1  ^yWine is a mocker, ^zstrong drink a brawler,

and whoever ^ais led astray by it is not wise.¹

2  The terror of a king is like ^bthe growling of a lion;

whoever provokes him to anger ^cforfeits his life.

3  It is an honor for a man to ^dkeep aloof from strife,

but every fool will be quarreling.

4  ^eThe sluggard does not plow in the autumn;

^fhe will seek at harvest and have nothing.

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

but a man of understanding will draw it out.

6  Many a man ^hproclaims his own steadfast love,

but ⁱa faithful man who can find?

7  The righteous who ^jwalks in his integrity—

^kblessed are his children after him!

8  ^lA king who sits on the throne of judgment

^mwinnows all evil with his eyes.

9  ⁿWho can say, “I have made my heart pure;

I am clean from my sin”?

10  ^oUnequal² weights and unequal measures

are both alike an abomination to the Lord.

11  Even a child ^pmakes himself known by his acts,

by whether his conduct is pure and upright.³

12  ^qThe hearing ear and the seeing eye,

^rthe Lord has made them both.

13  ^sLove not sleep, lest you ^tcome to poverty;

open your eyes, and you will have ^uplenty of bread.

14  “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,

but when he goes away, then he boasts.

15  There is gold and abundance of ^vcostly stones,

^wbut the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16  ^xTake a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,

and ^yhold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.⁴

17  ^zBread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,

but afterward his mouth will be full of ^agravel.

18  ^bPlans are established by counsel;

by ^cwise guidance ^dwage war.

19  Whoever ^egoes about slandering reveals secrets;

therefore do not associate with ^fa simple babbler.⁵

20  ^gIf one curses his father or his mother,

^hhis lamp will be put out in utter darkness.

21  ⁱAn inheritance gained hastily in the beginning

will not be blessed in the end.

22  Do not say, ^j“I will repay evil”;

^kwait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

23  ^lUnequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,

and ^mfalse scales are not good.

24  A man’s ⁿsteps 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 ^oafter making vows.

26  A wise king ^pwinnows the wicked

and drives ^qthe wheel over them.

27  ^rThe spirit⁶ of man is the lamp of the Lord,

^ssearching all ^this innermost parts.

28  ^uSteadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,

and by steadfast love his ^vthrone is upheld.

29  The glory of young men is their strength,

but ^wthe splendor of old men is their gray hair.

30  ^xBlows that wound cleanse away evil;

strokes make clean ^tthe innermost parts.