1 A good name is more desirable than great riches,
and loving favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common:
Yahweh is the maker of them all.
3 A prudent man sees danger and hides himself;
but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
4 The result of humility and the fear of Yahweh
is wealth, honor, and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked;
whoever guards his soul stays from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The rich rule over the poor.
The borrower is servant to the lender.
8 He who sows wickedness reaps trouble,
and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed,
for he shares his food with the poor.
10 Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out;
yes, quarrels and insults will stop.
11 He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully
is the king’s friend.
12 Yahweh’s eyes watch over knowledge,
but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside!
I will be killed in the streets!"
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit.
He who is under Yahweh’s wrath will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child;
the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich,
both come to poverty.
17 Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise.
Apply your heart to my teaching.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 I teach you today, even you,
so that your trust may be in Yahweh.
20 Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things
of counsel and knowledge,
21 To teach you truth, reliable words,
to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?
22 Don’t exploit the poor because he is poor;
and don’t crush the needy in court;
23 for Yahweh will plead their case,
and plunder the life of those who plunder them.
24 Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man.
Don’t associate with one who harbors anger,
25 lest you learn his ways
and ensnare your soul.
26 Don’t you be one of those who strike hands,
of those who are collateral for debts.
27 If you don’t have means to pay,
why should he take away your bed from under you?
28 Don’t move the ancient boundary stone
which your fathers have set up.
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will serve kings.
He won’t serve obscure men.
1 A [good] reputation [is] rather to be chosen than great riches [and] good grace rather than silver and gold.
2 The rich and poor meet together; the LORD [is] the maker of them all.
3 A prudent [man] foresees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and receive hurt.
4 Riches and honour and life [are] the remuneration of humility and of the fear of the LORD.
5 Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the perverse; he that keeps his soul shall be far from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.
7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender.
8 He that sows iniquity shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his anger shall fail.
9 He that has a merciful eye shall be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the destitute.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; strife and reproach shall cease.
11 He that loves pureness of heart, [for] the grace of his lips the king [shall be] his friend.
12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthrows the words of the transgressor.
13 The slothful [man] says, [There is] a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
14 The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit; he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
15 Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child, [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16 He that oppresses the poor to increase his [riches] [and] who gives to the rich [shall] surely [come] to want.
17 Bow down thine ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my wisdom.
18 For [it is] a delightful thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall be ordered together in thy lips.
19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have I not written unto thee three times in counsels and knowledge,
21 that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou mightest answer the words of truth to those that send unto thee?
22 Rob not the poor, because he [is] poor: neither destroy the destitute in judgment:
23 For the LORD will judge their cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
24 Do not meddle with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
25 Lest thou learn his ways and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Be not thou [one]of them that strike hands [or] of them that are sureties for debts.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should they take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
29 Seest thou a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before obscure [men].: