[10:1] These are Solomon's proverbs: Wise children make their fathers proud of them; foolish ones bring their mothers grief.
[10:2] Wealth you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life.
[10:3] The Lord will not let good people go hungry, but he will keep the wicked from getting what they want.
[10:4] Being lazy will make you poor, but hard work will make you rich.
[10:5] A sensible person gathers the crops when they are ready; it is a disgrace to sleep through the time of harvest.
[10:6] Good people will receive blessings. The words of the wicked hide a violent nature.
[10:7] Good people will be remembered as a blessing, but the wicked will soon be forgotten.
[10:8] Sensible people accept good advice. People who talk foolishly will come to ruin.
[10:9] Honest people are safe and secure, but the dishonest will be caught.
[10:10] Someone who holds back the truth causes trouble, but one who openly criticizes works for peace.
[10:11] A good person's words are a fountain of life, but a wicked person's words hide a violent nature.
[10:12] Hate stirs up trouble, but love forgives all offenses.
[10:13] Intelligent people talk sense, but stupid people need to be punished.
[10:14] The wise get all the knowledge they can, but when fools speak, trouble is not far off.
[10:15] Wealth protects the rich; poverty destroys the poor.
[10:16] The reward for doing good is life, but sin leads only to more sin.
[10:17] People who listen when they are corrected will live, but those who will not admit that they are wrong are in danger.
[10:18] Anyone who hides hatred is a liar. Anyone who spreads gossip is a fool.
[10:19] The more you talk, the more likely you are to sin. If you are wise, you will keep quiet.
[10:20] A good person's words are like pure silver; a wicked person's ideas are worthless.
[10:21] A good person's words will benefit many people, but you can kill yourself with stupidity.
[10:22] It is the Lord's blessing that makes you wealthy. Hard work can make you no richer.
[10:23] It is foolish to enjoy doing wrong. Intelligent people take pleasure in wisdom.
[10:24] The righteous get what they want, but the wicked will get what they fear most.
[10:25] Storms come, and the wicked are blown away, but honest people are always safe.
[10:26] Never get a lazy person to do something for you; he will be as irritating as vinegar on your teeth or smoke in your eyes.
[10:27] Obey the Lord, and you will live longer. The wicked die before their time.
[10:28] The hopes of good people lead to joy, but wicked people can look forward to nothing.
[10:29] The Lord protects honest people, but destroys those who do wrong.
[10:30] Righteous people will always have security, but the wicked will not survive in the land.
[10:31] Righteous people speak wisdom, but the tongue that speaks evil will be stopped.
[10:32] Righteous people know the kind thing to say, but the wicked are always saying things that hurt.
[11:1] The Lord hates people who use dishonest scales. He is happy with honest weights.
[11:2] People who are proud will soon be disgraced. It is wiser to be modest.
[11:3] If you are good, you are guided by honesty. People who can't be trusted are destroyed by their own dishonesty.
[11:4] Riches will do you no good on the day you face death, but honesty can save your life.
[11:5] Honesty makes a good person's life easier, but the wicked will cause their own downfall.
[11:6] Righteousness rescues those who are honest, but those who can't be trusted are trapped by their own greed.
[11:7] When the wicked die, their hope dies with them. Confidence placed in riches comes to nothing.
[11:8] The righteous are protected from trouble; it comes to the wicked instead.
[11:9] You can be ruined by the talk of godless people, but the wisdom of the righteous can save you.
[11:10] A city is happy when honest people have good fortune, and there are joyful shouts when the wicked die.
[11:11] A city becomes great when the righteous give it their blessing; but a city is brought to ruin by the words of the wicked.
[11:12] It is foolish to speak scornfully of others. If you are smart, you will keep quiet.
[11:13] No one who gossips can be trusted with a secret, but you can put confidence in someone who is trustworthy.
[11:14] A nation will fall if it has no guidance. Many advisers mean security.
[11:15] If you promise to pay a stranger's debt, you will regret it. You are better off if you don't get involved.
[11:16] A gracious woman is respected, but a woman without virtue is a disgrace. Lazy people will never have money, but aggressive people will get rich.
[11:17] You do yourself a favor when you are kind. If you are cruel, you only hurt yourself.
[11:18] Wicked people do not really gain anything, but if you do what is right, you are certain to be rewarded.
[11:19] Anyone who is determined to do right will live, but anyone who insists on doing wrong will die.
[11:20] The Lord hates evil-minded people, but loves those who do right.
[11:21] You can be sure that evil people will be punished, but the righteous will escape.
[11:22] Beauty in a woman without good judgment is like a gold ring in a pig's snout.
[11:23] What good people want always results in good; when the wicked get what they want, everyone is angry.
[11:24] Some people spend their money freely and still grow richer. Others are cautious, and yet grow poorer.
[11:25] Be generous, and you will be prosperous. Help others, and you will be helped.
[11:26] People curse someone who hoards grain, waiting for a higher price, but they praise the one who puts it up for sale.
[11:27] If your goals are good, you will be respected, but if you are looking for trouble, that is what you will get.
[11:28] Those who depend on their wealth will fall like the leaves of autumn, but the righteous will prosper like the leaves of summer.
[11:29] Those who bring trouble on their families will have nothing at the end. Foolish people will always be servants to the wise.
[11:30] Righteousness gives life, but violence takes it away.
[11:31] Those who are good are rewarded here on earth, so you can be sure that wicked and sinful people will be punished.
[12:1] Any who love knowledge want to be told when they are wrong. It is stupid to hate being corrected.
[12:2] The Lord is pleased with good people, but condemns those who plan evil.
[12:3] Wickedness does not give security, but righteous people stand firm.
[12:4] A good wife is her husband's pride and joy; but a wife who brings shame on her husband is like a cancer in his bones.
[12:5] Honest people will treat you fairly; the wicked only want to deceive you.
[12:6] The words of the wicked are murderous, but the words of the righteous rescue those who are threatened.
[12:7] The wicked meet their downfall and leave no descendants, but the families of the righteous live on.
[12:8] If you are intelligent, you will be praised; if you are stupid, people will look down on you.
[12:9] It is better to be an ordinary person working for a living than to play the part of someone great but go hungry.
[12:10] Good people take care of their animals, but wicked people are cruel to theirs.
[12:11] A hard-working farmer has plenty to eat, but it is stupid to waste time on useless projects.
[12:12] All that wicked people want is to find evil things to do, but the righteous stand firm.
[12:13] The wicked are trapped by their own words, but honest people get themselves out of trouble.
[12:14] Your reward depends on what you say and what you do; you will get what you deserve.
[12:15] Stupid people always think they are right. Wise people listen to advice.
[12:16] When a fool is annoyed, he quickly lets it be known. Smart people will ignore an insult.
[12:17] When you tell the truth, justice is done, but lies lead to injustice.
[12:18] Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal.
[12:19] A lie has a short life, but truth lives on forever.
[12:20] Those who plan evil are in for a rude surprise, but those who work for good will find happiness.
[12:21] Nothing bad happens to righteous people, but the wicked have nothing but trouble.
[12:22] The Lord hates liars, but is pleased with those who keep their word.
[12:23] Smart people keep quiet about what they know, but stupid people advertise their ignorance.
[12:24] Hard work will give you power; being lazy will make you a slave.
[12:25] Worry can rob you of happiness, but kind words will cheer you up.
[12:26] The righteous person is a guide to his friend, but the path of the wicked leads them astray.
[12:27] If you are lazy, you will never get what you are after, but if you work hard, you will get a fortune.
[12:28] Righteousness is the road to life; wickedness is the road to death.
[13:1] Wise children pay attention when their parents correct them, but arrogant people never admit they are wrong.
[13:2] Good people will be rewarded for what they say, but those who are deceitful are hungry for violence.
[13:3] Be careful what you say and protect your life. A careless talker destroys himself.
[13:4] No matter how much a lazy person may want something, he will never get it. A hard worker will get everything he wants.
[13:5] Honest people hate lies, but the words of wicked people are shameful and disgraceful.
[13:6] Righteousness protects the innocent; wickedness is the downfall of sinners.
[13:7] Some people pretend to be rich, but have nothing. Others pretend to be poor, but own a fortune.
[13:8] The rich have to use their money to save their lives, but no one threatens the poor.
[13:9] The righteous are like a light shining brightly; the wicked are like a lamp flickering out.
[13:10] Arrogance causes nothing but trouble. It is wiser to ask for advice.
[13:11] The more easily you get your wealth, the sooner you will lose it. The harder it is to earn, the more you will have.
