txt/Tanakh/Writings/Proverbs/English/merged.txt

Proverbs
משלי
merged
https://www.sefaria.org/Proverbs
This file contains merged sections from the following text versions:
-Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, published by JPS
-https://jps.org/books/tanakh-the-holy-scriptures-blue/

Proverbs



Chapter 1

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:<br>
For learning wisdom and discipline;<br>For understanding words of discernment;
For acquiring the discipline for success,<br>Righteousness, justice, and equity;
For endowing the simple with shrewdness,<br>The young with knowledge and foresight.
—The wise man, hearing them, will gain more wisdom;<br>The discerning man will learn to be adroit;
For understanding proverb and epigram,<br>The words of the wise and their riddles.<br>
The fear of the L<small>ORD</small> is the beginning<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Or “best part.”</i> of knowledge;<br>Fools despise wisdom and discipline.<br>
My son, heed the discipline of your father,<br>And do not forsake the instruction of your mother;
For they are a graceful wreath upon your head,<br>A necklace about your throat.<br>
My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield;
If they say, “Come with us,<br>Let us set an ambush to shed blood,<br>Let us lie in wait for the innocent<br>(Without cause!)
Like Sheol, let us swallow them alive;<br>Whole, like those who go down into the Pit.
We shall obtain every precious treasure;<br>We shall fill our homes with loot.
Throw in your lot with us;<br>We shall all have a common purse.”
My son, do not set out with them;<br>Keep your feet from their path.
For their feet run to evil;<br>They hurry to shed blood.
In the eyes of every winged creature<br>The outspread net means nothing.
But they lie in ambush for their own blood;<br>They lie in wait for their own lives.
Such is the fate of all who pursue unjust gain;<br>It takes the life of its possessor.<br>
Wisdom<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">In Proverbs, wisdom is personified as a woman.</i> cries aloud in the streets,<br>Raises her voice in the squares.
At the head of the busy streets she calls;<br>At the entrance of the gates, in the city, she speaks out:
“How long will you simple ones love simplicity,<br>You scoffers be eager to scoff,<br>You dullards hate knowledge?
You are indifferent to my rebuke;<br>I will now speak my mind to you,<br>And let you know my thoughts.
Since you refused me when I called,<br>And paid no heed when I extended my hand,
You spurned all my advice,<br>And would not hear my rebuke,
I will laugh at your calamity,<br>And mock when terror comes upon you,
When terror comes like a disaster,<br>And calamity arrives like a whirlwind,<br>When trouble and distress come upon you.
Then they shall call me but I will not answer;<br>They shall seek me but not find me.
Because they hated knowledge,<br>And did not choose fear of the L<small>ORD</small>;
They refused my advice,<br>And disdained all my rebukes,
They shall eat the fruit of their ways,<br>And have their fill of their own counsels.
The tranquillity of the simple will kill them,<br>And the complacency of dullards will destroy them.
But he who listens to me will dwell in safety,<br>Untroubled by the terror of misfortune.”

Chapter 2

My son, if you accept my words<br>And treasure up my commandments;
If you make your ear attentive to wisdom<br>And your mind open to discernment;
If you call to understanding<br>And cry aloud to discernment,
If you seek it as you do silver<br>And search for it as for treasures,
Then you will understand the fear of the L<small>ORD</small><br>And attain knowledge of God.
For the L<small>ORD</small> grants wisdom;<br>Knowledge and discernment are by His decree.
He reserves ability for the upright<br>And is a shield for those who live blamelessly,
Guarding the paths of justice,<br>Protecting the way of those loyal to Him.
You will then understand what is right, just,<br>And equitable—every good course.
For wisdom will enter your mind<br>And knowledge will delight you.
Foresight will protect you,<br>And discernment will guard you.
It will save you from the way of evil men,<br>From men who speak duplicity,
Who leave the paths of rectitude<br>To follow the ways of darkness,
Who rejoice in doing evil<br>And exult in the duplicity of evil men,
Men whose paths are crooked<br>And who are devious in their course.
It will save you from the forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “strange.”</i> woman,<br>From the alien woman whose talk is smooth,
Who forsakes the companion of her youth<br>And disregards the covenant of her God.
Her house sinks down to Death,<br>And her course leads to the shades.
All who go to her cannot return<br>And find again the paths of life.<br>
So follow the way of the good<br>And keep to the paths of the just.
For the upright will inhabit the earth,<br>The blameless will remain in it.
While the wicked will vanish from the land<br>And the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Chapter 3

My son, do not forget my teaching,<br>But let your mind retain my commandments;
For they will bestow on you length of days,<br>Years of life and well-being.
Let fidelity and steadfastness not leave you;<br>Bind them about your throat,<br>Write them on the tablet of your mind,
And you will find favor and approbation<br>In the eyes of God and man.
Trust in the L<small>ORD</small> with all your heart,<br>And do not rely on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,<br>And He will make your paths smooth.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;<br>Fear the L<small>ORD</small> and shun evil.
It will be a cure for your body,<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “navel.”</i><br>A tonic for your bones.
Honor the L<small>ORD</small> with your wealth,<br>With the best of all your income,
And your barns will be filled with grain,<br>Your vats will burst with new wine.
Do not reject the discipline of the L<small>ORD</small>, my son;<br>Do not abhor His rebuke.
For whom the L<small>ORD</small> loves, He rebukes,<br>As a father the son whom he favors.<br>
Happy is the man who finds wisdom,<br>The man who attains understanding.
Her value in trade is better than silver,<br>Her yield, greater than gold.
She is more precious than rubies;<br>All of your goods cannot equal her.
In her right hand is length of days,<br>In her left, riches and honor.
Her ways are pleasant ways,<br>And all her paths, peaceful.
She is a tree of life to those who grasp her,<br>And whoever holds on to her is happy.<br>
The L<small>ORD</small> founded the earth by wisdom;<br>He established the heavens by understanding;
By His knowledge the depths burst apart,<br>And the skies distilled dew.
My son, do not lose sight of them;<br>Hold on to resourcefulness and foresight.
They will give life to your spirit<br>And grace to your throat.
Then you will go your way safely<br>And not injure your feet.
When you lie down you will be unafraid;<br>You will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
You will not fear sudden terror<br>Or the disaster that comes upon the wicked,
For the L<small>ORD</small> will be your trust;<br>He will keep your feet from being caught.<br>
Do not withhold good from one who<br>deserves it<br>When you have the power to do it [for him].
Do not say to your fellow, “Come back again;<br>I’ll give it to you tomorrow,” when you have it with you.
Do not devise harm against your fellow<br>Who lives trustfully with you.
Do not quarrel with a man for no cause,<br>When he has done you no harm.
Do not envy a lawless man,<br>Or choose any of his ways;
For the devious man is an abomination to the L<small>ORD</small>,<br>But He is intimate with the straightforward.
The curse of the L<small>ORD</small> is on the house of the wicked,<br>But He blesses the abode of the righteous.
At scoffers He scoffs,<br>But to the lowly He shows grace.
The wise shall obtain honor,<br>But dullards get disgrace as their portion.

Chapter 4

Sons, heed the discipline of a father;<br>Listen and learn discernment,
For I give you good instruction;<br>Do not forsake my teaching.<br>
Once I was a son to my father,<br>The tender darling of my mother.
He instructed me and said to me,<br>“Let your mind hold on to my words;<br>Keep my commandments and you will live.
Acquire wisdom, acquire discernment;<br>Do not forget and do not swerve from my words.
Do not forsake her and she will guard you;<br>Love her and she will protect you.
The beginning<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Or “best part.”</i> of wisdom is—acquire wisdom;<br>With all your acquisitions, acquire discernment.
Hug her to you and she will exalt you;<br>She will bring you honor if you embrace her.
She will adorn your head with a graceful wreath;<br>Crown you with a glorious diadem.”<br>
My son, heed and take in my words,<br>And you will have many years of life.
I instruct you in the way of wisdom;<br>I guide you in straight courses.
You will walk without breaking stride;<br>When you run, you will not stumble.
Hold fast to discipline; do not let go;<br>Keep it; it is your life.
Do not enter on the path of the wicked;<br>Do not walk on the way of evil men.
Avoid it; do not pass through it;<br>Turn away from it; pass it by.
For they cannot sleep unless they have done evil;<br>Unless they make someone fall they are robbed of sleep.
They eat the bread of wickedness<br>And drink the wine of lawlessness.
The path of the righteous is like radiant sunlight,<br>Ever brightening until noon.
The way of the wicked is all darkness;<br>They do not know what will make them stumble.<br>
My son, listen to my speech;<br>Incline your ear to my words.
Do not lose sight of them;<br>Keep them in your mind.
They are life to him who finds them,<br>Healing for his whole body.
More than all that you guard, guard your mind,<br>For it is the source of life.
Put crooked speech away from you;<br>Keep devious talk far from you.
Let your eyes look forward,<br>Your gaze be straight ahead.
Survey the course you take,<br>And all your ways will prosper.
Do not swerve to the right or the left;<br>Keep your feet from evil.

