² for gaining wisdom and instruction;
    for understanding words of insight;
³ for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
    doing what is right and just and fair;
⁴ for giving prudence to those who are simple,^[a](D)
    knowledge and discretion^(E) to the young—
⁵ let the wise listen and add to their learning,^(F)
    and let the discerning get guidance—
⁶ for understanding proverbs and parables,^(G)
    the sayings and riddles^(H) of the wise.^[b](I)

⁷ The fear of the Lord^(J) is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools^[c] despise wisdom^(K) and instruction.^(L)

¹⁰ My son, if sinful men entice^(Q) you,
    do not give in^(R) to them.^(S)
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
    let’s lie in wait^(T) for innocent blood,
    let’s ambush some harmless soul;
¹² let’s swallow^(U) them alive, like the grave,
    and whole, like those who go down to the pit;^(V)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
    and fill our houses with plunder;
¹⁴ cast lots with us;
    we will all share the loot^(W)”—
¹⁵ my son, do not go along with them,
    do not set foot^(X) on their paths;^(Y)
16 for their feet rush into evil,^(Z)
    they are swift to shed blood.^(AA)
17 How useless to spread a net
    where every bird can see it!
¹⁸ These men lie in wait^(AB) for their own blood;
    they ambush only themselves!^(AC)
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
    it takes away the life of those who get it.^(AD)

²² “How long will you who are simple^(AF) love your simple ways?
    How long will mockers delight in mockery
    and fools hate^(AG) knowledge?
²³ Repent at my rebuke!
    Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
    I will make known to you my teachings.
²⁴ But since you refuse^(AH) to listen when I call^(AI)
    and no one pays attention^(AJ) when I stretch out my hand,
²⁵ since you disregard all my advice
    and do not accept my rebuke,
²⁶ I in turn will laugh^(AK) when disaster^(AL) strikes you;
    I will mock^(AM) when calamity overtakes you^(AN)—
²⁷ when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
    when disaster^(AO) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
    when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

²⁸ “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;^(AP)
    they will look for me but will not find me,^(AQ)
29 since they hated knowledge
    and did not choose to fear the Lord.^(AR)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
    and spurned my rebuke,^(AS)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
    and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.^(AT)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them;^(AU)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety^(AV)
    and be at ease, without fear of harm.”^(AW)

⁹ Then you will understand^(BH) what is right and just
    and fair—every good path.
¹⁰ For wisdom will enter your heart,^(BI)
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
¹¹ Discretion will protect you,
    and understanding will guard you.^(BJ)

¹² Wisdom will save^(BK) you from the ways of wicked men,
    from men whose words are perverse,
¹³ who have left the straight paths
    to walk in dark ways,^(BL)
14 who delight in doing wrong
    and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,^(BM)
15 whose paths are crooked^(BN)
    and who are devious in their ways.^(BO)

¹⁶ Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,^(BP)
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
¹⁷ who has left the partner of her youth
    and ignored the covenant she made before God.^[e](BQ)
18 Surely her house leads down to death
    and her paths to the spirits of the dead.^(BR)
19 None who go to her return
    or attain the paths of life.^(BS)

²⁰ Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
²¹ For the upright will live in the land,^(BT)
    and the blameless will remain in it;
²² but the wicked^(BU) will be cut off from the land,^(BV)
    and the unfaithful will be torn from it.^(BW)

³ Let love and faithfulness^(CB) never leave you;
    bind them around your neck,
    write them on the tablet of your heart.^(CC)
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
    in the sight of God and man.^(CD)

⁵ Trust in the Lord^(CE) with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths^(CF) straight.^[f](CG)

⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes;^(CH)
    fear the Lord^(CI) and shun evil.^(CJ)
8 This will bring health to your body^(CK)
    and nourishment to your bones.^(CL)

⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth,
    with the firstfruits^(CM) of all your crops;
¹⁰ then your barns will be filled^(CN) to overflowing,
    and your vats will brim over with new wine.^(CO)

¹¹ My son,^(CP) do not despise the Lord’s discipline,^(CQ)
    and do not resent his rebuke,
¹² because the Lord disciplines those he loves,^(CR)
    as a father the son he delights in.^[g](CS)

¹³ Blessed are those who find wisdom,
    those who gain understanding,
¹⁴ for she is more profitable than silver
    and yields better returns than gold.^(CT)
15 She is more precious than rubies;^(CU)
    nothing you desire can compare with her.^(CV)
16 Long life is in her right hand;^(CW)
    in her left hand are riches and honor.^(CX)
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
    and all her paths are peace.^(CY)
18 She is a tree of life^(CZ) to those who take hold of her;
    those who hold her fast will be blessed.^(DA)

¹⁹ By wisdom^(DB) the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,^(DC)
    by understanding he set the heavens^(DD) in place;
²⁰ by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
    and the clouds let drop the dew.

