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

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

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

The rich and poor meet together: 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.

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

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

By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.

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

Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall 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.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and 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.

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

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

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

9 H e who is generous will be blessed, For he gives some of his food 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, Even strife and dishonor will cease.

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

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

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

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

The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

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

The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain 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.

The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein.

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

Foolishness is bound 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 make more for himself Or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

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

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

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

For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

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

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

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

Have not I written to thee excellent things in 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?

That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

22 D o not rob the poor because he is poor, Or crush 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 case And take the life of those who rob them.

For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

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

Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

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

Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

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

Be not thou 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 nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

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

Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy 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.

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