[13:12] When hope is crushed, the heart is crushed, but a wish come true fills you with joy.
[13:13] If you refuse good advice, you are asking for trouble; follow it and you are safe.
[13:14] The teachings of the wise are a fountain of life; they will help you escape when your life is in danger.
[13:15] Intelligence wins respect, but those who can't be trusted are on the road to ruin.
[13:16] Sensible people always think before they act, but stupid people advertise their ignorance.
[13:17] Unreliable messengers cause trouble, but those who can be trusted bring peace.
[13:18] Someone who will not learn will be poor and disgraced. Anyone who listens to correction is respected.
[13:19] How good it is to get what you want! Stupid people refuse to turn away from evil.
[13:20] Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.
[13:21] Trouble follows sinners everywhere, but righteous people will be rewarded with good things.
[13:22] Good people will have wealth to leave to their grandchildren, but the wealth of sinners will go to the righteous.
[13:23] Unused fields could yield plenty of food for the poor, but unjust people keep them from being farmed.
[13:24] If you don't punish your children, you don't love them. If you do love them, you will correct them.
[13:25] The righteous have enough to eat, but the wicked are always hungry.
[14:1] Homes are made by the wisdom of women, but are destroyed by foolishness.
[14:2] Be honest and you show that you have reverence for the Lord; be dishonest and you show that you do not.
[14:3] Proud fools talk too much; the words of the wise protect them.
[14:4] Without any oxen to pull the plow your barn will be empty, but with them it will be full of grain.
[14:5] A reliable witness always tells the truth, but an unreliable one tells nothing but lies.
[14:6] Conceited people can never become wise, but intelligent people learn easily.
[14:7] Stay away from foolish people; they have nothing to teach you.
[14:8] Why is a clever person wise? Because he knows what to do. Why is a stupid person foolish? Because he only thinks he knows.
[14:9] Foolish people don't care if they sin, but good people want to be forgiven.
[14:10] Your joy is your own; your bitterness is your own. No one can share them with you.
[14:11] A good person's house will still be standing after an evildoer's house has been destroyed.
[14:12] What you think is the right road may lead to death.
[14:13] Laughter may hide sadness. When happiness is gone, sorrow is always there.
[14:14] Bad people will get what they deserve. Good people will be rewarded for their deeds.
[14:15] A fool will believe anything; smart people watch their step.
[14:16] Sensible people are careful to stay out of trouble, but stupid people are careless and act too quickly.
[14:17] People with a hot temper do foolish things; wiser people remain calm.
[14:18] Ignorant people get what their foolishness deserves, but the clever are rewarded with knowledge.
[14:19] Evil people will have to bow down to the righteous and humbly beg their favor.
[14:20] No one likes the poor, not even their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.
[14:21] If you want to be happy, be kind to the poor; it is a sin to despise anyone.
[14:22] You will earn the trust and respect of others if you work for good; if you work for evil, you are making a mistake.
[14:23] Work and you will earn a living; if you sit around talking you will be poor.
[14:24] Wise people are rewarded with wealth, but fools are known by their foolishness.
[14:25] A witness saves lives when he tells the truth; when he tells lies, he betrays people.
[14:26] Reverence for the Lord gives confidence and security to a man and his family.
[14:27] Do you want to avoid death? Reverence for the Lord is a fountain of life.
[14:28] A king's greatness depends on how many people he rules; without them he is nothing.
[14:29] If you stay calm, you are wise, but if you have a hot temper, you only show how stupid you are.
[14:30] Peace of mind makes the body healthy, but jealousy is like a cancer.
[14:31] If you oppress poor people, you insult the God who made them; but kindness shown to the poor is an act of worship.
[14:32] Wicked people bring about their own downfall by their evil deeds, but good people are protected by their integrity.
[14:33] Wisdom is in every thought of intelligent people; fools know nothing about wisdom.
[14:34] Righteousness makes a nation great; sin is a disgrace to any nation.
[14:35] Kings are pleased with competent officials, but they punish those who fail them.
[15:1] A gentle answer quiets anger, but a harsh one stirs it up.
[15:2] When wise people speak, they make knowledge attractive, but stupid people spout nonsense.
[15:3] The Lord sees what happens everywhere; he is watching us, whether we do good or evil.
[15:4] Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit.
