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.

To let you know the certainty of the words of truth,
That you may give a correct answer to him who sent you?

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

Do not be among those who give pledges [involving themselves in others’ finances],
Or among those who become guarantors for others’ debts.

When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
Consider carefully what is [set] before you;

Do not eat the bread of a selfish man,
Or desire his delicacies;

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he [in behavior—one who manipulates].
He says to you, “Eat and drink,”
Yet his heart is not with you [but it is begrudging the cost].

Listen to your father, who sired you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And he who sires a wise child will have joy in him.

Let your father and your mother be glad,
And let her who gave birth to you rejoice [in your wise and godly choices].

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Whose eyes are red and dim?

Those who linger long over wine,
Those who go to taste mixed wine.

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,

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

Rescue those who are being taken away to death,
And those who stagger to the slaughter, Oh hold them back [from their doom]!

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?

My son, fear the Lord and the king;
And do not associate with those who are given to change [of allegiance, and are revolutionary],

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.

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

Or he who hears it will shame you
And the rumor about you [and your action in court] will have no end.

Like the cold of snow [brought from the mountains] in the time of harvest,
So is a faithful messenger to those who send him;
For he refreshes the life of his masters.

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

Like one who takes off a garment in cold weather, or like [a reactive, useless mixture of] vinegar on soda,
Is he who [thoughtlessly] sings [joyful] songs to a heavy heart.

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

Like a city that is broken down and without walls [leaving it unprotected]
Is a man who has no self-control over his spirit [and sets himself up for trouble].

He who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Cuts off his own feet (sabotages himself) and drinks the violence [it brings on himself as a consequence].

Like one who [absurdly] binds a stone in a sling [making it impossible to throw],
So is he who [absurdly] gives honor to a fool.

Like a [careless] archer who [shoots arrows wildly and] wounds everyone,
So is he who hires a fool or those who [by chance just] pass by.

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

Like one who grabs a dog by the ears [and is likely to be bitten]
Is he who, passing by, stops to meddle with a dispute that is none of his business.

Like a madman who throws
Firebrands, arrows, and death,

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

He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
But he stores up deceit in his heart.

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.

Wrath is cruel and anger is an overwhelming flood,
But who is able to endure and stand before [the sin of] jealousy?

He who is satisfied loathes honey,
But to the hungry soul any bitter thing is sweet.

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

Do not abandon your own friend and your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster.
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.

My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
That I may reply to him who reproaches (reprimands, criticizes) me.

[The judge tells the creditor,] “Take the garment of one who is surety (guarantees a loan) for a stranger;
And hold him in pledge when he is surety for an immoral woman [for it is unlikely the debt will be repaid].”

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].

He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit,
And he who faithfully protects and cares for his master will be honored.

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 increases his wealth by interest and usury (excessive interest)
Gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor.

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.

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

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 leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding and common sense [and his wickedness shortens his days],
But he who hates unjust gain will [be blessed and] prolong his days.

He who walks blamelessly and uprightly will be kept safe,
But he who is crooked (perverse) will suddenly fall.

He who cultivates his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows worthless people and frivolous pursuits will have plenty of poverty.

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

He who has an evil and envious eye hurries to be rich
And does not know that poverty will come upon him.

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

An arrogant and greedy man stirs up strife,
But he who trusts in the Lord will be blessed and prosper.

He who trusts confidently in his own heart is a [dull, thickheaded] fool,
But he who walks in [skillful and godly] wisdom will be rescued.

He who gives to the poor will never want,
But he who shuts his eyes [from their need] will have many curses.

He who hardens his neck and refuses instruction after being often reproved (corrected, criticized),
Will suddenly be broken beyond repair.

A man who loves [skillful and godly] wisdom makes his father joyful,
But he who associates with prostitutes wastes his wealth.

The king establishes (stabilizes) the land by justice,
But a man who takes bribes overthrows it.

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

If a king faithfully and truthfully judges the poor,
His throne shall be established forever.

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].

A servant will not be corrected by words alone;
For though he understands, he will not respond [nor pay attention].

Do you see a [conceited] man who speaks quickly [offering his opinions or answering without thinking]?
There is more hope for a [thickheaded] fool than for him.

He who pampers his slave from childhood
Will find him to be a son in the end.

A man’s pride and sense of self-importance will bring him down,
But he who has a humble spirit will obtain honor.

Whoever is partner with a thief hates his own life;
He hears the curse [when swearing an oath to testify], but discloses nothing [and commits perjury by omission].

An unjust man is repulsive to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way [of the Lord] is repulsive to the wicked.

Who has ascended into heaven and descended?
Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound the waters in His garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son’s name?
Certainly you know!

Every word of God is tested and refined [like silver];
He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him.

So that I will not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or that I will not be poor and steal,
And so profane the name of my God.

There is a generation (class of people) that curses its father
And does not bless its mother.

There is a generation (class of people) that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.

The strutting rooster, the male goat also,
And the king when his army is with him.

Do not give your [generative] strength to women [neither foreign wives in marriages of alliances, nor concubines],
Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

Give strong drink [as medicine] to him who is ready to pass away,
And wine to him whose life is bitter.

Open your mouth for the mute,
For the rights of all who are unfortunate and defenseless;

An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous], who is he who can find her?
Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls.

Charm and grace are deceptive, and [superficial] beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord [reverently worshiping, obeying, serving, and trusting Him with awe-filled respect], she shall be praised.

There is no remembrance of earlier things,
Nor also of the later things that are to come;
There will be for them no remembrance
By generations who will come after them.

I spoke with my heart, saying, “Behold, I have acquired great [human] wisdom and experience, more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of [moral] wisdom and [scientific] knowledge.”

For in much [human] wisdom there is much displeasure and exasperation; increasing knowledge increases sorrow.

I bought male and female slaves and had slaves born in my house. I also possessed herds and flocks larger than any who preceded me in Jerusalem.

So I became great and excelled more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.

So I turned to consider [secular] wisdom, madness, and folly; for what will the man do who succeeds the king? Nothing except what has already been done.

So I hated all the fruit (gain) of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will succeed me.

And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity (futility, self-conceit).

For there is a man who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, yet gives his legacy to one who has not labored for it. This too is vanity and a great evil.

For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?

For to the person who pleases Him God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who pleases God. This too is vanity and chasing after the wind.

Who knows if the spirit of man ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth?

So I have seen that there is nothing better than that a man should be happy in his own works and activities, for that is his portion (share). For who will bring him [back] to see what will happen after he is gone?

So I congratulated and thought more fortunate are those who are already dead than the living who are still living.