a man,
But later his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18Plans laid in council will succeed;
Wage war with stratagems.
19He who gives away secrets is a base fellow;
Do not take up with a garrulous man.
20One who reviles his father or mother,
Light will fail him when darkness comes.
21An estate acquired in haste at the outset
Will not be blessed in the end.
22Do not say, “I will requite evil”;
Put your hope in the LORD and He will deliver you.
23False weights are an abomination to the LORD;
Dishonest scales are not right.
24A man’s steps are decided by the LORD;
What does a man know about his own way?
25It is a snare for a man a-to pledge a sacred gift rashly-a
And to give thought to his vows only after they have been made.
26A wise king winnows out the wicked,
And turns the wheel upon them.
27The lifebreath of man is the lamp of the LORD
Revealing all his inmost parts.
28Faithfulness and loyalty protect the king;
He maintains his throne by faithfulness.
29The glory of youths is their strength;
The majesty of old men is their gray hair.
30Bruises and wounds are repaymenta for evil,
Striking at one’s inmost parts.
21 Like channeled water is the mind of the king in the LORD’s hand;
He directs it to whatever He wishes.
2All the ways of a man seem right to him,
But the LORD probes the mind.
3To do what is right and just
Is more desired by the LORD than sacrifice.
4Haughty looks, a proud heart—
The tillage of the wicked is sinful.
5The plans of the diligent make only for gain;
All rash haste makes only for loss.
6Treasures acquired by a lying tongue
a-Are like driven vapor, heading for extinction.-a
7The violence of the wicked sweeps them away,
For they refuse to act justly.
8The way of a man may be tortuous and strange,
Though his actions are blameless and proper.
9Dwelling in the corner of a roof is better
Than a contentious wife in a a-spacious house.-a
10The desire of the wicked is set upon evil;
His fellowman finds no favor in his eyes.
11When a scoffer is punished, the simple man is edified;
When a wise man is taught, he gains insight.
12The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked man;
He subverts the wicked to their ruin.
13Who stops his ears at the cry of the wretched,
He too will call and not be answered.
14A gift in secret subdues anger,
A present in private, fierce rage.
15Justice done is a joy to the righteous,
To evildoers, ruination.
16A man who strays from the path of prudence
Will rest in the company of ghosts.
17He who loves pleasure comes to want;
He who loves wine and oil does not grow rich.
18The wicked are the ransom of the righteous;
The traitor comes in place of the upright.
19It is better to live in the desert
Than with a contentious, vexatious wife.
20Precious treasure and oil are in the house of the wise man,
And a fool of a man will run through them.
21He who strives to do good and kind deeds
Attains life, success, and honor.
22One wise man prevailed over a city of warriors
And brought down its mouth stronghold.
23He who guards his mouth and tongue
Guards himself from trouble.
24The proud, insolent man, scoffer is his name,
Acts in a frenzy of insolence.
25The craving of a lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to work.
26All day long he is seized with craving
While the righteous man gives without stint.
27The sacrifice of the wicked man is an abomination,
The more so as he offers it in depravity.
28A false witness is doomed,
But one who really heard will testify with success.
29The wicked man is brazen-faced;
The upright man discerns his course.
30No wisdom, no prudence, and no counsel
Can prevail against the LORD.
31The horse is readied for the day of battle,
But victory comes from the LORD.
22 Repute is preferable to great wealth,
Grace is better than silver and gold.
2Rich man and poor man meet;
The LORD made them both.
3The shrewd man saw trouble and took cover;
The simple kept going and paid the penalty.
4The effect of humility is fear of the LORD,
Wealth, honor, and life.
5Thorns and snares are in the path of the crooked;
He who values his life will keep far from them.
6Train a lad in the way he ought to go;
He will not swerve from it even in old age.
7The rich rule the poor,
And the borrower is a slave to the lender.
8He who sows injustice shall reap misfortune;
His rod of wrath shall fail.
9The generous man is blessed,
For he gives of his bread to the poor.
10Expel the scoffer and contention departs,
Quarrel and contumely cease.
11A pure-hearted friend,
His speech is gracious;
He has the king for his companion.
12The eyes of the LORD watch the wise man;
He subverts the words of the treacherous.
13The lazy man says, “There’s a lion in the street;
I shall be killed a-if I step outside.”-a
14The mouth of a forbiddenb woman is a deep pit;
He who is doomed by the LORD falls into it.
15If folly settles in the heart of a lad,
The rod of discipline will remove it.
16To profit by withholding what is due to the poor
Is like making gifts to the rich—pure loss.