[15:5] It is foolish to ignore what your parents taught you; it is wise to accept their correction.
[15:6] Righteous people keep their wealth, but the wicked lose theirs when hard times come.
[15:7] Knowledge is spread by people who are wise, not by fools.
[15:8] The Lord is pleased when good people pray, but hates the sacrifices that the wicked bring him.
[15:9] The Lord hates the ways of evil people, but loves those who do what is right.
[15:10] If you do what is wrong, you will be severely punished; you will die if you do not let yourself be corrected.
[15:11] Not even the world of the dead can keep the Lord from knowing what is there; how then can we hide our thoughts from God?
[15:12] Conceited people do not like to be corrected; they never ask for advice from those who are wiser.
[15:13] When people are happy, they smile, but when they are sad, they look depressed.
[15:14] Intelligent people want to learn, but stupid people are satisfied with ignorance.
[15:15] The life of the poor is a constant struggle, but happy people always enjoy life.
[15:16] Better to be poor and fear the Lord than to be rich and in trouble.
[15:17] Better to eat vegetables with people you love than to eat the finest meat where there is hate.
[15:18] Hot tempers cause arguments, but patience brings peace.
[15:19] If you are lazy, you will meet difficulty everywhere, but if you are honest, you will have no trouble.
[15:20] Wise children make their fathers happy. Only fools despise their mothers.
[15:21] Stupid people are happy with their foolishness, but the wise will do what is right.
[15:22] Get all the advice you can, and you will succeed; without it you will fail.
[15:23] What a joy it is to find just the right word for the right occasion!
[15:24] Wise people walk the road that leads upward to life, not the road that leads downward to death.
[15:25] The Lord will destroy the homes of arrogant men, but he will protect a widow's property.
[15:26] The Lord hates evil thoughts, but he is pleased with friendly words.
[15:27] Try to make a profit dishonestly, and you get your family in trouble. Don't take bribes and you will live longer.
[15:28] Good people think before they answer. Evil people have a quick reply, but it causes trouble.
[15:29] When good people pray, the Lord listens, but he ignores those who are evil.
[15:30] Smiling faces make you happy, and good news makes you feel better.
[15:31] If you pay attention when you are corrected, you are wise.
[15:32] If you refuse to learn, you are hurting yourself. If you accept correction, you will become wiser.
[15:33] Reverence for the Lord is an education in itself. You must be humble before you can ever receive honors.
[16:1] We may make our plans, but God has the last word.
[16:2] You may think everything you do is right, but the Lord judges your motives.
[16:3] Ask the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out.
[16:4] Everything the Lord has made has its destiny; and the destiny of the wicked is destruction.
[16:5] The Lord hates everyone who is arrogant; he will never let them escape punishment.
[16:6] Be loyal and faithful, and God will forgive your sin. Obey the Lord and nothing evil will happen to you.
[16:7] When you please the Lord, you can make your enemies into friends.
[16:8] It is better to have a little, honestly earned, than to have a large income, dishonestly gained.
[16:9] You may make your plans, but God directs your actions.
[16:10] The king speaks with divine authority; his decisions are always right.
[16:11] The Lord wants weights and measures to be honest and every sale to be fair.
[16:12] Kings cannot tolerate evil, because justice is what makes a government strong.
[16:13] A king wants to hear the truth and will favor those who speak it.
[16:14] A wise person will try to keep the king happy; if the king becomes angry, someone may die.
[16:15] The king's favor is like the clouds that bring rain in the springtime—life is there.
[16:16] It is better—much better—to have wisdom and knowledge than gold and silver.
[16:17] Those who are good travel a road that avoids evil; so watch where you are going—it may save your life.
[16:18] Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall.
[16:19] It is better to be humble and stay poor than to be one of the arrogant and get a share of their loot.
[16:20] Pay attention to what you are taught, and you will be successful; trust in the Lord and you will be happy.
[16:21] A wise, mature person is known for his understanding. The more pleasant his words, the more persuasive he is.
[16:22] Wisdom is a fountain of life to the wise, but trying to educate stupid people is a waste of time.
[16:23] Intelligent people think before they speak; what they say is then more persuasive.
[16:24] Kind words are like honey—sweet to the taste and good for your health.
[16:25] What you think is the right road may lead to death.
[16:26] A laborer's appetite makes him work harder, because he wants to satisfy his hunger.
[16:27] Evil people look for ways to harm others; even their words burn with evil.
[16:28] Gossip is spread by wicked people; they stir up trouble and break up friendships.
[16:29] Violent people deceive their friends and lead them to disaster.
[16:30] Watch out for people who grin and wink at you; they have thought of something evil.
[16:31] Long life is the reward of the righteous; gray hair is a glorious crown.
[16:32] It is better to be patient than powerful. It is better to win control over yourself than over whole cities.
[16:33] People cast lots to learn God's will, but God himself determines the answer.
[17:1] Better to eat a dry crust of bread with peace of mind than have a banquet in a house full of trouble.
[17:2] A shrewd servant will gain authority over a master's worthless son and receive a part of the inheritance.
[17:3] Gold and silver are tested by fire, and a person's heart is tested by the Lord.
[17:4] Evil people listen to evil ideas, and liars listen to lies.
[17:5] If you make fun of poor people, you insult the God who made them. You will be punished if you take pleasure in someone's misfortune.
[17:6] Grandparents are proud of their grandchildren, just as children are proud of their parents.
[17:7] Respected people do not tell lies, and fools have nothing worthwhile to say.
[17:8] Some people think a bribe works like magic; they believe it can do anything.
[17:9] If you want people to like you, forgive them when they wrong you. Remembering wrongs can break up a friendship.
[17:10] An intelligent person learns more from one rebuke than a fool learns from being beaten a hundred times.
[17:11] Death will come like a cruel messenger to wicked people who are always stirring up trouble.
[17:12] It is better to meet a mother bear robbed of her cubs than to meet some fool busy with a stupid project.
[17:13] If you repay good with evil, you will never get evil out of your house.
[17:14] The start of an argument is like the first break in a dam; stop it before it goes any further.
[17:15] Condemning the innocent or letting the wicked go—both are hateful to the Lord.
[17:16] It does a fool no good to spend money on an education, because he has no common sense.
[17:17] Friends always show their love. What are relatives for if not to share trouble?
[17:18] Only someone with no sense would promise to be responsible for someone else's debts.
[17:19] To like sin is to like making trouble. If you brag all the time, you are asking for trouble.
[17:20] Anyone who thinks and speaks evil can expect to find nothing good—only disaster.
[17:21] There is nothing but sadness and sorrow for parents whose children do foolish things.
[17:22] Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.
[17:23] Corrupt judges accept secret bribes, and then justice is not done.
[17:24] An intelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in many directions.
[17:25] Foolish children bring grief to their fathers and bitter regrets to their mothers.
[17:26] It is not right to make an innocent person pay a fine; justice is perverted when good people are punished.
[17:27] Those who are sure of themselves do not talk all the time. People who stay calm have real insight.
[17:28] After all, even fools may be thought wise and intelligent if they stay quiet and keep their mouths shut.
[18:1] People who do not get along with others are interested only in themselves; they will disagree with what everyone else knows is right.
[18:2] A fool does not care whether he understands a thing or not; all he wants to do is show how smart he is.
[18:3] Sin and shame go together. Lose your honor, and you will get scorn in its place.
[18:4] A person's words can be a source of wisdom, deep as the ocean, fresh as a flowing stream.
[18:5] It is not right to favor the guilty and keep the innocent from receiving justice.
[18:6] When some fool starts an argument, he is asking for a beating.
[18:7] When a fool speaks, he is ruining himself; he gets caught in the trap of his own words.
[18:8] Gossip is so tasty—how we love to swallow it!
[18:9] A lazy person is as bad as someone who is destructive.
[18:10] The Lord is like a strong tower, where the righteous can go and be safe.
[18:11] Rich people, however, imagine that their wealth protects them like high, strong walls around a city.
[18:12] No one is respected unless he is humble; arrogant people are on the way to ruin.
[18:13] Listen before you answer. If you don't, you are being stupid and insulting.
[18:14] Your will to live can sustain you when you are sick, but if you lose it, your last hope is gone.
[18:15] Intelligent people are always eager and ready to learn.
[18:16] Do you want to meet an important person? Take a gift and it will be easy.
[18:17] The first person to speak in court always seems right until his opponent begins to question him.
[18:18] If two powerful people are opposing each other in court, casting lots can settle the issue.
