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[1] A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold -- good grace.
[2] Rich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all [is] Jehovah.
[3] The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.
[4] The end of humility [is] the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.
[5] Thorns -- snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.
[6] Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not from it.
[7] The rich over the poor ruleth, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender.
[8] Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.
[9] The good of eye -- he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.
[10] Cast out a scorner -- and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.
[11] Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace [are] his lips, a king [is] his friend.
[12] The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.
[13] The slothful hath said, `A lion [is] without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'
[14] A deep pit [is] the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.
[15] Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth it far from him.
[16] He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich -- only to want.
[17] Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,
[18] For they are pleasant when thou dost keep them in thy heart, They are prepared together for thy lips.
[19] That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.
[20] Have I not written to thee three times With counsels and knowledge?
[21] To cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending thee.
[22] Rob not the poor because he [is] poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.
[23] For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.
[24] Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,
[25] Lest thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.
[26] Be not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
[27] If thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee?
[28] Remove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made.
[29] Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!
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