¹ A ⌞reputation⌟¹ is to be chosen ⌞rather than⌟² great riches; ⌞favor is better than silver and gold⌟.³

1. Literally “name”
2. Literally “from”
3. Literally “from silver and from gold, favor is better”

² Rich and poor have much in common; Yahweh is the maker of all of them.

³ The clever sees danger and hides, but the simple go on and suffer.

⁴ The reward of humility is the fear of Yahweh— wealth and honor and life.

⁵ Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; he who guards himself¹ will keep away from them.

1. Or “soul,” or “life”

⁶ Train the child ⌞concerning his way⌟;¹ even when he is old, he will not stray from it.

1. Literally “on the mouth of his way”

⁷ The rich will rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave of ⌞the lender⌟.¹

1. Literally “the borrower belonging to a man”

⁸ He who sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his anger will fail.

⁹ He who ⌞is generous⌟¹ will be blessed, for he gives to the poor from his own bread.

1. Literally “the generous of eye”

¹⁰ Drive out a scoffer and strife will go out; quarrel and abuse will cease.

¹¹ He who loves purity of heart and has⌞gracious speech⌟,¹ his friend is the king.

1. Literally “grace of his lips”

¹² The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge, but he will overthrow the words of the faithless.

¹³ A lazy person says “A lion in the street! In the middle of the highway, I shall be killed!”

¹⁴ A deep pit is the mouth of an ⌞adulteress⌟,¹ he with whom Yahweh is angry will fall there.

1. Literally “a strange woman”

¹⁵ Folly is bound up in the heart¹ of a boy;² the rod of discipline will drive it³ from him.

1. Or “mind”
2. Or “young man,” or “adolescent”
3. That is, folly

Words of the Wise

¹⁶ He who oppresses the poor in order to enrich himself, or gives to the rich, ⌞will come to poverty⌟.¹

1. Literally “only loss”

¹⁷ Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise; you shall apply your heart¹ to my teaching.

1. Or “mind”

¹⁸ For it is pleasant if you guard them ⌞within you⌟;¹ together they will be ready upon your lips.

1. Literally “in your belly/womb”

¹⁹ In order for your trust to be in Yahweh, I have made them known to you ⌞today⌟¹—even² you.

1. Literally “the day”
2. Or “only”

²⁰ Have I not written for you thirty sayings with admonitions and knowledge?

²¹ In order to show you what is right—sayings of truth— in order to return a true saying to him who sent you.

²² Do not rob the poor because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate;

²³ For Yahweh will plead their case and despoil those who despoil them of life.¹

1. Or “soul,” or “inner self”

²⁴ Do not befriend an owner¹ of ⌞anger⌟,² and with a man of wrath you shall not associate;

1. Or “master”
2. Literally “nostril”

²⁵ lest you learn his way and become entangled in a snare to yourself.¹

1. Or “soul,” or “inner self”

²⁶ Do not be with those who ⌞give a pledge⌟¹ ⌞by becoming⌟² surety.

1. Literally “strike a hand”
2. Literally “in the becomings of”

²⁷ If there is nothing for you to pay,¹ why will he take your bed from under you?

1. Or “complete”

²⁸ Do not remove an ancient boundary marker which your ancestors¹ made.

1. Or “fathers”

²⁹ A man who is skillful in his work, you shall see: before kings, he will serve; he will not serve before the commoners.