1 A good name is to be chosen instead of many riches. Favor is better than silver and gold.

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

2 T he rich and the poor meet together. The Lord is the maker of them all.

The rich and the poor meet together: Jehovah is the maker of them all.

3 A wise man sees sin and hides himself, but the foolish go on, and are punished for it.

A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

4 T he reward for not having pride and having the fear of the Lord is riches, honor and life.

The reward of humility and the fear of Jehovah Is riches, and honor, and life.

5 T horns and traps are in the way of the sinful. He who watches himself will stay far from them.

Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse: He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.

6 B ring up a child by teaching him the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn away from it.

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

7 T he rich rules over the poor. The man who uses something that belongs to someone else is ruled by the one who let him use it.

The rich ruleth over the poor; And the borrower is servant to the lender.

8 H e who plants sin will gather trouble, and the heavy stick of his anger will break.

He that soweth iniquity shall reap calamity; And the rod of his wrath shall fail.

9 H e who gives much will be honored, 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 S end away the man who laughs at the truth, and arguing, fighting and shame will stop.

Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out; Yea, strife and ignominy will cease.

11 H e who loves a pure heart and is kind in his speaking has the king as his friend.

He that loveth pureness of heart, For the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.

12 T he eyes of the Lord keep watch over much learning, but He destroys the words of the man who is not faithful.

The eyes of Jehovah preserve him that hath knowledge; But he overthroweth the words of the treacherous man.

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

The sluggard saith, There is a lion without: I shall be slain in the streets.

14 T he mouth of a sinful woman is a deep hole. He with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.

The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: He that is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall therein.

15 A foolish way is held in the heart of a child, but the punishing stick will send it far from him.

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; But the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

16 H e who makes it hard for the poor by getting more for himself, or who gives to the rich, will become poor himself.

He that oppresseth the poor to increase his gain, And he that giveth to the rich, shall come only to want.

17 T urn your ear and hear the words of the wise, and open your mind to what they teach.

Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, And apply thy heart unto my knowledge.

18 F or it will be pleasing if you keep them in your heart, so they may be ready on your lips.

For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, If they be established together upon thy lips.

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

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

20 H ave I not written to you great things of wise teaching and much learning

Have not I written unto thee excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,

21 t o show you that the words of truth are sure, so you may give a true answer to him who sent you?

To make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, That thou mayest carry back words of truth to them that send thee?

22 D o not rob the poor because he is poor, or crush those who suffer at the gate.

Rob not the poor, because he is poor; Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

23 F or the Lord will stand by them and help them, and take the life of those who rob them.

For Jehovah will plead their cause, And despoil of life those that despoil them.

24 D o not have anything to do with a man given to anger, or go with a man who has a bad temper.

Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger; And with a wrathful man thou shalt not go:

25 O r you might learn his ways and get yourself into a trap.

Lest thou learn this ways, And get a snare to thy soul.

26 D o not be among those who make promises and put themselves up as trust for what others owe.

Be thou not 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 not wherewith to pay, Why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

28 D o not take away the old land-mark which your fathers have set.

Remove not the ancient landmark, Which thy fathers have set.

29 D o you see a man who is good at his work? He will stand in front of kings. He will not stand in front of men who are not important.

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