²¹ My son,^(DE) do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,^(DF)
    preserve sound judgment and discretion;
²² they will be life for you,^(DG)
    an ornament to grace your neck.^(DH)
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,^(DI)
    and your foot will not stumble.^(DJ)
24 When you lie down,^(DK) you will not be afraid;^(DL)
    when you lie down, your sleep^(DM) will be sweet.
²⁵ Have no fear of sudden disaster
    or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
²⁶ for the Lord will be at your side^(DN)
    and will keep your foot^(DO) from being snared.^(DP)

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    when it is in your power to act.
²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor,
    “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
    when you already have it with you.^(DQ)
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
    who lives trustfully near you.^(DR)
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
    when they have done you no harm.

³¹ Do not envy^(DS) the violent
    or choose any of their ways.

³² For the Lord detests the perverse^(DT)
    but takes the upright into his confidence.^(DU)
33 The Lord’s curse^(DV) is on the house of the wicked,^(DW)
    but he blesses the home of the righteous.^(DX)
34 He mocks^(DY) proud mockers^(DZ)
    but shows favor to the humble^(EA) and oppressed.
³⁵ The wise inherit honor,
    but fools get only shame.

⁷ Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
    whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.^(L)
8 Do not rebuke mockers^(M) or they will hate you;
    rebuke the wise and they will love you.^(N)
9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
    teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.^(O)

¹⁰ The fear of the Lord^(P) is the beginning of wisdom,
    and knowledge of the Holy One^(Q) is understanding.^(R)
11 For through wisdom^[b] your days will be many,
    and years will be added to your life.^(S)
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
    if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

¹³ Folly is an unruly woman;^(T)
    she is simple and knows nothing.^(U)
14 She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat at the highest point of the city,^(V)
15 calling out^(W) to those who pass by,
    who go straight on their way,
¹⁶     “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense^(X) she says,
¹⁷     “Stolen water is sweet;
    food eaten in secret is delicious!^(Y)”
¹⁸ But little do they know that the dead are there,
    that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.^(Z)

17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
    than a house full of feasting, with strife.^(A)

² A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
    and will share the inheritance as one of the family.

³ The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,^(B)
    but the Lord tests the heart.^(C)

⁴ A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
    a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

⁵ Whoever mocks the poor^(D) shows contempt for their Maker;^(E)
    whoever gloats over disaster^(F) will not go unpunished.^(G)

⁶ Children’s children^(H) are a crown to the aged,
    and parents are the pride of their children.

⁷ Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
    how much worse lying lips to a ruler!^(I)

⁸ A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
    they think success will come at every turn.^(J)

⁹ Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,^(K)
    but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.^(L)

¹⁰ A rebuke impresses a discerning person
    more than a hundred lashes a fool.

¹¹ Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
    the messenger of death will be sent against them.

¹² Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
    than a fool bent on folly.^(M)

¹³ Evil will never leave the house
    of one who pays back evil^(N) for good.^(O)

¹⁴ Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
    so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.^(P)

¹⁵ Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent^(Q)—
    the Lord detests them both.^(R)

¹⁶ Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
    when they are not able to understand it?^(S)

¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for a time of adversity.^(T)

¹⁸ One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
    and puts up security for a neighbor.^(U)

¹⁹ Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
    whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.

²⁰ One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
    one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.

²¹ To have a fool for a child brings grief;
    there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.^(V)

²² A cheerful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed^(W) spirit dries up the bones.^(X)

²³ The wicked accept bribes^(Y) in secret
    to pervert the course of justice.^(Z)

²⁴ A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
    but a fool’s eyes^(AA) wander to the ends of the earth.

²⁵ A foolish son brings grief to his father
    and bitterness to the mother who bore him.^(AB)

²⁶ If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,^(AC)
    surely to flog honest officials is not right.

²⁷ The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,^(AD)
    and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.^(AE)

²⁸ Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
    and discerning if they hold their tongues.^(AF)

22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
    to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.^(A)

² Rich and poor have this in common:
    The Lord is the Maker of them all.^(B)

³ The prudent see danger and take refuge,^(C)
    but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.^(D)

⁴ Humility is the fear of the Lord;
    its wages are riches and honor^(E) and life.^(F)

⁵ In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,^(G)
    but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.

⁶ Start^(H) children off on the way they should go,^(I)
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.^(J)

⁷ The rich rule over the poor,
    and the borrower is slave to the lender.

⁸ Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity,^(K)
    and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.^(L)

⁹ The generous will themselves be blessed,^(M)
    for they share their food with the poor.^(N)

¹⁰ Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
    quarrels and insults are ended.^(O)

¹¹ One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
    will have the king for a friend.^(P)

¹² The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
    but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

¹³ The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside!^(Q)
    I’ll be killed in the public square!”

¹⁴ The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;^(R)
    a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.^(S)

¹⁵ Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.^(T)

¹⁶ One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
    and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

² Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
    Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!^(B)
3 Do not spend your strength^[a] on women,
    your vigor on those who ruin kings.^(C)

⁴ It is not for kings, Lemuel—
    it is not for kings to drink wine,^(D)
    not for rulers to crave beer,
⁵ lest they drink^(E) and forget what has been decreed,^(F)
    and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
⁶ Let beer be for those who are perishing,
    wine^(G) for those who are in anguish!
⁷ Let them drink^(H) and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.

⁸ Speak^(I) up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
    for the rights of all who are destitute.
⁹ Speak up and judge fairly;
    defend the rights of the poor and needy.^(J)