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PRO EN_ULT en_English_ltr Wed Sep 27 2023 14:37:15 GMT-0700 (Pacific Daylight Time) tc

Proverbs

1The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, the king of Israel:

2To know wisdom and instruction,

to understand sayings of understanding;

3to receive instruction of insight,

righteousness and justice and integrity;

4to give to naive ones prudence,

to a young man knowledge and discretion

5(a wise one will hear and increase learning,

and the understanding one will acquire directions),

6to understand a proverb and a satire,

the words of the wise ones and their riddles.

7The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge,

fools despise wisdom and instruction.

8Hear, my son, the instruction of your father

and do not forsake the law of your mother.

9For, they are a garland of grace for your head

and pendants for your neck.

10My son, if sinners entice you,

do not consent.

11If they say, “Come with us!

Let us lie in wait for blood.

Let us hide to ambush the innocent one without cause.

12Let us swallow them, the living ones, like Sheol,

and the whole ones like those going down to a pit.

13We will find all precious wealth.

We will fill our houses with spoil.

14You must cause your lot to fall in our midst;

one purse will be for all of us.”

15My son, do not walk in the way with them;

restrain your foot from their path.

16For their feet run to evil,

and they hurry to pour out blood.

17Surely in vain is the net spread out in the eyes of any owner of wing,

18but they lie in wait for their blood,

they hide in ambush for their lives.

19So are the paths of all who unjustly gain unjust gain;

it takes the life of its owner.

20Wisdom cries out outside,

she gives her voice in the open areas.

21At the head of the tumultuous places she calls out;

at the opening of the gates in the city she says her sayings,

22“Until when will naive ones love naiveté

and mockers delight in mockery for themselves

and stupid ones hate knowledge?

23Turn to my rebuke.

Behold, I shall allow my spirit to gush forth to you,

I shall cause you to know my words.

24Because I have called and you have refused,

I have stretched out my hand and there was no one listening attentively,

25and you have ignored all my counsel,

and my rebuke you did not accept,

26I too shall laugh at your calamity,

I shall mock when your dread comes,

27when your dread comes like a storm[fn]

and your calamity happens like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish come upon you.

28Then they will call out to me, but I will not answer.

They will diligently seek me, but they will not find me,

29for the reason that they hate knowledge

and the fear of Yahweh they did not choose,

30they did not want my counsel,

and they despised my every rebuke.

31And they will eat from the fruit of their way,

and from their plans they will be satisfied.

32For the turning away of the naive ones will slay them

and false security will lead stupid ones to ruin.

33But the one who listens to me will dwell securely

and will be at ease from the dread of evil.”

2My son, if you receive my sayings,

and my commandments you store up with you,

2to cause your ear to be attentive to wisdom,

incline your heart to understanding—

3indeed, if for understanding you call out,

for perception you lift up your voice,

4if you seek it like silver

and like hidden treasures you search for it,

5then you will understand the fear of Yahweh

and the knowledge of God you will find.

6For Yahweh gives wisdom,

from his mouth are knowledge and understanding.

7And he stores up[fn] for the upright ones sound wisdom;

a shield for those walking with integrity,

8to guard the paths of justice,

and the way of his faithful ones he will preserve.

9Then you will understand righteousness and justice and integrity—every good track.

10For wisdom will enter into your heart,

and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

11Discretion will watch over you,

understanding will guard you,

12to rescue you from the way of evil,

from a man who speaks perverse things,

13the ones who forsake the paths of straightness

to walk in the ways of darkness,

14the ones who are glad to do evil,

they rejoice in perverse things of evil,

15whose paths are crooked

and who go astray in their tracks;

16to rescue you from a strange woman,

from a foreign woman who makes her sayings smooth,

17the one who forsakes the companion of her youth,

and the covenant of her God she has forgotten.

18For her house sinks down to death

and her tracks to the spirits of dead ones.

19All those who enter her will not return

and they will not reach the paths of life.

20So you shall walk in the way of the good ones

and the paths of the righteous ones you shall keep.

21For the upright ones will dwell in the land,

and the blameless ones will remain in it,

22but wicked ones will be cut off from the land,

and the treacherous ones will be torn away from it.

3My son, do not forget my law,

and my commandments let your heart guard.

2For length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.

3Do not let covenant faithfulness and trustworthiness leave you,

tie them on your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart,

4and find favor and good insight

in the eyes of God and man!

5Trust in Yahweh with all your heart

and on your understanding do not lean;

6in all your ways acknowledge him

and he himself will straighten your paths.

7Do not be wise in your eyes,

fear Yahweh and turn away from evil.

8It will be healing for your navel

and refreshment for your bones.

9Honor Yahweh from your wealth

and from the first of all your produce,

10and your storehouses will be full with plenty,

and with new wine your wine vats will burst open.

11The correction of Yahweh, my son, do not reject,

and do not abhor his rebuke.

12For whom Yahweh loves he rebukes,

and like a father, a son he is pleased with.

13Happy is a man who finds wisdom

and a man who obtains understanding.

14For better is its profit than the profit of silver,

and than gold its produce.

15She is more precious than corals,

and all your desired things do not compare with her.

16Length of days is in her right hand,

in her left hand are riches and honor.

17Her ways are ways of pleasantness

and all her beaten paths are peace.

18She is a tree of life to the ones who take hold of her,

and those who grasp her are happy.

19Yahweh by wisdom founded the earth,

he established the heavens by understanding.

20By his knowledge the depths broke open

and the clouds dripped dew.

21My son, do not let them depart from your eyes,

guard prudence and discretion.

22And they will be life for your soul

and grace for your neck.

23Then you will walk your way to security

and your foot will not stumble.

24If you lie down, you will not be in dread,

and you will lie down and your sleep will be pleasant.

25Do not be afraid of sudden dread

and of the devastation of the wicked ones when it comes.

26For Yahweh will be your confidence,

and he will keep your foot from capture.

27Do not withhold good from its owners,

when it is in the power of your hand to act.

28Do not say to your neighbor,

“Go and return, and tomorrow I will give it,”

and it is with you.

29Do not plot evil against your neighbor,

and he who is dwelling securely with you.

30Do not contend with a man without cause,

if he has not done you evil.

31Do not be envious of a man of violence

and do not choose any of his ways.

32For an abomination to Yahweh is he who goes astray,

but with the upright ones is his secret counsel.

33The curse of Yahweh is on the house of the wicked one,

but he blesses the abode of the righteous ones.

34Though to the mockers he himself mocks,

yet to the humble ones he gives favor.

35Wise ones will inherit honor,

but stupid ones lift up dishonor.

4Hear, sons, the instruction of a father,

and listen attentively in order to know understanding.

2For I give good teaching to you;

do not forsake my law.

3When I was a son of my father,

the tender and only one before the face of my mother,

4then he taught me and said to me,

“Let your heart grasp my words;

keep my commandments and live!

5Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding;

do not forget and do not veer from the sayings of my mouth.

6Do not forsake her and she will preserve you;

love her and she will guard you.

7The beginning of wisdom: acquire wisdom!

And with all your acquisition acquire understanding!

8Cherish her and she will raise you up;

she will honor you when you embrace her.

9She will give for your head a garland of grace;

with a crown of splendor she will cover you.”

10Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,

and they will multiply for you the years of life.

11In the way of wisdom I taught you;

I caused you to tread in the tracks of uprightness.

12When you walk, your step will not be restricted;

and if you run, you will not stumble.

13Grasp on to instruction, do not let go;

guard it, for it is your life.

14On the path of wicked ones do not go

and do not advance on the way of evil ones.

15Avoid it, do not pass through it;

veer from it and pass on!

16For they do not sleep if they do not do evil

and their sleep is robbed if they do not cause stumbling.

17For they eat the bread of wickedness

and the wine of violent acts they drink.

18But the path of the righteous ones is like the light of brightness,

going and shining until the day is established.

19The way of the wicked ones is like the darkness;

they do not know on what they stumble.

20My son, listen attentively to my words;

incline your ear to my sayings.

21Do not let them depart from your eyes;

keep them in the midst of your heart.

22For they are life to those who find them

and healing to all of his flesh.

23Guard your heart more than all that is protected,

for from it are the sources of life.

24Remove from you perversity of mouth,

and the deviousness of lips put far away from you.

25Cause your eyes to gaze to the front,

and cause your eyelids to be straight in front of you.

26Make level [fn] the track of your foot

and all your ways will be firm.

27Do not veer right or left;

cause your foot to turn away from evil.

5My son, listen attentively to my wisdom,

incline your ear to my understanding

2in order to keep discretion,

and your lips may guard knowledge.

3For the lips of a strange woman drip fresh honey

and smoother than oil is her palate,

4but her aftermath is bitter like wormwood,

sharp like a sword of mouths.

5Her feet are going down to death;

her steps take hold of Sheol.

6Lest she observe the path of life,

she does not know her tracks are unstable.

