Chapter 17

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 aBetter is a dry morsel and quietness with it

Than a house full of 1feasting with strife.

2 A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,

And will share in the inheritance among brothers.

3 The arefining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,

But bthe Lord tests hearts.

4 An aevildoer listens to wicked lips;

A 1liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

5 He who mocks the apoor taunts his Maker;

He who brejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.

6 aGrandchildren are the crown of old men,

And the bglory of sons is their fathers.

7 1aExcellent speech is not fitting for a fool,

Much less are blying lips to a prince.

8 A abribe is a 1charm in the sight of its owner;

Wherever he turns, he prospers.

9 He who aconceals a transgression seeks love,

But he who repeats a matter bseparates intimate friends.

10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding

Than a hundred blows into a fool.

11 A rebellious man seeks only evil,

So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12 Let a aman meet a bbear robbed of her cubs,

Rather than a fool in his folly.

13 He who areturns evil for good,

bEvil will not depart from his house.

14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,

So aabandon the quarrel before it breaks out.

15 He who ajustifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,

Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.

16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to abuy wisdom,

When 1he has no sense?

17 A afriend loves at all times,

And a brother is born for adversity.

18 A man lacking in 1sense 2apledges

And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.

19 He who aloves transgression loves strife;

He who braises his door seeks destruction.

20 He who has a crooked 1mind afinds no good,

And he who is bperverted in his language falls into evil.

21 He who asires a fool does so to his sorrow,

And the father of a fool has no joy.

22 A ajoyful heart 1is good medicine,

But a broken spirit bdries up the bones.

23 A wicked man receives a abribe from the bosom

To bpervert the ways of justice.

24 Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding,

But the aeyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

25 A afoolish son is a grief to his father

And bbitterness to her who bore him.

26 It is also not good to afine the righteous,

Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

27 He who arestrains his words 1has knowledge,

And he who has a bcool spirit is a man of understanding.

28 Even a fool, when he akeeps silent, is considered wise;

When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

Chapter 30

The Words of Agur

1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the 1oracle.

The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

2 Surely I am more astupid than any man,

And I do not have the understanding of a man.

3 Neither have I learned wisdom,

Nor do I have the aknowledge of the Holy One.

4 Who has aascended into heaven and descended?

Who has gathered the bwind in His fists?

Who has cwrapped the waters in 1His garment?

Who has destablished all the ends of the earth?

What is His ename or His son’s name?

Surely you know!

5 Every aword of God is tested;

He is a bshield to those who take refuge in Him.

6 aDo not add to His words

Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.

7 Two things I asked of You,

Do not refuse me before I die:

8 Keep deception and 1lies far from me,

Give me neither poverty nor riches;

Feed me with the afood that is my portion,

9 That I not be afull and deny bYou and say, “Who is the Lord?”

Or that I not be cin want and steal,

And dprofane the name of my God.

10 Do not slander a slave to his master,

Or he will acurse you and you will be found guilty.

11 There is a 1kind of man who acurses his father

And does not bless his mother.

12 There is a 1kind who is apure in his own eyes,

Yet is not washed from his filthiness.

13 There is a 1kind—oh how alofty are his eyes!

And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.

14 There is a 1kind of man whose ateeth are like swords

And his bjaw teeth like knives,

To cdevour the afflicted from the earth

And the needy from among men.

15 The leech has two daughters,

“Give,” “Give.”

There are three things that will not be satisfied,

Four that will not say, “Enough”:

16 1aSheol, and the bbarren womb,

Earth that is never satisfied with water,

And fire that never says, “Enough.”

17 The eye that amocks a father

And 1bscorns a mother,

The cravens of the valley will pick it out,

And the young ceagles will eat it.

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,

Four which I do not understand:

19 The way of an aeagle in the sky,

The way of a serpent on a rock,

The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,

And the way of a man with a maid.

20 This is the way of an aadulterous woman:

She eats and wipes her mouth,

And says, “I have done no wrong.”

21 Under three things the earth quakes,

And under four, it cannot bear up:

22 Under a aslave when he becomes king,

And a fool when he is satisfied with food,

23 Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband,

And a maidservant when she supplants her mistress.

24 Four things are small on the earth,

But they are exceedingly wise:

25 The aants are not a strong people,

But they prepare their food in the summer;

26 The 1ashephanim are not mighty people,

Yet they make their houses in the rocks;

27 The locusts have no king,

Yet all of them go out in aranks;

28 The lizard you may grasp with the hands,

Yet it is in kings’ palaces.

29 There are three things which are stately in their march,

Even four which are stately when they walk:

30 The lion which is amighty among beasts

And does not 1bretreat before any,

31 The 1strutting rooster, the male goat also,

And a king when his army is with him.

32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself

Or if you have plotted evil, aput your hand on your mouth.

33 For the 1churning of milk produces butter,

And pressing the nose brings forth blood;

So the 1churning of aanger produces strife.

Chapter 31

The Words of Lemuel

1 The words of King Lemuel, the 1oracle which his mother taught him:

2 What, O my son?

And what, O ason of my womb?

And what, O son of my bvows?

3 aDo not give your strength to women,

Or your ways to that which bdestroys kings.

4 It is not for akings, O Lemuel,

It is not for kings to bdrink wine,

Or for rulers to desire strong drink,

5 For they will drink and forget what is decreed,

And apervert the 1rights of all the 2afflicted.

6 Give strong drink to him who is aperishing,

And wine to him 1bwhose life is bitter.

7 Let him drink and forget his poverty

And remember his trouble no more.

8 aOpen your mouth for the mute,

For the 1rights of all the 2unfortunate.

9 Open your mouth, ajudge righteously,

And 1defend the brights of the afflicted and needy.

Description of a Worthy Woman

10 An aexcellent wife, who can find?

For her worth is far babove jewels.

11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,

And he will have no lack of gain.

12 She does him good and not evil

All the days of her life.

13 She looks for wool and flax

And works with her 1hands 2in delight.

14 She is like amerchant ships;

She brings her food from afar.

15 She arises also while it is still night

And bgives food to her household

And 1portions to her maidens.

16 She considers a field and buys it;

From 1her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17 She agirds 1herself with strength

And makes her arms strong.

18 She senses that her gain is good;

Her lamp does not go out at night.

19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,

And her 1hands grasp the spindle.

20 She 1aextends her hand to the poor,

And she stretches out her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid of the snow …