This book contains many wise things that King Solomon said. We call this book

Proverbs

1

The purpose of Proverbs

1These are the ◄proverbs/wise sayings► that come from Solomon, the King of Israel, who was the son of King David.

2◄These proverbs [PRS] can teach people/By studying these proverbs, people can learn► how to be wise

and how to obey what these proverbs teach them.

They will also help people to understand which teachings are wise.

3These proverbs [PRS] will teach you how to discipline/control yourselves,

how to conduct your lives,

and how to do what is right and just [DOU].

4They will show people who do not yet know much how to do things that are smart.

They will show young people how to become wise and how to make good plans/decisions.

5Those who are wise should also pay attention to these proverbs,

in order to become more wise,

and those who understand these teachings will receive good advice/guidance.

6Then they will be able to understand the meaning of proverbs and parables/metaphors,

these wise sayings and ◄riddles/sayings that are difficult to understand►.

7If you want to be wise, you must begin by revering Yahweh.

Only foolish people despise wisdom and good advice/discipline.

Warnings about sinful people

8My son, pay attention to what I, your father, am teaching you.

And do not reject what your mother teaches you.

9What we teach you will make you respected like having a lovely turban around your head

and like a beautiful necklace to put around your neck.

10My son, if sinners tempt/entice you to do what is wrong,

say “No” to them.

11They may say, “Come with us! Join us!

We will hide and then kill [MTY] someone who passes by.

We will ambush some helpless/innocent people.

12We will kill them [HYP] and get rid of them completely,

just like people who are buried in graves are gone forever.

While they are in good health, we will send them to the place where dead people are.

13And we will seize all the things that they own.

We will fill our houses with these things!

14So, come with us!

Join our group!

We will share with you the things that we steal.”

15My son, do not accompany them!

Do not walk on the roads with them!

16They rush to do evil deeds!

They hurry to murder [MTY] people.

17It is useless to put out a ◄trap/net to catch a bird► because when a bird sees it,

it stays away from it.

18But those wicked people are not like the birds,

because they do not realize

that when they prepare to ambush someone to kill him,

they will be killed themselves!

19That is what happens to people who eagerly try to get things by violently attacking others.

They will only destroy themselves!

Wisdom shouts in the streets

20Wisdom [PRS] shouts to people in the streets,

and calls out to people in the ◄plazas/town squares►.

21Wisdom calls out in noisy places,

and at the entrances to cities.

22Wisdom says, “How long will you stupid people continue to enjoy doing foolish things [RHQ]?

How long will you people who ridicule God enjoy doing that [RHQ]?

How long will you foolish people refuse to know what things are right [RHQ]?

23If you pay attention to me when I rebuke you,

I will tell you what I am thinking in my inner being;

I will give you some good advice.

24But when I called to you, you refused to listen.

I beckoned to you to come to me,

but you ignored me.

25I tried to advise you,

but you refused to listen to me.

I tried to correct you,

but you rejected what I told you.

26So now, when you are experiencing troubles/disasters,

I will laugh at you.

When things happen that cause you to be afraid,

I will make fun of you.

27When calamities strike you like a big storm,

when disasters hit you like a violent wind,

when all kinds of things distress you and give you trouble,

I will ridicule you!

28Wisdom also says, “When foolish people call to me to help them,

I will not answer them.

They will search for me diligently/everywhere,

but they will not find me.

29They refused to know what things are right,

and they decided not to revere Yahweh.

30They would not accept my advice,

and they did not pay attention when I tried to correct them.

31So they will endure what will result [MET, DOU] from the evil way they have lived/behaved

and the evil things they have planned to do.

32Those who turn away from me are stupid/foolish;

they will die because of doing that.

33But those who pay attention to me will live peacefully and safely,

and they will not be afraid that something will harm them.”

2

The results of wisdom

1My son, listen to what I say,

and consider my instructions to be as valuable as [MET] a treasure.

2Pay attention to wisdom

and try hard to understand it.

3Call out to God to get insight;

plead with him to help you to understand more of what he wants you to know.

4Search eagerly for wisdom, like you would search for silver,

like you would search for a treasure that someone has hidden.

5If you do that, you will understand how to revere Yahweh,

and you will succeed in knowing God.

6Yahweh is the one who gives us wisdom.

He is the one who tells us things that we need to know and understand.

7He gives good advice to those who conduct their lives as they should.

He protects [MET] those who do what is right.

8He guards those who act justly/fairly toward others,

and he watches over those who are faithful/loyal to him.

9If you ask God for wisdom, you will understand what is right and just [DOU] to do,

and you will know the right way to conduct your life,

10because you will be wise in your inner being;

and knowing what God wants you to know will cause you to be joyful.

11If you know [PRS] how to choose what is right to do

and if you understand what God wants you to do,

God will protect you and guard you and keep you safe.

12If you are wise [PRS], you will not do what evil people do,

and you will not believe what deceitful people say.

13Deceitful people have stopped acting fairly/justly toward others

and ◄walk on dark and evil paths/do what evil people do► [MET].

14They enjoy doing what is wrong;

they like to do what is evil and to deceive people.

15They ◄walk on crooked paths/always deceive others►

and are always dishonest.

16If you are wise [PRS], you will also be saved from ◄immoral women/prostitutes►;

you will not pay attention when adulterous women try to ◄seduce/entice you by what they say.►

17Those women have left the husbands whom they married when they were young;

they have disregarded the solemn promise they made to God not to commit adultery.

18If you go into houses of women who are like that,

you will die when you are still young;

the road to their houses leads to hell.

19No man who ◄visits/sleeps with► a woman like that will again live harmoniously with his family.

He will never have a happy life again.

20If you are wise, you should behave like good men behave.

You should ◄stay on the paths that righteous people walk on/do what godly people do► [MET],

21because only godly people will live in this land and receive God’s blessings;

only those who have not done wrong will stay here for a long time.

22Wicked people will be expelled from this land,

and people who are not trustworthy will be thrown {God will throw them} out of it.

3

More advice to Solomon’s son

1My son, do not forget what I have taught you.

Keep my commands in your inner being,

2because if you obey them you will live a long time and things will go well for you

3Always faithfully love others and ◄be faithful/do what you say that you will do►;

doing those things will cause others to be pleased with you;

it will be as though you are wearing a beautiful necklace.

Keep those things in your mind/inner being.

4If you do, God and people will approve of you

and think highly of you [MTY].

5Trust in Yahweh completely,

and do not rely on what you yourself understand.

6Always allow him to lead you.

If you do that, he will ◄show you the right path/direct your life►.

7Do not be proud of being wise.

Instead, revere Yahweh

and turn away from doing evil.

8If you do that, your body will be healthy/strong;

it will be like medicine for you.

9Honor Yahweh by what you do with your money;

and by giving him the first part of your harvest.

10If you do that, you will have a good harvest.

Yahweh will fill your barns with grain,

and your vats/containers will be overflowing with grape juice for making wine.

11My son, when Yahweh disciplines/corrects you, do not despise it,

and if he rebukes you, do not resent it.

12I say that because it is the people whom Yahweh loves that he corrects/reproves,

just like parents correct/reprove their sons whom they love.

13Yahweh is pleased with those who become wise and have good understanding.

14Being wise and having good understanding is worth more than silver,

better than gold.

15Being wise is more precious than ◄jewels/precious stones►;

there is nothing that you could desire that would be as valuable as wisdom.

16On the one hand, wisdom [PRS] enables you to live a long life,

and on the other hand, wisdom enables you to become rich and to be honored.

17If you are wise, your life will be pleasant,

and things will go well for you.

18Wisdom is like a tree that gives long life to those who eagerly take hold of it,

and Yahweh is pleased with those who hold onto it tightly.

19By his wisdom Yahweh created the earth,

and by his understanding he put everything in the skies.

20By his knowledge he caused the water that was beneath the earth to burst forth,

and he caused rain to fall from the clouds.

21My son, always keep doing things that are right and things that are smart.

If you do that,

22you will live many years and be honored and respected {people will honor and respect you}.

23If you do what is right and wise, you will be able to walk safely,

and you will not ◄stumble/do things that are wrong► [MET].

24You will be able to lie down at night and not be afraid of anything,

and you will sleep peacefully.

25You will not be afraid that something disastrous will happen to you

or that storms that strike the wicked will strike you,

26because you will be confident that Yahweh will take care of you.

He will not let your foot be caught in a trap/snare.

27If you are able to help people who deserve it,

do not refuse to help them.

28If you are able to help someone you interact with,

do not say, “Come back later;

perhaps I can help you tomorrow.”

29Do not make plans to harm those you interact with regularly,

because they live near you, and they trust you.

30If someone has not harmed you,

do not accuse him by saying that he has harmed you.

31Do not envy people who obtain things by violent actions,

and do not imitate/do what they do.

32I say that because Yahweh considers such people to be abominable/detestable;

but he is a friend to all those who do what is right.

33Yahweh curses the families [MTY] of those who are wicked,

but he blesses the families of those who are good/righteous.

34Yahweh makes fun of those who make fun of others,

but he kindly helps those who are humble.

35Wise people will be honored {people will honor wise people},

but foolish people will be dishonored/disgraced.

4

Advice to young people

1My children, listen to what I am teaching you.

If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.

2What I am teaching you is good,

so do not turn away from it.

3When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,

4my father told me, “Remember my words;

if you obey my commandments,

you will live a long time.

5Obtain wisdom and understanding,

and ◄do not abandon/hold fast to► [LIT] what I have taught you.

6Do not turn away from wisdom,

because if you are wise, you will be protected from all evil/danger.

If you love wisdom, wisdom [PRS] will guard you.

7The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom.

Even if you obtain many other things,

the best thing is to know what things are wise.

8If you consider being wise to be very valuable,

people will think very highly of you.

If you cling to wisdom like you would cling to a woman you love,

many people will honor you.

9If you become wise, that will for you be like a beautiful wreath that is put {someone puts} on your head;

it will be like a king’s glorious crown.”

That is what my father told me.

10So now I say, “My son, heed what I say.

If you do that, you will live a good long life.

11I am teaching you the way to live wisely;

I am showing you ow to act justly toward others.

12If you live wisely,

when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].

13Hold fast to the things I have taught you to do,

and do not let them go.

Guard them,

because they will be the source of a good life.

14Do not do the things that wicked people do;

do not behave like they do;

do not even walk on the roads that evil people walk on [MET].

15Stay away from those roads;

turn aside and walk on other roads;

16because evil people cannot sleep if they have not done some evil deed on that day.

They cannot rest if they have not harmed someone.

17What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”

18The behavior of good/righteous people is like the light that begins to shine at dawn

and then continues to shine brighter until the brightest time of day.

19But the behavior of wicked people is like deep/thick darkness.

Because it is very dark, they cannot see the things that cause them to stumble.

20My son, pay attention to what I am saying.

Listen to my words carefully.

21Keep them close to you;

let them penetrate your inner being,

22because you will have [PRS] a good life and good health if you search for them and find them.

23It is very important that you be careful about what you think,

because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.

24Do not say anything that deceives others

and never say what is not true.

25Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you,

and do not turn aside.

26Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do,

and then stay on that road.

Then what you do will be right.

27Do not leave the straight road by turning to the left or to the right.

Do only what is right

and keep yourself from doing what is evil.

5

A warning about adultery

1My son, listen carefully to some more wise things that I will tell you.

Listen well to what I am going to teach you.

2If you do that, you will be able to choose wisely what to do,

and you will know the right things to say [MTY].

3What an immoral woman says to you may be as sweet as honey,

and sound smoother than olive oil feels on your skin,

4but the result of being with her will be bitter like gall

and injure you as badly, like being cut with a sharp two-edged sword.

5If you go where she goes [MTY], you will go down to where the dead people are.

Her steps will lead you straight to the grave.

6She is not concerned about the roads that lead to a long life.

She walks down a crooked path,

and she does not realize that she is on the wrong road.

7So now, my sons, listen to me.

◄Never turn aside from/always remember► [LIT] what I am about to tell you.

8Run away from immoral women!

Do not go near the doors of their houses!

9If you enter the home of one of them, you will lose your ◄self-respect/good reputation►

and that woman’s husband will not act mercifully toward you;

he will kill you and take everything that you have acquired during your life!

10Foreigners will take your money,

and all the good things that you have worked for will ◄end up in their hands/become their possessions►.

