¹The king ’s heart is in the LORD ’s hand like the watercourses.

He turns it wherever he desires .

²Every way of a man is right in his own eyes ,

but the LORD weighs the hearts .

³To do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice .

⁴A high look and a proud heart ,

the lamp of the wicked , is sin .

⁵The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit ;

and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty .

⁶Getting treasures by a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapour for those who seek death .

⁷The violence of the wicked will drive them away ,

because they refuse to do what is right .

⁸The way of the guilty is devious,

but the conduct of the innocent is upright .

⁹It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop

than to share a house with a contentious woman .

¹⁰The soul of the wicked desires evil ;

his neighbour finds no mercy in his eyes .

¹¹When the mocker is punished , the simple gains wisdom .

When the wise is instructed , he receives knowledge .

¹²The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked ,

and brings the wicked to ruin .

¹³Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor ,

he will also cry out , but shall not be heard .

¹⁴A gift in secret pacifies anger ,

and a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath .

¹⁵It is joy to the righteous to do justice ;

but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

¹⁶The man who wanders out of the way of understanding

shall rest in the assembly of the departed spirits .

¹⁷He who loves pleasure will be a poor man.

He who loves wine and oil won’t be rich .

¹⁸The wicked is a ransom for the righteous ,

the treacherous for the upright .

¹⁹It is better to dwell in a desert land,

than with a contentious and fretful woman.

²⁰There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise ,

but a foolish man swallows it up .

²¹He who follows after righteousness and kindness

finds life , righteousness , and honour .

²²A wise man scales the city of the mighty ,

and brings down the strength of its confidence .

²³Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue

keeps his soul from troubles .

²⁴The proud and arrogant man—“Scoffer” is his name —

he works in the arrogance of pride .

²⁵The desire of the sluggard kills him ,

for his hands refuse to labour .

²⁶There are those who covet greedily all day long ;

but the righteous give and don’t withhold .

²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination —

how much more , when he brings it with a wicked mind !

²⁸A false witness will perish.

A man who listens speaks to eternity.

²⁹A wicked man hardens his face ;

but as for the upright , he establishes his ways .

³⁰There is no wisdom nor understanding

nor counsel against the LORD .

³¹The horse is prepared for the day of battle ;

but victory is with the LORD .