1 Better a poor person who lives with integrity  *

than someone who has deceitful lips and is a fool.

2 Even zeal is not good without knowledge,  *

and the one who acts hastily  *  sins.  *

3 A person’s own foolishness leads him astray,

yet his heart rages against the  Lord.  *

4 Wealth attracts many friends,  *

but a poor person is separated from his friend.

5 A false witness will not go unpunished,  *

and one who utters lies will not escape.  *

6 Many seek a ruler’s favor,  *

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

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

how much more do his friends

keep their distance from him!

He may pursue them with words,  *

but they are not there.  *

8 The one who acquires good sense  * loves himself;

one who safeguards understanding finds success.  *

9 A false witness will not go unpunished,

and one who utters lies perishes.  *

10 Luxury is not appropriate for a fool  *  —

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

11 A person’s insight gives him patience,  *

and his virtue is to overlook an offense.  *

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

but his favor is like dew on the grass.  *

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

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

14 A house and wealth are inherited from fathers,  *

but a prudent wife is from the  Lord.

15 Laziness induces deep sleep,

and a lazy person will go hungry.  *

16 The one who keeps commands preserves himself;  *

one who disregards  * his ways will die.  *

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

and he will give a reward to the lender.  *,*

18 Discipline your son while there is hope;

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

19 A person with intense anger bears the penalty;

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

20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction

so that you may be wise later in life.  *,*

21 Many plans are in a person’s heart,

but the  Lord’s decree will prevail.  *

22 What is desirable in a person is his fidelity;

better to be a poor person than a liar.  *

23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;

one will sleep at night  * without danger.  *

24 The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;

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

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

rebuke the discerning, and he gains knowledge.  *

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.  *

29 Judgments are prepared for mockers,

and beatings for the backs of fools.  *