1 A wise son listens to his father’s instruction, but a scoffer doesn’t listen to rebuke.

¶ A wise son takes his father’s chastening: but a scorner does not hear rebuke.

2 B y the fruit of his lips, a man enjoys good things; but the unfaithful crave violence.

¶ Of the fruit of his mouth man shall eat well: but the soul of the transgressors shall starve.

3 H e who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

¶ He that keeps his mouth keeps his life: but he that opens his lips often shall have calamity.

4 T he soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.

¶ The soul of the sluggard desires, and attains nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

5 A righteous man hates lies, but a wicked man brings shame and disgrace.

¶ The righteous man hates lying: but the wicked man makes himself loathsome, and abominable.

6 R ighteousness guards the way of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

¶ Righteousness keeps the one of the perfect way: but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

7 T here are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing. There are some who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.

¶ There are those that make themselves rich, yet have nothing: there are those that make themselves poor, yet have great riches.

8 T he ransom of a man’s life is his riches, but the poor hear no threats.

¶ The redemption of a man’s life is his riches: but the poor does not hear rebuke.

9 T he light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

¶ The light of the righteous shall rejoice: but the fire of the wicked shall be put out.

10 P ride only breeds quarrels, but with ones who take advice is wisdom.

¶ Pride shall certainly give birth to contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

11 W ealth gained dishonestly dwindles away, but he who gathers by hand makes it grow.

¶ The riches of vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathers by labour shall increase.

12 H ope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

¶ Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

13 W hoever despises instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command will be rewarded.

¶ Whosoever despises the word shall perish by it: but he that fears the commandment shall be rewarded.

14 T he teaching of the wise is a spring of life, to turn from the snares of death.

¶ The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

15 G ood understanding wins favor; but the way of the unfaithful is hard.

¶ Good understanding brings forth grace: but the way of transgressors is hard.

16 E very prudent man acts from knowledge, but a fool exposes folly.

¶ Every sane man works according to wisdom: but the fool shall manifest his folly.

17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy gains healing.

¶ A bad messenger shall fall into evil: but a faithful ambassador is medicine.

18 P overty and shame come to him who refuses discipline, but he who heeds correction shall be honored.

¶ Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuses chastening: but he that regards reproof shall be honoured.

19 L onging fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.

¶ The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.

20 O ne who walks with wise men grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

¶ He that walks with wise men shall be wise, but the companion of fools shall be destroyed.

21 M isfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous.

¶ Evil pursues sinners, but to the righteous good shall be repaid.

22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous.

¶ A good man shall leave an inheritance to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

23 A n abundance of food is in poor people’s fields, but injustice sweeps it away.

¶ In the fallow ground of the poor there is much bread, but it is lost for lack of judgment.

24 O ne who spares the rod hates his son, but one who loves him is careful to discipline him.

¶ He that cuts short chastening hates his son, but he that loves him chastens him early.

25 T he righteous one eats to the satisfying of his soul, but the belly of the wicked goes hungry.

¶ The righteous eats until his soul is satisfied, but the belly of the wicked shall lack.