11And when you are about to die,

you will groan with severe pain

because diseases that you have gotten from being immoral will be destroying your body.

12Then you will say, “I hated it when people tried to correct me.

I despised people when they reproved/rebuked me.

13I did not heed what my teachers said!

I paid no attention to those who tried to teach me something about my behavior.

14Now I am almost ruined,

and I will be disgraced in public gatherings.”

15Like a man is refreshed by drinking water from his own well [MET],

enjoy having sex [EUP] only with your own wife.

16Like you would not waste good water by pouring it into the street,

you should not have sex with other women. [MET, EUP]

17Enjoy having sex only with your wife;

do not have sex with other women.

18Let your wife be a source of great pleasure to you.

◄Be happy/ Enjoy sex► with the woman whom you married when you were both young.

19She is as pretty and graceful as a young female deer.

Allow her breasts to always satisfy you.

Allow her lovemaking to excite you.

20My son, do not be [RHQ] captivated/charmed by an immoral woman!

Do not fondle the breasts of another man’s wife!

21I say that because Yahweh sees clearly everything that we do;

he knows where we are going on the roads that we walk on.

22Evil men’s sinful desires hold them fast;

their sins are like ropes that bind them.

23Evil men will die because they are unable to say “No” to their desires;

they will ◄go astray/be lost► because of the foolish things that they do.

6

Warnings against foolish behavior

1My son, if someone has borrowed money from a friend or a stranger,

and if you have promised that you will pay the money back if that person is unable to pay back the money he borrowed,

2you may be trapped by what you have agreed to do,

because if the one who borrowed the money is not able to pay it back, you will have to pay it.

What you have said that you will do will be like a snare to you.

3So, my son, I will tell you what you should do to escape from your difficulty,

so that the moneylender does not get control over your wealth:

Humbly go to your friend and plead with him to cancel the agreement!

4Do not wait until tomorrow; go immediately!

Do not rest until you go and talk with him.

5Save yourself,

like a deer that escapes from a deer hunter

or like a bird that flees from a bird hunter.

6You lazy individual, learn something from watching the ants.

Become wise from observing what they do.

7They do not have a king or a governor or any other person who rules them and forces them to work,

8but they work hard all during the summer,

gathering and storing food to eat during the winter.

9But, you lazy loafer, how long will you continue to sleep [RHQ]?

Are you never going to get up from sleeping and go to work?

10You sleep a for a little time; you say, “I will take just a short nap.”

You lie down and fold/lay your hands across your chest and rest;

11and suddenly you will become poor.

It will be as though a bandit suddenly comes and takes all that you have.

12I will describe for you what worthless and evil people are like.

They constantly lie;

13by winking their eyes and moving their feet and making signs with their fingers,

they signal to their friends what they are intending/planning to do.

14They plan to do evil things.

They constantly cause strife/trouble.

15But disasters will hit them suddenly;

they will be crushed/ruined and nothing will be able to heal them.

16There are six, maybe seven, kinds of people that Yahweh hates. They are:

17People who show by their eyes that they are very proud;

people who lie [MTY];

people [SYN] who kill others [SYN] who have done nothing wrong;

18people who plan to do evil deeds;

people [SYN] who run quickly to do wrong things;

19people who easily tell lies in court;

and people who cause strife between family members.

More warnings about adultery

20My son, obey my commands,

and do not ignore what your mother has taught you.

21Remember the things that we have said.

Those things should be like a beautiful necklace around your neck.

22If you follow our advice, it will be as though what we have taught you [PRS] will lead you, wherever you go.

When you sleep, they will protect you.

And when you wake up in the morning, they will teach/instruct you.

23These commands and what we teach you will be like a lamp to light your path [MET].

When we rebuke you and correct/punish you,

we will be showing you the road to having a good life.

24Heeding [PRS] these commands and things that we have taught you will enable you to keep away from immoral women

and from listening to the enticing words of an adulterous woman.

25Even if such a woman is beautiful and has lovely eyes, do not desire to go with her.

Do not let her persuade you to go with her ◄with her eyes/by the way she looks at you►.

26Do not forget that you can hire a prostitute for only a loaf of bread,

but if you sleep with another man’s wife, ◄it may cost you/you may lose► your life.

27Can you carry hot coals in your pocket and not be burned [RHQ]?

28Can you walk on burning coals and not scorch/burn your feet?

29No! And in the same way, anyone who ◄sleeps with/has sex with► another man’s wife will suffer for doing that.

He will certainly [LIT] be punished severely.

30We do not despise a thief if he steals some food because he is very hungry.

31But if he steals something and then is caught by the police,

he will have to pay back ◄seven times as much as/much more than► he stole.

He may need to sell everything that is in his house to get enough money to pay it back.

32But a man who commits adultery with some woman is very foolish,

because he is destroying his own self/soul by what he is doing.

33That woman’s husband will wound him badly,

and other people will despise him.

His shame will never end.

34Because that woman’s husband will ◄be jealous/not want anyone else to sleep with her►, he will become furious,

and when he gets revenge, he will not act mercifully toward the man who slept with his wife.

35And he will not accept any bribe/money, even if it is a big bribe, to ◄appease him/cause him to stop being angry►.

7

More warnings about adultery

1My son, heed my advice,

and guard my instructions as you would [MET] guard a treasure.

2Obey my commands,

and as a result you will live a good life.

Consider the things that I teach you to be very precious;

guard them, just like you protect your eyes.

3Tie my commands around your fingers in order that they will remind you to obey them.

Always keep them in mind [MET].

4Love wisdom like you love your sister.

Understand what is wise,

and let that be as dear to you as members of your family.

5If you are wise and if you understand what is wise [PRS], you will not sleep with an immoral woman;

you will not listen to a woman who tries to entice you to sleep with her by what she says.

6One day, I was standing at the window inside my house,

and I looked outside.

7I saw some young men who did not have good sense.

Among them was a man who was very foolish.

8He crossed the street near the house of an immoral woman.

He was walking along the path toward her house

9at twilight, when it was getting dark [DOU].

10Suddenly the woman came out to see/meet him.

She was dressed ◄seductively/like a prostitute►, wanting to persuade him to sleep with her.

11She was a loud talker, one who was rebellious;

she [SYN] never stayed at home.

12She often went into the city streets and plazas/markets,

waiting to trap some man.

13When she saw that young man, she put her arms around him and kissed him.

Then without being a bit ashamed, she said,

14“I have some meat that is left over from a sacrifice that I made today to maintain fellowship with Yahweh;

I have fulfilled/done what I promised him that I would do.

15And now I have come out to meet/see you.

I was searching for you, and now I have found you!

16I have put on my bed sheets/bedspreads that were made from very fine linen that were imported {people brought} from Egypt.

17I have sprinkled sweet-smelling perfumes on my bed—

myrrh and aloes and cinnamon.

18Come with me; let us enjoy having sex until tomorrow morning.

Let’s enjoy making love.

19My husband is not at home;

he has gone away on a long journey.

20He is carrying a wallet filled with money,

and he will not return until the middle of this month.”

21So she persuaded him by her enticing/tempting words.

She allured him by her smooth/sweet talk.

22And he went with her immediately,

like an ox that was going to where it would be slaughtered,

or like a deer (OR, a fool) that is stepping into a noose/trap,

23where it will remain/stay until someone shoots an arrow into its liver and kills it.

He was like a bird that flew into a trap.

He did not know that ◄it would cost him his life/he would die as a result►.

24My son, listen to what I say;

pay careful attention to my words.

25Do not allow anything to arouse/persuade you to go with an immoral woman like that.

Do not go where she goes.

26She has caused many men to be ruined;

truly, no one can count the men she has killed.

27The road to her house is the road to the grave.

Those who enter her bedroom [PRS] will die as a result.

8

Wisdom calls to us

1It is as if wisdom, with great understanding of many things, is calling [PRS] out to people.

2Wisdom stands on hilltops and at crossroads.

3Wisdom also stands at the city gates and shouts loudly,

4“I am calling to everyone!

I am shouting loudly to all people!

5You people who do not know how to do things that are smart to do, get sound judgment;

you foolish people, get good understanding!

6Listen to me, because I have some excellent/important things to say.

What I say is what is fair/right.

7I speak what is true;

I detest speaking [MTY] what is false/deceptive.

8Everything that I say is honest;

there is nothing that I say that deceives people.

9My words are clear to those who have good sense;

those who are wise know that what I say is right.

10If someone offers you the kind of teaching I give or offers you silver,

choose my teaching.

If he offers to show you how to be wise or offers you gold,

choose to know how to be wise,

11because wisdom is more valuable than jewels.

Nothing that you desire is as valuable as being wise.

12I, wisdom, and understanding of what is smart to do, cannot be separated.

We are like two people who live in the same house.

I know how to be wise and how to make smart decisions.

13All the people who revere Yahweh hate evil.

I, wisdom, hate people who are proud and people who think they are more important than others.

I hate people who behave in an evil way and those who say things to deceive others.

14I give people good advice and I enable them to do things that are wise.

I understand how things really are, and I am strong.

15When kings are wise, they rule well;

and when rulers are wise, they make laws that are just/fair.

16Rulers govern their people with the help of me, wisdom,

and those who have authority decide things fairly/just with my help.

17I, wisdom, love all those who love me,

and all those who truly seek me will find me.

18I enable people to become rich and to be honored;

I enable them to have wealth that will last and to be successful.

19What I can give people is more valuable than fine/pure gold and the best silver.

20I always do what is righteous and just/fair.

21I give wealth to those who love me;

I fill their houses with valuable things.

22Yahweh created me, wisdom, when he began to create the world;

he created me to do my work before he created anything else.

23He appointed me long ago, before he created the earth.

24I was born before the oceans were created,

when there were no springs from which water flowed.

25I was born before the hills and mountains were formed;

26I, wisdom, was born before Yahweh made the earth,

before he made the fields and the soil on the earth.

27I was there when Yahweh put the sky in place,

when he marked the place in the distance where the sky and the oceans seem to come together.

28I was there when Yahweh put the clouds above the earth

and when he caused the water that is inside the earth to be secure.

29I was there when he fixed a boundary for the seas,

so that the water in the seas would not go past those boundaries,

and when he put down the foundations which support the earth.

30I was at the side of Yahweh, the master worker (OR, as though I was his child).

I caused him to be happy every day, and I was always rejoicing when I was with him.

31I was delighted with the world that he created;

I was happy with the people whom he created, too.

32So, you people who are like my sons, listen to me.

I am pleased with all those who obey my teachings.

33Listen carefully to what I teach you and become wise.

Do not reject my teaching!

34I am pleased with those who listen to me,

those who are outside my house every day, waiting for me to come out.

35Those who find me will have a long life,

and Yahweh will be pleased with them.

36But those who stray away from me just harm themselves.

All those who hate me, it is as though [IRO] they are loving death.”

9

Being wise and being foolish

1It is as though wisdom is a woman who has built a big house for herself,

and has set up seven columns to support the roof,

2and has slaughtered an animal and cooked the meat,

and has mixed nice spices in the wine,

and has put the food on the table.

3It is as though then she sent out her servant women to call out from the highest place in the town,

4“You people who need to understand more, come in!”

And to those who are ignorant, it is as though she calls out,

5“Come and eat the food that I have prepared,

and drink the good wine that I have mixed!

6◄Leave/Go away from► other foolish people, and if you do that, you will continue to live.

Walk on the road that will enable you to ◄have knowledge/know what is true and what is not true►.”

7If you rebuke someone who will not allow others to correct him, he will insult you.

If you reprove/scold an evil man, he will hurt you.

8Do not rebuke someone who will not allow others to ◄correct him/tell him what he has done is wrong►, because he will hate you for doing that.

But if you rebuke a wise person, he will respect you.

9If you give instruction to wise people, they will become wiser.

And if you teach righteous people, they will learn more.

10If you want to be wise, you must start by revering Yahweh,

and if you know God, the Holy One, you will understand which teachings are wise/true.

11If you become wise, you will live many years [DOU].

12If you are wise, you are the one who will benefit from it;

if you ridicule becoming wise, you are the one who will suffer.

13Foolish women talk loudly;

they are ignorant and are never ashamed of the wrong things that they do.

14They sit at the doors of their houses

or they sit on the top of the hills in the town,

15and they call out to the men who are passing by,

who are trying to be concerned with their own affairs,

16“You people who need to understand more, come into my house!”