Chapter 5

My son, listen to my wisdom;<br>Incline your ear to my insight,
That you may have foresight,<br>While your lips hold fast to knowledge.
For the lips of a forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “strange.”</i> woman drip honey;<br>Her mouth is smoother than oil;
But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood,<br>Sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to Death;<br>Her steps take hold of Sheol.
She does not chart a path of life;<br>Her course meanders for lack of knowledge.
So now, sons, pay heed to me,<br>And do not swerve from the words of my mouth.
Keep yourself far away from her;<br>Do not come near the doorway of her house
Lest you give up your vigor to others,<br>Your years to a ruthless one;
Lest strangers eat their fill of your strength,<br>And your toil be for the house of another;
And in the end you roar,<br>When your flesh and body are consumed,
And say,<br>“O how I hated discipline,<br>And heartily spurned rebuke.
I did not pay heed to my teachers,<br>Or incline my ear to my instructors.
Soon I was in dire trouble<br>Amidst the assembled congregation.”
Drink water from your own cistern,<br>Running water from your own well.
Your springs will gush forth<br>In streams in the public squares.
They will be yours alone,<br>Others having no part with you.
Let your fountain be blessed;<br>Find joy in the wife of your youth—
A loving doe, a graceful mountain goat.<br>Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;<br>Be infatuated with love of her always.
Why be infatuated, my son, with a forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “strange.”</i> woman?<br>Why clasp the bosom of an alien woman?
For a man’s ways are before the eyes of God;<br>He surveys his entire course.
The wicked man will be trapped in his iniquities;<br>He will be caught up in the ropes of his sin.
He will die for lack of discipline,<br>Infatuated by his great folly.

Chapter 6

My son, if you have stood surety for your fellow,<br>Given your hand for another,<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Or “a stranger.”</i>
You have been trapped by the words of your mouth,<br>Snared by the words of your mouth.
Do this, then, my son, to extricate yourself,<br>For you have come into the power of your fellow:<br>Go grovel—and badger your fellow;
Give your eyes no sleep,<br>Your pupils no slumber.
Save yourself like a deer out of the hand [of a hunter],<br>Like a bird out of the hand of a fowler.<br>
Lazybones, go to the ant;<br>Study its ways and learn.
Without leaders, officers, or rulers,
It lays up its stores during the summer,<br>Gathers in its food at the harvest.
How long will you lie there, lazybones;<br>When will you wake from your sleep?
A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber,<br>A bit more hugging yourself in bed,
And poverty will come <sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>calling upon you,<sup class="endFootnote">-b</sup><br>And want, like a man with a shield.<br>
A scoundrel, an evil man<br>Lives by crooked speech,
Winking his eyes,<br>Shuffling his feet,<br>Pointing his finger.
Duplicity is in his heart;<br>He plots evil all the time;<br>He incites quarrels.
Therefore calamity will come upon him without warning;<br>Suddenly he will be broken beyond repair.<br>
Six things the L<small>ORD</small> hates;<br>Seven are an abomination to Him:
A haughty bearing,<br>A lying tongue,<br>Hands that shed innocent blood,
A mind that hatches evil plots,<br>Feet quick to run to evil,
A false witness testifying lies,<br>And one who incites brothers to quarrel.<br>
My son, keep your father’s commandment;<br>Do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
Tie them over your heart always;<br>Bind them around your throat.
When you walk it will lead you;<br>When you lie down it will watch over you;<br>And when you are awake it will talk with you.
For the commandment is a lamp,<br>The teaching is a light,<br>And the way to life is the rebuke that disciplines.
It will keep you from an evil woman,<br>From the smooth tongue of a forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “alien.”</i> woman.
Do not lust for her beauty<br>Or let her captivate you with her eyes.
The last loaf of bread will go for a harlot;<br>A married woman will snare a person of honor.
Can a man rake embers into his bosom<br>Without burning his clothes?
Can a man walk on live coals<br>Without scorching his feet?
It is the same with one who sleeps with his fellow’s wife;<br>None who touches her will go unpunished.
A thief is not held in contempt<br>For stealing to appease his hunger;
Yet if caught he must pay sevenfold;<br>He must give up all he owns.
He who commits adultery is devoid of sense;<br>Only one who would destroy himself does such a thing.
He will meet with disease and disgrace;<br>His reproach will never be expunged.
The fury of the husband will be passionate;<br>He will show no pity on his day of vengeance.
He will not have regard for any ransom;<br>He will refuse your bribe, however great.

Chapter 7

My son, heed my words;<br>And store up my commandments with you.
Keep my commandments and live,<br>My teaching, as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;<br>Write them on the tablet of your mind.
Say to Wisdom, “You are my sister,”<br>And call Understanding a kinswoman.
She will guard you from a forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “strange.”</i> woman;<br>From an alien woman whose talk is smooth.<br>
From the window of my house,<br>Through my lattice, I looked out
And saw among the simple,<br>Noticed among the youths,<br>A lad devoid of sense.
He was crossing the street near her corner,<br>Walking toward her house
In the dusk of evening,<br>In the dark hours of night.
A woman comes toward him<br><sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>Dressed like a harlot, with set purpose.<sup class="endFootnote">-b</sup>
She is bustling and restive;<br>She is never at home.
Now in the street, now in the square,<br>She lurks at every corner.
She lays hold of him and kisses him;<br>Brazenly she says to him,
“I had to make a sacrifice of well-being;<br>Today I fulfilled my vows.
Therefore I have come out to you,<br>Seeking you, and have found you.
I have decked my couch with covers<br>Of dyed Egyptian linen;
I have sprinkled my bed<br>With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Let us drink our fill of love till morning;<br>Let us delight in amorous embrace.
For the man of the house is away;<br>He is off on a distant journey.
He took his bag of money with him<br>And will return only at mid-month.”<br>
She sways him with her eloquence,<br>Turns him aside with her smooth talk.
Thoughtlessly he follows her,<br>Like an ox going to the slaughter,<br><sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>Like a fool to the stocks for punishment<sup class="endFootnote">-b</sup>—
Until the arrow pierces his liver.<br>He is like a bird rushing into a trap,<br>Not knowing his life is at stake.
Now, sons, listen to me;<br>Pay attention to my words;
Let your mind not wander down her ways;<br>Do not stray onto her paths.
For many are those she has struck dead,<br>And numerous are her victims.
Her house is a highway to Sheol<br>Leading down to Death’s inner chambers.

Chapter 8

It is Wisdom calling,<br>Understanding raising her voice.
She takes her stand at the topmost heights,<br>By the wayside, at the crossroads,
Near the gates at the city entrance;<br>At the entryways, she shouts,
“O men, I call to you;<br>My cry is to all mankind.
O simple ones, learn shrewdness;<br>O dullards, instruct your minds.
Listen, for I speak noble things;<br>Uprightness comes from my lips;
My mouth utters truth;<br>Wickedness is abhorrent to my lips.
All my words are just,<br>None of them perverse or crooked;
All are straightforward to the intelligent man,<br>And right to those who have attained knowledge.
Accept my discipline rather than silver,<br>Knowledge rather than choice gold.
For wisdom is better than rubies;<br>No goods can equal her.<br>
“I, Wisdom, live with Prudence;<br>I attain knowledge and foresight.
To fear the L<small>ORD</small> is to hate evil;<br>I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way,<br>And duplicity in speech.
Mine are counsel and resourcefulness;<br>I am understanding; courage is mine.
Through me kings reign<br>And rulers decree just laws;
Through me princes rule,<br>Great men and all the <sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">According to some Heb. mss. and printed editions, “judges of the earth.”</i>righteous judges.<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
Those who love me I love,<br>And those who seek me will find me.
Riches and honor belong to me,<br>Enduring wealth and success.
My fruit is better than gold, fine gold,<br>And my produce better than choice silver.
I walk on the way of righteousness,<br>On the paths of justice.
I endow those who love me with substance;<br>I will fill their treasuries.<br>
“The L<small>ORD</small> created me at the beginning of His course<br>As the first of His works of old.
In the distant past I was fashioned,<br>At the beginning, at the origin of earth.
There was still no deep when I was brought forth,<br>No springs rich in water;
Before [the foundations of] the mountains were sunk,<br>Before the hills I was born.
He had not yet made earth and fields,<br>Or the world’s first clumps of clay.
I was there when He set the heavens into place;<br>When He fixed the horizon upon the deep;
When He made the heavens above firm,<br>And the fountains of the deep gushed forth;
When He assigned the sea its limits,<br>So that its waters never transgress His command;<br>When He fixed the foundations of the earth,
I was with Him as a confidant,<br>A source of delight every day,<br>Rejoicing before Him at all times,
Rejoicing in His inhabited world,<br>Finding delight with mankind.
Now, sons, listen to me;<br>Happy are they who keep my ways.
Heed discipline and become wise;<br>Do not spurn it.
Happy is the man who listens to me,<br>Coming early to my gates each day,<br>Waiting outside my doors.
For he who finds me finds life<br>And obtains favor from the L<small>ORD</small>.
But he who misses me destroys himself;<br>All who hate me love death.”

Chapter 9

Wisdom has built her house,<br>She has hewn her seven pillars.
She has prepared the feast,<br>Mixed the wine,<br>And also set the table.
She has sent out her maids to announce<br>On the heights of the town,
“Let the simple enter here”;<br>To those devoid of sense she says,
“Come, eat my food<br>And drink the wine that I have mixed;
Give up simpleness and live,<br>Walk in the way of understanding.”<br>
To correct a scoffer,<br><sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Clauses transposed for clarity.</i>Or rebuke a wicked man for his blemish,<br>Is to call down abuse on oneself.<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
Do not rebuke a scoffer, for he will hate you;<br>Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Instruct a wise man, and he will grow wiser;<br>Teach a righteous man, and he will gain in learning.
The beginning of wisdom is fear of the L<small>ORD</small>,<br>And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
For through me your days will increase,<br>And years be added to your life.
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;<br>If you are a scoffer, you bear it alone.
The stupid woman bustles about;<br>She is simple and knows nothing.
She sits in the doorway of her house,<br>Or on a chair at the heights of the town,
Calling to all the wayfarers<br>Who go about their own affairs,
“Let the simple enter here”;<br>And to those devoid of sense she says,
“Stolen waters are sweet,<br>And bread eaten furtively is tasty.”
He does not know that the shades are there,<br>That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Chapter 10

The proverbs of Solomon:<br><br>A wise son brings joy to his father;<br>A dull son is his mother’s sorrow.
Ill-gotten wealth is of no avail,<br>But righteousness saves from death.
The L<small>ORD</small> will not let the righteous go hungry,<br>But He denies the wicked what they crave.
Negligent hands cause poverty,<br>But diligent hands enrich.
He who lays in stores during the summer is a capable son,<br>But he who sleeps during the harvest is an incompetent.
Blessings light upon the head of the righteous,<br>But lawlessness covers the mouth of the wicked.
The name of the righteous is invoked in blessing,<br>But the fame of the wicked rots.
He whose heart is wise accepts commands,<br>But he whose speech is foolish comes to grief.
He who lives blamelessly lives safely,<br>But he who walks a crooked path will be found out.
He who winks his eye causes sorrow;<br>He whose speech is foolish comes to grief.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,<br>But lawlessness covers the mouth of the wicked.
Hatred stirs up strife,<br>But love covers up all faults.
Wisdom is to be found on the lips of the intelligent,<br>But a rod is ready for the back of the senseless.
The wise store up knowledge;<br>The mouth of the fool is an imminent ruin.
The wealth of a rich man is his fortress;<br>The poverty of the poor is his ruin.
The labor of the righteous man makes for life;<br>The produce of the wicked man makes for want.
He who follows discipline shows the way to life,<br>But he who ignores reproof leads astray.
He who conceals hatred has lying lips,<br>While he who speaks forth slander is a dullard.
Where there is much talking, there is no lack of transgressing,<br>But he who curbs his tongue<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “lips.”</i> shows sense.
The tongue of a righteous man is choice silver,<br>But the mind of the wicked is of little worth.
The lips of the righteous sustain many,<br>But fools die for lack of sense.
It is the blessing of the L<small>ORD</small> that enriches,<br>And no toil can increase it.
As mischief is sport for the dullard,<br>So is wisdom for the man of understanding.
What the wicked man plots overtakes him;<br>What the righteous desire is granted.
When the storm passes the wicked man is gone,<br>But the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
Like vinegar to the teeth,<br>Like smoke to the eyes,<br>Is a lazy man to those who send him on a mission.
The fear of the L<small>ORD</small> prolongs life,<br>While the years of the wicked will be shortened.
The righteous can look forward to joy,<br>But the hope of the wicked is doomed.
The way of the L<small>ORD</small> is a stronghold for the blameless,<br>But a ruin for evildoers.
The righteous will never be shaken;<br>The wicked will not inhabit the earth.
The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom,<br>But the treacherous tongue shall be cut off.
The lips of the righteous know what is pleasing;<br>The mouth of the wicked [knows] duplicity.

Chapter 11

False scales are an abomination to the L<small>ORD</small>;<br>An honest<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “whole.”</i> weight pleases Him.
When arrogance appears, disgrace follows,<br>But wisdom is with those who are unassuming.
The integrity of the upright guides them;<br>The deviousness of the treacherous leads them to ruin.
Wealth is of no avail on the day of wrath,<br>But righteousness saves from death.
The righteousness of the blameless man smooths his way,<br>But the wicked man is felled by his wickedness.
The righteousness of the upright saves them,<br>But the treacherous are trapped by their malice.
At death the hopes of a wicked man are doomed,<br>And the ambition of evil men comes to nothing.
The righteous man is rescued from trouble<br>And the wicked man takes his place.
The impious man destroys his neighbor through speech,<br>But through their knowledge the righteous are rescued.
When the righteous prosper the city exults;<br>When the wicked perish there are shouts of joy.
A city is built up by the blessing of the upright,<br>But it is torn down by the speech of the wicked.
He who speaks contemptuously of his fellowman is devoid of sense;<br>A prudent man keeps his peace.
A base fellow gives away secrets,<br>But a trustworthy soul keeps a confidence.
For want of strategy an army falls,<br>But victory comes with much planning.
Harm awaits him who stands surety for another;<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Or “a stranger.”</i><br>He who spurns pledging shall be secure.
A graceful woman obtains honor;<br>Ruthless men obtain wealth.
A kindly man benefits himself;<br>A cruel man makes trouble for himself.
The wicked man earns illusory wages,<br>But he who sows righteousness has a true reward.
Righteousness is a prop of life,<br>But to pursue evil leads to death.
Men of crooked mind are an abomination to the L<small>ORD</small>,<br>But those whose way is blameless please Him.
Assuredly,<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “Hand to hand”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> the evil man will not escape,<br>But the offspring of the righteous will be safe.
Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig<br>Is a beautiful woman bereft of sense.
What the righteous desire can only be good;<br>What the wicked hope for [stirs] wrath.
One man gives generously and ends with more;<br>Another stints on doing the right thing and incurs a loss.
A generous person enjoys prosperity;<br>He who satisfies others shall himself be sated.
He who withholds grain earns the curses of the people,<br>But blessings are on the head of the one who dispenses it.
He who earnestly seeks what is good pursues what is pleasing;<br>He who is bent on evil, upon him it shall come.
He who trusts in his wealth shall fall,<br>But the righteous shall flourish like foliage.
He who makes trouble for his household shall inherit the wind;<br>A fool is a slave to the wise-hearted.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life;<br>A wise man captivates people.
If the righteous on earth get their deserts,<br>How much more the wicked man and the sinner.

Chapter 12

He who loves discipline loves knowledge;<br>He who spurns reproof is a brutish man.
A good man earns the favor of the L<small>ORD</small>,<br>A man of intrigues, His condemnation.
A man cannot be established in wickedness,<br>But the root of the righteous will not be shaken loose.
A capable wife is a crown for her husband,<br>But an incompetent one is like rot in his bones.
The purposes of the righteous are justice,<br>The schemes of the wicked are deceit.
The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,<br>But the speech of the upright saves them.
Overturn the wicked and they are gone,<br>But the house of the righteous will endure.
A man is commended according to his intelligence;<br>A twisted mind is held up to contempt.
Better to be lightly esteemed and have a servant<br>Than to put on airs and have no food.
A righteous man knows the needs of his beast,<br>But the compassion of the wicked is cruelty.
He who tills his land shall have food in plenty,<br>But he who pursues vanities is devoid of sense.
<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>The wicked covet the catch of evil men;<br>The root of the righteous yields [fruit].<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
Sinful speech is a trap for the evil man,<br>But the righteous escapes from trouble.
A man gets his fill of good from the fruit of his speech;<br>One is repaid in kind for one’s deeds.
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes;<br>But the wise man accepts advice.
A fool’s vexation is known at once,<br>But a clever man conceals his humiliation.
He who testifies faithfully tells the truth,<br>But a false witness, deceit.
There is blunt talk like sword-thrusts,<br>But the speech of the wise is healing.
Truthful speech abides forever,<br>A lying tongue for but a moment.
Deceit is in the minds of those who plot evil;<br>For those who plan good there is joy.
No harm befalls the righteous,<br>But the wicked have their fill of misfortune.
Lying speech is an abomination to the L<small>ORD</small>,<br>But those who act faithfully please Him.
A clever man conceals what he knows,<br>But the mind of a dullard cries out folly.
The hand of the diligent wields authority;<br>The negligent are held in subjection.
If there is anxiety in a man’s mind let him quash it,<br>And turn it into joy with a good word.
A righteous man <sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>gives his friend direction,<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup><br>But the way of the wicked leads astray.
A negligent man never has game to roast;<br><sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>A diligent man has precious wealth.<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
The road of righteousness leads to life;<br>By way of its path there is no death.

