19 Better a poor person who lives with integrityk

than someone who has deceitful lips and is a fool.

2 Even zeal is not good without knowledge,l

and the one who acts hastilyD sins.m

3 A person’s own foolishness leads him astray,

yet his heart rages against the Lord.n

4 Wealth attracts many friends,o

but a poor person is separated from his friend.

5 A false witness will not go unpunished,p

and one who utters lies will not escape.q

6 Many seek a ruler’s favor,r

and everyone is a friend of one who gives gifts.s

7 All the brothers of a poor person hate him;t

how much more do his friends

keep their distance from him!

He may pursue them with words,u

but they are not there.A

8 The one who acquires good senseB loves himself;

one who safeguards understanding finds success.v

9 A false witness will not go unpunished,

and one who utters lies perishes.w

10 Luxury is not appropriate for a foolx —

how much less for a slave to rule over princes!y

11 A person’s insight gives him patience,z

and his virtue is to overlook an offense.aa

12 A king’s rage is like the roaring of a lion,ab

but his favor is like dew on the grass.ac

13 A foolish son is his father’s ruin,ad

and a wife’s nagging is an endless dripping.ae

14 A house and wealth are inherited from fathers,af

but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

15 Laziness induces deep sleep,

and a lazy person will go hungry.ag

16 The one who keeps commands preserves himself;ah

one who disregardsC his ways will die.ai

17 Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord,a

and he will give a reward to the lender.D,b

18 Discipline your son while there is hope;

don’t set your heart on being the cause of his death.E,c

19 A person with intense anger bears the penalty;

if you rescue him, you’ll have to do it again.d

20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction

so that you may be wise later in life.F,e

21 Many plans are in a person’s heart,

but the Lord’s decree will prevail.f

22 What is desirable in a person is his fidelity;

better to be a poor person than a liar.g

23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;

one will sleep at nightG without danger.h

24 The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;

he doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth!i

25 Strike a mocker, and the inexperienced learn a lesson;j

rebuke the discerning, and he gains knowledge.k

26 The one who plunders his father and evicts his mother

is a disgraceful and shameful son.

27 If you stop listening to correction, my son,

you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 A worthless witness mocks justice,

and a wicked mouth swallows iniquity.l

29 Judgments are prepared for mockers,

and beatings for the backs of fools.m

20 Wine is a mocker,n beer is a brawler;

whoever goes astrayA because of them is not wise.

2 A king’s terrible wrath is like the roaring of a lion;

anyone who provokes him endangers himself.o

3 Honor belongs to the person who ends a dispute,p

but any fool can get himself into a quarrel.q

4 The slacker does not plow during planting season;B

at harvest time he looks,C and there is nothing.r

5 Counsel in a person’s heart is deep water;s

but a person of understanding draws it out.

6 Many a person proclaims his own loyalty,

but who can find a trustworthy person?t

7 A righteous person acts with integrity;u

his children who come after him will be happy.v

8 A king sitting on a throne to judge

separates out all evil with his eyes.w

9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;

I am cleansed from my sin”?x

10 Differing weights and varying measuresD—

both are detestable to the Lord.y

11 Even a young man is known by his actions—

by whether his behavior is pure and upright.z

12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye—

the Lord made them both.a

13 Don’t love sleep, or you will become poor;

open your eyes, and you’ll have enough to eat.b

14 “It’s worthless, it’s worthless!” the buyer says,

but after he is on his way, he gloats.

15 There is gold and a multitude of jewels,

but knowledgeable lips are a rare treasure.c

16 Take his garment,

for he has put up security for a stranger;

get collateral if it is for foreigners.d

17 Food gained by fraud is sweet to a person,e

but afterward his mouth is full of gravel.*

18 Finalize plans with counsel,f

and wage war with sound guidance.g

19 The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip;h

avoid someone with a big mouth.i

20 Whoever curses his father or motherj —

his lamp will go out in deep darkness.k

21 An inheritance gained prematurely

will not be blessed ultimately.l

22 Don’t say, “I will avenge this evil!”m

Wait on the Lord,n and he will rescue you.o

23 Differing weightsA are detestable to the Lord,p

and dishonest scalesq are unfair.

