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¹ A reputation^[a] is to be chosen rather than^[b] great riches;
    favor is better than silver and gold.^[c]
2 Rich and poor have much in common;
    Yahweh is the maker of all of them.
³ The clever sees danger and hides,
    but the simple go on and suffer.
⁴ The reward of humility is the fear of Yahweh—
    wealth and honor and life.
⁵ Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
    he who guards himself^[d] will keep away from them.
⁶ Train the child concerning his way;^[e]
    even when he is old, he will not stray from it.
⁷ The rich will rule over the poor,
    and the borrower is a slave of the lender.^[f]
8 He who sows injustice will reap calamity,
    and the rod of his anger will fail.
⁹ He who is generous^[g] will be blessed,
    for he gives to the poor from his own bread.
¹⁰ Drive out a scoffer and strife will go out;
    quarrel and abuse will cease.
¹¹ He who loves purity of heart
    and hasgracious speech,^[h] his friend is the king.
¹² The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge,
    but he will overthrow the words of the faithless.
¹³ A lazy person says "A lion in the street!
    In the middle of the highway, I shall be killed!"
¹⁴ A deep pit is the mouth of an adulteress,^[i]
    he with whom Yahweh is angry will fall there.
¹⁵ Folly is bound up in the heart^[j] of a boy;^[k]
    the rod of discipline will drive it^[l] from him.
¹⁶ He who oppresses the poor in order to enrich himself,
    or gives to the rich, will come to poverty.^[m]

¹⁷ Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise;
    you shall apply your heart^[n] to my teaching.
¹⁸ For it is pleasant if you guard them within you;^[o]
    together they will be ready upon your lips.
¹⁹ In order for your trust to be in Yahweh,
    I have made them known to you today^[p]—even^[q] you.
²⁰ Have I not written for you thirty sayings
    with admonitions and knowledge?
²¹ In order to show you what is right—sayings of truth—
    in order to return a true saying to him who sent you.
²² Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
    and do not crush the afflicted at the gate;
²³ For Yahweh will plead their case
    and despoil those who despoil them of life.^[r]
24 Do not befriend an owner^[s] of anger,^[t]
    and with a man of wrath you shall not associate;
²⁵ lest you learn his way
    and become entangled in a snare to yourself.^[u]
26 Do not be with those who give a pledge^[v]
    by becoming^[w] surety.
²⁷ If there is nothing for you to pay,^[x]
    why will he take your bed from under you?
²⁸ Do not remove an ancient boundary marker
    which your ancestors^[y] made.
²⁹ A man who is skillful in his work, you shall see:
    before kings, he will serve;
    he will not serve before the commoners.