19¹ Better is the poor man whose ways are upright, than the man of wealth whose ways are twisted.

² Further, without knowledge desire is not good; and he who is over-quick in acting goes out of the right way.

³ By his foolish behaviour a man's ways are turned upside down, and his heart is bitter against the Lord.

⁴ Wealth makes a great number of friends; but the poor man is parted from his friend.

⁵ A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will not go free.

⁶ Great numbers will make attempts to get the approval of a ruler: and every man is the special friend of him who has something to give. ⁷ All the brothers of the poor man are against him: how much more do his friends go far from him! ...

⁸ He who gets wisdom has love for his soul: he who keeps good sense will get what is truly good.

⁹ A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will be cut off.

¹⁰ Material comfort is not good for the foolish; much less for a servant to be put over rulers.

¹¹ A man's good sense makes him slow to wrath, and the overlooking of wrongdoing is his glory.

¹² The king's wrath is like the loud cry of a lion, but his approval is like dew on the grass.

¹³ A foolish son is the destruction of his father; and the bitter arguments of a wife are like drops of rain falling without end.

¹⁴ House and wealth are a heritage from fathers, but a wife with good sense is from the Lord.

¹⁵ Hate of work sends deep sleep on a man: and he who has no industry will go without food.

¹⁶ He who keeps the law keeps his soul; but death will be the fate of him who takes no note of the word.

¹⁷ He who has pity on the poor gives to the Lord, and the Lord will give him his reward.

¹⁸ Give your son training while there is hope; let not your heart be purposing his death.

¹⁹ A man of great wrath will have to take his punishment: for if you get him out of trouble you will have to do it again.

²⁰ Let your ear be open to suggestion and take teaching, so that at the end you may be wise.

²¹ A man's heart may be full of designs, but the purpose of the Lord is unchanging.

²² The ornament of a man is his mercy, and a poor man is better than one who is false.

²³ The fear of the Lord gives life: and he who has it will have need of nothing; no evil will come his way.

²⁴ The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin, and will not even take it to his mouth again.

²⁵ When blows overtake the man of pride, the simple will get sense; say sharp words to the wise, and knowledge will be made clear to him.

²⁶ He who is violent to his father, driving away his mother, is a son causing shame and a bad name.

²⁷ A son who no longer gives attention to teaching is turned away from the words of knowledge.

²⁸ A good-for-nothing witness makes sport of the judge's decision: and the mouth of evil-doers sends out evil like a stream.

²⁹ Rods are being made ready for the man of pride, and blows for the back of the foolish.

Exhortations to Obedience

3¹ My son, keep my teaching in your memory, and my rules in your heart: ² For they will give you increase of days, years of life, and peace. ³ Let not mercy and good faith go from you; let them be hanging round your neck, recorded on your heart; ⁴ So you will have grace and a good name in the eyes of God and men. ⁵ Put all your hope in God, not looking to your reason for support. ⁶ In all your ways give ear to him, and he will make straight your footsteps.

⁷ Put no high value on your wisdom: let the fear of the Lord be before you, and keep yourself from evil: ⁸ This will give strength to your flesh, and new life to your bones. ⁹ Give honour to the Lord with your wealth, and with the first-fruits of all your increase: ¹⁰ So your store-houses will be full of grain, and your vessels overflowing with new wine. ¹¹ My son, do not make your heart hard against the Lord's teaching; do not be made angry by his training: ¹² For to those who are dear to him the Lord says sharp words, and makes the son in whom he has delight undergo pain.

¹³ Happy is the man who makes discovery of wisdom, and he who gets knowledge. ¹⁴ For trading in it is better than trading in silver, and its profit greater than bright gold. ¹⁵ She is of more value than jewels, and nothing for which you may have a desire is fair in comparison with her. ¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour. ¹⁷ Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her. ¹⁹ The Lord by wisdom put in position the bases of the earth; by reason he put the heavens in their place. ²⁰ By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies.

²¹ My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes. ²² So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck. ²³ Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping. ²⁴ When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you. ²⁵ Have no fear of sudden danger, or of the storm which will come on evil-doers: ²⁶ For the Lord will be your hope, and will keep your foot from being taken in the net.

²⁷ Do not keep back good from those who have a right to it, when it is in the power of your hand to do it. ²⁸ Say not to your neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it by you at the time. ²⁹ Do not make evil designs against your neighbour, when he is living with you without fear. ³⁰ Do not take up a cause at law against a man for nothing, if he has done you no wrong. ³¹ Have no envy of the violent man, or take any of his ways as an example. ³² For the wrong-hearted man is hated by the Lord, but he is a friend to the upright. ³³ The curse of the Lord is on the house of the evil-doer, but his blessing is on the tent of the upright. ³⁴ He makes sport of the men of pride, but he gives grace to the gentle-hearted. ³⁵ The wise will have glory for their heritage, but shame will be the reward of the foolish.