1A good name is more desirable than great riches;
favor is better than silver and gold.
1A name to be chosen is greater than wealth; favor is better than silver and gold.
2The rich and the poor have this in common:
The LORD is Maker of them all.
2The rich and the poor meet together; the maker of them all is YHWH.
3The prudent see danger and take cover,
but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.
3A prudent one sees evil and hides himself, and the simple ones pass on and they are fined.
4The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD
are wealth and honor and life.
4The result of humility and the fear of YHWH, is wealth and honor and life.
5Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse;
he who guards his soul stays far from them.
5Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; one guarding his soul will be far from them.
6Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it.
6Train up a child according to the mouth of his way, and when he grows old, he will not turn aside from it.
7The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.
7A rich one rules over the poor, and one borrowing is a servant to the man lending.
8He who sows injustice will reap disaster,
and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.a
8The one sowing injustice will reap trouble, and the rod of his anger will come to an end.
9A generous man will be blessed,a
for he shares his bread with the poor.
9The one good of eye—he will be blessed, for he gives from his bread to the lowly one.
10Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart;
even quarreling and insults will cease.
10Drive out the one mocking, and quarreling will go out, and strife and shame will cease.
11He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips
will have the king for a friend.
11One loving a pure heart, with favor on his lips, the king is his friend.
12The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge,
but He frustrates the words of the faithless.
12The eyes of YHWH guard knowledge, and He twists the words of a treacherous one.
13The slacker says, “There is a lion outside!
I will be slain in the streets!”
13A lazy one says, “A lion is outside! In the midst of the open areas I will be killed!”
14The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit;
he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it.
14The mouth of strange women is a deep pit; the abhorred of YHWH will fall there.
15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich
will surely lead to poverty.
16The one oppressing the poor, to increase for himself, giving to a rich one, surely is unto poverty.
17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise—
apply your mind to my knowledge—
17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise ones, and set your heart to my knowledge;
18for it is pleasing when you keep them within you
and they are constantly on your lips.
18for it is pleasant when you guard them in your belly; they are established together upon your lips.
19So that your trust may be in the LORD,
I instruct you today—yes, you.
19For your trust to be in YHWH, I have caused you to know this day—even you.
20Have I not written for you thirty sayingsa
about counsel and knowledge,
20Have I not written to you thirty sayings of counsels and knowledge,
21to show you true and reliable words,
that you may soundly answer those who sent you?
21to make you know the truth of the words of faithfulness, to return words of faithfulness to those sending you?
22Do not rob a poor man because he is poor,
and do not crush the afflicted at the gate,
22You must not rob a poor one because he is poor, and do not oppress an afflicted one at the gate.
23for the LORD will take up their case
and will plunder those who rob them.
23For YHWH will fight their fight, and will rob the soul of those robbing them.
24Do not make friends with an angry man,
and do not associate with a hot-tempered man,
24Do not make friends with an owner of anger, and with a man of rage do not go in,
25or you may learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
25lest you learn his ways and receive a snare for your soul.
26Do not be one who gives pledges,
who puts up security for debts.
26Do not be among those striking hands in the pledging for loans.
27If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should your bed be taken from under you?
27If there is nothing unto you to repay, why should he take your bed from under you?
28Do not move an ancient boundary stone
which your fathers have placed.
28Do not remove a boundary of old, which your fathers have made.
29Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will be stationed in the presence of kings;
he will not stand before obscure men.
29Do you see a man quick in his work? Before the face of kings he will stand; he will not stand before the face of obscure ones.