[18:19] Help your relatives and they will protect you like a strong city wall, but if you quarrel with them, they will close their doors to you.
[18:20] You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say.
[18:21] What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words.
[18:22] Find a wife and you find a good thing; it shows that the Lord is good to you.
[18:23] When the poor speak, they have to be polite, but when the rich answer, they are rude.
[18:24] Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than brothers.
[19:1] It is better to be poor but honest than to be a lying fool.
[19:2] Enthusiasm without knowledge is not good; impatience will get you into trouble.
[19:3] Some people ruin themselves by their own stupid actions and then blame the Lord.
[19:4] Rich people are always finding new friends, but the poor cannot keep the few they have.
[19:5] If you tell lies in court, you will be punished—there will be no escape.
[19:6] Everyone tries to gain the favor of important people; everyone claims the friendship of those who give out favors.
[19:7] Even the relatives of a poor person have no use for him; no wonder he has no friends. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot win any.
[19:8] Do yourself a favor and learn all you can; then remember what you learn and you will prosper.
[19:9] No one who tells lies in court can escape punishment; he is doomed.
[19:10] Fools should not live in luxury, and slaves should not rule over noblemen.
[19:11] If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it.
[19:12] The king's anger is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like welcome rain.
[19:13] Stupid children can bring their parents to ruin. A nagging wife is like water going drip-drip-drip.
[19:14] A man can inherit a house and money from his parents, but only the Lord can give him a sensible wife.
[19:15] Go ahead and be lazy; sleep on, but you will go hungry.
[19:16] Keep God's laws and you will live longer; if you ignore them, you will die.
[19:17] When you give to the poor, it is like lending to the Lord, and the Lord will pay you back.
[19:18] Discipline your children while they are young enough to learn. If you don't, you are helping them destroy themselves.
[19:19] If someone has a hot temper, let him take the consequences. If you get him out of trouble once, you will have to do it again.
[19:20] If you listen to advice and are willing to learn, one day you will be wise.
[19:21] People may plan all kinds of things, but the Lord's will is going to be done.
[19:22] It is a disgrace to be greedy; poor people are better off than liars.
[19:23] Obey the Lord and you will live a long life, content and safe from harm.
[19:24] Some people are too lazy to put food in their own mouths.
[19:25] Arrogance should be punished, so that people who don't know any better can learn a lesson. If you are wise, you will learn when you are corrected.
[19:26] Only a shameful, disgraceful person would mistreat his father or turn his mother away from his home.
[19:27] My child, when you stop learning, you will soon neglect what you already know.
[19:28] There is no justice where a witness is determined to hurt someone. Wicked people love the taste of evil.
[19:29] A conceited fool is sure to get a beating.
[20:1] Drinking too much makes you loud and foolish. It's stupid to get drunk.
[20:2] Fear an angry king as you would a growling lion; making him angry is suicide.
[20:3] Any fool can start arguments; the honorable thing is to stay out of them.
[20:4] A farmer too lazy to plow his fields at the right time will have nothing to harvest.
[20:5] A person's thoughts are like water in a deep well, but someone with insight can draw them out.
[20:6] Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is!
[20:7] Children are fortunate if they have a father who is honest and does what is right.
[20:8] The king sits in judgment and knows evil when he sees it.
[20:9] Can anyone really say that his conscience is clear, that he has gotten rid of his sin?
[20:10] The Lord hates people who use dishonest weights and measures.
[20:11] Even children show what they are by what they do; you can tell if they are honest and good.
[20:12] The Lord has given us eyes to see with and ears to listen with.
[20:13] If you spend your time sleeping, you will be poor. Keep busy and you will have plenty to eat.
[20:14] The customer always complains that the price is too high, but then he goes off and brags about the bargain he got.
[20:15] If you know what you are talking about, you have something more valuable than gold or jewels.
[20:16] Anyone stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger's debts ought to have their own property held to guarantee payment.
[20:17] What you get by dishonesty you may enjoy like the finest food, but sooner or later it will be like a mouthful of sand.
[20:18] Get good advice and you will succeed; don't go charging into battle without a plan.
[20:19] A gossip can never keep a secret. Stay away from people who talk too much.
[20:20] If you curse your parents, your life will end like a lamp that goes out in the dark.
[20:21] The more easily you get your wealth, the less good it will do you.
[20:22] Don't take it on yourself to repay a wrong. Trust the Lord and he will make it right.
