On Life and Conduct

1
The king’s heart is {like} channels of water in the hand of the LORD;
He turns it wherever He wishes. 2
Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the LORD weighs the hearts. 3
To do righteousness and justice
Is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice. 4
Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
The lamp of the wicked, is sin. 5
The plans of the diligent {lead} surely to advantage,
But everyone who is hasty {comes} surely to poverty. 6
The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death. 7
The violence of the wicked will drag them away,
Because they refuse to act with justice. 8
The way of a guilty man is crooked,
But as for the pure, his conduct is upright. 9
It is better to live in a corner of a roof
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman. 10
The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes. 11
When the scoffer is punished, the naive becomes wise;
But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge. 12
The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Turning the wicked to ruin. 13
He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor
Will also cry himself and not be answered. 14
A gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath. 15
The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,
But is terror to the workers of iniquity. 16
A man who wanders from the way of understanding
Will rest in the assembly of the dead. 17
He who loves pleasure {will become} a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not become rich. 18
The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
And the treacherous is in the place of the upright. 19
It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and vexing woman. 20
There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man swallows it up. 21
He who pursues righteousness and loyalty
Finds life, righteousness and honor. 22
A wise man scales the city of the mighty
And brings down the stronghold in which they trust. 23
He who guards his mouth and his tongue,
Guards his soul from troubles. 24
“Proud, “Haughty, “Scoffer, are his names,
Who acts with insolent pride. 25
The desire of the sluggard puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work; 26
All day long he is craving,
While the righteous gives and does not hold back. 27
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
How much more when he brings it with evil intent! 28
A false witness will perish,
But the man who listens {to the truth} will speak forever. 29
A wicked man displays a bold face,
But as for the upright, he makes his way sure. 30
There is no wisdom and no understanding
And no counsel against the LORD. 31
The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But victory belongs to the LORD.

On Life and Conduct

1
Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise. 2
The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;
He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life. 3
Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man,
But any fool will quarrel. 4
The sluggard does not plow after the autumn,
So he begs during the harvest and has nothing. 5
A plan in the heart of a man is {like} deep water,
But a man of understanding draws it out. 6
Many a man proclaims his own loyalty,
But who can find a trustworthy man? 7
A righteous man who walks in his integrity–
How blessed are his sons after him. 8
A king who sits on the throne of justice
Disperses all evil with his eyes. 9
Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,
I am pure from my sin? 10
Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the LORD. 11
It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself
If his conduct is pure and right. 12
The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The LORD has made both of them. 13
Do not love sleep, or you will become poor;
Open your eyes, {and} you will be satisfied with food. 14
“Bad, bad, says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts. 15
There is gold, and an abundance of jewels;
But the lips of knowledge are a more precious thing. 16
Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;
And for foreigners, hold him in pledge. 17
Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. 18
Prepare plans by consultation,
And make war by wise guidance. 19
He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
Therefore do not associate with a gossip. 20
He who curses his father or his mother,
His lamp will go out in time of darkness. 21
An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning
Will not be blessed in the end. 22
Do not say, “I will repay evil;
Wait for the LORD, and He will save you. 23
Differing weights are an abomination to the LORD,
And a false scale is not good. 24
Man’s steps are {ordained} by the LORD,
How then can man understand his way? 25
It is a trap for a man to say rashly, “It is holy!
And after the vows to make inquiry. 26
A wise king winnows the wicked,
And drives the {threshing} wheel over them. 27
The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD,
Searching all the innermost parts of his being. 28
Loyalty and truth preserve the king,
And he upholds his throne by righteousness. 29
The glory of young men is their strength,
And the honor of old men is their gray hair. 30
Stripes that wound scour away evil,
And strokes {reach} the innermost parts.

