¹ Better a poor person walking in integrity than one who is perverse ⌞in his speech⌟¹ and is a fool.

1. Literally “in his lips”

² Also, a life¹ without knowledge is not good, and he who moves quickly with his feet ⌞misses the mark⌟.²

1. Or “soul,” or “inner self”
2. Or “sins”

³ As for the folly of humankind, its way leads to ruin, and against Yahweh his heart¹ will rage.

1. Or “mind”

⁴ Wealth adds many friends, but the poor will be left by his friends.

⁵ A witness of falsehood will not go unpunished, and he who breathes lies will not escape.

⁶ Many will seek favor before the generous, and everyone is the friend of a man of gifts.¹

1. Hebrew “gift”

⁷ All the brothers of the poor, if they hate him, how much more will his friends keep away from him. He pursues them with words, and they are gone.¹

1. Or “when he pursues words and not them”

⁸ He who acquires wisdom loves himself;¹ he who guards understanding loves to find good.

1. Or “soul,” or “inner self”

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes lies will perish.

¹⁰ For a fool living in luxury is not fitting, any more than it is for a slave to rule over princes.

¹¹ The understanding of a person makes him slow to his ⌞anger⌟,¹ and his glory overlooks offense.

1. Literally “nostril”

¹² The rage of a king growls like a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹³ A foolish child is a ruin to his father, and the quarreling of a woman¹ is a continuous dripping.

1. Or “wife”

¹⁴ A house and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, but from Yahweh comes a woman¹ who is prudent.

1. Or “wife”

¹⁵ Laziness will bring on a deep sleep, and a person¹ of idleness will suffer hunger.

1. Or “soul,” or “life”

¹⁶ He who guards commandments guards his life;¹ he who is careless of his ways will be killed.

1. Or “soul,” or “inner self”

¹⁷ He who lends to Yahweh is he who is kind to the poor, and his benefits he will repay to him.

¹⁸ Discipline your child, for there is hope, but on his destruction do not set your desire.¹

1. Or “soul,” or “inner self”

¹⁹ A hot-tempered person pays a penalty; if you rescue him, you will do it yet again.

²⁰ Listen to advice and accept instruction so that you will gain wisdom for your ⌞future⌟.¹

1. Literally “after things”

²¹ Many plans are in the heart¹ of a man, but the purpose of Yahweh will be established.

1. Or “mind”

²² The craving of a man is his steadfast loyalty, and it is better to be poor than a ⌞liar⌟.¹

1. Literally “man of lying”

²³ Fear of Yahweh leads to life; he who is filled with it will rest—he will not suffer harm.

²⁴ A lazy person buries his hand in the dish, and even to his mouth he will not bring it back.

²⁵ The scoffer you shall strike, and the simple, may they learn prudence, and reprove the intelligent and he will gain knowledge.

²⁶ He who does violence to a father, he who chases away a mother, is a child who causes shame and brings reproach.

²⁷ Cease to listen to instruction, my child, ⌞and you will stray⌟¹ from sayings of knowledge.

1. Literally “in order to stray”

²⁸ A worthless witness will mock justice, and the mouth of the wicked will devour iniquity.

²⁹ Judgments¹ are prepared for the scoffers, and flogging for the back of fools.

1. Or “Punishments,” or “Condemnations”