1 ¶ Wine makes a mocker, and beer a reveler, and whoever errs concerning them shall never be wise.

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a riotous brawler; and whoever errs or reels because of it is not wise.

2 ¶ The fear of the king is as the roaring of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own soul.

The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger or angers himself against him sins against his own life.

3 ¶ It is an honour for a man to cease from strife, but every fool will be meddling.

It is an honor for a man to cease from strife and keep aloof from it, but every fool will quarrel.

4 ¶ The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore he shall beg in harvest and have nothing.

The sluggard does not plow when winter sets in; therefore he begs in harvest and has nothing.

5 ¶ Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of intelligence will draw it out.

Counsel in the heart of man is like water in a deep well, but a man of understanding draws it out.

6 ¶ Most men will proclaim each one his own mercy, but who can find a man of truth?

Many a man proclaims his own loving-kindness and goodness, but a faithful man who can find?

7 ¶ The just man who walks in his integrity, blessed shall be his sons after him.

The righteous man walks in his integrity; blessed (happy, fortunate, enviable) are his children after him.

8 ¶ A king that sits in the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.

A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows out all evil with his eyes.

9 ¶ Who shall be able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

10 ¶ Double weights and double measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.

Diverse weights and diverse measures—both of them are exceedingly offensive and abhorrent to the Lord.

11 ¶ Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work is pure and whether it is right.

Even a child is known by his acts, whether what he does is pure and right.

12 ¶ The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made both of them.

The hearing ear and the seeing eye—the Lord has made both of them.

13 ¶ Do not love sleep lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes and you will be satisfied with bread.

14 ¶ It is bad, it is bad, the buyer says; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.

It is worthless, it is worthless! says the buyer; but when he goes his way, then he boasts.

15 ¶ There is gold and a multitude of precious stones, but the lips of wisdom are a precious vessel.

There is gold, and a multitude of pearls, but the lips of knowledge are a vase of preciousness.

16 ¶ Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him that is surety for a strange woman.

Take the garment of one who is security for a stranger; and hold him in pledge when he is security for foreigners.

17 ¶ Bread of deceit is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

18 ¶ Every thought must be ordered by counsel, and with intelligence war is made.

Purposes and plans are established by counsel; and with good advice make or carry on war.

19 ¶ He that goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore meddle not with him that flatters with his lips.

He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore associate not with him who talks too freely.

20 ¶ Whosoever curses his father or his mother, his fire shall be put out in obscure darkness.

Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in complete darkness.

21 ¶ An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

An inheritance hastily gotten at the beginning, in the end it will not be blessed.

22 ¶ Say not thou, I will take vengeance, but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

Do not say, I will repay evil; wait for the Lord, and He will rescue you.

23 ¶ Double weights are an abomination unto the LORD, and a false balance is not good.

Diverse and deceitful weights are shamefully vile and abhorrent to the Lord, and false scales are not good.

24 ¶ Man’s steps are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

Man’s steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way?

25 ¶ It is a snare unto man to devour that which is holy and afterward to reconsider his vows.

It is a snare to a man to utter a vow rashly and afterward inquire.

26 ¶ A wise king scatters the wicked and brings the wheel over them.

A wise king winnows out the wicked and brings the threshing wheel over them.

27 ¶ The spirit of man is the fire of the LORD, which searches the secrets of the inward parts.

The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.

28 ¶ Mercy and truth preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by mercy.

Loving-kindness and mercy, truth and faithfulness, preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by loyalty.

29 ¶ The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is the gray head.

The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is their gray head.

30 ¶ The scars of past wounds are medicine for evil, and living reproof reaches the most secret places in the inward parts.

Blows that wound cleanse away evil, and strokes reach to the innermost parts.