19¹ Better the poor walking in integrity than one perverse of speech who is a fool.

² Desire without knowledge is not good, and one who moves too hurriedly misses the way.

³ One's own folly leads to ruin, yet the heart rages against the Lord.

⁴ Wealth brings many friends, but the poor are left friendless.

⁵ A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will not escape.

⁶ Many seek the favor of the generous, and everyone is a friend to a giver of gifts. ⁷ If the poor are hated even by their kin, how much more are they shunned by their friends! When they call after them, they are not there.

⁸ To get wisdom is to love oneself; to keep understanding is to prosper.

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished, and the liar will perish.

¹⁰ It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes.

¹¹ Those with good sense are slow to anger, and it is their glory to overlook an offense.

¹² A king's anger is like the growling of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹³ A stupid child is ruin to a father, and a wife's quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.

¹⁴ House and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

¹⁵ Laziness brings on deep sleep; an idle person will suffer hunger.

¹⁶ Those who keep the commandment will live; those who are heedless of their ways will die.

¹⁷ Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and will be repaid in full.

¹⁸ Discipline your children while there is hope; do not set your heart on their destruction.

¹⁹ A violent tempered person will pay the penalty; if you effect a rescue, you will only have to do it again.

²⁰ Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom for the future.

²¹ The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established.

²² What is desirable in a person is loyalty, and it is better to be poor than a liar.

²³ The fear of the Lord is life indeed; filled with it one rests secure and suffers no harm.

²⁴ The lazy person buries a hand in the dish, and will not even bring it back to the mouth.

²⁵ Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove the intelligent, and they will gain knowledge.

²⁶ Those who do violence to their father and chase away their mother are children who cause shame and bring reproach.

²⁷ Cease straying, my child, from the words of knowledge, in order that you may hear instruction.

²⁸ A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

²⁹ Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and flogging for the backs of fools.

Exhortations to Obedience

3¹ My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; ² for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you. ³ Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around 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 of people. 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 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. ⁸ It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body. 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 child, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, ¹² for the Lord reproves the one he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

¹³ Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding, ¹⁴ for her income is better than silver, and her revenue 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 open, and the clouds drop down the dew.

²¹ My child, do not let these escape from your sight: keep sound wisdom and prudence, 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 storm that strikes the wicked; 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 harm against your neighbor who lives trustingly beside you. ³⁰ Do not quarrel with anyone without cause, when no harm has been done to you. ³¹ Do not envy the violent and do not choose any of their ways; ³² for the perverse are 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 stubborn fools, disgrace.