Proverbs 14-22

New American Standard Bible

14 The ^(A)wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
² One who ^(B)walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
But one who is ^(C)devious in his ways despises Him.
³ In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back,
But ^(D)the lips of the wise will protect them.
⁴ Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean;
But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.
⁵ A ^(E)trustworthy witness will not lie,
But a ^(F)false witness ^(G)declares lies.
⁶ A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,
But knowledge is easy for one who has understanding.
⁷ Leave the ^(H)presence of a fool,
Or you will not ^[a]discern ^[b]words of knowledge.
⁸ The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,
But ^(I)the foolishness of fools is deceit.
⁹ Fools mock at ^[c]sin,
But ^(J)among the upright there is ^[d]goodwill.
¹⁰ The heart knows its own ^(K)bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
¹¹ The ^(L)house of the wicked will be destroyed,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.
¹² There ^(M)is a way which seems right to a person,
But its ^(N)end is the way of death.
¹³ Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,
And the ^(O)end of joy may be grief.
¹⁴ One with a wayward heart will have his ^(P)fill of his own ways,
But a good person will ^(Q)be satisfied ^[e]with his.
¹⁵ The naive believes everything,
But the sensible person considers his steps.
¹⁶ A wise person ^[f]is cautious and ^(R)turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless.
¹⁷ A quick-tempered person acts foolishly,
And a person of evil devices is hated.
¹⁸ The naive inherit foolishness,
But the sensible are crowned with knowledge.
¹⁹ The ^(S)evil will bow down before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
²⁰ The ^(T)poor is hated even by his neighbor,
But those who love the rich are many.
²¹ One who ^(U)despises his neighbor sins,
But ^(V)one who is gracious to the ^[g]poor is blessed.
²² Will they who ^(W)devise evil not go astray?
But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.
²³ In all labor there is profit,
But ^[h]mere talk leads only to poverty.
²⁴ The ^(X)crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is simply foolishness.
²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
But one who ^(Y)declares lies is ^[i]deceitful.
²⁶ In ^[j](Z)the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And ^[k]his children will have refuge.
^27 [l]The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
By which one may avoid the snares of death.
²⁸ In a multitude of people is a king’s glory,
But in the scarcity of people is a prince’s ruin.
²⁹ One who is ^(AA)slow to anger has great understanding;
But one who is ^[m]quick-tempered exalts foolishness.
³⁰ A ^(AB)tranquil heart is life to the body,
But jealousy is ^(AC)rottenness to the bones.
³¹ One ^(AD)who oppresses the poor taunts ^(AE)his Maker,
But one who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
³² The wicked is ^(AF)thrust down by his own wrongdoing,
But the ^(AG)righteous has a refuge when he dies.
³³ Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,
But among fools it is made known.
³⁴ Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.
³⁵ The king’s favor is toward a ^(AH)servant who acts wisely,
But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.

15 A ^(AI)gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a ^[n](AJ)harsh word stirs up anger.
² The ^(AK)tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant,
But the ^(AL)mouth of fools spouts foolishness.
³ The ^(AM)eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.
⁴ A ^[o]soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it ^[p]crushes the spirit.
⁵ A fool ^[q]rejects his father’s discipline,
But he who complies with rebuke is sensible.
⁶ Great wealth is in the house of the ^(AN)righteous,
But trouble is in the income of the wicked.
⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge,
But the hearts of fools are not so.
⁸ The ^(AO)sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But ^(AP)the prayer of the upright is His delight.
⁹ The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves the one who ^(AQ)pursues righteousness.
¹⁰ There is severe punishment for one who abandons the way;
One who hates a rebuke will die.
^11 [r](AR)Sheol and ^[s]Abaddon lie open before the Lord,
How much more the ^(AS)hearts of ^[t]mankind!
¹² A ^(AT)scoffer does not love one who rebukes him;
He will not go to the wise.
¹³ A ^(AU)joyful heart makes a ^[u]cheerful face,
But ^[v]when the heart is ^(AV)sad, the ^(AW)spirit is broken.
¹⁴ The ^(AX)mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
¹⁵ All the days of the ^[w]needy are bad,
But a ^[x]cheerful heart has a continual feast.
^16 (AY)Better is a little with ^[y]the fear of the Lord
Than great treasure, and turmoil with ^[z]the treasure.
^17 (AZ)Better is a portion of ^[aa]vegetables where there is love,
Than a ^(BA)fattened ox served with hatred.
¹⁸ A ^(BB)hot-tempered person stirs up strife,
But the ^(BC)slow to anger ^(BD)calms a dispute.
¹⁹ The way of the ^[ab]lazy one is like a hedge of thorns,
But the path of the upright is a highway.
²⁰ A ^(BE)wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man ^(BF)despises his mother.
²¹ Foolishness is joy to one who lacks ^[ac]sense,
But a person of understanding ^(BG)walks straight.
²² Without consultation, plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they ^[ad]succeed.
²³ A ^(BH)person has joy in an ^[ae]apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely ^(BI)word!
²⁴ The ^(BJ)path of life leads upward for the wise,
So that he may keep away from ^[af]Sheol below.
²⁵ The Lord will ^(BK)tear down the house of the proud,
But He will ^(BL)set the boundary of the ^(BM)widow.
²⁶ Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,
But pleasant words are pure.
²⁷ He who ^(BN)profits illicitly troubles his own house,
But he who ^(BO)hates bribes will live.
²⁸ The heart of the righteous ^(BP)ponders how to answer,
But the ^(BQ)mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
²⁹ The Lord is ^(BR)far from the wicked,
But He ^(BS)hears the prayer of the righteous.
^30 [ag]Bright eyes gladden the heart;
Good news ^[ah]refreshes the bones.
³¹ One whose ear listens to a life-giving rebuke
Will stay among the wise.
³² One who ^(BT)neglects discipline ^(BU)rejects himself,
But one who ^(BV)listens to a rebuke acquires ^[ai]understanding.
^33 [aj]The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor comes humility.

16 The ^(BW)plans of the heart belong to a person,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
² All the ways of a person are clean in his own sight,
But the ^(BX)Lord examines the ^[ak]motives.
^3 [al](BY)Commit your works to the Lord,
And your plans will be established.
⁴ The Lord ^(BZ)has made everything for ^[am]its own purpose,
Even the ^(CA)wicked for the day of evil.
⁵ Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
^[an]Be assured, he will not go unpunished.
⁶ By ^(CB)mercy and truth atonement is made for wrongdoing,
And by ^[ao]the ^(CC)fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
⁷ When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He ^(CD)causes even his enemies to make peace with him.
⁸ Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.
⁹ The mind of a ^(CE)person plans his way,
But ^(CF)the Lord directs his steps.
¹⁰ A divine ^(CG)verdict is on the lips of the king;
His mouth should not ^[ap]err in judgment.
¹¹ A ^(CH)just balance and scales belong to the Lord;
All the ^[aq]weights of the bag are His ^[ar]concern.
¹² It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
Because a ^(CI)throne is established on righteousness.
¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And one who speaks right is loved.
¹⁴ The fury of a king is like messengers of death;
But a wise person will appease it.
¹⁵ In the light of a king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud with the ^[as](CJ)spring rain.
¹⁶ How much ^(CK)better it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.
¹⁷ The ^(CL)highway of the upright is to turn away from evil;
One who watches his way protects his ^[at]life.
^18 (CM)Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
¹⁹ It is better to be ^(CN)humble in spirit with the needy
Than to ^(CO)divide the spoils with the proud.
²⁰ One who pays attention to the word will ^(CP)find good,
And ^(CQ)blessed is one who trusts in the Lord.
²¹ The ^(CR)wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of ^[au]speech ^(CS)increases ^[av]persuasiveness.
²² Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,
But the discipline of fools is foolishness.
²³ The ^(CT)heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds ^[aw]persuasiveness to his lips.
^24 (CU)Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and ^(CV)healing to the bones.
^25 (CW)There is a way which seems right to a person,
But its end is the way of death.
²⁶ A worker’s appetite works for him,
For his ^[ax]hunger urges him on.
²⁷ A ^(CX)worthless person digs up evil,
While ^[ay]his words are like ^(CY)scorching fire.
²⁸ A perverse person spreads strife,
And a ^[az]slanderer separates close friends.
²⁹ A person of violence ^(CZ)entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰ He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;
He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
³¹ A ^(DA)gray head is a crown of glory;
It ^(DB)is found in the way of righteousness.
³² One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And one who rules his spirit, than one who captures a city.
³³ The ^(DC)lot is cast into the lap,
But its every ^(DD)decision is from the Lord.

17 ^(DE)Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of ^[ba]feasting with strife.
² A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
And will share in the inheritance among brothers.
³ The ^(DF)refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But ^(DG)the Lord tests hearts.
⁴ An ^(DH)evildoer listens to wicked lips;
A ^[bb]liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
⁵ One who mocks the ^(DI)poor taunts his Maker;
One who ^(DJ)rejoices at disaster will not go unpunished.
^6 (DK)Grandchildren are the crown of the old,
And the ^(DL)glory of sons is their fathers.
^7 [bc](DM)Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool,
Much less are ^(DN)lying lips to a prince.
⁸ A ^(DO)bribe is a ^[bd]charm in the sight of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
⁹ One who ^(DP)conceals an offense seeks love,
But one who repeats a matter ^(DQ)separates close friends.
¹⁰ A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹ A rebellious person seeks only evil,
So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
¹² Let a ^(DR)person meet a ^(DS)bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his foolishness.
¹³ One who ^(DT)returns evil for good,
^(DU)Evil will not depart from his house.
¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
So ^(DV)abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.
¹⁵ One who ^(DW)justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶ Why is there money in the hand of a fool to ^(DX)buy wisdom,
When ^[be]he has no sense?
¹⁷ A ^(DY)friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
¹⁸ A person lacking in ^[bf]sense ^(DZ)shakes hands
And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.
¹⁹ One who ^(EA)loves wrongdoing loves strife;
One who ^(EB)makes his doorway high seeks destruction.
²⁰ One who has a crooked ^[bg]mind ^(EC)finds nothing good,
And one who is ^[bh](ED)corrupted in his language falls into evil.
²¹ He who ^(EE)fathers a fool does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.
²² A ^(EF)joyful heart ^[bi]is good medicine,
But a broken spirit ^(EG)dries up the bones.
²³ A wicked person accepts a ^(EH)bribe ^[bj]from an inside pocket
To ^(EI)pervert the ways of justice.
²⁴ Wisdom is in the presence of one who has understanding,
But the ^(EJ)eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
²⁵ A ^(EK)foolish son is a grief to his father,
And ^(EL)bitterness to her who gave birth to him.
²⁶ It is also not good to ^(EM)fine the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
²⁷ One who ^(EN)withholds his words ^[bk]has knowledge,
And one who has a ^(EO)cool spirit is a person of understanding.
²⁸ Even a fool, when he ^(EP)keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

18 One who separates himself seeks his own desire;
He ^[bl](EQ)quarrels against all sound wisdom.
² A fool does not delight in understanding,
But ^(ER)in revealing his own ^[bm]mind.
³ When a wicked person comes, contempt also comes,
And with dishonor comes taunting.
⁴ The words of a person’s mouth are ^(ES)deep waters;
^[bn]The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
⁵ To ^(ET)show partiality to the wicked is not good,
Nor to ^(EU)suppress the righteous in judgment.
⁶ A fool’s lips ^[bo]bring strife,
And his mouth invites ^(EV)beatings.