Chapter 13

A wise son—it is through the discipline of his father;<br>A scoffer—he never heard reproof.
A man enjoys good from the fruit of his speech;<br>But out of the throat of the treacherous comes lawlessness.
He who guards his tongue<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “mouth.”</i> preserves his life;<br>He who opens wide his lips, it is his ruin.
A lazy man craves, but has nothing;<br>The diligent shall feast on rich fare.
A righteous man hates lies;<br>The wicked man is vile and disgraceful.
Righteousness protects him whose way is blameless;<br>Wickedness subverts the sinner.
One man pretends to be rich and has nothing;<br>Another professes to be poor and has much wealth.
Riches are ransom for a man’s life,<br>The poor never heard a reproof.
The light of the righteous is radiant;<br>The lamp of the wicked is extinguished.
<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>Arrogance yields nothing but strife;<sup class="endFootnote">-b</sup><br>Wisdom belongs to those who seek advice.
Wealth may dwindle to less than nothing,<br>But he who gathers little by little increases it.
Hope deferred sickens the heart,<br>But desire realized is a tree of life.
He who disdains a precept will be injured thereby;<br>He who respects a command will be rewarded.
The instruction of a wise man is a fountain of life,<br>Enabling one to avoid deadly snares.
Good sense wins favor;<br>The way of treacherous men is unchanging.<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Or “harsh.”</i>
Every clever man acts knowledgeably,<br>But a dullard exposes his stupidity.
Harm befalls a wicked messenger;<br>A faithful courier brings healing.
Poverty and humiliation are for him who spurns discipline;<br>But he who takes reproof to heart gets honor.
Desire realized is sweet to the soul;<br>To turn away from evil is abhorrent to the stupid.
He who keeps company with the wise becomes wise,<br>But he who consorts with dullards comes to grief.
Misfortune pursues sinners,<br>But the righteous are well rewarded.
A good man has what to bequeath to his grandchildren,<br>For the wealth of sinners is stored up for the righteous.
The tillage of the poor yields much food;<br>But substance is swept away for lack of moderation.
He who spares the rod hates his son,<br>But he who loves him disciplines him early.
The righteous man eats to his heart’s content,<br>But the belly of the wicked is empty.

Chapter 14

The wisest of women builds her house,<br>But folly tears it down with its own hands.
He who maintains his integrity fears the L<small>ORD</small>;<br>A man of devious ways scorns Him.
In the mouth of a fool is a rod of haughtiness,<br>But the lips of the wise protect them.
If there are no oxen the crib is clean,<br>But a rich harvest comes through the strength of the ox.
An honest witness will not lie;<br>A false witness testifies lies.
A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,<br>But knowledge comes easily to the intelligent man.
Keep your distance from a dullard,<br>For you will not learn wise speech.
It is the wisdom of a clever man to understand his course;<br>But the stupidity of the dullard is delusion.
Reparations mediate between fools,<br>Between the upright, good will.
The heart alone knows its bitterness,<br>And no outsider can share in its joy.
The house of the wicked will be demolished,<br>But the tent of the upright will flourish.
A road may seem right to a man,<br>But in the end it is a road to death.
The heart may ache even in laughter,<br>And joy may end in grief.
An unprincipled man reaps the fruits of his ways;<br><sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Taking ‘al as from ‘ll; cf. Hos. 12.3.</i>A good man, of his deeds.<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
A simple person believes anything;<br>A clever man ponders his course.
A wise man is diffident and shuns evil,<br>But a dullard rushes in confidently.
An impatient man commits folly;<br>A man of intrigues will be hated.
Folly is the lot of the simple,<br>But clever men <sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>glory in knowledge.<sup class="endFootnote">-b</sup>
Evil men are brought low before the good,<br>So are the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
A pauper is despised even by his peers,<br>But a rich man has many friends.
He who despises his fellow is wrong;<br>He who shows pity for the lowly is happy.
Surely those who plan evil go astray,<br>While those who plan good earn steadfast love.
From all toil there is some gain,<br>But idle chatter is pure loss.
The ornament of the wise is their wealth;<br>The stupidity of dullards is stupidity.
A truthful witness saves lives;<br>He who testifies lies [spreads] deceit.
Fear of the L<small>ORD</small> is a stronghold,<br>A refuge for a man’s children.
Fear of the L<small>ORD</small> is a fountain of life,<br>Enabling one to avoid deadly snares.
A numerous people is the glory of a king;<br>Without a nation a ruler is ruined.
Patience results in much understanding;<br>Impatience gets folly as its portion.
A calm disposition gives bodily health;<br>Passion is rot to the bones.
He who withholds what is due to the poor affronts his Maker;<br>He who shows pity for the needy honors Him.
The wicked man is felled by his own evil;<br>The righteous man finds security in his death.
Wisdom rests quietly in the mind of a prudent man,<br>But among dullards it makes itself known.
Righteousness exalts a nation;<br>Sin is a reproach to any people.
The king favors a capable servant;<br>He rages at an incompetent one.

Chapter 15

A gentle response allays wrath;<br>A harsh word provokes anger.
The tongue of the wise produces much knowledge,<br>But the mouth of dullards pours out folly.
The eyes of the L<small>ORD</small> are everywhere,<br>Observing the bad and the good.
A healing tongue is a tree of life,<br>But a devious one makes for a broken spirit.
A fool spurns the discipline of his father,<br>But one who heeds reproof becomes clever.
In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,<br>But in the harvest of the wicked there is trouble.
The lips of the wise disseminate knowledge;<br>Not so the minds of dullards.
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the L<small>ORD</small>,<br>But the prayer of the upright pleases Him.
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the L<small>ORD</small>,<br>But He loves him who pursues righteousness.
Discipline seems bad to him who forsakes the way;<br>He who spurns reproof will die.
Sheol and Abaddon lie exposed to the L<small>ORD</small>,<br>How much more the minds of men!
The scoffer dislikes being reproved;<br>He will not resort to the wise.
A joyful heart makes a cheerful face;<br>A sad heart makes a despondent mood.
The mind of a prudent man seeks knowledge;<br>The mouth of the dullard pursues folly.
All the days of a poor man are wretched,<br>But contentment is a feast without end.
Better a little with fear of the L<small>ORD</small><br>Than great wealth with confusion.
Better a meal of vegetables where there is love<br>Than a fattened ox where there is hate.
A hot-tempered man provokes a quarrel;<br>A patient man calms strife.
The way of a lazy man is like a hedge of thorns,<br>But the path of the upright is paved.
A wise son makes his father happy;<br>A fool of a man humiliates his mother.
Folly is joy to one devoid of sense;<br>A prudent man walks a straight path.
Plans are foiled for want of counsel,<br>But they succeed through many advisers.
A ready response is a joy to a man,<br>And how good is a word rightly timed!
For an intelligent man the path of life leads upward,<br>In order to avoid Sheol below.
The L<small>ORD</small> will tear down the house of the proud,<br>But He will establish the homestead of the widow.
Evil thoughts are an abomination to the L<small>ORD</small>,<br>But pleasant words are pure.
He who pursues ill-gotten gain makes trouble for his household;<br>He who spurns gifts will live long.
The heart<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">For leb as a source of speech, see note to Eccl. 5.1.</i> of the righteous man rehearses his answer,<br>But the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil things.
The L<small>ORD</small> is far from the wicked,<br>But He hears the prayer of the righteous.
What brightens the eye gladdens the heart;<br>Good news puts fat on the bones.
He whose ear heeds the discipline of life<br>Lodges among the wise.
He who spurns discipline hates himself;<br>He who heeds reproof gains understanding.
The fear of the L<small>ORD</small> is the discipline of wisdom;<br>Humility precedes honor.

Chapter 16

A man may arrange his thoughts,<br>But what he says depends on the L<small>ORD</small>.
All the ways of a man seem right to him,<br>But the L<small>ORD</small> probes motives.
Entrust your affairs to the L<small>ORD</small>,<br>And your plans will succeed.
The L<small>ORD</small> made everything for a purpose,<br>Even the wicked for an evil day.
Every haughty person is an abomination to the L<small>ORD</small>;<br>Assuredly,<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “Hand to hand”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> he will not go unpunished.
Iniquity is expiated by loyalty and faithfulness,<br>And evil is avoided through fear of the L<small>ORD</small>.
When the L<small>ORD</small> is pleased with a man’s conduct,<br>He may turn even his enemies into allies.
Better a little with righteousness<br>Than a large income with injustice.
A man may plot out his course,<br>But it is the L<small>ORD</small> who directs his steps.<br>
There is magic on the lips of the king;<br>He cannot err in judgment.
Honest scales and balances are the L<small>ORD</small>’s;<br>All the weights in the bag are His work.
Wicked deeds are an abomination to kings,<br>For the throne is established by righteousness.
Truthful speech wins the favor of kings;<br>They love those who speak honestly.
The king’s wrath is a messenger of death,<br>But a wise man can appease it.
The king’s smile means life;<br>His favor is like a rain cloud in spring.<br>
How much better to acquire wisdom than gold;<br>To acquire understanding is preferable to silver.
The highway of the upright avoids evil;<br>He who would preserve his life watches his way.
Pride goes before ruin,<br>Arrogance, before failure.
Better to be humble and among the lowly<br>Than to share spoils with the proud.
He who is adept in a matter will attain success;<br>Happy is he who trusts in the L<small>ORD</small>.
The wise-hearted is called discerning;<br>One whose speech is pleasing gains wisdom.
Good sense is a fountain of life to those who have it,<br>And folly is the punishment of fools.
The mind of the wise man makes his speech effective<br>And increases the wisdom on his lips.
Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,<br>Sweet to the palate and a cure for the body.
A road may seem right to a man,<br>But in the end it is a road to death.
The appetite of a laborer labors for him,<br>Because his hunger<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “mouth.”</i> <sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>forces him on.<sup class="endFootnote">-c</sup><br>
A scoundrel plots<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> evil;<br>What is on his lips is like a scorching fire.
A shifty man stirs up strife,<br>And a querulous one alienates his friend.
A lawless man misleads his friend,<br>Making him take the wrong way.
He closes his eyes while meditating deception;<br>He purses his lips while deciding upon evil.<br>
Gray hair is a crown of glory;<br>It is attained by the way of righteousness.
Better to be forbearing than mighty,<br>To have self-control than to conquer a city.
Lots are cast into the lap;<br>The decision depends on the L<small>ORD</small>.