7And now, sons, listen to me;

and do not turn away from the sayings of my mouth.

8Keep your way far from her

and do not come near to the opening of her house.

9Lest you give to others your splendor

and your years to a cruel one.

10Lest strangers be satisfied with your strength

and your toils be in the house of a foreigner,

11and you groan at your end

when your flesh and your body are finished.

12And you will say, “How I hated correction

and my heart despised rebuke!

13And I did not listen to the voice of my teachers

and to my instructors I did not incline my ear.

14I was almost in all evil

in the midst of the assembly and the congregation.”

15Drink water from your cistern

and flowing waters from the midst of your well.

16Should your springs overflow outside,

channels of water in the open areas?

17Let them be for you, for you alone,

and not for strangers with you.

18May your fountain be blessed,

and be glad from the wife of your youth!

19A doe of loves and a mountain goat of grace,

may her breasts drench you on every occasion;

may you continually stagger in her love.

20And why would you stagger, my son, with a strange woman,

or embrace the bosom of a foreign woman?

21For in front of the eyes of Yahweh are the ways of a man,

and all of his paths he observes.

22His iniquities capture him, the wicked one;

and by the cords of his sin he is grasped.

23He will die because there is no correction;

and in the abundance of his folly he staggers.

6My son, if you pledge for your neighbor,

you clasp your palms for a stranger,

2you are ensnared by the sayings of your mouth,

you are caught by the sayings of your mouth,

3then do this, my son, and rescue yourself:

Since you have come into the palm of your neighbor,

go, humble yourself and press your neighbor.

4Do not give sleep to your eyes

and slumber to your eyelids.

5Rescue yourself like a gazelle from a hand,

and like a bird from the hand of the trapper.

6Go to the ant, lazy one!

See its ways and be wise,

7which, without a commander,

officer, or ruler for it,

8prepares its bread in the summer;

it gathers its food in the harvest.

9Until when, lazy one, will you lie down?

When will you rise from your sleep?

10“A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to lie down”—

11and your poverty will come like one who walks

and your lack like a man of shield.

12A man of worthlessness, a man of iniquity,

is one who walks with perversity of mouth,

13one who winks with his eye, one who rubs with his foot,

one who points with his fingers.

14Perverse things are in his heart, plotting evil on every occasion;

he sends forth quarrels.

15Therefore his calamity will come instantly,

suddenly he will be broken and without healing.

16Six are they Yahweh hates,

and seven are abominations to his self:

17uplifted eyes, a tongue of falsehood,

and hands pouring out innocent blood,

18a heart devising plans of iniquity,

feet hurrying to run to evil,

19a witness of falsehood who breathes out lies

and who sends forth quarrels between brothers.

20Guard, my son, the commandment of your father

and do not forsake the law of your mother.

21Bind them on your heart continually;

tie them around your neck.

22When you walk about, it will guide you;

when you lie down, it will preserve you;

and you will wake up, it will converse with you.

23For the commandment is a lamp and the law is a light,

and the rebukes of instruction are the way of life,

24to keep you from a woman of evil,

from the smoothness of the tongue of a foreign woman.

25Do not desire her beauty in your heart

and do not let her take you with her eyelashes.

26For the price of a prostitute woman is as a loaf of bread,

but the wife of a man hunts a precious life.

27Could a man carry a fire on his chest

and his clothes not be burned?

28If a man walks on coals

then will his feet not be scorched?

29So is the one going to the wife of his neighbor:

every one who touches her will not remain blameless.

30They do not despise the thief

if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry.

31But if he is found, he must repay sevenfold;

all the wealth of his house he must give.

32One who commits adultery with a woman is lacking of heart;

destroying his life, he does it.

33He will find a wound and disgrace

and his shame will not be wiped out.

34For jealousy is the heat of a man,

and he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

35He will not lift up the face of any ransom,

and he will not be willing if you increase the bribe.

7My son, keep my sayings

and store up my commandments with you.

2Keep my commandments and live,

and my law as the pupil of your eyes.

3Tie them on your fingers;

write them on the tablet of your heart.

4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”

and call to understanding, “Kinsman,”

5in order to keep you from the strange woman,

from the foreign woman who makes her sayings smooth.

6For at the window of my house,

through the window lattice I looked down.

7And I saw among the naive ones,

I discerned among the sons a young man lacking of heart

8passing through the lane beside her corner,

and he steps in the way of her house,

9in the twilight breeze, in the evening of day,

in the pupil of the night and darkness.

10And behold, there is a woman to meet him,

with the garment of a prostitute and guarded of heart.

11(She is a loud and rebellious one;

her feet do not stay in her house.

12At one time in the street, at another time in the open areas,

and beside every corner she lies in wait.)

13And she grabs him and kisses him,

she strengthens her face and says to him,

14“The sacrifices of peace offerings are with me;

today I paid my vows.

15Therefore, I came out to meet you,

to diligently seek your face, and I found you.

16I have spread my couch with coverings,

colored linen of Egypt.

17I have sprinkled my bed

with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18Come, let us be drenched with lusts until the morning;

let us delight ourselves with loves.

19For the man is not in his house;

he went on a road far away.

20He took the bag of the silver in his hand;

on the day of the full moon he will enter his house.”

21She leads him astray with the abundance of her teaching;

with the smoothness of her lips she compels him.

22Following after her suddenly,

like an ox to slaughter he goes,

and like an ankle chain to the correction of a fool,

23until an arrow splits his liver,

like a bird rushing into a trap,

and he did not know that it was for his life.

24And now, sons, listen to me;

and listen attentively to the sayings of my mouth.

25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways;

do not wander into her tracks.

26For she has caused many pierced ones to fall,

and numerous are all her slain ones.

27Her house is the ways of Sheol,

descending to the rooms of death.

8Does not wisdom call out

and understanding give her voice?

2At the head of the heights beside the road,

the house of the paths, she stations herself.

3At the hand of the gates, at the mouth of the city,

the entrance of the openings, she cries out.

4“To you, men, I call;

and my voice is to the sons of man.

5Understand prudence, naive ones,

and stupid ones, understand heart.

6Listen, for noble things I will speak,

and the opening of my lips will be upright things.

7For my palate will utter truth,

and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;

there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.

9All of them are straightforward things for the understanding one

and upright things for finders of knowledge.

10Take my instruction and not silver,

and knowledge rather than choice gold.

11For wisdom is better than corals

and all desired things do not compare with her.

12I, Wisdom, I dwell with prudence,

and knowledge of discretion I find.

13The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil.

Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the mouth of perverse things I hate.

14Counsel and sound wisdom are mine;

I am understanding; strength is mine.

15By me kings reign and dignitaries decree righteousness.

16By me princes rule,

and nobles, all judges of righteousness.

17I myself love those who love me,

and those who diligently seek me will find me.

18Riches and honor are with me,

lasting wealth and righteousness.

19My fruit is better than gold, and than refined gold,

and my produce than choice silver.

20I walk in the path of righteousness,

in the midst of the beaten paths of justice,

21to cause those who love me to inherit property;

and their treasuries I will fill.

22Yahweh possessed me at the beginning of his way,

before his works from then.

23From eternity I was poured out,[fn]

from the head, from the ancient times of the earth.

24When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth,

when there were no springs heavy[fn] with water.

25Before the mountains were sunk,

before the face of the hills, I was brought forth,

26before he made the earth or the outside places

or the head of the loose soil of the world.

27When he established the heavens, I was there,

when he inscribed a circle over the face of the watery deep,

28when he made firm the clouds above,

when the springs of the watery deep became strong,

29when he set up for the sea its statute,

so waters do not cross over his mouth,

when he inscribed the foundations of the earth.

30Then I was beside him as a skilled worker,

and I was a delight day by day,

frolicking before his face at every time.

31Frolicking in the world of his earth,

and my delights were with the sons of man.

32And now, sons, listen to me,

and happy are they who keep my ways.

33Hear instruction,

and be wise, and do not neglect it.

34Happy is the man listening to me,

keeping vigil over my doors day by day,

keeping watch over the doorposts of my entrances.

35For finders of me are finders of life,

and he obtains favor from Yahweh.

36But a sinner against me does violence to his life;

all haters of me love death.”

9Wisdom has built her house;

she has hewn out her seven pillars.

2She has slaughtered her slaughter, she has mixed her wine,

also she has arranged her table.

3She has sent out her young women,

she calls out on the tops of the heights of the city.

4“Whoever is naive, let him turn aside here,”

she says to him lacking of heart.

5“Come, eat my bread,

and drink the wine I have mixed.

6Forsake naive things and live;

and stride on the way of understanding.

7The instructor of a mocker receives disgrace for himself,

and the rebuker of a wicked one, his injury.

8Do not rebuke a mocker, lest he hate you;

rebuke a wise one and he will love you.

9Give to a wise one and he will become more wise;

inform a righteous one, and he will increase learning.

