9 The Way of Wisdom

9:1 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. ²She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table. ³She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town, ⁴“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks sense she says, ⁵“Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. ⁶Leave your simple ways,[1] and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

⁷Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. ⁸Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. ⁹Give instruction[2] to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. ¹⁰The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. ¹¹For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life. ¹²If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

The Way of Folly

¹³The woman Folly is loud; she is seductive[3] and knows nothing. ¹⁴She sits at the door of her house; she takes a seat on the highest places of the town, ¹⁵calling to those who pass by, who are going straight on their way, ¹⁶“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here! And to him who lacks sense she says, ¹⁷“Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” ¹⁸But he does not know that the dead[4] are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

[1] Or Leave the company of the simple [2] Hebrew lacks instruction [3] Or full of simpleness [4] Hebrew Rephaim

10 The Proverbs of Solomon

10:1 The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother. ²Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. ³The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. ⁴A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. ⁵He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame. ⁶Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. ⁷The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. ⁸The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. ⁹Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. ¹⁰Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. ¹¹The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. ¹²Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. ¹³On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense. ¹⁴The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near. ¹⁵A rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin. ¹⁶The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin. ¹⁷Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray. ¹⁸The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool. ¹⁹When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. ²⁰The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth. ²¹The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense. ²²The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.^[5]²³Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding. ²⁴What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted. ²⁵When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever. ²⁶Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him. ²⁷The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short. ²⁸The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish. ²⁹The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers. ³⁰The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land. ³¹The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off. ³²The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.

[5] Or and toil adds nothing to it

11 11:1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight. ²When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. ³The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. ⁴Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. ⁵The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. ⁶The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust. ⁷When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth[6] perishes too. ⁸The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead. ⁹With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered. ¹⁰When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. ¹¹By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. ¹²Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent. ¹³Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered. ¹⁴Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. ¹⁵Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure. ¹⁶A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches. ¹⁷A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself. ¹⁸The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. ¹⁹Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die. ²⁰Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are his delight. ²¹Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered. ²²Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion. ²³The desire of the righteous ends only in good; the expectation of the wicked in wrath. ²⁴One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. ²⁵Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. ²⁶The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it. ²⁷Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,[7] but evil comes to him who searches for it. ²⁸Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. ²⁹Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. ³⁰The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise. ³¹If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!

[6] Or of his strength, or of iniquity [7] Or acceptance