Chapter 17

Better a dry crust with peace<br>Than a house full of feasting with strife.
A capable servant will dominate an incompetent son<br>And share the inheritance with the brothers.
For silver—the crucible;<br>For gold—the furnace,<br>And the L<small>ORD</small> tests the mind.
An evildoer listens to mischievous talk;<br>A liar gives ear to malicious words.
He who mocks the poor affronts his Maker;<br>He who rejoices over another’s misfortune will not go unpunished.
Grandchildren are the crown of their elders,<br>And the glory of children is their parents.
Lofty words are not fitting for a villain;<br>Much less lying words for a great man.
A bribe seems like a charm to him who uses it;<br>He succeeds at every turn.
He who seeks love overlooks faults,<br>But he who harps on a matter alienates his friend.
A rebuke works on an intelligent man<br>More than one hundred blows on a fool.
An evil man seeks only to rebel;<br>A ruthless messenger will be sent against him.
Sooner meet a bereaved she-bear<br>Than a fool with his nonsense.
Evil will never depart from the house<br>Of him who repays good with evil.
To start a quarrel is to open a sluice;<br>Before a dispute <sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>flares up,<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup> drop it.
To acquit the guilty and convict the innocent—<br>Both are an abomination to the L<small>ORD</small>.
What good is money in the hand of a fool<br>To purchase wisdom, when he has no mind?
A friend is devoted at all times;<br>A brother is born to share adversity.
Devoid of sense is he who gives his hand<br>To stand surety for his fellow.
He who loves transgression loves strife;<br>He who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.
Man of crooked mind comes to no good,<br>And he who speaks duplicity falls into trouble.
One begets a dullard to one’s own grief;<br>The father of a villain has no joy.
A joyful heart makes for <sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Or “a cheerful face”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>good health;<sup class="endFootnote">-b</sup><br>Despondency dries up the bones.
The wicked man draws a bribe out of his bosom<br>To pervert the course of justice.
Wisdom lies before the intelligent man;<br>The eyes of the dullard range to the ends of the earth.
A stupid son is vexation for his father<br>And a heartache for the woman who bore him.
To punish the innocent is surely not right,<br>Or to flog the great for their uprightness.
A knowledgeable man is sparing with his words;<br>A man of understanding is reticent.
Even a fool, if he keeps silent, is deemed wise;<br>Intelligent, if he seals his lips.

Chapter 18

<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>He who isolates himself pursues his desires;<br>He disdains all competence.<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
The fool does not desire understanding,<br>But only to air his thoughts.
Comes the wicked man comes derision,<br>And with the rogue, contempt.
The words a man speaks are deep waters,<br>A flowing stream, a fountain of wisdom.
It is not right to be partial to the guilty<br>And subvert the innocent in judgment.
The words of a fool lead to strife;<br>His speech invites blows.
The fool’s speech is his ruin;<br>His words are a trap for him.
The words of a querulous man are bruising;<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i><br>They penetrate one’s inmost parts.
One who is slack in his work<br>Is a brother to a vandal.
The name of the L<small>ORD</small> is a tower of strength<br>To which the righteous man runs and is safe.
The wealth of a rich man is his fortress;<br><sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>In his fancy<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup> it is a protective wall.
Before ruin a man’s heart is proud;<br>Humility goes before honor.
To answer a man before hearing him out<br>Is foolish and disgraceful.
A man’s spirit can sustain him through illness;<br>But low spirits—who can bear them?
The mind of an intelligent man acquires knowledge;<br>The ears of the wise seek out knowledge.
A man’s gift eases his way<br>And gives him access to the great.
The first to plead his case seems right<br>Till the other party examines him.
The lot puts an end to strife<br>And separates those locked in dispute.
A brother offended is more formidable than a stronghold;<br>Such strife is like the bars of a fortress.
A man’s belly is filled by the fruit of his mouth;<br>He will be filled by the produce of his lips.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue;<br>Those who love it will eat its fruit.
He who finds a wife has found happiness<br>And has won the favor of the L<small>ORD</small>.
The poor man speaks beseechingly;<br>The rich man’s answer is harsh.
There are companions to keep one company,<br>And there is a friend more devoted than a brother.

Chapter 19

Better a poor man who lives blamelessly<br>Than one who speaks perversely and is a dullard.
A person without knowledge is surely not good;<br>He who moves hurriedly blunders.
A man’s folly subverts his way,<br>And his heart rages against the L<small>ORD</small>.
Wealth makes many friends,<br>But a poor man loses his last friend.
A false witness will not go unpunished;<br>He who testifies lies will not escape.
Many court the favor of a great man,<br>And all are the friends of a dispenser of gifts.
All the brothers of a poor man despise him;<br>How much more is he shunned by his friends!<br><sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>He who pursues words—they are of no avail.<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
He who acquires wisdom is his own best friend;<br>He preserves understanding and attains happiness.
A false witness will not go unpunished;<br>He who testifies falsely is doomed.
Luxury is not fitting for a dullard,<br>Much less that a servant rule over princes.
A man shows intelligence by his forebearance;<br>It is his glory when he overlooks an offense.
The rage of a king is like the roar of a lion;<br>His favor is like dew upon the grass.
A stupid son is a calamity to his father;<br>The nagging of a wife is like the endless dripping of water.
Property and riches are bequeathed by fathers,<br>But an efficient wife comes from the L<small>ORD</small>.
Laziness induces sleep,<br>And a negligent person will go hungry.
He who has regard for his life pays regard to commandments;<br>He who is heedless of his ways will die.
He who is generous to the poor makes a loan to the L<small>ORD</small>;<br>He will repay him his due.
Discipline your son while there is still hope,<br>And<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Or “But.”</i> do not <sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Or “pay attention to his moaning.”</i>set your heart on his destruction.<sup class="endFootnote">-c</sup>
A hot-tempered man incurs punishment;<br><sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>If you try to save him you will only make it worse.<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
Listen to advice and accept discipline<br>In order that you may be wise in the end.
Many designs are in a man’s mind,<br>But it is the L<small>ORD</small>’s plan that is accomplished.
<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>Greed is a reproach to a man;<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup><br>Better be poor than a liar.
He who fears the L<small>ORD</small> earns life;<br><sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>He shall abide in contentment,<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup><br>Free from misfortune.
The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl;<br>He will not even bring it to his mouth.
Beat the scoffer and the simple will become clever;<br>Reprove an intelligent man and he gains knowledge.
A son who causes shame and disgrace<br>Plunders his father, puts his mother to flight.
My son, cease to stray from words of knowledge<br>And receive discipline.
A malicious witness scoffs at justice,<br>And the speech of the wicked conceals mischief.
Punishments are in store for scoffers<br>And blows for the backs of dullards.

Chapter 20

Wine is a scoffer, strong drink a roisterer;<br>He who is muddled by them will not grow wise.
The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion;<br>He who provokes his anger risks his life.
It is honorable for a man to desist from strife,<br>But every fool <sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>becomes embroiled.<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
In winter the lazy man does not plow;<br>At harvesttime he seeks, and finds nothing.
The designs in a man’s mind are deep waters,<br>But a man of understanding can draw them out.
He calls many a man his loyal friend,<br>But who can find a faithful man?
The righteous man lives blamelessly;<br>Happy are his children who come after him.
The king seated on the throne of judgment<br>Can winnow out all evil by his glance.
Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,<br>I am purged of my sin”?
False weights and false measures,<br>Both are an abomination to the L<small>ORD</small>.
A child may be dissembling in his behavior<br>Even though his actions are blameless and proper.
The ear that hears, the eye that sees—<br>The L<small>ORD</small> made them both.
Do not love sleep lest you be impoverished;<br>Keep your eyes open and you will have plenty of food.
“Bad, bad,” says the buyer,<br>But having moved off, he congratulates himself.
Gold is plentiful, jewels abundant,<br>But wise speech is a precious object.
Seize his garment, for he stood surety for another;<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Or “a stranger.”</i><br>Take it as a pledge, [for he stood surety] for an unfamiliar woman.
Bread gained by fraud may be tasty to a man,<br>But later his mouth will be filled with gravel.
Plans laid in council will succeed;<br>Wage war with stratagems.
He who gives away secrets is a base fellow;<br>Do not take up with a garrulous man.
One who reviles his father or mother,<br>Light will fail him when darkness comes.
An estate acquired in haste at the outset<br>Will not be blessed in the end.
Do not say, “I will requite evil”;<br>Put your hope in the L<small>ORD</small> and He will deliver you.
False weights are an abomination to the L<small>ORD</small>;<br>Dishonest scales are not right.
A man’s steps are decided by the L<small>ORD</small>;<br>What does a man know about his own way?
It is a snare for a man <sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>to pledge a sacred gift rashly<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup><br>And to give thought to his vows only after they have been made.
A wise king winnows out the wicked,<br>And turns the wheel upon them.
The lifebreath of man is the lamp of the L<small>ORD</small><br>Revealing all his inmost parts.
Faithfulness and loyalty protect the king;<br>He maintains his throne by faithfulness.
The glory of youths is their strength;<br>The majesty of old men is their gray hair.
Bruises and wounds are repayment<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> for evil,<br>Striking at one’s inmost parts.