10The beginning of wisdom is the fear of Yahweh

and knowledge of holy things is understanding.

11For by me your days will increase,

and years of life will be added to you.

12If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,

and if you mock, you alone will bear it.”

13The woman of stupidity is loud,

naive, and she does not know anything.

14And she sits at the opening of her house,

on a seat by the heights of the city,

15to call to those who pass over the way,

the ones going straight on their paths.

16“Whoever is naive, let him turn aside here!”

And she says to him, the lacking of heart,

17“Stolen waters are sweet,

and bread of secrecies is pleasant.”

18And he does not know that the spirits of the dead are there;

in the depths of Sheol are her called ones.

10The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son gladdens a father,

but a stupid son is the grief of his mother.

2Treasures of wickedness do not profit,

but righteousness delivers from death.

3Yahweh does not let the life of the righteous one starve

but the desire of the wicked ones he thrusts away.

4A palm of idleness makes poverty,

but the hand of the diligent ones makes rich.

5One who gathers in the summer is a son who has insight,

but one who sleeps in the harvest is a son who acts shamefully.

6Blessings are for the head of the righteous one,

but the mouth of the wicked ones covers violence.

7The memory of the righteous one is for a blessing,

but the name of the wicked ones will rot.

8The one wise of heart receives commands

but the one stupid of lips will be thrown down.

9One who walks with integrity will walk securely,

but one who causes his ways to be crooked will be known.

10One who winks an eye gives pain,

and one foolish of lips will be thrown down.

11A fountain of life is the mouth of the righteous one,

but the mouth of the wicked ones covers violence.

12Hatred stirs up quarrels,

but love covers over all transgressions.

13On the lips of the discerning one wisdom is found,

but a rod is for the back of the one lacking of heart.

14Wise ones store up knowledge,

but the mouth of a fool is near ruin.

15The wealth of the rich one is the city of his strength;

the ruin of lowly ones is their poverty.

16The wage of the righteous one is to life;

the income of the wicked one is to sin.

17On a path to life is one who keeps instruction,

but one who forsakes rebuke goes astray.

18One who covers hate has lips of falsehood,

and one who causes an evil report to go forth, he is a stupid one.

19With a multitude of words transgression does not cease,

but one who restrains his lips is insightful.

20Choice silver is the tongue of the righteous one;

the heart of the wicked ones is like little.

21The lips of the righteous one shepherd many,

but fools die by lack of heart.

22The blessing of Yahweh, it causes riches,

and he does not add pain with it.

23Like laughter for a stupid one is doing a wicked plan,

but wisdom, for a man of understanding.

24The terror of the wicked one, it will come to him,

but the desire of the righteous ones will be given.

25At the passing over of a whirlwind, and there is no wicked one,

but a righteous one is a foundation of eternity.

26Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,

so is the lazy one to one who sends him.

27The fear of Yahweh will add days,

but the years of the wicked ones will be short.

28The hope of the righteous ones is joy,

but the expectation of the wicked ones will perish.

29A stronghold for the one with integrity is the way of Yahweh,

but ruin for doers of iniquity.

30A righteous one will not falter to eternity,

but wicked ones will not dwell in the land.

31The mouth of the righteous one bears the fruit of wisdom,

but the tongue of the perverse ones will be cut off.

32The lips of the righteous one know favor,

but the mouth of the wicked ones, perverse things.

11Scales of deceit are an abomination to Yahweh

but a whole stone is his delight.

2When presumptuousness comes, then disgrace comes,

but with modest ones is wisdom.

3The integrity of the upright ones will guide them,

but the crookedness of the treacherous ones will destroy them.

4Wealth will not profit in the day of rage,

but righteousness will deliver from death.

5The righteousness of a blameless one will make his way straight,

but by his wickedness a wicked one will fall.

6The righteousness of the upright ones will deliver them,

but by the desire of the treacherous ones they will be captured.

7At the death of a wicked man expectation will perish,

and the hope of strong ones perishes.

8A righteous one is drawn away from distress,

but a wicked one enters instead of him.

9With a mouth a godless one destroys his neighbor,

but with knowledge righteous ones will be delivered.

10In the good of the righteous ones a city exults;

and when wicked ones perish, a shout of joy.

11With the blessing of the upright ones a city is raised up,

but with the mouth of the wicked ones it is torn down.

12One who despises his neighbor is lacking of heart,

but a man of understanding will keep quiet.

13A gossip goes about uncovering a secret,

but one who is faithful of spirit is one who covers a matter.

14When there are no directions a people falls,

but salvation is in an abundance of counsel.

15One will surely suffer if he pledges for a stranger,

but one who hates hand clasps is secure.

16A woman of grace will grasp honor,

but ruthless ones will grasp riches.

17A man of covenant faithfulness deals fully with his soul,

but a cruel one troubles his flesh.

18A wicked one makes a wage of falsehood,

but one who sows righteousness, a wage of truth.

19Veritable righteousness is to life,

but one who pursues evil is to his death.

20An abomination to Yahweh is those crooked of heart,

but his delight is those blameless of way.

21Hand to hand, a wicked one will not remain blameless,

but the seed of the righteous ones will safely escape.

22A ring of gold in the nose of a pig

is a beautiful woman that turns away from discretion.

23The desire of the righteous ones is only good;

the expectation of the wicked ones is rage.

24There is one who scatters and adds more,

but one who withholds more than what is right, only for lack.

25A life of blessing will be fattened,

and the one who drenches, he also will be drenched.

26One who withholds grain, people will curse him,

but a blessing is for the head of the seller.

27One who diligently seeks good seeks favor,

but one who searches for evil, it will come to him.

28One who trusts in his riches, he himself will fall,

but like a leaf righteous ones will sprout.

29One who troubles his house will inherit wind,

and a fool will be a slave to the wise of heart.

30The fruit of the righteous one is a tree of life,

and the taker of souls is wise.

31Behold, a righteous one in the land will be repaid,

how much more a wicked one and a sinner!

12The lover of correction loves knowledge,

but the hater of rebuke is stupid.

2A good one obtains favor from Yahweh,

but a man of schemes he will condemn.

3A man will not be established by wickedness,

but the root of the righteous ones will not be shaken.

4A wife of worth is the crown of her husband,

but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.

5The plans of the righteous ones are justice;

the directions of the wicked ones are deceit.

6The words of the wicked ones lie in wait for blood,

but the mouth of the upright ones will deliver them.

7Wicked ones are overthrown and they are naught,

but the house of the righteous ones will stand.

8For the mouth of his insight a man will be praised,

but one who is twisted of heart will be for contempt.

9Better is the one dishonored and has a servant

than the one honoring himself and lacking of bread.

10A righteous one knows the life of his animal,

but the compassion of the wicked ones is cruel.

11Bread will satisfy one who works his ground,

but one who pursues empty things is lacking of heart.

12A wicked one desires the snare of evil ones,

but the root of the righteous ones will give.

13In the transgression of lips is the snare of the evil one,

but the righteous one will go out from distress.

14From the fruit of the mouth of a man will he be satisfied with good,

and the accomplishment of the hands of a man will return to him.

15The way of a fool is right in his eyes,

but a wise one listens to counsel.

16A fool, his anger is known on the day,

but a prudent one covers dishonor.

17He who breathes out faithfulness tells righteousness,

but a witness of falsehoods, deceit.

18There is one who speaks thoughtlessly like the thrusts of a sword,

but the tongue of the wise ones causes healing.

19A lip of truth will be established to perpetuity,

but a tongue of falsehood as long as I would blink.

20Deceit is in the heart of devisers of evil,

but joy is for advisers of peace.

21Any iniquity will not be allowed to happen to the righteous one,

but wicked ones are full of evil.

22An abomination to Yahweh are lips of falsehood,

but doers of faithfulness are his delight.

23A prudent man covers knowledge,

but the heart of stupid ones calls out folly.

24The hand of the diligent ones will rule,

but an idle one will become a forced laborer.

25Concern in the heart of a man weighs it down,

but a good word gladdens it.

26A righteous one searches out from his neighbor,

but the way of the wicked ones will lead them astray.

27A negligent one will not roast his game,

but the wealth of a man is precious for a diligent one.

28In the path of righteousness is life,

and the way of the beaten path is no death.

13A wise son, the instruction of a father,

but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.

2From the fruit of the mouth of a man he eats good,

but the appetite of the treacherous ones is for violence.

3One who guards his mouth keeps his life;

one who opens his lips is ruin for him.

4A lazy one, his appetite is craving and there is nothing,

but the appetite of the diligent ones will be fattened.

5A righteous one hates a word of falsehood,

but a wicked one causes a stink and causes embarrassment.

6Righteousness guards the blameless of way,

but wickedness leads a sinful one astray.

7There is one who pretends to be rich but there is nothing at all;

one who pretends to be poor but has much wealth.

8The ransom of the life of a man is his riches,

but a poor one does not hear a rebuke.

9The light of the righteous ones will be glad,

but the lamp of the wicked ones will be extinguished.