⁷ A ^(EW)fool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
⁸ The words of a gossiper are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the ^[bp]innermost parts of the body.
⁹ He also who is ^(EX)lax in his work
^(EY)Is a brother to him who destroys.
¹⁰ The ^(EZ)name of the Lord is a ^(FA)strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and ^(FB)is ^[bq]safe.
¹¹ A ^(FC)rich person’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own imagination.
^12 (FD)Before destruction the heart of a person is haughty,
But ^(FE)humility goes before honor.
¹³ One who ^(FF)gives an answer before he hears,
It is foolishness and shame to him.
¹⁴ The ^(FG)spirit of a person can endure his sickness,
But as for a ^(FH)broken spirit, who can endure it?
¹⁵ The ^[br](FI)mind of the discerning acquires knowledge,
And the ^(FJ)ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
¹⁶ A person’s ^(FK)gift makes room for him
And brings him before great people.
¹⁷ The first ^[bs]to plead his case seems right,
Until ^[bt]another comes and examines him.
¹⁸ The cast ^(FL)lot puts an end to quarrels,
And ^[bu]decides between the mighty ones.
¹⁹ A brother who is offended is harder to be won than a strong city,
And quarrels are like the bars of a citadel.
²⁰ With the ^[bv](FM)fruit of a person’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
^(FN)He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.
^21 (FO)Death and life are in the ^[bw]power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its ^(FP)fruit.
²² He who finds a ^(FQ)wife finds a good thing
And ^(FR)obtains favor from the Lord.
²³ A ^(FS)poor person utters pleadings,
But a ^(FT)rich person ^(FU)answers defiantly.
²⁴ A person of too many friends comes to ^[bx]ruin,
But there is ^(FV)a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

19 ^(FW)Better is a poor person who ^(FX)walks in his integrity
Than a person who is perverse in ^[by]speech and is a fool.
² Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And one who hurries ^[bz](FY)his footsteps ^[ca]errs.
³ The ^(FZ)foolishness of a person ruins his way,
And his heart ^(GA)rages against the Lord.
^4 (GB)Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor person is separated from his friend.
⁵ A ^(GC)false witness will not go unpunished,
And one who ^(GD)declares lies will not escape.
^6 (GE)Many will seek the favor of a ^[cb]generous person,
And every person is a friend to ^(GF)him who gives gifts.
⁷ All the brothers of a poor person hate him;
How much more do his ^(GG)friends abandon him!
He ^(GH)pursues them with words, but they are ^[cc]gone.
⁸ One who gets ^[cd]wisdom loves his own soul;
One who keeps understanding will ^(GI)find good.
⁹ A ^(GJ)false witness will not go unpunished,
And one who declares lies will perish.
¹⁰ Luxury is ^(GK)not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a ^(GL)slave to rule over princes.
¹¹ A person’s ^(GM)discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory ^(GN)to overlook an offense.
¹² A ^(GO)king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like ^(GP)dew on the grass.
¹³ A ^(GQ)foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the ^(GR)quarrels of a wife are a constant dripping.
¹⁴ House and wealth are an ^(GS)inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the Lord.
^15 (GT)Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And ^[ce]a lazy ^[cf]person will suffer hunger.
¹⁶ One who ^(GU)keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But one who ^[cg]is careless of ^[ch]conduct will die.
¹⁷ One who ^(GV)is gracious to a poor person lends to the Lord,
And He will repay him for his ^[ci](GW)good deed.
^18 (GX)Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire ^[cj]his death.
¹⁹ A person of great anger will suffer the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.
^20 (GY)Listen to advice and accept discipline,
So that you may be wise ^[ck]the rest of your days.
²¹ Many ^(GZ)plans are in a person’s heart,
But the ^(HA)advice of the Lord will stand.
²² What is desirable in a person is his ^[cl]kindness,
And it is better to be a poor person than a liar.