[20:23] The Lord hates people who use dishonest scales and weights.
[20:24] The Lord has determined our path; how then can anyone understand the direction his own life is taking?
[20:25] Think carefully before you promise an offering to God. You might regret it later.
[20:26] A wise king will find out who is doing wrong, and will punish him without pity.
[20:27] The Lord gave us mind and conscience; we cannot hide from ourselves.
[20:28] A king will remain in power as long as his rule is honest, just, and fair.
[20:29] We admire the strength of youth and respect the gray hair of age.
[20:30] Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.
[21:1] The Lord controls the mind of a king as easily as he directs the course of a stream.
[21:2] You may think that everything you do is right, but remember that the Lord judges your motives.
[21:3] Do what is right and fair; that pleases the Lord more than bringing him sacrifices.
[21:4] Wicked people are controlled by their conceit and arrogance, and this is sinful.
[21:5] Plan carefully and you will have plenty; if you act too quickly, you will never have enough.
[21:6] The riches you get by dishonesty soon disappear, but not before they lead you into the jaws of death.
[21:7] The wicked are doomed by their own violence; they refuse to do what is right.
[21:8] Guilty people walk a crooked path; the innocent do what is right.
[21:9] Better to live on the roof than share the house with a nagging wife.
[21:10] Wicked people are always hungry for evil; they have no mercy on anyone.
[21:11] When someone who is conceited gets his punishment, even an unthinking person learns a lesson. One who is wise will learn from what he is taught.
[21:12] God, the righteous one, knows what goes on in the homes of the wicked, and he will bring the wicked down to ruin.
[21:13] If you refuse to listen to the cry of the poor, your own cry for help will not be heard.
[21:14] If someone is angry with you, a gift given secretly will calm him down.
[21:15] When justice is done, good people are happy, but evil people are brought to despair.
[21:16] Death is waiting for anyone who wanders away from good sense.
[21:17] Indulging in luxuries, wine, and rich food will never make you wealthy.
[21:18] The wicked bring on themselves the suffering they try to cause good people.
[21:19] Better to live out in the desert than with a nagging, complaining wife.
[21:20] Wise people live in wealth and luxury, but stupid people spend their money as fast as they get it.
[21:21] Be kind and honest and you will live a long life; others will respect you and treat you fairly.
[21:22] A shrewd general can take a city defended by strong men, and destroy the walls they relied on.
[21:23] If you want to stay out of trouble, be careful what you say.
[21:24] Show me a conceited person and I will show you someone who is arrogant, proud, and inconsiderate.
[21:25] Lazy people who refuse to work are only killing themselves;
[21:26] all they do is think about what they would like to have. The righteous, however, can give, and give generously.
[21:27] The Lord hates it when wicked people offer him sacrifices, especially if they do it from evil motives.
[21:28] The testimony of a liar is not believed, but the word of someone who thinks matters through is accepted.
[21:29] Righteous people are sure of themselves; the wicked have to pretend as best they can.
[21:30] Human wisdom, brilliance, insight—they are of no help if the Lord is against you.
[21:31] You can get horses ready for battle, but it is the Lord who gives victory.
[22:1] If you have to choose between a good reputation and great wealth, choose a good reputation.
[22:2] The rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord made them both.
[22:3] Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.
[22:4] Obey the Lord, be humble, and you will get riches, honor, and a long life.
[22:5] If you love your life, stay away from the traps that catch the wicked along the way.
[22:6] Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their life.
[22:7] Poor people are slaves of the rich. Borrow money and you are the lender's slave.
[22:8] If you plant the seeds of injustice, disaster will spring up, and your oppression of others will end.
[22:9] Be generous and share your food with the poor. You will be blessed for it.
[22:10] Get rid of a conceited person, and then there will be no more arguments, quarreling, or name-calling.
[22:11] If you love purity of heart and graciousness of speech, the king will be your friend.
[22:12] The Lord sees to it that truth is kept safe by disproving the words of liars.
[22:13] Lazy people stay at home; they say a lion might get them if they go outside.
[22:14] Adultery is a trap—it catches those with whom the Lord is angry.
[22:15] Children just naturally do silly, careless things, but a good spanking will teach them how to behave.
[22:16] If you make gifts to rich people or oppress the poor to get rich, you will become poor yourself.