¹A good name is more desirable than great riches ,

and loving favour is better than silver and gold .

²The rich and the poor have this in common :

The LORD is the maker of them all .

³A prudent man sees danger and hides himself;

but the simple pass on , and suffer for it .

⁴The result of humility and the fear of the LORD

is wealth , honour , and life .

⁵Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked;

whoever guards his soul stays far from them .

⁶Train up a child in the way he should go ,

and when he is old he will not depart from it .

⁷The rich rule over the poor .

The borrower is servant to the lender .

⁸He who sows wickedness reaps trouble,

and the rod of his fury will be destroyed .

⁹He who has a generous eye will be blessed ,

for he shares his food with the poor .

¹⁰Drive out the mocker , and strife will go out ;

yes, quarrels and insults will stop .

¹¹He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully

is the king ’s friend .

¹²The LORD ’s eyes watch over knowledge ,

but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

¹³The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside !

I will be killed in the streets !”

¹⁴The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit .

He who is under the LORD ’s wrath will fall into it .

¹⁵Folly is bound up in the heart of a child ;

the rod of discipline drives it far from him .

¹⁶Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich ,

both come to poverty .

¹⁷Turn your ear , and listen to the words of the wise .

Apply your heart to my teaching.

¹⁸For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you ,

if all of them are ready on your lips .

¹⁹I teach you today , even you ,

so that your trust may be in the LORD .

²⁰Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things

of counsel and knowledge ,

²¹To teach you truth , reliable words,

to give sound answers to the ones who sent you ?

²²Don’t exploit the poor because he is poor ;

and don’t crush the needy in court ;

²³for the LORD will plead their case ,

and plunder the life of those who plunder them .

²⁴Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man .

Don’t associate with one who harbours anger ,

²⁵lest you learn his ways

and ensnare your soul .

²⁶Don’t you be one of those who strike hands ,

of those who are collateral for debts .

²⁷If you don’t have means to pay ,

why should he take away your bed from under you ?

²⁸Don’t move the ancient boundary stone

which your fathers have set up .

²⁹Do you see a man skilled in his work ?

He will serve kings .

He won’t serve obscure men .