9

1Wisdom has built her house.

She has carved out her seven pillars.

2She has prepared her meat.

She has mixed her wine.

She has also set her table.

3She has sent out her maidens.

She cries from the highest places of the city:

4“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

5“Come, eat some of my bread,

Drink some of the wine which I have mixed!

6Leave your simple ways, and live.

Walk in the way of understanding.”

7One who corrects a mocker invites insult.

One who reproves a wicked man invites abuse.

8Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you.

Reprove a wise person, and he will love you.

9Instruct a wise person, and he will be still wiser.

Teach a righteous person, and he will increase in learning.

10The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.

The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

11For by me your days will be multiplied.

The years of your life will be increased.

12If you are wise, you are wise for yourself.

If you mock, you alone will bear it.

13The foolish woman is loud,

undisciplined, and knows nothing.

14She sits at the door of her house,

on a seat in the high places of the city,

15to call to those who pass by,

who go straight on their ways,

16“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.”

As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

17“Stolen water is sweet.

Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”

18But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there,

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

10

1The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a glad father;

but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

2Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,

but righteousness delivers from death.

3Yahweh will not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry,

but he thrusts away the desire of the wicked.

4He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand,

but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.

5He who gathers in summer is a wise son,

but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.

6Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

7The memory of the righteous is blessed,

but the name of the wicked will rot.

8The wise in heart accept commandments,

but a chattering fool will fall.

9He who walks blamelessly walks surely,

but he who perverts his ways will be found out.

10One who winks with the eye causes sorrow,

but a chattering fool will fall.

11The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,

but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

12Hatred stirs up strife,

but love covers all wrongs.

13Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has discernment,

but a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding.

14Wise men lay up knowledge,

but the mouth of the foolish is near ruin.

15The rich man’s wealth is his strong city.

The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

16The labor of the righteous leads to life.

The increase of the wicked leads to sin.

17He is in the way of life who heeds correction,

but he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.

18He who hides hatred has lying lips.

He who utters a slander is a fool.

19In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience,

but he who restrains his lips does wisely.

20The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver.

The heart of the wicked is of little worth.

21The lips of the righteous feed many,

but the foolish die for lack of understanding.

22Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth,

and he adds no trouble to it.

23It is a fool’s pleasure to do wickedness,

but wisdom is a man of understanding’s pleasure.

24What the wicked fear will overtake them,

but the desire of the righteous will be granted.

25When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more;

but the righteous stand firm forever.

26As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes,

so is the sluggard to those who send him.

27The fear of Yahweh prolongs days,

but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

28The prospect of the righteous is joy,

but the hope of the wicked will perish.

29The way of Yahweh is a stronghold to the upright,

but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

30The righteous will never be removed,

but the wicked will not dwell in the land.

31The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom,

but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,

but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.

11

1A false balance is an abomination to Yahweh,

but accurate weights are his delight.

2When pride comes, then comes shame,

but with humility comes wisdom.

3The integrity of the upright shall guide them,

but the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.

4Riches don’t profit in the day of wrath,

but righteousness delivers from death.

5The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way,

but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

6The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them,

but the unfaithful will be trapped by evil desires.

7When a wicked man dies, hope perishes,

and expectation of power comes to nothing.

8A righteous person is delivered out of trouble,

and the wicked takes his place.

9With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,

but the righteous will be delivered through knowledge.

10When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices.

When the wicked perish, there is shouting.

11By the blessing of the upright, the city is exalted,

but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12One who despises his neighbor is void of wisdom,

but a man of understanding holds his peace.

13One who brings gossip betrays a confidence,

but one who is of a trustworthy spirit is one who keeps a secret.

14Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls,

but in the multitude of counselors there is victory.

15He who is collateral for a stranger will suffer for it,

but he who refuses pledges of collateral is secure.

16A gracious woman obtains honor,

but violent men obtain riches.

17The merciful man does good to his own soul,

but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.

18Wicked people earn deceitful wages,

but one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

19He who is truly righteous gets life.

He who pursues evil gets death.

20Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to Yahweh,

but those whose ways are blameless are his delight.

21Most certainly, the evil man will not be unpunished,

but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.

22Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout,

is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

23The desire of the righteous is only good.

The expectation of the wicked is wrath.

24There is one who scatters, and increases yet more.

There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty.

25The liberal soul shall be made fat.

He who waters shall be watered also himself.

26People curse someone who withholds grain,

but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

27He who diligently seeks good seeks favor,

but he who searches after evil, it shall come to him.

28He who trusts in his riches will fall,

but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.

29He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind.

The foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.

He who is wise wins souls.

31Behold, the righteous shall be repaid in the earth,

how much more the wicked and the sinner!

12

1Whoever loves correction loves knowledge,

but he who hates reproof is stupid.

2A good man shall obtain favor from Yahweh,

but he will condemn a man of wicked plans.

3A man shall not be established by wickedness,

but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

4A worthy woman is the crown of her husband,

but a disgraceful wife is as rottenness in his bones.

5The thoughts of the righteous are just,

but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

6The words of the wicked are about lying in wait for blood,

but the speech of the upright rescues them.

7The wicked are overthrown, and are no more,

but the house of the righteous shall stand.

8A man shall be commended according to his wisdom,

but he who has a warped mind shall be despised.

9Better is he who is little known, and has a servant,

than he who honors himself and lacks bread.

10A righteous man respects the life of his animal,

but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

11He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread,

but he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.

12The wicked desires the plunder of evil men,

but the root of the righteous flourishes.

13An evil man is trapped by sinfulness of lips,

but the righteous shall come out of trouble.

14A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth.

The work of a man’s hands shall be rewarded to him.

15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

but he who is wise listens to counsel.

16A fool shows his annoyance the same day,

but one who overlooks an insult is prudent.

17He who is truthful testifies honestly,

but a false witness lies.

18There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword,

but the tongue of the wise heals.

19Truth’s lips will be established forever,

but a lying tongue is only momentary.

20Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil,

but joy comes to the promoters of peace.

21No mischief shall happen to the righteous,

but the wicked shall be filled with evil.

22Lying lips are an abomination to Yahweh,

but those who do the truth are his delight.

23A prudent man keeps his knowledge,

but the hearts of fools proclaim foolishness.

24The hands of the diligent ones shall rule,

but laziness ends in slave labor.

25Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,

but a kind word makes it glad.

26A righteous person is cautious in friendship,

but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

27The slothful man doesn’t roast his game,

but the possessions of diligent men are prized.

28In the way of righteousness is life;

in its path there is no death.