10With presumptuousness comes only contention,

but with those who are counseled, wisdom.

11Wealth from emptiness will dwindle,

but one who gathers by hand will increase.

12Hope deferred makes a heart sick,

but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

13One who despises a word will be pledged to pay for it,

but he with fear of a command, he himself will be rewarded.

14The law of the wise is a fountain of life,

to turn away from the snares of death.

15Good insight gives favor,

but the way of treacherous ones is permanent.

16Every prudent one acts with knowledge,

but a stupid one spreads folly.

17A wicked messenger falls into evil,

but an envoy of faithfulness causes healing.

18Poverty and shame are for one who avoids correction,

but one who keeps a rebuke will be honored.

19A desire that occurs will be pleasing to the self,

but the abomination to stupid ones is turning away from evil.

20One who walks with wise ones will be wise,

but one who associates with stupid ones will suffer.

21Evil will pursue sinners,

but goodness will reward righteous ones.

22A good one will cause sons of sons to inherit,

but the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous one.

23Much food is in the unplowed field of poor ones,

but there is a being swept away by no justice.

24One who withholds his rod hates his son,

but one who loves him diligently seeks him with discipline.

25A righteous one eats to the satisfaction of his appetite,

but the stomach of the wicked ones will lack.

14The wisest of women builds her house,

but a foolish woman tears it down with her hands.

2One who walks in his uprightness fears Yahweh,

but one who is crooked in his ways despises him.

3In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,

but the lips of the wise ones will preserve them.

4Where there are no cattle is a trough of cleanness,

but an abundance of produce is by the strength of an ox.

5A witness of faithfulness will not lie,

but a witness of falsehood breathes out lies.

6A mocker seeks wisdom and there is none,

but knowledge is easy for the understanding one.

7Go from before a man of stupidity,

for you will not know lips of knowledge.

8The wisdom of a prudent one causes understanding of his way,

but the folly of stupid ones is deceit.

9Fools mock the guilt offering,

but among upright ones is favor.

10A heart knows the bitterness of itself,

and in its joy a stranger will not share.

11The house of the wicked ones will be destroyed,

but the tent of the upright ones will flourish.

12There is a right way before the face of a man,

but its end is the ways of death.

13Even in laughter a heart may be in pain,

and the end of joy may be grief.

14The turning away of heart will be filled from his ways,

but a good man from himself.

15A naive one believes every word,

but a prudent one considers his step.

16A wise one fears and turns away from evil,

but a stupid one infuriates himself and is confident.

17One short of nostrils does folly,

and a man of schemes is hated.

18Naive ones inherit folly,

but prudent ones will wear a crown of knowledge.

19Evil ones will bow down before the face of good ones,

and wicked ones at the gates of the righteous one.

20One who is poor is hated even by his neighbor,

but those who love the rich one are many.

21One who sins despises his neighbor,

but one who shows favor to afflicted ones, happy is he.

22Do not devisers of evil go astray?

But covenant faithfulness and trustworthiness are for devisers of good.

23With all toil is profit,

but the word of lips is only for lack.

24The crown of the wise ones is their riches;

the folly of stupid ones is folly.

25A witness of truth rescues lives,

but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.

26In the fear of Yahweh is the confidence of the strong one,

and for his sons he will be a refuge.

27The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life,

to turn away from the snares of death.

28With the abundance of people is the majesty of a king,

but with the end of the populace the potentate is ruined.

29One long of nostrils is abundant in understanding,

but one short of spirit lifts up folly.

30A heart of healing is life to the body,

but envy is the decay of bones.

31An oppressor of a lowly one taunts his maker,

but one showing favor to a needy one honors him.

32By his evil the wicked one is thrust down,

but the righteous one finds refuge in his death.

33In the heart of the understanding one rests wisdom,

and in the midst of stupid ones she will be known.

34Righteousness raises a nation,

but sin is shame for peoples.

35The delight of a king is for the servant who has insight,

but his rage is for one who acts shamefully.

15A gentle answer turns back heat,

but a word of pain lifts up a nose.

2The tongue of the wise ones makes knowledge good,

but the mouth of stupid ones gushes forth folly.

3The eyes of Yahweh are in every place,

watching evil ones and good ones.

4A healing tongue is a tree of life,

but crookedness in it is a breaking in the spirit.

5A fool despises the correction of his father,

but one who keeps rebuke is prudent.

6The house of the righteous one has much treasure,

but in the produce of the wicked one is being troubled.

7The lips of the wise ones scatter knowledge,

but the heart of stupid ones is not so.

8The sacrifice of the wicked ones is an abomination to Yahweh,

but the prayer of the upright ones is his delight.

9An abomination to Yahweh is the way of the wicked one,

but a pursuer of righteousness he loves.

10Severe discipline is for one who forsakes the path;

one who hates rebuke will die.

11Sheol and Abaddon are before Yahweh;

how much more the hearts of the sons of man!

12A mocker does not love one who rebukes him;

to the wise ones he will not go.

13A joyful heart makes a face glad,

but by pain of heart a spirit is stricken.

14The heart of the understanding one seeks knowledge,

but the mouth of stupid ones feeds on folly.

15All the days of the afflicted one are evil ones,

but the good of heart has a feast continually.

16Better is a little with the fear of Yahweh

than much treasure and anxiety with it.

17Better is a portion of vegetables and love there

than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

18A man of heat stirs up a quarrel,

but one long of nostrils will quiet a dispute.

19The way of the lazy one is like a hedge of brier,

but the path of the upright ones is a built-up highway.

20A wise son gladdens a father,

but a stupid man despises his mother.

21Folly is a joy to the lacking of heart,

but the man of understanding makes to go straight.

22Plans are broken with no counsel,

but with a multitude of advisers it will stand.

23Joy is for the man in the answer of his mouth,

and how good is a word in its time.

24The path of life is upward for the insightful one,

in order to turn away from Sheol below.

25Yahweh will tear down the house of the proud ones,

but he will set up the boundary of the widow.

26Evil thoughts are an abomination to Yahweh,

but words of pleasantness are pure ones.

27One who unjustly gains unjust gain troubles his house,

but one who hates bribes will live.

28The heart of the righteous one considers how to answer,

but the mouth of the wicked ones gushes forth evils.

29Yahweh is far from the wicked ones,

but the prayer of the righteous ones he hears.

30The luminary of the eyes gladdens the heart;

good news fattens the bone.

31An ear hearing the rebuke of life

will lodge in the midst of the wise ones.

32One who avoids correction rejects his life,

but one who hears rebuke acquires heart.

33The fear of Yahweh is instruction of wisdom,

and before the face of honor is humility.

16The arrangements of the heart are a man’s,

but the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh.

2All the ways of a man are pure in his eyes,

but Yahweh examines spirits.

3Roll to Yahweh your works,

and your plans will be established.

4Yahweh has made all for its purpose

and even a wicked one for the day of evil.

5An abomination to Yahweh is each one high of heart,

hand to hand he will not remain blameless.

6By covenant faithfulness and trustworthiness iniquity is atoned for,

and by the fear of Yahweh one turns away from evil.

7When Yahweh is pleased with the ways of a man,

he causes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8Better is a little with righteousness

than an abundance of produce with no justice.

9The heart of a man plans his way,

but Yahweh establishes his step.

10Divination is on the lips of a king,

in judgment his mouth will not act unfaithfully.

11A balance and scales of justice are for Yahweh;

all the stones of the bag are his work.

12An abomination of kings is doing wickedness,

for by righteousness is a throne established.

13The delight of kings are lips of righteousness,

and he loves one who speaks upright things.

14The heat of a king is messengers of death,

but a wise man will atone for it.

15In the light of the face of the king is life,

and his favor is like a cloud of spring rain.

16How better it is to acquire wisdom than gold,

and to acquire understanding is to be chosen more than silver.

17The highway of the upright ones turns away from evil;

one who protects his life guards his way.

18Before the face of breaking is pride,

and before the face of a stumbling is a height of spirit.

19Better to be lowly of spirit with afflicted ones

than to share a portion of spoil with proud ones.

20One who comprehends concerning a matter will find good,

and one who trusts in Yahweh, he is happy.

21The wise of heart will be called understanding one,

and the sweetness of lips increases learning.

22A fountain of life is the insight of its owner,

but the instruction of fools is folly.

23The heart of the wise makes his mouth insightful,

and on his lips it increases learning.

24A dripping of honey are words of pleasantness,

sweet to the soul and healing to the bone.

25There is a right way before the face of a man

and its end is the ways of death.

26The appetite of the laborer labors for him,

for his mouth presses on him.

27A man of worthlessness digs up evil

and on his lips it is like a scorching fire.

28A man of perverse things lets loose strife,

and a murmurer is one who separates a close friend.

29A man of violence entices his neighbor,

and he leads him in a way that is not good.

30One who shuts his eyes plans perverse things;

one who compresses his lips brings evil to completion.

