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 gifts¹ 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.²

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,³

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.⁴

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.

The man declares, I am weary, O God;

I am weary, O God, and worn out.²

2  Surely I am too ^mstupid to be a man.

I have not the understanding of a man.

3  I have not learned wisdom,

nor have I knowledge of ⁿthe Holy One.

4  Who has ^oascended to heaven and come down?

Who has ^pgathered the wind in his fists?

Who has ^qwrapped up the waters in a garment?

Who has established all ^rthe ends of the earth?

^sWhat is his name, and what is his son’s name?

Surely you know!

5  ^tEvery word of God proves true;

he is ^ua shield to those who take refuge in him.

6  ^vDo not add to his words,

lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

7  Two things I ask of you;

deny them not to me ^wbefore I die:

8  Remove far from me falsehood and lying;

give me neither poverty nor riches;

feed me with the food that is ^xneedful for me,

9  lest I be ^yfull and ^zdeny you

and say, ^a“Who is the Lord?”

or lest I be poor and steal

^band profane the name of my God.

10  ^cDo not slander a servant to his master,

^dlest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

11  There are those³ who ^ecurse their fathers

and do not bless their mothers.

12  There are those who are ^fclean in their own eyes

but are not washed of their filth.

13  There are those—how ^glofty are their eyes,

how high their eyelids lift!

14  There are those whose teeth are ^hswords,

whose ⁱfangs are knives,

to ^jdevour the poor from off the earth,

the needy from among mankind.

15  The leech has two daughters:

Give and Give.⁴

^kThree things are never satisfied;

^kfour never say, “Enough”:

16  ^lSheol, ^mthe barren womb,

the land never satisfied with water,

and the fire that never says, “Enough.”

17  The eye that ⁿmocks a father

and ^oscorns to obey a mother

will ^pbe picked out by ^qthe ravens of the valley

and eaten by the vultures.

18  ^kThree things are ^rtoo wonderful for me;

^kfour I do not understand:

19  the way of an eagle in the sky,

the way of a serpent on a rock,

the way of a ship on the high seas,

and the way of a man with a virgin.

20  This is the way of an adulteress:

she eats and wipes her mouth

and says, “I have done no wrong.”

21  Under ^kthree things ^sthe earth trembles;

under ^kfour it cannot bear up:

22  ^ta slave when he becomes king,

and a fool when he is ^ufilled with food;

23  ^van unloved woman when she ^wgets a husband,

and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.

24  ^kFour things on earth are small,

but they are exceedingly wise:

25  ^xthe ants are a people not strong,

yet they provide their food in the summer;

26  ^ythe rock badgers are a people not mighty,

yet they make their homes in the cliffs;

27  the locusts have no ^zking,

yet all of them march in ^arank;

28  the lizard you can take in your hands,

yet it is in kings’ palaces.

29  ^bThree things are stately in their tread;

^bfour are stately in their stride:

30  the lion, which is mightiest among beasts

and ^cdoes not turn back before any;

31  the ^dstrutting rooster,⁵ the he-goat,

and a king whose army is with him.⁶

32  If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,

or if you have been devising evil,

^eput your hand on your mouth.

33  For pressing milk produces curds,

pressing the nose produces blood,

and pressing anger produces strife.