1It is better to be poor and to live without blame
than to be foolish and to twist words around.
2Getting excited about something without knowledge isn’t good.
It’s even worse to be in a hurry and miss the way.
3A person’s own foolish acts destroy their life.
But their heart is angry with the Lord.
4Wealth brings many friends.
But even the closest friend of a poor person abandons them.
5A dishonest witness will be punished.
And whoever pours out lies will not go free.
6Many try to win the favor of rulers.
And everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts.
7Poor people are avoided by their whole family.
Their friends avoid them even more.
The poor person runs after his friends to beg for help.
But they can’t be found.
8Anyone who gets wisdom loves life.
Anyone who values understanding will soon succeed.
9A dishonest witness will be punished.
And those who pour out lies will die.
10It isn’t proper for a foolish person to live in great comfort.
And it is much worse when a slave rules over princes!
11A person’s wisdom makes them patient.
They will be honored if they forgive someone who sins against them.
12A king’s anger is like a lion’s roar.
But his favor is like dew on the grass.
13A foolish child is a father’s ruin.
A nagging wife is like dripping that never stops.
14You will receive houses and wealth from your parents.
But a wise wife is given by the Lord.
15Anyone who doesn’t want to work sleeps his life away.
And a person who refuses to work goes hungry.
16Those who keep commandments keep their lives.
But those who don’t care how they live will die.
17Anyone who is kind to poor people lends to the Lord.
God will reward them for what they have done.
18Train your children, because then there is hope.
Don’t do anything to bring about their deaths.
19A person with a bad temper must pay for it.
If you save them, you will have to do it again.
20Listen to advice and accept correction.
In the end you will be counted among those who are wise.
21A person may have many plans in their heart.
But the Lord’s purpose wins out in the end.
22Everyone longs for love that never fails.
It is better to be poor than to be a liar.
23Having respect for the Lord leads to life.
Then you will be content and free from trouble.
24A person who doesn’t want to work leaves his hand in the dish.
He won’t even bring it back up to his mouth!
25If you whip a person who makes fun of others,
childish people will learn to be wise.
If you warn those who already understand what is right,
they will gain even more knowledge.
26Anyone who robs their father and drives out their mother
is a child who brings shame and dishonor.
27My son, if you stop listening to what I teach you,
you will wander away from the words of knowledge.
28A dishonest witness makes fun of what is right.
The mouths of those who do wrong gulp down evil.
29Those who make fun of others will be judged.
Foolish people will be punished.
1行為正直的窮人，
勝過詭詐的愚人。
2熱誠卻無知不足取，
行動急躁難免有錯。
3人因愚昧而自毀前程，
他的心卻抱怨耶和華。
4財富招來許多朋友，
窮人卻遭朋友拋棄。
5作偽證者難免受罰，
撒謊的人罪責難逃。
6大家都討好慷慨的人，
人人都結交好施贈的。
7窮人被親人厭棄，
朋友都遠遠躲避。
他苦苦哀求，也無人理會。
8得到智慧的珍惜生命，
持守悟性的享受福樂。
9作偽證者難免受罰，
撒謊的人自取滅亡。
10愚人奢華宴樂不相宜，
奴隸管轄王子更離譜。
11智者不輕易發怒，
饒恕是他的榮耀。
12君王的震怒像雄獅怒吼，
君王的恩澤如草上甘露。
13愚昧之子是父親的災殃，
爭鬧之妻如雨滴漏不止。
14房屋錢財是祖先的遺產，
賢慧之妻乃耶和華所賜。
15懶惰使人沉睡，
懈怠使人挨餓。
16遵守誡命的保全性命，
藐視誡命的自尋死路。
17善待窮人等於借貸給耶和華，
耶和華必回報他的善行。
18管教孩子宜早不宜晚，
不可任由他走向滅亡。
19脾氣暴躁的人必吃苦頭。
你若救他，一次肯定不夠。
20你要受教聽勸，
以便得到智慧。
21人心中有許多計劃，
唯耶和華的旨意成就。
22人心愛慕忠誠，
受窮勝過撒謊。
23敬畏耶和華使人得享生命，
安然滿足，免遭禍患。
24懶惰人手放在餐盤，
卻懶得送食物進嘴。
25責打嘲諷者，愚人學會謹慎；
責備明哲人，他會增長見識。
26苛待父親的人可鄙，
逼走母親的人可恥。
27孩子啊，你若不聽教誨，
就會偏離知識。
28作偽證者嘲諷公義，
惡人的口吞吃罪惡。
29刑罰對付嘲諷者，
鞭子責打愚人背。
