Don’t be one of those who enter agreements,
who put up security for loans.

If you have no money to pay,
even your bed will be taken from under you.

for it’s like someone calculating inwardly.
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.

Don’t withhold discipline from a youth;
if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.

For a prostitute is a deep pit,
and a stranger is a narrow well;

“They struck me, but I feel no pain!
They beat me, but I didn’t know it!
When will I wake up?
I’ll look for another drink.”

>

If you say, “But we didn’t know about this,”
won’t He who weighs hearts consider it?
Won’t He who protects your life know?
Won’t He repay a person according to his work?

Though a righteous man falls seven times,
he will get up,
but the wicked will stumble into ruin.

For the evil have no future;
the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

but it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
and a generous blessing will come to them.

A door turns on its hinges,
and a slacker, on his bed.

The one who digs a pit will fall into it,
and whoever rolls a stone—
it will come back on him.

A stone is heavy and sand, a burden,
but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.

Fury is cruel, and anger a flood,
but who can withstand jealousy?

The wounds of a friend are trustworthy,
but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.

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

Take his garment,
for he has put up security for a stranger;
get collateral if it is for foreigners.

The wicked flee when no one is pursuing them,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

When a land is in rebellion, it has many rulers,
but with a discerning and knowledgeable person, it endures.

Those who reject the law praise the wicked,
but those who keep the law battle against them.

Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek the Lord understand everything.

A discerning son keeps the law,
but a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.

The one who leads the upright into an evil way
will fall into his own pit,
but the blameless will inherit what is good.

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.

The one who conceals his sins
will not prosper,
but whoever confesses and renounces them
will find mercy.

Happy is the one who is always reverent,
but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

A leader who lacks understanding
is very oppressive,
but one who hates dishonest profit
prolongs his life.

The one who lives with integrity will be helped,
but one who distorts right and wrong
will suddenly fall.

The one who works his land
will have plenty of food,
but whoever chases fantasies
will have his fill of poverty.

A faithful man will have many blessings,
but one in a hurry to get rich
will not go unpunished.

A greedy person provokes conflict,
but whoever trusts in the Lord will prosper.

The one who trusts in himself is a fool,
but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.

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.

>

When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice,
but when the wicked rule, people groan.

A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but one who consorts with prostitutes destroys his wealth.

By justice a king brings stability to a land,
but a man who demands “contributions”
demolishes it.

An evil man is caught by sin,
but the righteous one sings and rejoices.

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

Mockers inflame a city,
but the wise turn away anger.

If a wise man goes to court with a fool,
there will be ranting and raving but no resolution.

Bloodthirsty men hate an honest person,
but the upright care about him.

A fool gives full vent to his anger,
but a wise man holds it in check.

A rod of correction imparts wisdom,
but a youth left to himself
is a disgrace to his mother.

When the wicked increase, rebellion increases,
but the righteous will see their downfall.

Without revelation people run wild,
but one who listens to instruction will be happy.

A person’s pride will humble him,
but a humble spirit will gain honor.

To be a thief’s partner is to hate oneself;
he hears the curse but will not testify.

The fear of man is a snare,
but the one who trusts in the Lord is protected.

Many seek a ruler’s favor,
but a man receives justice from the Lord.

If you have been foolish by exalting yourself
or if you’ve been scheming,
put your hand over your mouth.

She makes her own bed coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.

“Many women are capable,
but you surpass them all!”

Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting,
but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.

A generation goes and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.

I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile.

The wise man has eyes in his head,
but the fool walks in darkness.

Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both.

When there is a man whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great wrong.

For to the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end.

But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.

Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm?

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings.

The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich permits him no sleep.

That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed.

God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor so that he lacks nothing of all he desires for himself, but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a sickening tragedy.

And if he lives a thousand years twice, but does not experience happiness, do not both go to the same place?

Whatever exists was given its name long ago, and it is known what man is. But he is not able to contend with the One stronger than he.

The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in a house of pleasure.

for like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot,
so is the laughter of the fool.
This too is futile.

In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man cannot discover anything that will come after him.

I have tested all this by wisdom. I resolved, “I will be wise,” but it was beyond me.

And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a trap, her heart a net, and her hands chains. The one who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

which my soul continually searches for but does not find: among a thousand people I have found one true man, but among all these I have not found a true woman.

Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright, but they pursued many schemes.”

Do not be in a hurry; leave his presence, and don’t persist in a bad cause, since he will do whatever he wants.

Everything is the same for everyone: there is one fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as for the one who takes an oath, so for the one who fears an oath.

But there is hope for whoever is joined with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion.

For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten.

And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner can destroy much good.

A wise man’s heart goes to the right,
but a fool’s heart to the left.

The fool is appointed to great heights,
but the rich remain in lowly positions.

I have seen slaves on horses,
but princes walking on the ground like slaves.

The one who digs a pit may fall into it,
and the one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.

The words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious,
but the lips of a fool consume him.

The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly,
but the end of his speaking is evil madness.

Rejoice, young man, while you are young,
and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth.
And walk in the ways of your heart
and in the sight of your eyes;
but know that for all of these things God will bring you to judgment.

Remove sorrow from your heart,
and put away pain from your flesh,
because youth and the prime of life are fleeting.

But beyond these, my son, be warned: there is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.

W How handsome you are, my love.
How delightful!
Our bed is lush with foliage;

In my bed at night
I sought the one I love;
I sought him, but did not find him.

I will arise now and go about the city,
through the streets and the plazas.
I will seek the one I love.
I sought him, but did not find him.

W I sleep, but my heart is awake.
A sound! My love is knocking!

M Open to me, my sister, my darling,
my dove, my perfect one.
For my head is drenched with dew,
my hair with droplets of the night.

W I have taken off my clothing.
How can I put it back on?
I have washed my feet.
How can I get them dirty?

I opened to my love,
but my love had turned and gone away.
I was crushed that he had left.
I sought him, but did not find him.
I called him, but he did not answer.

The guards who go about the city found me.
They beat and wounded me;
they took my cloak from me—
the guardians of the walls.

But my dove, my virtuous one, is unique;
she is the favorite of her mother,
perfect to the one who gave her birth.
Women see her and declare her fortunate;
queens and concubines also, and they sing her praises: