^hA wise son makes a glad ⁱfather,

but ^ja foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

2  ^kTreasures gained ^lby wickedness do not profit,

but righteousness delivers from death.

3  ^mThe Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,

but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

4  ⁿA slack hand causes poverty,

^obut the hand of the diligent makes rich.

5  He who gathers ^pin summer is a prudent son,

but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.

6  Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

^qbut the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.¹

7  ^rThe memory of the righteous is a blessing,

but the name of the wicked will rot.

8  The wise of heart will receive commandments,

but ^sa babbling fool will come to ruin.

9  Whoever ^twalks in integrity ^uwalks securely,

but he who makes his ways ^vcrooked will be found out.

10  Whoever ^wwinks the eye causes trouble,

and a babbling fool will come to ruin.

11  The mouth of the righteous ^xis a fountain of life,

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

12  Hatred stirs up ^ystrife,

but love ^zcovers all offenses.

13  On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,

but ^aa rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.

14  The wise lay up knowledge,

^bbut the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.

15  ^cA rich man’s wealth is his strong city;

the poverty of the poor is their ruin.

16  ^dThe wage of the righteous leads to ^elife,

the gain of the wicked to sin.

17  Whoever heeds ^finstruction is on the path to life,

but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.

18  The one who ^gconceals hatred has ^hlying lips,

and whoever utters slander is a fool.

19  ⁱWhen words are many, transgression is not lacking,

but ^jwhoever restrains his lips is prudent.

20  The tongue of the righteous is ^kchoice silver;

the heart of the wicked is of little worth.

21  The lips of the righteous feed many,

but fools die for lack of sense.

22  The blessing of the Lord makes rich,

and he adds no sorrow with it.²

23  Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool,

but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

1  ^uA false balance is an abomination to the Lord,

but a just weight is his delight.

2  ^vWhen pride comes, then comes disgrace,

but with the humble is wisdom.

3  ^wThe integrity of the upright guides them,

but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

4  ^xRiches do not profit ^yin the day of wrath,

but righteousness delivers from death.

5  The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,

but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.

6  The righteousness of the upright delivers them,

but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.

7  When the wicked dies, ^zhis hope will perish,

and the expectation of wealth¹ perishes too.

8  ^aThe righteous is delivered from trouble,

and the wicked walks into it instead.

9  With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,

but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.

10  ^bWhen it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,

and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.

11  By the blessing of the upright a city is ^cexalted,

but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.

12  ^dWhoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense,

but ^ea man of understanding remains silent.

13  ^fWhoever goes about ^gslandering reveals secrets,

but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

14  ^hWhere there is no guidance, a people falls,

but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

15  Whoever ⁱputs up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,

but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.

16  A gracious woman gets honor,

and violent men get riches.

17  A man who is kind benefits himself,

but a cruel man hurts himself.

18  ^jThe wicked earns deceptive wages,

but ^kone who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.

19  ^lWhoever is steadfast in righteousness will live,

but he who pursues evil will ^mdie.

20  Those of ⁿcrooked heart are an abomination to the Lord,

but those of blameless ways are his delight.

21  ^oBe assured, an evil person will not go unpunished,

but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.

22  Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout

is a beautiful woman without discretion.

23  ^pThe desire of the righteous ends only in good,

the expectation of the wicked in wrath.

24  ^qOne gives freely, ^ryet grows all the richer;

another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

25  Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,

and one who waters will himself be watered.

26  The people curse him who holds back grain,

but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.

27  Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,²

but evil comes to him who searches for it.

28  Whoever ^strusts in his riches will fall,

but ^tthe righteous will flourish like a green leaf.

29  Whoever ^utroubles his own household will inherit the wind,

and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

30  The fruit of the righteous is a ^vtree of life,

and whoever captures souls is wise.

31  ^wIf the righteous is repaid on earth,

how much more the wicked and the sinner!

1  Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

but he who ^xhates reproof is stupid.

2  A good man obtains favor from the Lord,

but ^ya man of evil devices he condemns.

3  No one is established by wickedness,

but the root of the righteous will never be moved.

4  ^zAn excellent wife is the crown of her husband,

but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.

5  The thoughts of the righteous are just;

the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

6  The words of the wicked ^alie in wait for blood,

but the mouth of the upright delivers them.

7  The wicked are overthrown and are no more,

but ^bthe house of the righteous will stand.

8  A man is commended according to his good sense,

but one of twisted mind is despised.

9  ^cBetter to be lowly and have a servant

than to play the great man and lack bread.

10  Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,

but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.

11  ^dWhoever works his land will have plenty of bread,

but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.

12  Whoever is wicked ^ecovets the spoil of evildoers,

but the root of the righteous bears fruit.

13  ^fAn evil man is ^gensnared by the transgression of his lips,³

but the righteous escapes from trouble.

14  ^hFrom the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good,

and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.

15  The way of a fool is ⁱright in his own eyes,

but a wise man listens to advice.

16  ^jThe vexation of a fool is known at once,

but the prudent ignores an insult.

17  ^kWhoever speaks⁴ the truth gives honest evidence,

but a false witness utters deceit.

18  There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,

but the tongue of the wise ^lbrings healing.

19  Truthful lips endure forever,

but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

20  Deceit is in the heart of those who ^mdevise evil,

but those who plan peace have joy.

21  ⁿNo ill befalls the righteous,

but the wicked are filled with trouble.

22  Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,

but those who act faithfully are his delight.

23  A prudent man conceals knowledge,

but the heart of fools proclaims folly.

24  ^oThe hand of the diligent will rule,

while the slothful will be put to forced labor.

25  ^pAnxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,

but a good word makes him glad.

26  One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor,⁵

but the ^qway of the wicked leads them astray.

27  ^rWhoever is slothful will not roast his game,

but the diligent man will get precious wealth.⁶

28  In the ^spath of righteousness is ^tlife,

and in its pathway there is no death.