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

¶ A good reputation is rather to be chosen than great riches and good grace 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 poor meet together; the LORD 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 foresees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and receive hurt.

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

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

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 keeps 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; 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 rules over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

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

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

9 H e who gives much will be honored, for he gives some of his food to the poor.

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

10 S end away the man who laughs at the truth, and arguing, fighting and shame will stop.

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

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

¶ He that loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall 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 the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthrows the words of the transgressor.

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

¶ The slothful man says, 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 the LORD 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 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 oppresses the poor to increase his riches and who gives to the rich shall surely come to want.

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

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

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 delightful thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall be ordered together in 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 the LORD, I have made 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 I not written unto thee three times in 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?

that 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?

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 destroy the destitute in judgment:

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

For the LORD will judge their cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled 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.

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

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

Lest thou learn his 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 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 they 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 work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before obscure men.