28 The awicked flee when no one pursues,

But the righteous are bold as a lion.

2 Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;

But by a man of understanding and knowledge

Right will be prolonged.

3 bA poor man who oppresses the poor

Is like a driving rain 1which leaves no food.

4 cThose who forsake the law praise the wicked,

dBut such as keep the law contend with them.

5 eEvil men do not understand justice,

But fthose who seek the Lord understand all.

6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity

Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

7 Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,

But a companion of gluttons shames his father.

8 One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion

Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.

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

gEven his prayer is an abomination.

10 hWhoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,

He himself will fall into his own pit;

iBut the blameless will inherit good.

11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes,

But the poor who has understanding searches him out.

12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great jglory;

But when the wicked arise, men 2hide themselves.

13 kHe who covers his sins will not prosper,

But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

14 Happy is the man who is always reverent,

But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

15 lLike a roaring lion and a charging bear

mIs a wicked ruler over poor people.

16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a great noppressor,

But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.

17 oA man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;

Let no one help him.

18 Whoever walks blamelessly will be 3saved,

But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.

19 pHe who tills his land will have plenty of bread,

But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!

20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,

qBut he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

21 rTo 4show partiality is not good,

sBecause for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,

And does not consider that tpoverty will come upon him.

23 uHe who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward

Than he who flatters with the tongue.

24 Whoever robs his father or his mother,

And says, “It is no transgression,”

The same vis companion to a destroyer.

25 wHe who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,

xBut he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.

26 He who ytrusts in his own heart is a fool,

But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

27 zHe who gives to the poor will not lack,

But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.

28 When the wicked arise, amen hide themselves;

But when they perish, the righteous increase.

29 He awho is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,

Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

2 When the righteous 1are in authority, the bpeople rejoice;

But when a wicked man rules, cthe people groan.

3 Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,

But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.

4 The king establishes the land by justice,

But he who receives bribes overthrows it.

5 A man who dflatters his neighbor

Spreads a net for his feet.

6 By transgression an evil man is snared,

But the righteous sings and rejoices.

7 The righteous econsiders the cause of the poor,

But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.

8 Scoffers fset a city aflame,

But wise men turn away wrath.

9 If a wise man contends with a foolish man,

gWhether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.

10 hThe bloodthirsty hate the blameless,

But the upright seek his 2well-being.

11 A fool vents all his ifeelings, 3

But a wise man holds them back.

12 If a ruler pays attention to lies,

All his servants become wicked.

13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:

jThe Lord gives light to the eyes of both.

14 The king who judges the kpoor with truth,

His throne will be established forever.

15 The rod and rebuke give lwisdom,

But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases;

But the righteous will see their mfall.

17 Correct your son, and he will give you rest;

Yes, he will give delight to your soul.

18 nWhere there is no 4revelation, the people cast off restraint;

But ohappy is he who keeps the law.

19 A servant will not be corrected by mere words;

For though he understands, he will not respond.

20 Do you see a man hasty in his words?

pThere is more hope for a fool than for him.

21 He who pampers his servant from childhood

Will have him as a son in the end.

22 qAn angry man stirs up strife,

And a furious man abounds in transgression.

23 rA man’s pride will bring him low,

But the humble in spirit will retain honor.

24 Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;

sHe 5swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.

25 tThe fear of man brings a snare,

But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be 6safe.

26 uMany seek the ruler’s 7favor,

But justice for man comes from the Lord.

27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,

And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.

The Wisdom of Agur

30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:

2 aSurely I am more stupid than any man,

And do not have the understanding of a man.

3 I neither learned wisdom

Nor have bknowledge of the Holy One.

4 cWho has ascended into heaven, or descended?

dWho has gathered the wind in His fists?

Who has bound the waters in a garment?

Who has established all the ends of the earth?

What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,

If you know?

5 eEvery word of God is 1pure;

fHe is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.

6 gDo not add to His words,

Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

7 Two things I request of You

(Deprive me not before I die):

8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me;

Give me neither poverty nor riches—

hFeed me with the food allotted to me;

9 iLest I be full and deny You,

And say, “Who is the Lord?”

Or lest I be poor and steal,

And profane the name of my God.

10 Do not malign a servant to his master,

Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.

11 There is a generation that curses its jfather,

And does not bless its mother.

12 There is a generation kthat is pure in its own eyes,

Yet is not washed from its filthiness.

13 There is a generation—oh, how llofty are their eyes!

And their eyelids are 2lifted up.

14 mThere is a generation whose teeth are like swords,

And whose fangs are like knives,

nTo devour the poor from off the earth,

And the needy from among men.

15 The leech has two daughters—

Give and Give!

There are three things that are never satisfied,

Four never say, “Enough!”:

16 oThe 3grave,

The barren womb,

The earth that is not satisfied with water—

And the fire never says, “Enough!”

17 pThe eye that mocks his father,

And scorns obedience to his mother,

The ravens of the valley will pick it out,

And the young eagles will eat it.

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,

Yes, four which I do not understand:

19 The way of an eagle in the air,

The way of a serpent on a rock,

The way of a ship in the 4midst of the sea,

And the way of a man with a virgin.

20 This is the way of an adulterous woman:

She eats and wipes her mouth,

And says, “I have done no wickedness.”

21 For three things the earth is perturbed,

Yes, for four it cannot bear up:

22 qFor a servant when he reigns,

A fool when he is filled with food,

23 A 5hateful woman when she is married,

And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.

24 There are four things which are little on the earth,

But they are exceedingly wise:

25 rThe ants are a people not strong,

Yet they prepare their food in the summer;

26 sThe 6rock badgers are a feeble folk,

Yet they make their homes in the crags;

27 The locusts have no king,

Yet they all advance in ranks;

28 The 7spider skillfully grasps with its hands,

And it is in kings’ palaces.

29 There are three things which are majestic in pace,

Yes, four which are stately in walk:

30 A lion, which is mighty among beasts

And does not turn away from any;

31 A 8greyhound,

A male goat also,

And 9a king whose troops are with him.

32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,

Or if you have devised evil, tput your hand on your mouth.

33 For as the churning of milk produces butter,

And wringing the nose produces blood,

So the forcing of wrath produces strife.