1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, And loving favor rather than silver and gold.

2 T he rich and poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all.

The rich and the poor meet together: Jehovah is the maker of them all.

3 A prudent man sees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.

A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

4 T he reward of humility and the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.

The reward of humility and the fear of Jehovah Is riches, and honor, and life.

5 T horns and snares are in the way of the obstinate and willful; he who guards himself will be far from them.

Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse: He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.

6 T rain up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it.

7 T he rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

The rich ruleth over the poor; And the borrower is servant to the lender.

8 H e who sows iniquity will reap calamity and futility, and the rod of his wrath will fail.

He that soweth iniquity shall reap calamity; And the rod of his wrath shall fail.

9 H e who has a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; For he giveth of his bread to the poor.

10 D rive out the scoffer, and contention will go out; yes, strife and abuse will cease.

Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out; Yea, strife and ignominy will cease.

11 H e who loves purity and the pure in heart and who is gracious in speech—because of the grace of his lips will he have the king for his friend.

He that loveth pureness of heart, For the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.

12 T he eyes of the Lord keep guard over knowledge and him who has it, but He overthrows the words of the treacherous.

The eyes of Jehovah preserve him that hath knowledge; But he overthroweth the words of the treacherous man.

13 T he sluggard says, There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!

The sluggard saith, There is a lion without: I shall be slain in the streets.

14 T he mouth of a loose woman is a deep pit; he with whom the Lord is indignant and who is abhorrent to Him will fall into it.

The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: He that is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall therein.

15 F oolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; But the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

16 H e who oppresses the poor to get gain for himself and he who gives to the rich—both will surely come to want.

He that oppresseth the poor to increase his gain, And he that giveth to the rich, shall come only to want.

17 L isten (consent and submit) to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge;

Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, And apply thy heart unto my knowledge.

18 F or it will be pleasant if you keep them in your mind; your lips will be accustomed to them.

For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, If they be established together upon thy lips.

19 S o that your trust (belief, reliance, support, and confidence) may be in the Lord, I have made known these things to you today, even to you.

That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I have made them known to thee this day, even to thee.

20 H ave I not written to you excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

Have not I written unto thee excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,

21 T o make you know the certainty of the words of truth, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?

To make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, That thou mayest carry back words of truth to them that send thee?

22 R ob not the poor, neither oppress the afflicted at the gate,

Rob not the poor, because he is poor; Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

23 F or the Lord will plead their cause and deprive of life those who deprive.

For Jehovah will plead their cause, And despoil of life those that despoil them.

24 M ake no friendships with a man given to anger, and with a wrathful man do not associate,

Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger; And with a wrathful man thou shalt not go:

25 L est you learn his ways and get yourself into a snare.

Lest thou learn this ways, And get a snare to thy soul.

26 B e not one of those who strike hands and pledge themselves, or of those who become security for another’s debts.

Be thou not one of them that strike hands, Or of them that are sureties for debts.

27 I f you have nothing with which to pay, why should he take your bed from under you?

If thou hast not wherewith to pay, Why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

28 R emove not the ancient landmark which your fathers have set up.

Remove not the ancient landmark, Which thy fathers have set.

29 D o you see a man diligent and skillful in his business? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; He shall not stand before mean men.