Read the Bible

¹ It is better to be poor but honest than to be a lying fool.

² Enthusiasm without knowledge is not good; impatience will get you into trouble.

³ Some people ruin themselves by their own stupid actions and then blame the Lord.

⁴ Rich people are always finding new friends, but the poor cannot keep the few they have.

⁵ If you tell lies in court, you will be punished—there will be no escape.

⁶ Everyone tries to gain the favor of important people; everyone claims the friendship of those who give out favors.

⁷ Even the relatives of a poor person have no use for him; no wonder he has no friends. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot win any.^[a]

⁸ Do yourself a favor and learn all you can; then remember what you learn and you will prosper.

⁹ No one who tells lies in court can escape punishment; he is doomed.

¹⁰ Fools should not live in luxury, and slaves should not rule over noblemen.

¹¹ If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it.

¹² The king's anger is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like welcome rain.

¹³ Stupid children can bring their parents to ruin. A nagging wife is like water going drip-drip-drip.

¹⁴ A man can inherit a house and money from his parents, but only the Lord can give him a sensible wife.

¹⁵ Go ahead and be lazy; sleep on, but you will go hungry.

¹⁶ Keep God's laws and you will live longer; if you ignore them, you will die.

¹⁷ When you give to the poor, it is like lending to the Lord, and the Lord will pay you back.

¹⁸ Discipline your children while they are young enough to learn. If you don't, you are helping them destroy themselves.^[b]

¹⁹ If someone has a hot temper, let him take the consequences. If you get him out of trouble once, you will have to do it again.^[c]

²⁰ If you listen to advice and are willing to learn, one day you will be wise.

²¹ People may plan all kinds of things, but the Lord's will is going to be done.

²² It is a disgrace to be greedy;^[d] poor people are better off than liars.

²³ Obey the Lord and you will live a long life, content and safe from harm.

²⁴ Some people are too lazy to put food in their own mouths.

²⁵ Arrogance should be punished, so that people who don't know any better can learn a lesson. If you are wise, you will learn when you are corrected.

²⁶ Only a shameful, disgraceful person would mistreat his father or turn his mother away from his home.

²⁷ My child, when you stop learning, you will soon neglect what you already know.

²⁸ There is no justice where a witness is determined to hurt someone. Wicked people love the taste of evil.

²⁹ A conceited fool is sure to get a beating.