And to those who are ignorant, they call out,

17“Just as water which you have stolen tastes very good

and food that you eat by yourself tastes the best,

if you have sex secretly with someone to whom you are not married, you will enjoy it very much.”

18But men who go to those women’s houses do not know that those who have gone there are now dead;

they have descended down into the deepest parts of the place where dead people are.

10

Wise sayings from Solomon

1These are more proverbs/wise sayings from Solomon:

If children are wise, they cause their parents to be happy;

but if children are foolish, they cause their parents to be very sad.

2Money that you get by doing dishonest/wicked things will really not benefit you;

but by living righteously you will live for ◄a long time/many years►.

3Yahweh does not allow righteous people to starve,

but he will prevent wicked people from getting what they want.

4Lazy people soon become poor;

it is those who work hard who become rich.

5Those who are wise, harvest the crops when they are ripe;

it is shameful/disgraceful to sleep and not work during harvest time.

6Righteous people will be blessed by God;

the nice things that wicked people say [MTY] sometimes conceal the fact that they are planning to act violently.

7After righteous people die, other people are blessed as they remember what those people did before they died;

but we will soon forget wicked people [MTY] after they die.

8Wise people heed good instruction/advice,

but people who talk foolishly will ruin themselves.

9Honest people will be safe,

but others (OR, God) will find out those who are dishonest.

10Those who signal wihth their eyes that they are about to do something that is wrong cause trouble,

but those who rebuke others truthfully cause them to be peaceful.

11What righteous people say [MTY] is like a fountain that ◄gives life/enables people to live many years► [MET],

but what wicked people say [MTY] hides the fact that they intend to act violently.

12When we hate others, it causes quarrels,

but if we love others, we forgive them for the wrong things that they do.

13Those who have good sense say [MTY] what is wise,

but people who do not have good sense must be punished.

14Wise people continue to learn all that they can,

but when foolish people speak, they soon cause trouble.

15The wealth that rich people have protects them like a city is protected by a strong wall around it [MET],

but people who are poor suffer much because they have no one to help them.

16If you are righteous, your reward will be a good life,

but all that sinful people gain is to sin more.

17Those who pay attention when others try to ◄correct them/teach them what they are doing that is wrong► will live ◄happily/for many years►;

but those who reject being rebuked will not find the road to life (OR, cause others to go astray).

18Those who will not admit that they hate others are liars,

and those who slander others are foolish.

19When people talk a lot, that will lead them to sin a lot by what they say;

if you are wise, you will refuse to say very much.

20What righteous/good people say [MTY] is as valuable as pure silver [MET];

what wicked people think is worthless.

21What righteous people say [MTY] benefits many people,

but foolish people die because of the stupid things that they do.

22Yahweh blesses some people by enabling them to become rich,

and working hard will not make them to become richer (OR, and he will not also cause them to become sad).

23Foolish people ◄have fun/enjoy► doing what is wrong,

but wise/sensible people enjoy doing what is wise.

24Righteous people will get the good things that they want/desire,

but what wicked people are afraid of is what will happen to them.

25When storms come, the wicked will ◄be blown away/never be safe►,

but righteous people will be safe forever.

26We do not like a lazy person who refuses to do the job that he is given to do,

just like we do not like vinegar in our mouths or smoke in our eyes.

27If you revere Yahweh, you will live for a long time;

but wicked people die before they become old.

28Righteous people confidently expect that good things will happen to them, and that causes them to be happy/joyful;

but when wicked people confidently expect something good to happen, it does not happen.

29Yahweh protects [MET] those who live righteously,

but he destroys those who do what is evil.

30Righteous people will always be secure [LIT],

but wicked people will be removed from their land (OR, from this earth).

31Righteous people [MTY] say things that are wise,

but God will shut the mouths of people [MTY] who say what is not true.

32Righteous people [MTY] know what to say that is acceptable,

but wicked people [MTY] are constantly saying things that are not true.

11

1Yahweh detests people who use scales that do not weigh correctly;

he is delighted with those who use correct weights on the scales.

2People who are proud will eventually be disgraced;

it is wise to be humble.

3People who are good are guided by doing what is honest;

those who are not honest will be ruined because of the wrong things that they do.

4Your money will not help you on the day that God judges and punishes people;

but if you live righteously, you will live a long time.

5When people are honest and good, that will ◄direct their paths/show them what is right for them to do►;

but wicked people will experience disasters because of the evil things that they do.

6God rescues/protects righteous people because they ◄are honest/do what is right►,

but those who ◄are treacherous/cannot be trusted► will be trapped because of their being greedy.

7When wicked people die, they cannot confidently expect to receive anything that is good;

they expect that their money will help/save them, but it will not.

8Yahweh rescues righteous people from their troubles/difficulties;

instead, it is the wicked who will have troubles.

9Godless people can ruin others by what they say [MTY],

but righteous people will be saved by their ◄own good sense/being wise►.

10When things go well for righteous people, the people in [MTY] their city are happy,

and they shout joyfully when wicked people die.

11When righteous people request God to bless a city, that city will become great,

but cities are ruined by what wicked people say [MTY].

12It is foolish to despise others;

those who ◄have good sense/are wise► do not say anything to criticize others.

13Those who ◄spread gossip/tell bad things about others► will tell your secrets to others,

but if there is someone whom you can trust, you can trust him to not tell your secrets to others.

14A nation will be destroyed/ruined if it does not have leaders who guide it wisely;

but if there are many good advisors, the nation remains secure.

15If you promise a stranger that you will pay his debt if he cannot pay it himself, you will regret it.

You will be safe if you refuse to guarantee that you will pay someone else’s debts.

16People honor/respect women who are kind/gracious;

ruthless/violent people may get a lot of money, but that is all that they will get.

17Those who are kind benefit themselves because others will be kind to them,

but those who are cruel will hurt themselves because others will be cruel to them.

18If wicked people earn a lot of money, that will deceive them because they will not keep it for very long,

but those who do what is right will surely be rewarded by God forever.

19Those who always do what is right will live a long/happy life,

but those who insist on doing what is wrong will not live very long.

20Yahweh hates those who are always thinking about doing evil things,

but he is delighted with those who always do what is right.

21It is certain that Yahweh will punish evil people

and that righteous people will escape from being punished.

22It is ◄unsuitable/not proper/disgusting► for a beautiful woman not to know what is right to do,

like [SIM] it is unsuitable/disgusting for a pig to have a gold ring in its snout/nose.

23When the things that righteous people want happen, it brings good to them and to others,

but when the wicked get what they want, it causes everyone else to become angry.

24Some people give their money generously to poor people, but they become richer in spite of that,

and some people hold tightly to their money, but they still become poor in spite of that.

25Those who give generously to others will prosper;

if you help others, they/someone will help you, too.

26People curse/despise someone who hoards his grain and does not sell it, waiting to get a higher/bigger price for it,

but they praise someone who sells it when people need it, even when the price is not high.

27If you sincerely want to do what is right, people will respect you,

but if you are wanting to cause trouble, trouble is what you will get.

28Those who trust in their money will disappear like the withered leaves that fall from the trees,

but righteous people will keep going strong, like green leaves in the summer.

29Those who bring troubles to their families will inherit nothing [MET] from them,

and those who do foolish things like that will some day become the servants of wise people.

30Those who live righteously will live for a long time,

but those who act violently will destroy their own lives (OR, those who are wise will have many people come and live with them).

31Sometimes righteous people are rewarded here on the earth,

but it is much more certain that very wicked people [DOU] will be rewarded by being punished.

12

1Those who want to know what is right to do want to be ◄disciplined/corrected► when they do what is wrong;

it is foolish to not want to be ◄corrected/told that what you did is wrong►.

2Yahweh is pleased with good people,

but he condemns those who plan to harm others.

3People do not become secure/safe by doing what is wicked;

righteous people will be very safe and secure [LIT] like [MET] a tree that has deep roots.

4A good wife is one who causes her husband to be greatly honored,

but a wife who does things that cause her husband to be ashamed will destroy him like [SIM] cancer destroys his bones.

5What righteous people want to do is to treat people fairly;

what wicked people want to do is to deceive people.

6What wicked people say is like a trap [MET] that kills [MTY] people who pass by,

but what righteous people say [MTY] rescues those whom wicked people threaten to harm.

7Wicked people will die before they become old and we will see them no more,

but righteous people will live for many years and have many descendants.

8People will praise those who have good sense,

but people will despise those ◄who are always thinking about doing evil things/whose thinking is twisted►.

9It is better to be a humble/ordinary person who has only one servant

than to think that you are very important while you have nothing to eat.

10Righteous people take care of their domestic animals,

but wicked people act cruelly toward their animals.

11Farmers who work hard in their fields will produce good crops that will give them plenty to eat,

but those who waste their time working on worthless projects are foolish.

12Wicked people desire to take away what other evil people have,

but Yahweh enables righteous/godly people to be steadfast and productive [MET].

13Evil people are trapped by the evil things that they say [MTY],

but righteous people escape from trouble.

14People are rewarded for the good things that they say to others,

and people are also rewarded for the good work that they do [MTY].

15Foolish people always think that what they are doing is right;

wise people heed other people when they give them good advice.

16Foolish people quickly become angry when someone does something that they don’t like;

but those who have good sense ignore it when others insult them.

17In the courtroom, honest people say what is true,

but untruthful/dishonest people tell nothing but lies.

18What some people say hurts people badly, as much as [SIM] a sword can;

but what wise people say ◄heals others’ souls/comforts others►.

19When people tell [MTY] lies, others soon realize that what they said is not true [IDM];

but when people say what is true, others will rember that forever.

20Those who plan to do what is evil are always wanting to deceive others,

but things will go well for those who plan to do good things.

21Bad things usually [HYP] do not happen to righteous people,

but wicked people always have troubles.

22Yahweh detests those [MTY] who tell lies,

but he is delighted with those who faithfully do what they promise that they will do.

23Those with good sense do not reveal all that they know;

foolish people show clearly by what they say that they ◄are ignorant/have not learned much►.

24Those [SYN] who work hard become rulers of others;

those who are lazy become slaves of others.

25When people are anxious/worried, they become depressed/dejected,

but when others speak kindly to them, it causes them to be cheerful again.

26Godly/Righteous people try to give good advice to their friends (OR, try to make friends with others),

but the manner in which wicked people live misleads their friends.

27Lazy people do not even cook the meat of the animals that they catch/kill,

but those who work hard will acquire (OR, are like) a valuable treasure.

28Those who ◄live righteously/continually do what is right► are walking on the road to a long life;

◄it is not a road to death/they will not die when they are still young►.

13

1Children who are wise ◄pay attention/heed it► when their parents discipline/correct them;

but foolish children do not pay attention when someone rebukes them for their bad behavior.

2Good people are rewarded [IDM] for the good things [MET] that they say,

but those who desire to deceive others are very eager to act violently.

3Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] will live a long life;

those who talk ◄without thinking/too much► will ruin themselves.

4People who are lazy want things very much, but they will not get anything [HYP].

People who work hard will get all that they want.

5Righteous/Honest people hate/detest lies,

but what wicked people do ◄is very disgraceful/stinks► [DOU].

6The behavior [PRS] of those who always do what is right will protect them,

but sinful behavior will ruin wicked people.

7Some people who have nothing pretend to be rich,

but other people who are very rich pretend to be poor.

8Rich people are able to pay people who want to kill them, with the result that they will be protected, not killed,

but poor people do not have to worry about that because no one threatens to kill them.

9Righteous people are like a lamp [MET] that shines brightly,

but wicked people are like [MET] a lamp that will soon be extinguished.

10People who are arrogant/proud always cause strife;

those who are wise ask other people for good advice.

11Those who acquire a lot of money quickly by doing what is wrong, probably will lose it quickly,

but if people earn money slowly, the amount of money they have will increase.

12When people do not receive the things that they are expecting to receive, ◄it causes them to despair/they become very sad►;

but if you receive what you are desiring to get, that will be like a tree [MET] whose fruit gives you life (OR, that will cause you to be joyful).

13Those who despise the good advice that others give them are bringing ruin on themselves;

those who pay attention to that advice will ◄be secure/succeed►.

14What wise people teach is like a fountain whose water gives life [MET];

what they teach you will help you to escape when something dangerous is threatening to kill you [MET].

15People respect those who have good sense,

but those who cannot be trusted are on the road to being ruined/destroyed (OR, will have a lot of difficulties/troubles).

