cliv

clv

The soul of the wicked desireth evil; his neighbor findeth no favor in his eyes.

When the scorner is punished, the thoughtless is made wise;
And when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.

clvi

The righteous one considereth the house of tthe wicked, how the wicked are overthrown to their ruin.

clvii

Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry but shall not be heard.

clviii

A gift in secret pacifieth anger, and a present in the bosom strong wrath. clix

It is joy to the righteous to do justly; but it is ruin to the workers of iniquity.

clx

The man that strayeth out of the way of discretion shall rest in the congregation of the dead.

clxi

He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man; he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

clxii

The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, and the treacherous cometh in the stead of the upright.

clxlii

It is better to dwell in a desert land than with a contentious and fretful woman.

clxiv

There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man swalloweth it up.

clxv

He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, prosperity and honor.

clxvi

A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and bringeth down the stronghold wherein it trusteth.

clxvii

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

clxviii

The proud and haughty man, scorner is his name; he dealeth in the arrogance of pride.

clxix

The desire of the slothful killeth him, for his hands refuse to labor.

clxx

There is that coveteth greedily all the day long; but the righteous giveth and spareth not.

clxxi

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination. when he bringeth it to atone for wickedness!

How much more,

clxxii

A false witness shall perish; but the man that obeyeth shall speak unchallenged.

clxxiii

A wicked man hardenth his face; but as for the upright, he looketh well to his way.

clxxiv

There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Yahweh.

clxxv

The horse is prepared against the day of battle; but victory is of Yahweh!

clxxvi

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.

clxxvii

The rich and the poor meet together; Yahweh is the maker of them all.

clxxviii

A prudent man seeth the evil and hideth himself; but the thoughtless pass on, and suffer.

clxxix

The reward of humility and the fear of Yahweh is riches and honor and life.

clxxx

Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward; he that guardeth his soul shall be far from them.

clxxxi

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

clxxxii

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

clxxxiii

He that soweth iniquity shall reap calamity; and the rod of his wrath shall fail.

clxxxiv

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

clxxxv

Cast out the scorner, and contention will go out; yea, strife and ignominy will cease.

clxxxvi

He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

clxxxvii

The eyes of Yahweh preserve him that hath knowledge, but He overthroweth the words of the treacherous man.

clxxxiii

The sluggard saith: There is a lion without; I shall be slain in the streets.

clxxxix

The mouth of strange women is a deep pit; he that is abhorred of Yahweh shall fall therein.

CXC

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

cxci

He that oppresseth the poor to increase his gain, and he that giveth to the rich, come only to want.

Incline thine ear and hear the words of the wise
And apply thy heart unto my knowledge;

For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee.
Let them be established altogether on thy lips.

That thy trust may be in Yahweh

I make them known unto thee this day, even to thee.
Have not I written unto thee excellent things
of counsel and knowledge,

That I might make thee know the certainty
of the words of truth,

That thou mightest bring back words of truth
to them that send thee?

Rob not the weak because he is weak, neither crush the poor in the gate, For Yahweh will plead their cause,

And despoil of life them that despoil them.

Make no friendship with one given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man; Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

Be not thou of them that strike hands, or of them that go surety for debts; If thou hast not wherewith to pay,

Why should thy bed be taken from under thee?

Remove not the ancient landmark

which thy fathers have set.

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings.

He shall not stand before mean men.

When thou sittest to eat with a ruler,
Consider well him that is

And put a knife to thy throat,
Be not desirous of his dainties,

before thee,

if thou be a man given to appetite. seeing they are deceitful meat.

Weary not thyself to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom.

Wilt thou set thine eyes upon it? It is gone.

For riches surely make themselves wings,

Like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.

Eat thou not his bread that hath an evil eye
Neither desire thou his dainties;

For as one that reckoneth within himself, so is he.

Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

The morsel thou hast eaten shalt thou cast up, and lose thy sweet words.

Speak not in the ears of a fool, for he will despise

The wisdom of thy words.

1 Written late in the seventh century B.C. and added by the editors of the Canon in the fifth or fourth century to the "Proverbs of Solomon."

Remove not the ancient landmark; enter not the fields of the fatherless, For their Redeemer is strong; He shall plead their cause with thee. Apply thy heart to wisdom, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. Withhold not correction from the child;

For if thou beat him with a rod, he will not die;

Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and wilt deliver his soul from Sheol.
My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart will be glad,-even mine:
Yea, my reins will rejoice when thy lips speak right things.

Let not thy heart envy sinners, but be in fear of Yahweh alway:
For surely there is a reward, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thy heart in the way.
Be not among wine-bibbers, among gluttonous eaters of flesh.
For the drunken and the glutton shall come to poverty,
And drowsiness shall clothe a man in rags.

Hearken unto thy father that begat thee,

And despise not thy mother when she is old.

Buy truth and sell it not; yea, wisdom and instruction and discretion.

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,

And he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

Let thy father and thy mother be glad; let her that bare thee rejoice.

My son, give me thine heart,

For a harlot is a deep ditch,

and let thine eyes observe my ways. and an alien woman is a narrow pit.

Yea, she lieth in wait as a robber,

And increaseth the faithless among men.

Who crieth: Woe! Woe! Alas! Who hath contentions? Who is raving?
Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?
They that tarry long at the wine, that go to seek mixed wine.
Look not on the wine when it is red, when it giveth its color to the cup,
When it glideth down smoothly.

At last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Thine eyes shall behold strange things

And thy heart shall utter froward things;

Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea. Or as he that lieth on the top of a mast.

They have struck me,
They have beaten me,
When shall I awake?

and I felt it not,

and I knew it not,

I will seek it yet again.

Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
Through wisdom is a house builded,

And by understanding it is established.

By knowledge are its halls filled with precious and pleasant riches.

A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength; For by wise advice thou shalt make thy war,

And in the multitude of counsellors is victory.

Wisdom is unattainable for a fool; he openeth not his mouth in the gate. He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call a mischievous person.

The thought of the foolish is sin;

And the scorner is an abomination to men.

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small indeed.

Deliver them that are being drawn to death;

And those about to be slain, wilt thou not rescue?

If thou sayest: Behold, we know not this,

Doth not He that weigheth hearts consider it?

And He that knoweth thy soul, doth not He know it?

And shall not He render to every man according to his works?

My son, eat thou honey, for it is good,

And the honeycomb, which is sweet to the taste.

So know thou wisdom to be unto thy soul;

If thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward,
And thy hope shall not be cut off.

Lie not in wait, O wicked man, against the home of the just;
Spoil not his resting-place.

For a righteous man falleth seven times and riseth up again;
But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth,

Let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth;

Lest Yahweh see it, and it displease Him,

And He turneth away His wrath from him.

Fret not thyself because of evil-doers,

Neither be thou envious of the wicked;

For their calamity shall rise suddenly,

The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

My son, fear thou Yahweh and the king,

And meddle not with them that are given to change;

For their calamity shall rise suddenly;

And who knoweth the destruction of their years?

These also are Sayings of the Wise.1

To have respect of persons in judgment is not good;
He that saith unto the wicked: Thou art righteous,
Peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him.
But to them that justly decide shall be delight,
And a good blessing shall come upon them.

He kisseth the lips that give a right answer.

Prepare thy work without, and make it ready for the field,
And afterwards build thy house.

Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause,
And deceive not with thy lips;

Say not I will do so to him as he hath done unto me;
I will render to the man according to his work.

1 An appendix to an appendix, possibly edited by the same writer.