24 Even a courageous person’s steps are determined by the Lord,r

so how can anyone understand his own way?

25 It is a trap for anyone to dedicate something rashly

and later to reconsider his vows.s

26 A wise king separates out the wickedt

and drives the threshing wheelu over them.

27 The Lord’s lamp sheds light on a person’s life,B

searching the innermost parts.C,v

28 Loyalty and faithfulness guard a king;

through loyalty he maintains his throne.

29 The glory of young men is their strength,

and the splendor of old men is gray hair.w

30 Lashes and wounds purge away evil,x

and beatings cleanse the innermost parts.D

21 A king’s heart is like channeled water in the Lord’s hand:

He directs it wherever he chooses.y

2 All a person’s ways seem right to him,

but the Lord weighs hearts.z

3 Doing what is righteous and just

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.aa

4 The lamp that guides the wicked—

haughty eyes and an arrogant heartab —is sin.

5 The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,

but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.ac

6 Making a fortune through a lying tongue

is a vanishing mist,A a pursuit of death.B,C,ad

7 The violence of the wicked sweeps them away

because they refuse to act justly.

8 A guilty one’s conduct is crooked,a

but the behavior of the innocent is upright.b

9 Better to live on the corner of a roof

than to share a house with a nagging wife.c

10 A wicked person desires evil;

he has no considerationD for his neighbor.d

11 When a mocker is punished,

the inexperienced become wiser;

when one teaches a wise man,

he acquires knowledge.e

12 The Righteous OneE considers the house of the wicked;

he brings the wicked to ruin.

13 The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor

will himself also call out and not be answered.f

14 A secret gift soothes anger,

and a covert bribe, fierce rage.g

15 Justice executed is a joy to the righteous

but a terror to evildoers.h

16 The person who strays from the way of prudence

will come to rest in the assembly of the departed spirits.i

17 The one who loves pleasure will become poor;

whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich.j

18 The wicked are a ransom for the righteous,

and the treacherous, forF the upright.k

19 Better to live in a wilderness

than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.l

20 Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person,

but a fool consumes them.A,m

21 The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love

will find life, righteousness, and honor.n

22 A wise person went up against a city of warriors

and brought down its secure fortress.o

23 The one who guards his mouth and tongue

keeps himself out of trouble.p

24 The arrogant and proud person, named “Mocker,”

acts with excessive arrogance.q

25 A slacker’s craving will kill him

because his hands refuse to work.r

26 He is filled with cravingB all day long,

but the righteous give and don’t hold back.s

27 The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable—

how much more so

when he brings it with ulterior motives!t

28 A lying witness will perish,u

but the one who listens will speak successfully.

29 A wicked person puts on a bold face,v

but the upright one considers his way.

30 No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel

will prevail against the Lord.w

31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle,x

but victory comes from the Lord.y

22 A good name is to be chosen over great wealth;

favor is better than silver and gold.z

2 Rich and poor have this in common:C

the Lord makes them all.aa

3 A sensible person sees danger and takes cover,

but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.a

4 Humility, the fear of the Lord,

results in wealth, honor, and life.b

5 There are thorns and snares on the way of the crooked;c

the one who guards himself stays far from them.

6 Start a youth out on his way;d

even when he grows old he will not depart from it.

7 The rich rule over the poor,e

and the borrower is a slave to the lender.f

8 The one who sows injustice will reap disaster,g

and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

9 A generous personA will be blessed,h

for he shares his food with the poor.i

10 Drive out a mocker,j and conflict goes too;

then quarreling and dishonor will cease.k

11 The one who loves a pure heart

and gracious lips—the king is his friend.l

12 The Lord’s eyes keep watch over knowledge,

but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.