16Those who have good sense always think carefully/wisely before they do something;

foolish people show by what they say and do that they are foolish.

17Messengers who are not reliable cause trouble,

but those who faithfully deliver their messages cause people to act peacefully.

18Those who refuse to pay attention when others discipline/correct them will become poor and disgraced;

people respect those who accept it when they are rebuked for their bad behavior.

19It is delightful to receive what we desire;

foolish people hate/refuse to turn away from doing evil.

20Those who habitually associate with wise people become wise;

those who ◄are close friends of/associate with► foolish people will ◄regret it/be ruined►.

21Sinners have trouble [PRS] wherever they go,

but things will go well for righteous people.

22When good people die, their grandchildren inherit their money;

but when sinners die, the money that they had will end up in the hands of righteous people.

23Sometimes poor people’s fields produce plenty of food,

but unjust people take away all that food.

24Those who do not punish their children for bad behavior do not really love them;

those who love their children start to discipline them when the children are still young.

25Righteous people have enough food to eat and be satisfied,

but the stomachs of wicked people [SYN] are always empty.

14

1Wise women [PRS] hold their families together by the wise things that they do,

but foolish women ruin their families by the foolish things that they do.

2By continually behaving/acting righteously, people show that they greatly revere Yahweh;

those who ◄walk on crooked paths/always deceive others► show that they despise him.

3Foolish people will be punished [MTY] for what they say,

but wise people will be protected by what they say [MTY].

4If a man has no oxen to plow his field, he does not need to put grain in their feedbox,

but if he has oxen, they will enable him to produce an abundant crop.

5Witnesses who are reliable always say what ◄is true/really happened►,

but witnesses who are not reliable constantly tell lies about what happened.

6Those who make fun of being wise will never become wise,

but those who understand what is right learn things easily.

7Stay away from foolish people,

because they will not be able to teach you anything useful.

8Those who have good sense are wise, so they know what they should do and what they should not do;

foolish people do not know what is right to do, but because they think that they do, they are deceiving themselves.

9Foolish people make fun of their committing sins;

but God is pleased with those who do what is right.

10If you are very sad or if you are joyful, only you know what you are experiencing;

no one else can know what you are feeling.

11Houses built by wicked people will be destroyed,

but houses built by good/righteous people will last for a long time.

12There are some kinds of behavior [MET] that some people falsely think are right,

but ◄walking on those roads/continually doing those things► causes those people to die.

13Sometimes when people laugh, they are really sad,

and when they stop laughing, they are still sad.

14Those who stubbornly continue to do what is wrong will get what they deserve,

and those who continually do what is good will also get what they deserve.

15Foolish people believe everything that people tell them;

those who have good sense think carefully about what will be the result of their actions.

16Wise people are careful and avoid doing things that will give them trouble;

foolish people are careless and act ◄too quickly/without thinking►.

17Those who quickly become angry [IDM] do foolish things;

people hate those who plan to do wicked things (OR, those who have good sense remain calm/patient).

18Foolish people get what they deserve for doing foolish things;

those with good sense are rewarded [MET] by being able to learn a lot.

19Some day evil people will bow down in front of righteous people to show that they respect them;

they will humbly stand at the gates of the houses of righteous people and request their help.

20No one likes poor people; even their friends/neighbors do not like them;

rich people have many friends, but only while the rich people still have money.

21It is sinful to despise your poor neighbors;

God is pleased with those who do kind things for the poor.

22Those who plan to do things that are evil/wrong are walking on the wrong road;

people faithfully love, respect and are loyal to those who plan to do what is good.

23If you work hard, you will ◄accomplish something good/get a good income►,

but if all you do is to talk and not work, you will remain poor.

24One of the rewards [MET] of being wise is to become rich;

the reward of acting foolishly is to become more foolish.

25By saying in court what is true, you can save the life of the one who is being falsely accused;

if you tell lies, you are abandoning someone who needs your help to defend him.

26Those who revere Yahweh are confident that he will protect them,

and their family will also be protected.

27Having an awesome respect for Yahweh is like [MET] having a fountain that gives life;

it will help you to escape when something dangerous is threatening to kill you [MET].

28If a king rules over many people, many people will be able to honor him;

if he has only a few people in his kingdom, he will have very little [HYP] power.

29Those who do not quickly become angry are very wise;

by quickly becoming angry, people show that they are foolish.

30Having a mind that is peaceful results in having a healthy body;

having a mind that is often in turmoil is like [MET] cancer in a person’s bones.

31Those who oppress poor people are insulting God, the one who made those poor people,

but acting kindly toward them is respecting God.

32Wicked people ruin themselves by the evil things that they do,

but righteous/good people are kept safe/protected even when they die (OR, because of their continually doing what is right).

33Those who have good sense always think what is wise;

foolish people do not know anything about being wise.

34When the people of a nation continually act righteously, it causes that nation to be great;

continually doing what is evil causes a nation to be disgraced.

35Kings are pleased with officials who do their work competently/skillfully,

but they punish [MTY] those who do their work in a manner that causes the kings to be disgraced.

15

1When people are angry with you, reply to them gently, and it will calm them;

but if you reply harshly to them, it causes them to become more angry.

2When wise people speak [MTY], it causes those who hear what they say to want to know more;

foolish people continually say [MTY] what is foolish.

3Yahweh sees [MTY] what is happening everywhere;

he observes what bad people do as well as what good people do.

4Those who speak [MTY] kindly to people are like [MET] trees whose fruit gives life;

speaking what is false causes people to ◄despair/feel very discouraged►.

5Foolish children despise their parents when their parents correct/discipline them;

wise children accept it.

6There are many valuable things in the houses of righteous people;

the wealth of wicked people causes them to have troubles/difficulties.

7What wise people teach [MTY] causes others to know much more,

but foolish people cannot teach others what is useful.

8Yahweh detests the sacrifices that are offered by wicked people;

what delights/pleases him very much are the prayers of righteous/good people.

9Yahweh hates/detests the behavior of wicked people,

but he loves those who always do what is righteous/just/fair.

10Those who do what is wrong will be severely punished;

those who do not want to be corrected will die.

11Yahweh knows what is happening in the place where dead people [DOU] are,

so he certainly knows [RHQ] what people are thinking.

12Some people do not want to be corrected;

they never go to wise people to seek good advice from them.

13When people are happy, they have smiles on their faces;

but when they are sad, by looking at their faces we can see that they are sad.

14Those who have good sense want to learn more;

foolish people [MTY] are very satisfied with being foolish/ignorant.

15Those who are oppressed constantly have difficulties,

but those who (OR, if they) are happy, it is as though [MET] they are having a big feast every day.

16Being poor and revering Yahweh

is better than being rich and having a lot of troubles.

17Eating meals with people whom you love and having only vegetables to eat

is better than eating with people who hate each other and having lots of good meat to eat.

18Those who quickly become angry cause arguments/quarreling,

but those who do not quickly become angry cause people to act peacefully.

19Lazy people constantly have difficulties [MET]; it is as though they are walking through thorns;

but those who are honest and hard-working will have few difficulties; it is as though they are walking on a level highway [MET].

20Children who are wise cause their parents to be happy;

it is foolish children who despise their parents.

21Foolish people are happy to continually act foolishly;

those who have good sense do what is right.

22If there is no one to give us good advice, we will not accomplish what we are planning to do;

but when we have many good advisors, we will succeed.

23People rejoice when they are able to reply well to what others have asked them;

truly, it is very delightful to be able to say the right thing at the right time.

24Wise people walk on a road that leads up to a long life;

they do not walk on a road that leads down to the place where dead people are.

25Yahweh tears down the houses of proud people,

but he protects the property of widows.

26Yahweh detests what wicked people are thinking about doing;

but when people say what is kind, he considers those words to be pure.

27Those who try hard to get money by acting dishonestly cause trouble for their family;

those who refuse to accept bribes will live for a long time.

28Righteous/Good people think carefully before they answer what others ask them;

wicked people very quickly say what is evil.

29Yahweh does not listen [MTY] to what wicked people request him to do;

he listens to righteous people when they pray.

30If people have a smile on their faces, it makes them/others happy,

and when people hear good news, it refreshes their spirits [MTY].

31If people pay attention when people correct/warn them,

they will become wise.

32If people refuse to listen when others try to correct them, they are despising/hurting themselves;

those who ◄pay attention/heed► when others warn them ◄become wiser/acquire good sense►.

33If you revere Yahweh, you will learn how to become wise,

but only after you become humble will people honor you.

16

1People plan what they want to do,

but Yahweh is the one who decides [MTY] what really will happen.

2People may think that their actions are right,

but Yahweh really knows why people do what they do.

3◄Request/Rely on► Yahweh to direct what you plan to do;

if you do that, you will succeed in what you plan.

4Yahweh knows why he does everything that he does;

he has even prepared the wicked for the time that he will punish them.

5Yahweh hates/detests everyone who is proud [IDM];

you can be certain [IDM] that they will be punished [LIT].

6Be loyal to Yahweh and faithfully obey him; if you do that, he will forgive you for having sinned.

If we revere him, nothing evil will happen to us (OR, he will prevent evil things from happening to us).

7When our behavior pleases Yahweh,

he even causes our enemies to act peacefully toward us.

8It is better to have a small amount of money that is earned honestly

than to have a lot of money that is acquired dishonestly.

9People plan what they want to do,

but Yahweh directs/determines what they will really be able to do.

10If God directs what a king says,

what he decides is always right/fair.

11Yahweh wants us to use scales that are correct;

the weights in his bag are correct, because he made them.

12Kings detest those who do evil,

because it is people doing what is fair/right that causes their governments to be [MTY] strong.

13Kings are delighted to hear people say [MTY] what is true;

they love those who say what is right/honest.

14If a king becomes angry, he may command that someone be executed,

so wise people will try to cause him to be calm.

15If a king has a smile [MTY] on his face, he will enable people to have a long life (OR, he will not order people to be executed);

his being pleased with people is as delightful as rain in the springtime when seeds are planted.

16Becoming wise is better than aquiring gold;

getting good understanding/insight is better than acquiring silver.

17Those whose behavior [MET] is good/right turn away from doing evil;

those who guard their conduct [MTY] protect their lives.

18Being proud will ◄lead to your having/cause you to have► disasters;

despising others will result in your being ruined.

19It is better to be humble and poor

than to associate with proud people and to become rich by dividing with them ◄plunder/goods captured in a battle►.

20Those who heed good teaching/instruction will prosper;

happy are those who trust in Yahweh.

21People say that those who are wise learn what is right/good behavior,

and those who talk pleasantly are able to influence others to do what is right.

22Being wise is like having a fountain that gives life [MET],

but foolish people are punished as a result of their acting foolishly.

23Those who are wise think carefully before they talk,

and as a result they are able to influence/persuade others to do what is right.

24Kind words are like honey [SIM]:

We enjoy them both, and both cause our bodies to be healthy/strong.

25There are some kinds of behavior [MET] that people think are right,

but ◄walking on those roads [MET]/continually doing those things► causes those people to die.

26If a worker ◄has an appetite/is hungry►, that urges him to work hard

because he [SYN] wants to earn money to buy things to eat.

27Worthless people plan ways to cause trouble for others,

and even what they say injures people like a hot fire does [SIM].

28Deceitful people cause strife/quarreling among other people;

those who say alse things about other people cause people who are friends to become enemies.

29Those who act violently entice/encourage others to also act violently

and lead them along a road that will end in disaster.

30People sometimes show with one of their eyes to signal to their friends that they are planning to do something to harm others;

they smirk when they are about to do something evil.

31Gray hair is like a glorious crown [MET]

that is given to people who have always behaved righteously.

32Those who do not become angry quickly are better than those who are powerful;

it is better to ◄control your temper/keep yourself from becoming very angry► than to conquer a city.

33People ◄cast lots/throw marked stones► to decide what should be done,

but God is the one who truly decides what will happen.

17

1It is better to eat a dry piece of bread and not have strife/quarrels

than to have a big feast in a house where everyone is quarreling.

2A slave who acts wisely will some day be the boss of his master’s disgraceful son

and when his master dies, the slave will receive part of his master’s possessions.

3Workers put silver and gold in a very hot furnace to burn out what is impure,

and Yahweh similarly examines people’s inner beings to see if they are pure.

4Those who do what is evil pay attention to people who say [MTY] what is evil,

and liars pay attention to other people’s lies.

