¹ In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
that he channels toward all who please him.
² A person may think their own ways are right,
but the Lord weighs the heart.
³ To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart-
the unplowed field of the wicked-produce sin.
⁵ The plans of the diligent lead to profit
as surely as haste leads to poverty.
⁶ A fortune made by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.
⁷ The violence of the wicked will drag them away,
for they refuse to do what is right.
⁸ The way of the guilty is devious,
but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
⁹ Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
¹⁰ The wicked crave evil;
their neighbors get no mercy from them.
¹¹ When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;
by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.
¹² The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked
and brings the wicked to ruin.
¹³ Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor
will also cry out and not be answered.
¹⁴ A gift given in secret soothes anger,
and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
¹⁵ When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.
¹⁶ Whoever strays from the path of prudence
comes to rest in the company of the dead.
¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.
¹⁸ The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,
and the unfaithful for the upright.
¹⁹ Better to live in a desert
than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.
²⁰ The wise store up choice food and olive oil,
but fools gulp theirs down.
²¹ Whoever pursues righteousness and love
finds life, prosperity and honor.
²² One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty
and pull down the stronghold in which they trust.
²³ Those who guard their mouths and their tongues
keep themselves from calamity.
²⁴ The proud and arrogant person-“Mocker” is his name-
behaves with insolent fury.
²⁵ The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,
because his hands refuse to work.
²⁶ All day long he craves for more,
but the righteous give without sparing.
²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable-
how much more so when brought with evil intent!
²⁸ A false witness will perish,
but a careful listener will testify successfully.
²⁹ The wicked put up a bold front,
but the upright give thought to their ways.
³⁰ There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan
that can succeed against the Lord.
³¹ The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the Lord.