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

2 T he rich and the poor meet together: Jehovah is the maker of them all.

3 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 fear of Jehovah Is riches, and honor, and life.

5 T horns 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 even when he is old he will not depart from it.

7 T he rich ruleth over the poor; And the borrower is servant to the lender.

8 H e that soweth iniquity shall reap calamity; And the rod of his wrath shall fail.

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

10 C ast out the scoffer, and contention will go out; Yea, strife and ignominy will cease.

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

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

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

14 T he 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 correction shall drive it far from him.

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

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

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

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

20 H ave not I written unto thee excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,

21 T o 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, because he is poor; Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

23 F or Jehovah will plead their cause, And despoil of life those that despoil them.

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

25 L est thou learn this ways, And get a snare to thy soul.

26 B e thou not one of them that strike hands, Or of them that are sureties for debts.

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

28 R emove not the ancient landmark, Which thy fathers have set.

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