1
y Wine is a mocker, z strong drink a brawler,
and whoever a is led astray by it is not wise. 1
2
The terror of a king is like b the growling of a lion;
whoever provokes him to anger c forfeits his life.
3
It is an honor for a man to d keep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.
4
e The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
f he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5
The purpose in a man's heart is like g deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6
Many a man h proclaims his own steadfast love,
but i a faithful man who can find?
7
The righteous who j walks in his integrity -
k blessed are his children after him!
8
l A king who sits on the throne of judgment
m winnows all evil with his eyes.
9
n Who can say, "I have made my heart pure;
I am clean from my sin"?
10
o Unequal 2 weights and unequal measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11
Even a child p makes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright. 3
12
q The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
r the Lord has made them both.
13
s Love not sleep, lest you t come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have u plenty of bread.
14
"Bad, bad," says the buyer,
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15
There is gold and abundance of v costly stones,
w but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16
x Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and y hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners. 4
17
z Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of a gravel.
18
b Plans are established by counsel;
by c wise guidance d wage war.
19
Whoever e goes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with f a simple babbler. 5
20
g If one curses his father or his mother,
h his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21
i An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
22
Do not say, j "I will repay evil";
k wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
23
l Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and m false scales are not good.
24
A man's n steps are from the Lord;
how then can man understand his way?
25
It is a snare to say rashly, "It is holy,"
and to reflect only o after making vows.
26
A wise king p winnows the wicked
and drives q the wheel over them.
27
r The spirit 6 of man is the lamp of the Lord,
s searching all t his innermost parts.
28
u Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
and by steadfast love his v throne is upheld.
29
The glory of young men is their strength,
but w the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30
x Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean t the innermost parts.