5  The purpose in a man’s heart is like ^ldeep water,

but a man of ^munderstanding will draw it out.

6  Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,

but a faithful man ⁿwho 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  ^oWho can say, ^p“I have made my heart pure;

I am clean from my sin”?

10  ^qUnequal¹ weights and unequal measures

are both alike an abomination to the Lord.

11  Even a child makes himself known by his acts,

by whether his conduct is pure and upright.²

12  The hearing ear and the seeing eye,

the Lord has made them both.

13  ^rLove not sleep, lest you come to poverty;

open your eyes, and you will have ^splenty 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 ^tput up security for a stranger,

and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.³

17  Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,

but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.

18  Plans are established by counsel;

^uby wise guidance wage war.

19  ^vWhoever goes about ^wslandering reveals secrets;

therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.⁴

20  ^xIf one curses his ^yfather or his mother,

his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.

21  An inheritance gained ^zhastily in the beginning

will not be blessed in the end.

22  ^aDo not say, “I will ^brepay evil”;

^cwait for the Lord, ^dand 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 ^evows.

1  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 ^hright in his own eyes,

but the Lord weighs the heart.

3  ⁱTo do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

4  Haughty eyes and a proud heart,

the lamp¹ of the wicked, are sin.

5  ^jThe plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,

but ^keveryone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

6  The getting of treasures ^lby a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.²

7  ^mThe violence of the wicked will sweep them away,

because they refuse to do what is just.

8  The way of the guilty is ⁿcrooked,

but the conduct of the pure is upright.

9  ^oIt 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 ^psimple 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  ^qWhoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor

will himself call out and not be answered.

14  ^rA gift in secret averts anger,

and a concealed bribe,³ strong wrath.

15  When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous

^sbut terror to evildoers.

16  One who wanders from the way of good sense

will rest in the assembly of the dead.

17  ^tWhoever 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  ^uIt 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 ^vlife, righteousness, and honor.

22  A wise man scales the city of the mighty

and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

23  Whoever ^wkeeps 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  ^xThe desire of the sluggard kills him,

for his hands refuse to labor.

26  All day long he craves and craves,

but the righteous ^ygives and does not hold back.

27  ^zThe sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;

how much more when he brings it with evil intent.

28  A ^afalse 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 ^bgives thought to⁴ his ways.

30  No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel

can avail against the Lord.

31  ^cThe horse is made ready for the day of battle,

^dbut the victory belongs to the Lord.