1 ¶ A good reputation is rather to be chosen than great riches and good grace rather than silver and gold.

A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold.

2 ¶ The rich and poor meet together; the LORD is the maker of them all.

The rich and the poor have a common bond, The Lord is the maker of them all.

3 ¶ A prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and receive hurt.

The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the naive go on, and are punished for it.

4 ¶ Riches and honour and life are the remuneration of humility and of the fear of the LORD.

The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches, honor and life.

5 ¶ Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; he that keeps his soul shall be far from them.

Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards himself will be far from them.

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

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

7 ¶ The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.

8 ¶ He that sows iniquity shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his anger shall fail.

He who sows iniquity will reap vanity, And the rod of his fury will perish.

9 ¶ He that has a merciful eye shall be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the destitute.

He who is generous will be blessed, For he gives some of his food to the poor.

10 ¶ Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; strife and reproach shall cease.

Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out, Even strife and dishonor will cease.

11 ¶ He that loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

He who loves purity of heart And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend.

12 ¶ The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthrows the words of the transgressor.

The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.

13 ¶ The slothful man says, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside; I will be killed in the streets!”

14 ¶ The mouth of strange women is a deep pit; he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; He who is cursed of the Lord will fall into it.

15 ¶ Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.

16 ¶ He that oppresses the poor to increase his riches and who gives to the rich shall surely come to want.

He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself Or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

17 ¶ Bow down thine ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my wisdom.

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge;

18 F or it is a delightful thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall be ordered together in thy lips.

For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, That they may be ready on your lips.

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

So that your trust may be in the Lord, I have taught you today, even you.

20 H ave I not written unto thee three times in counsels and knowledge,

Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,

21 t hat I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou mightest answer the words of truth to those that send unto thee?

To make you know the certainty of the words of truth That you may correctly answer him who sent you?

22 ¶ Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither destroy the destitute in judgment:

Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Or crush the afflicted at the gate;

23 F or the LORD will judge their cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

For the Lord will plead their case And take the life of those who rob them.

24 ¶ Do not meddle with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man,

25 L est thou learn his ways and get a snare to thy soul.

Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself.

26 ¶ Be not thou one of them that strike hands or of them that are sureties for debts.

Do not be among those who give pledges, Among those who become guarantors for debts.

27 I f thou hast nothing to pay, why should they take away thy bed from under thee?

If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take your bed from under you?

28 ¶ Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

Do not move the ancient boundary Which your fathers have set.

29 ¶ Seest thou a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before obscure men.

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.