1
1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.
2
2The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is
3the maker of them all.
3
4The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.
4
The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is
5riches and honor and life.
5
6Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever
7guards his soul will keep far from them.
6
8Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7
9The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8
Whoever
10sows injustice will reap calamity, and
11the rod of his fury will fail.
9
12Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he
13shares his bread with the poor.
10
14Drive out a scoffer,
15and strife will go out, and
16quarreling and abuse will cease.
11
He who
17loves purity of heart, and whose
18speech is gracious,
19will have the king as his friend.
12
The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he
20overthrows the words of the traitor.
13
21The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!"
14
The mouth of
22forbidden women is
23a deep pit;
24he with whom the LORD is angry will fall into it.
15
Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but
25the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16
Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich,
26will only come to poverty.
Words of the Wise
17 27Incline your ear, and hear
28the words of the wise,
29and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18
for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
19
That your trust may be in the LORD, I have made them known to you today, even to you.
20
Have I not written for you
30thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21
to
31make you know what is right and true, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
22
32Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or
33crush the afflicted at
34the gate,
23
for
35the LORD will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.
24
Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man,
25
lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
26
Be not one of those who
36give pledges, who put up security for debts.
27
If you have nothing with which to pay, why should
37your bed be taken from under you?
28
Do not move the ancient
38landmark that your fathers have set.
29
Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will
39stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.