5Those who make fun of poor people insult God, the one who made the poor people,

and those who are happy when someone else has troubles will certainly be punished [LIT] by God.

6Old people are usually proud of [MET] their grandchildren,

just like children are usually proud of their parents.

7Fine/Eloquent speech is not suitable for foolish people to say,

just like lies are not suitable for rulers to say.

8People think that a bribe is like a magic stone to persuade someone to do what they want him to do;

they think that because of the bribe, that person will do whatever they want him to do.

9If you want people to like/love you, forgive them for the wrong things that they do to you.

If you continue to remind them about those wrong things, they will no longer be your friends.

10Rebuking people who have good sense will accomplish more for them

than hitting them 100 times with a stick.

11Because wicked people are always trying to cause trouble,

someone will be sent to severely punish them.

12A mother bear whose cubs have been taken away from her is dangerous,

but it is more dangerous to confront a foolish person who is doing something foolish.

13If someone does something evil in return for something good being done to him,

evil/trouble will never leave that person’s family.

14Starting a quarrel is like allowing water to start to leak out of a dam;

they both need to be stopped before they get worse.

15There are two things that Yahweh hates:

◄Condemning innocent people/Saying that people who have done nothing wrong must be punished►,

and declaring that people who have done wicked things should not be punished.

16It is useless to allow foolish people [RHQ] to try to become wise by paying for it,

because they do not have enough good sense to become wise.

17Friends love others all the time,

and relatives are able to help us when we have troubles.

18If someone borrows money from another person, it is foolish for you to promise [IDM] that you will pay the money back

if that other person is unable to pay back the money that he borrowed.

19Those who like to sin also like to cause strife/trouble;

and those who build fancy doors in their houses to show that they are very wealthy (OR, speak proudly) are inviting disaster.

20Those who ◄have perverse minds/are always thinking about doing evil things► will not prosper,

and disasters will happen to those who always tell lies.

21Children who are foolish soon cause their parents to be very sad;

their parents will not be joyful at all.

22Being cheerful is like swallowing good medicine;

being discouraged/gloomy all the time will ◄drain away your energy/cause you to become weak► [MTY].

23Wicked people/judges accept bribes that are given to them secretly,

and as a result they do not decide matters justly/fairly.

24Those who have good sense determine to do what is wise,

but foolish people are always thinking about many different things and never decide what they should do.

25Children who are foolish cause their father to be sad

and also cause their mother to be very sorrowful.

26It is not right to force someone who has done nothing wrong to pay a fine;

it is wrong to punish good/respected people.

27Those who have good sense do not talk a lot,

and those who ◄control their tempers/keep themselves from becoming very angry► are truly wise.

28People may think that foolish people who do not say anything are wise;

if foolish people ◄do not say anything/keep their mouths shut►, others will think that they are very intelligent.

18

1Those who separate themselves from other people think only about those things that they are interested in;

if they would continually associate with those who have good judgment/sense, they would constantly disagree/quarrel with them.

2Foolish people do not want to understand anything;

they only want to ◄express their own opinions/say what they think► [IDM].

3Whenever people do wicked things, others will despise them;

when people do things that cause themselves to no longer be honored, they will be disgraced also.

4What wise people say is like a deep ocean that you can never get to the bottom of [MET],

and it refreshes us like water from a rapidly flowing stream.

5It is not good for a judge to decide matters in favor of those who ◄are guilty/have done wicked things►

and to not do what is just for those who ◄are innocent/have not done what is wrong►.

6When foolish people [SYN] start arguments,

it is as though they [SYN] are requesting/inviting someone to flog/whip them.

7What foolish people [MTY] say causes them to be ruined;

their own words are like a trap [MET] that catches/seizes them.

8People enjoy listening to what gossips say like [SIM] they enjoy tasty food;

they accept what gossips tell them like [MET] they swallow tasty food.

9People who are lazy while they work

are just as bad as [IDM] those who destroy things.

10Yahweh [MTY] is like a strong tower [MET];

righteous people can go to him and be safe like they can run to a tower to be safe.

11Rich people are protected because they have a lot of money [PRS]

like a city is protected because it has a high wall surrounding it [SIM].

12Proud people are on the road to being ruined,

but being humble leads to being honored.

13Those who reply to someone before that person has finished speaking are foolish;

doing that is disgraceful.

14A desire to continue to live can sustain someone when he is sick;

if he loses that desire, he ◄cannot endure it/will become very discouraged► when he is sick [RHQ].

15Intelligent people are always wanting to learn more;

wise people [SYN] are not content with what they already know.

16If you take a gift to an important person, that will open the way to allow you to talk to him.

17The first person to present his case in court seems right,

but when ◄someone else/his opponent► begins to ask him questions, it may become clear that what he said was not true.

18If two influential/important people are arguing,

someone can settle the matter by ◄casting lots/throwing marked stones to decide who is right►.

19If you help relatives, they will protect you like [SIM] a strong wall protects a city,

but if you quarrel with them, that will separate you from them like bars on a city gate separate the city from those who want to enter it [MET].

20People are happy when they hear others say [MTY] something that is good,

like they are happy when they eat food that is good [MET].

21What you say can cause others to be killed or it can cause them to continue to live;

so those who like to talk a lot must ◄accept the consequences/realize that what they say can cause much harm►.

22If you marry a good woman, that is like finding a wonderful thing;

it shows that Yahweh is pleased with you.

23It is necessary for poor people to speak politely when they request rich people to do something for them,

but rich people reply very impolitely when poor people speak to them.

24There are some people who only pretend to be friends with us,

but there are some friends who are more loyal than members of our families.

19

1Conducting our lives as we should even though we are poor

is better than being foolish and telling lies.

2Being enthusiastic but not thinking carefully about what we are about to do is not good;

doing things hastily can cause us a lot of trouble [IDM].

3Some people are ruined as a result of their own foolish actions,

and when that happens, they [SYN] angrily say that it is Yahweh’s fault.

4Those who are rich easily find people who want to be their friends,

but when people become poor, their friends often desert them.

5Those who tell lies in court will surely be punished [LIT];

they will not escape it.

6Many people try to persuade important people to do favors for them;

everyone wants to be a friend of those who give gifts.

7Even the relatives of someone who becomes poor hate him,

and his friends certainly stay away from him, too;

even if he tries to talk with them, they will not be his friends again.

8Those who become wise [IDM] are doing a favor for themselves;

those who get good sense will prosper.

9Those who tell lies in court will certainly be punished [LIT];

they will be ruined.

10It is not appropriate for foolish people to live ◄luxuriously/like rich people►,

and it is even less appropriate for slaves to rule important officials.

11Those who have good sense do not quickly become angry;

people respect those who ignore offensive things that people say to them.

12When a king is angry, that causes people to be afraid of him, like the roar of a lion causes people to be afraid [SIM],

but if he acts kindly toward people, they like it just like they like dew on the grass in the morning.

13Foolish children can cause disasters to happen to their parents.

A wife who constantly ◄nags/quarrels with► her husband is as annoying as water that continually drips [MET].

14We can inherit a house or money from our parents when they die,

but only Yahweh can give someone a sensible wife.

15Those who are lazy sleep soundly,

but if they are lazy, they will be hungry because of not earning money to buy food.

16Those who obey God’s commandments will remain alive for a long time;

those who despise/disobey them (OR, those who do not control their own conduct) will die while they are still young.

17When we give things to poor people, it is as though we are lending to Yahweh,

and he will ◄pay us back/reward us for what we did►.

18Discipline your children while they are young, while you still hope that they will learn to behave as they should;

if you do not discipline them, you are helping them to destroy themselves.

19Those who ◄do not control their temper/quickly become very angry► will have to endure what happens as a result;

but if we rescue them from those troubles once, we will have to continue rescuing them.

20Pay attention when people give you good advice and learn from them,

in order that you will become wise for the rest of your life.

21People plan to do many kinds of things,

but what will happen is what Yahweh has decided will happen.

22People want others to be loyal to them;

it is better to be poor than to tell a lie to a judge in court in order to get money.

23Those who have an awesome respect for Yahweh will live a long life;

they rest peacefully and are not harmed during the night.

24Some people are extremely lazy;

they put their hand in a dish to take some food but do not even lift the food up to their mouths.

25If you punish someone who makes fun of those who are wise, those who ◄are naive/need to be instructed► will learn to do what is smart;

if you rebuke those who are wise, they will listen to what you say and become wiser.

26Anyone who mistreats/abuses his father or forces his mother to leave the home

is a child who is acting shamefully and disgracefully.

27My son, if you stop learning things,

you will soon forget what you already know.

28Worthless witnesses in court make fun of judges who try to make fair decisions,

and wicked people enjoy doing evil like they enjoy eating good food [MET].

29God is ready to punish those who make fun of him/religion;

those who do foolish things deserve to be flogged/whipped.

20

1Drinking a lot of wine or other strong drinks causes people to start fighting;

it is foolish to become drunk/intoxicated.

2Being afraid of a king when he is angry is like [SIM] being afraid of a lion when it growls/roars;

if you cause the king to become angry, he may execute you.

3People respect those who stay away from disputes/arguments;

foolish people love to quarrel.

4If a lazy man does not plow his fields at the right/proper time,

he will look for crops at harvest time, but there will be nothing there.

5Just as it is difficult to bring up water from a deep well, it is difficult to know what people are thinking,

but someone who has good sense/insight will be able to find out what people are thinking.

6Many people proclaim that they can be trusted to do what they say that they will do,

but it is very difficult to find [RHQ] someone who can really be trusted.

7If parents conduct their lives as they should,

God blesses their children (OR, their children are very happy/fortunate).

8A king who sits on his throne to judge people

can easily [MTY] find out what things that people have done are good and what things are evil.

9There is no one [RHQ] who can truthfully say, “I do not know of any wrong things that I have done;

I have ◄gotten rid of all my sinful behavior/quit doing what is sinful►.”

10Yahweh detests people who use weights that are not right

and measures that are not correct.

11Even children show by what they do whether they are good or not;

they show whether ◄what they do/their behavior► is honest and right or not.

12Two of the things that Yahweh has created for us

are ears to hear things and eyes to see things.

13If you want to sleep all the time, you will become poor;

if you stay awake and work, you will have plenty of food.

14People look at things that they are about to buy, and in order to get it for a lower price sometimes they say, “◄It is no good/It is poor quality►,”

but after they buy it, they go and boast about having bought it for a cheap price.

15Gold and precious stones are valuable,

but wise words [MTY] are more valuable.

16If you foolishly promise to a stranger that you will pay what he owes if he is unable to pay it [DOU],

you deserve to have someone take your coat from you.

17People may think that food that they acquire by doing what is dishonest will taste very good,

but later they will not enjoy what they have done any more than they would enjoy eating gravel/sand.

18When people give you good advice, if you do what they suggest, your plans will succeed;

so be sure to get good advice from wise people before you start fighting a war.

19Those who go around telling gossip are always telling secrets to others;

so stay away from people who foolishly talk too much.

20If someone curses his father or his mother,

his life will be ended, just like a lamp is extinguished.

21If you very quickly take the property that your parents promise will be yours after they die,

you will not receive any good/blessing from it.

22Do not say, “I will do evil to those who do evil to me;”

wait for Yahweh to do something about it, and he will ◄help you/ do what is right►.

23Yahweh detests those who use dishonest scales

and weights that are not accurate/correct.

24Yahweh is the one who has decided what will happen to us,

so ◄how can we ‘understand/know’ what will happen before it happens?/we humans certainly cannot ‘understand/know’ what will happen before it happens.► [RHQ]

25You should think carefully before you solemnly promise to dedicate something to God,

because later you might be sorry you have promised to do it.

26Wise kings find out [MET] which people have done what is wrong,

and they punish them very severely [IDM].

27Our consciences are like lamps that Yahweh has given to us to enable us to know what we are thinking [MET];

they reveal what is hidden deep in our ◄minds/inner beings►.

28Kings will continue to rule as long as they faithfully love their people and are loyal to them

and as long as they rule righteously/fairly.

29We honor/admire young people because they are strong,

but we respect [MTY] old people more because they are wise.

30When we are beaten or whipped, it can cause us to quit doing what is evil in our lives;

when someone wounds us by punishing us, it can cause our behavior to become good.

21

1Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] like he controls how streams flow;

he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.

2People always think that what they do is right,

but Yahweh judges our ◄motives/reasons for doing things► [MTY].

3Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh

than bringing sacrifices to him.

4Being proud and arrogant [DOU] is like a lamp [MTY] that guides wicked people;

being proud and arrogant characterizes ◄wicked people’s whole behavior/everything that wicked people do►.

5People who plan carefully will surely have plenty of what they need;

those who act too quickly to become rich will become poor.

6Money that people acquire by cheating others by lying [MTY] to them will soon disappear like a mist,

and doing that will soon lead to their death.

7Wicked people refuse to do what is right/just,

but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.

8Guilty people continually do what is evil; it is as though [MET] they are walking on a crooked road;

but righteous/innocent people always do what is right.

9It is better to live in the corner of an attic/housetop by yourself

than to live inside the house with a wife who is always nagging.

10Wicked people [SYN] are always wanting to do what is evil;

they never act mercifully toward anyone.

11When those who ridicule others are punished, even those who do not have good sense see that, and they become wise,

and when those who are wise are taught, they become wiser.

12God, the one who is completely righteous, knows what happens inside the houses of wicked people,

and he will cause those people to be completely ruined/destroyed.

13There are people who refuse to listen when poor people cry out for help;

but some day they themselves will cry out for help, and no one will hear them.

14When someone is angry with you,

if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.

15Good/Righteous people are happy when they see others do what is just/fair,

but those who do what is evil are terrified when they think about what may happen to them.

16Those who stop behaving like those who have good sense behave

will soon discover that they have gone to the place where dead people are.

17Those who spend their money to buy ◄things that give them pleasure/things that cause them to feel happy► will become poor;

those who love to spend money to buy wine and nice/fancy food [MTY] will never become rich.

18Wicked people bring on themselves the sufferings

that they were trying to cause righteous people to experience [DOU].

19It is better to live alone in a desert

than to live with a wife who is always nagging and complaining.

20Wise people have many valuable things in their houses,

but foolish people quickly spend/waste all their money.

21Those who always try to act in a fair and kind way toward others

will live a long time and be honored/respected.

22A wise army commander helps his troops climb over a wall to attack a city that is defended by a strong army,

with the result that they are able to ◄get over/destroy► the high walls that their enemies trusted would protect them.

23Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY]

are able to avoid trouble.

24Those who make fun of everything that is good are proud and conceited [DOU];

they always act in an inconsiderate way toward others.

25Lazy people, who refuse to work, will die of hunger

because they [SYN] do not earn money to buy food.

26All during the day wicked people desire to obtain things,

but righteous people have plenty, with the result that they are able to give things generously to others.

27Yahweh detests the sacrifices that wicked people offer to him;

but he detests it even more when they think that they will escape being punished for their evil deeds because of the sacrifices that they bring.

28Those who tell lies in court will be punished;

no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.

29Wicked people pretend that they know everything,

but righteous people think carefully about what will happen because of what they do.

30Thinking that we are wise, and that we understand many things, and that we have good insight,

does not help us if Yahweh is ◄acting against/not pleased with► us.

31We can get horses ready to fight in a battle,

but Yahweh is the one who enables us to ◄win victories/defeat our enemies►.

22

1◄Having a good reputation/Being honored by people► is better than having a lot of money;

being well respected is better than having plenty of gold or silver [DOU].

2There is one thing that is true about both rich people and poor people:

Yahweh is the one who created all of them.

3Those who have good sense realize that there is something dangerous ahead, and they avoid it;

those who do not have good sense just keep going and later they will suffer because of doing that.

4The reward that Yahweh gives to those who are humble and who revere him

is that he causes them to be rich and honored and to live for a long time.

5Because of the things that wicked people do, they have difficulties/troubles that will be like thorns and traps on the roads that they walk on [MET];

people who are careful/cautious will be able to stay away from those difficulties.

6If you train/teach children to do what is right,

all during their life they will act/behave in that manner.

7Rich people rule over poor people harshly,

and those who borrow money become like slaves [MET] of the people who lend money to them.

8If you plant corn or rice, corn or rice will grow;

similarly, if you act unjustly, you will have disasters [MET];

and if you try to harm/oppress people because you are angry with them,

you will not be able to harm them.

9God will bless those who are generous [IDM],

those who give some of their food to poor people.

10If you get rid of those who make fun of everything that is good,

there will no more arguing or quarreling or insulting other people.

11If you always act sincerely [IDM] and always speak kindly,

the king will be your friend.

12Yahweh [SYN] ◄watches over/takes care of► those who have good understanding/sense,

but he ruins the plans/affairs of those who always try to deceive others.

13Lazy people remain in their houses;

they say, “A lion might attack me if I go out into the street to go to work!”

14What ◄wives who commit adultery/immoral women► say to men [MTY] is like a deep pit [MET] into which those men fall;

those with whom Yahweh is angry will fall into that pit.

15Children [SYN] naturally do things that are foolish,

but if you punish/spank them [PRS], they will ◄stop doing foolish things/learn to behave as they should►.

16Those who oppress poor people in order to become rich,

and those who give a bribe to rich people in order that the rich people will do a favor for them,

will just lose their money.

Thirty wise sayings

17Now listen [MTY] to what wise people have said;

think carefully about what I am teaching you.

18It will be good to ◄keep these things in your minds/always remember them►,

because if you do that, you will be able to quote/recite them to others.

19I want you to trust in Yahweh,

and that is the reason that I am telling them to you, now.

20I have written [RHQ] 30 ◄sayings/things that wise people have said►

from which you will receive good advice and you will be able you to know many good/useful things.

21From them, you will learn what is right and what is true,

in order that you will be able to bring back a good report to those who sent you to school (OR, give a good answer to those who ask you questions).

-1-

22It is easy to rob poor people who are helpless and cannot defend themselves, but never do that;

and do not oppress in court those who are needy/afflicted,

23because Yahweh will speak to defend them,

and he will punish those who steal things from others—by causing them to die.

-2-

24Do not become friends with those who often become angry,

and do not associate with those who cannot control their temper/anger,

25because you might start to act like they do

and not be able to stop doing that.

-3-

26If someone borrows money,

do not be one of those who promises to pay what that person owes

he cannot pay it back,

27because if you cannot pay it back,

people will surely [RHQ] come and take away everything you own, even your bed.

-4-

28Do not steal some of your neighbors’ land by removing the boundary lines/markers that your ancestors placed/set.

-5-

29Know/Learn [RHQ] this about those who do their work very skillfully:

They will quit working for ordinary people

and will start working for kings

because the kings will want people like that to work for them.

23

-6-

1When you sit down to eat a meal with a ◄government official/king►,

think carefully about what (OR, who) is in front of you.

2Even if you ◄have a big appetite/want to eat a lot of food►,

restrain yourself.

3Do not want to eat a lot of his fine food,

because he may be trying to trick you.

-7-

4Do not cause yourself to become very tired by working very hard to become rich;

be wise and stop doing that,

5because as soon as you look [MTY] at all the money that you have acquired, it will be gone;

it will disappear as if it suddenly grew wings [SIM]

and flew up into the sky like an eagle.

-8-

6If someone who is stingy invites you to a meal,

do not eat a lot of his fine food,

7because he will be thinking about how much the food cost that you are eating.

He will say to you, “Eat and drink all that you want!”, but that is not what he will really be thinking.

8When you realize what he is really thinking, it will cause you to want to vomit what you have eaten;

and your kind words telling him that you are enjoying the meal will be wasted.

-9-

9◄Do not waste time by/It is useless► talking to foolish people;

they will only despise the wise things that you say.

-10-

10Do not steal someone’s property by removing a boundary marker that has been there for a long time,

and do not take for yourself the land that belongs to orphans,

11because Yahweh is strong, and he is like a relative that has the responsibility to defend them,

he will stand up in court and argue for them and against you.

-11-

12Pay attention to what your teachers teach you,

and try to learn from the wise things that they say.

-12-

13Do not refuse to discipline your children;

if you punish/spank them, it will not cause them to die,

14and it may save them from going to the place where dead people are.

-13-

15My son/child, if you [SYN] become wise,

I [SYN] will be very happy.

16I [SYN] will rejoice when I hear you [SYN] say what is right/wise.

-14-

17Do not envy sinful people;

instead, revere Yahweh all of your life.

18If you do that, you will be happy in the future,

and God will certainly do for you what you are confidently expecting him to do.

-15-

19My son/child, listen carefully to me and become wise,

and think about ◄all that you do/your behavior►.

20Do not associate with those who drink a lot of ◄wine/strong drink►

or with those who ◄are gluttons/eat more than they should►,

21because drunkards and gluttons will become poor;

and if all that you do is eat and sleep, you will soon ◄be wearing rags/not have any money to buy clothes►.

-16-

22Pay attention to what your father tells you,

and ◄do not neglect/take care of► [LIT] your mother when she is old.

23Try to know/learn what is wise, and get good instruction and understanding;

and do not throw those things away.

24Righteous children will cause their parents to be very happy;

those whose children are wise are proud of them.

25Do what will cause your father to be glad

and enable your mother also to be happy.

17

26My son, heed what I say to you,

and allow what I do to be an example for you.

27Prostitutes and immoral women [DOU] are like [MET] a deep pit

or a well that you may fall into.

28They wait for you like robbers [SIM],

and they cause many men to ◄be unfaithful to/have sex with women who are not► their wives.

-18-

29I will tell you [RHQ] what kind of people are always miserable and sad.

I will tell you [RHQ] which people are always causing arguments/quarrels and who are always complaining.

I will tell you [RHQ] who are injured in fights

and whose eyes are always red/bloodshot.

30It is those who drink a lot of wine,

who try drinking other kinds of strong drinks.

31Do not look with pleasure at red wine that looks nice, and which sparkles when it is poured out into cups,

and which tastes good as you drink it,

32because the next morning you will feel like you have been bitten by a poisonous snake [DOU].

33You [SYN] will think that you are seeing strange/weird things,

and you [SYN] will not be able to think clearly or speak clearly.

34You will think you are in a ship that is tossing on the sea;

you be like [SIM] someone who is trying to sleep when the ship is rolling from one side to the other.

35You will say, “I think that someone struck me, but he did not hurt me;

he hit me, but I did not feel it.

When will I ◄wake up/feel normal again►

in order that I can drink some more wine?”

24

-19-

1Do not envy evil people;

do not desire to associate with them,

2because they are constantly thinking about acting violently,

and whenever they speak [MTY], they talk about ◄causing trouble/hurting someone►.

-20-

3People make good houses (OR, families) by doing what is wise,

and they make their houses (OR, families) strong by heeding good advice.

4By using good sense, they are able to buy valuable and beautiful things and put them in the rooms of their houses.

-21-

5Being wise is better than being strong/powerful;

those who know many things can accomplish more than those who are very strong.

6Leaders can fight battles if they have wise advisors,

and they win those battles if they have many good advisors.

-22-

7Foolish people cannot understand wise sayings/talk;

at public meetings they are not able to say anything that is useful.

-23-

8Those who are always planning to do evil things will be called troublemakers.

9It is sinful to plan to do foolish things,

and people hate those who make fun of everything that is good.

-24-

10If you act as though you are helpless when you have troubles,

you are truly very weak.

-25-

11If it is unjustly decided that someone must be executed, try hard to rescue them [DOU].

12If you say, “I did not know anything about it, so ◄it is not my concern/I did not try to help him►,”

remember that God knows what we have done,

and he knows what we were thinking [IDM, RHQ],

and he will certainly [RHQ] repay us as we deserve for what we have done or for not doing what we should have done.

-26-

13My child/son, eat honey, because it is good for you;

the honey that drips from honeycombs tastes very sweet.

14Similarly, being wise is good for your soul;

if you become wise,

you will be happy in the future,

and God will certainly do for you what you are confidently expecting him to do [LIT].

-27-

15Do not be like wicked people who hide and wait to break into the houses of righteous/good people

and rob/steal things.

16Even if good people fall down seven/many times,

they always stand/get up again,

but when a disaster happens to wicked people,

it ruins/destroys them.

-28-

17Do not be happy when something bad happens to one of your enemies;

do not rejoice when he stumbles and falls,

18because Yahweh will know what you are thinking, and he will not like it,

and as a result he will not punish that enemy of yours.

-29-

19Do not become angry/upset about those who do what is evil,

and do not [SYN] envy them,

20because nothing good will happen to wicked people;

they are like a lamp that will soon be extinguished [MET].

