but the path of the upright is a level highway.
²⁰A wise child makes a glad father,
but the foolish despise their mothers.
²¹Folly is a joy to one who has no sense,
but a person of understanding walks straight ahead.
²²Without counsel, plans go wrong,
but with many advisers they succeed.
²³To make an apt answer is a joy to anyone,
and a word in season, how good it is!
²⁴For the wise the path of life leads upward,
in order to avoid Sheol below.
²⁵The Lord tears down the house of the proud,
but maintains the widow’s boundaries.
²⁶Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,
but gracious words are pure.
²⁷Those who are greedy for unjust gain make trouble for their households,
but those who hate bribes will live.
²⁸The mind of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil.
²⁹The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
³⁰The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and good news refreshes the body.
³¹The ear that heeds wholesome admonition
will lodge among the wise.
³²Those who ignore instruction despise themselves,
but those who heed admonition gain understanding.
³³The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and humility goes before honor. 16The plans of the mind belong to mortals,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
²All one’s ways may be pure in one’s own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.
³Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
⁴The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.
⁵All those who are arrogant are an abomination to the Lord;
be assured, they will not go unpunished.
⁶By loyalty and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by the fear of the Lord one avoids evil.
⁷When the ways of people please the Lord,
he causes even their enemies to be at peace with them.
⁸Better is a little with righteousness
than large income with injustice.
⁹The human mind plans the way,
but the Lord directs the steps.
¹⁰Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king;
his mouth does not sin in judgment.
¹¹Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s;
all the weights in the bag are his work.
¹²It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
for the throne is established by righteousness.
¹³Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
and he loves those who speak what is right.
¹⁴A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
and whoever is wise will appease it.
¹⁵In the light of a king’s face there is life,
and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
¹⁶How much better to get wisdom than gold!
To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
¹⁷The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their way preserve their lives.
¹⁸Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
¹⁹It is better to be of a lowly spirit among the poor
than to divide the spoil with the proud.
²⁰Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper,
and happy are those who trust in the Lord.
²¹The wise of heart is called perceptive,
and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.
²²Wisdom is a fountain of life to one who has it,
but folly is the punishment of fools.
²³The mind of the wise makes their speech judicious,
and adds persuasiveness to their lips.
²⁴Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
²⁵Sometimes there is a way that seems to be right,
but in the end it is the way to death.
²⁶The appetite of workers works for them;
their hunger urges them on.
²⁷Scoundrels concoct evil,
and their speech is like a scorching fire.
²⁸A perverse person spreads strife,
and a whisperer separates close friends.
²⁹The violent entice their neighbors,
and lead them in a way that is not good.
³⁰One who winks the eyes plans perverse things;
one who compresses the lips brings evil to pass.
³¹Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is gained in a righteous life.
³²One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city.
³³The lot is cast into the lap,
but the decision is the Lord’s alone.
17Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting with strife.
²A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully,
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
³The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.
⁴An evildoer listens to wicked lips;
and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.
⁵Those who mock the poor insult their Maker;
those who are glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
⁶Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their parents.
⁷Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;
still less is false speech to a ruler.
⁸A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of those who give it;
wherever they turn they prosper.
⁹One who forgives an affront fosters friendship,
but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.
¹⁰A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person
than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹Evil people seek only rebellion,
but a cruel messenger will be sent against them.
¹²Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs
than to confront a fool immersed in folly.
¹³Evil will not depart from the house
of one who returns evil for good.
¹⁴The beginning of strife is like letting out water;
so stop before the quarrel breaks out.
¹⁵One who justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶Why should fools have a price in hand
to buy wisdom, when they have no mind to learn?
¹⁷A friend loves at all times,
and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.
¹⁸It is senseless to give a pledge,
to become surety for a neighbor.
¹⁹One who loves transgression loves strife;
one who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.
²⁰The crooked of mind do not prosper,
and the perverse of tongue fall into calamity.
²¹The one who begets a fool gets trouble;
the parent of a fool has no joy.
