The aplans of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own sight,
But aYahweh weighs the motives.
3 aCommit your works to Yahweh
And your plans will be established.
4 Yahweh ahas made everything for its own purpose,
Even the bwicked for the day of evil.
5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Yahweh;
Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.
6 By alovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,
And by the bfear of Yahweh one turns away from evil.
7 When a man’s ways are pleasing to Yahweh,
He amakes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness
Than great produce with injustice.
9 The heart of aman plans his way,
But bYahweh directs his steps.
10 A divine adecision is in the lips of the king;
His mouth should not err in judgment.
11 A ajust balance and scales belong to Yahweh;
All the weights of the bag are His work.
12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,
For in righteousness a athrone is established.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And he who speaks uprightly is loved.
14 The wrath of a king is like messengers of death,
But a wise man will atone for it.
15 In the light of a king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud with the alate rain.
16 How much abetter it is to acquire wisdom than fine gold!
And to acquire understanding is to be chosen above silver.
17 The ahighway of the upright is to turn away from evil;
He who guards his way keeps his soul.
18 aPride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
19 It is better to be ahumble in spirit with the lowly
Than to bdivide the spoil with the proud.
20 He who considers the word will afind good,
And how bblessed is he who trusts in Yahweh.
21 The awise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of lips bincreases learning.
22 Insight is a fountain of life to one who has it,
But the discipline of ignorant fools is folly.
23 The aheart of the wise gives insight to his mouth
And increases learning to his lips.
24 aPleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and bhealing to the bones.
25 aThere is a way which seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.
26 A worker’s appetite works for him,
For his mouth urges him on.
27 A avile man digs up evil,
And the words on his lips are like bscorching fire.
28 A perverse man spreads strife,
And a whisperer separates close companions.
29 A man of violence aentices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.
30 He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;
He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 aGray hair is a crown of beauty;
It bis found in the way of righteousness.
32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his own spirit, than he who captures a city.
33 The alot is cast into the lap,
But its every bjudgment is from Yahweh.
aBetter is a dry morsel and tranquility with it
Than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A slave who acts insightfully will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
And will share in the inheritance among brothers.
3 The arefining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But bYahweh tests hearts.
4 An aevildoer gives heed to lips of wickedness;
A liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 He who mocks the apoor reproaches his Maker;
He who is bglad at disaster will not go unpunished.
6 aGrandchildren are the crown of old men,
And the bbeauty of sons is their fathers.
7 aExcellent lips are not fitting for a wicked fool,
Even less are blying lips for a noble man.
8 A abribe is a charm in the eyes of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
9 He who acovers a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter bseparates close companions.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who understands
Than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 A rebellious man seeks only evil,
So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a aman meet a bbear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.
13 He who areturns evil for good,
bEvil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
So aabandon the dispute before it breaks out.
15 He who ajustifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,
Both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to aacquire wisdom,
When he has no heart of wisdom?
17 A afriend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man lacking a heart of wisdom astrikes his hands in pledge
And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.
19 He who aloves transgression loves quarreling;
He who bmakes his doorway high seeks destruction.
20 He who has a crooked heart afinds no good,
And he who is bperverted in his tongue falls into evil.
21 He who abegets a fool does so to his grief,
And the father of a wicked fool is not glad.
22 A aglad heart is good medicine,
But a broken spirit bdries up the bones.
23 A wicked man receives a abribe from the bosom
To bthrust aside the paths of justice.
24 Wisdom is in the presence of the one who understands,
But the aeyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 A afoolish son is a vexation to his father
And bbitterness to her who gave birth to him.
26 It is also not good to apunish the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 He who aholds back his words has knowledge,
And he who has a bcool spirit is a man of discernment.
28 Even an ignorant fool, when he akeeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered understanding.
He who separates himself seeks his own desire,
He abreaks out in dispute against all sound wisdom.
2 A fool does not delight in discernment,
But only ain revealing his own heart.
3 When a wicked man comes, despising also comes,
And with disgrace comes reproach.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are adeep waters;
The fountain of wisdom is a flowing brook.
5 To ashow partiality to the wicked is not good,
Nor to bthrust aside the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool’s lips come with strife,
And his mouth calls for abeatings.
7 A afool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
8 The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the stomach.
9 He also who is aslack in his work
bIs brother to him who destroys.
10 The aname of Yahweh is a bstrong tower;
The righteous runs into it and is cset securely on high.
11 A arich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own delusion.
12 aBefore destruction the heart of man is haughty,
But bhumility goes before glory.
13 He who aresponds with a word before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him.
14 The aspirit of a man can endure his sickness,
But as for a bbroken spirit, who can bear it?
