^10 [d] An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
¹² She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
¹⁴ She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
¹⁵ She rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She dresses herself^[e] with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹ She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
²⁰ She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.
²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet.^[f]
22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is known in the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
²⁵ Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
²⁷ She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

29 He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck,
    will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
² When the righteous increase, the people rejoice,
    but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
³ He who loves wisdom makes his father glad,
    but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
⁴ By justice a king builds up the land,
    but he who exacts gifts^[a] tears it down.
⁵ A man who flatters his neighbor
    spreads a net for his feet.
⁶ An evil man is ensnared in his transgression,
    but a righteous man sings and rejoices.
⁷ A righteous man knows the rights of the poor;
    a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.
⁸ Scoffers set a city aflame,
    but the wise turn away wrath.
⁹ If a wise man has an argument with a fool,
    the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.
¹⁰ Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless
    and seek the life of the upright.^[b]
11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit,
    but a wise man quietly holds it back.
¹² If a ruler listens to falsehood,
    all his officials will be wicked.
¹³ The poor man and the oppressor meet together;
    the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
¹⁴ If a king faithfully judges the poor,
    his throne will be established forever.
¹⁵ The rod and reproof give wisdom,
    but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
¹⁶ When the wicked increase, transgression increases,
    but the righteous will look upon their downfall.
¹⁷ Discipline your son, and he will give you rest;
    he will give delight to your heart.
¹⁸ Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint,^[c]
    but blessed is he who keeps the law.
¹⁹ By mere words a servant is not disciplined,
    for though he understands, he will not respond.
²⁰ Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?
    There is more hope for a fool than for him.
²¹ Whoever pampers his servant from childhood
    will in the end find him his heir.^[d]
22 A man of wrath stirs up strife,
    and one given to anger causes much transgression.
²³ One’s pride will bring him low,
    but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
²⁴ The partner of a thief hates his own life;
    he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.
²⁵ The fear of man lays a snare,
    but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
²⁶ Many seek the face of a ruler,
    but it is from the Lord that a man gets justice.
²⁷ An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
    but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.

28 The wicked flee when no one pursues,
    but the righteous are bold as a lion.
² When a land transgresses, it has many rulers,
    but with a man of understanding and knowledge,
    its stability will long continue.
³ A poor man who oppresses the poor
    is a beating rain that leaves no food.
⁴ Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
    but those who keep the law strive against them.
⁵ Evil men do not understand justice,
    but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.
⁶ Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
    than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.
⁷ The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding,
    but a companion of gluttons shames his father.
⁸ Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit^[a]
    gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.
⁹ If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,
    even his prayer is an abomination.
¹⁰ Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way
    will fall into his own pit,
    but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.
¹¹ A rich man is wise in his own eyes,
    but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.
¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
    but when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.
¹³ Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
    but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
¹⁴ Blessed is the one who fears the Lord^[b]  always,
    but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
¹⁵ Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
    is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
¹⁶ A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
    but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
¹⁷ If one is burdened with the blood of another,
    he will be a fugitive until death;^[c]
    let no one help him.
¹⁸ Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered,
    but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
¹⁹ Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
    but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
²⁰ A faithful man will abound with blessings,
    but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
²¹ To show partiality is not good,
    but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
²² A stingy man^[d] hastens after wealth
    and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
²³ Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
    than he who flatters with his tongue.
²⁴ Whoever robs his father or his mother
    and says, “That is no transgression,”
    is a companion to a man who destroys.
²⁵ A greedy man stirs up strife,
    but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.
²⁶ Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool,
    but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
²⁷ Whoever gives to the poor will not want,
    but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
²⁸ When the wicked rise, people hide themselves,
    but when they perish, the righteous increase.