17Incline your ear and listen to the words of the sages;
Pay attention to my wisdom.
18It is good that you store them inside you,
And that all of them be constantly on your lips,
19That you may put your trust in the LORD.
I let you know today—yes, you—
20Indeed, I wrote down for you c-a threefold lore,-c
Wise counsel,
21To let you know truly reliable words,
That you may give a faithful reply to him who sent you.
22Do not rob the wretched because he is wretched;
Do not crush the poor man in the gate;
23For the LORD will take up their cause
And despoil those who despoil them of life.
24Do not associate with an irascible man,
Or go about with one who is hot-tempered,
25Lest you learn his ways
And find yourself ensnared.
26Do not be one of those who give their hand,
Who stand surety for debts,
27Lest your bed be taken from under you
When you have no money to pay.
28Do not remove the ancient boundary stone
That your ancestors set up.
29See a man skilled at his work—
He shall attend upon kings;
He shall not attend upon c-obscure men.-c
23 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
Consider well who is before you.
2Thrust a knife into your gullet
If you have a large appetite.
3Do not crave for his dainties,
For they are counterfeit food.
4Do not toil to gain wealth;
Have the sense to desist.
5You see it, then it is gone;
It grows wings and flies away,
Like an eagle, heavenward.
6Do not eat of a stingy man’s food;
Do not crave for his dainties;
7He is like one keeping accounts;
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
But he does not really mean it.
8The morsel you eat you will vomit;
You will waste your courteous words.
9Do not speak to a dullard,
For he will disdain your sensible words.
10Do not remove ancient boundary stones;
Do not encroach upon the field of orphans,
11For they have a mighty Kinsman,
And He will surely take up their cause with you.
12Apply your mind to discipline
And your ears to wise sayings.
13Do not withhold discipline from a child;
If you beat him with a rod he will not die.
14Beat him with a rod
And you will save him from the grave.
15My son, if your mind gets wisdom,
My mind, too, will be gladdened.
16I shall rejoice with all my hearta
When your lips speak right things.
17Do not envy sinners in your heart,
But only God-fearing men, at all times,
18For then you will have a future,
And your hope will never fail.
19Listen, my son, and get wisdom;
Lead your mind in a [proper] path.
20Do not be of those who guzzle wine,
Or glut themselves on meat;
21For guzzlers and gluttons will be impoverished,
And drowsing will clothe you in tatters.
22Listen to your father who begot you;
Do not disdain your mother when she is old.
23Buy truth and never sell it,
And wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
24The father of a righteous man will exult;
He who begets a wise son will rejoice in him.
25Your father and mother will rejoice;
She who bore you will exult.
26Give your mind to me, my son;
Let your eyes watch my ways.
27A harlot is a deep pit;
A forbiddenb woman is a narrow well.
28She too lies in wait as if for prey,
And destroys the unfaithful among men.
29Who cries, “Woe!” who, “Alas!”;
Who has quarrels, who complaints;
Who has wounds without cause;
Who has bleary eyes?
30Those whom wine keeps till the small hours,
Those who gather to drain the cups.
31Do not ogle that red wine
As it lends its color to the cup,
As it flows on smoothly;
32In the end, it bites like a snake;
It spits like a basilisk.
33Your eyes will see strange sights;
Your heartc will speak distorted things.
34You will be like one lying in bed on high seas,
Like one lying d-on top of the rigging.-d
35“They struck me, but I felt no hurt;
They beat me, but I was unaware;
As often as I wake,
I go after it again.”
24 Do not envy evil men;
Do not desire to be with them;
2For their heartsa talk violence,
And their lips speak mischief.
3A house is built by wisdom,
And is established by understanding;
4By knowledge are its rooms filled
With all precious and beautiful things.
5A wise man is strength;
A knowledgeable man exerts power;
6For by stratagems you wage war,
And victory comes with much planning.
7Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;
He does not open his mouth in the gate.
8He who lays plans to do harm
Is called by men a schemer.
9The schemes of folly are sin,
And a scoffer is an abomination to men.
10If you showed yourself slack in time of trouble,
Wanting in power,
11If you refrained from rescuing those taken off to death,
Those condemned to slaughter—
12If you say, “We knew nothing of it,”
Surely He who fathoms hearts will discern [the truth],
He who watches over your life will know it,
And He will pay each man as he deserves.
13My son, eat honey, for it is good;
Let its sweet drops be on your palate.
14Know: such is wisdom for your soul;
If you attain it, there is a future;
Your hope will not be cut off.
15Wicked man! Do not lurk by the home