for she is more profitable than silver,
and her revenue is better than gold.

in the end she’s as bitter as wormwood
and as sharp as a double-edged sword.

For wisdom is better than jewels,
and nothing desirable can compare with it.

My fruit is better than solid gold,
and my harvest than pure silver.

Better to be dishonored, yet have a servant,
than to act important but have no food.

Better a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure with turmoil.

Better a meal of vegetables where there is love
than a fattened ox with hatred.

Better a little with righteousness
than great income with injustice.

Get wisdom—
how much better it is than gold!
And get understanding—
it is preferable to silver.

Better to be lowly of spirit with the humble
than to divide plunder with the proud.

Patience is better than power,
and controlling one’s temper, than capturing a city.

Better a dry crust with peace
than a house full of feasting with strife.

Better for a man to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool in his foolishness.

Better a poor man who lives with integrity
than someone who has deceitful lips and is a fool.

What is desirable in a man is his fidelity;
better to be a poor man than a liar.

Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.

Better to live in a wilderness
than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.

A good name is to be chosen over great wealth;
favor is better than silver and gold.

A wise warrior is better than a strong one,
and a man of knowledge than one of strength;

for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here!”
than to demote you in plain view of a noble.

Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.

Better an open reprimand
than concealed love.

A person who is full tramples on a honeycomb,
but to a hungry person, any bitter thing is sweet.

Oil and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the sweetness of a friend is better than self-counsel.

Don’t abandon your friend or your father’s friend,
and don’t go to your brother’s house
in your time of calamity;
better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

Better a poor man who lives with integrity
than a rich man who distorts right and wrong.

For the churning of milk produces butter,
and twisting a nose draws blood,
and stirring up anger produces strife.

Give beer to one who is dying
and wine to one whose life is bitter.