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The Counsel of Yahweh Will Stand

^1 (C1)Better is a poor man who ^(C2)walks in his integrity
Than he who is crooked in lips and is a fool.

² Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries ^(F1)(C1)his footsteps sins.

³ The ^(C1)folly of man subverts his way,
But his heart ^(C2)rages against Yahweh.

^4 (C1)Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend.

⁵ A ^(F1)(C1)false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who ^(C2)breathes out lies will not escape.

^6 (C1)Many will seek the favor of a noble man,
And everyone is a friend to a man who ^(C2)gives gifts.

⁷ All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his ^(C1)friends distance themselves from him!
He ^(C2)pursues them with words, but they are no more.

⁸ He who acquires a heart of wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps discernment will ^(C1)find good.

⁹ A ^(F1)(C1)false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who breathes out lies will perish.

¹⁰ Luxury is ^(C1)not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a ^(C2)slave to rule over princes.

¹¹ A man's ^(C1)insight makes him slow to anger,
And it is his honor ^(C2)to overlook a transgression.

¹² The ^(C1)king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like ^(C2)dew on the grass.

¹³ A ^(C1)foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the ^(C2)contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.

¹⁴ House and wealth are an ^(C1)inheritance from fathers,
But a wife who has insight is from Yahweh.

^15 (C1)Laziness casts into a deep sleep,
And a slack-handed soul will suffer hunger.

¹⁶ He who ^(C1)keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who despises his way will die.

¹⁷ He who ^(C1)is gracious to a poor man lends to Yahweh,
And He will repay him for his ^(C2)bountiful deed.

^18 (C1)Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not ^(F1)direct your soul to put him to death.

¹⁹ A man of great wrath will bear the penalty,
For if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.

^20 (C1)Listen to counsel and receive discipline,
That you may be wise in ^(F1)the end of your days.

²¹ Many ^(F1)(C1)thoughts are in a man's heart,
But it is the ^(C2)counsel of Yahweh that will stand.

²² What is desirable in a man is his lovingkindness,
And better is a poor man than a man of falsehood.

²³ The ^(F1)(C1)fear of Yahweh leads to life,
So that one may sleep ^(C2)satisfied, not ^(C3)visited by evil.

²⁴ The ^(C1)sluggard buries his hand ^(C2)in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.

^25 (C1)Strike a scoffer and the simple may become prudent,
But ^(C2)reprove one who has understanding and he will understand knowledge.

²⁶ He ^(C1)who assaults his father and causes his mother to flee
Is a son who brings shame and humiliation.

²⁷ Cease listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸ A vile witness scoffs at justice,
And the mouth of the wicked ^(C1)swallows up iniquity.

^29 (F1)Judgments are established for ^(C1)scoffers,
And ^(C2)beatings for the back of fools.