31Gray hair is a crown of splendor;

in the way of righteousness it is found.

32Better is one long of nostrils than a mighty one,

and one who rules his spirit than one who captures a city.

33Into the lap a lot is cast,

but its every judgment is from Yahweh.

17Better is a dry morsel and ease with it

than a house full of sacrifices of quarreling.

2A servant who has insight will rule over a son who acts shamefully

and in the midst of brothers he will share an inheritance.

3The smelting-pot is for the silver and the furnace is for the gold,

and Yahweh tests hearts.

4The evildoer listens attentively to the lips of iniquity;

a liar gives ear to a tongue of destruction.

5A mocker of one who is poor taunts his maker;

one glad at calamity will not remain blameless.

6The crown of old ones is sons of sons,

and the splendor of sons is their fathers.

7A lip of excess is not suitable for a worthless one;

how much less a lip of falsehood for a noble.

8A stone of favor is a bribe in the eyes of its owner;

he succeeds to all where he turns.

9One who covers a transgression seeks love,

but one who repeats a matter separates a close friend.

10A rebuke goes down into an understanding one

more than striking a stupid one a hundred times.

11An evil one seeks only rebellion,

and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12Let a female bear robbed of offspring meet a man

and not a stupid one in his folly!

13One who returns evil for good,

evil will not depart from his house.

14The beginning of a quarrel is the releasing of water,

so leave the dispute before it breaks out.

15One who declares a wicked one righteous

and one who declares a righteous one wicked,

even the two of them are an abomination to Yahweh.

16Why is this: a payment is in the hand of a stupid one

to acquire wisdom but there is no heart?

17At every time the friend loves,

and a brother is born for distress.

18A man lacking of heart is one who clasps a palm,

pledging a pledge before the face of his neighbor.

19One who loves transgression loves contention;

one who makes his opening high seeks a breaking.

20One crooked of heart will not find goodness,

and one who is turned away in his tongue will fall into evil.

21One who begets a stupid one, it is for grief for him,

and the father of a worthless one will not rejoice.

22A joyful heart will make healing good,

but a broken spirit dries up bone.

23A wicked one takes a bribe from the bosom

to bend the paths of justice.

24Wisdom is with the face of an understanding one,

but the eyes of a stupid one are at the end of the earth.

25A stupid son is a grief to his father

and bitterness to her who bore him.

26Even to fine the righteous is not good,

to strike nobles is against uprightness.

27One who restrains his words is one who knows knowledge,

and the cool of spirit is a man of understanding.

28Even a fool who keeps silent will be considered wise;

one who shuts his lips is an understanding one.

18One who separates himself seeks for desire;

against all sound wisdom he breaks out.

2A stupid one does not delight in understanding

but rather in his heart revealing itself.

3When a wicked one comes, contempt also comes,

and with shame, reproach.

4The words of the mouth of a man are deep waters;

a fountain of wisdom is a gushing stream.

5It is not good to lift the face of the wicked one,

to turn aside the righteous one in the judgment.

6The lips of a stupid one enter into a dispute,

and his mouth calls for blows.

7The mouth of a stupid one is ruin for him,

and his lips are a snare of his life.

8The words of a murmurer are like things swallowed greedily,

and they themselves go down into the rooms of the belly.

9Also, one who slacks in his work,

he is a brother to an owner of destruction.

10The name of Yahweh is a tower of strength;

the righteous one runs into it and is set on high.

11The wealth of the rich one is the city of his strength

and like a wall set on high in his imagination.

12Before the face of breaking the heart of a man is exalted,

but before the face of honor is humility.

13One who returns a word before he listens,

it is folly to him and shame.

14The spirit of a man will endure his illness,

but a crushed spirit, who can lift it?

15The heart of an understanding one acquires knowledge,

and the ear of the wise ones seeks knowledge.

16The gift of a man will make room for him,

and before the face of great ones it will guide him.

17The first one with his case is right,

then his neighbor comes and examines him.

18The lot causes quarrels to cease,

and between mighty ones it makes a separation.

19A brother offended is more than a city of strength,

and quarrels are like the gate bar of a fortress.

20From the fruit of the mouth of a man his belly is satisfied;

with the produce of his lips he is satisfied.

21Death and life are in the hand of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat its fruit.

22He who finds a wife finds good,

and he obtains favor from Yahweh.

23One who is poor speaks pleas,

but a rich one answers harshly.

24A man of companions is to be broken,

but there is one who loves, clinging more than a brother.

19Better is one who is poor who walks in his integrity

than one who is crooked in his lips and he is a stupid one.

2Also, a life with no knowledge is not good,

and one who hurries with feet sins.

3The folly of a man will lead astray his way,

and his heart will rage against Yahweh.

4Wealth adds many companions,

but a lowly one is separated from his companions.

5A witness of falsehoods will not be blameless,

and he who breathes out lies will not escape.

6Many will entreat the face of a noble,

and everyone is the friend of a man of gift.

7All the brothers of one who is poor hate him;

how much more do his friends go far away from him!

He pursues with words; they are not.

8One who acquires heart loves his life;

one who keeps understanding is to find good.

9A witness of falsehoods will not be blameless,

and one who breathes out lies will perish.

10Luxury is not suitable for a stupid one;

how much less for a slave to rule over princes!

11The insight of a man makes his nose long,

and his splendor is to pass over a transgression.

12The rage of a king is a growling like the young lion,

but his favor is like dew on vegetation.

13A stupid son is destruction to his father,

and a continual dripping, the quarrels of a wife.

14A house and wealth are the inheritance of fathers,

but from Yahweh is a wife who has insight.

15Laziness causes deep sleep to fall,

and a life of idleness is hungry.

16One who keeps a commandment keeps his life;

one who despises his ways will die.

17One who is gracious to a lowly one lends to Yahweh,

and his dealing he will repay to him.

18Discipline your son when there is hope,

and do not lift up your soul to put him to death.

19One great of heat lifts up a fine;

for if you rescue, then you will continue to do so again.

20Listen to counsel and accept instruction,

so that you will become wise in your end.

21Many are the plans in the heart of a man,

but the counsel of Yahweh, it will stand.

22The desire of a man is his covenant faithfulness,

and better is one who is poor than a man of lying.

23The fear of Yahweh is to life

and the satisfied one will stay overnight;

he will not be visited by evil.

24A lazy one hides his hand in the dish;

he will not even return it to his mouth.

25Strike a mocker and a naive one will become prudent,

and rebuke an understanding one, he will understand knowledge.

26One who does violence to a father, who causes a mother to flee,

is a son who causes shame and causes embarrassment.

27My son, cease to hear instruction

to stray from the words of knowledge.

28A witness of worthlessness mocks justice

and the mouth of the wicked ones swallows iniquity.

29Judgments are prepared for the mockers,

and blows for the back of stupid ones.

20The wine is a mocker, intoxicating drink is a brawler,

and everyone who staggers by it is not wise.

2The terror of a king is a growling like the young lion;

one who infuriates him is one who wrongs his life.

3Honor for a man is cessation from strife,

but every fool breaks out.

4A lazy one will not plow from winter,

and he begs in the harvest but there is nothing.

5Counsel in the heart of a man is deep waters,

and a man of understanding will draw it out.

6Many a man proclaims, each man, his covenant faithfulness,

but a man of faithful acts, who can find?

7A righteous one walks about in his integrity;

happy are his sons after him.

8A king who sits on the throne of judgment

is one who winnows with his eyes all evil.

9Who can say, “I have made my heart pure,

I am clean from my sin”?

10Stone and stone, ephah and ephah,

are an abomination to Yahweh, even the two of them.

11Even a young man will make himself known by his deeds,

if pure and if upright is his behavior.

12A hearing ear and a seeing eye,

Yahweh made even the two of them.

13Do not love sleep lest you become impoverished;

open your eyes, be satisfied with bread.

14“Bad! Bad!” says the buyer,

but when he departs on his way, then he praises himself.

15There is gold and an abundance of corals,

but lips of knowledge are a vessel of preciousness.

16Take his garment when he has pledged for a stranger,

and on behalf of a foreign woman hold it in pledge.

17Sweet to a man is bread of falsehood,

but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

18Plans by counsel are established,

and by guidance make war.

19One who goes about as a gossip reveals a secret,

and with one who opens his lips do not associate yourself.

20One who curses his father and his mother,

his lamp will be extinguished in the pupil of darkness.

21An inheritance gained quickly in the beginning,

its end will not be blessed.

22Do not say, “I will repay evil.”

Wait for Yahweh and he will save you.

23Stone and stone are an abomination to Yahweh,

and scales of deceit are not good.

24From Yahweh are the steps of a strong man,

so how can a man understand his way?

25A snare of a man: he says rashly, “It is holy,”

and after vows considers.

26A wise king is one who winnows wicked ones,

and he brings back a wheel over them.

27The breath of a man is the lamp of Yahweh,

searching all the rooms of the belly.

28Covenant faithfulness and trustworthiness guard a king,

and his throne is sustained by covenant faithfulness.

29The splendor of young men is their strength

and the adornment of old ones is gray hair.

30Blows of a wound cleanse away evil

and strikes of the rooms of the belly.

21The heart of a king is channels of water in the hand of Yahweh;

he steers it according to all that he desires.

2Every way of a man is right in his eyes,

but Yahweh examines hearts.

3To do righteousness and justice

is preferred to Yahweh more than a sacrifice.

4Height of eyes and broadness of heart,

the lamp of wicked ones, are sin.

5The plans of the diligent one surely are to profit,

but everyone who hurries about surely is to lack.

6The making of treasures by a tongue of falsehood

is scattered vapor, seekers of death.

7The violence of wicked ones will drag them away,

for they refuse to do justice.

8Perverse is the way of a guilty man,

but the pure one, upright is his behavior.

9Better to dwell on the corner of a roof

than with a woman of quarrels and a house of companionship.

10The soul of the wicked one craves evil;

his neighbor is not shown grace in his eyes.

11When fining a mocker a naive one becomes wise,

and when giving insight to a wise one he receives knowledge.

12A righteous one has insight into the house of the wicked one;

overturning wicked ones to evil.

13One who shuts his ears from the outcry of a lowly one,

he also will cry out but will not be answered.

14A gift in secrecy subdues nose,

and a bribe in the bosom, strong heat.

15A joy for the righteous one is doing justice,

but a terror for doers of iniquity.

16A man wandering from the way of having insight

will rest in the assembly of the spirits of dead ones.

17A man of lack loves joy;

a lover of wine and oil will not become rich.

18A ransom for the righteous one is a wicked one,

and instead of upright ones, one who acts treacherously.

19Better to dwell in a land of wilderness

than with a woman of quarrels and vexation.

20Desirable treasure and oil are in the abode of a wise one,

but a stupid man swallows it up.

21A pursuer of righteousness and covenant faithfulness

will find life, righteousness, and honor.

22A wise one ascends a city of mighty ones

and he brings down the strength of its confidence.

23One who keeps his mouth and his tongue

keeps his life from distress.

24A presumptuous, haughty one, “Mocker” is his name,

acting with the rage of presumption.

25The desire of the lazy one causes him to die,

for his hands refuse to act.

26All the day he desires desire for himself,

but a righteous one gives and does not withhold.

27The sacrifice of the wicked ones is an abomination;

how much more when he brings it with a wicked plan.

28A witness of lies will perish,

but the man who listens will speak to perpetuity.

29A wicked man strengthens his face,

but an upright one, he considers his ways.[fn]

30There is no wisdom and there is no understanding

and there is no counsel in opposition to Yahweh.

31A horse is made ready for the day of battle,

but the salvation is of Yahweh.

22A name is to be chosen more than abundant riches;

favor is better than silver and than gold.

2A rich one and a poor one meet together;

Yahweh is maker of all of them.

3A prudent one sees evil and hides himself,

but naive ones pass on and they are fined.

4The result of humility, the fear of Yahweh,

is riches and honor and life.

5Thorns, traps are in the way of the crooked one;

one who guards his life will stay far away from them.

6Train up the boy according to his way;

even when he is old, he will not turn away from it.

7A rich one rules over those who are poor,

and a borrower is a slave to a man who lends.

8A sower of iniquity will reap disaster,

and the rod of his rage will come to an end.

9The one good of eye, he will be blessed,

for he gives from his bread to the lowly one.

10Drive out a mocker and strife will go out,

and judgment and dishonor will cease.

11One who loves a pure heart,

his lips are gracious, the king is his friend.

12The eyes of Yahweh guard knowledge,

but he overturns the words of one who is treacherous.

13A lazy one says, “A lion is outside!

I will be killed in the midst of the open areas!”

14The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit;

one who is cursed of Yahweh will fall there.

15Folly is bound up in the heart of a boy;

the rod of discipline will cause it to be far away from him.

16One who oppresses a lowly one to increase for himself,

one who gives to a rich one, surely will be to lack.

17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise ones,

and you must set your heart to my knowledge!

18For it will be pleasant if you keep them in your inner parts,

they are ready together on your lips.

19For your trust to be in Yahweh,

I have caused you to know today, even you.

20Have I not written for you thirty things [fn]

with counsels and knowledge,

21to cause you to know the truth of the words of trustworthiness,

to return trustworthy words to one who sent you?

22Do not rob a lowly one because he is a lowly one,

and do not crush an afflicted one at the gate.

23For Yahweh will plead their dispute,

and he will plunder of life those who plunder them.

24Do not befriend an owner of nose,

and do not go with a man of heat,

25lest you learn his paths

and you take a snare for your life.

26Do not be among those who clasp a palm,

among those who pledge for loans.

27If there is nothing for you to repay,

why should he take away your bed from under you?

28Do not move the ancient boundary

that your fathers made.

29You see a skilled man in his work.

He will station himself before the face of kings;

he will not station himself before the face of obscure ones.

23When you sit to eat with a ruler,

consider carefully what is before your face,

2and you should put a knife at your throat

if you are an owner of appetite.

3Do not desire his delicious morsels;

for it is bread of lies.

4Do not weary yourself to gain riches;

from your understanding cease.

5Will you cause your eyes to fly to it, but it is not there?

For making, it will make wings for itself;

like an eagle it will fly into the sky.

6Do not eat the bread of one evil of eye,

and do not desire his delicious morsels.

7For like one who calculates in his soul, so he is.

“Eat and drink!” he will say to you,

but his heart is not with you.

8You will vomit up your morsel you ate,

and you will ruin your pleasant words.

9Do not speak in the ears of a stupid one,

for he will show contempt for the insight of your words.

10Do not move an ancient boundary,

and do not enter into the fields of fatherless ones,

11for their redeemer is strong;

he himself will plead their dispute against you.

12Bring your heart to correction

and your ear to words of knowledge.

13Do not withhold discipline from a boy;

when you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

14You shall strike him with the rod

and you will rescue his life from Sheol.

15My son, if your heart is wise,

my heart, even myself, will be glad,

16and my inner parts will exult,

when your lips speak upright things.

17Do not let your heart be envious of sinners,

but rather in the fear of Yahweh all the day.

18Surely there is a future

and your hope will not be cut off.

19Listen, you my son, and be wise,

and lead your heart in the way.

20Do not be among drinkers of much wine,

among gluttonous eaters of flesh for themselves.

21For one who drinks much and one who eats gluttonously will become poor,

and slumber will clothe with rags.

22Listen to your father, this one begot you,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23Acquire truth and do not sell,

wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24The father of a righteous one, rejoicing, will rejoice,

and one who begets a wise one, he will be glad in him.

25May your father and your mother be glad,

and may she who bore you rejoice.

26My son, give your heart to me,

and may your eyes watch[fn] my ways.

27For a prostitute is a deep pit,

and a foreign woman is a narrow well.

28Surely she herself lies in wait like a robber,

and she adds to the treacherous ones among man.

29For whom is woe? For whom is sorrow? For whom are quarrels?

For whom is a lament? For whom are wounds without reason?

For whom is dullness of eyes?

30For those who linger over wine,

for those coming to search out mixed wine.

31Do not look at wine when it is red,

when its eye gives in the cup,

it goes with evenness.

32Its end bites like a snake,

and it stings like a viper.

33Your eyes will see strange things,

and your heart will speak perverse things.

34And you will be like one who lies down in the heart of the sea

and like one who lies down at the head of a mast.

35“They struck me. I was not hurt.

They beat me. I did not know.

When will I awake? I will add, I will seek it again.”

24Do not be envious of men of evil,

and do not desire to be with them.

2For their heart plots violence,

and their lips speak trouble.

3By wisdom a house is built,

and by understanding it is established.

4And by knowledge the rooms are filled

with all precious and pleasant wealth.

5A man of wisdom is with strength

and a man of knowledge strengthens power.

6For by guidance you make war for yourself

and salvation is in an abundance of counsel.

7Wise things are too high for a fool;

at the gate he will not open his mouth.

8One who plans to do evil,

they will call him an owner of schemes.

9A scheme of folly is sin,

and a mocker is an abomination to man.

10If you make yourself slack in the day of distress,

your strength is narrow.

11Rescue those who are taken for the death,

and those who stagger to the slaughter, if only you would hold back!

12If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”

does not he, the examiner of hearts, understand,

and he, the guard of your life, know,

and will he give back to a man according to his work?

13My son, eat honey because it is good

and the fresh honey is sweet on your palate.

14Know wisdom is thus for your soul;

if you find it, then there will be a future

and your hope will not be cut off.

15Do not lie in wait like a wicked one against the abode of the righteous one;

do not assault his resting place.

16For seven times a righteous one falls and rises up,

but wicked ones stumble into calamity.

