Her tongue-lashing makes it known to all.
7 A wicked woman is like a chafing yoke.
He who takes hold of her is like one who grasps a scorpion.
8 A drunken woman causes great wrath.
She will not cover her own shame.
9 The fornication of a woman is in the lifting up of her eyes;
it will be known by her eyelids.
10 Keep strict watch on a headstrong daughter,
lest she find liberty for herself, and use it.
11 Watch out for an impudent eye,
and don’t be surprised if it sins against you.
12 She will open her mouth like a thirsty traveller,
and drink from every water that is near.
She will sit down at every post,
and open her quiver to any arrow.
13 The grace of a wife will delight her husband.
Her knowledge will strengthen‡ his bones.
14 A silent woman is a gift of the Lord.
There is nothing worth so much as a well-instructed soul.
15 A modest woman is grace upon grace.
There are no scales that can weigh the value of a self-controlled soul.
16 As the sun when it arises in the highest places of the Lord,
so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-organised home.
17 As the lamp that shines upon the holy lampstand,
so is the beauty of the face on a well-proportioned body.
18 As the golden pillars are upon a base of silver,
so are beautiful feet with the breasts of one who is steadfast. 19-27 §
28 For two things my heart is grieved,
and for the third anger comes upon me:
a warrior who suffers for poverty,
men of understanding who are counted as garbage,
and one who turns back from righteousness to sin—
the Lord will prepare him for the sword!
29 It is difficult for a merchant to keep himself from wrong doing,
and for a retailer to be acquitted of sin.
27
1 Many have sinned for profit.
He who seeks to multiply wealth will turn his eye away.
2 As a nail will stick fast between the joinings of stones,
so sin will thrust itself in between buying and selling.
3 Unless a person holds on diligently to the fear of the Lord,
his house will be overthrown quickly.
4 In the shaking of a sieve, the refuse remains,
so does the filth of man in his thoughts.
5 The furnace tests the potter’s vessels;
so the test of a person is in his thoughts.
6 The fruit of a tree discloses its cultivation,
so is the utterance of the thought of a person’s heart.
7 Praise no man before you hear his thoughts,
for this is how people are tested.
8 If you follow righteousness, you will obtain it,
and put it on like a long robe of glory.
9 Birds will return to their own kind,
so truth will return to those who practise it.
10 The lion lies in wait for prey.
So does sin for those who do evil.
11 The discourse of a godly man is always wise,
but the fool changes like the moon.
12 Limit your time amongst people void of understanding,
but persevere amongst the thoughtful.
13 The talk of fools is offensive.
Their laughter is wantonly sinful.
14 Their talk with much swearing makes hair stand upright.
Their strife makes others plug their ears.
15 The strife of the proud leads to bloodshed.
Their abuse of each other is a grievous thing to hear.
16 He who reveals secrets destroys trust,
and will not find a close friend.
17 Love a friend, and keep faith with him;
but if you reveal his secrets,
you shall not follow him;
18 for as a man has destroyed his enemy,
so you have destroyed the friendship of your neighbour.
19 As a bird which you have released out of your hand,
so you have let your neighbour go, and you will not catch him again.
20 Don’t pursue him, for he has gone far away,
and has escaped like a gazelle out of the snare.
21 For a wound may be bound up, and after abuse there may be reconciliation;
but he who reveals secrets is without hope.
22 One who winks the eye contrives evil things;
and those who know him will keep their distance.
23 When you are present, he will speak sweetly,
and will admire your words;
but afterward he will twist his speech
and set a trap in your words.
24 I have hated many things, but nothing like him.
The Lord will hate him.
25 One who casts a stone straight up casts it on his own head.
A deceitful blow opens wounds.
26 He who digs a pit will fall into it.
He who sets a snare will be caught in it.
27 He who does evil things, they will roll back upon him,
and he will not know where they came from.
28 Mockery and reproach are from the arrogant.
Vengeance lies in wait for them like a lion.
29 Those who rejoice at the fall of the godly will be caught in a snare.
Anguish will consume them before they die.
30 Wrath and anger, these also are abominations.
A sinner will possess them.
28
1 He who takes vengeance will find vengeance from the Lord,
and he will surely make his sins firm.