Chapter 21

Like channeled water is the mind of the king in the L<small>ORD</small>’s hand;<br>He directs it to whatever He wishes.
All the ways of a man seem right to him,<br>But the L<small>ORD</small> probes the mind.
To do what is right and just<br>Is more desired by the L<small>ORD</small> than sacrifice.
Haughty looks, a proud heart—<br>The tillage of the wicked is sinful.
The plans of the diligent make only for gain;<br>All rash haste makes only for loss.
Treasures acquired by a lying tongue<br><sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>Are like driven vapor, heading for extinction.<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
The violence of the wicked sweeps them away,<br>For they refuse to act justly.
The way of a man may be tortuous and strange,<br>Though his actions are blameless and proper.
Dwelling in the corner of a roof is better<br>Than a contentious wife in a <sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>spacious house.<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
The desire of the wicked is set upon evil;<br>His fellowman finds no favor in his eyes.
When a scoffer is punished, the simple man is edified;<br>When a wise man is taught, he gains insight.
The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked man;<br>He subverts the wicked to their ruin.
Who stops his ears at the cry of the wretched,<br>He too will call and not be answered.
A gift in secret subdues anger,<br>A present in private, fierce rage.
Justice done is a joy to the righteous,<br>To evildoers, ruination.
A man who strays from the path of prudence<br>Will rest in the company of ghosts.
He who loves pleasure comes to want;<br>He who loves wine and oil does not grow rich.
The wicked are the ransom of the righteous;<br>The traitor comes in place of the upright.
It is better to live in the desert<br>Than with a contentious, vexatious wife.
Precious treasure and oil are in the house of the wise man,<br>And a fool of a man will run through them.
He who strives to do good and kind deeds<br>Attains life, success, and honor.
One wise man prevailed over a city of warriors<br>And brought down its mighty stronghold.
He who guards his mouth and tongue<br>Guards himself from trouble.
The proud, insolent man, scoffer is his name,<br>Acts in a frenzy of insolence.
The craving of a lazy man kills him,<br>For his hands refuse to work.
All day long he is seized with craving<br>While the righteous man gives without stint.
The sacrifice of the wicked man is an abomination,<br>The more so as he offers it in depravity.
A false witness is doomed,<br>But one who really heard will testify with success.
The wicked man is brazen-faced;<br>The upright man discerns his course.
No wisdom, no prudence, and no counsel<br>Can prevail against the L<small>ORD</small>.
The horse is readied for the day of battle,<br>But victory comes from the L<small>ORD</small>.

Chapter 22

Repute is preferable to great wealth,<br>Grace is better than silver and gold.
Rich man and poor man meet;<br>The L<small>ORD</small> made them both.
The shrewd man saw trouble and took cover;<br>The simple kept going and paid the penalty.
The effect of humility is fear of the L<small>ORD</small>,<br>Wealth, honor, and life.
Thorns and snares are in the path of the crooked;<br>He who values his life will keep far from them.
Train a lad in the way he ought to go;<br>He will not swerve from it even in old age.
The rich rule the poor,<br>And the borrower is a slave to the lender.
He who sows injustice shall reap misfortune;<br>His rod of wrath shall fail.
The generous man is blessed,<br>For he gives of his bread to the poor.
Expel the scoffer and contention departs,<br>Quarrel and contumely cease.
A pure-hearted friend,<br>His speech is gracious;<br>He has the king for his companion.
The eyes of the L<small>ORD</small> watch the wise man;<br>He subverts the words of the treacherous.
The lazy man says, “There’s a lion in the street;<br>I shall be killed <sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “in the square.”</i>if I step outside.”<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
The mouth of a forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “strange.”</i> woman is a deep pit;<br>He who is doomed by the L<small>ORD</small> falls into it.
If folly settles in the heart of a lad,<br>The rod of discipline will remove it.
To profit by withholding what is due to the poor<br>Is like making gifts to the rich—pure loss.<br>
Incline your ear and listen to the words of the sages;<br>Pay attention to my wisdom.
It is good that you store them inside you,<br>And that all of them be constantly on your lips,
That you may put your trust in the L<small>ORD</small>.<br>I let you know today—yes, you—
Indeed, I wrote down for you <sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>a threefold lore,<sup class="endFootnote">-c</sup><br>Wise counsel,
To let you know truly reliable words,<br>That you may give a faithful reply to him who sent you.
Do not rob the wretched because he is wretched;<br>Do not crush the poor man in the gate;
For the L<small>ORD</small> will take up their cause<br>And despoil those who despoil them of life.
Do not associate with an irascible man,<br>Or go about with one who is hot-tempered,
Lest you learn his ways<br>And find yourself ensnared.
Do not be one of those who give their hand,<br>Who stand surety for debts,
Lest your bed be taken from under you<br>When you have no money to pay.
Do not remove the ancient boundary stone<br>That your ancestors set up.
See a man skilled at his work—<br>He shall attend upon kings;<br>He shall not attend upon <sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>obscure men.<sup class="endFootnote">-c</sup>

Chapter 23

When you sit down to dine with a ruler,<br>Consider well who is before you.
Thrust a knife into your gullet<br>If you have a large appetite.
Do not crave for his dainties,<br>For they are counterfeit food.<br>
Do not toil to gain wealth;<br>Have the sense to desist.
You see it, then it is gone;<br>It grows wings and flies away,<br>Like an eagle, heavenward.<br>
Do not eat of a stingy man’s food;<br>Do not crave for his dainties;
He is like one keeping accounts;<br>“Eat and drink,” he says to you,<br>But he does not really mean it.
The morsel you eat you will vomit;<br>You will waste your courteous words.<br>
Do not speak to a dullard,<br>For he will disdain your sensible words.
Do not remove ancient boundary stones;<br>Do not encroach upon the field of orphans,
For they have a mighty Kinsman,<br>And He will surely take up their cause with you.<br>
Apply your mind to discipline<br>And your ears to wise sayings.
Do not withhold discipline from a child;<br>If you beat him with a rod he will not die.
Beat him with a rod<br>And you will save him from the grave.<br>
My son, if your mind gets wisdom,<br>My mind, too, will be gladdened.
I shall rejoice with all my heart<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “kidneys.”</i><br>When your lips speak right things.
Do not envy sinners in your heart,<br>But only God-fearing men, at all times,
For then you will have a future,<br>And your hope will never fail.<br>
Listen, my son, and get wisdom;<br>Lead your mind in a [proper] path.
Do not be of those who guzzle wine,<br>Or glut themselves on meat;
For guzzlers and gluttons will be impoverished,<br>And drowsing will clothe you in tatters.<br>
Listen to your father who begot you;<br>Do not disdain your mother when she is old.
Buy truth and never sell it,<br>And wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
The father of a righteous man will exult;<br>He who begets a wise son will rejoice in him.
Your father and mother will rejoice;<br>She who bore you will exult.
Give your mind to me, my son;<br>Let your eyes watch my ways.
A harlot is a deep pit;<br>A forbidden<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “alien.”</i> woman is a narrow well.
She too lies in wait as if for prey,<br>And destroys the unfaithful among men.<br>
Who cries, “Woe!” who, “Alas!”;<br>Who has quarrels, who complaints;<br>Who has wounds without cause;<br>Who has bleary eyes?
Those whom wine keeps till the small hours,<br>Those who gather to drain the cups.
Do not ogle that red wine<br>As it lends its color to the cup,<br>As it flows on smoothly;
In the end, it bites like a snake;<br>It spits like a basilisk.
Your eyes will see strange sights;<br>Your heart<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">See note to 15.28.</i> will speak distorted things.
You will be like one lying in bed on high seas,<br>Like one lying <sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>on top of the rigging.<sup class="endFootnote">-d</sup>
“They struck me, but I felt no hurt;<br>They beat me, but I was unaware;<br>As often as I wake,<br>I go after it again.”

Chapter 24

Do not envy evil men;<br>Do not desire to be with them;
For their hearts<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">See note to 15.28.</i> talk violence,<br>And their lips speak mischief.<br>
A house is built by wisdom,<br>And is established by understanding;
By knowledge are its rooms filled<br>With all precious and beautiful things.<br>
A wise man is strength;<br>A knowledgeable man exerts power;
For by stratagems you wage war,<br>And victory comes with much planning.<br>
Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;<br>He does not open his mouth in the gate.
He who lays plans to do harm<br>Is called by men a schemer.
The schemes of folly are sin,<br>And a scoffer is an abomination to men.<br>
If you showed yourself slack in time of trouble,<br>Wanting in power,
If you refrained from rescuing those taken off to death,<br>Those condemned to slaughter—
If you say, “We knew nothing of it,”<br>Surely He who fathoms hearts will discern [the truth],<br>He who watches over your life will know it,<br>And He will pay each man as he deserves.
My son, eat honey, for it is good;<br>Let its sweet drops be on your palate.
Know: such is wisdom for your soul;<br>If you attain it, there is a future;<br>Your hope will not be cut off.<br>
Wicked man! Do not lurk by the home of the righteous man;<br>Do no violence to his dwelling.
Seven times the righteous man falls and gets up,<br>While the wicked are tripped by one misfortune.<br>
If your enemy falls, do not exult;<br>If he trips, let your heart not rejoice,
Lest the L<small>ORD</small> see it and be displeased,<br>And avert His wrath from him.<br>
Do not be vexed by evildoers;<br>Do not be incensed by the wicked;
For there is no future for the evil man;<br>The lamp of the wicked goes out.<br>
Fear the L<small>ORD</small>, my son, and the king,<br>And do not mix with dissenters,
For disaster comes from them suddenly;<br>The doom both decree who can foreknow?<br>
These also are by the sages:<br><br>It is not right to be partial in judgment.
He who says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”<br>Shall be cursed by peoples,<br>Damned by nations;
But it shall go well with them who decide justly;<br>Blessings of good things will light upon them.<br>
Giving a straightforward reply<br>Is like giving a kiss.
Put your external affairs in order,<br>Get ready what you have in the field,<br>Then build yourself a home.
Do not be a witness against your fellow without good cause;<br>Would you mislead with your speech?
Do not say, “I will do to him what he did to me;<br>I will pay the man what he deserves.”<br>
I passed by the field of a lazy man,<br>By the vineyard of a man lacking sense.
It was all overgrown with thorns;<br>Its surface was covered with chickweed,<br>And its stone fence lay in ruins.
I observed and took it to heart;<br>I saw it and learned a lesson.
A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber,<br>A bit more hugging yourself in bed,
And poverty will come <sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>calling upon you,<sup class="endFootnote">-b</sup><br>And want, like a man with a shield.