On Life and Conduct

1
Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool. 2
Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries his footsteps errs. 3
The foolishness of man ruins his way,
And his heart rages against the LORD. 4
Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend. 5
A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who tells lies will not escape. 6
Many will seek the favor of a generous man,
And every man is a friend to him who gives gifts. 7
All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his friends abandon him!
He pursues {them with} words, {but} they are gone. 8
He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will find good. 9
A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who tells lies will perish. 10
Luxury is not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a slave to rule over princes. 11
A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory to overlook a transgression. 12
The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like dew on the grass. 13
A foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the contentions of a wife are a constant dripping. 14
House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the LORD. 15
Laziness casts into a deep sleep,
And an idle man will suffer hunger. 16
He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
{But} he who is careless of conduct will die. 17
One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD,
And He will repay him for his good deed. 18
Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire his death. 19
{A man of} great anger will bear the penalty,
For if you rescue {him,} you will only have to do it again. 20
Listen to counsel and accept discipline,
That you may be wise the rest of your days. 21
Many plans are in a man’s heart,
But the counsel of the LORD will stand. 22
What is desirable in a man is his kindness,
And {it is} better to be a poor man than a liar. 23
The fear of the LORD {leads} to life,
So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil. 24
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish,
{But} will not even bring it back to his mouth. 25
Strike a scoffer and the naive may become shrewd,
But reprove one who has understanding and he will gain knowledge. 26
He who assaults {his} father {and} drives {his} mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son. 27
Cease listening, my son, to discipline,
{And you will} stray from the words of knowledge. 28
A rascally witness makes a mockery of justice,
And the mouth of the wicked spreads iniquity. 29
Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And blows for the back of fools.

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1
He who separates himself seeks {his own} desire,
He quarrels against all sound wisdom. 2
A fool does not delight in understanding,
But only in revealing his own mind. 3
When a wicked man comes, contempt also comes,
And with dishonor {comes} scorn. 4
The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. 5
To show partiality to the wicked is not good,
{Nor} to thrust aside the righteous in judgment. 6
A fool’s lips bring strife,
And his mouth calls for blows. 7
A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are the snare of his soul. 8
The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the body. 9
He also who is slack in his work
Is brother to him who destroys. 10
The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and is safe. 11
A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own imagination. 12
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,
But humility {goes} before honor. 13
He who gives an answer before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him. 14
The spirit of a man can endure his sickness,
But {as for} a broken spirit who can bear it? 15
The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge,
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 first to plead his case {seems} right,
{Until} another comes and examines him. 18
The {cast} lot puts an end to strife
And decides between the mighty ones. 19
A brother offended {is harder to be won} than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a citadel. 20
With the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
He will be satisfied {with} the product of his lips. 21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit. 22
He who finds a wife finds a good thing
And obtains favor from the LORD. 23
The poor man utters supplications,
But the rich man answers roughly. 24
A man of {too many} friends {comes} to ruin,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1
Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of feasting with strife. 2
A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
And will share in the inheritance among brothers. 3
The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But the LORD tests hearts. 4
An evildoer listens to wicked lips;
A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. 5
He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker;
He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished. 6
Grandchildren are the crown of old men,
And the glory of sons is their fathers. 7
Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool,
Much less are lying lips to a prince. 8
A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers. 9
He who conceals a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends. 10
A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows into a fool. 11
A rebellious man seeks only evil,
So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. 12
Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly. 13
He who returns evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house. 14
The beginning of strife is {like} letting out water,
So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. 15
He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. 16
Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
When he has no sense? 17
A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity. 18
A man lacking in sense pledges
And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor. 19
He who loves transgression loves strife;
He who raises his door seeks destruction. 20
He who has a crooked mind finds no good,
And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil. 21
He who sires a fool {does so} to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy. 22
A joyful heart is good medicine,
But a broken spirit dries up the bones. 23
A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom
To pervert the ways of justice. 24
Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding,
But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. 25
A foolish son is a grief to his father
And bitterness to her who bore him. 26
It is also not good to fine the righteous,
{Nor} to strike the noble for {their} uprightness. 27
He who restrains his words has knowledge,
And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. 28
Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is {considered} prudent.