-30-

21My child/son, revere Yahweh and also honor the king,

and do not associate with people who want to rebel against either of them,

22because those people will suddenly experience disasters;

and no one knows [RHQ] what great disasters that God or the king can cause to happen to them.

More sayings from wise people

23Here are more things that wise people have said:

It is wrong for judges to decide matters unfairly [IDM].

24If they say to people who are guilty, “You ◄are innocent/have not done something that is wrong►,”

even people in other nations will curse and despise them,

25but if judges say that guilty people must be punished,

things will go well for those judges, and ◄they will receive blessings/God will bless them►.

26Those who answer others honestly show that they are truly their friends [IDM].

27First, do the work that needs to be done outside your house,

and prepare your fields, and then plant things,

and after you finish doing that, build your house.

28In the courtroom do not testify against someone when you have no reason to do that,

and do not try to deceive people by what you say [MTY].

29Do not say, “I will do to him what he did to me;

I will pay him back for the bad things that he did to me.”

30One day I walked by the vineyards of a lazy man,

a man who did not have good sense.

31I was surprised to see that the fields were full of all kinds of thorny bushes,

and the stone wall around the garden had ◄collapsed/fallen down►.

32When I saw that, I thought about it, and I learned this:

33If you spend a lot of time sleeping and napping and folding your hands while you rest,

34soon you will become poor;

it will be as though [PRS, SIM] a bandit who had a weapon in his hand attacked you and stole all that you had.

25

More wise sayings from Solomon

1Here are more wise sayings/words that Solomon wrote. Some men who worked for Hezekiah, the king of Judah, copied them from a scroll that Solomon had written.

2We consider God to be great because he ◄acts in mysterious ways/does things that we cannot understand►;

we consider kings to be great because they explain things.

3It is not possible for anyone to measure how high the sky is or how deep the earth/ocean is;

likewise [SIM], it is not possible for us to know all that kings are thinking.

4If workers burn out the impure bits that are in silver,

a man who makes things from silver can make something beautiful from the silver.

5Similarly, if wicked advisors are taken away from a king,

his government will remain secure, because the king will be able to act justly.

6When you stand in front of a king, do not try to ◄impress him/honor yourself►

and do not ◄act like you are important/ask to sit where important people sit;►

7it is better if someone tells you to sit closer to the king

than for someone to tell you, while the king is listening, to sit further away in order that someone who is more important may sit closer to the king.

8Do not quickly go to a court to tell the judge about something that you have seen,

because another witness may later say something that proves that you are wrong, and as a result you will be disgraced/ashamed.

If that happens, ◄what will you do?/you will not know what to do.► [RHQ]

9If you and someone else think differently about some matter,

settle it between yourselves, and do not tell others any secret that he has told you.

10If others find out that you have told secrets,

you will be ashamed,

and from that time on, ◄you will have a bad reputation/people will think badly about you►.

11Something that is said that is very appropriate

is as delightful as seeing [SIM] gold apples/ornaments in a silver bowl.

12When a wise person rebukes/warns someone [SYN] who is willing to listen,

that is as valuable as [SIM] a gold ring or a gold chain.

13A messenger who ◄is reliable/tells someone else exactly what he was told to say► refreshes the spirits of his bosses who sent him

like [SIM] ◄snow/cold water► refreshes the ground at the time that people harvest crops.

14When someone promises to give a gift to us but never gives it,

that disappoints us as much as [SIM] clouds and wind that come but do not bring any rain.

15If someone keeps requesting a ruler long enough to do something, he will often agree to do it;

similarly, by speaking [MTY] gently we can often convince others that what we say is right [IDM].

16If you find some honey, do not eat a lot of it,

because doing that may cause you to vomit.

17Do not go to your neighbor’s house very often to talk with him;

if you go very often, he will get tired of listening to you and start to hate you.

18To falsely accuse others in court

is like [SIM] attacking them with a war-club or a sword or a sharp arrow.

19Depending on unreliable people when you have troubles

is as bad as trying to eat when you have a bad/hurting tooth or trying to walk when your foot is crippled.

20Singing to someone who is depressed just causes him to feel worse;

it is like [SIM] taking off clothes on a very cold day

or like putting vinegar on a wound.

21If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat;

if they are thirsty, give them something to drink;

22doing that will cause them to feel ashamed [IDM],

and Yahweh will reward you for doing that.

23When wind blows from the right direction, it will rain;

similarly [SIM], if we gossip about others, that causes them to look at us very angrily.

24It is better to live ◄alone/by yourself► in the corner of an attic/housetop

than to live inside the house with a wife who is always nagging.

25Receiving good news from a country far away refreshes our spirits

like [SIM] cold water refreshes us when we are very thirsty.

26When a righteous/good person ◄gives in/yields► to wicked people,

that is as bad as [SIM] a spring that becomes muddied or a fountain that becomes polluted.

27It is not good to eat too much honey,

and trying to get people to praise you is also not good.

28People who ◄cannot control their tempers/quickly become very angry► are unable to defend their behavior;

that is like having a city without a wall around it, with the result that no one can defend it.

26

1Just like [SIM] it is not appropriate for snow to fall in summer time, or rain to fall at harvest time,

it is not appropriate to praise/honor foolish people.

2Like [SIM] birds that fly by and do not alight/land on anything,

if someone curses you, it cannot hurt you if you ◄do not deserve them/have not done to him what is wrong►.

3It is necessary to whip a horse and to put a bridle on a donkey to force them to go where we want them to go,

and similarly [SIM] it is often necessary to strike foolish people with a stick to cause them to do what is right.

4If a foolish person asks a foolish question, do not answer him,

because if you answer his question, you are just as foolish as he is.

5If you give a foolish answer to someone who asks a foolish question,

he will realize that he is ◄not very wise/foolish►.

6Anyone who asks a foolish person to take a message to someone

is himself doing something as foolish as cutting off his own feet

or drinking poison.

7A lame man cannot use his legs,

and similarly [SIM] it is useless for a foolish person to speak [MTY] ◄proverbs/wise sayings►.

8Tying a stone in a sling so that it cannot be thrown at a target

is as foolish as [SIM] honoring a foolish person.

9If a drunk person waves some thorns/brambles with his hand,

he is not able to accomplish anything useful by doing that (OR, he does not feel it when a thorn sticks in his hand);

similarly, if foolish people speak [MTY] proverbs,

they do not help anyone who hears them.

10A man who shoots arrows to try to wound everybody who is near is foolish;

similarly, anyone who hires a foolish person who passes by is very foolish.

11A foolish person will foolishly do something stupid a second time;

it is like [SIM] a dog returning to eat what it has vomited.

12God can help/bless foolish people more easily

than he can help/bless people who are not wise [RHQ], but think that they are wise.

13Lazy people just stay inside their houses and do nothing;

they keep saying “I think there is a lion in the street!”

14A door continually swings back and forth on its hinges and does not go anywhere;

similarly [SIM], lazy people just continually turn over in their beds and never do anything.

15Some people are extremely lazy;

they put their hand in a dish to get some food but do not even lift the food up to their mouths.

16Lazy people think that they are wiser than seven/several people

who can answer others’ questions with good sense.

17Anyone who ◄meddles/involves himself► in a quarrel that does not concern him

is as foolish as [SIM] someone who tries to grab a passing dog by its ears.

18Crazy people who shoot burning arrows to kill people

19are as foolish as those who deceive someone else

and then say, “I was only joking.”

20If there is no more firewood to put on the fire, the fire will go out;

similarly [SIM], if there are no people who ◄gossip/tell people things that are not true►, quarreling will end.

21Putting charcoal on burning coals or putting wood on a fire causes the fire to keep burning;

similarly, people who like to quarrel cause people to keep arguing.

22People enjoy listening to what gossips say about others just like [SIM] they enjoy tasty food;

they enjoy listening to what gossips tell them like they enjoy swallowing tasty food.

23People who say nice things when they are thinking about doing evil things

are like a nice glaze/covering on a cheap clay pot.

24Those who hate someone and are saying [MTY] something very different from what they are thinking are hypocrites;

they are only planning to harm that person.

25When they say nice things, do not believe them,

because in their inner beings are many things that Yahweh hates.

26They try to deceive people to cause them to think that they do not hate that person,

but in a public meeting, the people will find out the evil things that they have done.

27Those who dig a deep pit for other people to fall into will fall into it themselves;

rocks will roll down on those who start to cause rocks to roll down to crush someone.

28Those [MTY] who tell lies to others really hate them,

and those who deceive others ruin them.

27

1Do not boast about what you will do tomorrow,

because you do not know what will happen [PRS] on any day.

2Do not praise yourself [MTY, PRS]; allow others to praise you.

If someone else praises you, that is okay.

3It causes pain to our bodies to carry heavy stones or a pail full of sand,

but doing something stupid/foolish can cause great pain to other people’s spirits.

4It is cruel to be angry with others, and our being angry sometimes destroys others,

but being jealous of someone is [RHQ] often more cruel than that.

5It is better to correct someone openly

than to show that you ldon’t ove that person by not correcting him.

6If a friend criticizes you, he is a good friend and you can trust him;

but if one of your enemies kisses you, he is probably wanting to deceive you.

7When someone’s stomach is full, he does not want to eat honey;

but when someone is very hungry, he thinks that even bitter things taste sweet.

8Anyone who wanders far from his home/family

is like [SIM] a bird that is far from its nest.

9Putting olive oil and perfume on a person’s skin causes him to feel good,

but having a friend who gives good advice is even better.

10Do not neglect your friends or your parents’ friends;

and at a time when you are experiencing a disaster, do not go to a relative who lives far away to request his help;

someone who lives near you can help you more than relatives who live far away.

11My child/son, cause me to be happy by becoming wise,

in order that I will know how to reply to those who would criticize me about your behavior.

12Those who have good sense will realize that there is something dangerous ahead, and they will hide;

those who do not have good sense just keep going, and later they will suffer because of doing that.

13You deserve to have your property taken from you

if you foolishly promise to a stranger (OR, a strange woman) that you will pay what she owes if she is unable to pay it [DOU].

14If you rise early in the morning and call out a greeting to your neighbor while he is still sleeping,

he will consider it to be a curse, not a blessing.

15Having a wife that is constantly nagging

is as bad as listening to rain continually dripping on a rainy day.

16Trying to restrain/stop her from doing that is as difficult [SIM] as trying to stop the wind

or trying to hold oil in your hand.

17We can use one iron tool to sharpen another iron tool;

similarly [SIM], when one person shares what he is thinking, it can help other people to think more clearly.

18Those who take care of fig trees will have figs to eat;

similarly, servants who protect their master will be honored by him.

19When a person looks in the water, he sees his own face;

similarly [SIM], when we look at a person’s behavior, we know what he is thinking.

20It is as though the place where the dead people are is always wanting more people to die and come there;

and humans [SYN] are always wanting to acquire more things, too.

21Workers put silver and gold in a very hot furnace to burn out what is impure,

and [SIM] people learn what we are really like when they see how we react when people praise us.

22Even if you beat/crush a fool severely like [MET] you pulverize grain with a pestle,

you probably will not be able to cause him to stop ◄being foolish/doing foolish things►.

23Take good care of your flocks of sheep

and herds of cattle,

24because the money that you acquired from selling animals previously will not ◄last/stay with you► forever;

similarly [SIM], governments [MTY] certainly do not [RHQ] last forever.

25After you cut the hay [DOU] and store it to feed the animals in the winter while a new crop of hay is growing,

26you will be able to shear the sheep and make clothes from the wool,

and you will get money from selling some of the goats to buy more land,

27and you will get enough milk from the other goats

for you and your family and your female servants.

28

1Wicked people run away even when no one is pursuing them,

but righteous/good people are not afraid; they are as brave as lions.

2When the people of a nation sin, they will have one ruler after another;

but when their leaders are wise and have good sense, their government will last for a long time.

3A poor person who oppresses other poor people

is like [MET] a very heavy/hard rain that destroys the crops, with the result that there is no food for people to eat.

4Those who reject/disobey God’s laws always speak well of wicked people;

but those who obey God’s laws always oppose what wicked people do.

5Evil people do not understand what it means to act justly,

but those who try to obey/worship Yahweh understand that very well.

6It is better to be honest even though you are poor

than to be dishonest even though you are rich.

7Young people who obey the laws are wise [IDM];

parents whose children associate with those who ◄carouse/go to wild parties► are humiliated/disgraced because of what their children do.

