Read the Bible

¹ The wisest of women^[a] builds her house,
    but the foolish tears it down with her hands.
² He who walks in uprightness fears Yahweh,
    but he who is devious in his ways displeases him.
³ In the mouth of a fool is the rod of pride,
    but the lips of the wise preserve them.
⁴ When there are no^[b] oxen the manger is empty,
    but an abundance of crops comes by the strength of an ox.^[c]
5 A faithful witness does not lie,
    but he who breathes out falsehood is a witness of deceit.
⁶ A scoffer seeks wisdom, but there is none,
    but knowledge comes easily to him who understands.^[d]
7 Leave the presence of a foolish man,^[e]
    for you will not come to know words of knowledge.^[f]
8 The wisdom of the clever is understanding his ways,
    but the folly of fools is deceit.
⁹ Fools mock^[g] the guilt offering,
    but among the upright, it is favorable.
¹⁰ The heart^[h] knows the bitterness of its soul,^[i]
    but in its joy, it will not share itself with a stranger.
¹¹ The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
¹² There is a way that seems upright to^[j] a man,
    but its end is the way of death.
¹³ Even in laughter, a heart may be sad,
    and the end of joy may be grief.
¹⁴ From his ways, the perverse of heart will be satisfied,
    and from his own,^[k] so shall a good man.
¹⁵ The simple will believe every word,
    but the clever will consider his step.
¹⁶ The wise is cautious and turns from evil,
    but the fool throws off restraint and is confident.
¹⁷ He who is short of temper^[l] will act foolishly,
    and the man who schemes will be hated.
¹⁸ The simple are adorned with folly,
    but the clever are crowned with knowledge.
¹⁹ The evil bow down before the good,
    and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
²⁰ The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
    but the lovers of the rich are many.
²¹ He who despises his neighbor is a sinner,
    but he who has mercy on the poor blesses him.
²² Have they not erred, those who plan evil?
    But loyalty and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.
²³ In all toil, there is profit,
    but the talk^[m] of lips leads only to poverty.
²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wealth;
    the folly of fools is folly.
²⁵ He who saves lives^[n] is a witness of truth,
    but he who utters lies is a betrayer.
²⁶ In the fear of Yahweh, there is confidence of strength,
    and for his children, there will be refuge.
²⁷ The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life,
    in order to turn from the snares of death.
²⁸ In the multitude of people is the glory of the king,
    but without a population, a prince is ruined.
²⁹ He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
    but the hasty of spirit^[o] exalts folly.
³⁰ A heart^[p] of tranquility^[q] is life to the flesh,
    but causes bones of passion to rot.
³¹ He who oppresses the poor insults him who made him,
    but he who has mercy on the poor honors him.
³² By his evildoing, the wicked will be overthrown,
    and the righteous will find refuge in his death.
³³ In the heart^[r] of him who has understanding, wisdom rests,
    but even in the midst of fools it becomes known.
³⁴ Righteousness will exalt a nation,
    but sin is a reproach to a people.
³⁵ The favor of a king is for the servant who deals wisely,
    but his wrath will be on him who acts shamefully.