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

A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold.

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

The rich and the poor have this in common: Yahweh is the maker of them all.

3 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.

A prudent man sees danger, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

4 B y humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life.

The result of humility and the fear of Yahweh is wealth, honor, and life.

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

Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked: whoever guards his soul stays from them.

6 T rain up a child in the way he should go, And 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 is servant to the lender.

The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender.

8 H e who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail.

He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

9 H e who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.

He who has a generous eye will be blessed; for he shares his food with the poor.

10 C ast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.

Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.

11 H e who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.

He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king’s friend.

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

Yahweh’s eyes watch over knowledge; but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

13 T he lazy man says, “ There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!”

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

14 T he mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.

The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit: he who is under Yahweh’s wrath will fall into it.

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

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child: the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

16 H e who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty. Sayings of the Wise

Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.

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

Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching.

18 F or it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips,

For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.

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

That your trust may be in Yahweh, I teach you today, even you.

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

Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,

21 T hat I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you?

To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?

22 D o not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;

Don’t exploit the poor, because he is poor; and don’t crush the needy in court;

23 F or the Lord will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

for Yahweh will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.

24 M ake no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go,

Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man, and don’t associate with one who harbors anger:

25 L est you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

lest you learn his ways, and ensnare your soul.

26 D o not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts;

Don’t you be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.

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

If you don’t have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?

28 D o not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set.

Don’t move the ancient boundary stone, which your fathers have set up.

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

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.