1  ^zA soft answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

2  ^aThe tongue of the wise commends knowledge,

but the mouths of fools pour out folly.

3  ^bThe eyes of the Lord are in every place,

keeping watch on the evil and the good.

4  ^cA gentle¹ tongue is a ^dtree of life,

but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

5  A fool ^edespises his father’s ^finstruction,

but whoever ^gheeds reproof is prudent.

6  In ^hthe house of the righteous there is much treasure,

but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.

7  The lips of the wise spread knowledge;

not so the hearts of fools.²

8  ⁱThe sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

^jbut the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.

9  The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

but he loves him who pursues righteousness.

10  There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;

whoever ^khates reproof will die.

11  Sheol and Abaddon lie ^lopen before the Lord;

how much more ^mthe hearts of the children of man!

12  A scoffer does not like to be reproved;

he will not go to the wise.

13  ⁿA glad heart makes a cheerful face,

but ^oby sorrow of heart the spirit is ^pcrushed.

14  The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,

but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

15  All the days of the afflicted are evil,

but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.

16  ^qBetter is a little with the fear of the Lord

than great treasure and trouble with it.

17  ^rBetter is a dinner of herbs where love is

than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

18  ^sA hot-tempered man stirs up strife,

but he who is ^tslow to anger quiets contention.

19  The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,

but the path of the upright is a level highway.

20  ^uA wise son makes a glad father,

but a foolish man despises his mother.

21  Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,

but a man of ^vunderstanding walks straight ahead.

22  ^wWithout counsel plans fail,

but with many advisers they succeed.

23  To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,

and ^xa word in season, how good it is!

24  The path of life leads upward for the prudent,

that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.

25  The Lord tears down the house of the proud

but maintains the widow’s boundaries.

26  The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,

but ^ygracious words are pure.

27  Whoever is ^zgreedy for unjust gain ^atroubles his own household,

but he who hates ^bbribes will live.

28  The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,

but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

29  The Lord is far from the wicked,

but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

30  The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,

and ^cgood news refreshes³ the bones.

31  The ear that listens to life-giving reproof

will dwell among the wise.

32  Whoever ^dignores ^einstruction despises himself,

but he who listens to reproof ^fgains intelligence.

33  ^gThe fear of the Lord is ^hinstruction in wisdom,

and ⁱhumility comes before honor.

1  ^jThe plans of the heart belong to man,

but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

2  All the ways of a man are ^kpure in his own eyes,

but the Lord weighs the spirit.¹

3  ^lCommit your work to the Lord,

and your plans will be established.

4  ^mThe Lord has made everything for its purpose,

even the wicked for the day of trouble.

5  Everyone who is ⁿarrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;

^obe assured, he will not go unpunished.

6  By ^psteadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,

and ^qby the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.

7  When a man’s ways please the Lord,

he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8  ^rBetter is a little with righteousness

than great revenues ^swith injustice.

9  The heart of man plans his way,

but the Lord establishes his steps.

10  An oracle is on the lips of a king;

his mouth does not sin in judgment.

11  ^tA just balance and scales are the Lord’s;

all the weights in the bag are his work.

12  It is an abomination to kings to do evil,

for ^uthe throne is established by righteousness.

13  ^vRighteous lips are the delight of a king,

and he loves him who speaks what is right.

14  A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,

and a wise man will appease it.

15  In the ^wlight of a king’s face there is life,

and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.

16  How much better to get wisdom than ^xgold!

To get ^yunderstanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

17  The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;

whoever guards his way preserves his life.

18  ^zPride goes before destruction,

and a haughty spirit before a fall.

19  It is better to be of a ^alowly spirit with the poor

than to divide the spoil with the proud.

20  Whoever gives thought to the word² will discover good,

and ^bblessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

21  The wise of heart is called discerning,

and ^csweetness of speech ^dincreases persuasiveness.

22  Good sense ^eis a fountain of life to him who has it,

but the instruction of fools is folly.

23  The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious

and adds persuasiveness to his lips.

24  ^fGracious words are like a honeycomb,

sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

25  ^gThere is a way that seems right to a man,

but its end is ^hthe way to death.³

26  A worker’s appetite works for him;

ⁱhis mouth urges him on.

27  A worthless man plots evil,

and his speech⁴ is ^jlike a scorching fire.

28  A dishonest man spreads strife,

and ^ka whisperer separates close friends.

29  A man of violence ^lentices his neighbor

and leads him in a way that is not good.

30  Whoever ^mwinks his eyes plans⁵ dishonest things;

he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.

31  ⁿGray hair is ^oa crown of glory;

it is gained in a righteous life.

32  Whoever is ^pslow to anger is better than the mighty,

and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

33  ^qThe lot is cast into the lap,

but its every decision is from the Lord.

1  ^rBetter is a dry morsel with quiet

than a house full of feasting¹ with strife.

2  A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully

and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

3  ^sThe crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,

and the Lord tests hearts.

4  An evildoer listens to wicked lips,

and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

5  ^tWhoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;

^uhe who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

6  Grandchildren are ^vthe crown of the aged,

and the glory of children is their fathers.

7  Fine speech is ^wnot becoming to a fool;

still less is false speech to a prince.

8  ^xA bribe is like a magic² stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;

wherever he turns he prospers.

9  Whoever ^ycovers an offense seeks love,

but ^zhe who repeats a matter separates close friends.

10  ^aA rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding

than a hundred blows into a fool.

11  An evil man seeks only rebellion,

and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12  Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs

rather than a fool in his folly.

13  If anyone ^breturns evil for good,

evil will not depart from his house.

14  ^cThe beginning of strife is like letting out water,

so quit before the quarrel breaks out.

15  He who justifies the wicked and he who ^dcondemns the righteous

are both alike an abomination to the Lord.

16  Why should a fool have money in his hand to ^ebuy wisdom

when he has no sense?

17  ^fA friend loves at all times,

and a brother is born for adversity.

18  One who lacks sense ^ggives a pledge

and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.

19  Whoever loves transgression loves strife;

he who makes his door high seeks destruction.

20  A man of ^hcrooked heart does not discover good,

and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.

21  ⁱHe who sires a fool gets himself sorrow,

and the father of a fool has no joy.

22  ^jA joyful heart is good medicine,

but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

23  The wicked ^kaccepts a bribe in secret³

^lto pervert the ways of justice.

24  The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,

but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

25  A foolish son is a grief to his father

and bitterness to her who bore him.

26  To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,

nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

27  ^mWhoever ⁿrestrains his words has knowledge,

and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

28  Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;

when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.