201 Wine makes you mean, beer makes you quarrelsome - a staggering drunk is not much fun.

2 Quick-tempered leaders are like mad dogs - cross them and they bite your head off.

3 It's a mark of good character to avert quarrels, but fools love to pick fights.

4 A farmer too lazy to plant in the spring has nothing to harvest in the fall.

5 Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart; a wise person draws from the well within.

6 Lots of people claim to be loyal and loving, but where on earth can you find one?

7 God-loyal people, living honest lives, make it much easier for their children.

8 Leaders who know their business and care keep a sharp eye out for the shoddy and cheap,

9 For who among us can be trusted to be always diligent and honest?

10 Switching price tags and padding the expense account are two things God hates.

11 Young people eventually reveal by their actions if their motives are on the up and up. Drinking from the Chalice of Knowledge

12 Ears that hear and eyes that see - we get our basic equipment from God!

13 Don't be too fond of sleep; you'll end up in the poorhouse. Wake up and get up; then there'll be food on the table.

14 The shopper says, "That's junk - I'll take it off your hands," then goes off boasting of the bargain.

15 Drinking from the beautiful chalice of knowledge is better than adorning oneself with gold and rare gems.

16 Hold tight to collateral on any loan to a stranger; beware of accepting what a transient has pawned.

17 Stolen bread tastes sweet, but soon your mouth is full of gravel.

18 Form your purpose by asking for counsel, then carry it out using all the help you can get.

19 Gossips can't keep secrets, so never confide in blabbermouths.

20 Anyone who curses father and mother extinguishes light and exists benighted. The Very Steps We Take

21 A bonanza at the beginning is no guarantee of blessing at the end.

22 Don't ever say, "I'll get you for that!" Wait for God; he'll settle the score.

23 God hates cheating in the marketplace; rigged scales are an outrage.

24 The very steps we take come from God; otherwise how would we know where we're going?

25 An impulsive vow is a trap; later you'll wish you could get out of it.

26 After careful scrutiny, a wise leader makes a clean sweep of rebels and dolts.

27 God is in charge of human life, watching and examining us inside and out.

28 Love and truth form a good leader; sound leadership is founded on loving integrity.

29 Youth may be admired for vigor, but gray hair gives prestige to old age.

30 A good thrashing purges evil; punishment goes deep within us.

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.