A wise person went up against a city of warriors
and brought down its secure fortress.

He is filled with craving all day long,
but the righteous give and don’t hold back.

The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable—
how much more so
when he brings it with ulterior motives!

A horse is prepared for the day of battle,
but victory comes from the Lord.

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A good name is to be chosen over great wealth;
favor is better than silver and gold.

The result of humility is fear of the Lord,
along with wealth, honor, and life.

Teach a youth about the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.

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

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

The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit;
a man cursed by the Lord will fall into it.

Foolishness is tangled up in the heart of a youth;
the rod of discipline will drive it away from him.

Listen closely, pay attention to the words of the wise,
and apply your mind to my knowledge.

For it is pleasing if you keep them within you
and if they are constantly on your lips.

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

When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
consider carefully what is before you,

don’t desire his choice food,
for that food is deceptive.

As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears,
for it makes wings for itself
and flies like an eagle to the sky.

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

for their Redeemer is strong,
and He will take up their case against you.

My son, if your heart is wise,
my heart will indeed rejoice.

My innermost being will cheer
when your lips say what is right.

Listen, my son, and be wise;
keep your mind on the right course.

Listen to your father who gave you life,
and don’t despise your mother when she is old.

The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly,
and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him.

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

Don’t gaze at wine because it is red,
when it gleams in the cup
and goes down smoothly.

A house is built by wisdom,
and it is established by understanding;

A wise warrior is better than a strong one,
and a man of knowledge than one of strength;

Wisdom is inaccessible to a fool;
he does not open his mouth at the gate.

A foolish scheme is sin,
and a mocker is detestable to people.

If you do nothing in a difficult time,
your strength is limited.

Eat honey, my son, for it is good,
and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate;

realize that wisdom is the same for you.
If you find it, you will have a future,
and your hope will never fade.

My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king,
and don’t associate with rebels,

These sayings also belong to the wise:

It is not good to show partiality in judgment.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter
and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.

As the heaven is high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.

for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here!”
than to demote you in plain view of a noble.

A word spoken at the right time
is like gold apples on a silver tray.

A wise correction to a receptive ear
is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.

To those who send him, a trustworthy messenger
is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day;
he refreshes the life of his masters.

The man who boasts about a gift that does not exist
is like clouds and wind without rain.

A man giving false testimony against his neighbor
is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.

Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time
is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot.

Singing songs to a troubled heart
is like taking off clothing on a cold day
or like pouring vinegar on soda.

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

Good news from a distant land
is like cold water to a parched throat.

A righteous person who yields to the wicked
is like a muddied spring or a polluted well.

It is not good to eat too much honey
or to seek glory after glory.

A man who does not control his temper
is like a city whose wall is broken down.

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Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,
honor is inappropriate for a fool.

Answer a fool according to his foolishness
or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.

A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like lame legs that hang limp.

Giving honor to a fool
is like binding a stone in a sling.

A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a stick with thorns,
brandished by the hand of a drunkard.

The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by
is like an archer who wounds everyone.

As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his foolishness.

Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he is too weary to bring it to his mouth.

In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser
than seven men who can answer sensibly.

A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that’s not his
is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.

so is the man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”

As charcoal for embers and wood for fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

Though his hatred is concealed by deception,
his evil will be revealed in the assembly.

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?

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

A man wandering from his home
is like a bird wandering from its nest.

Oil and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the sweetness of a friend is better than self-counsel.

Be wise, my son, and bring my heart joy,
so that I can answer anyone who taunts me.

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

If one blesses his neighbor
with a loud voice early in the morning,
it will be counted as a curse to him.

As water reflects the face,
so the heart reflects the person.

A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold,
and a man for the words of his praise.

for wealth is not forever;
not even a crown lasts for all time.

When hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grain from the hills is gathered in,

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.

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

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

Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law—
even his prayer is detestable.

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.

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

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

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

It is not good to show partiality—
yet a man may sin for a piece of bread.

A greedy man is in a hurry for wealth;
he doesn’t know that poverty will come to him.

The one who robs his father or mother
and says, “That’s no sin,”
is a companion to a man who destroys.

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

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

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.

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.

Do you see a man who speaks too soon?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

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.

An unjust man is detestable to the righteous,
and one whose way is upright
is detestable to the wicked.