Chapter 25

These too are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of King Hezekiah of Judah copied:<br>
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,<br>And the glory of a king to plumb a matter.
Like the heavens in their height, like the earth in its depth,<br>Is the mind of kings—unfathomable.
The dross having been separated from the silver,<br>A vessel emerged for the smith.
Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,<br>And his throne will be established in justice.
Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence;<br>Do not stand in the place of nobles.
For it is better to be told, “Step up here,”<br>Than to be degraded in the presence of the great.<br><br>Do not let what your eyes have seen
Be vented rashly in a quarrel;<br>Think<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “Lest.”</i> of what it will effect in the end,<br>When your fellow puts you to shame.
Defend your right against your fellow,<br>But do not give away the secrets of another,
Lest he who hears it reproach you,<br>And your bad repute never end.<br>
Like golden apples in silver showpieces<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i><br>Is a phrase well turned.
Like a ring of gold, a golden ornament,<br>Is a wise man’s reproof in a receptive ear.
Like the coldness of snow at harvesttime<br>Is a trusty messenger to those who send him;<br>He lifts his master’s spirits.
Like clouds, wind—but no rain—<br>Is one who boasts of gifts not given.
Through forbearance a ruler may be won over;<br>A gentle tongue can break bones.
If you find honey, eat only what you need,<br>Lest, surfeiting yourself, you throw it up.
Visit your neighbor sparingly,<br>Lest he have his surfeit of you and loathe you.
Like a club, a sword, a sharpened arrow,<br>Is a man who testifies falsely against his fellow.
Like a loose tooth and an unsteady leg,<br>Is a treacherous support in time of trouble.
Disrobing on a chilly day,<br>Like vinegar on natron,<br>Is one who sings songs to a sorrowful soul.<br>
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;<br>If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
You will be heaping live coals on his head,<br>And the L<small>ORD</small> will reward you.<br>
A north wind produces rain,<br>And whispered words, a glowering face.
Dwelling in the corner of a roof is better<br>Than a contentious woman in <sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>a spacious house.<sup class="endFootnote">-b</sup>
Like cold water to a parched throat<br>Is good news from a distant land.
Like a muddied spring, a ruined fountain,<br>Is a righteous man fallen before a wicked one.
It is not good to eat much honey,<br><sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>Nor is it honorable to search for honor.<sup class="endFootnote">-b</sup>
Like an open city without walls<br>Is a man whose temper is uncurbed.

Chapter 26

Like snow in summer and rain at harvesttime,<br>So honor is not fitting for a dullard.
As a sparrow must flit and a swallow fly,<br>So a gratuitous curse must backfire.<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Kethib, “fail.”</i>
A whip for a horse and a bridle for a donkey,<br>And a rod for the back of dullards.
Do not answer a dullard in accord with his folly,<br>Else you will become like him.
Answer a dullard in accord with his folly,<br>Else he will think himself wise.
He who sends a message by a dullard<br>Will wear out legs and <sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “drink.”</i>must put up with<sup class="endFootnote">-b</sup> lawlessness.
As legs hang limp on a cripple,<br>So is a proverb in the mouth of dullards.
Like a pebble in a sling,<br>So is paying honor to a dullard.
As a thorn comes to the hand of a drunkard,<br>So a proverb to the mouth of a dullard.
<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>A master can produce anything,<sup class="endFootnote">-c</sup><br>But he who hires a dullard is as one who hires transients.<sup class="endFootnote">-c</sup>
As a dog returns to his vomit,<br>So a dullard repeats his folly.
If you see a man who thinks himself wise,<br>There is more hope for a dullard than for him.<br>
A lazy man says,<br>“There’s a cub on the road, a lion in the squares.”
The door turns on its hinge,<br>And the lazy man on his bed.
The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl;<br>He will not even bring it to his mouth.
The lazy man thinks himself wiser<br>Than seven men who give good advice.<br>
A passerby who gets embroiled in someone else’s quarrel<br>Is like one who seizes a dog by its ears.
Like a madman<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> scattering deadly firebrands, arrows,
Is one who cheats his fellow and says, “I was only joking.”<br>
For lack of wood a fire goes out,<br>And without a querulous man contention is stilled.
Charcoal for embers and wood for a fire<br>And a contentious man for kindling strife.
The words of a querulous man are bruising;<sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i><br>They penetrate one’s inmost parts.<br>
Base silver laid over earthenware<br>Are ardent lips with an evil mind.
An enemy dissembles with his speech,<br>Inwardly he harbors deceit.
Though he be fair-spoken do not trust him,<br>For seven abominations are in his mind.
His hatred may be concealed by dissimulation,<br>But his evil will be exposed to public view.<br>
He who digs a pit will fall in it,<br>And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.
A lying tongue hates <sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>those crushed by it;<sup class="endFootnote">-c</sup><br>Smooth speech throws one down.

Chapter 27

Do not boast of tomorrow,<br>For you do not know what the day will bring.
Let the mouth of another praise you, not yours,<br>The lips of a stranger, not your own.
A stone has weight, sand is heavy,<br>But a fool’s vexation outweighs them both.
There is the cruelty of fury, the overflowing of anger,<br>But who can withstand jealousy?
Open reproof is better than concealed love.
Wounds by a loved one are long lasting;<br>The kisses of an enemy are profuse.
A sated person disdains honey,<br>But to a hungry man anything bitter seems sweet.
Like a sparrow wandering from its nest<br>Is a man who wanders from his home.
Oil and incense gladden the heart,<br>And the sweetness of a friend is better than one’s own counsel.
Do not desert your friend and your father’s friend;<br>Do not enter your brother’s house in your time of misfortune;<br>A close neighbor is better than a distant brother.
Get wisdom, my son, and gladden my heart,<br>That I may have what to answer those who taunt me.
The shrewd man saw trouble and took cover;<br>The simple kept going and paid the penalty.
Seize his garment, for he stood surety for another;<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Or “a stranger.”</i><br>Take it as a pledge, [for he stood surety] for an unfamiliar woman.
He who greets his fellow loudly early in the morning<br>Shall have it reckoned to him as a curse.
An endless dripping on a rainy day<br>And a contentious wife are alike;
As soon repress her as repress the wind,<br>Or declare one’s right hand to be oil.
As iron sharpens iron<br>So a man sharpens the wit<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “face.”</i> of his friend.
He who tends a fig tree will enjoy its fruit,<br>And he who cares for his master will be honored.
As face answers to face in water,<br>So does one man’s heart to another.
Sheol and Abaddon cannot be satisfied,<br>Nor can the eyes of man be satisfied.
For silver—the crucible, for gold—the furnace,<br>And a man is tested by his praise.
Even if you pound the fool in a mortar<br>With a pestle along with grain,<br>His folly will not leave him.<br>
Mind well the looks of your flock;<br>Pay attention to your herds;
For property does not last forever,<br>Or a crown for all generations.
Grass vanishes, new grass appears,<br>And the herbage of the hills is gathered in.
The lambs will provide you with clothing,<br>The he-goats, the price of a field.
The goats’ milk will suffice for your food,<br>The food of your household,<br>And the maintenance of your maids.