17When your enemy falls, do not be glad,

and when he stumbles do not let your heart rejoice,

18lest Yahweh see, and it is evil in his eyes,

and he turns away his nose from on him.

19Do not make yourself hot because of evildoers;

do not envy wicked ones.

20For a future is not for an evil one,

the lamp of the wicked ones will be extinguished.

21My son, fear Yahweh and the king;

do not associate with ones who change.

22For suddenly their calamity will arise,

and who is one who knows the destruction of the two of them?

23These also are of the wise ones:

Recognizing faces in judgment is not good.

24One who says to the wicked one, “You are righteous,”

peoples will curse him, nations will denounce him.

25But for the rebukers it will be pleasant,

and over them will come a blessing of goodness.

26He kisses lips

who returns straightforward words.

27Prepare your work in the outdoors,

and make it ready for yourself in the field;

and after you will build your house.

28Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor.

And would you deceive with your lips?

29Do not say, “Just as he did to me, so I will do to him;

I will return to the man according to his deed.”

30I passed over the field of a lazy man

and over the vineyard of a man lacking of heart.

31And behold, all of it went up with thorns,

its face was covered with weeds,

and the wall of its stones was torn down.

32And I myself looked, I set my heart,

I saw, I received instruction.

33A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to lie down,

34and your poverty will come like one who walks around,

and your needs like a man of shield.

25These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, copied.

2The glory of God is to hide a matter,

but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

3Heavens for height and earth for depth,

and the heart of kings is not searchable.

4Remove dross from silver

and a vessel comes out for the refiner.

5Remove a wicked one before the face of the king,

and his throne will be established by righteousness.

6Do not honor yourself before the face of the king,

and in the place of the great ones do not stand.

7For, better to say to you, “Come up here,”

than to humiliate you before the face of a noble,

whom your eyes have seen.

8Do not go out hastily to dispute,

or else what will you do in its end

when your neighbor humiliates you?

9Dispute your dispute with your neighbor

and the secret of another do not uncover,

10lest one who hears shames you,

and the rumor of you does not turn back.

11Apples of gold in sculptures of silver

is a word spoken according to its circumstance.

12A ring of gold and jewelry of fine gold

is a wise rebuke to a listening ear.

13Like the coolness of snow in the day of harvest

is a faithful envoy for his senders

and he brings back the life of his masters.

14Clouds and wind but without rain

is the man who boasts in a gift of falsehood.

15By length of nostrils a commander may be persuaded,

and a soft tongue can break bone.

16If you find honey, eat enough for you,

lest you become satiated with it and you vomit it up.

17Make rare your foot from the house of your neighbor,

lest he become satiated with you and hate you.

18A hammer and a sword and a sharp arrow

is a man who answers a testimony of falsehood against his neighbor.

19A broken tooth and a shaky foot

is confidence in one who acts treacherously in the day of distress.

20One who removes a garment on a cold day,

vinegar on natron,

so is one who sings with songs to a heart of misery.

21If one who hates you is hungry, cause him to eat bread,

and if thirsty, cause him to drink water;

22for you are heaping coals on his head,

and Yahweh will repay to you.

23The wind of the north brings forth rain,

and indignant faces, a tongue of secrecy.

24Better to dwell on the corner of a roof

than with a wife of quarrels and a house of companionship.

25Cool water over a weary soul,

so is good news from a distant land.

26A spring muddied by trampling and a fountain spoiled

is a righteous one swaying before the face of a wicked one.

27To eat much honey is not good,

and the searching out of their honor, honor.

28A breached city without a wall

is a man who has no restraint for his spirit.

26Like the snow in the summer and like the rain in the harvest,

so honor is not suitable for a stupid one.

2Like the bird for fluttering, like the swallow for flying,

so a curse without cause does not come.

3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and a rod for the back of stupid ones.

4Do not answer a stupid one according to his folly,

lest you yourself also become like him.

5Answer a stupid one according to his folly,

lest he become wise in his eyes.

6One who cuts off feet, one who drinks violence,

is one who sends words by the hand of a stupid one.

7Legs dangle from a lame one,

and a proverb in the mouth of stupid ones.

8Like tying a stone in a sling,

so is one who gives honor to a stupid one.

9A thorn goes up into the hand of a drunkard,

and a proverb in the mouth of stupid ones.

10An archer who pierces everyone,

so is one who hires a stupid one and hires those passing by.

11Like a dog returning to its vomit

is a stupid one who repeats his folly.

12You see a man wise in his eyes.

There is more hope for a stupid one than him.

13A lazy one says, “A young lion is on the road!

A lion is between the open areas!”

14The door turns on its hinge,

and a lazy one on his bed.

15A lazy one hides his hand in the dish;

he is too weary to return it to his mouth.

16A lazy one is wiser in his eyes

than seven who return discretion.

17One who grabs the ears of a dog passing by

is one who infuriates himself over a dispute not for him.

18Like an insane one who shoots firebrands, arrows, and death,

19so is a man who deceives his neighbor

and says, “Was I not joking?”

20With the end of wood pieces a fire goes out,

and when there is no murmurer, a quarrel becomes silent.

21Charcoal to burning coals and wood to fire,

so a man of quarrels is to kindling of a dispute.

22The words of a murmurer are like things swallowed greedily,

and they themselves go down into the rooms of the belly.

23Silver of dross overlaid on a clay vessel

are burning lips and a heart of evil.

24With his lips one who hates disguises himself,

but within him he sets deceit.

25When he makes his voice gracious, do not trust in him,

for seven abominations are in his heart.

26Hatred is covered by guile;

his evil will be uncovered in the assembly.

27One who digs a pit will fall into it,

and one who rolls a stone, it will come back to him.

28A tongue of falsehood hates its oppressed ones,

and a smooth mouth makes calamity.

27Do not boast about the next day,

for you do not know what a day will bring forth.

2Let a stranger praise you and not your mouth,

a foreigner and not your lips.

3The heaviness of a stone and the weightiness of the sand,

yet the vexation of a fool is heavier than the two of them.

4Cruelty of heat and a flood of nose,

but who can stand before the face of jealousy?

5Better is open rebuke

than hidden love.

6Faithful are the wounds of one who loves,

but deceptive are the kisses of one who hates.

7A satiated appetite tramples fresh honey,

but for the appetite of a hungry one everything bitter is sweet.

8Like a bird wandering from her nest,

so is a man who wanders from his place.

9Oil and incense gladden the heart

and the sweetness of his friend is from the counsel of the soul.

10Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father,

and do not enter the house of your brother in the day of your calamity.

Better is a nearby inhabitant than a distant brother.

11Be wise, my son, and gladden my heart

and I shall return a word to one who reproaches me.

12A prudent one sees evil, he hides himself;

naive ones pass on, they are fined.

13Take his garment when he has pledged for a stranger,

and on behalf of a foreign woman hold it in pledge.

14One who blesses his neighbor with a great voice in the rising morning,

it will be considered a curse to him!

15A continual dripping on a day of steady rain

and a woman of quarrels are alike.

16The one who hides her hides the wind,

and oil meets his right hand.

17Iron sharpens against iron,

and a man sharpens the face of his neighbor.

18One who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit

and one who protects his masters will be honored.

19As the water, the face to the face,

so the heart of the man, to the man.

20Sheol and Abaddon are not satisfied,

and the eyes of the man are not satisfied.

21The smelting-pot is for the silver and the furnace is for the gold,

so is a man for the mouth of one who praises him.

22Even if you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle in the midst of ground grains,

his folly will not turn away from on him.

23Know well the faces of your flock,

set your heart to the herds.

24For treasure is not to eternity,

nor even a crown for generation and generation.

25The grass disappears and fresh grass is seen,

and the herbs of the mountains are gathered,

26lambs will be for your clothing,

and male goats the price of a field.

27And there will be enough milk of female goats for your food, for the food of your house,

and life for your young women.

28The wicked flee and there is no pursuer,

but the righteous ones are confident like a young lion.

2By the transgression of a land many are its rulers,

but by a man who understands, who knows, so it will endure.

3A man who is poor and who oppresses the lowly ones

is a rain that washes away and there is no bread.

4Those who forsake the law praise a wicked one,

but those who keep the law strive against them.

5Men of evil do not understand justice

but seekers of Yahweh understand everything.

6Better is one who is poor who walks in his integrity

than one crooked of ways, yet he is rich.

7One who guards the law is a son who understands,

but one who associates with gluttonous eaters humiliates his father.

8One who increases his wealth by interest and usury

gathers it for one who shows favor to lowly ones.

9One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,

even his prayer is an abomination.

10One who leads upright ones astray in the way of evil

into his pit he himself will fall,

but blameless ones will inherit good.

11A rich man is wise in his eyes,

but a lowly one who understands will search him out.

12When righteous ones exult, there is great splendor,

but when wicked ones arise, a man is searched for.

13One who covers his transgressions will not prosper,

but one who confesses and forsakes will be shown mercy.

