1  Like snow in summer or ^urain in harvest,

so ^vhonor is ^wnot fitting for a fool.

2  Like ^xa sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,

^ya curse that is causeless does not alight.

3  ^zA whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and ^aa rod for the back of fools.

4  ^bAnswer not a fool according to his folly,

lest you be like him yourself.

5  ^cAnswer a fool according to his folly,

lest he be ^dwise in his own eyes.

6  Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool

cuts off his own feet and ^edrinks 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 ^fone who gives honor to a fool.

9  Like ^ga 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.¹

11  Like ^ha dog that returns to his vomit

is ⁱa fool who repeats his folly.

12  Do you see a man who is ^jwise in his own eyes?

^kThere is more hope for a fool than for him.

13  ^lThe 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  ^mThe sluggard buries his hand in the dish;

it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.

16  The sluggard is ^jwiser in his own eyes

ⁿthan 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 ^ofirebrands, 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 ^pwhisperer, ^qquarreling ceases.

21  As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,

so is ^ra quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

22  ^sThe words of ^pa whisperer are like delicious morsels;

they go down into the inner parts of the body.

23  ^tLike the ^uglaze² 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  ^vwhen he speaks graciously, believe him not,

for there are ^wseven abominations in his heart;

26  though his hatred be covered with deception,

his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27  ^xWhoever 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.

1  Do not boast about tomorrow,

^yfor you do not know what a day may bring.

2  Let ^zanother praise you, and not your own mouth;

a stranger, and not your own lips.

3  A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,

but ^aa fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

4  Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,

but who can stand before ^bjealousy?

5  ^cBetter is open rebuke

than hidden love.

6  Faithful are ^dthe wounds of a friend;

profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

7  One who is full loathes ^ehoney,

but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.

8  Like ^fa bird that strays from its nest

is a man who strays from his home.

9  ^gOil and perfume make the heart glad,

and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.³

10  Do not forsake your friend and ^hyour father’s friend,

and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity.

ⁱBetter is a neighbor who is near

than a brother who is far away.

11  ^jBe wise, ^kmy son, and ^lmake my heart glad,

that I may ^manswer him who reproaches me.

12  ⁿThe prudent sees danger and hides himself,

but ^othe simple go on and suffer for it.

13  ^pTake 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.⁴

14  Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,

rising early in the morning,

will be counted as cursing.

15  ^qA continual dripping on a rainy day

and a quarrelsome wife are alike;

16  to restrain her is to restrain the wind

or to grasp⁵ oil in one’s right hand.

17  Iron sharpens iron,

and one man sharpens another.⁶

18  ^rWhoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,

and he who ^sguards his master will be honored.

19  As in water face reflects face,

so the heart of man reflects the man.

20  ^tSheol and Abaddon are ^unever satisfied,

and ^vnever satisfied are the eyes of man.

21  ^wThe crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,

and a man is tested by his praise.

22  ^xCrush a fool in a mortar with a pestle

along with crushed grain,

yet his folly will not depart from him.

23  ^yKnow well the condition of your flocks,

and ^ygive attention to your herds,

24  for ^zriches do not last forever;

and does a crown endure to all generations?

25  ^aWhen the grass is gone and the new growth appears

and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,

26  ^bthe lambs will provide your clothing,

and the goats the price of a field.

27  ^bThere will be enough goats’ milk for your food,

for the food of your household

and maintenance for your girls.

1  ^cThe wicked flee when no one pursues,

but ^dthe righteous are bold as a lion.

2  When a land transgresses, ^eit has many rulers,

but with a man of understanding and knowledge,

its stability will long continue.

3  ^fA poor man who oppresses the poor

is a beating rain that leaves no food.

4  Those who forsake the law ^gpraise the wicked,

but those who keep the law ^hstrive against them.

5  Evil men ⁱdo not understand justice,

but those who seek the Lord ^junderstand it completely.

6  ^kBetter is a poor man who ^lwalks in his integrity

than a rich man who is ^lcrooked in his ways.