15 The aheart of the understanding acquires knowledge,
And the bear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man’s agift makes room for him
And leads him into the presence of great men.
17 The first to plead his case seems right,
Until another comes and examines him.
18 The cast alot puts an end to contentions
And decides between the mighty ones.
19 A brother offended is harder to win over than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.
20 From the afruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
bWith the produce of his lips he will be satisfied.
21 aDeath and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its bfruit.
22 He who finds a awife finds a good thing
And bobtains favor from Yahweh.
23 The apoor man speaks supplications,
But the brich man canswers with strong words.
24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin,
But there is aa friend who sticks closer than a brother.
The Counsel of Yahweh Will Stand
aBetter is a poor man who bwalks in his integrity
Than he who is crooked in lips and is a fool.
2 Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries ahis footsteps sins.
3 The afolly of man subverts his way,
But his heart brages against Yahweh.
4 aWealth adds many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend.
5 A afalse witness will not go unpunished,
And he who bbreathes out lies will not escape.
6 aMany will seek the favor of a noble man,
And everyone is a friend to a man who bgives gifts.
7 All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his afriends distance themselves from him!
He bpursues them with words, but they are no more.
8 He who acquires a heart of wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps discernment will afind good.
9 A afalse witness will not go unpunished,
And he who breathes out lies will perish.
10 Luxury is anot fitting for a fool;
Much less for a bslave to rule over princes.
11 A man’s ainsight makes him slow to anger,
And it is his honor bto overlook a transgression.
12 The aking’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like bdew on the grass.
13 A afoolish son is destruction to his father,
And the bcontentions of a wife are a constant dripping.
14 House and wealth are an ainheritance from fathers,
But a wife who has insight is from Yahweh.
15 aLaziness casts into a deep sleep,
And a slack‑handed soul will suffer hunger.
16 He who akeeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who despises his way will die.
17 He who ais gracious to a poor man lends to Yahweh,
And He will repay him for his bbountiful deed.
18 aDiscipline your son while there is hope,
And do not direct your soul to put him to death.
19 A man of great wrath will bear the penalty,
For if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
20 aListen to counsel and receive discipline,
That you may be wise in the end of your days.
21 Many athoughts are in a man’s heart,
But it is the bcounsel of Yahweh that will stand.
22 What is desirable in a man is his lovingkindness,
And better is a poor man than a man of falsehood.
23 The afear of Yahweh leads to life,
So that one may sleep bsatisfied, not cvisited by evil.
24 The asluggard buries his hand bin the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 aStrike a scoffer and the simple may become prudent,
But breprove one who has understanding and he will understand knowledge.
26 He awho assaults his father and causes his mother to flee
Is a son who brings shame and humiliation.
27 Cease listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A vile witness scoffs at justice,
And the mouth of the wicked aswallows up iniquity.
29 Judgments are established for ascoffers,
And bbeatings for the back of fools.
Hope in Yahweh and He Will Save You
aWine is a mocker, bstrong drink a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion;
He who provokes him to anger asins against his own soul.
3 It is a glory for a man to acease quarreling,
But any ignorant fool will break out in dispute.
4 The asluggard does not plow from winter on,
So he begs during the harvest and has nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water,
But a man of discernment draws it out.
6 Many a man will acall out his own lovingkindness,
But a bfaithful man, who can find?
7 A righteous man who awalks in his integrity—
bHow blessed are his sons after him.
8 aA king who sits on the throne of justice
Disperses all evil with his eyes.
9 aWho can say, “I have kept my heart pure,
I am clean from my sin”?
10 aDiffering weights and differing measures,
Both of them are an abomination to Yahweh.
11 It is by his deeds that a young man amakes himself known
If his conduct is pure and right.
12 The hearing aear and the seeing eye,
Yahweh has made both of them.
13 aDo not love sleep, lest you become poor;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with food.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts.
15 There is gold, and an abundance of pearls;
But the lips of knowledge are a more precious vessel.
16 Take his garment when he becomes a guarantor for a stranger;
And for foreigners, hold him in pledge.
17 aBread obtained by lying is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18 aThoughts are established by counsel,
So bmake war by guidance.
19 He who agoes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
Therefore do not associate with bone of loose lips.
20 He who acurses his father or his mother,
His blamp will go out in the midst of darkness.
21 An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning
In the end will not be blessed.
22 aDo not say, “I will repay evil”;
bHope in Yahweh, and He will save you.
23 aDiffering weights are an abomination to Yahweh,
And a bdeceitful balance is not good.
24 aThe steps of a man are from Yahweh,
How then can man understand his way?
