1 A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold -- good grace.

A name is rather to be chosen than great riches; loving favour rather than silver and gold.

2 R ich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all Jehovah.

The rich and 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 seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

4 T he end of humility the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.

The reward of humility the fear of Jehovah is riches, and honour, and life.

5 T horns -- snares in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.

Thorns snares are in the way of the perverse: he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself 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 the child according to the tenor of his way, and 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 unrighteousness shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his wrath shall have an end.

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 scorner, and contention will depart, and strife and ignominy shall cease.

11 W hoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace his lips, a king his friend.

He that loveth pureness of heart, upon whose lips is grace, the king is his friend.

12 T he eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.

The eyes of Jehovah preserve knowledge; but he overthroweth the words of the unfaithful.

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 killed 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 ditch: he with whom Jehovah is displeased shall fall therein.

15 F olly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth it far from him.

Folly is bound in the heart of a child; 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, it is to enrich him; he that giveth to the rich, 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: they shall be together fitted on thy lips.

19 T hat thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.

That thy confidence may be in Jehovah, I have made 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 to thee excellent things, in 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.

that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest 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 the soul of 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 an angry man, and go not with a furious man;

25 L est thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.

lest thou learn his paths, and get a snare to thy soul.

26 B e not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties burdens.

Be not of them that strike hands, 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 nothing 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!

Hast thou seen a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before the mean.