16 It is the part of man to prepare the soul: and of the Lord to govern the tongue.

2 All the ways of a man are open to his eyes: the Lord is the weigher of spirits.

3 Lay open thy works to the Lord: and thy thoughts shall be directed.

4 The Lord hath made all things for himself: the wicked also for the evil day.

5 Every proud man is an abomination to the Lord: though hand should be joined to hand, he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way is to do justice; and this is more acceptable with God, than to offer sacrifices.

6 By mercy and truth iniquity is redeemed: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

7 When the ways of man shall please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace.

8 Better is a little with justice, than great revenues with iniquity.

9 The heart of man disposeth his way: but the Lord must direct his steps.

10 Divination is in the lips of the king, his mouth shall not err in judgment.

11 Weight and balance are judgments of the Lord: and his work all the weights of the bag.

12 They that act wickedly are abominable to the king: for the throne is established by justice.

13 Just lips are the delight of kings: he that speaketh right things shall be loved.

14 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: and the wise man will pacify it.

15 In the cheerfulness of the king's countenance is life: and his clemency is like the latter rain.

16 Get wisdom, because it is better than gold: and purchase prudence, for it is more precious than silver.

17 The path of the just departeth from evils: he that keepeth his soul keepeth his way.

18 Pride goeth before destruction: and the spirit is lifted up before a fall.

19 It is better to be humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the proud.

20 The learned in word shall find good things: and he that trusteth in the Lord is blessed.

21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and he that is sweet in words shall attain to greater things.

22 Knowledge is a fountain of life to him that possesseth it: the instruction of fools is foolishness.

23 The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth: and shall add grace to his lips.

24 Well ordered words are as a honeycomb: sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

25 There is a way that seemeth to a man right: and the ends thereof lead to death.

26 The soul of him that laboureth, laboureth for himself, because his mouth hath obliged him to it.

27 The wicked man diggeth evil, and in his lips is a burning fire.

28 A perverse man stirreth up quarrels: and one full of words separateth princes.

29 An unjust man allureth his friend: and leadeth him into a way that is not good.

30 He that with fixed eyes deviseth wicked things, biting his lips, bringeth: evil to pass.

31 Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice.

32 The patient man is better than the valiant: and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh cities.

33 Lots are cast into the lap, but they are disposed of by the Lord.

17 Better is a dry morsel with joy, than a house full of victims with strife.

2 A wise servant shall rule over foolish sons, and shall divide the inheritance among the brethren.

3 As silver is tried by fire, and gold in the furnace: so the Lord trieth the hearts.

4 The evil man obeyeth an unjust tongue: and the deceitful hearkeneth to lying lips.

5 He that despiseth the poor, reproacheth his Maker; and he that rejoiceth at another man's ruin, shall not be unpunished.

6 Children's children are the crown of old men: and the glory of children are their fathers.

7 Eloquent words do not become a fool, nor lying lips a prince.

8 The expectation of him that expecteth, is a most acceptable jewel: whithersoever he turneth himself, he understandeth wisely.

9 He that concealeth a transgression. seeketh friendships: he that repeateth it again, separateth friends.

10 A reproof availeth more with a wise man, than a hundred stripes with a fool.

11 An evil man always seeketh quarrels: but a cruel angel shall be sent against him.

12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her whelps, than a fool trusting in his own folly.

13 He that rendereth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

14 The beginning of quarrels is as when one letteth out water: before he suffereth reproach he forsaketh judgment.

15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, both are abominable before God.

16 What doth it avail a fool to have riches, seeing he cannot buy wisdom? He that maketh his house high, seeketh a downfall: and he that refuseth to learn, shall fall into evils.

17 He that is a friend loveth at all times: and a brother is proved in distress.

18 A foolish man will clap hands, when he is surety for his friend.

19 He that studieth discords, loveth quarrels: and he that exalteth his door, seeketh ruin.

20 He that is of a perverse heart, shall not find good: and he that perverteth his tongue, shall fall into evil.

21 A fool is born to his own disgrace: and even his father shall not rejoice in a fool.

22 A joyful mind maketh age flourishing: a sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones.

23 The wicked man taketh gifts out of the bosom, that he may pervert the paths of judgment.

24 Wisdom shineth in the face of the wise: the eyes of fools are in the ends of the earth.

25 A foolish son is the anger of the father: and the sorrow of the mother that bore him.

26 It is no good thing to do hurt to the just: nor to strike the prince, who judgeth right.

27 He that setteth bounds to his words. is knowing and wise: and the man of understanding is of a precious spirit.

28 Even a fool, if he will hold his peace shall be counted wise: and if he close his lips, a man of understanding.

18 He that hath a mind to depart from a friend seeketh occasions: he shall ever be subject to reproach.

2 A fool receiveth not the words of prudence: unless thou say those things which are in his heart.

3 The wicked man when he is come into the depth of sins, contemneth: but ignominy and reproach follow him.

4 Words from the mouth of a men are as deep water: and the fountain of wisdom as an overflowing stream.

5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to decline from the truth of judgment.

6 The lips of a fool intermeddle with strife: and his mouth provoketh quarrels.

7 The mouth of a fool is his destruction: and his lips are the ruin of his soul.

8 The words of the double tongued are as if they were harmless: and they reach even to the inner parts of the bowels. Fear casteth down the slothful: and the souls of the effeminate shall be hungry.

9 He that is loose and slack in his work, is the brother of him that wasteth his own works.

10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the just runneth to it, and shall be exalted.