27 Do not boast about tomorrow,
    for you do not know what a day may bring.
² Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
    a stranger, and not your own lips.
³ A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
    but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
⁴ Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,
    but who can stand before jealousy?
⁵ Better is open rebuke
    than hidden love.
⁶ Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
    profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
⁷ One who is full loathes honey,
    but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
⁸ Like a bird that strays from its nest
    is a man who strays from his home.
⁹ Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
    and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.^[a]
10 Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend,
    and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity.
Better is a neighbor who is near
    than a brother who is far away.
¹¹ Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
    that I may answer him who reproaches me.
¹² The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
    but the simple go on and suffer for it.
¹³ Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.^[b]
14 Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
    rising early in the morning,
    will be counted as cursing.
¹⁵ A continual dripping on a rainy day
    and a quarrelsome wife are alike;
¹⁶ to restrain her is to restrain the wind
    or to grasp^[c] oil in one’s right hand.
¹⁷ Iron sharpens iron,
    and one man sharpens another.^[d]
18 Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and he who guards his master will be honored.
¹⁹ As in water face reflects face,
    so the heart of man reflects the man.
²⁰ Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
    and never satisfied are the eyes of man.
²¹ The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    and a man is tested by his praise.
²² Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
    along with crushed grain,
    yet his folly will not depart from him.

26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
    so honor is not fitting for a fool.
² Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
    a curse that is causeless does not alight.
³ A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and a rod for the back of fools.
⁴ Answer not a fool according to his folly,
    lest you be like him yourself.
⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest he be wise in his own eyes.
⁶ Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
    cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
⁷ Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless,
    is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
⁸ Like one who binds the stone in the sling
    is one who gives honor to a fool.
⁹ Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
    is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
¹⁰ Like an archer who wounds everyone
    is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.^[a]
11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit
    is a fool who repeats his folly.
¹² Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
    There is more hope for a fool than for him.
¹³ The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
    There is a lion in the streets!”
¹⁴ As a door turns on its hinges,
    so does a sluggard on his bed.
¹⁵ The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
¹⁶ The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
    than seven men who can answer sensibly.
¹⁷ Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own
    is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
¹⁸ Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death
¹⁹ is the man who deceives his neighbor
    and says, “I am only joking!”
²⁰ For lack of wood the fire goes out,
    and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
²¹ As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
    so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
²² The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
    they go down into the inner parts of the body.
²³ Like the glaze^[b] covering an earthen vessel
    are fervent lips with an evil heart.
²⁴ Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips
    and harbors deceit in his heart;
²⁵ when he speaks graciously, believe him not,
    for there are seven abominations in his heart;
²⁶ though his hatred be covered with deception,
    his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
²⁷ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
    and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
²⁸ A lying tongue hates its victims,
    and a flattering mouth works ruin.

24 Be not envious of evil men,
    nor desire to be with them,
² for their hearts devise violence,
    and their lips talk of trouble.

22 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
    and favor is better than silver or gold.
² The rich and the poor meet together;
    the Lord is the Maker of them all.
³ The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
    but the simple go on and suffer for it.
⁴ The reward for humility and fear of theLord
    is riches and honor and life.^[a]
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
    whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.
⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go;
    even when he is old he will not depart from it.
⁷ The rich rules over the poor,
    and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
⁸ Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
    and the rod of his fury will fail.
⁹ Whoever has a bountiful^[b] eye will be blessed,
    for he shares his bread with the poor.
¹⁰ Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out,
    and quarreling and abuse will cease.
¹¹ He who loves purity of heart,
    and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.
¹² The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
    but he overthrows the words of the traitor.
¹³ The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
    I shall be killed in the streets!”
¹⁴ The mouth of forbidden^[c] women is a deep pit;
    he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
¹⁵ Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
¹⁶ Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
    or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

¹⁷ Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise,
    and apply your heart to my knowledge,
¹⁸ for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
    if all of them are ready on your lips.
¹⁹ That your trust may be in the Lord,
    I have made them known to you today, even to you.
²⁰ Have I not written for you thirty sayings
    of counsel and knowledge,
²¹ to make you know what is right and true,
    that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?

