The Upright and the Wicked Contrasted

101 Wise son, glad father; stupid son, sad mother.

2 Ill-gotten gain gets you nowhere; an honest life is immortal. 3 God won't starve an honest soul, but he frustrates the appetites of the wicked.

4 Sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth.

5 Make hay while the sun shines - that's smart; go fishing during harvest - that's stupid.

6 Blessings accrue on a good and honest life, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.

7 A good and honest life is a blessed memorial; a wicked life leaves a rotten stench.

8 A wise heart takes orders; an empty head will come unglued.

9 Honesty lives confident and carefree, but Shifty is sure to be exposed.

10 An evasive eye is a sign of trouble ahead, but an open, face-to-face meeting results in peace.

11 The mouth of a good person is a deep, life-giving well, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.

12 Hatred starts fights, but love pulls a quilt over the bickering.

13 You'll find wisdom on the lips of a person of insight, but the shortsighted needs a slap in the face.

14 The wise accumulate knowledge - a true treasure; know-it-alls talk too much - a sheer waste. The Road to Life Is a Disciplined Life

15 The wealth of the rich is their bastion; the poverty of the indigent is their ruin.

16 The wage of a good person is exuberant life; an evil person ends up with nothing but sin.

17 The road to life is a disciplined life; ignore correction and you're lost for good.

18 Liars secretly hoard hatred; fools openly spread slander.

19 The more talk, the less truth; the wise measure their words.

20 The speech of a good person is worth waiting for; the blabber of the wicked is worthless. 21 The talk of a good person is rich fare for many, but chatterboxes die of an empty heart. Fear-of-God Expands Your Life

22 God's blessing makes life rich; nothing we do can improve on God.

23 An empty-head thinks mischief is fun, but a mindful person relishes wisdom.

24 The nightmares of the wicked come true; what the good people desire, they get. 25 When the storm is over, there's nothing left of the wicked; good people, firm on their rock foundation, aren't even fazed.

26 A lazy employee will give you nothing but trouble; it's vinegar in the mouth, smoke in the eyes.

27 The Fear-of-God expands your life; a wicked life is a puny life. 28 The aspirations of good people end in celebration; the ambitions of bad people crash.

29 God is solid backing to a well-lived life, but he calls into question a shabby performance. 30 Good people last - they can't be moved; the wicked are here today, gone tomorrow.

31 A good person's mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom; a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp. 32 The speech of a good person clears the air; the words of the wicked pollute it.

Exhortations to Obedience

31 Good friend, don't forget all I've taught you; take to heart my commands. 2 They'll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well. 3 Don't lose your grip on Love and Loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart. 4 Earn a reputation for living well in God's eyes and the eyes of the people. 5 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. 6 Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track.

7 Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! 8 Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! 9 Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. 10 Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. 11 But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. 12 It's the child he loves that God corrects; a father's delight is behind all this. The Very Tree of Life

13 You're blessed when you meet Lady Wisdom, when you make friends with Madame Insight. 14 She's worth far more than money in the bank; her friendship is better than a big salary. 15 Her value exceeds all the trappings of wealth; nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her. 16 With one hand she gives long life, with the other she confers recognition. 17 Her manner is beautiful, her life wonderfully complete. 18 She's the very Tree of Life to those who embrace her. Hold her tight - and be blessed! 19 With Lady Wisdom, God formed Earth; with Madame Insight, he raised Heaven. 20 They knew when to signal rivers and springs to the surface, and dew to descend from the night skies. Never Walk Away

21 Dear friend, guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life; don't for a minute lose sight of them. 22 They'll keep your soul alive and well, they'll keep you fit and attractive. 23 You'll travel safely, you'll neither tire nor trip. 24 You'll take afternoon naps without a worry, you'll enjoy a good night's sleep. 25 No need to panic over alarms or surprises, or predictions that doomsday's just around the corner, 26 Because God will be right there with you; he'll keep you safe and sound.

27 Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God's hand for that person. 28 Don't tell your neighbor, "Maybe some other time," or, "Try me tomorrow," when the money's right there in your pocket. 29 Don't figure ways of taking advantage of your neighbor when he's sitting there trusting and unsuspecting. 30 Don't walk around with a chip on your shoulder, always spoiling for a fight. 31 Don't try to be like those who shoulder their way through life. Why be a bully? 32 "Why not?" you say. Because God can't stand twisted souls. It's the straightforward who get his respect. 33 God's curse blights the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. 34 He gives proud skeptics a cold shoulder, but if you're down on your luck, he's right there to help. 35 Wise living gets rewarded with honor; stupid living gets the booby prize.