17¹ Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.

² A slave who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

³ The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tries hearts.

⁴ An evildoer listens to wicked lips; and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.

⁵ He who mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

⁶ Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of sons is their fathers.

⁷ Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.

⁸ A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.

⁹ He who forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter alienates a friend.

¹⁰ A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.

¹¹ An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

¹² Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly.

¹³ If a man returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.

¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water; so quit before the quarrel breaks out.

¹⁵ He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.

¹⁶ Why should a fool have a price in his hand to buy wisdom, when he has no mind?

¹⁷ A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

¹⁸ A man without sense gives a pledge, and becomes surety in the presence of his neighbor.

¹⁹ He who loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.

²⁰ A man of crooked mind does not prosper, and one with a perverse tongue falls into calamity.

²¹ A stupid son is a grief to a father; and the father of a fool has no joy.

²² A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.

²³ A wicked man accepts a bribe from the bosom to pervert the ways of justice.

²⁴ A man of understanding sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

²⁵ A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.

²⁶ To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good; to flog noble men is wrong.

²⁷ He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. ²⁸ Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

Exhortations to Obedience

3¹ My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; ² for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare will they give you. ³ Let not loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them about your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. ⁴ So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man. ⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

⁷ Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. ⁸ It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. ⁹ Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce; ¹⁰ then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. ¹¹ My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, ¹² for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

¹³ Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding, ¹⁴ for the gain from it is better than gain from silver and its profit better than gold. ¹⁵ She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. ¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. ¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy. ¹⁹ The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; ²⁰ by his knowledge the deeps broke forth, and the clouds drop down the dew.

²¹ My son, keep sound wisdom and discretion; let them not escape from your sight, ²² and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. ²³ Then you will walk on your way securely and your foot will not stumble. ²⁴ If you sit down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. ²⁵ Do not be afraid of sudden panic, or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes; ²⁶ for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. ²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it" --when you have it with you. ²⁹ Do not plan evil against your neighbor who dwells trustingly beside you. ³⁰ Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm. ³¹ Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways; ³² for the perverse man is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence. ³³ The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the abode of the righteous. ³⁴ Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he shows favor. ³⁵ The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.