1 A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness,

and defies all sound judgment.

2 A fool has no delight in understanding,

but only in revealing his own opinion.

3 When wickedness comes, contempt also comes,

and with shame comes disgrace.

4 The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters.

The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.

5 To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good,

nor to deprive the innocent of justice.

6 A fool’s lips come into strife,

and his mouth invites beatings.

7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction,

and his lips are a snare to his soul.

8 The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels:

they go down into a person’s innermost parts.

9 One who is slack in his work

is brother to him who is a master of destruction.

10 Yahweh’s name is a strong tower:

the righteous run to him, and are safe.

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

like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.

12 Before destruction the heart of man is proud,

but before honor is humility.

13 He who answers before he hears,

that is folly and shame to him.

14 A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness,

but a crushed spirit, who can bear?

15 The heart of the discerning gets knowledge.

The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

16 A man’s gift makes room for him,

and brings him before great men.

17 He who pleads his cause first seems right—

until another comes and questions him.

18 The lot settles disputes,

and keeps strong ones apart.

19 A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city.

Disputes are like the bars of a fortress.

20 A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth.

With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue;

those who love it will eat its fruit.

22 Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing,

and obtains favor of Yahweh.

23 The poor plead for mercy,

but the rich answer harshly.

24 A man of many companions may be ruined,

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

1 Whosoever goes astray seeks according to his own lust and shall meddle with every doctrine.

2 A fool has no delight in understanding, but in that which his own heart discovers.

3 When the wicked comes, then comes also contempt, and with him who dishonours, reproach.

4 The words of a man's mouth [are as] deep waters, [and] the wellspring of wisdom [as] a flowing brook.

5 To respect the person of the wicked so that the righteous loses that which is rightfully his is not good.

6 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calls for strokes.

7 A fool's mouth [is] his destruction, and his lips [are] the snare of his soul.

8 The words of a talebearer seem smooth, but they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

9 He also that is negligent in his work is brother to him that is the great spendthrift.

10 The name of the LORD [is] a strong tower: the righteous shall run into it, and be raised up.

11 The rich man's wealth [is] his strong city and as a high wall in his imagination.

12 Before being broken, the heart of man is haughty, and before coming into honour, [comes] being brought to humility.

13 [For] him that answers a word before he hears, it [is] folly and reproach unto him.

14 The spirit of man will bear his infirmity, but a broken spirit who can bear?

15 The heart of the man of understanding acquires wisdom, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

16 A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.

17 The [one who is] just is first in his cause, his adversary comes and seeks him out.

18 The lot causes contentions to cease and decides between the mighty.

19 A brother offended [is harder to be won] than a strong city, and [their] contentions [are] like the bars of a castle.

20 A man's belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth, [and] with the product of his lips shall he be filled.

21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, and those that love it shall eat its fruit.

22 [Whosoever] found a wife found a good [thing] and has attained the favour of the LORD.

23 The poor uses intreaties, but the rich answer roughly.

24 The man [that has] friends must show himself to be a friend, and there is a friend [that] sticks closer than a brother.: