Proverbs*
1 The proverbs+ of Solʹo·mon+ the son of David,+ the king of Israel,+ 2 for one to know wisdom+ and discipline,+ to discern the sayings of understanding,+ 3 to receive the discipline+ that gives insight,+ righteousness+ and judgment+ and uprightness,+ 4 to give to the inexperienced ones shrewdness,+ to a young man knowledge+ and thinking ability.+
5 A wise person will listen and take in more instruction,+ and a man of understanding is the one who acquires skillful direction,+ 6 to understand a proverb and a puzzling saying,+ the words of wise persons+ and their riddles.+
7 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge.+ Wisdom and discipline are what mere fools have despised.+
8 Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father,+ and do not forsake the law of your mother.+ 9 For they are a wreath of attractiveness to your head+ and a fine necklace to your throat.+
10 My son, if sinners try to seduce you, do not consent.+ 11 If they keep saying: “Do go with us. Do let us lie in ambush for blood.+ Do let us lie in concealment for the innocent men without any cause.+ 12 Let us swallow them down alive+ just like Sheʹol,*+ even whole, like those going down into a pit.+ 13 Let us find all sorts of precious valuables.+ Let us fill our houses with spoil.+ 14 Your lot you ought to cast in among us. Let there come to be just one bag belonging to all of us”+— 15 my son, do not go in the way with them.+ Hold back your foot from their roadway.+ 16 For their feet are those that run to sheer badness,+ and they keep hastening to shed blood.+ 17 For it is for nothing that the net is spread before the eyes of anything owning wings.+ 18 Consequently they themselves lie in ambush for the very blood of these;+ they lie in concealment for their souls.*+ 19 Thus are the paths of everyone making unjust profit.+ It takes away the very soul of its owners.+
20 True wisdom+ itself* keeps crying aloud in the very street.+ In the public squares it keeps giving forth its voice.+ 21 At the upper end of the noisy streets* it calls out.+ At the entrances of the gates into the city it says its own sayings:+
22 “How long will YOU inexperienced ones keep loving inexperience,+ and [how long] must YOU ridiculers desire for yourselves outright ridicule,+ and [how long] will YOU stupid ones keep hating knowledge?+ 23 Turn back at my reproof.+ Then to YOU I will cause my spirit to bubble forth;+ I will make my words known to YOU.+ 24 Because I have called out but YOU keep refusing,+ I have stretched out my hand but there is no one paying attention,+ 25 and YOU keep neglecting all my counsel,+ and my reproof YOU have not accepted,+ 26 I also, for my part, shall laugh at YOUR own disaster,+ I shall mock when what YOU dread comes,+ 27 when what YOU dread comes just like a storm, and YOUR own disaster gets here just like a storm wind,+ when distress and hard times come upon YOU.+ 28 At that time they will keep calling me, but I shall not answer;+ they will keep looking for me, but they will not find me,+ 29 for the reason that they hated knowledge,+ and the fear of Jehovah they did not choose.+ 30 They did not consent to my counsel;+ they disrespected all my reproof.+ 31 So they will eat from the fruitage of their way,+ and they will be glutted with their own counsels.+ 32 For the renegading+ of the inexperienced ones is what will kill them,+ and the easygoingness of the stupid is what will destroy them.+ 33 As for the one listening to me, he will reside in security+ and be undisturbed from dread of calamity.”+
2 My son, if you will receive my sayings+ and treasure up my own commandments with yourself,+ 2 so as to pay attention to wisdom with your ear,+ that you may incline your heart to discernment;+ 3 if, moreover, you call out for understanding+ itself and you give forth your voice for discernment itself,+ 4 if you keep seeking for it as for silver,+ and as for hid treasures you keep searching for it,+ 5 in that case you will understand the fear+ of Jehovah, and you will find the very knowledge of God.*+ 6 For Jehovah himself gives wisdom;+ out of his mouth there are knowledge and discernment.+ 7 And for the upright ones he will treasure up practical wisdom;+ for those walking in integrity he is a shield,+ 8 by observing the paths of judgment,+ and he will guard the very way of his loyal ones.*+ 9 In that case you will understand righteousness and judgment and uprightness, the entire course of what is good.+
10 When wisdom enters into your heart+ and knowledge itself becomes pleasant to your very soul,+ 11 thinking ability itself will keep guard over you,+ discernment itself will safeguard you,+ 12 to deliver you from the bad way,+ from the man speaking perverse things,+ 13 from those leaving the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness,+ 14 from those who are rejoicing in doing bad,+ who are joyful in the perverse things of badness;+ 15 those whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their general course;+ 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, from the foreign woman+ who has made her own sayings smooth,+ 17 who is leaving the confidential friend of her youth+ and who has forgotten the very covenant of her God.+ 18 For down to death her house does sink and down to those impotent in death* her tracks.+ 19 None of those having relations with her will come back, nor will they regain the paths of those living.+
20 The purpose is that you may walk in the way of good people+ and that the paths of the righteous ones you may keep.+ 21 For the upright are the ones that will reside in the earth,+ and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it.+ 22 As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth;+ and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.+
3 My son, my law do not forget,+ and my commandments may your heart observe,+ 2 because length of days and years of life+ and peace will be added* to you.+ 3 May loving-kindness* and trueness* themselves not leave you.+ Tie them about your throat.+ Write them upon the tablet of your heart,+ 4 and so find favor and good insight in the eyes of God* and of earthling man.*+ 5 Trust in Jehovah with all your heart+ and do not lean upon your own understanding.+ 6 In all your ways take notice of him,+ and he himself will make your paths straight.+
7 Do not become wise in your own eyes.+ Fear Jehovah and turn away from bad.+ 8 May it become a healing+ to your navel and a refreshment* to your bones.+
9 Honor Jehovah with your valuable things+ and with the firstfruits of all your produce.+ 10 Then your stores of supply will be filled with plenty;+ and with new wine your own press vats will overflow.*+
11 The discipline of Jehovah, O my son, do not reject;+ and do not abhor his reproof,+ 12 because the one whom Jehovah loves he reproves,+ even as a father does a son in whom he finds pleasure.+
13 Happy is the man that has found wisdom,+ and the man that gets discernment,+ 14 for having it as gain is better than having silver as gain and having it as produce than gold*+ itself. 15 It* is more precious than corals,+ and all other delights of yours cannot be made equal to it. 16 Length of days is in its right hand;+ in its left hand there are riches and glory.*+ 17 Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its roadways are peace.+ 18 It is a tree of life+ to those taking hold of it, and those keeping fast hold of it+ are to be called happy.+
19 Jehovah himself in wisdom founded the earth.+ He solidly fixed the heavens in discernment.+ 20 By his knowledge the watery deeps* themselves were split apart,+ and the cloudy skies keep dripping down light rain.+ 21 My son, may they not get away from your eyes.+ Safeguard practical wisdom and thinking ability,+ 22 and they will prove to be life to your soul+ and charm to your throat.+ 23 In that case you will walk in security+ on your way, and even your foot will not strike against anything.+ 24 Whenever you lie down you will feel no dread;+ and you will certainly lie down, and your sleep must be pleasurable.+ 25 You will not need to be afraid of any sudden dreadful thing,+ nor of the storm upon the wicked ones, because it is coming.+ 26 For Jehovah himself will prove to be, in effect, your confidence,*+ and he will certainly keep your foot against capture.+
27 Do not hold back good from those to whom it is owing,*+ when it happens to be in the power of your hand to do [it].+ 28 Do not say to your fellowman: “Go, and come back and tomorrow I shall give,” when there is something with you.+ 29 Do not fabricate against your fellowman anything bad,+ when he is dwelling in a sense of security with you.+ 30 Do not quarrel with a man* without cause,+ if he has rendered no bad to you.+
31 Do not become envious of the man* of violence,+ nor choose any of his ways.+ 32 For the devious+ person is a detestable thing to Jehovah,+ but His intimacy is with the upright ones.+ 33 The curse of Jehovah is on the house of the wicked one,+ but the abiding place of the righteous ones he blesses.+ 34 If it has to do with ridiculers,+ he himself will deride;+ but to the meek ones he will show favor.+ 35 Honor* is what the wise ones will come to possess,+ but the stupid ones are exalting dishonor.+
4 Listen, O sons, to the discipline of a father+ and pay attention, so as to know understanding.+ 2 For good instruction is what I certainly shall give to YOU.+ My law DO not leave.+ 3 For I proved to be a real son to my father,+ tender and the only one before my mother.+ 4 And he would instruct me+ and say to me: “May your heart+ keep fast hold of my words.+ Keep my commandments and continue living.+ 5 Acquire wisdom,+ acquire understanding.+ Do not forget, and do not turn aside from the sayings of my mouth.+ 6 Do not leave it,* and it will keep you. Love it, and it will safeguard you. 7 Wisdom is the prime thing.+ Acquire wisdom; and with all that you acquire, acquire understanding.+ 8 Highly esteem it, and it will exalt you.+ It will glorify you because you embrace it.+ 9 To your head it will give a wreath of charm;+ a crown of beauty it will bestow upon you.”+
10 Hear, my son, and accept my sayings.+ Then for you the years of life will become many.*+ 11 I will instruct you even in the way of wisdom;+ I will cause you to tread in the tracks of uprightness.+ 12 When you walk, your pace will not be cramped;+ and if you run, you will not stumble.+ 13 Take hold on discipline;+ do not let go.*+ Safeguard it,* for it itself is your life.+
14 Into the path of the wicked ones do not enter,+ and do not walk straight on into the way of the bad ones.+ 15 Shun it,+ do not pass along by it;+ turn aside from it, and pass along.+ 16 For they do not sleep unless they do badness,+ and their sleep has been snatched away unless they cause someone to stumble.+ 17 For they have fed themselves with the bread of wickedness,+ and the wine of acts of violence is what they drink.+ 18 But the path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established.+ 19 The way of the wicked ones is like the gloom;+ they have not known at what they keep stumbling.+
20 My son, to my words do pay attention.+ To my sayings incline your ear.+ 21 May they not get away from your eyes.+ Keep them in the midst of your heart.+ 22 For they are life to those finding them+ and health to all their flesh.+ 23 More than all else that is to be guarded, safeguard your heart,+ for out of it are the sources of life.+ 24 Remove from yourself the crookedness of speech;*+ and the deviousness of lips put far away from yourself.+ 25 As for your eyes, straight ahead they should look,+ yes, your own beaming eyes should gaze straight in front of you.+ 26 Smooth out the course of your foot,*+ and may all your own ways be firmly established.+ 27 Do not incline to the right hand or to the left.+ Remove your foot from what is bad.+
5 My son, to my wisdom O do pay attention.+ To my discernment incline your ears,+ 2 so as to guard thinking abilities;+ and may your own lips safeguard knowledge itself.+
3 For as a honeycomb the lips of a strange woman keep dripping,+ and her palate is smoother than oil.+ 4 But the aftereffect from her is as bitter as wormwood;+ it is as sharp as a two-edged sword.+ 5 Her feet are descending to death.+ Her very steps take hold on Sheʹol* itself.+ 6 The path of life she does not contemplate.+ Her tracks have wandered she does not know [where].+ 7 So now, O sons, listen to me+ and do not turn away from the sayings of my mouth.+ 8 Keep your way far off from alongside her, and do not get near to the entrance of her house,+ 9 that you may not give to others your dignity,*+ nor your years to what is cruel;+ 10 that strangers may not satisfy themselves with your power,+ nor the things you got by pain be in the house of a foreigner,+ 11 nor you have to groan in your future+ when your flesh and your organism come to an end.+ 12 And you will have to say: “How I have hated discipline+ and my heart has disrespected even reproof!+ 13 And I have not listened to the voice of my instructors,+ and to my teachers I have not inclined my ear.+ 14 Easily I have come to be in every sort of badness+ in the midst of the congregation and of the assembly.”+
15 Drink water out of your own cistern, and tricklings out of the midst of your own well.+ 16 Should your springs be scattered out of doors,+ [your] streams of water in the public squares themselves? 17 Let them prove to be for you alone, and not for strangers with you.+ 18 Let your water source prove to be blessed,+ and rejoice with the wife of your youth,+ 19 a lovable hind and a charming mountain goat.+ Let her own breasts intoxicate you at all times.+ With her love may you be in an ecstasy constantly.+ 20 So why should you, my son, be in an ecstasy with a strange woman or embrace the bosom of a foreign woman?+ 21 For the ways of man* are in front of the eyes of Jehovah,+ and he is contemplating all his tracks.+ 22 His own errors will catch the wicked one,*+ and in the ropes of his own sin he will be taken hold of.+ 23 He will be the one to die because there is no discipline,+ and [because] in the abundance of his foolishness he goes astray.*+
6 My son, if you have gone surety for your fellowman,+ [if] you have given your handshake even to the stranger,+ 2 [if] you have been ensnared by the sayings of your mouth,+ [if] you have been caught by the sayings of your mouth, 3 take this action then, my son, and deliver yourself, for you have come into the palm of your fellowman:+ Go humble yourself* and storm your fellowman with importunities.+ 4 Do not give any sleep to your eyes, nor any slumber to your beaming eyes.+ 5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand and like a bird from the hand of the birdcatcher.+
6 Go to the ant,+ you lazy one;+ see its ways and become wise. 7 Although it has no commander, officer or ruler, 8 it prepares its food even in the summer;+ it has gathered its food supplies even in the harvest. 9 How long, you lazy one, will you keep lying down?+ When will you rise up from your sleep?+ 10 A little more sleep, a little more slumbering, a little more folding of the hands in lying down,+ 11 and your poverty will certainly come just like some rover,+ and your want like an armed man.*+
12 A good-for-nothing man,*+ a man of hurtfulness,* is walking with crookedness of speech,*+ 13 winking with his eye,+ making signs with his foot, making indications with his fingers.+ 14 Perverseness is in his heart.+ He is fabricating something bad all the time.+ He keeps sending out merely contentions.+ 15 That is why suddenly there will come his disaster;+ in an instant he will be broken, and there will be no healing.+
16 There are six things that Jehovah does hate;+ yes, seven are things detestable to his soul:+ 17 lofty eyes,+ a false tongue,+ and hands that are shedding innocent blood,+ 18 a heart fabricating hurtful schemes,+ feet that are in a hurry to run to badness,+ 19 a false witness that launches forth lies,+ and anyone sending forth contentions among brothers.+
20 Observe, O my son, the commandment of your father,+ and do not forsake the law of your mother.+ 21 Tie them* upon your heart constantly;+ bind them upon your throat.+ 22 When you walk about, it* will lead you;+ when you lie down, it will stand guard over you;+ and when you have waked up, it itself will make you its concern. 23 For the commandment is a lamp,+ and a light the law is,+ and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,+ 24 to guard you against the bad woman,*+ against the smoothness of the tongue of the foreign woman.+ 25 Do not desire her prettiness in your heart,+ and may she not take you with her lustrous eyes,+ 26 because in behalf of a woman prostitute [one comes down] to a round loaf of bread;+ but as regards another man’s wife, she hunts even for a precious soul.+ 27 Can a man rake together fire into his bosom and yet his very garments not be burned?+ 28 Or can a man walk upon the coals and his feet themselves not be scorched? 29 Likewise with anyone having relations with the wife of his fellowman,+ no one touching her will remain unpunishable.+ 30 People do not despise a thief just because he commits thievery to fill his soul when he is hungry. 31 But, when found, he will make it good with seven times as much; all the valuables of his house he will give.+ 32 Anyone committing adultery with a woman is in want of heart;*+ he that does it is bringing his own soul to ruin.*+ 33 A plague* and dishonor he will find,+ and his reproach itself will not be wiped out.+ 34 For the rage of an able-bodied man is jealousy,+ and he will not show compassion in the day of vengeance.+ 35 He will have no consideration for any sort of ransom, neither will he show willingness, no matter how large you make the present.