25 It is a trap for a man to say rashly, “It is holy!”
And aafter the vows to make inquiry.
26 A awise king winnows the wicked,
And turns the bthreshing wheel over them.
27 The abreath of man is the lamp of Yahweh,
Searching all the innermost parts of his body.
28 Lovingkindness and atruth will guard the king,
And he upholds his throne by lovingkindness.
29 The honor of young men is their strength,
And the amajesty of old men is their gray hair.
30 aStripes that wound scour away evil,
And strokes reach the innermost parts of the body.
Salvation Belongs to Yahweh
The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of Yahweh;
He aturns it wherever He pleases.
2 aEvery man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But Yahweh bweighs the hearts.
3 To do arighteousness and justice
Is chosen by Yahweh over sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
The afallow ground of the wicked—are sin.
5 The thoughts of the adiligent lead surely to profit,
But everyone bwho is hasty comes surely to poverty.
6 aWorking for treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting breath, by those who pursue bdeath.
7 The destruction of the wicked will drag them away,
Because they arefuse to do justice.
8 The way of a guilty man is aperverse,
But as for the pure, his work is upright.
9 It is better to live in a corner of a roof
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
10 The soul of the wicked craves evil;
His aneighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
11 When the ascoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
And when one considers wisdom, he receives knowledge.
12 The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Turning the awicked to ruin.
13 He who ashuts his ear to the outcry of the poor
Will himself also call and not be banswered.
14 A agift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
15 To do justice is pleasure for the righteous,
But is aruin to the workers of iniquity.
16 A man who wanders from the way of insight
Will arest in the assembly of the dead.
17 He who aloves pleasure will become a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.
18 The wicked is a aransom for the righteous,
And the btreacherous is in the place of the upright.
19 aIt is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and vexing woman.
20 There is desirable atreasure and oil in the abode of the wise,
But a foolish man bswallows it up.
21 He who apursues righteousness and lovingkindness
Finds life, righteousness, and glory.
22 A awise man goes up to the city of the mighty
And brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 He who akeeps his mouth and his tongue,
Keeps his soul from troubles.
24 “Arrogant,” “Haughty,” “aScoffer,” are his names,
Who acts with barrogant fury.
25 The adesire of the sluggard puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;
26 All day long he is insatiably craving,
While the righteous agives and does not hold back.
27 The asacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
How much more when he brings it with a wicked scheme!
28 A afalse witness will perish,
But the man who listens will speak forever.
29 A wicked man adisplays a brazen face,
But as for the bupright, he establishes his way.
30 There is ano wisdom, there is no discernment
And there is no counsel against Yahweh.
31 The ahorse is set for the day of battle,
But bsalvation belongs to Yahweh.
Yahweh Is the Maker of All
A agood name is to be chosen over great wealth,
Favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor meet together in this—
Yahweh is the aMaker of them all.
3 A aprudent man sees evil and hides,
But the simple pass on, and are punished.
4 The reward of humility—the fear of Yahweh—
Is riches, glory, and life.
5 aThorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
He who keeps his soul will be far from them.
6 aTrain up a child according to his way,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The arich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 He who asows unrighteousness will reap iniquity,
And the brod of his fury will end.
9 He who is agenerous will be blessed,
For he bgives from his food to the poor.
10 aDrive out the scoffer, and strife will go out,
Even contention and disgrace will cease.
11 He who loves apurity of heart
And bgrace on his lips, the king is his friend.
12 The eyes of Yahweh guard knowledge,
But He subverts the words of the treacherous one.
13 The asluggard says, “There is a lion outside;
I will be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of astrange women is a deep pit;
He who is bcursed of Yahweh will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child;
The arod of discipline will remove it far from him.
16 He awho oppresses the poor to make more for himself
Or who gives to the rich bwill only come to lack.
17 aIncline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And set your heart on my knowledge;
18 For it will be apleasant if you keep them within you,
That they may be established on your lips.
19 So that your atrust may be in Yahweh,
I have made you know today, even you.
20 Have I not written to you aexcellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21 To make you aknow the veracity of the words of truth
That you may brespond with the words of truth to him who sent you?
22 aDo not rob the poor because he is poor,
And do not bcrush the afflicted at the gate;
23 For Yahweh will aplead their case
And rob the soul of those who rob them.
24 Do not befriend a man of anger;
And do not come along with a man of agreat wrath,
25 Lest you alearn his ways
And take on a snare against your soul.
26 Do not be among those who astrike hands in pledge,
Among those who become guarantors for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
Why should he atake your bed from under you?
28 aDo not move the ancient boundary
Which your fathers made.
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will astand before kings;
He will not stand before obscure men.