The wise will hear and increase their learning,
And the person of understanding will acquire wise counsel and the skill [to steer his course wisely and lead others to the truth],

“How long, O naive ones [you who are easily misled], will you love being simple-minded and undiscerning?
How long will scoffers [who ridicule and deride] delight in scoffing,
How long will fools [who obstinately mock truth] hate knowledge?

“If you will turn and pay attention to my rebuke,
Behold, I [Wisdom] will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.

I also will laugh at your disaster;
I will mock when your dread and panic come,

“Then they will call upon me (Wisdom), but I will not answer;
They will seek me eagerly but they will not find me,

My son, if you will receive my words
And treasure my commandments within you,

Then you will understand the [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome]
And discover the knowledge of God.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice [in every circumstance]
And integrity and every good path.

In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].

And they will be life to your soul (your inner self)
And a gracious adornment to your neck (your outer self).

Then you will walk on your way [of life] securely
And your foot will not stumble.

Do not be afraid of sudden fear
Nor of the storm of the wicked when it comes [since you will be blameless];

Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.

“Do not turn away from her (Wisdom) and she will guard and protect you;
Love her, and she will watch over you.

“Prize wisdom [and exalt her], and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.

“She will place on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty and glory.”

When you walk, your steps will not be impeded [for your path will be clear and open];
And when you run, you will not stumble.

He will die for lack of instruction (discipline),
And in the greatness of his foolishness he will go astray and be lost.

How long will you lie down, O lazy one?
When will you arise from your sleep [and learn self-discipline]?

So your poverty will come like an approaching prowler who walks [slowly, but surely]
And your need [will come] like an armed man [making you helpless].

So is the one who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her will not be found innocent or go unpunished.

Wounds and disgrace he will find,
And his reproach (blame) will not be blotted out.

For jealousy enrages the [wronged] husband;
He will not spare [the guilty one] on the day of vengeance.

He will not accept any ransom [offered to buy him off from demanding full punishment];
Nor will he be satisfied though you offer him many gifts (bribes).

He has taken a bag of money with him,
And he will come home on the appointed day.”

Until an arrow pierced his liver [with a mortal wound];
Like a bird fluttering straight into the net,
He did not know that it would cost him his life.

“Listen, for I will speak excellent and noble things;
And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.

Do not correct a scoffer [who foolishly ridicules and takes no responsibility for his error] or he will hate you;
Correct a wise man [who learns from his error], and he will love you.

Give instruction to a wise man and he will become even wiser;
Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself [for your own benefit];
If you scoff [thoughtlessly ridicule and disdain], you alone will pay the penalty.

The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger [God will meet all his needs],
But He will reject and cast away the craving of the wicked.

The wise in heart [are willing to learn so they] will accept and obey commands (instruction),
But the babbling fool [who is arrogant and thinks himself wise] will come to ruin.

He who [maliciously] winks the eye [of evil intent] causes trouble;
And the babbling fool [who is arrogant and thinks himself wise] will come to ruin.

If the righteous will be rewarded on the earth [with godly blessings],
How much more [will] the wicked and the sinner [be repaid with punishment]!

The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the negligent and lazy will be put to forced labor.

Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles,
But he who gathers gradually by [honest] labor will increase [his riches].

A faithful and trustworthy witness will not lie,
But a false witness speaks lies.

Leave the presence of a [shortsighted] fool,
For you will not find knowledge or hear godly wisdom from his lips.

There is severe discipline for him who turns from the way [of righteousness];
And he who hates correction will die.

A scoffer [unlike a wise man] resents one who rebukes him and tries to teach him;
Nor will he go to the wise [for counsel and instruction].

He who profits unlawfully brings suffering to his own house,
But he who hates bribes [and does not receive nor pay them] will live.

The ear that listens to and learns from the life-giving rebuke (reprimand, censure)
Will remain among the wise.

Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him],
And your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance].

Everyone who is proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting and exceedingly offensive to the Lord;
Be assured he will not go unpunished.

The wrath of a king is like a messenger of death,
But a wise man will appease it.

He who has a crooked mind finds no good,
And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil.

The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin,
But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother.

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

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

A man of great anger will bear the penalty [for his quick temper and lack of self-control];
For if you rescue him [and do not let him learn from the consequences of his action], you will only have to rescue him over and over again.

Many plans are in a man’s mind,
But it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand (be carried out).

The lazy man buries his hand in the [food] dish,
But will not even bring it to his mouth again.

Strike a scoffer [for refusing to learn], and the naive may [be warned and] become prudent;
Reprimand one who has understanding and a teachable spirit, and he will gain knowledge and insight.

It is an honor for a man to keep away from strife [by handling situations with thoughtful foresight],
But any fool will [start a] quarrel [without regard for the consequences].

Do not love [excessive] sleep, or you will become poor;
Open your eyes [so that you can do your work] and you will be satisfied with bread.

Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel [just as sin may be sweet at first, but later its consequences bring despair].

An inheritance hastily gained [by greedy, unjust means] at the beginning
Will not be blessed in the end.

Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
Wait [expectantly] for the Lord, and He will rescue and save you.

Whoever shuts his ears at the cry of the poor
Will cry out himself and not be answered.

He who loves [only selfish] pleasure will become a poor man;
He who loves and is devoted to wine and [olive] oil will not become rich.

He who earnestly seeks righteousness and loyalty
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.

A false witness will perish,
But a man who listens to the truth will speak forever and go unchallenged.

Thorns and snares are in the way of the obstinate [for their lack of honor and their wrong-doing traps them];
He who guards himself [with godly wisdom] will be far from them and avoid the consequences they suffer.

Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents],
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

He who sows injustice will reap [a harvest of] trouble,
And the rod of his wrath [with which he oppresses others] will fail.

Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go away;
Even strife and dishonor will cease.

He who loves purity of heart
And whose speech is gracious will have the king as his friend.

The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit [deep and inescapable];
He who is cursed by the Lord [because of his adulterous sin] will fall into it.

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The rod of discipline [correction administered with godly wisdom and lovingkindness] will remove it far from him.

He who oppresses or exploits the poor to get more for himself
Or who gives to the rich [to gain influence and favor], will only come to poverty.

For it will be pleasant if you keep them in mind [incorporating them as guiding principles];
Let them be ready on your lips [to guide and strengthen yourself and others].

For the Lord will plead their case
And take the life of those who rob them.

Do you see a man skillful and experienced in his work?
He will stand [in honor] before kings;
He will not stand before obscure men.

For you will put a knife to your throat
If you are a man of great appetite.

When you set your eyes on wealth, it is [suddenly] gone.
For wealth certainly makes itself wings
Like an eagle that flies to the heavens.

The morsel which you have eaten you will vomit up,
And you will waste your compliments.

Do not speak in the ears of a fool,
For he will despise the [godly] wisdom of your words.

For their Redeemer is strong and mighty;
He will plead their case against you.

Do not withhold discipline from the child;
If you swat him with a reed-like rod [applied with godly wisdom], he will not die.

My son, if your heart is wise,
My heart will also be glad;

Yes, my heart will rejoice
When your lips speak right things.

Your [drunken] eyes will see strange things
And your mind will utter perverse things [untrue things, twisted things].

And you will be [as unsteady] as one who lies down in the middle of the sea,
And [as vulnerable to disaster] as one who lies down on the top of a ship’s mast, saying,

“They struck me, but I was not hurt!
They beat me, but I did not feel it!
When will I wake up?
I will seek more wine.”

He who plans to do evil
Will be called a schemer or deviser of evil.

For their tragedy will rise suddenly,
And who knows the punishment that both [the Lord and the king] will bring on the rebellious?

He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Peoples will curse him, nations will denounce him;

But to those [honorable judges] who rebuke the wicked, it will go well with them and they will find delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.

Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me;
I will pay the man back for his deed.”

Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne will be established in righteousness.

For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire upon his head,
And the Lord will reward you.

Whoever digs a pit [for another man’s feet] will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone [up a hill to do mischief], it will come back on him.

He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning,
It will be counted as a curse to him [for it will either be annoying or his purpose will be suspect].

Even though you pound a [hardened, arrogant] fool [who rejects wisdom] in a mortar with a pestle like grain,
Yet his foolishness will not leave him.

The lambs will supply wool for your clothing,
And the goats will bring the price of a field.

And there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And for the maintenance of your maids.

When a land does wrong, it has many princes,
But when the ruler is a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability endures.

He who leads the upright astray on an evil path
Will himself fall into his own pit,
But the blameless will inherit good.

The rich man [who is conceited and relies on his wealth instead of God] is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor man who has understanding [because he relies on God] is able to see through him.

He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and turns away from his sins will find compassion and mercy.