Chapter 28

The wicked flee though no one gives chase,<br>But the righteous are as confident as a lion.
When there is rebellion in the land, many are its rulers;<br><sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>But with a man who has understanding and knowledge, stability will last.<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
A poor man who withholds what is due to the wretched<br>Is like a destructive rain that leaves no food.
Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,<br>But those who heed instruction fight them.
Evil men cannot discern judgment,<br>But those who seek the L<small>ORD</small> discern all things.
Better is a poor man who lives blamelessly<br>Than a rich man whose ways are crooked.
An intelligent son heeds instruction,<br>But he who keeps company with gluttons disgraces his father.
He who increases his wealth by loans at discount or interest<br>Amasses it for one who is generous to the poor.
He who turns a deaf ear to instruction—<br>His prayer is an abomination.
He who misleads the upright into an evil course<br>Will fall into his own pit,<br>But the blameless will prosper.
A rich man is clever in his own eyes,<br>But a perceptive poor man can see through him.
When the righteous exult there is great glory,<br>But when the wicked rise up men make themselves scarce.
He who covers up his faults will not succeed;<br>He who confesses and gives them up will find mercy.
Happy is the man who is anxious always,<br>But he who hardens his heart falls into misfortune.
A roaring lion and a prowling bear<br>Is a wicked man ruling a helpless people.
A prince who lacks understanding is very oppressive;<br>He who spurns ill-gotten gains will live long.
A man oppressed by bloodguilt will flee to a pit;<br>Let none give him support.
He who lives blamelessly will be delivered,<br>But he who is crooked in his ways will fall all at once.
He who tills his land will have food in plenty,<br>But he who pursues vanities will have poverty in plenty.
A dependable man will receive many blessings,<br>But one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.
To be partial is not right;<br>A man may do wrong for a piece of bread.
A miserly man runs after wealth;<br>He does not realize that loss will overtake it.
He who reproves a man will in the end<br>Find more favor than he who flatters him.
He who robs his father and mother and says, “It is no offense,”<br>Is a companion to vandals.
A greedy man provokes quarrels,<br>But he who trusts the L<small>ORD</small> shall enjoy prosperity.
He who trusts his own instinct is a dullard,<br>But he who lives by wisdom shall escape.
He who gives to the poor will not be in want,<br>But he who shuts his eyes will be roundly cursed.
When the wicked rise up, men go into hiding,<br>But when they perish the righteous increase.

Chapter 29

One oft reproved may become stiffnecked,<br>But he will be suddenly broken beyond repair.
When the righteous become great the people rejoice,<br>But when the wicked dominate the people groan.
A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,<br>But he who keeps company with harlots will lose his wealth.
By justice a king sustains the land,<br>But a fraudulent man tears it down.
A man who flatters his fellow<br>Spreads a net for his feet.
An evil man’s offenses are a trap for himself,<br>But the righteous sing out joyously.
A righteous man is concerned with the cause of the wretched;<br>A wicked man cannot understand such concern.
Scoffers inflame a city,<br>But the wise allay anger.
When a wise man enters into litigation with a fool<br>There is ranting and ridicule, but no satisfaction.
Bloodthirsty men detest the blameless,<br>But the upright seek them out.
A dullard vents all his rage,<br>But a wise man calms it down.
A ruler who listens to lies,<br>All his ministers will be wicked.
A poor man and a fraudulent man meet;<br>The L<small>ORD</small> gives luster to the eyes of both.
A king who judges the wretched honestly,<br>His throne will be established forever.
Rod and reproof produce wisdom,<br>But a lad out of control is a disgrace to his mother.
When the wicked increase, offenses increase,<br>But the righteous will see their downfall.
Discipline your son and he will give you peace;<br>He will gratify you with dainties.
For lack of vision a people lose restraint,<br>But happy is he who heeds instruction.
A slave cannot be disciplined by words;<br>Though he may comprehend, he does not respond.
If you see a man hasty in speech,<br>There is more hope for a fool than for him.
A slave pampered from youth<br><sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>Will come to a bad end.<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup>
An angry man provokes a quarrel;<br>A hot-tempered man commits many offenses.
A man’s pride will humiliate him,<br>But a humble man will obtain honor.
He who shares with a thief is his own enemy;<br>He hears the imprecation and does not tell.<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Cf. Lev. 5.1.</i>
A man’s fears become a trap for him,<br>But he who trusts in the L<small>ORD</small> shall be safeguarded.
Many seek audience with a ruler,<br>But it is from the L<small>ORD</small> that a man gets justice.
The unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,<br>And he whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.

Chapter 30

The words of Agur son of Jakeh, [man of] Massa; The speech of the man to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:<br>
I am brutish, less than a man;<br>I lack common sense.
I have not learned wisdom,<br>Nor do I possess knowledge of the Holy One.
Who has ascended heaven and come down?<br>Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hand?<br>Who has wrapped the waters in his garment?<br>Who has established all the extremities of the earth?<br>What is his name or his son’s name, if you know it?<br>
Every word of God is pure,<br>A shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Do not add to His words,<br>Lest He indict you and you be proved a liar.<br>
Two things I ask of You; do not deny them to me before I die:
Keep lies and false words far from me;<br>Give me neither poverty nor riches,<br>But provide me with my daily bread,
Lest, being sated, I renounce, saying,<br>“Who is the L<small>ORD</small>?”<br>Or, being impoverished, I take to theft<br>And profane<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i> the name of my God.
Do not inform on a slave to his master,<br>Lest he curse you and you incur guilt.<br>
There is a breed of men that brings a curse on its fathers<br>And brings no blessing to its mothers,
A breed that thinks itself pure,<br>Though it is not washed of its filth;
A breed so haughty of bearing, so supercilious;
A breed whose teeth are swords,<br>Whose jaws are knives,<br>Ready to devour the poor of the land,<br>The needy among men.<br>
The leech has two daughters, “Give!” and “Give!”<br>Three things are insatiable;<br>Four never say, “Enough!”:
Sheol, a barren womb,<br>Earth that cannot get enough water,<br>And fire which never says, “Enough!”<br>
The eye that mocks a father<br>And disdains the homage due a mother—<br>The ravens of the brook will gouge it out,<br>Young eagles will devour it.<br>
Three things are beyond me;<br>Four I cannot fathom:
How an eagle makes its way over the sky;<br>How a snake makes its way over a rock;<br>How a ship makes its way through the high seas;<br>How a man has his way with a maiden.
Such is the way of an adulteress:<br>She eats, wipes her mouth,<br>And says, “I have done no wrong.”
The earth shudders at three things,<br>At four which it cannot bear:
A slave who becomes king;<br>A scoundrel sated with food;
A loathsome woman who gets married;<br>A slave-girl who supplants her mistress.<br>
Four are among the tiniest on earth,<br>Yet they are the wisest of the wise:
Ants are a folk without power,<br>Yet they prepare food for themselves in summer;
The badger is a folk without strength,<br>Yet it makes its home in the rock;
The locusts have no king,<br>Yet they all march forth in formation;
You can catch the lizard<sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Or “spider.”</i> in your hand,<br>Yet it is found in royal palaces.<br>
There are three that are stately of stride,<br>Four that carry themselves well:
The lion is mightiest among the beasts,<br>And recoils before none;
<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>The greyhound, the he-goat,<br>The king whom none dares resist.<sup class="endFootnote">-a</sup><br>
If you have been scandalously arrogant,<br>If you have been a schemer,<br>Then clap your hand to your mouth.
As milk under pressure produces butter,<br>And a nose under pressure produces blood,<br>So patience under pressure produces strife.

Chapter 31

The words of Lemuel, king of Massa, with which his mother admonished him:<br>
No, my son!<br>No, O son of my womb!<br>No, O son of my vows!
Do not give your strength to women,<br>Your vigor,<sup class="footnote-marker">a</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “ways.”</i> <sup class="footnote-marker">b</sup><i class="footnote">Meaning of Heb. uncertain.</i>to those who destroy kings.<sup class="endFootnote">-b</sup>
Wine is not for kings, O Lemuel;<br>Not for kings to drink,<br>Nor any strong drink for princes,
Lest they drink and forget what has been ordained,<br>And infringe on the rights of the poor.
Give strong drink to the hapless<br>And wine to the embittered.
Let them drink and forget their poverty,<br>And put their troubles out of mind.
Speak up for the dumb,<br>For the rights of all the unfortunate.
Speak up, judge righteously,<br>Champion the poor and the needy.<br>
What a rare find is a capable wife!<br>Her worth is far beyond that of rubies.
Her husband puts his confidence in her,<br>And lacks no good thing.
She is good to him, never bad,<br>All the days of her life.
She looks for wool and flax,<br>And sets her hand to them with a will.
She is like a merchant fleet,<br>Bringing her food from afar.
She rises while it is still night,<br>And supplies provisions for her household,<br>The daily fare of her maids.
She sets her mind on an estate and acquires it;<br>She plants a vineyard by her own labors.
She girds herself with strength,<br><sup class="footnote-marker">c</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “And exerts her arms.”</i>And performs her tasks with vigor.<sup class="endFootnote">-c</sup>
She sees<sup class="footnote-marker">d</sup><i class="footnote">Lit. “tastes.”</i> that her business thrives;<br>Her lamp never goes out at night.
She sets her hand to the distaff;<br>Her fingers work the spindle.<br>
She gives generously to the poor;<br>Her hands are stretched out to the needy.
She is not worried for her household because of snow,<br>For her whole household is dressed in crimson.
She makes covers for herself;<br>Her clothing is linen and purple.
Her husband is prominent in the gates,<br>As he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes cloth and sells it,<br>And offers a girdle to the merchant.
She is clothed with strength and splendor;<br>She looks to the future cheerfully.
Her mouth is full of wisdom,<br>Her tongue with kindly teaching.
She oversees the activities of her household<br>And never eats the bread of idleness.
Her children declare her happy;<br>Her husband praises her,
“Many women have done well,<br>But you surpass them all.”
Grace is deceptive,<br>Beauty is illusory;<br>It is for her fear of the L<small>ORD</small><br>That a woman is to be praised.
Extol her for the fruit of her hand,<br>And let her works praise her in the gates.