If you respond to my warning,
then I will pour out my spirit on you
and teach you my words.

When it is in your power,
don’t withhold good from the one it belongs to.

Do this, then, my son, and free yourself,
for you have put yourself in your neighbor’s power:
Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor.

Accept my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than pure gold.

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

If you are wise, you are wise for your own benefit;
if you mock, you alone will bear the consequences.”

Idle hands make one poor,
but diligent hands bring riches.

A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city;
the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

The tongue of the righteous is pure silver;
the heart of the wicked is of little value.

One person gives freely,
yet gains more;
another withholds what is right,
only to become poor.

One man pretends to be rich but has nothing;
another pretends to be poor but has great wealth.

Riches are a ransom for a man’s life,
but a poor man hears no threat.

The uncultivated field of the poor yields abundant food,
but without justice, it is swept away.

A poor man is hated even by his neighbor,
but there are many who love the rich.

The one who despises his neighbor sins,
but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.

The one who oppresses the poor person insults his Maker,
but one who is kind to the needy honors Him.

The Lord detests the plans of an evil man,
but pleasant words are pure.

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

The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker,
and one who rejoices over calamity
will not go unpunished.

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

A foolish son is grief to his father
and bitterness to the one who bore him.

Life and death are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.

The poor man pleads,
but the rich one answers roughly.

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

Wealth attracts many friends,
but a poor man is separated from his friend.

All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
how much more do his friends
keep their distance from him!
He may pursue them with words,
but they are not there.

Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord,
and He will give a reward to the lender.

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

Wine is a mocker, beer is a brawler,
and whoever staggers because of them is not wise.

Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;
I am cleansed from my sin”?

Even a young man is known by his actions—
if his behavior is pure and upright.

Don’t love sleep, or you will become poor;
open your eyes, and you’ll have enough to eat.

“It’s worthless, it’s worthless!” the buyer says,
but after he is on his way, he gloats.

The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,
but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.

The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
will himself also call out and not be answered.

The one who loves pleasure will become a poor man;
whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich.

The rich and the poor have this in common:
the Lord made them both.

The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is a slave to the lender.

A generous person will be blessed,
for he shares his food with the poor.

The one who loves a pure heart
and gracious lips—the king is his friend.

Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself,
and giving to the rich—both lead only to poverty.

Don’t rob a poor man because he is poor,
and don’t crush the oppressed at the gate,

For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor,
and grogginess will clothe them in rags.

A destitute leader who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no food.

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

Whoever increases his wealth through excessive interest
collects it for one who is kind to the poor.

A rich man is wise in his own eyes,
but a poor man who has discernment sees through him.

When the righteous triumph,
there is great rejoicing,
but when the wicked come to power,
people hide themselves.

A wicked ruler over a helpless people
is like a roaring lion or a charging bear.

The one who gives to the poor
will not be in need,
but one who turns his eyes away
will receive many curses.

When the wicked come to power,
people hide,
but when they are destroyed,
the righteous flourish.

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The righteous person knows the rights of the poor,
but the wicked one does not understand these concerns.

The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.

A king who judges the poor with fairness—
his throne will be established forever.

Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
yet is not washed from its filth.

The earth trembles under three things;
it cannot bear up under four:

It is not for kings, Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine
or for rulers to desire beer.

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

Her hands reach out to the poor,
and she extends her hands to the needy.