²²A cheerful heart is a good medicine,
but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.
²³The wicked accept a concealed bribe
to pervert the ways of justice.
²⁴The discerning person looks to wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.
²⁵Foolish children are a grief to their father
and bitterness to her who bore them.
²⁶To impose a fine on the innocent is not right,
or to flog the noble for their integrity.
²⁷One who spares words is knowledgeable;
one who is cool in spirit has understanding.
²⁸Even fools who keep silent are considered wise;
when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.
18The one who lives alone is self-indulgent,
showing contempt for all who have sound judgment.
²A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing personal opinion.
³When wickedness comes, contempt comes also;
and with dishonor comes disgrace.
⁴The words of the mouth are deep waters;
the fountain of wisdom is a gushing stream.
⁵It is not right to be partial to the guilty,
or to subvert the innocent in judgment.
⁶A fool’s lips bring strife,
and a fool’s mouth invites a flogging.
⁷The mouths of fools are their ruin,
and their lips a snare to themselves.
⁸The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
⁹One who is slack in work
is close kin to a vandal.
¹⁰The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
the righteous run into it and are safe.
¹¹The wealth of the rich is their strong city;
in their imagination it is like a high wall.
¹²Before destruction one’s heart is haughty,
but humility goes before honor.
¹³If one gives answer before hearing,
it is folly and shame.
¹⁴The human spirit will endure sickness;
but a broken spirit—who can bear?
¹⁵An intelligent mind acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
¹⁶A gift opens doors;
it gives access to the great.
¹⁷The one who first states a case seems right,
until the other comes and cross-examines.
¹⁸Casting the lot puts an end to disputes
and decides between powerful contenders.
¹⁹An ally offended is stronger than a city;
such quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
²⁰From the fruit of the mouth one’s stomach is satisfied;
the yield of the lips brings satisfaction.
²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.
²²He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
and obtains favor from the Lord.
²³The poor use entreaties,
but the rich answer roughly.
²⁴Some friends play at friendship
but a true friend sticks closer than one’s nearest kin.
19Better the poor walking in integrity
than one perverse of speech who is a fool.
²Desire without knowledge is not good,
and one who moves too hurriedly misses the way.
³One’s own folly leads to ruin,
yet the heart rages against the Lord.
⁴Wealth brings many friends,
but the poor are left friendless.
⁵A false witness will not go unpunished,
and a liar will not escape.
⁶Many seek the favor of the generous,
and everyone is a friend to a giver of gifts.
⁷If the poor are hated even by their kin,
how much more are they shunned by their friends!
When they call after them, they are not there. ⁸To get wisdom is to love oneself;
to keep understanding is to prosper.
⁹A false witness will not go unpunished,
and the liar will perish.
¹⁰It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
much less for a slave to rule over princes.
¹¹Those with good sense are slow to anger,
and it is their glory to overlook an offense.
¹²A king’s anger is like the growling of a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
¹³A stupid child is ruin to a father,
and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
¹⁴House and wealth are inherited from parents,
but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
¹⁵Laziness brings on deep sleep;
an idle person will suffer hunger.
¹⁶Those who keep the commandment will live;
those who are heedless of their ways will die.
¹⁷Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and will be repaid in full.
¹⁸Discipline your children while there is hope;
do not set your heart on their destruction.
¹⁹A violent tempered person will pay the penalty;
if you effect a rescue, you will only have to do it again.
²⁰Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom for the future.
²¹The human mind may devise many plans,
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established.
²²What is desirable in a person is loyalty,
and it is better to be poor than a liar.
²³The fear of the Lord is life indeed;
filled with it one rests secure
and suffers no harm.
²⁴The lazy person buries a hand in the dish,
and will not even bring it back to the mouth.
²⁵Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;
reprove the intelligent, and they will gain knowledge.
²⁶Those who do violence to their father and chase away their mother
are children who cause shame and bring reproach.
