20 Winek is a mockerl and beer a brawler;

whoever is led astraym by them is not wise.n

2 A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;o

those who anger him forfeit their lives.p

3 It is to one’s honor to avoid strife,

but every foolq is quick to quarrel.r

4 Sluggardss do not plow in season;

so at harvest time they look but find nothing.t

5 The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,u

but one who has insight draws them out.

6 Many claim to have unfailing love,

but a faithful person who can find?v

7 The righteous lead blameless lives;w

blessed are their children after them.x

8 When a king sits on his throne to judge,y

he winnows out all evil with his eyes.z

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

I am clean and without sin”?b

10 Differing weights and differing measures—

the Lord detests them both.c

11 Even small children are known by their actions,

so is their conduct really pured and upright?

12 Ears that hear and eyes that see—

the Lord has made them both.e

13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;f

stay awake and you will have food to spare.

14 “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—

then goes off and boasts about the purchase.

15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,

but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

16 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;

hold it in pledgeg if it is done for an outsider.h

17 Food gained by fraud tastes sweet,i

but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.j

18 Plans are established by seeking advice;

so if you wage war, obtain guidance.k

19 A gossip betrays a confidence;l

so avoid anyone who talks too much.

20 If someone curses their father or mother,m

their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.n

21 An inheritance claimed too soon

will not be blessed at the end.

22 Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”o

Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.p

23 The Lord detests differing weights,

and dishonest scales do not please him.q

24 A person’s steps are directedr by the Lord.s

How then can anyone understand their own way?t

25 It is a trap to dedicate something rashly

and only later to consider one’s vows.u

26 A wise king winnows out the wicked;

he drives the threshing wheel over them.v

27 The human spirit isa the lamp of the Lordw

that sheds light on one’s inmost being.x

28 Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;

through lovey his throne is made secure.z

29 The glory of young men is their strength,

gray hair the splendor of the old.a

30 Blows and wounds scrubb away evil,

and beatingsc purge the inmost being.

21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water

that he channels toward all who please him.d

2 A person may think their own ways are right,

but the Lord weighs the heart.e

3 To do what is right and just

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.f

4 Haughty eyesg and a proud heart—

the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.

5 The plans of the diligent lead to profith

as surely as haste leads to poverty.

6 A fortune made by a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.a i

7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,j

for they refuse to do what is right.

8 The way of the guilty is devious,k

but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

9 Better to live on a corner of the roof

than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.l

10 The wicked crave evil;

their neighbors get no mercy from them.

11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;

by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.m

12 The Righteous Oneb takes note of the house of the wicked

and brings the wicked to ruin.n

13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor

will also cry outo and not be answered.p

14 A gift given in secret soothes anger,

and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.q

15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous

but terror to evildoers.r

16 Whoever strays from the path of prudence

comes to rest in the company of the dead.s

17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;

whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.t

18 The wicked become a ransomu for the righteous,

and the unfaithful for the upright.

19 Better to live in a desert

than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.v

20 The wise store up choice food and olive oil,

but fools gulp theirs down.

21 Whoever pursues righteousness and love

finds life, prosperityc w and honor.x

22 One who is wise can go up against the city of the mightyy

and pull down the stronghold in which they trust.

23 Those who guard their mouthsz and their tongues

keep themselves from calamity.a

24 The proud and arrogant personb—“Mocker” is his name—

behaves with insolent fury.

25 The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,c

because his hands refuse to work.

26 All day long he craves for more,

but the righteousd give without sparing.e

27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestablef—

how much more so when brought with evil intent!g

28 A false witnessh will perish,i

but a careful listener will testify successfully.

29 The wicked put up a bold front,

but the upright give thought to their ways.j

30 There is no wisdom,k no insight, no plan

that can succeed against the Lord.l

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

but victory rests with the Lord.m

22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;

to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.n

2 Rich and poor have this in common:

The Lord is the Maker of them all.o

3 The prudent see danger and take refuge,p

but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.q

4 Humility is the fear of the Lord;

its wages are riches and honorr and life.s

5 In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,t

but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.

6 Startu children off on the way they should go,v

and even when they are old they will not turn from it.w

7 The rich rule over the poor,

and the borrower is slave to the lender.

8 Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity,x

and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.y

9 The generous will themselves be blessed,z

for they share their food with the poor.a

10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;

quarrels and insults are ended.b

11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace

will have the king for a friend.c

12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,

but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

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

I’ll be killed in the public square!”

14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;e

a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.f

15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,

but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.g

16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth

and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

Thirty Sayings of the Wise

Saying 1

17 Pay attentionh and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;i

apply your heart to what I teach,j

18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart

and have all of them ready on your lips.

19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,

I teach you today, even you.

20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,

sayings of counsel and knowledge,

21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,k

so that you bring back truthful reports

to those you serve?

Saying 2

22 Do not exploit the poorl because they are poor

and do not crush the needy in court,m

23 for the Lord will take up their casen

and will exact life for life.o

Saying 3

24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,

do not associate with one easily angered,

25 or you may learn their ways

and get yourself ensnared.p

Saying 4

26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledgeq

or puts up security for debts;

27 if you lack the means to pay,

your very bed will be snatched from under you.r

Saying 5

28 Do not move an ancient boundary stones

set up by your ancestors.

Saying 6

29 Do you see someone skilledt in their work?

They will serveu before kings;v

they will not serve before officials of low rank.