- A fair name is better than much wealth, and good favour is above
silver and gold.
- The rich and the poor meet together; but the Lord made them both.
- An intelligent man seeing a bad man severely punished is himself
instructed, but fools pass by and are punished.
- The fear of the Lord is the offspring of wisdom, and wealth, and
glory, and life.
- Thistles and snares are in perverse ways; but he that keeps his
soul will refrain from them.
- The rich will rule over the poor, and servants will lend
to their own masters.
- He that sows wickedness shall reap troubles; and shall fully
receive the punishment of his deeds. [a]
God loves a cheerful and liberal man; but a man shall fully
prove the folly of his works.
- He that has pity on the poor shall himself be maintained; for he
has given of his own bread to the poor. He that gives liberally
secures victory and honour; but he takes away the life of them that
possess them.
- Cast out a pestilent person from the council, and strife shall go
out with him; for when he sits in the council he dishonours all.
- The Lord loves holy hearts, and all blameless persons are
acceptable with him: a king rules with his lips.
- But the eyes of the Lord preserve discretion; but the transgressor
despises wise words.
- The sluggard makes excuses, and says, There is a lion in
the ways, and murderers in the streets.
- The mouth of a transgressor is a deep pit; and he that is hated of
the Lord shall fall into it. Evil ways are before a man, and he does
not like to turn away from them; but it is needful to turn aside from
a perverse and bad way.
- Folly is attached to the heart of a child, but the rod and
instruction are then far from him.
- He that oppresses the poor, increases his own substance, yet gives
to the rich so as to make it less.
- Incline thine ear to the words of wise men: hear also my word, and
apply thine heart,
- that thou mayest know that they are good: and if thou lay them to
heart, they shall also gladden thee on thy lips.
- That thy hope may be in the Lord, and he may make thy way known to
thee.
- And do thou too repeatedly record them for thyself on the table of
thine heart, for counsel and knowledge.
- I therefore teach thee truth, and knowledge good to hear; that
thou mayest answer words of truth to them that [b] question thee.
- Do no violence to the poor, for he is needy: neither dishonour the
helpless man in the gates.
- For the Lord will plead his cause, and thou shalt deliver thy
soul in safety.
- Be not companion to a furious man; neither lodge with a passionate
man:
- lest thou learn of his ways, and get snares to thy soul.
- Become not surety from respect of a man's person.
- For if those have not whence to give compensation, they will take
the bed that is under thee.
- Remove not the [c] old landmarks,
which thy fathers placed.
- It is fit that an observant man and one diligent in his
business should attend on kings, and not attend on slothful men.
[a] See 2 Cor. 9. 7. Compare Heb.
[b] See 1 Peter 3. 15.
[c] Gr. eternal.
[English translation of the Septuagint by Sir Lancelot Charles Lee
Brenton (1807-1862) originally published by Samuel Bagster & Sons,
Ltd., London, 1851]