¶ A good name¹ is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than² silver and gold.

¶ The rich³ and poor meet together: the LORD⁴ is the maker of them all.

¶ A prudent⁵ man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple⁶ pass on, and are punished.

¶ By⁷ humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

¶ Thorns⁸ and snares are in the way of the froward: he⁹ that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

¶ Train up¹⁰ a child in the way¹¹ he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

¶ The rich¹² ruleth over the poor, and the borrower¹³ is servant to the lender¹⁴.

¶ He that¹⁵ soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail¹⁶.

¶ He that hath a bountiful eye¹⁷ shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

¶¹⁸Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

¶ He that¹⁹ loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips²⁰ the king²¹ shall be his friend.

¶ The eyes²² of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he²³ overthroweth the words²⁴ of the transgressor.

¶ The slothful²⁵ man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

¶ The mouth²⁶ of strange women is a deep pit²⁷: he that is abhorred²⁸ of the LORD shall fall therein.

¶ Foolishness²⁹ is bound in the heart of a child; but³⁰ the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

¶ He that oppresseth³¹ the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth³² to the rich, shall surely come to want.

¶ Bow³³ down thine ear, and hear³⁴ the words of the wise, and apply³⁵ thine heart unto my knowledge.

For it is³⁶ a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee;³⁷ they shall withal be fitted³⁸ in thy lips.

That thy³⁹ trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee⁴⁰.

¶⁴¹Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

That I⁴² might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer⁴³ the words of truth to them that send unto thee⁴⁴?

¶ Rob⁴⁵ not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress⁴⁶ the afflicted in the gate⁴⁷:

For the LORD⁴⁸ will plead their cause, and spoil⁴⁹ the soul of those that spoiled them.

¶⁵⁰Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

⁵¹Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

¶⁵²Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.

⁵³If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

¶ Remove⁵⁴ not the ancient landmark⁵⁵, which thy fathers have set.

¶ Seest thou a man⁵⁶ diligent in his business? he shall stand⁵⁷ before kings; he shall not stand before mean men⁵⁸.