^23 [cm]The ^(HB)fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep ^(HC)satisfied, ^[cn](HD)untouched by evil.
²⁴ The ^[co](HE)lazy one buries his hand ^(HF)in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.
^25 (HG)Strike a scoffer and the naive may become clever,
But ^(HH)rebuke one who has understanding, and he will ^[cp]gain knowledge.
²⁶ He ^(HI)who assaults his father and drives his mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son.
²⁷ Stop listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
²⁸ A worthless witness makes a mockery of justice,
And the mouth of the wicked ^[cq](HJ)swallows wrongdoing.
^29 [cr]Judgments are prepared for ^(HK)scoffers,
And ^(HL)beatings for the backs of fools.

20 ^(HM)Wine is a mocker, ^(HN)intoxicating drink a brawler,
And whoever ^[cs]is intoxicated by it is not wise.
² The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
One who provokes him to anger ^[ct](HO)forfeits his own life.
^3 (HP)Avoiding strife is an honor for a person,
But any fool will ^[cu]quarrel.
⁴ The ^[cv](HQ)lazy one does not plow after the autumn,
So he ^[cw]begs during the harvest and has nothing.
⁵ A plan in the heart of a person is like deep water,
But a person of understanding draws it out.
⁶ Many a person ^(HR)proclaims his own loyalty,
But who can find a ^(HS)trustworthy person?
⁷ A righteous person who ^(HT)walks in his integrity—
^(HU)How blessed are his sons after him.
^8 (HV)A king who sits on the throne of justice
^[cx]Disperses all evil with his eyes.
^9 (HW)Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,
I am pure from my sin”?
^10 [cy](HX)Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the Lord.
¹¹ It is by his deeds that a boy ^[cz](HY)distinguishes himself,
If his conduct is pure and right.
¹² The hearing ^(HZ)ear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made both of them.
^13 (IA)Do not love sleep, or you will become poor;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with ^[da]food.
¹⁴ “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts.
¹⁵ There is gold, and an abundance of ^[db]jewels;
But lips of knowledge are a more precious thing.
¹⁶ Take his garment when he becomes guarantor for a stranger;
And for foreigners, seize a pledge from him.
^17 (IB)Bread obtained by a lie is sweet to a person,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
¹⁸ Prepare ^(IC)plans by consultation,
And ^(ID)make war by wise guidance.
¹⁹ One who ^(IE)goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with ^[dc](IF)a gossip.
²⁰ He who ^(IG)curses his father or his mother,
His ^(IH)lamp will go out in time of darkness.
²¹ An inheritance gained in a hurry at the beginning
Will not be blessed in the end.
^22 (II)Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
^(IJ)Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.
^23 [dd](IK)Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And a ^[de](IL)false scale is not good.
^24 (IM)A man’s steps are ordained by the Lord;
How then can a person understand his way?
²⁵ It is a trap for a person to say carelessly, “It is holy!”
And ^(IN)after the vows to make inquiry.
²⁶ A ^(IO)wise king scatters the wicked,
And ^[df]drives a ^(IP)threshing wheel over them.
²⁷ The ^[dg](IQ)spirit of a person is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the ^[dh]innermost parts of his being.
^28 [di]Loyalty and ^(IR)truth watch over the king,
And he upholds his throne by ^[dj]loyalty.
²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength,
And the ^[dk](IS)honor of old men is their gray hair.
^30 (IT)Bruising wounds clean away evil,
And blows cleanse the ^[dl]innermost parts.

21 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;
He ^(IU)turns it wherever He pleases.
^2 (IV)Every person’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord ^(IW)examines the hearts.
³ To do ^(IX)righteousness and justice
Is preferred by the Lord more than sacrifice.
⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
The ^(IY)lamp of the wicked, is sin.
⁵ The plans of the ^(IZ)diligent certainly lead to advantage,
But everyone ^(JA)who is in a hurry certainly comes to poverty.
