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

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

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

4 T he reward of humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches, honor and life.

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

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

7 T he rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.

8 H e who sows iniquity will reap vanity, And the rod of his fury will perish.

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

10 D rive out the scoffer, and contention will go out, Even strife and dishonor will cease.

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

12 T he eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

22 D o not rob the poor because he is poor, Or crush the afflicted at the gate;

23 F or the Lord will plead their case And take the life of those who rob them.

24 D o not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man,

25 O r you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself.

26 D o not be among those who give pledges, Among those who become guarantors for debts.

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

28 D o not move the ancient boundary Which your fathers have set.

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