2 Forgive your neighbour the hurt that he has done,
and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.
3 Does anyone harbour anger against another
and expect healing from the Lord?
4 Upon a man like himself he has no mercy,
and does he make supplication for his own sins?
5 He himself, being flesh, nourishes wrath.
Who will make atonement for his sins?
6 Remember your last end, and stop enmity.
Remember corruption and death, and be true to the commandments.
7 Remember the commandments, and don’t be angry with your neighbour.
Remember the covenant of the Highest, and overlook ignorance.
8 Abstain from strife, and you will diminish your sins,
for a passionate man will kindle strife.
9 A man who is a sinner will trouble friends
and sow discord amongst those who are at peace.
10 As is the fuel of the fire, so it will burn;
and as the stoutness of the strife is, so it will burn.
As is the strength of the man, so will be his wrath;
and as is his wealth, so he will exalt his anger.
11 A contention begun in haste kindles a fire;
and hasty fighting sheds blood.
12 If you blow on a spark, it will burn;
and if you spit upon it, it will be quenched.
Both of these come out of your mouth.
13 Curse the whisperer and double-tongued,
for he has destroyed many who were at peace.
14 A slanderer has shaken many,
and dispersed them from nation to nation.
It has pulled down strong cities
and overthrown the houses of great men.
15 A slanderer has cast out brave women
and deprived them of their labours.
16 He who listens to it will not find rest,
nor will he live quietly.
17 The stroke of a whip makes a mark in the flesh,
but the stroke of a tongue will break bones.
18 Many have fallen by the edge of the sword,
yet not so many as those who have fallen because of the tongue.
19 Happy is he who is sheltered from it,
who has not passed through its wrath,
who has not drawn its yoke,
and has not been bound with its bands.
20 For its yoke is a yoke of iron,
and its bands are bands of brass.
21 Its death is an evil death,
and Hades is better than it.
22 It will not have rule over godly men.
They will not be burnt in its flame.
23 Those who forsake the Lord will fall into it.
It will burn amongst them, and won’t be quenched.
It will be sent against them like a lion.
It will destroy them like a leopard.
24 As you hedge your possession about with thorns,
and secure your silver and your gold,
25 so make a balance and a weight for your words,
and make a door and a bar for your mouth.
26 Take heed lest you slip with it,
lest you fall before one who lies in wait.
29
1 He who shows mercy will lend to his neighbour.
He who strengthens him with his hand keeps the commandments.
2 Lend to your neighbour in time of his need.
Repay your neighbour on time.
3 Confirm your word, and keep faith with him;
and at all seasons you will find what you need.
4 Many have considered a loan to be a windfall,
and have given trouble to those who helped them.
5 Until he has received, he will kiss a man’s hands.
For his neighbour’s money he will speak submissively.
Then when payment is due, he will prolong the time,
return excuses, and complain about the season.
6 If he prevails, the creditor will hardly receive half;
and he will count it as a windfall.
If not, he has deprived him of his money,
and he has gotten him for an enemy without cause.
He will pay him with cursing and railing.
Instead of honour, he will pay him disgrace.
7 Many on account of fraud have turned away.
They are afraid of being defrauded for nothing.
8 However be patient with a man in poor estate.
Don’t keep him waiting for your alms.
9 Help a poor man for the commandment’s sake.
According to his need don’t send him empty away.
10 Lose your money for a brother and a friend.
Don’t let it rust under a stone and be lost.
11 Allocate your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High
and it will profit you more than gold.
12 Store up almsgiving in your store-chambers
and it will deliver you out of all affliction.
13 It will fight for you against your enemy
better than a mighty shield and a ponderous spear.
14 A good man will be surety for his neighbour.
He who has lost shame will fail him.
15 Don’t forget the kindness of your guarantor,
for he has given his life for you.
16 A sinner will waste the property of his guarantor.
17 He who is thankless will fail him who delivered him.
18 Being surety has undone many who were prospering
and shaken them as a wave of the sea.
It has driven mighty men from their homes.
They wandered amongst foreign nations.
19 A sinner who falls into suretiship and undertakes contracts for work
will fall