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1
The plans of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. 2
All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,
But the LORD weighs the motives. 3
Commit your works to the LORD
And your plans will be established. 4
The LORD has made everything for its own purpose,
Even the wicked for the day of evil. 5
Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD;
Assuredly, he will not be unpunished. 6
By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,
And by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil. 7
When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8
Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice. 9
The mind of man plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps. 10
A divine decision is in the lips of the king;
His mouth should not err in judgment. 11
A just balance and scales belong to the LORD;
All the weights of the bag are His concern. 12
It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
For a throne is established on righteousness. 13
Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And he who speaks right is loved. 14
The fury of a king is {like} messengers of death,
But a wise man will appease it. 15
In the light of a king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain. 16
How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. 17
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who watches his way preserves his life. 18
Pride {goes} before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling. 19
It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly
Than to divide the spoil with the proud. 20
He who gives attention to the word will find good,
And blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. 21
The wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. 22
Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,
But the discipline of fools is folly. 23
The heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds persuasiveness to his lips. 24
Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. 25
There is a way {which seems} right to a man,
But its end is the way of death. 26
A worker’s appetite works for him,
For his hunger urges him {on.} 27
A worthless man digs up evil,
While his words are like scorching fire. 28
A perverse man spreads strife,
And a slanderer separates intimate friends. 29
A man of violence entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good. 30
He who winks his eyes {does so} to devise perverse things;
He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass. 31
A gray head is a crown of glory;
It is found in the way of righteousness. 32
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. 33
The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the LORD.

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1
A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger. 2
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable,
But the mouth of fools spouts folly. 3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good. 4
A soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it crushes the spirit. 5
A fool rejects his father’s discipline,
But he who regards reproof is sensible. 6
Great wealth is {in} the house of the righteous,
But trouble is in the income of the wicked. 7
The lips of the wise spread knowledge,
But the hearts of fools are not so. 8
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight. 9
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
But He loves one who pursues righteousness. 10
Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way;
He who hates reproof will die. 11
Sheol and Abaddon {lie open} before the LORD,
How much more the hearts of men! 12
A scoffer does not love one who reproves him,
He will not go to the wise. 13
A joyful heart makes a cheerful face,
But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. 14
The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on folly. 15
All the days of the afflicted are bad,
But a cheerful heart {has} a continual feast. 16
Better is a little with the fear of the LORD
Than great treasure and turmoil with it. 17
Better is a dish of vegetables where love is
Than a fattened ox {served} with hatred. 18
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger calms a dispute. 19
The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns,
But the path of the upright is a highway. 20
A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man despises his mother. 21
Folly is joy to him who lacks sense,
But a man of understanding walks straight. 22
Without consultation, plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they succeed. 23
A man has joy in an apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely word! 24
The path of life {leads} upward for the wise
That he may keep away from Sheol below. 25
The LORD will tear down the house of the proud,
But He will establish the boundary of the widow. 26
Evil plans are an abomination to the LORD,
But pleasant words are pure. 27
He who profits illicitly troubles his own house,
But he who hates bribes will live. 28
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. 29
The LORD is far from the wicked,
But He hears the prayer of the righteous. 30
Bright eyes gladden the heart;
Good news puts fat on the bones. 31
He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof
Will dwell among the wise. 32
He who neglects discipline despises himself,
But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding. 33
The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor {comes} humility.

