¹ Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but whoever hates correction is stupid.
² Good people obtain favor from the Lord,
but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.
³ No one can be established through wickedness,
but the righteous cannot be uprooted.
⁴ A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown,
but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.
⁵ The plans of the righteous are just,
but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.
⁶ The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the speech of the upright rescues them.
⁷ The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
but the house of the righteous stands firm.
⁸ A person is praised according to their prudence,
and one with a warped mind is despised.
⁹ Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
than pretend to be somebody and have no food.
¹⁰ The righteous care for the needs of their animals,
but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
¹¹ Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies have no sense.
¹² The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
but the root of the righteous endures.
¹³ Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,
and so the innocent escape trouble.
¹⁴ From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,
and the work of their hands brings them reward.
¹⁵ The way of fools seems right to them,
but the wise listen to advice.
¹⁶ Fools show their annoyance at once,
but the prudent overlook an insult.
¹⁷ An honest witness tells the truth,
but a false witness tells lies.
¹⁸ The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
¹⁹ Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
²⁰ Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
but those who promote peace have joy.
²¹ No harm overtakes the righteous,
but the wicked have their fill of trouble.
²² The Lord detests lying lips,
but he delights in people who are trustworthy.
²³ The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,
but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.
²⁴ Diligent hands will rule,
but laziness ends in forced labor.
²⁵ Anxiety weighs down the heart,
but a kind word cheers it up.
²⁶ The righteous choose their friends carefully,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
²⁷ The lazy do not roast any game,
but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.
²⁸ In the way of righteousness there is life;
along that path is immortality.