13 The slacker says, “There’s a lion outside!

I’ll be killed in the public square!”m

14 The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit;

a man cursed by the Lord will fall into it.n

15 Foolishness is bound to the heart of a youth;

a rod of discipline will separate it from him.o

16 Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself,

and giving to the rich—both lead only to poverty.p

WORDS OF THE WISE

17 Listen closely,B pay attention to the words of the wise,q

and apply your mind to my knowledge.

18 For it is pleasing if you keep them within you

and if they areC constantly on your lips.

19 I have instructed you today—even you—

so that your confidence may be in the Lord.

20 Haven’t I written for you thirty sayingsD

about counsel and knowledge,

21 in order to teach you true and reliable words,

so that you may give a dependable reportE,r

to those who sent you?s

22 Don’t rob a poor person because he is poor,

and don’t crush the oppressedt at the city gate,u

23 for the Lord will champion their causev

and will plunder those who plunder them.

24 Don’t make friends with an angry person,F

and don’t be a companion of a hot-tempered one,w

25 or you will learn his waysx

and entangle yourself in a snare.

26 Don’t be one of those who enter agreements,A

who put up security for loans.y

27 If you have nothing with which to pay,

even your bed will be taken from under you.z

28 Don’t move an ancient boundary marker

that your ancestors set up.a

29 Do you see a person skilled in his work?

He will stand in the presence of kings.

He will not stand in the presence of the unknown.a

23 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,

consider carefully whatB is before you,

2 and put a knife to your throat

if you have a bigC appetite;

3 don’t desire his choice food,b

for that food is deceptive.

4 Don’t wear yourself out to get rich;c

because you know better, stop!

5 As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears,d

for it makes wings for itself

and flies like an eagle to the sky.

6 Don’t eat a stingy person’s bread,D,e

and don’t desire his choice food,f

7 for it’s like someone calculating inwardly.E,g

“Eat and drink,” he says to you,

but his heart is not with you.h

8 You will vomit the little you’ve eaten

and waste your pleasant words.

9 Don’t speak toF a fool,

for he will despise the insight of your words.i

10 Don’t move an ancient boundary marker,j

and don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,

11 for their Redeemer is strong,k

and he will champion their cause against you.l

12 Apply yourself to discipline

and listen to words of knowledge.

13 Don’t withhold discipline from a youth;

if you punish him with a rod, he will not die.m

14 Punish him with a rod,

and you will rescue his life from Sheol.n

15 My son, if your heart is wise,

my heart will indeed rejoice.o

16 My innermost being will celebrate

when your lips say what is right.p

17 Don’t let your heart envy sinners;q

instead, always fear the Lord.r

18 For then you will have a future,

and your hope will not be dashed.s

19 Listen, my son, and be wise;

keep your mind on the right course.

20 Don’t associate with those who drink too much winet

or with those who gorge themselves on meat.u

21 For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor,

and grogginess will clothe them in rags.v

22 Listen to your father who gave you life,

and don’t despise your mother whenA she is old.w

23 Buy—and do not sell—truth,

wisdom, instruction, and understanding.x

24 The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly,

and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him.y

25 Let your father and mother have joy,z

and let her who gave birth to you rejoice.

26 My son, give me your heart,

and let your eyes observe my ways.

27 For a prostitute is a deep pit,aa

and a wayward woman is a narrow well;

28 indeed, she sets an ambush like a robberab

and increases the number of unfaithful people.

29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has conflicts? Who has complaints?

Who has wounds for no reason?ac

Who has red eyes?

30 Those who linger over wine;

those who go looking for mixed wine.ad

31 Don’t gaze at wine because it is red,a

because it gleams in the cup

and goes down smoothly.b

32 In the end it bites like a snake

and stings like a viper.

33 Your eyes will see strange things,

and you will say absurd things.B,c

34 You’ll be like someone sleeping out at sea

or lying down on the top of a ship’s mast.

35 “They struck me, butC I feel no pain!

They beat me, but I didn’t know it!d

When will I wake up?

I’ll look for another drink.”e