A wise man will hear and increase in learning,
And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,

To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things;

So you will walk in the way of good men
And keep to the paths of the righteous.

So you will find favor and good repute
In the sight of God and man.

How blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who gains understanding.

Do not contend with a man without cause,
If he has done you no harm.

Do not envy a man of violence
And do not choose any of his ways.

Do not enter the path of the wicked
And do not proceed in the way of evil men.

For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord,
And He watches all his paths.

Your poverty will come in like a vagabond
And your need like an armed man.

A worthless person, a wicked man,
Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth,

Can a man take fire in his bosom
And his clothes not be burned?

Or can a man walk on hot coals
And his feet not be scorched?

Men do not despise a thief if he steals
To satisfy himself when he is hungry;

For jealousy enrages a man,
And he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

And I saw among the naive,
And discerned among the youths
A young man lacking sense,

He has taken a bag of money with him,
At the full moon he will come home.”

“To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.

“Counsel is mine and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, power is mine.

Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
And having my delight in the sons of men.

“Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at my doorposts.

He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,
And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself.

Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,
Reprove a wise man and he will love you.

Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser,
Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

Wise men store up knowledge,
But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

The rich man’s wealth is his fortress,
The ruin of the poor is their poverty.

Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool,
And so is wisdom to a man of understanding.

When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish,
And the hope of strong men perishes.

With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,
But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.

He who despises his neighbor lacks sense,
But a man of understanding keeps silent.

A gracious woman attains honor,
And ruthless men attain riches.

The merciful man does himself good,
But the cruel man does himself harm.

Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished,
But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered.

The generous man will be prosperous,
And he who waters will himself be watered.

A good man will obtain favor from the Lord,
But He will condemn a man who devises evil.

A man will not be established by wickedness,
But the root of the righteous will not be moved.

A man will be praised according to his insight,
But one of perverse mind will be despised.

A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

The wicked man desires the booty of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields fruit.

An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
But the righteous will escape from trouble.

A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words,
And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

A fool’s anger is known at once,
But a prudent man conceals dishonor.

A prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims folly.

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,
But a good word makes it glad.

A lazy man does not roast his prey,
But the precious possession of a man is diligence.

From the fruit of a man’s mouth he enjoys good,
But the desire of the treacherous is violence.

A righteous man hates falsehood,
But a wicked man acts disgustingly and shamefully.

The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
But the poor hears no rebuke.

Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool displays folly.

He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

There is a way which seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

The backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways,
But a good man will be satisfied with his.

The naive believes everything,
But the sensible man considers his steps.

A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless.

A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of evil devices is hated.

Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord,
How much more the hearts of men!

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger calms a dispute.

A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man despises his mother.

Folly is joy to him who lacks sense,
But a man of understanding walks straight.

A man has joy in an apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely word!

The plans of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,
But the Lord weighs the motives.

When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

The mind of man plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.

The fury of a king is like messengers of death,
But a wise man will appease it.

There is a way which seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

A worthless man digs up evil,
While his words are like scorching fire.

A perverse man spreads strife,
And a slanderer separates intimate friends.

A man of violence entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.

Grandchildren are the crown of old men,
And the glory of sons is their fathers.

A rebellious man seeks only evil,
So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.

A man lacking in sense pledges
And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.

A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom
To pervert the ways of justice.

He who restrains his words has knowledge,
And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

When a wicked man comes, contempt also comes,
And with dishonor comes scorn.

The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own imagination.

Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,
But humility goes before honor.

The spirit of a man can endure his sickness,
But as for a broken spirit who can bear it?

A man’s gift makes room for him
And brings him before great men.

With the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.

The poor man utters supplications,
But the rich man answers roughly.

A man of too many friends comes to ruin,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.

The foolishness of man ruins his way,
And his heart rages against the Lord.

Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend.

Many will seek the favor of a generous man,
And every man is a friend to him who gives gifts.

All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his friends abandon him!
He pursues them with words, but they are gone.

A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.

Laziness casts into a deep sleep,
And an idle man will suffer hunger.

One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord,
And He will repay him for his good deed.

A man of great anger will bear the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.

Many plans are in a man’s heart,
But the counsel of the Lord will stand.

What is desirable in a man is his kindness,
And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.

Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man,
But any fool will quarrel.

A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding draws it out.

Many a man proclaims his own loyalty,
But who can find a trustworthy man?