18 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;

He rages against all 1wise judgment.

2 A fool has no delight in understanding,

But in expressing his aown heart.

3 When the wicked comes, contempt comes also;

And with dishonor comes reproach.

4 bThe words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;

cThe wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.

5 It is not good to show partiality to the wicked,

Or to overthrow the righteous in djudgment.

6 A fool’s lips enter into contention,

And his mouth calls for blows.

7 eA fool’s mouth is his destruction,

And his lips are the snare of his fsoul.

8 gThe words of a 2talebearer are like 3tasty trifles,

And they go down into the 4inmost body.

9 He who is slothful in his work

Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.

10 The name of the Lord is a strong htower;

The righteous run to it and are 5safe.

11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,

And like a high wall in his own esteem.

12 iBefore destruction the heart of a man is haughty,

And before honor is humility.

13 He who answers a matter before he hears it,

It is folly and shame to him.

14 The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness,

But who can bear a broken spirit?

15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,

And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

16 jA man’s gift makes room for him,

And brings him before great men.

17 The first one to plead his cause seems right,

Until his neighbor comes and examines him.

18 Casting klots causes contentions to cease,

And keeps the mighty apart.

19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city,

And contentions are like the bars of a castle.

20 lA man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;

From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

21 mDeath and life are in the power of the tongue,

And those who love it will eat its fruit.

22 nHe who finds a wife finds a good thing,

And obtains favor from the Lord.

23 The poor man uses entreaties,

But the rich answers oroughly.

24 A man who has friends 6must himself be friendly,

pBut there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

19 Better ais the poor who walks in his integrity

Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

2 Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge,

And he sins who hastens with his feet.

3 The foolishness of a man twists his way,

And his heart frets against the Lord.

4 bWealth makes many friends,

But the poor is separated from his friend.

5 A cfalse witness will not go unpunished,

And he who speaks lies will not escape.

6 Many entreat the favor of the nobility,

And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.

7 dAll the brothers of the poor hate him;

How much more do his friends go efar from him!

He may pursue them with words, yet they 1abandon him.

8 He who gets 2wisdom loves his own soul;

He who keeps understanding fwill find good.

9 A false witness will not go unpunished,

And he who speaks lies shall perish.

10 Luxury is not fitting for a fool,

Much less gfor a servant to rule over princes.

11 hThe discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,

iAnd his glory is to overlook a transgression.

12 jThe king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,

But his favor is klike dew on the grass.

13 lA foolish son is the ruin of his father,

mAnd the contentions of a wife are a continual 3dripping.

14 nHouses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,

But oa prudent wife is from the Lord.

15 pLaziness casts one into a deep sleep,

And an idle person will qsuffer hunger.

16 rHe who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,

But he who 4is careless of his ways will die.

17 sHe who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,

And He will pay back what he has given.

18 tChasten your son while there is hope,

And do not set your heart 5on his destruction.

19 A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;

For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction,

That you may be wise uin your latter days.

21 There are many plans in a man’s heart,

vNevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

22 What is desired in a man is 6kindness,

And a poor man is better than a liar.

23 wThe fear of the Lord leads to life,

And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;

He will not be visited with evil.

24 xA lazy man buries his hand in the 7bowl,

And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple ywill become wary;

zRebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.

26 He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother

Is aa son who causes shame and brings reproach.

27 Cease listening to instruction, my son,

And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 A 8disreputable witness scorns justice,

And bthe mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

29 Judgments are prepared for scoffers,

cAnd beatings for the backs of fools.

20 Wine ais a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler,

And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

2 The 1wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion;

Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.

3 bIt is honorable for a man to stop striving,

Since any fool can start a quarrel.

4 cThe lazy man will not plow because of winter;

dHe will beg during harvest and have nothing.

5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,

But a man of understanding will draw it out.

6 Most men will proclaim each his own 2goodness,

But who can find a faithful man?

7 eThe righteous man walks in his integrity;

fHis children are blessed after him.

8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment

Scatters all evil with his eyes.

9 gWho can say, “I have made my heart clean,

I am pure from my sin”?

10 hDiverse weights and diverse measures,

They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord.

11 Even a child is iknown by his deeds,

Whether what he does is pure and right.

12 jThe hearing ear and the seeing eye,

The Lord has made them both.

13 kDo not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;

Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.

14 “It is 3good for nothing,” cries the buyer;

But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.

15 There is gold and a multitude of rubies,

But lthe lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16 mTake the garment of one who is surety for a stranger,

And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.

17 nBread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,

But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

18 oPlans are established by counsel;

pBy wise counsel wage war.

19 qHe who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;

Therefore do not associate with one rwho flatters with his lips.

20 sWhoever curses his father or his mother,

tHis lamp will be put out in deep darkness.

21 uAn inheritance gained hastily at the beginning

vWill not be blessed at the end.

22 wDo not say, “I will 4recompense evil”;

xWait for the Lord, and He will save you.

23 Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord,

And dishonest scales are not good.

24 A man’s steps are of the Lord;

How then can a man understand his own way?

25 It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy,

And afterward to reconsider his vows.

26 yA wise king sifts out the wicked,

And brings the threshing wheel over them.

27 zThe spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord,

Searching all the 5inner depths of his heart.

28 aMercy and truth preserve the king,

And by 6lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

29 The glory of young men is their strength,

And bthe splendor of old men is their gray head.

30 Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,

As do stripes the 7inner depths of the heart.