21 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
    he turns it wherever he will.
² Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
    but the Lord weighs the heart.
³ To do righteousness and justice
    is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
    the lamp^[a] of the wicked, are sin.
⁵ The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
    but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
⁶ The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
    is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.^[b]
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
    because they refuse to do what is just.
⁸ The way of the guilty is crooked,
    but the conduct of the pure is upright.
⁹ It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
    than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
¹⁰ The soul of the wicked desires evil;
    his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
¹¹ When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
    when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
¹² The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
    he throws the wicked down to ruin.
¹³ Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
    will himself call out and not be answered.
¹⁴ A gift in secret averts anger,
    and a concealed bribe,^[c] strong wrath.
¹⁵ When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
    but terror to evildoers.
¹⁶ One who wanders from the way of good sense
    will rest in the assembly of the dead.
¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
    he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
¹⁸ The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
    and the traitor for the upright.
¹⁹ It is better to live in a desert land
    than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
²⁰ Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling,
    but a foolish man devours it.
²¹ Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
    will find life, righteousness, and honor.
²² A wise man scales the city of the mighty
    and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
²³ Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue
    keeps himself out of trouble.
²⁴ “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man
    who acts with arrogant pride.
²⁵ The desire of the sluggard kills him,
    for his hands refuse to labor.
²⁶ All day long he craves and craves,
    but the righteous gives and does not hold back.
²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
    how much more when he brings it with evil intent.
²⁸ A false witness will perish,
    but the word of a man who hears will endure.
²⁹ A wicked man puts on a bold face,
    but the upright gives thought to^[d] his ways.
³⁰ No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel
    can avail against the Lord.
³¹ The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
    but the victory belongs to the Lord.

20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
    and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.^[a]
2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;
    whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
³ It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,
    but every fool will be quarreling.
⁴ The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
    he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
⁵ The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water,
    but a man of understanding will draw it out.
⁶ Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but a faithful man who can find?
⁷ The righteous who walks in his integrity—
    blessed are his children after him!
⁸ A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    winnows all evil with his eyes.
⁹ Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
    I am clean from my sin”?
¹⁰ Unequal^[b] weights and unequal measures
    are both alike an abomination to theLord.
¹¹ Even a child makes himself known by his acts,
    by whether his conduct is pure and upright.^[c]
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
    the Lord has made them both.
¹³ Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;
    open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
¹⁴ “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
    but when he goes away, then he boasts.
¹⁵ There is gold and abundance of costly stones,
    but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
¹⁶ Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.^[d]
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
    but afterward his mouth will be full ofgravel.
¹⁸ Plans are established by counsel;
    by wise guidance wage war.
¹⁹ Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.^[e]
20 If one curses his father or his mother,
    his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
²¹ An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
    will not be blessed in the end.
²² Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
    wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
²³ Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
    and false scales are not good.
²⁴ A man’s steps are from the Lord;
    how then can man understand his way?
²⁵ It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
    and to reflect only after making vows.
²⁶ A wise king winnows the wicked
    and drives the wheel over them.
²⁷ The spirit^[f] of man is the lamp of the Lord,
    searching all his innermost parts.
²⁸ Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
    and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.
²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength,
    but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
³⁰ Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
    strokes make clean the innermost parts.

19 Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity
    than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
² Desire^[a] without knowledge is not good,
    and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.
³ When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin,
    his heart rages against the Lord.
⁴ Wealth brings many new friends,
    but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
⁵ A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
⁶ Many seek the favor of a generous man,^[b]
    and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
⁷ All a poor man’s brothers hate him;
    how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them.^[c]
8 Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
    he who keeps understanding will discover good.
⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and he who breathes out lies will perish.
¹⁰ It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
    much less for a slave to rule over princes.
¹¹ Good sense makes one slow to anger,
    and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
¹² A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion,
    but his favor is like dew on the grass.
¹³ A foolish son is ruin to his father,
    and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
¹⁴ House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
¹⁵ Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep,
    and an idle person will suffer hunger.
¹⁶ Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life;
    he who despises his ways will die.
¹⁷ Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
    and he will repay him for his deed.
¹⁸ Discipline your son, for there is hope;
    do not set your heart on putting 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 the future.
²¹ Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
    but it is the purpose of the Lord that 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 leads to life,
    and whoever has it rests satisfied;
    he will not be visited by harm.
²⁴ The sluggard buries his hand in the dish
    and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
²⁵ Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;
    reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
²⁶ He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
    is a son who brings shame and reproach.
²⁷ Cease to hear instruction, my son,
    and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
²⁸ A worthless witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
²⁹ Condemnation is ready for scoffers,
    and beating for the backs of fools.