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1
The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish tears it down with her own hands. 2
He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD,
But he who is devious in his ways despises Him. 3
In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for {his} back,
But the lips of the wise will protect them. 4
Where no oxen are, the manger is clean,
But much revenue {comes} by the strength of the ox. 5
A trustworthy witness will not lie,
But a false witness utters lies. 6
A scoffer seeks wisdom and {finds} none,
But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding. 7
Leave the presence of a fool,
Or you will not discern words of knowledge. 8
The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,
But the foolishness of fools is deceit. 9
Fools mock at sin,
But among the upright there is good will. 10
The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy. 11
The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
But the tent of the upright will flourish. 12
There is a way {which seems} right to a man,
But its end is the way of death. 13
Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,
And the end of joy may be grief. 14
The backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways,
But a good man will {be satisfied} with his. 15
The naive believes everything,
But the sensible man considers his steps. 16
A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless. 17
A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of evil devices is hated. 18
The naive inherit foolishness,
But the sensible are crowned with knowledge. 19
The evil will bow down before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous. 20
The poor is hated even by his neighbor,
But those who love the rich are many. 21
He who despises his neighbor sins,
But happy is he who is gracious to the poor. 22
Will they not go astray who devise evil?
But kindness and truth {will be to} those who devise good. 23
In all labor there is profit,
But mere talk {leads} only to poverty. 24
The crown of the wise is their riches,
{But} the folly of fools is foolishness. 25
A truthful witness saves lives,
But he who utters lies is treacherous. 26
In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence,
And his children will have refuge. 27
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
That one may avoid the snares of death. 28
In a multitude of people is a king’s glory,
But in the dearth of people is a prince’s ruin. 29
He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly. 30
A tranquil heart is life to the body,
But passion is rottenness to the bones. 31
He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker,
But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him. 32
The wicked is thrust down by his wrongdoing,
But the righteous has a refuge when he dies. 33
Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,
But in the hearts of fools it is made known. 34
Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to {any} people. 35
The king’s favor is toward a servant who acts wisely,
But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1
A wise son {accepts his} father’s discipline,
But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. 2
From the fruit of a man’s mouth he enjoys good,
But the desire of the treacherous is violence. 3
The one who guards his mouth preserves his life;
The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. 4
The soul of the sluggard craves and {gets} nothing,
But the soul of the diligent is made fat. 5
A righteous man hates falsehood,
But a wicked man acts disgustingly and shamefully. 6
Righteousness guards the one whose way is blameless,
But wickedness subverts the sinner. 7
There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing;
{Another} pretends to be poor, but has great wealth. 8
The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
But the poor hears no rebuke. 9
The light of the righteous rejoices,
But the lamp of the wicked goes out. 10
Through insolence comes nothing but strife,
But wisdom is with those who receive counsel. 11
Wealth {obtained} by fraud dwindles,
But the one who gathers by labor increases {it.} 12
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire fulfilled is a tree of life. 13
The one who despises the word will be in debt to it,
But the one who fears the commandment will be rewarded. 14
The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
To turn aside from the snares of death. 15
Good understanding produces favor,
But the way of the treacherous is hard. 16
Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool displays folly. 17
A wicked messenger falls into adversity,
But a faithful envoy {brings} healing. 18
Poverty and shame {will come} to him who neglects discipline,
But he who regards reproof will be honored. 19
Desire realized is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil. 20
He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm. 21
Adversity pursues sinners,
But the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity. 22
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. 23
Abundant food {is in} the fallow ground of the poor,
But it is swept away by injustice. 24
He who withholds his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him diligently. 25
The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
But the stomach of the wicked is in need.

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
But he who hates reproof is stupid. 2
A good man will obtain favor from the LORD,
But He will condemn a man who devises evil. 3
A man will not be established by wickedness,
But the root of the righteous will not be moved. 4
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who shames {him} is like rottenness in his bones. 5
The thoughts of the righteous are just,
{But} the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. 6
The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
But the mouth of the upright will deliver them. 7
The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand. 8
A man will be praised according to his insight,
But one of perverse mind will be despised. 9
Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant
Than he who honors himself and lacks bread. 10
A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal,
But {even} the compassion of the wicked is cruel. 11
He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who pursues worthless {things} lacks sense. 12
The wicked man desires the booty of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields {fruit.} 13
An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
But the righteous will escape from trouble. 14
A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words,
And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him. 15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a wise man is he who listens to counsel. 16
A fool’s anger is known at once,
But a prudent man conceals dishonor. 17
He who speaks truth tells what is right,
But a false witness, deceit. 18
There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise brings healing. 19
Truthful lips will be established forever,
But a lying tongue is only for a moment. 20
Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy. 21
No harm befalls the righteous,
But the wicked are filled with trouble. 22
Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight. 23
A prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims folly. 24
The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the slack {hand} will be put to forced labor. 25
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,
But a good word makes it glad. 26
The righteous is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked leads them astray. 27
A lazy man does not roast his prey,
But the precious possession of a man {is} diligence. 28
In the way of righteousness is life,
And in {its} pathway there is no death.