14Happy is a man who is in terror continually,

but one who hardens his heart will fall into evil.

15A lion growling and a bear charging

is a wicked ruler over a lowly people.

16A leader lacking of understanding is also abundant of oppressions;

one who hates unjust gain will lengthen days.

17A man oppressed by the blood of a life

will flee as far as a pit;

let them not support him.

18One who walks blameless will be saved,

but one who is crooked of ways will fall in one.

19One who works his ground will be satisfied with bread,

but one who pursues empty things will be satisfied with poverty.

20A man of faithfulness has an abundance of blessings,

but one who hurries to become rich will not remain blameless.

21Recognizing faces is not good,

yet for a bit of bread a man will transgress.

22One who hurries to the wealth is a man of an evil eye,

but he does not know that lack will come to him.

23One who rebukes a man afterward will find favor

more than one who makes the tongue smooth.

24One who robs his father and his mother and says, “There is no transgression,”

he is the companion of a man of destruction.

25One wide of appetite stirs up strife,

but one who trusts in Yahweh will be fattened.

26One who trusts in his heart, he is a stupid one,

but one who walks in wisdom, he himself will flee.

27One who gives to the one who is poor has no lack,

but one who hides his eyes has an abundance of curses.

28When wicked ones arise a man will hide himself,

but when they perish righteous ones will increase.

29A man of rebukes who stiffens the neck

will suddenly be broken and without healing.

2When the righteous ones increase, the people rejoice,

but when a wicked one rules, a people groans.

3A man who loves wisdom gladdens his father,

but one who associates with prostitutes destroys wealth.

4A king by justice causes the land to stand,

but a man of contributions tears it down.

5A man who makes smooth for his neighbor

spreads out a net for his feet.

6In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare,

but a righteous one shouts for joy and is glad.

7A righteous one knows the legal claim of lowly ones;

a wicked one does not understand knowledge.

8Men of mockery inflame a city,

but wise ones turn away nose.

9A wise man goes to judgment with a foolish man,

but he trembles and laughs and there is no rest.

10Men of bloodshed hate a blameless one,

but upright ones seek his life.

11A stupid one brings out all his spirit,

but a wise one soothes it backward.

12A ruler who listens attentively to a word of falsehood,

all his servants are wicked ones.

13One who is poor and a man of oppression meet together;

the one who enlightens the eyes of them both is Yahweh.

14A king who judges lowly ones with truth,

his throne will be established to perpetuity.

15A rod and rebuke give wisdom

but a boy who is sent away causes his mother shame.

16When wicked ones increase, transgression increases,

but righteous ones will look at their downfall.

17Discipline your son and he will cause you to rest,

and he will give delights to your soul.

18When there is no vision, the people are let loose,

but one who keeps the law, happy is he.

19A servant will not be instructed by words,

for he understands but there is no answer.

20You see a man hurrying in his words.

There is more hope for a stupid one than him.

21If one pampers his servant from youth,

then his end will be insolence.

22A man of nose stirs up strife,

and an owner of heat, much transgression.

23The pride of a man will make him low,

but one lowly of spirit will grasp honor.

24One who shares with a thief hates his life;

he will hear an oath but will not tell.

25The anxiety of a man sets a snare,

but the one who trusts in Yahweh will be set on high.

26Many are those who seek the face of a ruler,

but from Yahweh is justice of a man.

27An abomination to righteous ones is a man of injustice,

but an abomination to a wicked one is one upright of way.

30The words of Agur son of Jakeh, the burden:

The declaration of the strong man to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

2Surely, I am more stupid than a man,

and the understanding of man is not mine.

3And I have not learned wisdom,

nor the knowledge of holy ones do I know.

4Who has ascended to heaven and descended?

Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of his hands?

Who has wrapped waters in the cloak?

Who has raised up all the ends of the earth?

What is his name and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!

5Every saying of God is refined;

he is a shield for those who take refuge in him.

6Do not add upon his words,

lest he rebuke you and you be shown a liar.

7Two things I ask from with you,

do not withhold from me before I die:

8Emptiness and the word of a lie put far away from me.

Do not give to me poverty or riches,

cause me to receive the bread of my portion.

9Lest I be satiated and I deny and say, “Who is Yahweh?”

And lest I become dispossessed and steal

and I seize the name of my God.

10Do not slander a slave to his master,

lest he curse you and you be found guilty.

11There is a generation, it curses its father

and does not bless its mother.

12There is a generation clean in its eyes,

but it is not washed from its excrement.

13There is a generation, how its eyes are raised up,

and its eyelids are lifted up!

14There is a generation, its teeth are swords

and its fangs are knives

for devouring afflicted ones from the earth and needy ones from man.

15Two daughters are for the leech, “Give! Give!”

There are three, they are not satisfied;

four, they do not say, “Enough”:

16Sheol, and the closure of the womb,

a land not satisfied with water,

and a fire does not say, “Enough!”

17An eye mocks a father

and shows contempt for the obedience to a mother;

the ravens of the valley will peck it out,

and the sons of the vulture will eat it.

18Three things, they are too wonderful for me,

and four, I do not understand them:

19the way of the eagle in the sky,

the way of a snake on a rock,

the way of a ship in the heart of the sea;

and the way of a young man with a young woman.

20Thus is the way of a woman who commits adultery:

she eats and wipes her mouth

and says, “I have not done iniquity.”

21Under three things the earth quakes,

and under four it is not able to hold up:

22under a slave when he becomes king,

and a worthless one when he is satisfied with bread,

23under a hated woman when she is married,

and a female servant when she dispossesses her mistress.

24Four things, they are small things of the earth

but they are wise things being made wise:

25The ants are a people not strong,

but they prepare their food in the summer.

26Rock badgers are a people not mighty,

but they set their house in the cliff.

27There is no king for the locust,

but each of it go out divided into groups.

28You can catch a lizard with hands,

yet it is in the palaces of the king.

29Three things, they are doing well of step,

and four are doing well of walking:

30a lion, mighty among the animals,

and it will not turn away from the face of anything,

31one girded of loins, or a male goat,

and a king against whom one does not rise up.

32If you have been foolish by lifting up yourself,

or if you have schemed, a hand be to mouth!

33For the squeezing of milk brings out butter

and the squeezing of the nose brings out blood,

and the squeezing of nostrils brings out strife.

31The words of Lemuel the king, a burden that his mother had instructed him:

2What, my son? And what, son of my womb?

And what, son of my vows?

3Do not give to women your strength

or your ways to cause kings to be wiped out.

4It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine

or for dignitaries or intoxicating drink.

5Lest he drink and forget what has been decreed

and pervert the legal claim of all the sons of the afflicted one.

6Give intoxicating drink to the perishing one

and wine to those bitter of soul.

7He will drink and forget his poverty,

and his trouble he will not remember again.

8Open your mouth for a mute one,

for the legal claim of all the sons of the one passing away.

9Open your mouth, judge with righteousness,

and plead the legal case of the afflicted one and poor one.

10A woman of worth, who can find?

And her value is far more than corals.

11The heart of her husband trusts in her

and spoil he will not lack.

12She does to him good and not evil

all the days of her life.

13She searches for wool and linens

and works with the delight of her palms.

14She is like the ships of a merchant;

she brings her bread from far away.

15And she rises while still night

and gives food to her house

and a portion to her young women.

16She considers a field and gets it;

from the fruit of her palms she plants a vineyard.

17She girds her loins with strength

and she strengthens her arms.

18She perceives that her profit is good;

her lamp does not go out in the night.

19She stretches out her hands at the distaff

and her palms grasp the spindle.

20She spreads out her palm to the afflicted one,

and she stretches out her hands to the poor one.

21She does not fear for her house because of snow,

for all her house is clothed with crimson.

22She makes for herself coverings,

fine linen and purple for her clothing.

23Her husband is known at the gates,

when he sits with the elders of the land.

24She makes a linen garment and sells,

and a belt she gives to the Canaanite.

25Strength and splendor are her clothing,

and she laughs at a future day.

26Her mouth opens with wisdom,

and the law of covenant faithfulness is on her tongue.

27She scans the goings on of her house,

and the bread of laziness she does not eat.

28Her sons rise up and call her happy;

her husband also praises her.

29“Many daughters have acted with worth,

but you yourself have ascended over all of them.”

30The charm is falsehood and the beauty is vapor;

a woman fearful of Yahweh, she herself will be praised.

31Give to her from the fruit of her hands

and let her works praise her in the gates.


Instead of like a storm some versions have like a ruin.

Some versions omit And.

Instead of make level some scholars read the Hebrew word as examine.

Instead of was poured out some read the Hebrew word as was shaped.

Instead of heavy some versions read the Hebrew word as overflowing.

Instead of he considers his ways some read the Hebrew as he establishes his way.

Instead of thirty things some manuscripts have three times. The Hebrew word could also be read as officers.

Instead of watch some manuscripts have desire.