²⁷Cease straying, my child, from the words of knowledge,
in order that you may hear instruction.
²⁸A worthless witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
²⁹Condemnation is ready for scoffers,
and flogging for the backs of fools.
20Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
²The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion;
anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits life itself.
³It is honorable to refrain from strife,
but every fool is quick to quarrel.
⁴The lazy person does not plow in season;
harvest comes, and there is nothing to be found.
⁵The purposes in the human mind are like deep water,
but the intelligent will draw them out.
⁶Many proclaim themselves loyal,
but who can find one worthy of trust?
⁷The righteous walk in integrity—
happy are the children who follow them!
⁸A king who sits on the throne of judgment
winnows all evil with his eyes.
⁹Who can say, “I have made my heart clean;
I am pure from my sin”?
¹⁰Diverse weights and diverse measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹¹Even children make themselves known by their acts,
by whether what they do is pure and right.
¹²The hearing ear and the seeing eye—
the Lord has made them both.
¹³Do not love sleep, or else you will come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
¹⁴“Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
then goes away and boasts.
¹⁵There is gold, and abundance of costly stones;
but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel.
¹⁶Take the garment of one who has given surety for a stranger;
seize the pledge given as surety for foreigners.
¹⁷Bread gained by deceit is sweet,
but afterward the mouth will be full of gravel.
¹⁸Plans are established by taking advice;
wage war by following wise guidance.
¹⁹A gossip reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with a babbler.
²⁰If you curse father or mother,
your lamp will go out in utter darkness.
²¹An estate quickly acquired in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
²²Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
wait for the Lord, and he will help you.
²³Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and false scales are not good.
²⁴All our steps are ordered by the Lord;
how then can we understand our own ways?
²⁵It is a snare for one to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and begin to reflect only after making a vow.
²⁶A wise king winnows the wicked,
and drives the wheel over them.
²⁷The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord,
searching every inmost part.
²⁸Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king,
and his throne is upheld by righteousness.
²⁹The glory of youths is their strength,
but the beauty of the aged is their gray hair.
³⁰Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
beatings make clean the innermost parts.
21The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he turns it wherever he will.
²All deeds are right in the sight of the doer,
but the Lord weighs the heart.
³To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
⁴Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
the lamp of the wicked—are sin.
⁵The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.
⁶The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.
⁷The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
⁸The way of the guilty is crooked,
but the conduct of the pure is right.
⁹It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a contentious wife.
¹⁰The souls of the wicked desire evil;
their neighbors find no mercy in their eyes.
¹¹When a scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser;
when the wise are instructed, they increase in knowledge.
¹²The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
he casts the wicked down to ruin.
¹³If you close your ear to the cry of the poor,
you will cry out and not be heard.
¹⁴A gift in secret averts anger;
and a concealed bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
¹⁵When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous,
but dismay to evildoers.
¹⁶Whoever wanders from the way of understanding
will rest in the assembly of the dead.
¹⁷Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;
whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.
¹⁸The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
and the faithless for the upright.
¹⁹It is better to live in a desert land
than with a contentious and fretful wife.
²⁰Precious treasure remains in the house of the wise,
but the fool devours it.
²¹Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
will find life and honor.
²²One wise person went up against a city of warriors
and brought down the stronghold in which they trusted.
²³To watch over mouth and tongue
is to keep out of trouble.
²⁴The proud, haughty person, named “Scoffer,”
acts with arrogant pride.
²⁵The craving of the lazy person is fatal,
for lazy hands refuse to labor.
²⁶All day long the wicked covet,
but the righteous give and do not hold back.
²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
how much more when brought with evil intent.
²⁸A false witness will perish,
but a good listener will testify successfully.
²⁹The wicked put on a bold face,
but the upright give thought to their ways.
³⁰No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel,
can avail against the Lord.
³¹The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but the victory belongs to the Lord.
22A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
²The rich and the poor have this in common:
the Lord is the maker of them all.