11 The substance of the rich man is the city of his strength, and as a strong wall compassing him about.

12 Before destruction, the heart of a man is exalted: and before he be glorified, it is humbled.

13 He that answereth before he heareth sheweth himself to be a fool, and worthy of confusion.

14 The spirit of a man upholdeth his infirmity: but a spirit that is easily angered, who can bear?

15 A wise heart shall acquire knowledge: and the ear of the wise seeketh instruction.

16 A man's gift enlargeth his may, and maketh him room before princes.

17 The just is first accuser of himself: his friend cometh, and shall search him.

18 The lot suppresseth contentions, and determineth even between the mighty.

19 A brother that is helped by his brother, is like a strong city: and judgments are like the bars of cities.

20 Of the fruit of a man's mouth shall his belly be satisfied: and the offspring of his lips shall fill him.

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: they that love it, shall eat the fruits thereof.

22 He that hath found a good wife, hath found a good thing, and shall receive a pleasure from the Lord. He that driveth away a good wife, driveth away a good thing: but he that keepeth an adulteress, is foolish and wicked.

23 The poor will speak with supplications, and the rich will speak roughly.

24 A man amiable in society, shall be more friendly than a brother.

19 Better is the poor man, that walketh in his simplicity, than a rich man that is perverse in his lips, and unwise.

2 Where there is no knowledge of the soul, there is no good: and he that is hasty with his feet shall stumble.

3 The folly of a man supplanteth his seeps: and he fretteth in his mind against God.

4 Riches make many friends: but from the poor man, even they whom he had, depart.

5 A false witness shall not be unpunished: and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.

6 Many honour the person of him that is mighty, and are friends of him that giveth gifts.

7 The brethren of the poor man hate him: moreover also his friends have departed far from him. He that followeth after words only, shall have nothing.

8 But he that possesseth a mind, loveth his own soul, and he that keepeth prudence shall find good things.

9 A false witness shall not be unpunished: and he that speaketh lies, shall perish.

10 Delicacies are not seemly for a fool: nor for a servant to have rule over princes.

11 The learning of a man is known by patience and his glory is to pass over wrongs.

12 As the roaring of a lion, so also is the anger of a king: and his cheerfulness as the dew upon the grass.

13 A foolish son is the grief of his father: and a wrangling wife is like a roof continually dropping through.

14 House and riches are given by parents: but a prudent wife is properly from the Lord.

15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep, and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

16 He that keepeth the commandment, keepeth his own soul: but he that neglecteth his own way, shall die.

17 He that hath mercy on the poor, lendeth to the Lord: and he will repay him.

18 Chastise thy son, despair not: but to the killing of him set not thy soul.

19 He that is impatient, shall suffer damage: and when he shall take away he shall add another thing.

20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayst be wise in thy latter end.

21 There are many thoughts in the heart of a man: but the will of the Lord shall stand firm.

22 A needy man is merciful: and better is the poor than the lying man.

23 The fear of the Lord is unto life: and he shall abide in fulness without being visited with evil.

24 The slothful hideth his hand under his armpit, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth.

25 The wicked man being; scourged, the fool shall be wiser: but if thou rebuke a wise man he will understand discipline.

26 He that afflicteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is infamous and unhappy.

27 Cease not, O my son, to hear instruction, and be not ignorant of the words of knowledge.

28 An unjust witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.

29 Judgments are prepared for scorners: and striking hammers for the bodies of fools.

20 Wine is a luxurious thing, and drunkenness riotous: whosoever is delighted therewith shall not be wise.

2 As the roaring of a lion, so also is the dread of a king: he that provoketh him, sinneth against his own soul.

3 It is an honour for a man to separate himself from quarrels: but all fools are meddling with reproaches.

4 Because of the cold the sluggard would not plough: he shall beg therefore in the summer, and it shall not be given him.

5 Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water: but a wise man will draw it out.

6 Many men are called merciful: but who shall find a faithful man?

7 The just that walketh in his simplicity, shall leave behind him blessed children.

8 The king, that sitteth on the throne of judgment, scattereth away all evil with his look.

9 Who can say: My heart is clean, I am pure from sin?

10 Diverse weights and diverse measures, both are abominable before God.

11 By his inclinations a child is known, if his works be clean and right.

12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made them both.

13 Love not sleep, lest poverty oppress thee: open thy eyes, and be filled with bread.

14 It is nought, it is nought, saith every buyer: and when he is gone away, then he will boast.

15 There is gold, and a multitude of jewels: but the lips of knowledge are a precious vessel.

16 Take away the garment of him that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge from him for strangers.

17 The bread of lying is sweet to a man: but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

18 Designs are strengthened by counsels: and wars are to be managed by governments.

19 Meddle not with him that revealeth secrets, and walketh deceitfully, and openeth wide his lips.

20 He that curseth his father, and mother, his lamp shall be put out in the midst of darkness.

21 The inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning, in the end shall be without a blessing.

22 Say not: I will return evil: wait for the Lord and he will deliver thee.

23 Diverse weights are an abomination before the Lord: a deceitful balance is not good.

24 The steps of man are guided by the Lord: but who is the man that can understand his own way?

25 It is ruin to a man to devour holy ones, and after vows to retract.

26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth over them the wheel.

27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, which searcheth all the hidden things of the bowels.

28 Mercy and truth preserve the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency.

29 The joy of young men is their strength: and the dignity of old men, their grey hairs.

30 The blueness of a wound shall wipe away evils: and stripes in the more inward parts of the belly.