For their feet to evil do run, And they haste to shed blood.

A heart devising thoughts of vanity -- Feet hasting to run to evil --

By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,

The wise lay up knowledge, and the mouth of a fool is near ruin.

The wealth of the rich is his strong city, The ruin of the poor is their poverty.

The way of Jehovah is strength to the perfect, And ruin to workers of iniquity.

Whoso is keeping his mouth, is keeping his soul, Whoso is opening wide his lips -- ruin to him!

In the multitude of a people is the honour of a king, And in lack of people the ruin of a prince.

In the light of a king's face is life, And his good-will is as a cloud of the latter rain.

The mouth of a fool is ruin to him, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

To do justice is joy to the righteous, But ruin to workers of iniquity.

For suddenly doth their calamity rise, And the ruin of them both -- who knoweth!

Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, Is a man boasting himself in a false gift.

A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue -- indignant faces.

As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour is not comely for a fool.

A continual dropping in a day of rain, And a woman of contentions are alike,

A man -- poor and oppressing the weak, Is a sweeping rain, and there is no bread.