Read the Bible

¹ Homes are made by the wisdom of women, but are destroyed by foolishness.

² Be honest and you show that you have reverence for the Lord; be dishonest and you show that you do not.

³ Proud fools talk too much; the words of the wise protect them.

⁴ Without any oxen to pull the plow your barn will be empty, but with them it will be full of grain.^[a]

⁵ A reliable witness always tells the truth, but an unreliable one tells nothing but lies.

⁶ Conceited people can never become wise, but intelligent people learn easily.

⁷ Stay away from foolish people; they have nothing to teach you.

⁸ Why is a clever person wise? Because he knows what to do. Why is a stupid person foolish? Because he only thinks he knows.

⁹ Foolish people don't care if they sin, but good people want to be forgiven.^[b]

¹⁰ Your joy is your own; your bitterness is your own. No one can share them with you.

¹¹ A good person's house will still be standing after an evildoer's house has been destroyed.

^12 (a)What you think is the right road may lead to death.

¹³ Laughter may hide sadness. When happiness is gone, sorrow is always there.

¹⁴ Bad people will get what they deserve. Good people will be rewarded for their deeds.^[c]

¹⁵ A fool will believe anything; smart people watch their step.

¹⁶ Sensible people are careful to stay out of trouble, but stupid people are careless and act too quickly.

¹⁷ People with a hot temper do foolish things; wiser people remain calm.^[d]

¹⁸ Ignorant people get what their foolishness deserves, but the clever are rewarded with knowledge.

¹⁹ Evil people will have to bow down to the righteous and humbly beg their favor.

²⁰ No one likes the poor, not even their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.

²¹ If you want to be happy, be kind to the poor; it is a sin to despise anyone.

²² You will earn the trust and respect of others if you work for good; if you work for evil, you are making a mistake.

²³ Work and you will earn a living; if you sit around talking you will be poor.

²⁴ Wise people are rewarded with wealth, but fools are known by^[e] their foolishness.

²⁵ A witness saves lives when he tells the truth; when he tells lies, he betrays people.

²⁶ Reverence for the Lord gives confidence and security to a man and his family.

²⁷ Do you want to avoid death? Reverence for the Lord is a fountain of life.

²⁸ A king's greatness depends on how many people he rules; without them he is nothing.

²⁹ If you stay calm, you are wise, but if you have a hot temper, you only show how stupid you are.

³⁰ Peace of mind makes the body healthy, but jealousy is like a cancer.

³¹ If you oppress poor people, you insult the God who made them; but kindness shown to the poor is an act of worship.

³² Wicked people bring about their own downfall by their evil deeds, but good people are protected by their integrity.^[f]

³³ Wisdom is in every thought of intelligent people; fools know nothing^[g] about wisdom.

³⁴ Righteousness makes a nation great; sin is a disgrace to any nation.

³⁵ Kings are pleased with competent officials, but they punish those who fail them.