8When people become very rich by charging very high interest [DOU],

their money will eventually go to someone who does kind things for the poor.

9If people do not obey [MTY] God’s laws,

God ◄detests their prayers/considers that their prayers stink►.

10Those who cause honest/good people to do what is evil

will fall into their own pits/traps,

but good things will happen to those who ◄are innocent/have not done what is wrong►.

11Many rich people think that they are wise,

but poor people who have good sense will find out whether rich people really are wise or not.

12When righteous/good people ◄succeed/win elections►, everyone ◄celebrates/is happy►;

but when wicked people win, everyone hides because they are afraid of what the wicked people will do.

13Those who refuse to confess/admit their sins will not prosper,

but God acts mercifully/kindly toward those who confess their sins and turn away from their sinful behavior.

14God is pleased with those who always revere him,

but those who are stubborn [IDM] will experience disasters.

15Wicked people who mistreat poor people whom they rule

are as dangerous to them as [SIM] a lion roaring at them or a bear springing up to attack them.

16Rulers who do not have good sense cruelly oppress the people they rule,

but rulers who do not want to become rich by cheating/deceiving people will live (OR, rule) for a long time.

17Those who are guilty of murdering [MTY] another person

will ◄be fugitives/keep running away► until they die;

do not help them to escape.

18Those who continually do what is right will be safe/protected,

but those who are dishonest will suddenly be ruined.

19Farmers who work hard in their fields will produce good crops and always have plenty of food to eat,

but those who spend all their time ◄on useless projects/doing things that do not benefit anyone► will become very poor.

20God will greatly bless those who ◄are trustworthy/always do what they say that they will do►,

but he will certainly punish [LIT] those who try to become rich quickly.

21It is not good for judges to decide matters unfairly/unjustly,

but some people will do what is wrong even if they receive only a very small bribe [HYP] for doing it.

22Selfish people [IDM] are very eager to become rich quickly;

they do not realize that they will soon become poor.

23Those who rebuke someone will be appreciated/thanked more

than those who say nice things to others merely to ◄flatter them/cause them to feel good►.

24Anyone who steals things from his father or his mother

and says “That is not sinful”

is as bad as a bandit.

25Greedy people cause trouble/strife;

those who trust in Yahweh will prosper [IDM].

26Those who believe that what they think is always right are foolish;

those who act wisely will ◄escape danger/be safe►.

27Those who give things to poor people will not become poor,

but many people will curse those who refuse to help [IDM] poor people.

28When wicked people become rulers, people hide because they are afraid of what those wicked people will do;

but when wicked people are no longer rulers, good/righteous people will become the rulers.

29

1Some people remain stubborn [IDM] even though they are often reproved/warned about doing what is wrong,

but some day they will be crushed/ruined, and nothing will be able to heal them.

2When righteous people are rulers, people are happy,

but when wicked people rule, people ◄groan/are miserable►.

3Those who are eager to become wise cause their parents to be glad;

those who spend their time with prostitutes will end up giving all their money to them.

4When a king rules justly/fairly, he causes his nation to be strong,

but a king who is concerned only with getting more money from the people ruins his nation.

5Those who ◄flatter others/say nice things to others merely to cause them to feel good► are really setting a trap for them (OR, for themselves) [SYN].

6Evil people will be trapped by the sins that they commit,

but righteous/honest people will sing and be joyful/happy.

7Righteous/Good people know that poor people should be treated fairly/justly,

but wicked people ◄are not concerned about/do not pay attention to► those matters at all.

8Those who make fun of everything that is good say things that cause everyone in the city to ◄be agitated/in turmoil►;

those who are wise enable people to remain calm.

9If a wise person sues a foolish person,

the foolish person merely laughs at him and yells at him and will not be quiet (OR, the dispute will not be resolved).

10Those who murder others hate people who ◄are honest/always do what is right►,

but righteous people try to protect them.

11People who are wise are patient and restrain/control themselves when they are angry,

but foolish people ◄quickly show others that they are very angry/do not restrain themselves at all►.

12If a ruler ◄pays attention to/believes► people who tell lies,

all his officials will also become wicked.

13There is one thing that is true about both poor people and those who oppress them:

Yahweh enables all of them to see.

14If kings judge poor people fairly,

they will continue to rule for a long time.

15If children are punished/spanked and reproved/warned,

they become wise;

but if they are allowed to do whatever they want to do,

they do things that cause their mothers to be ashamed of them.

16When wicked people rule, there are more crimes committed {people commit more crimes},

but some day those wicked people will ◄be defeated/no longer rule►, and righteous people will see that happen.

17If you discipline your children, they will no longer do things that will cause you to be worried;

instead, they will do things that will delight you [SYN].

18When the people of a nation do not receive messages that come directly from God, they do not control their behavior.

God is pleased with those who obey his laws.

19It is not possible to correct/discipline servants only by talking to them;

they understand what you are saying, but they do not pay attention to it.

20God can help/bless foolish people more easily [RHQ]

than he can help/bless people who speak without thinking first.

21If someone gives his servants everything that they want, starting from when they are young,

some day those servants will take from him everything that he owns.

22Those who quickly become angry cause many arguments,

and they also commit many sins.

23Proud people will be disgraced;

those who are humble will be respected.

24Those who help thieves to steal only hurt themselves;

when they are in court, they solemnly ask God to curse them if they do not tell the truth,

but they do not tell the truth about the crime that was committed,

and as a result, God will curse them.

25It is like a dangerous trap [MET] for people to be ◄afraid of/worried about► what others will think about them,

but those who trust in Yahweh are safe/protected.

26Many people request rulers to do things to help them,

but Yahweh is the only one who surely does for people what is fair/just.

27Righteous people hate/detest those who do what is evil,

and wicked people hate those whose behavior is always good.

30

Wise sayings from Agur

1These are sayings/messages that God gave to Agur, the son of Jakeh.

Agur wrote them for Ithiel and Ucal.

2It seems that I am very stupid;

I do not deserve to be considered to be a human;

I do not have the good sense that humans should have.

3I have not learned how to become wise

and I do not know much about God.

4But let me say this:

No one [RHQ] has ascended to heaven to find out what God is like and returned to tell us.

No one [RHQ] has gathered/held the wind in his hand.

No one [RHQ] has wrapped the water in the ocean in a piece of cloth,

and no one [RHQ] has established the boundaries of the earth.

If you know who has done those things, tell me [RHQ] his name, and the names of his children [SAR]!

But you do not know who has done those things, so you cannot speak with authority about what God is like.

5Everything that God has said is true;

he is like a shield [MET] for all those who request him to protect them.

6Do not add to (OR, change) what God has said;

if you do that, he will rebuke you and show that you are lying.

7God, I ask you to do two things for me;

please do them before I die:

8Help me never to lie or deceive people

and do not cause me to become poor or to become rich.

Just give me the food that I need;

9because if I become rich,

I might say that I do not [RHQ] know you and that I do not need you;

and if I become poor,

I might dishonor you by stealing things.

More wise sayings

10Do not ◄slander/say bad things about► a worker to his boss;

if you do that, the worker will curse you, and cause you to have trouble.

11I will list four kinds of evil things that people do:

Some people curse their fathers and do not ask God to bless their mothers.

12Some people think that they are perfect,

but really they have never been cleansed from their guilt for committing disgusting sins.

13Some people are very proud;

they think that they are very good and they despise others.

14Some people act very cruelly toward others;

it is as though [MET] they have teeth that are like sharp knives;

they severely oppress poor people

and try to cause them to disappear from the land.

15Leeches are always wanting more blood to suck;

similarly, greedy people are always saying “Give me some!” or “Give me more!” [MET]

There are four things that are never ◄satisfied/content with what they have►;

they always want more [LIT]:

16The place where the dead people are;

women who do not have any children;

ground that needs water/rain;

and a fire that always needs more wood.

17Those who [SYN] make fun of their fathers

or refuse to obey their mothers (OR, despise their aged mothers)

should die and have their eyes pecked out by crows,

and the rest of their corpses should be fed to the vultures.

18There are four things that are wonderful to me,

but I do not understand any of them:

19How eagles fly in the sky,

how snakes are able to move/crawl across a big rock,

how ships sail on the seas,

and how a man falls in love with a woman.

20This is what a woman who ◄is not faithful to/does not have sex only with► her husband does:

She commits adultery [EUP], and then bathes

and says, “I have not done anything that is wrong!”

21There are four things that no one in the world can tolerate:

22What a slave does who becomes a king,

a foolish person eating too much food,

23what a woman who is hated does when she gets married,

and what a female servant does when she becomes the boss instead of her mistress.

24There are four animals on the earth that are small, but they are very wise:

25Ants are not strong,

but they store up food during the summer in order to have it during the winter.

26Rock badgers also are not strong,

but they make their homes among the rocks where they will be safe.

27Locusts do not have a king,

but they march like the soldiers in an army.

28Lizards/Geckos are very small and you can hold them in your hand,

but they are cleverly able to get inside kings’ palaces.

29There are four animals that strut around and look very impressive while they walk [DOU]:

30Lions, which are stronger than all other animals

and are not afraid of any of them;

31male goats, strutting roosters,

and kings who ◄parade/walk proudly back and forth► in front of the people whom they rule.

32If you have acted foolishly, exalting yourself,

or if you been planning to do something evil,

stop it immediately [IDM]!

33If you churn milk, it produces butter/curds,

and if you hit someone hard on his nose, his nose bleeds;

similarly, if you do something to cause people to become angry, strife usually results.

31

Wise sayings from King Lemuel

1These are sayings/messages that God gave to King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:

2You are my son; I gave birth to you [RHQ];

you are the son that God gave me in answer to my prayers.

3Do not exhaust your energy having sex [EUP] with women to whom you are not married,

with women who ruin kings by having sex with them.

4Lemuel, kings should not be constantly drinking wine

or greatly desire to drink other strong/alcoholic drinks.

5If they do that, they forget the laws that they have made,

and they do not do what is right for poor/afflicted people.

6Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying

and to those who are ◄greatly distressed/suffering very much►.

7If they drink, they will forget that they are poor,

and they will not think about their distress/troubles anymore.

8Speak [MTY] to defend people who are unable to defend themselves;

speak to encourage others to do what is right for those who are helpless.

9Speak [MTY] ◄on their behalf/to help them► and try to cause judges to decide matters fairly/justly;

try to cause others to do for poor and needy people what should be done for them.

Praise for a good wife

10It is very difficult for a man to [RHQ] find a wife who is good and who is capable of doing many things.

Any woman who is like that is worth more than jewels.

11Her husband completely trusts her,

and because of her, he has everything that he needs [LIT].

12She never does anything that would harm him;

she does good things for him all the days of her life.

13She finds wool and flax in the market,

and she enjoys spinning it to make yarn.

14She is like [SIM] a ship that brings from far away goods/merchandise to sell,

because she buys food that comes from far away.

15She gets up before dawn to prepare food for her family.

Then she plans the work that her servant girls will do on that day.

16She goes out and looks at a field that someone wants to sell;

and if it is a good field, she buys it.

She buys grapevines [MTY] with the money that she has earned,

and then she plants them.

17She works very hard [IDM];

she makes her arms strong by the work she does.

18She knows when she is getting a good profit from her business.

When it is necessary, she works [MTY] until it is late at night.

19She holds the ◄spindle/rod which twists the thread that she is making►,

and then she spins the thread [MTY] that she will use.

20She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].

21She is not worried that the people in her house will be cold in the winter,

because she has made warm clothes for all of them.

22She makes bedspreads/quilts for the beds.

She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, like queens wear.

23Her husband is well known by the important people of the town;

he sits with the other town leaders in the meetings of the town council.

24She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them.

She sells sashes to shop owners.

25She is strong in her character and respected/dignified,

and she ◄laughs at/is not afraid of► what will happen in the future.

26When she speaks, she says what is wise.

When she gives instructions,

she speaks [MTY] kindly (OR, faithfully).

27She watches over everything that is done in her household,

and she [IDM] is never lazy.

28Her children all together speak highly of her,

and her husband also praises her.

29He says to her, “There are many women who do admirable things,

but you surpass them all!”

30Some women who are attractive are not really good women,

but they can deceive us regarding what they are really like.

Furthermore, women’s beauty does not last;

but women who revere Yahweh should be honored.

31Reward women who are like that,

and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.