aBetter is a poor person who bwalks in his integrity
than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
2 Desire without knowledge is not good,
and whoever amakes haste with his feet misses his way.
3 When a man’s folly abrings his way to ruin,
his heart brages against the Lord.
4 aWealth brings many new friends,
abut a poor man is deserted by his friend.
5 aA false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who bbreathes out lies will not escape.
6 Many seek the favor of a generous man,
and everyone is a friend to a man who gives agifts.
7 aAll a poor man’s brothers hate him;
bhow much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them.
8 aWhoever gets sense loves his own soul;
he who keeps understanding will bdiscover good.
9 aA false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who bbreathes out lies will perish.
10 aIt is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
much less for ba slave to rule over princes.
11 aGood sense makes one slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 A king’s wrath is like athe growling of a lion,
but his bfavor is like cdew on the grass.
13 aA foolish son is ruin to his father,
and ba wife’s quarreling is ca continual dripping of rain.
14 aHouse and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a prudent wife is bfrom the Lord.
15 aSlothfulness casts into ba deep sleep,
and can idle person will suffer hunger.
16 Whoever akeeps the commandment keeps his life;
he who despises his ways will die.
17 aWhoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he bwill repay him for his cdeed.
18 aDiscipline your son, for there is hope;
do not set your heart on bputting him to death.
19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom in athe future.
21 aMany are the plans in the mind of a man,
but bit is the purpose of the Lord cthat will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord aleads to life,
and whoever has it rests bsatisfied;
he will cnot be visited by harm.
24 aThe sluggard buries his hand in bthe dish
and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 aStrike ba scoffer, and the simple will clearn prudence;
dreprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
is aa son who brings shame and reproach.
27 Cease to hear instruction, my son,
aand you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked adevours iniquity.
29 Condemnation is ready for ascoffers,
and bbeating for the backs of fools.