doomed.
10Luxury is not fitting for a dullard,
Much less that a servant rule over princes.
11A man shows intelligence by his forebearance;
It is his glory when he overlooks an offense.
12The rage of a king is like the roar of a lion;
His favor is like dew upon the grass.
13A stupid son is a calamity to his father;
The nagging of a wife is like the endless dripping of water.
14Property and riches are bequeathed by fathers,
But an efficient wife comes from the LORD.
15Laziness induces sleep,
And a negligent person will go hungry.
16He who has regard for his life pays regard to commandments;
He who is heedless of his ways will die.
17He who is generous to the poor makes a loan to the LORD;
He will repay him his due.
18Discipline your son while there is still hope,
Andb do not c-set your heart on his destruction.-c
19A hot-tempered man incurs punishment;
a-If you try to save him you will only make it worse.-a
20Listen to advice and accept discipline
In order that you may be wise in the end.
21Many designs are in a man’s mind,
But it is the LORD’s plan that is accomplished.
22a-Greed is a reproach to a man;-a
Better be poor than a liar.
23He who fears the LORD earns life;
a-He shall abide in contentment,-a
Free from misfortune.
24The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl;
He will not even bring it to his mouth.
25Beat the scoffer and the simple will become clever;
Reprove an intelligent man and he gains knowledge.
26A son who causes shame and disgrace
Plunders his father, puts his mother to flight.
27My son, cease to stray from words of knowledge
And receive discipline.
28A malicious witness scoffs at justice,
And the speech of the wicked conceals mischief.
29Punishments are in store for scoffers
And blows for the backs of dullards.
20 Wine is a scoffer, strong drink a roisterer;
He who is muddled by them will not grow wise.
2The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion;
He who provokes his anger risks his life.
3It is honorable for a man to desist from strife,
But every fool a-becomes embroiled.-a
4In winter the lazy man does not plow;
At harvesttime he seeks, and finds nothing.
5The designs in a man’s mind are deep waters,
But a man of understanding can draw them out.
6He calls many a man his loyal friend,
But who can find a faithful man?
7The righteous man lives blamelessly;
Happy are his children who come after him.
8The king seated on the throne of judgment
Can winnow out all evil by his glance.
9Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,
I am purged of my sin”?
10False weights and false measures,
Both are an abomination to the LORD.
11A child may be dissembling in his behavior
Even though his actions are blameless and proper.
12The ear that hears, the eye that sees—
The LORD made them both.
13Do not love sleep lest you be impoverished;
Keep your eyes open and you will have plenty of food.
14“Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But having moved off, he congratulates himself.
15Gold is plentiful, jewels abundant,
But wise speech is a precious object.
16Seize his garment, for he stood surety for another;b
Take it as a pledge, [for he stood surety] for an unfamiliar woman.
17Bread gained by fraud may be tasty to 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