³The clever see danger and hide;
but the simple go on, and suffer for it.
⁴The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
is riches and honor and life.
⁵Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
the cautious will keep far from them.
⁶Train children in the right way,
and when old, they will not stray.
⁷The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
⁸Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
and the rod of anger will fail.
⁹Those who are generous are blessed,
for they share their bread with the poor.
¹⁰Drive out a scoffer, and strife goes out;
quarreling and abuse will cease.
¹¹Those who love a pure heart and are gracious in speech
will have the king as a friend.
¹²The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he overthrows the words of the faithless.
¹³The lazy person says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!”
¹⁴The mouth of a loose woman is a deep pit;
he with whom the Lord is angry falls into it.
¹⁵Folly is bound up in the heart of a boy,
but the rod of discipline drives it far away.
¹⁶Oppressing the poor in order to enrich oneself,
and giving to the rich, will lead only to loss. ¹⁷The words of the wise:

Incline your ear and hear my words,
and apply your mind to my teaching;
¹⁸for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
¹⁹So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I have made them known to you today—yes, to you.
²⁰Have I not written for you thirty sayings
of admonition and knowledge,
²¹to show you what is right and true,
so that you may give a true answer to those who sent you? ²²Do not rob the poor because they are poor,
or crush the afflicted at the gate;
²³for the Lord pleads their cause
and despoils of life those who despoil them.
²⁴Make no friends with those given to anger,
and do not associate with hotheads,
²⁵or you may learn their ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
²⁶Do not be one of those who give pledges,
who become surety for debts.
²⁷If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should your bed be taken from under you?
²⁸Do not remove the ancient landmark
that your ancestors set up.
²⁹Do you see those who are skillful in their work?
They will serve kings;
they will not serve common people. 23When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
observe carefully what is before you,
²and put a knife to your throat
if you have a big appetite.
³Do not desire the ruler’s delicacies,
for they are deceptive food.
⁴Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
be wise enough to desist.
⁵When your eyes light upon it, it is gone;
for suddenly it takes wings to itself,
flying like an eagle toward heaven.
⁶Do not eat the bread of the stingy;
do not desire their delicacies;
⁷for like a hair in the throat, so are they.
“Eat and drink!” they say to you;
but they do not mean it.
⁸You will vomit up the little you have eaten,
and you will waste your pleasant words.
⁹Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
who will only despise the wisdom of your words.
¹⁰Do not remove an ancient landmark
or encroach on the fields of orphans,
¹¹for their redeemer is strong;
he will plead their cause against you.
¹²Apply your mind to instruction
and your ear to words of knowledge.
¹³Do not withhold discipline from your children;
if you beat them with a rod, they will not die.
¹⁴If you beat them with the rod,
you will save their lives from Sheol.
¹⁵My child, if your heart is wise,
my heart too will be glad.
¹⁶My soul will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.
¹⁷Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always continue in the fear of the Lord.
¹⁸Surely there is a future,
and your hope will not be cut off. ¹⁹Hear, my child, and be wise,
and direct your mind in the way.
²⁰Do not be among winebibbers,
or among gluttonous eaters of meat;
²¹for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and drowsiness will clothe them with rags. ²²Listen to your father who begot you,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
²³Buy truth, and do not sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
²⁴The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who begets a wise son will be glad in him.
²⁵Let your father and mother be glad;
let her who bore you rejoice. ²⁶My child, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe my ways.
²⁷For a prostitute is a deep pit;
an adulteress is a narrow well.
²⁸She lies in wait like a robber
and increases the number of the faithless. ²⁹Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
³⁰Those who linger late over wine,
those who keep trying mixed wines.
³¹Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
³²At the last it bites like a serpent,
and stings like an adder.
³³Your eyes will see strange things,
and your mind utter perverse things.
³⁴You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
like one who lies on the top of a mast.
³⁵“They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
I will seek another drink.”
24Do not envy the wicked,
nor desire to be with them;