7  The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding,

but ^ma companion of gluttons shames his father.

8  Whoever multiplies his wealth ⁿby interest and profit⁷

^ogathers it for him who is ^pgenerous to the poor.

9  If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,

even his ^qprayer is an abomination.

10  Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way

^rwill fall into his own pit,

but the blameless ^swill have a goodly inheritance.

11  A rich man is wise in his ^town eyes,

but a poor man who has understanding ^uwill find him out.

12  When ^vthe righteous triumph, there is great glory,

but when ^wthe wicked rise, people hide themselves.

13  Whoever ^xconceals his transgressions will not prosper,

but he who ^yconfesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

14  Blessed is the one who ^zfears the Lord⁸ always,

but whoever ^ahardens his heart will fall into calamity.

15  Like ^ba roaring lion or ^ca charging bear

is ^da wicked ruler over a poor people.

16  A ruler who ^elacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,

but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

17  If one is burdened with ^fthe blood of another,

he will be a fugitive until death;⁹

let no one help him.

18  ^gWhoever ^hwalks in integrity will be delivered,

but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.

19  ⁱWhoever 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 ^jwill not go unpunished.

21  To show ^kpartiality is not good,

but for ^la piece of bread a man will do wrong.

22  A ^mstingy man^{10 n}hastens after wealth

and does not know that ^opoverty will come upon him.

23  Whoever ^prebukes a man will afterward find more favor

than ^qhe who flatters with his tongue.

24  Whoever robs his father or his mother

and says, “That is no transgression,”

is ^ra companion to a man who destroys.

25  A greedy man ^sstirs up strife,

but the one who trusts in the Lord will ^tbe enriched.

26  Whoever ^utrusts in his own mind is a fool,

but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.

27  Whoever ^vgives to the poor will not want,

but he who ^whides his eyes will get many a curse.

28  When ^xthe wicked rise, ^ypeople hide themselves,

but when they perish, the righteous increase.

1  ^zHe who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck,

will suddenly be ^abroken ^bbeyond healing.

2  When ^cthe righteous increase, the people rejoice,

but when ^dthe wicked rule, the people groan.

3  He who ^eloves wisdom makes his father glad,

but ^fa companion of prostitutes ^gsquanders his wealth.

4  By justice a king ^hbuilds up the land,

but he who exacts gifts¹¹ tears it down.

5  ⁱA man who flatters his neighbor

spreads ^ja net for his feet.

6  An evil man is ^kensnared in his transgression,

but a righteous man ^lsings and rejoices.

7  A righteous man ^mknows the rights of the poor;

a wicked man does not ⁿunderstand such knowledge.

8  ^oScoffers 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 ^pno quiet.

10  Bloodthirsty men ^qhate one who is blameless

and seek the life of the upright.¹²

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 ^rmeet together;

the Lord ^sgives light to the eyes of both.

14  If a king ^tfaithfully judges the poor,

his throne will ^ube established forever.

15  ^vThe rod and reproof give wisdom,

but a child left to himself ^wbrings shame to his mother.

16  When the wicked increase, transgression increases,

but ^xthe righteous will look upon their downfall.

17  ^yDiscipline your son, and he will give you rest;

he will give delight to your heart.

18  Where ^zthere is no prophetic vision the people ^acast off restraint,¹³

but blessed is he who ^bkeeps 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?

^cThere is more hope for a fool than for him.

21  Whoever pampers his servant from childhood

will in the end find him his heir.¹⁴

22  ^dA man of wrath stirs up strife,

and one given to anger causes much transgression.

23  ^eOne’s pride will bring him low,

^fbut he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

24  The partner of a thief ^ghates his own life;

^hhe hears the curse, but discloses nothing.

25  ⁱThe fear of man lays a snare,

but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

26  Many ^jseek the face of a ruler,

but it is from the Lord that a man ^kgets justice.

27  ^lAn unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,

but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.