⁶ The ^(JB)acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor, the ^[dm]pursuit of ^(JC)death.
⁷ The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
Because they ^(JD)refuse to act with justice.
⁸ The way of a guilty person is ^(JE)crooked,
But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.
⁹ It is better to live on a corner of a roof
Than ^[dn]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
¹⁰ The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His ^(JF)neighbor is shown no compassion in his eyes.
¹¹ When the ^(JG)scoffer is punished, the naive becomes wise;
But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
¹² The ^[do]righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Bringing the ^(JH)wicked to ruin.
¹³ One who ^(JI)shuts his ear to the outcry of the poor
Will also call out himself, and not be ^(JJ)answered.
¹⁴ A ^(JK)gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe ^[dp]in an inside pocket, strong wrath.
¹⁵ The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,
But ^(JL)terror to those who practice injustice.
¹⁶ A person who wanders from the way of understanding
Will ^(JM)rest in the assembly of the ^[dq]dead.
¹⁷ One who ^(JN)loves pleasure will become a poor person;
One who loves wine and oil will not become rich.
¹⁸ The wicked is a ^(JO)ransom for the righteous,
And the ^(JP)treacherous is in the place of the upright.
^19 (JQ)It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and irritating woman.
²⁰ There is precious ^(JR)treasure and oil in the home of the wise,
But a foolish person ^(JS)swallows it up.
²¹ One who ^(JT)pursues righteousness and loyalty
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
²² A ^(JU)wise person scales the city of the mighty
And brings down the ^[dr]stronghold in which they trust.
²³ One who ^(JV)guards his mouth and his tongue,
Guards his soul from troubles.
²⁴ “Proud,” “Arrogant,” “^(JW)Scoffer,” are his names,
One who acts with ^(JX)insolent pride.
²⁵ The ^(JY)desire of the ^[ds]lazy one puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;
²⁶ All day long he ^[dt]is craving,
While the righteous ^(JZ)gives and does not hold back.
²⁷ The ^(KA)sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
How much more when he brings it with evil intent!
²⁸ A ^(KB)false witness will perish,
But a person who listens will speak forever.
²⁹ A wicked person ^[du](KC)displays a bold face,
But as for the ^(KD)upright, he makes his way sure.
³⁰ There is ^(KE)no wisdom, no understanding,
And no ^[dv]plan against the Lord.
³¹ The ^(KF)horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But the ^(KG)victory belongs to the Lord.

22 A ^(KH)good name is to be more desired than great wealth;
Favor is better than silver and gold.
² The rich and the poor ^[dw]have a common bond,
The Lord is the ^(KI)Maker of them all.
³ A ^(KJ)prudent person sees evil and hides himself,
But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty.
⁴ The reward of humility and ^[dx]the fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor, and life.
^5 (KK)Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
One who guards himself will be far from them.
^6 (KL)Train up a child ^[dy]in the way he should go,
Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.
⁷ The ^(KM)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.
⁸ One who ^(KN)sows injustice will reap disaster,
And the ^(KO)rod of his fury will perish.
⁹ One who ^[dz]is ^(KP)generous will be blessed,
Because he ^(KQ)gives some of his food to the poor.
^10 (KR)Drive out the scoffer, and strife will leave,
Even quarreling and dishonor will cease.
¹¹ One who loves ^(KS)purity of heart
And ^[ea]whose speech is ^(KT)gracious, the king is his friend.
¹² The eyes of the Lord protect knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the treacherous person.
¹³ The ^[eb](KU)lazy one says, “There is a lion outside;
I will be killed in the streets!”
¹⁴ The mouth of ^[ec](KV)an adulteress is a deep pit;
He who is ^(KW)cursed of the Lord will fall ^[ed]into it.
¹⁵ Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The ^(KX)rod of discipline will remove it far from him.
¹⁶ One ^(KY)who oppresses the poor to make ^[ee]more for himself,
Or gives to the rich, ^(KZ)will only come to poverty.