1 A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold -- good grace.
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, And loving favor rather than silver and gold.
2 R ich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all Jehovah.
The rich and the poor meet together: Jehovah is the maker of them all.
3 T he prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.
A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
4 T he end of humility the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.
The reward of humility and the fear of Jehovah Is riches, and honor, and life.
5 T horns -- snares in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.
Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse: He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.
6 G ive instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not 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 over the poor ruleth, And a servant the borrower to the lender.
The rich ruleth over the poor; And the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 W hoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.
He that soweth iniquity shall reap calamity; And the rod of his wrath shall fail.
9 T he good of eye -- he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; For he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10 C ast out a scorner -- and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.
Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out; Yea, strife and ignominy will cease.
11 W hoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace his lips, a king 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 Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.
The eyes of Jehovah preserve him that hath knowledge; But he overthroweth the words of the treacherous man.
13 T he slothful hath said, `A lion without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'
The sluggard saith, There is a lion without: I shall be slain in the streets.
14 A deep pit the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.
The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: He that is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall therein.
15 F olly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth 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 is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich -- only to want.
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his gain, And he that giveth to the rich, shall come only to want.
17 I ncline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,
Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, And apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
18 F or they are pleasant when thou dost keep them in thy heart, They are prepared together for thy lips.
For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, If they be established together upon thy lips.
19 T hat thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.
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 thee three times With counsels and knowledge?
Have not I written unto thee excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,
21 T o cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending thee.
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 R ob not the poor because he poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.
Rob not the poor, because he is poor; Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23 F or Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.
For Jehovah will plead their cause, And despoil of life those that despoil them.
24 S hew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,
Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger; And with a wrathful man thou shalt not go:
25 L est thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.
Lest thou learn this ways, And get a snare to thy soul.
26 B e not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties burdens.
Be thou not one of them that strike hands, Or of them that are sureties for debts.
27 I f thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee?
If thou hast not wherewith to pay, Why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 R emove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made.
Remove not the ancient landmark, Which thy fathers have set.
29 H ast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; He shall not stand before mean men.