7 My son, keep my sayings,+ and may you treasure up my own commandments with you.+ 2 Keep my commandments and continue living,+ and my law like the pupil+ of your eyes. 3 Tie them upon your fingers,+ and write them upon the tablet of your heart.+ 4 Say to wisdom:+ “You are my sister”; and may you call understanding itself “Kinswoman,” 5 to guard you against the woman stranger,+ against the foreigner who has made her own sayings smooth.+ 6 For at the window of my house, through my lattice+ I looked down, 7 that I might peer upon the inexperienced ones.+ I was interested in discerning among the sons a young man in want of heart,*+ 8 passing along on the street near her corner, and in the way to her house he marches,+ 9 in the twilight, in the evening of the day,+ at the approach* of the night and the gloom. 10 And, look! there was a woman to meet him, with the garment of a prostitute+ and cunning* of heart. 11 She is boisterous and stubborn.+ In her house her feet do not keep residing.+ 12 Now she is outdoors, now she is in the public squares,+ and near every corner she lies in wait.+ 13 And she has grabbed hold of him and given him a kiss.+ She has put on a bold face, and she begins to say to him:
14 “Communion sacrifices were incumbent upon me.+ Today I have paid my vows.+ 15 That is why I have come out to meet you, to look for your face, that I may find you. 16 With coverlets I have bedecked my divan, with many-colored things, linen of Egypt.+ 17 I have besprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.+ 18 Do come, let us drink our fill of love until the morning; do let us enjoy each other with love expressions.+ 19 For the husband is not in his house; he has gone traveling on a way of some distance.+ 20 A bag of money* he has taken in his hand. On the day of the full moon he will come to his house.”
21 She has misled him by the abundance of her persuasiveness.+ By the smoothness of her lips she seduces him.+ 22 All of a sudden he is going after her,*+ like a bull that comes even to the slaughter, and just as if fettered* for the discipline of a foolish man, 23 until an arrow cleaves open his liver,+ just as a bird hastens into the trap,+ and he has not known that it involves his very soul.*+
24 And now, O sons, listen to me and pay attention to the sayings of my mouth.+ 25 May your heart not turn aside to her ways. Do not wander into her roadways.+ 26 For many are the ones she has caused to fall down slain,+ and all those being killed by her are numerous.+ 27 The ways to Sheʹol* her house+ is; they are descending to the interior rooms of death.+
8 Does not wisdom keep calling out,+ and discernment keep giving forth its voice?+ 2 On top of the heights,+ by the way, at the crossing of the roadways it has stationed itself. 3 At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the town,+ at the going in of the entrances it keeps crying loudly:+
4 “To YOU, O men,* I am calling, and my voice is to the sons of men.*+ 5 O inexperienced ones, understand shrewdness;+ and YOU stupid ones, understand heart.*+ 6 Listen, for it is about the foremost things that I speak,+ and the opening of my lips is about uprightness.+ 7 For my palate in low tones utters truth itself;+ and wickedness is something detestable to my lips.+ 8 All the sayings of my mouth are in righteousness.+ Among them there is nothing twisted or crooked.+ 9 All of them are straight to the discerning one, and upright to the ones finding knowledge.+ 10 TAKE my discipline and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.+ 11 For wisdom is better than corals,+ and all other delights themselves cannot be made equal to it.+
12 “I, wisdom, I have resided with shrewdness+ and I find even the knowledge of thinking abilities.+ 13 The fear of Jehovah means the hating of bad.+ Self-exaltation and pride+ and the bad way and the perverse mouth+ I have hated. 14 I have counsel+ and practical wisdom.+ I—understanding;+ I have mightiness.+ 15 By me kings themselves keep reigning, and high officials themselves keep decreeing righteousness.+ 16 By me princes themselves keep ruling as princes,+ and nobles are all judging in righteousness.+ 17 Those loving me* I myself love,+ and those looking for me are the ones that find me.+ 18 Riches and glory* are with me,+ hereditary values and righteousness.+ 19 My fruitage is better than gold,* even than refined gold, and my produce than choice silver.+ 20 In the path of righteousness I walk,+ in the middle of the roadways of judgment,+ 21 to cause those loving me to take possession of substance;+ and their storehouses I keep filled.+
22 “Jehovah himself produced me* as the beginning* of his way,+ the earliest of his achievements of long ago.+ 23 From time indefinite I was installed,+ from the start,* from times earlier than the earth.+ 24 When there were no watery deeps* I was brought forth as with labor pains,+ when there were no springs heavily charged with water. 25 Before the mountains themselves had been settled down,+ ahead of the hills, I was brought forth as with labor pains, 26 when as yet he had not made the earth+ and the open spaces and the first part of the dust masses of the productive land.*+ 27 When he prepared the heavens I was there;+ when he decreed a circle upon the face of the watery deep,+ 28 when he made firm the cloud masses above,+ when he caused the fountains of the watery deep to be strong,+ 29 when he set for the sea his decree that the waters themselves should not pass beyond his order,*+ when he decreed the foundations of the earth,+ 30 then I came to be beside him as a master worker,*+ and I came to be the one he* was specially fond+ of day by day, I being glad before him all the time,+ 31 being glad at the productive land* of his earth,+ and the things I was fond of were with the sons of men.*+
32 “And now, O sons, listen to me; yes, happy are the ones that keep my very ways.+ 33 Listen to discipline and become wise,+ and do not show any neglect.+ 34 Happy is the man that is listening to me by keeping awake at my doors day by day, by watching at the posts of my entrances.+ 35 For the one finding me will certainly find life,+ and gets goodwill from Jehovah.+ 36 But the one missing me is doing violence to his soul;+ all those intensely hating me are the ones that do love death.”+
9 True wisdom+ has built its house;+ it has hewn out its seven pillars. 2 It has organized its meat slaughtering;* it has mixed its wine; more than that, it has set in order its table.+ 3 It has sent forth its lady attendants, that it may call out on top of the heights of the town: 4 “Whoever is inexperienced, let him turn aside here.”+ Whoever is in want of heart*+—she has said to him: 5 “Come, feed yourselves with my bread and share in drinking the wine that I have mixed.+ 6 Leave the inexperienced ones and keep living,+ and walk straight in the way of understanding.”+
7 He that is correcting the ridiculer is taking to himself dishonor,+ and he that is giving a reproof to someone wicked—a defect in him.+ 8 Do not reprove a ridiculer, that he may not hate you.+ Give a reproof to a wise person and he will love you.+ 9 Give to a wise person and he will become still wiser.+ Impart knowledge to someone righteous and he will increase in learning.
10 The fear of Jehovah is the start of wisdom,+ and the knowledge of the Most Holy One* is what understanding is.+ 11 For by me your days will become many,+ and to you years of life will be added.+ 12 If you have become wise, you have become wise in your own behalf;+ and if you have ridiculed, you will bear [it], just you alone.+
13 A woman of stupidity is boisterous.+ She is simplemindedness itself and has come to know nothing whatever.+ 14 And she has seated herself at the entrance of her house, upon a seat, [in] the high places of the town,+ 15 to call out to those passing along the way, those who are going straight ahead on their paths:+ 16 “Whoever is inexperienced, let him turn aside here.”+ And whoever is in want of heart*+—she has also said to him: 17 “Stolen waters themselves are sweet,+ and bread [eaten] in secrecy—it is pleasant.”+ 18 But he has not come to know that those impotent in death* are there, that those called in by her are in the low places of Sheʹol.*+
A wise son is the one that makes a father rejoice,+ and a stupid son is the grief of his mother.+ 2 The treasures of the wicked one will be of no benefit,+ but righteousness is what will deliver from death.+ 3 Jehovah will not cause the soul of the righteous one to go hungry,+ but the craving of the wicked ones he will push away.+
4 The one working with a slack hand will be of little means,+ but the hand of the diligent one is what will make one rich.+
5 The son acting with insight is gathering during the summertime; the son acting shamefully is fast asleep during the harvest.+
6 Blessings are for the head of the righteous one,+ but as regards the mouth of the wicked ones, it covers up violence.*+ 7 The remembrance of the righteous one is due for a blessing,+ but the very name of the wicked ones will rot.+
8 The one wise in heart will accept commandments,+ but the one foolish with his lips will be trodden down.+
9 He that is walking in integrity will walk in security,+ but he that is making his ways crooked will make himself known.+
10 The one winking his eye will give pain,+ and the one foolish with his lips will be trodden down.+ 11 The mouth of the righteous one is a source* of life;+ but as regards the mouth of the wicked ones, it covers up violence.+
12 Hatred is what stirs up contentions,+ but love covers over even all transgressions.+
13 On the lips of the understanding person wisdom is found,+ but the rod is for the back of one in want of heart.*+
14 The wise are the ones that treasure up knowledge,+ but the mouth of the foolish one is near to ruin itself.+
15 The valuable things of a rich man are his strong town.+ The ruin of the lowly ones is their poverty.+
16 The activity of the righteous one results in life;+ the produce of the wicked one results in sin.+
17 He that is holding to discipline is a path to life,*+ but he that is leaving reproof is causing to wander.+
18 Where there is one covering over hatred there are lips of falsehood,+ and the one bringing forth a bad report is stupid.+
19 In the abundance of words there does not fail to be transgression,+ but the one keeping his lips in check is acting discreetly.+
20 The tongue of the righteous one is choice silver;+ the heart of the wicked one is worth little.+
21 The very lips of the righteous one keep pasturing* many,+ but for want of heart* the foolish themselves keep dying.+
22 The blessing of Jehovah—that is what makes rich,+ and he adds no pain with it.*+
23 To the stupid one the carrying on of loose conduct* is like sport,+ but wisdom is for the man* of discernment.+
24 The thing frightful to the wicked one—that is what will come to him;+ but the desire of the righteous ones will be granted.+ 25 As when the storm wind passes over, so the wicked one is no more;+ but the righteous one is a foundation to time indefinite.+
26 As vinegar to the teeth and as smoke to the eyes, so the lazy man is to those sending him forth.+
27 The very fear of Jehovah will add days,+ but the years themselves of the wicked ones will be cut short.+
28 The expectation of the righteous ones is a rejoicing,+ but the very hope of the wicked ones will perish.+
29 The way of Jehovah is a stronghold for the blameless+ one, but ruin is for the practicers of what is hurtful.+
30 As for the righteous one, to time indefinite he will not be caused to stagger;+ but as for the wicked ones, they will not keep residing on the earth.+
31 The mouth of the righteous one—it bears the fruit of wisdom,+ but the tongue of perverseness will be cut off.+
32 The lips of the righteous one—they come to know goodwill,+ but the mouth of the wicked ones is perverseness.+
11 A cheating pair of scales is something detestable to Jehovah,+ but a complete stone-weight is a pleasure to him.
2 Has presumptuousness come? Then dishonor will come;+ but wisdom is with the modest ones.+
3 The integrity of the upright ones is what leads them,+ but distortion by those dealing treacherously will despoil them.*+
4 Valuable things will be of no benefit on the day of fury,+ but righteousness itself will deliver from death.+
5 The righteousness of the blameless one is what will make his way straight,+ but in his own wickedness the wicked one will fall.+ 6 The righteousness of the upright ones is what will deliver them,+ but by their* craving* those dealing treacherously will themselves be caught.+
7 When a wicked man* dies, [his] hope perishes;+ and even expectation [based] on powerfulness has perished.+
8 The righteous is the one rescued even from distress,+ and the wicked one comes in instead of him.+
9 By [his] mouth the one who is an apostate brings his fellowman to ruin,+ but by knowledge are the righteous rescued.+
10 Because of the goodness of the righteous ones a town is elated,+ but when the wicked ones perish there is a joyful cry.+
11 Because of the blessing of the upright ones a town is exalted,+ but because of the mouth of the wicked ones it gets torn down.+
12 The one in want of heart* has despised his own fellowman,+ but the man* of broad discernment is one that keeps silent.+
13 The one walking about as a slanderer+ is uncovering confidential talk,+ but the one faithful in spirit* is covering over a matter.+
14 When there is no skillful direction, the people fall;+ but there is salvation in the multitude of counselors.+
15 One will positively fare badly because he has gone surety for a stranger,+ but the one hating handshaking is keeping carefree.
16 A woman of charm is the one that takes hold of glory;*+ but the tyrants, for their part, take hold of riches.
17 A man of loving-kindness* is dealing rewardingly with his own soul,+ but the cruel person is bringing ostracism upon his own organism.+
18 The wicked one is making false wages,*+ but the one sowing righteousness, true earnings.*+
19 The one firmly standing for righteousness* is in line for life,+ but the one chasing after what is bad is in line for his own death.+
20 Those crooked at heart are something detestable to Jehovah,+ but the ones blameless in [their] way are a pleasure to him.+
21 Though hand be to hand, a bad person will not go unpunished;+ but the offspring of the righteous ones will certainly escape.+
22 As a gold nose ring in the snout of a pig, so is a woman that is pretty but that is turning away from sensibleness.*+
23 The desire of the righteous ones is surely good;+ the hope of the wicked ones is fury.+
24 There exists the one that is scattering and yet is being increased;+ also the one that is keeping back from what is right, but it results only in want.+
25 The generous soul* will itself be made fat,+ and the one freely watering [others] will himself also be freely watered.+
26 The one holding back grain—the populace will execrate him, but there is a blessing for the head of the one letting it be bought.+
27 He that is looking for good will keep seeking goodwill;+ but as for the one searching for bad, it will come upon him.+
28 The one trusting in his riches—he himself will fall;+ but just like foliage the righteous ones will flourish.+
29 As for anyone bringing ostracism upon his own house,+ he will take possession of wind;+ and a foolish person will be a servant to the one wise in heart.
30 The fruitage of the righteous one is a tree of life,+ and he that is winning souls is wise.+
31 Look! The righteous one—in the earth he will be rewarded.+ How much more should the wicked one and the sinner be!+
12 A lover of discipline is a lover of knowledge,+ but a hater of reproof is unreasoning.+
2 One that is good gets approval from Jehovah,+ but the man* of [wicked] ideas he pronounces wicked.+
3 No man* will be firmly established by wickedness;+ but as for the root-foundation of the righteous ones, it will not be caused to stagger.+
4 A capable wife is a crown to her owner,+ but as rottenness in his bones is she that acts shamefully.+
5 The thoughts of the righteous ones are judgment;+ the steering by the wicked ones is deception.+
6 The words of the wicked ones are a lying in wait* for blood,+ but the mouth of the upright ones is what will deliver them.+
7 There is an overthrowing* of the wicked ones and they are no more,+ but the very house of the righteous ones will keep standing.+
8 For his mouth of discretion a man will be praised,+ but one who is twisted at heart will come to be for contempt.+
9 Better is the one lightly esteemed but having a servant than the one glorifying himself but in want of bread.+
10 The righteous one is caring for the soul of his domestic animal,+ but the mercies of the wicked ones are cruel.+
11 The one cultivating his ground will himself be satisfied with bread,+ but the one pursuing valueless things is in want of heart.*+
12 The wicked one has desired the netted prey of bad men;+ but as for the root of the righteous ones, it yields.+
13 By the transgression of the lips the bad person is ensnared,+ but the righteous one gets out of distress.+
14 From the fruitage of a man’s mouth* he is satisfied with good,+ and the very doing of a man’s hands* will come back to him.+
15 The way of the foolish one is right in his own eyes,+ but the one listening to counsel is wise.+
16 It is a foolish person that makes known his vexation in the [same] day,+ but the shrewd one is covering over a dishonor.+
17 He that launches forth faithfulness will tell what is righteous,+ but a false witness, deception.+
18 There exists the one speaking thoughtlessly as with the stabs of a sword,+ but the tongue of the wise ones is a healing.+
19 It is the lip of truth+ that will be firmly established forever,+ but the tongue of falsehood will be only as long as a moment.*+
20 Deception is in the heart of those fabricating mischief,+ but those counseling peace have rejoicing.+
21 Nothing hurtful will befall the righteous one,+ but the wicked are the ones that will certainly be filled with calamity.+
22 False lips are something detestable to Jehovah,+ but those acting in faithfulness are a pleasure to him.+
23 A shrewd man* is covering knowledge,+ but the heart of the stupid ones is one that calls out foolishness.+
24 The hand of the diligent ones is the one that will rule,+ but the slack hand will come to be for forced labor.+
25 Anxious care in the heart of a man* is what will cause it to bow down,+ but the good word is what makes it rejoice.+
26 The righteous one spies out his own pasturage, but the very way of wicked ones causes them to wander about.+
27 Slackness will not start up one’s game animals,+ but the diligent one is a man’s* precious wealth.
28 In the path of righteousness there is life,+ and the journey in its pathway means no death.+
13 A son is wise where there is a father’s discipline,+ but the ridiculer is one that has not heard rebuke.+
2 From the fruitage of his mouth a man will eat good,+ but the very soul* of those dealing treacherously is violence.+
3 The one guarding his mouth is keeping his soul.+ The one opening wide his lips—he will have ruin.+
4 The lazy one is showing himself desirous, but his soul [has] nothing.+ However, the very soul of the diligent ones will be made fat.+
5 A false word is what the righteous hates,+ but the wicked ones act shamefully and cause disgrace for themselves.+
6 Righteousness itself safeguards the one who is harmless in his way,+ but wickedness is what subverts the sinner.*+
7 There exists the one that is pretending to be rich and yet he has nothing at all;+ there is the one that is pretending to be of little means and yet [he has] many valuable things.
8 The ransom for a man’s soul is his riches,+ but the one of little means has not heard rebuke.+
9 The very light of the righteous ones will rejoice;+ but the lamp of the wicked ones—it will be extinguished.+
10 By presumptuousness one only causes a struggle,+ but with those consulting together there is wisdom.+
11 Valuable things resulting from vanity become fewer,+ but the one collecting by the hand is the one that makes increase.+
12 Expectation postponed is making the heart sick,+ but the thing desired is a tree of life when it does come.+
13 He that has despised the word,+ from him a [debtor’s] pledge will be seized; but the one fearing the commandment is the one that will be rewarded.+
14 The law of the wise one is a source* of life,+ to turn one away from the snares of death.+
15 Good insight itself gives favor,+ but the way of those dealing treacherously is rugged.*+
16 Everyone shrewd will act with knowledge,+ but the one that is stupid will spread abroad foolishness.+
17 A messenger that is wicked will fall into bad,+ but a faithful envoy is a healing.+
18 The one neglecting discipline [comes to] poverty and dishonor,+ but the one keeping a reproof is the one that is glorified.+
19 Desire when realized is pleasurable to the soul;+ but it is something detestable to the stupid ones to turn away from bad.+
20 He that is walking with wise persons will become wise,+ but he that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly.+
21 Sinners are the ones whom calamity pursues,+ but the righteous are the ones whom good rewards.+
22 One who is good will leave an inheritance to sons of sons, and the wealth of the sinner is something treasured up for the righteous one.+
23 Plowed ground of persons of little means [yields] a great deal of food,+ but there exists the one that is swept away for lack of judgment.+
24 The one holding back his rod is hating his son,+ but the one loving him is he that does look for him with discipline.+
25 The righteous is eating to the satisfaction of his soul,+ but the belly of the wicked ones will be empty.+
14 The truly wise woman has built up her house,+ but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.+
2 The one walking in his uprightness is fearing Jehovah,+ but the one crooked in his ways is despising Him.+
3 The rod of haughtiness is in the mouth of the foolish one,+ but the very lips of the wise ones will guard them.+
4 Where there are no cattle the manger is clean, but the crop is abundant because of the power of a bull.
5 A faithful witness is one that will not lie,+ but a false witness launches forth mere lies.+
6 The ridiculer has sought to find wisdom, and there is none; but to the understanding one knowledge is an easy thing.+
7 Go away from in front of the stupid man,+ for you will certainly not take note of the lips of knowledge.+
8 The wisdom of the shrewd is to understand his way,+ but the foolishness of stupid ones is deception.+
9 Foolish are those who make a derision of guilt,+ but among the upright ones there is agreement.*+
10 The heart is aware of the bitterness of one’s soul,+ and with its rejoicing no stranger will intermeddle.
11 The house of wicked people will be annihilated,+ but the tent of the upright ones will flourish.+
12 There exists a way that is upright before a man,+ but the ways of death are the end of it afterward.+
13 Even in laughter the heart may be in pain;+ and grief is what rejoicing ends up in.+
14 The one faithless at heart will be satisfied with the results of his own ways,+ but the good man with the results of his dealings.+
15 Anyone inexperienced puts faith in every word,*+ but the shrewd one considers his steps.+
16 The wise one fears and is turning away from badness,+ but the stupid is becoming furious and self-confident.+
17 He that is quick to anger will commit foolishness,+ but the man of thinking abilities is hated.+
18 The inexperienced ones will certainly take possession of foolishness,+ but the shrewd ones will bear knowledge as a headdress.+
19 Bad people will have to bow down before the good ones,+ and the wicked people at the gates of the righteous one.
20 Even to his fellowman one who is of little means is an object of hatred,+ but many are the friends of the rich person.+
21 The one despising his own fellowman is sinning,+ but happy is he who is showing favor to the afflicted ones.+
22 Will not those devising mischief go wandering about?+ But there are loving-kindness* and trueness as regards those devising good.+
23 By every kind of toil there comes to be an advantage,+ but merely the word of the lips [tends] to want.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches; the foolishness of the stupid ones is foolishness.+
25 A true witness* is delivering souls,+ but a deceitful one* launches forth mere lies.+
26 In the fear of Jehovah there is strong confidence,+ and for his sons there will come to be a refuge.+
27 The fear of Jehovah is a well of life,+ to turn away from the snares of death.+
28 In the multitude of people there is an adornment of a king,+ but in the lack of population is the ruin of a high official.+
29 He that is slow to anger is abundant in discernment,+ but one that is impatient* is exalting foolishness.+
30 A calm heart is the life of the fleshly organism,+ but jealousy is rottenness to the bones.+
31 He that is defrauding the lowly one has reproached his Maker,+ but the one showing favor to the poor one is glorifying Him.+
32 Because of his badness the wicked will be pushed down,+ but the righteous will be finding refuge in his integrity.*+
33 In the heart of the understanding one there rests wisdom,+ and in the midst of stupid ones it becomes known.
34 Righteousness is what exalts a nation,+ but sin is something disgraceful to national groups.+
35 The pleasure of a king is in the servant who is acting with insight,+ but his fury comes to be toward one acting shamefully.+
15 An answer, when mild, turns away rage,+ but a word causing pain makes anger to come up.+
2 The tongue of wise ones does good with knowledge,+ but the mouth of the stupid ones bubbles forth with foolishness.+
3 The eyes of Jehovah are in every place,+ keeping watch upon the bad ones and the good ones.+
4 The calmness of the tongue is a tree of life,+ but distortion in it means a breaking down in the spirit.+
5 Anyone foolish disrespects the discipline of his father,+ but anyone regarding reproof is shrewd.+
6 In the house* of the righteous one there is an abundant store,+ but in the produce of the wicked one there is a becoming ostracized.+
7 The lips of the wise ones keep scattering knowledge about,+ but the heart of the stupid ones is not like that.+
8 The sacrifice of the wicked ones is something detestable to Jehovah,+ but the prayer of the upright ones is a pleasure to him.+
9 The way of the wicked one is something detestable to Jehovah,+ but the one pursuing righteousness he loves.+
10 Discipline is bad to the one leaving the path;+ anyone hating reproof will die.+
11 Sheʹol and [the place of] destruction*+ are in front of Jehovah.+ How much more so the hearts of the sons of mankind!*+
12 The ridiculer does not love the one reproving him.+ To the wise ones he will not go.+
13 A joyful heart has a good effect on the countenance,+ but because of the pain of the heart there is a stricken spirit.+
14 The understanding heart is one that searches for knowledge,+ but the mouth of stupid people is one that aspires to foolishness.+
15 All the days of the afflicted one are bad;+ but the one that is good at heart* [has] a feast constantly.+
16 Better is a little in the fear of Jehovah+ than an abundant supply and confusion along with it.+
17 Better is a dish of vegetables where there is love+ than a manger-fed bull and hatred along with it.+
18 An enraged man stirs up contention,+ but one that is slow to anger quiets down quarreling.+
19 The way of the lazy one is like a brier hedge,+ but the path of the upright ones is a way cast up.+
20 A wise son is the one that makes a father rejoice,+ but a stupid man is despising his mother.+
21 Foolishness is a rejoicing to one who is in want of heart,*+ but the man of discernment is one who goes straight ahead.+
22 There is a frustrating of plans where there is no confidential talk,+ but in the multitude of counselors there is accomplishment.+
23 A man has rejoicing in the answer of his mouth,+ and a word at its right time is O how good!+
24 The path of life is upward to one acting with insight,+ in order to turn away from Sheʹol down below.+
25 The house of the self-exalted ones Jehovah will tear down,+ but he will fix the boundary of the widow.+
26 The schemes of the bad one are something detestable to Jehovah,+ but pleasant sayings are clean.+
27 The one making unjust profit is bringing ostracism upon his own house,+ but the hater of gifts is the one that will keep living.+
28 The heart of the righteous one meditates* so as to answer,+ but the mouth of the wicked ones bubbles forth with bad things.+
29 Jehovah is far away from the wicked ones,+ but the prayer of the righteous ones he hears.+
30 The brightness of the eyes+ makes the heart rejoice;+ a report+ that is good makes the bones fat.+
31 The ear that is listening to the reproof+ of life lodges right in among wise people.+
32 Anyone shunning discipline+ is rejecting his own soul, but the one listening to reproof is acquiring heart.*+
33 The fear of Jehovah is a discipline toward wisdom,+ and before glory there is humility.+
16 To earthling man* belong the arrangings of the heart,+ but from Jehovah is the answer of the tongue.+
2 All the ways of a man* are pure in his own eyes,+ but Jehovah is making an estimate of spirits.+
3 Roll your works upon Jehovah himself+ and your plans will be firmly established.+
4 Everything Jehovah has made for his purpose,+ yes, even the wicked one for the evil day.+
5 Everyone that is proud in heart is something detestable to Jehovah.+ Hand [may join] to hand, [yet] one will not be free from punishment.+
6 By loving-kindness* and trueness error is atoned for,+ and in the fear of Jehovah one turns away from bad.+
7 When Jehovah takes pleasure in the ways of a man+ he causes even his enemies themselves to be at peace with him.+
8 Better is a little with righteousness+ than an abundance of products without justice.*+
9 The heart of earthling man may think out his way,+ but Jehovah himself does the directing of his steps.+
10 Inspired decision should be upon the lips of a king;+ in judgment his mouth should not prove unfaithful.+
11 The just indicator and scales belong to Jehovah;+ all the stone weights of the bag are his work.+
12 The doing of wickedness is something detestable to kings,+ for by righteousness is the throne firmly established.+
13 The lips of righteousness are a pleasure to a grand king;*+ and the speaker of upright things he loves.+
14 The rage of a king means messengers of death,+ but the wise man is one that averts it.*+
15 In the light of the king’s face there is life,+ and his goodwill is like the cloud of spring rain.+
16 The getting of wisdom is O how much better than gold!+ And the getting of understanding is to be chosen more than silver.+
17 The highway of the upright ones is to turn away from bad.+ One who is safeguarding his way is keeping his soul.+
18 Pride is before a crash,+ and a haughty spirit* before stumbling.+
19 Better is it to be lowly in spirit* with the meek ones*+ than to divide spoil with the self-exalted ones.+
20 He that is showing insight in a matter will find good,+ and happy is he that is trusting in Jehovah.+
21 The one that is wise in heart will be called understanding,+ and he that is sweet in [his] lips adds persuasiveness.+
22 To its owners insight is a well of life;+ and the discipline of the foolish ones is foolishness.+
23 The heart of the wise one causes his mouth to show insight,+ and to his lips it adds persuasiveness.+
24 Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb,+ sweet to the soul and a healing to the bones.+
25 There exists a way that is upright before a man,+ but the ways of death are the end of it afterward.+
26 The soul* of the hard worker has worked hard for him,+ because his mouth has pressed him hard.+
27 A good-for-nothing man* is digging up what is bad,+ and upon his lips there is, as it were, a scorching fire.+
28 A man of intrigues keeps sending forth contention,+ and a slanderer is separating those familiar with one another.+
29 A man of violence will seduce his fellow,+ and certainly causes him to go in a way that is not good.+ 30 He is blinking with his eyes to scheme up intrigues.+ Pinching his lips together, he certainly brings mischief to completion.
31 Gray-headedness is a crown of beauty+ when it is found in the way of righteousness.+
32 He that is slow to anger is better than a mighty man,+ and he that is controlling his spirit than the one capturing a city.+
33 Into the lap the lot is cast down,+ but every decision by it is from Jehovah.+
17 Better is a dry piece of bread with which there is quietness+ than a house full of the sacrifices of quarreling.+
2 A servant that is showing insight will rule over the son who is acting shamefully,+ and in among the brothers he will have a share of the inheritance.+
3 The refining* pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,+ but Jehovah is the examiner of hearts.+
4 The evildoer is paying attention to the lip of hurtfulness.+ A falsifier* is giving ear to the tongue causing adversities.+
5 He that is holding the one of little means in derision has reproached his Maker.+ He that is joyful at [another’s] disaster will not be free from punishment.+
6 The crown of old men is the grandsons,+ and the beauty of sons is their fathers.+
7 For anyone senseless the lip of uprightness is not fitting.+ How much less so for a noble the lip of falsehood!+
8 The gift is a stone winning favor in the eyes of its grand owner.*+ Everywhere that he turns he has success.+
9 The one covering over transgression is seeking love,+ and he that keeps talking about a matter is separating those familiar with one another.+
10 A rebuke works deeper in one having understanding+ than striking a stupid one a hundred times.+
11 Only rebellion is what the bad one keeps seeking,+ and cruel is the messenger that is sent against him.+
12 Let there be an encountering by a man of a bear bereaved of its cubs+ rather than anyone stupid in his foolishness.+
13 As for anyone repaying bad for good,+ bad will not move away from his house.+
14 The beginning of contention is as one letting out waters;+ so before the quarrel has burst forth, take your leave.+
15 Anyone pronouncing the wicked one righteous+ and anyone pronouncing the righteous one wicked+—even both of them are something detestable to Jehovah.+
16 Why is it that there is in the hand of a stupid one the price to acquire wisdom,+ when he has no heart?*+
17 A true companion is loving all the time,+ and is a brother that is born for when there is distress.*+
18 A man that is wanting in heart* shakes hands,*+ going full surety before his companion.+
19 Anyone loving transgression is loving a struggle.+ Anyone making his entryway high is seeking a crash.+
20 He that is crooked at heart will not find good,+ and he that is turned around in his tongue will fall into calamity.+
21 Anyone becoming father to a stupid child—it is a grief to him;+ and the father of a senseless child does not rejoice.+
22 A heart that is joyful does good as a curer,*+ but a spirit that is stricken makes the bones dry.+
23 One who is wicked will take even a bribe from the bosom+ to bend the paths of judgment.+
24 Wisdom is before the face of the understanding one,+ but the eyes of the stupid one are at the extremity of the earth.+
25 A stupid son is a vexation to his father+ and a bitterness to her that gave him birth.+
26 Furthermore, the laying of a fine upon the righteous one is not good.+ To strike nobles is against what is upright.+
27 Anyone holding back his sayings is possessed of knowledge,+ and a man of discernment is cool of spirit.+
28 Even anyone foolish, when keeping silent, will be regarded as wise;+ anyone closing up his own lips, as having understanding.
18 One isolating himself will seek [his own] selfish longing;+ against all practical wisdom he will break forth.+
2 Anyone stupid finds no delight in discernment,+ except that his heart should uncover itself.+
3 When a wicked one comes in, contempt also must come in;+ and along with dishonor+ there is reproach.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters.+ The well of wisdom is a torrent bubbling forth.+
5 The showing of partiality to the wicked one is not good,+ nor the turning aside of the righteous one in judgment.+
6 The lips of one who is stupid enter into quarreling,+ and his very mouth calls even for strokes.+
7 The mouth of the stupid one is the ruin of him,+ and his lips are a snare for his soul.+
8 The words of the slanderer are like things to be swallowed greedily,+ which do go down into the innermost parts of the belly.+
9 Also, the one showing himself slack in his work+—he is a brother to the one causing ruin.*+
10 The name of Jehovah is a strong tower.+ Into it the righteous runs and is given protection.*+
11 The valuable things of the rich are his strong town,+ and they are like a protective wall in his imagination.+
12 Before a crash the heart of a man is lofty,+ and before glory there is humility.+
13 When anyone is replying to a matter before he hears [it],+ that is foolishness on his part and a humiliation.+
14 The spirit of a man* can put up with his malady;+ but as for a stricken spirit, who can bear it?+
15 The heart of the understanding one acquires knowledge,+ and the ear of wise ones seeks to find knowledge.+
16 A man’s gift* will make a large opening for him,+ and it will lead him even before great people.+
17 The one first in his legal case is righteous;+ his fellow comes in and certainly searches him through.+
18 The lot puts even contentions to rest,+ and it separates even the mighty from one another.+
19 A brother who is transgressed against is more than a strong town;+ and there are contentions that are like the bar of a dwelling tower.+
20 From the fruitage of a man’s* mouth his belly will be satisfied;+ he will be satisfied even with the produce of his lips.+
21 Death and life are in the power* of the tongue,+ and he that is loving it will eat its fruitage.+
22 Has one found a [good]* wife?+ One has found a good thing,+ and one gets goodwill from Jehovah.+
23 Entreaties the one of little means speaks out,+ but one that is rich answers in a strong way.+
24 There exist* companions disposed to break one another to pieces,+ but there exists a friend sticking closer than a brother.+
19 Anyone of little means who is walking in his integrity is better+ than the one crooked in his lips,* and the one that is stupid.+
2 Also, that the soul should be without knowledge is not good,+ and he that is hastening with his feet is sinning.*+
3 It is the foolishness of an earthling man that distorts his way,+ and so his heart becomes enraged against Jehovah himself.+
4 Wealth is what adds many companions,+ but one that is lowly gets separated even from his companion.+
5 A false witness will not be free from punishment,+ and he that launches forth lies will not escape.+
6 Many are those who soften the face of a noble,+ and everybody is a companion to the man making gifts.+
7 The brothers of one of little means have all hated him.+ How much farther have his personal friends kept away from him!+ He is pursuing with things to say; they are not.+
8 He that is acquiring heart*+ is loving his own soul. He that is guarding discernment is going to find good.+
9 The false witness will not be free from punishment,+ and he that launches forth lies will perish.+
10 Luxury is not fitting for anyone stupid.+ How much less for a servant to rule over princes!+
11 The insight of a man* certainly slows down his anger,+ and it is beauty on his part to pass over transgression.+
12 The raging of a king is a growling like that of a maned young lion,+ but his goodwill is like the dew upon the vegetation.+
13 A stupid son means adversities to his father,+ and the contentions of a wife are as a leaking roof that drives one away.+
14 The inheritance from fathers is a house and wealth,+ but a discreet wife is from Jehovah.+
15 Laziness causes a deep sleep to fall,+ and a slack soul goes hungry.+
16 He that is keeping the commandment is keeping his soul;+ he that is despising his ways will be put to death.+
17 He that is showing favor to the lowly one is lending to Jehovah,+ and his treatment He will repay to him.+
18 Chastise your son while there exists hope;+ and to the putting of him to death do not lift up your soul[ful desire].+
19 He that is of great rage will be bearing the fine;+ for if you would deliver [him], you will also keep doing it again and again.+
20 Listen to counsel and accept discipline,+ in order that you may become wise in your future.+
21 Many are the plans in the heart of a man,*+ but the counsel of Jehovah is what will stand.+
22 The desirable thing in earthling man* is his loving-kindness;+ and one of little means is better than a lying man.+
23 The fear of Jehovah tends toward life,+ and one will spend the night satisfied;+ one will not be visited with what is bad.+
24 The lazy one has hidden his hand in the banquet bowl;+ he cannot bring it back even to his own mouth.+
25 The ridiculer you should strike,+ that the inexperienced one may become shrewd;+ and there should be a reproving of the understanding one, that he may discern knowledge.+
26 He that is maltreating a father [and] that chases a mother away+ is a son acting shamefully and disgracefully.+
27 Cease, my son, to listen to discipline [and it will mean] to stray from the sayings of knowledge.+
28 A good-for-nothing witness* derides justice,+ and the very mouth of wicked people swallows down what is hurtful.+
29 Judgments have been firmly established for ridiculers,+ and strokes for the back of stupid ones.+
20 Wine is a ridiculer,+ intoxicating liquor is boisterous,+ and everyone going astray by it is not wise.+
2 The frightfulness of a king is a growling like that of a maned young lion.+ Anyone drawing his fury against himself is sinning against his own soul.+
3 It is a glory for a man to desist from disputing,+ but everyone foolish will burst out [in it].+
4 Because of winter the lazy one will not plow;+ he will be begging in reaping time, but there will be nothing.+
5 Counsel in the heart of a man is as deep waters,+ but the man of discernment is one that will draw it up.+
6 A multitude of men* will proclaim each one his own loving-kindness,*+ but a faithful man* who can find?+
7 The righteous is walking in his integrity.+ Happy are his sons after him.+
8 The king is sitting upon the throne of judgment,*+ scattering all badness with his own eyes.+
9 Who can say: “I have cleansed my heart;+ I have become pure from my sin”?+
10 Two sorts of weights and two sorts of eʹphah measures+—they are both of them together something detestable to Jehovah.+
11 Even by his practices a boy makes himself recognized as to whether his activity is pure and upright.+
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye—Jehovah himself has made even both of them.+
13 Do not love sleep, that you may not come to poverty.+ Open your eyes; be satisfied with bread.+
14 “It is bad, bad!” says the buyer, and he is going his way.+ Then it is that he boasts about himself.+
15 There exists gold, also an abundance of corals; but the lips of knowledge are precious vessels.+
16 Take one’s garment, in case one has gone surety for a stranger;+ and in the instance of a foreign woman, seize from him a pledge.+
17 Bread [gained by] falsehood is pleasurable to a man,+ but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.+
18 By counsel plans themselves are firmly established,+ and by skillful direction carry on your war.+
19 He that is going about as a slanderer is uncovering confidential talk;+ and with one that is enticed* with his lips you must have no fellowship.+
20 As for anyone calling down evil upon his father and his mother,+ his lamp will be extinguished at the approach of darkness.+
21 An inheritance is being got by greed* at first,+ but its own future will not be blessed.+
22 Do not say: “I will pay back evil!”+ Hope in Jehovah,+ and he will save you.+
23 Two sorts of weights are something detestable to Jehovah,+ and a cheating pair of scales is not good.+
24 From Jehovah are the steppings of an able-bodied man.+ As regards earthling man, how can he discern his way?+
25 It is a snare when earthling man has rashly cried out, “Holy!”+ and after vows+ [he is disposed] to make examination.+
26 A wise king is scattering wicked people,+ and he turns around upon them a wheel.*+
27 The breath*+ of earthling man is the lamp of Jehovah, carefully searching all the innermost parts of the belly.+
28 Loving-kindness and trueness*—they safeguard the king;+ and by loving-kindness he has sustained his throne.+
29 The beauty of young men is their power,+ and the splendor of old men is their gray-headedness.+
30 Bruising wounds are what scours away the bad;+ and strokes, the innermost parts of the belly.+
21 A king’s heart is as streams of water in the hand of Jehovah.+ Everywhere that he delights to, he turns it.+
2 Every way of a man is upright in his own eyes,+ but Jehovah is making an estimate of hearts.+
3 To carry on righteousness and judgment is more preferable to Jehovah than sacrifice.+
4 Haughty eyes and an arrogant heart,+ the lamp of the wicked ones, are sin.*+
5 The plans of the diligent one surely make for advantage,+ but everyone that is hasty surely heads for want.+
6 The getting of treasures by a false tongue is an exhalation driven away,+ in the case of those seeking death.+
7 The very despoiling by the wicked ones will drag them away,+ for they have refused to do justice.+
8 A man, even a stranger, is crooked in [his] way;*+ but the pure one is upright in his activity.+
9 Better is it to dwell upon a corner of a roof+ than with a contentious wife, although in a house in common.+
10 The very soul of the wicked one has craved what is bad;+ his fellow will be shown no favor in his eyes.+
11 By the laying of a fine on the ridiculer the inexperienced becomes wise;+ and by one’s giving insight to a wise person he gets knowledge.*+
12 The Righteous One is giving consideration to the house* of the wicked one,+ subverting the wicked ones to [their] calamity.+
13 As for anyone stopping up his ear from the complaining cry of the lowly one,+ he himself also will call and not be answered.+
14 A gift made in secrecy subdues anger;+ and a bribe in the bosom,+ strong rage.
15 It is a rejoicing for the righteous one to do justice,+ but there is something terrible for those practicing what is hurtful.+
16 As for a man* wandering from the way of insight,+ he will rest in the very congregation of those impotent in death.*+
17 He that is loving merriment will be an individual in want;+ he that is loving wine and oil will not gain riches.+
18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous one;+ and the one dealing treacherously takes the place of the upright ones.+
19 Better is it to dwell in a wilderness land than with a contentious wife along with vexation.+
20 Desirable treasure and oil are in the abode of the wise one,+ but the man that is stupid will swallow it up.+
21 He that is pursuing righteousness+ and loving-kindness will find life, righteousness and glory.+
22 A wise one has scaled even the city of mighty men, that he might bring down the strength of its confidence.+
23 He that is keeping his mouth and his tongue is keeping his soul from distresses.+
24 Presumptuous, self-assuming braggart is the name of the one who is acting in a fury of presumptuousness.+
25 The very craving of the lazy will put him to death, for his hands have refused to work.+ 26 All the day he has shown himself eagerly craving, but the righteous one gives and holds nothing back.+
27 The sacrifice of the wicked ones is something detestable.+ How much more so when one brings it along with loose conduct.+
28 A lying witness will perish,+ but the man that is listening will speak even forever.+
29 A wicked man has put on a bold face,+ but the upright is the one that will firmly establish his ways.+
30 There is no wisdom, nor any discernment, nor any counsel in opposition to Jehovah.+
31 The horse is something prepared for the day of battle,+ but salvation belongs to Jehovah.+
22 A name* is to be chosen rather than abundant riches;+ favor is better than even silver and gold.+
2 The rich one and the one of little means have met each other.+ The Maker of them all is Jehovah.+
3 Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself,+ but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty.+
4 The result of humility [and] the fear of Jehovah is riches and glory and life.+
5 Thorns [and] traps are in the way of the crooked one;+ he that is guarding his soul keeps far away from them.+
6 Train up a boy according to* the way for him;+ even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it.+
7 The rich is the one that rules over those of little means,+ and the borrower is servant to the man doing the lending.+
8 He that is sowing unrighteousness will reap what is hurtful,+ but the very rod of his fury will come to its end.+
9 He that is kindly in eye will be blessed, for he has given of his food to the lowly one.+
10 Drive away the ridiculer, that contention may go out and that legal contest and dishonor may cease.+
11 The one loving purity of heart*+—for the charm of his lips the king will be his companion.+
12 The eyes of Jehovah himself have safeguarded knowledge,+ but he subverts the words* of the treacherous one.+
13 The lazy one has said:+ “There is a lion outside!+ In the midst of the public squares I shall be murdered!”
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit.+ The one denounced by Jehovah will fall into it.+
15 Foolishness is tied up with the heart of a boy;+ the rod of discipline is what will remove it far from him.+
16 He that is defrauding the lowly one to supply many things to himself,+ he also that is giving to the rich one, is surely destined for want.+
17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise ones,+ that you may apply your very heart to my knowledge.+ 18 For it is pleasant that you should keep them in your belly,+ that they may be firmly established together upon your lips.+
19 For your confidence to come to be in Jehovah himself+ I have given you knowledge today, even you.*
20 Have I not written you heretofore* with counselings and knowledge,+ 21 to show you the truthfulness* of true sayings, so as to return sayings that are the truth—to the one sending you forth?+
22 Do not rob the lowly one because he is lowly,+ and do not crush the afflicted one in the gate.+ 23 For Jehovah himself will plead their cause,+ and he will certainly rob of soul* those robbing them.+
24 Do not have companionship with anyone given to anger;+ and with a man having fits of rage you must not enter in, 25 that you may not get familiar with his paths and certainly take a snare for your soul.+
26 Do not get to be among those striking hands,+ among those who go security for loans.+ 27 If you have nothing to pay, why should he take your bed from under you?
28 Do not move back a boundary of long ago, which your forefathers have made.+
29 Have you beheld a man skillful in his work? Before kings is where he will station himself;+ he will not station himself before commonplace men.
23 In case you should sit down to feed yourself with a king, you should diligently consider what is before you,+ 2 and you must put a knife to your throat if you are the owner of soul[ful desire].*+ 3 Do not show yourself craving his tasty dishes, as it is the food of lies.+
4 Do not toil to gain riches.+ Cease from your own understanding.+ 5 Have you caused your eyes to glance at it, when it is nothing?+ For without fail it makes wings for itself like those of an eagle and flies away toward the heavens.+
6 Do not feed yourself with the food of anyone of ungenerous eye,*+ nor show yourself craving his tasty dishes.+ 7 For as one that has calculated within his soul, so he is.+ “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart itself is not with you.+ 8 Your morsel that you have eaten, you will vomit it out, and you will have wasted your pleasant words.+
9 Into the ears of a stupid one do not speak,+ for he will despise your discreet words.+
10 Do not move back the boundary of long ago,+ and into the field of fatherless boys do not enter.+ 11 For their Redeemer* is strong; he himself will plead their cause with you.+
12 Do bring your heart to discipline and your ear to the sayings of knowledge.+
13 Do not hold back discipline from the mere boy.+ In case you beat him with the rod, he will not die. 14 With the rod you yourself should beat him, that you may deliver his very soul from Sheʹol* itself.+
15 My son, if your heart has become wise,+ my heart will rejoice, even mine.+ 16 And my kidneys* will exult when your lips speak uprightness.+
17 Let your heart not be envious of sinners,+ but be in the fear of Jehovah all day long.+ 18 For in that case there will exist a future,+ and your own hope will not be cut off.+
19 You, O my son, hear and become wise, and lead your heart on in the way.+
20 Do not come to be among heavy drinkers of wine,+ among those who are gluttonous eaters of flesh.+ 21 For a drunkard and a glutton will come to poverty,+ and drowsiness will clothe one with mere rags.+
22 Listen to your father who caused your birth,+ and do not despise your mother just because she has grown old.+ 23 Buy truth itself+ and do not sell it—wisdom and discipline and understanding.+ 24 The father of a righteous one will without fail be joyful;+ the one becoming father to a wise one will also rejoice in him.+ 25 Your father and your mother will rejoice, and she that gave birth to you will be joyful.+
26 My son, do give your heart to me, and may those eyes of yours take pleasure in my own ways.+ 27 For a prostitute is a deep pit+ and a foreign woman is a narrow well. 28 Surely she, just like a robber, lies in wait;+ and among men she increases the treacherous ones.+
29 Who has woe? Who has uneasiness? Who has contentions?+ Who has concern? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has dullness of eyes? 30 Those staying a long time with the wine,+ those coming in to search out mixed wine.+ 31 Do not look at wine when it exhibits a red color, when it gives off its sparkle in the cup, [when] it goes with a slickness. 32 At its end it bites just like a serpent,+ and it secretes poison just like a viper.+ 33 Your own eyes will see strange things,* and your own heart will speak perverse things.+ 34 And you will certainly become like one lying down in the heart of the sea, even like one lying down at the top of a mast.+ 35 “They have struck me, but I did not become sick; they have smitten me, but I did not know it. When shall I wake up?+ I shall seek it yet some more.”+
24 Do not be envious of bad men,+ and do not show yourself craving to get in with them.+ 2 For despoiling is what their heart keeps meditating, and trouble is what their own lips keep speaking.+
3 By wisdom a household will be built up,+ and by discernment it will prove firmly established.+ 4 And by knowledge will the interior rooms be filled with all precious and pleasant things of value.+
5 One wise in strength is an able-bodied man,+ and a man of knowledge is reinforcing power.*+ 6 For by skillful direction you will carry on your war,+ and in the multitude of counselors there is salvation.+
7 For a foolish one true wisdom is too high;*+ in the gate he will not open his mouth.
8 As for anyone scheming to do bad, he will be called a mere master at evil ideas.+
9 The loose conduct of foolishness is sin,+ and a ridiculer is something detestable to mankind.+
10 Have you shown yourself discouraged in the day of distress?+ Your power will be scanty.
11 Deliver those who are being taken away to death; and those staggering to the slaughter, O may you hold [them] back.+ 12 In case you should say: “Look! We did not know of this,”+ will not he himself that is making an estimate of hearts discern it,+ and he himself that is observing your soul know+ and certainly pay back to earthling man according to his activity?+
13 My son, eat honey, for it is good; and let sweet comb honey be upon your palate.+ 14 In the same way, do know wisdom for your soul.+ If you have found [it], then there exists a future, and your own hope will not be cut off.+
15 Do not, as a wicked one, lie in wait for the abiding place of the righteous one;+ do not despoil his resting-place.+ 16 For the righteous one may fall even seven times, and he will certainly get up;+ but the wicked ones will be made to stumble by calamity.+
17 When your enemy falls, do not rejoice; and when he is caused to stumble, may your heart not be joyful,+ 18 that Jehovah may not see and it be bad in his eyes and he certainly turn back his anger from against him.+
19 Do not show yourself heated up at evildoers. Do not become envious of wicked people.+ 20 For there will prove to be no future for anyone bad;+ the very lamp of wicked people will be extinguished.+
21 My son, fear Jehovah and the king.*+ With those who are for a change, do not intermeddle.+ 22 For their disaster will arise so suddenly,+ that who is aware of the extinction of those who are for a change?+
23 These [sayings] also are for the wise ones:+ The showing of partiality* in judgment is not good.+
24 He that is saying to the wicked one: “You are righteous,”+ the peoples will execrate him, national groups will denounce him. 25 But for those reproving [him] it will be pleasant,+ and upon them there will come the blessing of good.+ 26 Lips will he kiss who is replying in a straightforward way.+
27 Prepare your work out of doors, and make it ready for yourself in the field.+ Afterward you must also build up your household.
28 Do not become a witness against your fellowman without grounds.+ Then you would have to be foolish with your lips.+ 29 Do not say: “Just as he did to me, so I am going to do to him.+ I shall repay to each one according to his acting.”+
30 I passed along by the field of the lazy individual+ and by the vineyard of the man in need of heart.*+ 31 And, look! all of it produced weeds.+ Nettles covered its very surface, and its stone wall itself had been torn down.+
32 So I proceeded to behold, I myself; I began taking [it] to heart;+ I saw, I took the discipline:+ 33 A little sleeping, a little slumbering, a little folding of the hands to lie down,+ 34 and as a highwayman your poverty will certainly come and your neediness as an armed man.*+
25 These also are the proverbs of Solʹo·mon+ that the men of Hez·e·kiʹah the king of Judah+ transcribed:
2 The glory of God is the keeping of a matter secret,+ and the glory of kings is the searching through a matter.+
3 The heavens for height+ and the earth for depth,+ and the heart of kings, that is unsearchable.+
4 Let there be a removing* of scummy dross from the silver, and all of it will come forth refined.*+
5 Let there be the removing of the wicked one before the king,+ and his throne will be firmly established by righteousness itself.+
6 Do not do yourself honor before the king,+ and in the place of great ones do not stand.+ 7 For it is better [for him] to say to you: “Come up here,”+ than to abase you before a noble whom your eyes have seen.+
8 Do not go forth to conduct a legal case hastily, that it may not be a question of what you will do in the culmination of it when your fellowman now humiliates you.+ 9 Plead your own cause with your fellowman,+ and do not reveal the confidential talk of another;+ 10 that the one listening may not put you to shame and the bad report by you can have no recall.
11 As apples of gold in silver carvings is a word spoken at the right time for it.+
12 An earring of gold, and an ornament of special gold,* is a wise reprover upon the hearing ear.+
13 Just like the coolness of snow+ in the day of harvest is the faithful envoy to those sending* him, for he restores the very soul* of his masters.*+
14 As vaporous clouds and a wind without any downpour is a man* boasting himself about a gift in falsehood.+
15 By patience* a commander is induced, and a mild tongue itself can break a bone.+
16 Is it honey that you have found?+ Eat what is sufficient for you, that you may not take too much of it and have to vomit it up.+
17 Make your foot rare at the house of your fellowman, that he may not have his sufficiency of you and certainly hate you.
18 As a war club and a sword and a sharpened arrow is a man testifying against his fellowman as a false witness.+
19 As a broken tooth and a wobbling foot is the confidence in one proving treacherous in the day of distress.+
20 He that is removing a garment on a cold day is as vinegar upon alkali and as a singer with songs upon a gloomy heart.+
21 If the one hating you is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.+ 22 For coals are what you are raking together upon his head,+ and Jehovah himself will reward you.+
23 The wind from the north brings forth as with labor pains a downpour;+ and a tongue [giving away] a secret, a denounced face.+
24 Better is it to dwell upon a corner of a roof than with a contentious wife, although in a house in common.+
25 As cold water upon a tired soul,+ so is a good report from a distant land.+
26 A fouled spring and a ruined well is the righteous one when staggering before the wicked one.+
27 The eating of too much honey is not good;+ and for people to search out their own glory, is it glory?+
28 As a city broken through, without a wall, is the man that has no restraint for his spirit.+
26 Like snow in summer and like rain in harvesttime,+ so glory is not fitting for a stupid one.+
2 Just as a bird has cause for fleeing [and] just as a swallow for flying, so a malediction itself does not come without real cause.+
3 A whip is for the horse,+ a bridle+ is for the ass, and the rod is for the back of stupid people.+
4 Do not answer anyone stupid according to his foolishness, that you yourself also may not become equal to him.+
5 Answer someone stupid according to his foolishness, that he may not become someone wise in his own eyes.+
6 As one that is mutilating [his] feet, as one that is drinking mere violence, is he that is thrusting matters into the hand of someone stupid.+
7 Have the legs of the lame one drawn up water? Then there is a proverb in the mouth of stupid people.+
8 Like one shutting up a stone in a heap of stones, so is the one giving glory to a mere stupid one.+
9 As a thorny weed has come up into the hand of a drunkard, so a proverb into the mouth of stupid people.+
10 As an archer piercing everything is the one hiring someone stupid+ or the one hiring passersby.
11 Just like a dog returning to its vomit, the stupid one is repeating his foolishness.+
12 Have you seen a man wise in his own eyes?+ There is more hope for the stupid one+ than for him.
13 The lazy one has said: “There is a young lion in the way, a lion in among the public squares.”+
14 A door keeps turning upon its pivot, and the lazy one upon his couch.+
15 The lazy one has hidden his hand in the banquet bowl; he has become too weary to bring it back to his mouth.+
16 The lazy one is wiser in his own eyes+ than seven giving a sensible reply.
17 As one grabbing hold of the ears of a dog is anyone passing by that is becoming furious at the quarrel that is not his.+
18 Just like someone mad that is shooting fiery missiles,+ arrows and death, 19 so is the man that has tricked his fellowman and has said: “Was I not having fun?”+
20 Where there is no wood the fire goes out, and where there is no slanderer contention grows still.+
21 As charcoal for the embers and wood for the fire, so is a contentious man for causing a quarrel+ to glow.
22 The words of a slanderer are like things to be swallowed greedily, which do go down into the innermost parts of the belly.+
23 As a silver glazing overlaid upon a fragment of earthenware are fervent lips along with a bad heart.+
24 With his lips the hater makes himself unrecognizable, but inside of him he puts deception.+ 25 Although he makes his voice gracious,+ do not believe in him,+ for there are seven detestable things+ in his heart. 26 Hatred is covered over by deceit. His badness will be uncovered in the congregation.+
27 He that is excavating a pit will fall into the same,+ and he that is rolling away a stone—back to him it will return.+
28 A tongue that is false hates the one crushed by it,+ and a flattering mouth* causes an overthrow.+
27 Do not make your boast about the next day,+ for you do not know what a day will give birth to.+
2 May a stranger, and not your own mouth, praise you; may a foreigner, and not your own lips, do so.+
3 The heaviness of a stone and a load of sand+—but the vexation by someone foolish is heavier than both of them.+
4 There is the cruelty of rage, also the flood of anger,+ but who can stand before jealousy?+
5 Better is a revealed reproof+ than a concealed love.
6 The wounds inflicted by a lover* are faithful,+ but the kisses of a hater are things to be entreated.*+
7 A soul that is satisfied will tread down comb honey, but to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.+
8 Just like a bird fleeing away from its nest,+ so is a man fleeing away from his place.+
9 Oil and incense+ are what make the heart rejoice, also the sweetness of one’s companion due to the counsel of the soul.+
10 Do not leave your own companion or the companion of your father, and do not enter the house of your own brother on the day of your disaster. Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother that is far away.+
11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice,+ that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me.+
12 The shrewd one that has seen the calamity has concealed himself;+ the inexperienced that have passed along have suffered the penalty.+
13 Take one’s garment, in case one has gone surety for a stranger;+ and in the instance of a foreign woman, seize from him a pledge.+
14 He that is blessing his fellowman with a loud voice early in the morning, as a malediction it will be accounted on his part.+
15 A leaking roof that drives one away in the day of a steady rain and a contentious wife are comparable.+ 16 Anyone sheltering her has sheltered the wind, and oil is what his right hand encounters.*
17 By iron, iron itself is sharpened. So one man* sharpens the face of another.*+
18 He that is safeguarding the fig tree will himself eat its fruit,+ and he that is guarding his master* will be honored.+
19 As in water face corresponds with face, so the heart of a man* with [that of] a man.
20 Sheʹol and [the place of] destruction*+ themselves do not get satisfied;+ neither do the eyes of a man get satisfied.+
21 The refining pot is for silver,+ and the furnace is for gold;+ and an individual is according to his praise.+
22 Even if you should pound the foolish one fine with a pestle in a mortar, in among cracked grain, his foolishness will not depart from him.+
23 You ought to know positively the appearance of your flock. Set your heart to your droves;+ 24 for treasure will not be to time indefinite,+ nor a diadem for all generations.
25 The green grass has departed, and the new grass has appeared, and the vegetation of the mountains has been gathered.+ 26 The young rams are for your clothing,+ and the he-goats are the price of the field. 27 And there is a sufficiency of goats’ milk for your food, for the food of your household, and the means+ of life for your girls.
28 The wicked do flee when there is no pursuer,+ but the righteous are like a young lion that is confident.+
2 Because of the transgression of a land many are its [successive] princes,+ but by a discerning man* having knowledge of right [the prince]* will remain long.+
3 An able-bodied man that is of little means and that is defrauding+ the lowly ones is as a rain that washes away so that there is no food.
4 Those who are leaving the law praise the wicked one,+ but those who are keeping the law excite themselves against them.+
5 Men given to badness cannot understand judgment, but those who are seeking Jehovah can understand everything.+
6 Better is the one of little means who is walking in his integrity than anyone crooked in [his] ways, although he is rich.+
7 An understanding son is observing the law,+ but one having companionship with gluttons humiliates his father.+
8 He that is multiplying his valuables by interest+ and usury collects them merely for the one showing favor to the lowly ones.+
9 He that is turning his ear away from hearing the law+—even his prayer is something detestable.+
10 He that is causing the upright ones to go astray+ into the bad way will himself fall into his own pit,+ but the faultless ones themselves will come into possession of good.+
11 A rich man is wise in his own eyes,+ but the lowly one who is discerning searches him through.+
12 When the righteous ones are exulting,+ there is abundant beauty; but when the wicked ones rise up, a man disguises himself.+
13 He that is covering over his transgressions will not succeed,+ but he that is confessing and leaving [them] will be shown mercy.+
14 Happy is the man that is feeling dread constantly,+ but he that is hardening his heart will fall into calamity.+
15 As a growling lion and an onrushing bear is a wicked ruler over a lowly people.+
16 A leader that is in want of true discernment is also abundant in fraudulent practices,+ but he that is hating unjust profit+ will prolong [his] days.
17 A man burdened with the bloodguilt for a soul will himself flee even to the pit.+ Let them not get hold of him.
18 He that is walking faultless will be saved,+ but he that is made crooked in [his] ways will fall at once.+
19 He that is cultivating his own ground will have his sufficiency of bread,+ and he that is pursuing valueless things will have his sufficiency of poverty.+
20 A man of faithful acts* will get many blessings,+ but he that is hastening to gain riches will not remain innocent.+
21 The showing of partiality* is not good,+ nor that an able-bodied man should transgress over a mere piece of bread.
22 A man of envious eye is bestirring himself after valuable things,+ but he does not know that want itself will come upon him.
23 He that is reproving a man+ will afterward find more favor than he will that is flattering with his tongue.*
24 He that is robbing his father and his mother+ and is saying: “It is no transgression,”+ is a partner of a man causing ruination.
25 He that is arrogant in soul stirs up contention,+ but he that is relying upon Jehovah will be made fat.+
26 He that is trusting in his own heart is stupid,+ but he that is walking in wisdom is the one that will escape.+
27 He that is giving to the one of little means will have no want,+ but he that is hiding his eyes will get many curses.+
28 When the wicked rise up, a man* conceals himself;+ but when they perish, the righteous become many.+
29 A man* repeatedly reproved+ but making his neck hard+ will suddenly be broken, and that without healing.+
2 When the righteous become many, the people rejoice;+ but when anyone wicked bears rule, the people sigh.+
3 A man that is loving wisdom makes his father rejoice,+ but he that is having companionship with prostitutes destroys valuable things.+
4 By justice a king makes a land keep standing,+ but a man out for bribes* tears it down.+
5 An able-bodied man that is flattering his companion+ is spreading out a mere net for his steps.+
6 In the transgression of a bad man there is a snare,+ but he that is righteous cries out joyfully and is glad.+
7 The righteous one is knowing the legal claim of the lowly ones.+ He that is wicked does not consider such knowledge.+
8 Men of boastful talk inflame a town,+ but those who are wise turn back anger.+
9 A wise man having entered into judgment with a foolish man—he has become excited and has also laughed, and there is no rest.+
10 Bloodthirsty men hate anyone blameless;+ and as for the upright ones, they keep seeking for the soul of each one.+
11 All his spirit is what a stupid one lets out, but he that is wise keeps it calm to the last.+
12 Where a ruler is paying attention to false speech, all those waiting on him will be wicked.+
13 The one of little means and the man of oppressions have met each other;+ [but] Jehovah is lighting up the eyes of them both.+
14 Where a king is judging the lowly ones in trueness,+ his throne will be firmly established for all time.+
15 The rod and reproof are what give wisdom;+ but a boy let on the loose will be causing his mother shame.+
16 When the wicked become many, transgression abounds; but those who are righteous will look on their very downfall.+
17 Chastise your son and he will bring you rest and give much pleasure to your soul.+
18 Where there is no vision the people go unrestrained,+ but happy are they* that are keeping the law.+
19 A servant will not let himself be corrected by mere words,+ for he understands but he is paying no heed.+
20 Have you beheld a man hasty with his words?+ There is more hope for someone stupid than for him.+
21 If one is pampering one’s servant from youth on, in his later life he will even become a thankless one.*
22 A man given to anger stirs up contention,+ and anyone disposed to rage* has many a transgression.+
23 The very haughtiness of earthling man will humble him,+ but he that is humble in spirit will take hold of glory.+
24 He that is partner with a thief is hating his own soul.+ An oath involving a curse he may hear, but he reports nothing.+
25 Trembling at men* is what lays a snare,+ but he that is trusting in Jehovah will be protected.+
26 Many are those seeking the face of a ruler,+ but the judgment of a man is from Jehovah.+
27 A man of injustice is something detestable to the righteous ones,+ and one who is upright in his way is something detestable to a wicked one.+
30 The words of Aʹgur the son of Jaʹkeh, the weighty message.+ The utterance of the able-bodied man to Ithʹi·el, to Ithʹi·el and Uʹcal.
2 For I am more unreasoning than anyone else,+ and I do not have the understanding of mankind;+ 3 and I have not learned wisdom;+ and the knowledge of the Most Holy One* I do not know.+
4 Who has ascended to heaven that he may descend?+ Who has gathered the wind+ in the hollow of both hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in a mantle?+ Who has made all the ends of the earth to rise?+ What is his name+ and what the name of his son, in case you know?+
5 Every saying of God* is refined.+ He is a shield to those taking refuge in him.+ 6 Add nothing to his words,+ that he may not reprove you, and that you may not have to be proved a liar.+
7 Two things I have asked of you.+ Do not withhold them from me before I die.+ 8 Untruth and the lying word put far away from me.+ Give me neither poverty nor riches.+ Let me devour the food prescribed for me,+ 9 that I may not become satisfied and I actually deny [you]+ and say: “Who is Jehovah?”+ and that I may not come to poverty and I actually steal and assail the name of my God.*+
10 Do not slander a servant to his master,*+ that he may not call down evil upon you, and that you may not have to be held guilty.+
11 There is a generation that calls down evil even upon its father and that does not bless even its mother.+
12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes+ but that has not been washed from its own excrement.+
13 There is a generation whose eyes have become O how lofty! and whose beaming eyes are lifted up.+
14 There is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jawbones are slaughtering knives,+ to eat up the afflicted ones off the earth and the poor ones from among mankind.*+
15 The leeches have two daughters [that cry]: “Give! Give!” There are three things that do not get satisfied, four that have not said: “Enough!” 16 Sheʹol+ and a restrained womb,*+ a land that has not been satisfied with water,+ and fire+ that has not said: “Enough!”+
17 The eye that holds a father in derision and that despises obedience to a mother+—the ravens of the torrent valley will pick it out and the sons of the eagle will eat it up.
18 There are three things that have proved too wonderful* for me, and four that I have not come to know: 19 the way of an eagle in the heavens, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the heart of the sea+ and the way of an able-bodied man with a maiden.+
20 Here is the way of an adulterous woman: she has eaten and has wiped her mouth and she has said: “I have committed no wrong.”+
21 Under three things the earth has been agitated, and under four it is not able to endure: 22 under a slave when he rules as king,+ and someone senseless when he has his sufficiency of food;+ 23 under a hated woman when she is taken possession of as a wife,+ and a maidservant when she dispossesses her mistress.+
24 There are four things that are the smallest of the earth, but they are instinctively wise:*+ 25 the ants are a people not strong,+ and yet in the summer they prepare their food;+ 26 the rock badgers+ are a people not mighty, and yet upon a crag is where they put their house;+ 27 the locusts+ have no king, and yet they go forth all of them divided into groups;+ 28 the gecko+ lizard takes hold with its own hands and it is in the grand palace* of a king.
29 There are three that do well in [their] pacing, and four that do well in [their] moving along: 30 the lion, which is the mightiest among the beasts and which does not turn back from before anyone;+ 31 the greyhound* or the he-goat, and a king of a band of soldiers of his own people.*+
32 If you have acted senselessly by lifting yourself up,+ and if you have fixed your thought [upon it], [put] the hand to the mouth.+ 33 For the churning of milk is what brings forth butter, and the squeezing of the nose is what brings forth blood, and the squeezing out of anger is what brings forth quarreling.+
31 The words of Lemʹu·el* the king, the weighty message+ that his mother gave to him in correction:+
2 What [am I saying], O son of mine,* and what, O son of my belly,+ and what, O son of my vows?+
3 Do not give your vital energy to women,+ nor your ways to [what leads to] wiping out kings.+
4 It is not for kings, O Lemʹu·el, it is not for kings to drink wine or for high officials [to say:] “Where is intoxicating liquor?”+ 5 that one may not drink and forget what is decreed and pervert the cause of any of the sons of affliction.+ 6 Give intoxicating liquor, YOU people, to the one about to perish+ and wine to those who are bitter of soul.+ 7 Let one drink and forget one’s poverty, and let one remember one’s own trouble no more.
8 Open your mouth for the speechless one,+ in the cause of all those passing away.*+ 9 Open your mouth, judge righteously and plead the cause of the afflicted one and the poor one.+
א [ʼAʹleph]
10 A capable wife who can find?+ Her value is far more than that of corals.
ב [Behth]
11 In her the heart of her owner* has put trust, and there is no gain lacking.+
ג [Giʹmel]
12 She has rewarded him with good, and not bad, all the days of her life.+
ד [Daʹleth]
13 She has sought wool and linen, and she works at whatever is the delight of her hands.+
ה [Heʼ]
14 She has proved to be like the ships of a merchant.+ From far away she brings in her food.*
ו [Waw]
15 She also gets up while it is still night,+ and gives food* to her household and the prescribed portion to her young women.+
ז [Zaʹyin]
16 She has considered a field and proceeded to obtain it;+ from the fruitage of her hands she has planted a vineyard.+
ח [Chehth]
17 She has girded her hips with strength, and she invigorates her arms.+
ט [Tehth]
18 She has sensed that her trading is good; her lamp does not go out at night.+
י [Yohdh]
19 Her hands she has thrust out to the distaff, and her own hands take hold of the spindle.+
כ [Kaph]
20 Her palm she has stretched out to the afflicted one, and her hands she has thrust out to the poor one.+
ל [Laʹmedh]
21 She does not fear for her household because of the snow, for all her household are clothed with double garments.*+
מ [Mem]
22 Coverlets+ she has made for herself. Her clothing is of linen and wool dyed reddish purple.+
נ [Nun]
23 Her owner+ is someone known in the gates,+ when he sits down with the older men* of the land.
ס [Saʹmekh]
24 She has made even undergarments+ and proceeded to sell [them], and belts she has given to the tradesmen.
ע [ʽAʹyin]
25 Strength and splendor are her clothing,+ and she laughs at a future day.+
פ [Peʼ]
26 Her mouth she has opened in wisdom,+ and the law of loving-kindness* is upon her tongue.+
צ [Tsa·dhehʹ]
27 She is watching over the goings-on of her household, and the bread of laziness* she does not eat.+
ק [Qohph]
28 Her sons have risen up and proceeded to pronounce her happy;+ her owner [rises up], and he praises her.+
ר [Rehsh]
29 There are many daughters+ that have shown capableness, but you—you have ascended above them all.+
ש [Shin]
30 Charm may be false,+ and prettiness may be vain;+ [but] the woman that fears Jehovah is the one that procures praise for herself.+
ת [Taw]
31 GIVE her of the fruitage of her hands,+ and let her works praise her even in the gates.*+
Or, “Proverbial Utterances.” Heb., Mish·lehʹ; Gr., Pa·roi·miʹai; Lat., Liʹber Pro·ver·bi·oʹrum Sa·lo·moʹnis. In Heb. this book is named after its opening word. See Nu 23:7.
“Just like Sheol.” Heb., kish·ʼohlʹ; Gr., haiʹdes; Syr., shiul; Lat., in·ferʹnus. See App 4B.
“For their souls (lives).” Heb., lenaph·sho·thamʹ, pl.; Lat., aʹni·mas. See App 4A.
Or, “herself,” referring to “wisdom,” fem.
“On top of the walls,” LXX and by a correction of M.
“God.” Heb., ʼElo·himʹ.
Or, “his men of loving-kindness,” Mmargin (TLXXSyVg are similar); M, “his man of loving-kindness.”
“Those impotent in death.” Heb., repha·ʼimʹ; T(Aram.), gib·bo·raiʹia, “the giants”; LXX, “Hades [Gr., haiʹdei] with the earthborn ones”; Vgc(Lat.), inʹfe·ros.
Lit., “they will add.” The Heb. verb is third person masc. pl. (not fem. like “law” and “commandments” in vs 1), referring to an indefinite subject.
Or, “loyal love.”
Or, “and truth.” Heb., we·ʼemethʹ.
“In the eyes of God.” Heb., beʽeh·nehʹ ʼElo·himʹ.
“And of earthling man.” Heb., weʼa·dhamʹ.
Or, “moistening.” In Ps 102:9, “drink.”
Lit., “break forth.”
“And . . . than gold.” Heb., u·me·cha·rutsʹ.
Or, “She,” referring to “wisdom” in vs 13.
Or, “honor.”
Lit., “will prove to be in your confidence,” M; LXX, “will be on all your ways.”
Lit., “from its owners.” Heb., mib·beʽa·lavʹ, pl. of baʹʽal.
Or, “an earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
“Of the man of.” Heb., beʼishʹ.
Or, “Glory.”
Or, “her,” referring to “wisdom.”
Or, “And they [the sayings of mine] will become many for you during the years of life.”
Or, “do not let [it] alone.”
Or, “her.” See vs 6 ftn.
Lit., “mouth.”
“Make straight paths for your feet,” LXX. Compare Heb 12:13.
“Sheol.” Heb., sheʼohlʹ; Gr., haiʹden; Lat., inʹfe·ros.
“Dignity,” M; TSy, “vital energy”; LXX, “life”; Vg, “honor.”
“Man.” Heb., ʼish.
Or, “catch him with the wicked one.”
“Will be swept away,” by a correction of M; LXX, “has been destroyed.”
Lit., “stamp yourself down.”
Or, “like an insolent man.” Lit., “like a man of a shield.” Heb., keʼishʹ ma·ghenʹ.
Lit., “A man of belial.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ beli·yaʹʽal.
“A man of hurtfulness.” Heb., ʼish ʼaʹwen.
Lit., “mouth.”
“Them,” masc., therefore not referring to “commandment” and “law” (in vs 20), both fem., but may be referring to the father’s “sayings” (as in 4:10, 20), masc. pl.
Or, “she,” fem.
“Bad woman,” MTSyVg; LXX, “married woman.”
Or, “is lacking good motive.” Heb., chasar-levʹ.
Or, “destruction.”
Or, “stroke.”
Or, “lacking good motive.” Heb., chasar-levʹ.
“Approach,” by a slight correction; M, “pupil (of the eye),” or, “middle.”
Lit., “guarded.”
Lit., “the silver.”
Or, “with her.”
“Fettered,” by a change of vowel pointing; M, “an anklet (fetter).”
“That it involves his very soul (life).” Heb., ki-venaph·shohʹ huʼ; Gr., psy·khesʹ; Lat., aʹni·mae. See App 4A.
“Sheol.” Heb., sheʼohlʹ; Gr., haiʹdou; Lat., inʹfe·ri.
“Men.” Heb., ʼi·shimʹ, pl. of ʼish. See Isa 53:3 ftn, “Men.”
Lit., “earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
Or, “have good motive.” Heb., ha·viʹnu lev.
“Me,” MmarginTLXXSyVg; M, “it (her).”
Or, “honor.”
“Than gold.” Heb., me·cha·rutsʹ.
“Produced me.” Heb., qa·naʹni; TLXX(Gr., eʹkti·senʹ me)Sy, “created me”; Lat., pos·seʹdit me, “possessed me.” See Ge 14:19 ftn.
“As the beginning of.” Heb., reʼ·shithʹ; Gr., ar·khenʹ; not bereʼ·shithʹ (Heb.) or en ar·kheiʹ (Gr.) as in Ge 1:1; Sy, “as the first”; TVgc(Lat., in i·niʹti·o), “in the beginning.”
Lit., “from the head.” Heb., me·roʼshʹ.
Or, “surging waters.” Heb., teho·mohthʹ. See Ge 1:2 ftn, “Deep.”
“Productive land.” Heb., te·velʹ; Lat., orʹbis terʹrae, “circle of the earth.”
Lit., “mouth.”
Or, “a fosterling.” Heb., ʼa·mohnʹ; T, “proving faithful”; LXX, “acting suitably”; Vg, “composing all things.”
“He,” LXXSy.
“At the productive land of.” Heb., bethe·velʹ; LXX, “the inhabited earth.”
Lit., “earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
Lit., “She slaughtered her slaughtering.”
Or, “Whoever is lacking good motive.” Heb., chasar-levʹ.
“Most Holy One.” Lit., “the holy ones.” Heb., Qedho·shimʹ, pl. of qa·dhohshʹ, to denote excellence and referring to “Jehovah.” See GK, § 124 h.
Or, “And whoever is lacking good motive.” Heb., wa·chasar-levʹ.
“Those impotent in death.” Heb., repha·ʼimʹ; TSyVg(Lat., gi·ganʹtes), “the giants”; LXX, “the earthborn ones.” Compare 2:18 ftn.
“Sheol.” Heb., sheʼohlʹ; Gr., haiʹdou; Lat., in·ferʹni.
Or, “violence will cover the very mouth of wicked people.” Compare vs 11.
Or, “well.” Heb., meqohrʹ.
Or, “one lacking good motive.” Heb., chasar-levʹ.
“Is on the path to life,” by altering the vowel pointing of M.
“Keep pasturing (shepherding).” Heb., yir·ʽuʹ.
Or, “for lack of good motive.” Heb., ba·chasar-levʹ.
Or, “and pain[ful effort] adds nothing to it.”
“Loose conduct.” Heb., zim·mahʹ. See Ga 5:19 ftn, “Conduct.”
“For the man of.” Heb., leʼishʹ.
“Will despoil them,” according to MmarginVg.
“Their,” TLXXSyVg; M omits.
“Destruction,” LXX.
Or, “earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
Or, “lacking good motive.” Heb., chasar-levʹ.
“But the man of.” Heb., weʼishʹ.
“Spirit.” Heb., ruʹach; Gr., pno·eiʹ, “breath”; Lat., aʹni·mi.
Or, “honor.”
Or, “loyal love.”
“False wages,” that is, the reward for bad activity. Heb., pheʽul·lath-shaʹqer.
“True earnings,” that is, the reward for good activity. Heb., seʹkher ʼemethʹ.
“The one firmly standing for righteousness,” by a correction of M; T, “Thus whoever does righteousness”; LXXSy (reading ben for ken), “A son of righteousness (righteous son).”
Or, “tastefulness; good taste.”
Lit., “The soul with a blessing gift.”
“But the man of.” Heb., weʼishʹ.
Or, “earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
“A lying in wait.” In Heb. this is a verb in the infinitive construct.
“There is an overthrowing.” In Heb. this is a verb in the infinitive absolute, indefinite as to time and impersonal.
Or, “is lacking good motive.” Heb., chasar-levʹ.
Lit., “mouth of a man.” Heb., phi-ʼishʹ.
Lit., “hands of a man.” Heb., yedheh-ʼa·dhamʹ.
Lit., “will be only as long as I am inclined to give rest [or, to twinkle].”
“Man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
“Man.” Heb., ʼish.
“Man’s.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
“But the very soul (soulful desire) of.” Heb., weneʹphesh; Gr., psy·khaiʹ; Lat., aʹni·ma.
By a slight correction; M appears to read, “wickedness is what distorts a sin offering.”
Or, “well.” Heb., meqohrʹ.
“Rugged,” according to the suggestion offered by BDB, p. 451; by a correction of M, “their disaster.”
Or, “approval.”
Or, “thing.” Heb., da·varʹ.
Or, “loyal love.”
Lit., “A witness of truth.” Heb., ʽedh ʼemethʹ.
Lit., “a deception,” that is, a witness of deception. Heb., mir·mahʹ.
Lit., “but one that is short of spirit.” Heb., u·qetsar-ruʹach.
“Integrity,” by a slight correction of M to agree with LXXSy; M, “death.”
“In the house(s),” TLXXSy; MVg, “The house.”
“And [the place of] destruction.” Heb., wa·ʼavad·dohnʹ, “Abaddon.” See Job 26:6 ftn.
Or, “earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
“But . . . good (merry) at heart.” Heb., wetohv-levʹ.
Or, “to one lacking good motive.” Heb., la·chasar-levʹ.
Or, “considers, muttering.”
Or, “is acquiring good motive.” Heb., qohʹneh lev.
“To earthling man.” Heb., leʼa·dhamʹ.
“All the ways of a man.” Heb., kal-dar·kheh-ʼishʹ.
Or, “loyal love.”
Or, “judgment.”
“A grand king.” Lit., “kings,” pl. to denote majesty, as in vs 12.
Lit., “he will cover it.” Heb., yekhap·perenʹnah.
Lit., “height (haughtiness) of spirit.” Heb., goʹvah ruʹach.
Lit., “lowness of spirit.” Heb., shephal-ruʹach.
“Meek ones,” Mmargin; M, “afflicted ones.”
Or, “soulful desire.”
Lit., “A man of belial.” Heb., ʼish beli·yaʹʽal.
Lit., “melting.”
Lit., “Falsehood.”
“Grand owner.” Lit., “owners,” pl. to denote grandeur. See GK, § 124 i.
Or, “when he has no good motive.” Heb., welev-ʼaʹyin.
Or, “and a brother himself is born even for when there is distress.”
Or, “that is lacking good motive.” Heb., chasar-levʹ.
Lit., “is striking the palm (hand).” Heb., toh·qeʹaʽ kaph.
“Does good to the body,” by a correction of M.
Lit., “to the lord of ruin.”
Lit., “is put on high,” that is, out of reach, safe.
“The spirit of a man.” Heb., ru·ach-ʼishʹ.
Lit., “A gift of an earthling man.” Heb., mat·tanʹ ʼa·dhamʹ.
“Man’s.” Heb., ʼish.
Lit., “in [the] hand of.” Heb., beyadhʹ.
“Good,” LXXSyVgc and one Heb. ms; M omits.
“There exist,” TSy; M, “A man of.”
“Lips,” MVg; TSy and about 50 Heb. mss, “ways.”
Or, “missing the mark.” See Ro 3:23.
Or, “He that is acquiring good motive.” Heb., qo·neh-levʹ.
Or, “The insight of an earthling man.” Heb., seʹkhel ʼa·dhamʹ.
“In the heart of a man.” Heb., belev-ʼishʹ.
“The desirable thing in earthling man.” Heb., ta·ʼawathʹ ʼa·dhamʹ.
Lit., “A witness of belial.” Heb., ʽedh beli·yaʹʽal.
“A multitude of men.” Heb., rov-ʼa·dhamʹ.
Or, “loyal love.”
Lit., “but a man of faithfulnesses.” Heb., weʼishʹ ʼemu·nimʹ.
“Judgment.” Heb., dhin; Lat., iu·diʹci·i.
“Is wide open,” by another derivation.
“Got by greed,” M; TSyVg, “got hastily.”
“A wheel,” M; by a slight correction, “their own hurtfulness.”
“The breath of.” Heb., nish·mathʹ, as in Ge 2:7.
Or, “and truth.” Heb., we·ʼemethʹ.
Or, “are [more preferable to them than] a sin offering.”
Or, “The way of a man, even a stranger, is crooked”; or, “The way of a man is crooked and strange.”
“And by acting with discretion the wise one gets knowledge,” T.
Or, “is acting discreetly toward the house.”
Or, “earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
“Those impotent in death.” Heb., repha·ʼimʹ; TSy, “the sons of earth”; LXXVg, “giants.”
“A name,” M(Heb., shem)Sy; TLXXVg, “A good name.”
Lit., “at the mouth (opening) of.”
“God loves the purehearted one,” TSy; LXX, “Jehovah loves pure hearts.”
Or, “affairs.”
“Caused you to know your paths today,” by a slight correction of M, in agreement with LXX.
Or, “in thirty sections (parts).” M is unclear.
“Truthfulness of,” qosht, a word found in Biblical Aram., as in Da 2:47.
Or, “life.” Heb., naʹphesh; Gr., psy·khenʹ; Lat., aʹni·mam. See App 4A.
Lit., “soul.” Heb., neʹphesh; Lat., aʹni·mam.
Lit., “evil as to eye.” Heb., raʽ ʽaʹyin.
“Their Redeemer (Repurchaser).” By extension of thought, “their Avenger (Vindicator).” Heb., gho·ʼalamʹ. See Job 19:25 and Ps 19:14 ftns.
“From Sheol.” Heb., mish·sheʼohlʹ; LXX, “death”; Syr., shiul; Lat., in·ferʹno. See App 4B.
Or, “my deepest emotions.” Heb., khil·yoh·thaiʹ.
Or, “strange women.”
“The wise one is superior to the strong one, and a man of knowledge to the one vigorous in power,” by slight changes of M and in agreement with LXX.
Or, “is as corals.”
“My son, fear Jehovah [Heb., Yehwahʹ] and the king.” Gr., pho·bouʹ ton the·onʹ, hui·eʹ, kai ba·si·leʹa, “[My] son, fear God and the king.” Two distinct persons, “God” and “king,” are connected in Gr. by kai, “and.” In Gr. the definite article occurs before the first person, but it was not necessary before the second person, so it was omitted. See App 6E.
Lit., “To discern faces.”
Or, “the earthling man in need of good motive.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ chasar-levʹ.
Lit., “like a man of a shield.” Heb., keʼishʹ ma·ghenʹ.
“Let there be a removing.” In Heb. this is a verb in the infinitive absolute, indefinite as to time and impersonal.
“All of it will come forth refined,” by slight changes in M and in agreement with LXX; M, “a vessel will come forth for the refiner.”
“Special gold.” Heb., khaʹthem, an Egyptian loanword.
Or, “the one sending,” pl. in M, to denote excellence.
Or, “for . . . the very life.” Heb., weneʹphesh.
Or, “his master.” Heb., ʼadho·navʹ, pl., possibly to denote excellence.
“A man.” Heb., ʼish.
Lit., “In length (slowness) of nostrils (anger).”
Lit., “and a mouth smooth.”
Or, “friend.” Heb., ʼoh·hevʹ.
Possibly, “are excessive”; or, “are corrupted,” by corrections of M.
Or, “and the oil of his right hand calls out (betrays itself).”
“So one man.” Heb., weʼishʹ.
So this vs may read by slight changes of vowel pointing of M, to agree with TLXXSyVg.
“His master.” Heb., ʼadho·navʹ, pl. of ʼa·dhohnʹ, to denote excellence.
Lit., “so the heart of the earthling man.” Heb., ken lev-ha·ʼa·dhamʹ.
“And [the place of] destruction.” Heb., wa·ʼavad·dohʹ, “Abaddon.” Compare Job 26:6 ftn.
Lit., “but by an earthling man discerning.” Heb., u·veʼa·dhamʹ me·vinʹ.
Lit., “he.”
“A man of faithful acts.” Heb., ʼish ʼemu·nohthʹ.
Lit., “To discern faces.”
Lit., “making smooth a tongue.” Or, “using a smooth tongue.”
Lit., “an earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
Lit., “A man.” Heb., ʼish.
Lit., “contributions.”
Or, “it,” sing., referring to the “people.”
“A thankless one.” Heb., ma·nohnʹ, of uncertain meaning.
Lit., “and a master of rage.” Heb., u·vaʹʽal che·mahʹ.
Lit., “earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
“The Most Holy One.” Heb., Qedho·shimʹ, pl. of qa·dhohshʹ, to denote excellence and majesty. See 9:10 ftn.
“Every saying of God.” Heb., kol-ʼim·rathʹ ʼElohʹah.
“The name of my God.” Heb., shem ʼElo·haiʹ, pl. of ʼElohʹah.
“His master.” Mmargin(Heb.), ʼadho·navʹ, pl. of ʼa·dhohnʹ, to denote excellence.
Lit., “from among earthling man.” Heb., me·ʼa·dhamʹ; but possibly meant to read me·ʼadha·mahʹ, “from the ground.”
Lit., “restraint of the womb.”
“Impossible things; too difficult,” LXX; Lat., dif·fi·ciʹli·a, “difficult things.”
Lit., “are wise ones, being made wise.”
Or, “in the palaces.” Heb., beheh·khelehʹ.
Or, “the rooster”; or, “the war-horse.” Lit., “the [animal] girded in at the hips (loins).”
Or, “a king against whom there is no rising up by his people.”
Meaning “Belonging to God.”
Lit., “O my son.” Heb., beriʹ (from bar, which is Biblical Aram.). See Ps 2:12 ftn, “Son.”
Lit., “all the sons of the passing away.”
“Her owner.” Heb., baʽ·lahʹ.
Or, “her bread.” Heb., lach·mahʹ (from leʹchem, as in vs 27).
Lit., “things carried off.” Heb., teʹreph.
“Double garments,” by a slight change in vowel pointing, to agree with LXX; M, “scarlet garments.”
Or, “elders.”
Or, “loyal love.”
“And the bread of laziness.” Heb., weleʹchem ʽats·luthʹ.
Some ed. of the Heb. text display the trigrammaton, or three letters, Chehth, Zaʹyin, Qohph (ח ז ק) that stand as King Hezekiah’s signature to the copy-work done by his scribes to signify that the work had been completed.