1  Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,

so honor is ^lnot 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  ^mA whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and ⁿa rod for the back of fools.

4  ^oAnswer 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  ^pLike 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.¹

11  ^qLike 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?

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

13  ^sThe 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  ^tThe 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  ^uWhoever 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, ^vquarreling ceases.

21  As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

22  ^wThe words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;

they go down into the inner parts of the body.

23  Like the glaze² covering an earthen vessel

are ^xfervent 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 ^yseven abominations in his heart;

26  though his ^zhatred be covered with deception,

his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27  Whoever digs a pit will ^afall 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  ^bDo not boast about tomorrow,

for you do not know what a day may bring.

2  ^cLet another praise you, and not your own mouth;

a stranger, and not your own lips.

3  A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,

^dbut a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

4  Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,

but who can stand before jealousy?

5  Better is ^eopen 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.³

10  ^fDo 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, ^gand make my heart glad,

that I may ^hanswer him who reproaches me.

12  ⁱThe prudent sees danger and hides himself,

but the simple go on and suffer for it.

13  Take a man’s garment when he has ^jput up security for a stranger,

and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.⁴

14  ^kWhoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,

rising early in the morning,

will be counted as cursing.

15  ^lA 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  ^mIron sharpens iron,

and one man sharpens another.⁶

18  ⁿWhoever 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 ^onever satisfied,

and ^pnever satisfied are the eyes of man.

21  ^qThe 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.

23  Know well the condition of your flocks,

and give attention to your herds,

24  for ^rriches do not last forever;

and does a crown endure to all generations?

25  When the grass is gone and the new growth appears

and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,

26  the lambs will provide your clothing,

and the goats the price of a field.

27  There will be enough goats’ milk for your food,

for the food of your household

and maintenance for your girls.

1  The wicked flee ^swhen 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 ^toppresses 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 ^udo not understand justice,

but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.

6  ^vBetter is a poor man who walks in his integrity

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

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

but a ^xcompanion of ^ygluttons shames his father.

8  Whoever multiplies his wealth by ^zinterest and profit⁷

^agathers it for him who is generous to the poor.

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

even his ^bprayer is an abomination.

10  ^cWhoever misleads the upright into an evil way

will ^dfall 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  ^eWhen the righteous triumph, there is great glory,

^fbut when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.

13  Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,

but ^ghe who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

14  ^hBlessed is the one who fears the Lord⁸ 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 ⁱlacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,

but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

17  If one is burdened ^jwith the blood of another,

he will be a fugitive until death;⁹

let no one help him.

18  Whoever ^kwalks in integrity will be delivered,

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

19  ^lWhoever 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 ^mhastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

21  ⁿTo show partiality is not good,

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

22  A stingy man¹⁰ hastens after wealth

and does not know that poverty will come upon him.

23  ^oWhoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor

than he who flatters with his tongue.

24  Whoever ^probs his ^qfather or his mother

and says, “That is no transgression,”

is a companion to a man who destroys.

25  A greedy man stirs up ^rstrife,

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  ^sWhoever 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.