1 If you do, you will never get rich; if you don't pay attention to small matters, you will gradually ruin yourself. 2 Wine and women make sensible men do foolish things. A man who goes to prostitutes gets more and more careless, 3 and that carelessness will cost him his life. Worms will feed on his decaying body.
4 It is silly to trust people too quickly. If you sin, you are hurting yourself. 5 If wickedness makes you happy, you will be condemned.
Loose Talk
6 Avoid idle talk, and you will avoid a lot of trouble. 7 Never repeat what you hear, and you will have no regrets. 8 Don't tell it to your friends or your enemies unless it would be sinful to keep it to yourself. 9 Whoever hears you will take note of it, and sooner or later will hate you for it. 10 Have you heard a rumor? Let it die with you. Be brave! It won't make you explode. 11 A foolish person trying to keep a secret suffers like a woman in labor. 12 Any time he hears a secret, it's like an arrow stuck in his leg.
13 If you hear that a friend has done something wrong, ask him about it. Maybe it isn't true. If it is true, he won't do it again. 14 If you hear that a neighbor has said something he shouldn't, ask him about it. Maybe he didn't say it. If he did, he won't say it again. 15 If you hear something bad about a friend, ask him about it. It might be a lie. Don't believe everything you hear. 16 A person may say something carelessly and not really mean it. Everyone has sinned in this way at one time or another. 17 If you hear something that makes you angry with your neighbor, ask him about it before you threaten him. Leave the matter to the Law of the Most High.
Recognizing Real Wisdom
20 Fear the Lord and keep his Law; that is what Wisdom is all about. 22 You may know everything there is to know about wickedness, but that does not make you wise. It is not sensible to follow the advice of sinners. 23 It is possible to use cleverness for wicked purposes, but some people act like fools because they don't know any better. 24 A devout person, even if he is not very intelligent, is better off than the cleverest of sinners. 25 It is possible to be marvelously clever and still be dishonest, or to get what you want by being absurdly polite.
26 Then there are those wicked people who go about looking very solemn and mournful, but who are only trying to deceive you. 27 They will turn their faces away and pretend not to hear you, but they'll take advantage of you when you least expect it. 28 If for some reason they are unable to sin now, they'll get around to it at the first opportunity. 29 You can know people by their appearance. The first time you look at them, you can tell if they have good sense. 30 Their character shows in the way they dress, the way they laugh, and the way they walk.
1 A labouring man that is given to drunkenness shall not be rich: and he that contemneth small things shall fall by little and little.
2 Wine and women will make men of understanding to fall away: and he that cleaveth to harlots will become impudent.
3 Moths and worms shall have him to heritage, and a bold man shall be taken away.
4 He that is hasty to give credit is lightminded; and he that sinneth shall offend against his own soul.
5 Whoso taketh pleasure in wickedness shall be condemned: but he that resisteth pleasures crowneth his life.
6 He that can rule his tongue shall live without strife; and he that hateth babbling shall have less evil.
7 Rehearse not unto another that which is told unto thee, and thou shalt fare never the worse.
8 Whether it be to friend or foe, talk not of other men’s lives; and if thou canst without offence, reveal them not.
9 For he heard and observed thee, and when time cometh he will hate thee.
10 If thou hast heard a word, let it die with thee; and be bold, it will not burst thee.
11 A fool travaileth with a word, as a woman in labour of a child.
12 As an arrow that sticketh in a man’s thigh, so is a word within a fool’s belly.
13 Admonish a friend, it may be he hath not done it: and if he have done it, that he do it no more.
14 Admonish thy friend, it may be he hath not said it: and if he have, that he speak it not again.
15 Admonish a friend: for many times it is a slander, and believe not every tale.
16 There is one that slippeth in his speech, but not from his heart; and who is he that hath not offended with his tongue?
17 Admonish thy neighbour before thou threaten him; and not being angry, give place to the law of the most High.
18 The fear of the Lord is the first step to be accepted of him , and wisdom obtaineth his love.
19 The knowledge of the commandments of the Lord is the doctrine of life: and they that do things that please him shall receive the fruit of the tree of immortality.
20 The fear of the Lord is all wisdom; and in all wisdom is the performance of the law, and the knowledge of his omnipotency.
21 If a servant say to his master, I will not do as it pleaseth thee; though afterward he do it, he angereth him that nourisheth him.
22 The knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom, neither at any time the counsel of sinners prudence.
23 There is a wickedness, and the same an abomination; and there is a fool wanting in wisdom.
24 He that hath small understanding, and feareth God, is better than one that hath much wisdom, and transgresseth the law of the most High.
25 There is an exquisite subtilty, and the same is unjust; and there is one that turneth aside to make judgment appear; and there is a wise man that justifieth in judgment.
26 There is a wicked man that hangeth down his head sadly; but inwardly he is full of deceit,
27 Casting down his countenance, and making as if he heard not: where he is not known, he will do thee a mischief before thou be aware.
28 And if for want of power he be hindered from sinning, yet when he findeth opportunity he will do evil.
29 A man may be known by his look, and one that hath understanding by his countenance, when thou meetest him.
30 A man’s attire, and excessive laughter, and gait, shew what he is.