Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,
But in the hearts of fools it is made known.

A soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it crushes the spirit.

Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.

The Lord will tear down the house of the proud,
But He will establish the boundary of the widow.

The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
For a throne is established on righteousness.

The fury of a king is like messengers of death,
But a wise man will appease it.

How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.

It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly
Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,
But the discipline of fools is folly.

A gray head is a crown of glory;
It is found in the way of righteousness.

Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of feasting with strife.

He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker;
He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.

The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.

A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.

It is also not good to fine the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and is safe.

He who gives an answer before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him.

The spirit of a man can endure his sickness,
But as for a broken spirit who can bear it?

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries his footsteps errs.

A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.

A man of great anger will bear the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.

What is desirable in a man is his kindness,
And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.

A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding draws it out.

It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself
If his conduct is pure and right.

He who curses his father or his mother,
His lamp will go out in time of darkness.

An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning
Will not be blessed in the end.

Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.

It is a trap for a man to say rashly, “It is holy!”
And after the vows to make inquiry.

The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;
He turns it wherever He wishes.

It is better to live in a corner of a roof
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man swallows it up.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
How much more when he brings it with evil intent!

The prudent sees the evil and hides himself,
But the naive go on, and are punished for it.

Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out,
Even strife and dishonor will cease.

The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit;
He who is cursed of the Lord will fall into it.

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.

For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
That they may be ready on your lips.

Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
Or crush the afflicted at the gate;

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

Do not desire his delicacies,
For it is deceptive food.

Do not weary yourself to gain wealth,
Cease from your consideration of it.

When you set your eyes on it, it is gone.
For wealth certainly makes itself wings
Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

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

For as he thinks within himself, so he is.
He says to you, “Eat and drink!”
But his heart is not with you.

And my inmost being will rejoice
When your lips speak what is right.

Buy truth, and do not sell it,
Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it goes down smoothly;

At the last it bites like a serpent
And stings like a viper.

“They struck me, but I did not become ill;
They beat me, but I did not know it.
When shall I awake?
I will seek another drink.”

By wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;

If you say, “See, we did not know this,”
Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts?
And does He not know it who keeps your soul?
And will He not render to man according to his work?

My son, eat honey, for it is good,
Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

Know that wisdom is thus for your soul;
If you find it, then there will be a future,
And your hope will not be cut off.

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

Or the Lord will see it and be displeased,
And turn His anger away from him.

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

Prepare your work outside
And make it ready for yourself in the field;
Afterwards, then, build your house.

And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles;
Its surface was covered with nettles,
And its stone wall was broken down.

When I saw, I reflected upon it;
I looked, and received instruction.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

Take away the dross from the silver,
And there comes out a vessel for the smith;

For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

Do not go out hastily to argue your case;
Otherwise, what will you do in the end,
When your neighbor humiliates you?

Or he who hears it will reproach you,
And the evil report about you will not pass away.

Have you found honey? Eat only what you need,
That you not have it in excess and vomit it.

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

It is better to live in a corner of the roof
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

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

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.

For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.

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

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

He who digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.

A lying tongue hates those it crushes,
And a flattering mouth works ruin.

Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.

He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning,
It will be reckoned a curse to him.

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

Though you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

By the transgression of a land many are its princes,
But by a man of understanding and knowledge, so it endures.

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

He who walks blamelessly will be delivered,
But he who is crooked will fall all at once.

He who robs his father or his mother
And says, “It is not a transgression,”
Is the companion of a man who destroys.

The king gives stability to the land by justice,
But a man who takes bribes overthrows it.

A fool always loses his temper,
But a wise man holds it back.

Who has ascended into heaven and descended?
Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has wrapped the waters in His garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name or His son’s name?
Surely you know!

Do not add to His words
Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.

There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes,
Yet is not washed from his filthiness.

The eye that mocks a father
And scorns a mother,
The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young eagles will eat it.

Under three things the earth quakes,
And under four, it cannot bear up:

The shephanim are not mighty people,
Yet they make their houses in the rocks;

The locusts have no king,
Yet all of them go out in ranks;

The lizard you may grasp with the hands,
Yet it is in kings’ palaces.

What, O my son?
And what, O son of my womb?
And what, O son of my vows?