1  ^dBetter is a poor person who walks in his integrity

than ^eone who is ^fcrooked in speech and is a fool.

2  Desire¹ without knowledge is not good,

and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.

3  When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin,

his heart rages against the Lord.

4  ^gWealth brings many new friends,

^hbut a poor man is deserted by his friend.

5  ⁱA ^jfalse witness will not go unpunished,

and he who ^kbreathes out lies will not escape.

6  Many seek the favor of a generous man,²

and ^leveryone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.

7  All a poor man’s brothers hate him;

how much more do his friends go far from him!

He pursues them with words, but does not have them.³

8  Whoever ^mgets sense loves his own soul;

he who keeps understanding will discover good.

9  A false witness will not go unpunished,

and he who breathes out lies will perish.

10  It is ⁿnot fitting for a fool to live in luxury,

much less for a slave to rule over princes.

11  Good sense makes one ^oslow to anger,

and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

12  ^pA king’s wrath is ^qlike the growling of a lion,

but his favor is like dew on the grass.

13  ^rA foolish son is ruin to his father,

and ^sa wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.

14  House and wealth are inherited from fathers,

but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

15  ^tSlothfulness casts into a deep sleep,

and an idle person will suffer hunger.

16  Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life;

he who despises his ways will die.

17  ^uWhoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,

and he will ^vrepay him for his deed.

18  ^wDiscipline your son, for there is hope;

^xdo not set your heart on putting him to death.

19  A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,

for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.

20  Listen to advice and accept ^yinstruction,

that you may gain wisdom in the future.

21  ^zMany are the plans in the mind of a man,

but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

22  What is desired in a man is steadfast love,

and ^aa poor man is better than a liar.

23  The fear of the Lord leads to life,

and whoever has it rests satisfied;

he will not be visited by harm.

24  ^bThe sluggard buries his hand in the dish

and will not even bring it back to his mouth.

25  Strike a scoffer, and the ^csimple will learn prudence;

^dreprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.

26  He who does violence to his ^efather and chases away his mother

is a son who brings shame and reproach.

27  Cease to hear ^finstruction, my son,

and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28  A worthless witness mocks at justice,

and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

29  Condemnation is ready for scoffers,

and ^gbeating for the backs of fools.