The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall [of protection] in his own imagination and conceit.

The spirit of a man sustains him in sickness,
But as for a broken spirit, who can bear it?

A man’s gift [given in love or courtesy] makes room for him
And brings him before great men.

A man’s stomach will be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth;
He will be satisfied with the consequence of his words.

The poor man pleads,
But the rich man answers roughly.

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.

Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
Than a [rich] man who is twisted in his speech and is a [shortsighted] fool.

The foolishness of man undermines his way [ruining whatever he undertakes];
Then his heart is resentful and rages against the Lord [for, being a fool, he blames the Lord instead of himself].

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

Many will seek the favor of a generous and noble man,
And everyone 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.

Good sense and discretion make a man slow to anger,
And it is his honor and glory to overlook a transgression or an offense [without seeking revenge and harboring resentment].

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).

That which is desirable in a man is his loyalty and unfailing love,
But it is better to be a poor man than a [wealthy] liar.

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].

A plan (motive, wise counsel) in the heart of a man is like water in a deep well,
But a man of understanding draws it out.

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

The righteous man who walks in integrity and lives life in accord with his [godly] beliefs—
How blessed [happy and spiritually secure] are his children after him [who have his example to follow].

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].

Man’s steps are ordered and ordained by the Lord.
How then can a man [fully] understand his way?

It is a trap for a man to [speak a vow of consecration and] say rashly, “It is holy!”
And [not until] afterward consider [whether he can fulfill it].

The spirit (conscience) of man is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching and examining all the innermost parts of his being.

The glory of young men is their [physical] strength,
And the honor of aged men is their gray head [representing wisdom and experience].

Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord weighs and examines the hearts [of people and their motives].

When the scoffer is punished, the naive [observes the lesson and] becomes wise;
But when the wise and teachable person is instructed, he receives knowledge.

The righteous one keeps an eye on the house of the wicked—
How the wicked are cast down to ruin.

A man who wanders from the way of understanding (godly wisdom)
Will remain in the assembly of the dead.

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.

There is precious treasure and oil in the house of the wise [who prepare for the future],
But a short-sighted and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it.

A wise man scales the city [walls] of the mighty
And brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

“Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names
Who acts with overbearing and insolent pride.

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

A wicked man puts on a bold face,
But as for the upright, he considers, directs, and establishes his way [with the confidence of integrity].

A prudent and far-sighted person sees the evil [of sin] and hides himself [from it],
But the naive continue on and are punished [by suffering the consequences of sin].

Do not even associate with a man given to angry outbursts;
Or go [along] with a hot-tempered man,

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.

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

For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty,
And the drowsiness [of overindulgence] will clothe one with rags.

She lurks and lies in wait like a robber [who waits for prey],
And she increases the faithless among men.

Do not be envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;

A wise man is strong,
And a man of knowledge strengthens his power;

The devising of folly is sin,
And the scoffer is repulsive to men.

If you [claim ignorance and] say, “See, we did not know this,”
Does He not consider it who weighs and examines the hearts and their motives?
And does He not know it who guards your life and keeps your soul?
And will He not repay [you and] every man according to his works?

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not destroy his resting place;

For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,
But the wicked stumble in time of disaster and collapse.

For there will be no future for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

He kisses the lips [and wins the hearts of people]
Who gives a right and straightforward answer.

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

I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man lacking understanding and common sense;

Then your poverty will come as a robber,
And your want like an armed man.

These are also the proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:

Do not be boastfully ambitious and claim honor in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of great men;

Like a club and a sword and a piercing arrow
Is a man who testifies falsely against his neighbor (acquaintance).

Like a broken tooth or an unsteady foot
Is confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble.

Like a muddied fountain and a polluted spring
Is a righteous man who yields and compromises his integrity before the wicked.

It is not good to eat much honey,
Nor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory.

Like the legs which are useless to the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of a fool [who cannot learn from its wisdom].

Like a thorn that goes [without being felt] into the hand of a drunken man,
So is a proverb in the mouth of a fool [who remains unaffected by its wisdom].

Do you see a man [who is unteachable and] wise in his own eyes and full of self-conceit?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

As the door turns on its hinges,
So does the lazy person on his bed [never getting out of it].

The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven [sensible] men who can give a discreet answer.

So is the man who deceives his neighbor (acquaintance, friend)
And then says, “Was I not joking?”

Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.

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.

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.

Like a bird that wanders from her nest [with its comfort and safety],
So is a man who wanders from his home.

A prudent man sees evil and hides himself and avoids it,
But the naive [who are easily misled] continue on and are punished [by suffering the consequences of sin].

As iron sharpens iron,
So one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion].

As in water face reflects face,
So the heart of man reflects man.

Sheol (the place of the dead) and Abaddon (the underworld) are never satisfied;
Nor are the eyes of man ever satisfied.

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold [to separate the impurities of the metal],
And each is tested by the praise given to him [and his response to it, whether humble or proud].

The wicked flee when no one pursues them,
But the righteous are as bold as a lion.

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

A poor man who oppresses and exploits the lowly
Is like a sweeping rain which leaves no food.

Those who set aside the law [of God and man] praise the wicked,
But those who keep the law [of God and man] struggle with them.

Evil men do not understand justice,
But they who long for and seek the Lord understand it fully.

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than he who is crooked and two-faced though he is rich.

He who keeps the law [of God and man] is a wise and discerning son,
But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father [and himself].

He who turns his ear away from listening to the law [of God and man],
Even his prayer is repulsive [to God].

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.

When the righteous triumph, there is great glory and celebration;
But when the wicked rise [to prominence], men hide themselves.

Blessed and favored by God is the man who fears [sin and its consequence] at all times,
But he who hardens his heart [and is determined to sin] will fall into disaster.

A man who is burdened with the guilt of human blood (murder)
Will be a fugitive until death; let no one support him or give him refuge.

A faithful (right-minded) man will abound with blessings,
But he who hurries to be rich will not go unpunished.

To have regard for one person over another and to show favoritism is not good,
Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

He who [appropriately] reprimands a [wise] man will afterward find more favor
Than he who flatters with the tongue.

When the wicked rise [to power], men hide themselves;
But when the wicked perish, the [consistently] righteous increase and become great.

When the righteous are in authority and become great, the people rejoice;
But when the wicked man rules, the people groan and sigh.

A man who flatters his neighbor [with smooth words intending to do harm]
Is spreading a net for his own feet.

By his wicked plan an evil man is trapped,
But the righteous man sings and rejoices [for his plan brings good things to him].

The righteous man cares for the rights of the poor,
But the wicked man has no interest in such knowledge.

Scoffers set a city afire [by stirring up trouble],
But wise men turn away anger [and restore order with their good judgment].

If a wise man has a controversy with a foolish and arrogant man,
The foolish man [ignores logic and fairness and] only rages or laughs, and there is no peace (rest, agreement).

The bloodthirsty hate the blameless [because of his integrity],
But the upright are concerned for his life.

A [shortsighted] fool always loses his temper and displays his anger,
But a wise man [uses self-control and] holds it back.

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

Where there is no vision [no revelation of God and His word], the people are unrestrained;
But happy and blessed is he who keeps the law [of God].