Read the Bible

¹ A good name is to be chosen rather than great wealth,
good favor more than silver or gold.
² The rich and the poor meet together;
the Lord is the Creator of them both.
³ A shrewd person sees danger and hides himself,
but the naive keep right on going and suffer for it.
⁴ The reward for humility and fearing the Lord
is riches and honor and life.
⁵ Thorns and snares are in the path of the perverse,
but the one who guards himself keeps far from them.
⁶ Train a child in the way that he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.
⁷ The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is servant to the lender.
⁸ The one who sows iniquity will reap trouble,
and the rod of his fury will end.
⁹ A generous person will be blessed,
for he gives some of his food to the poor.
¹⁰ Drive out the scorner and contention will leave;
strife and insults will cease.
¹¹ The one who loves a pure heart
and whose speech is gracious—the king will be his friend.
¹² The eyes of the Lord guard knowledge,
but he overthrows the words of the faithless person.
¹³ The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside!
I will be killed in the middle of the streets!"
¹⁴ The mouth of an adulteress is like a deep pit;
the one against whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
¹⁵ Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
¹⁶ The one who oppresses the poor to increase his own gain
and the one who gives to the rich—both end up only in poverty.

¹⁷ Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise,
and apply your heart to my instruction.
¹⁸ For it is pleasing if you keep these sayings within you,
and they are ready on your lips.
¹⁹ So that your confidence may be in the Lord,
I am making them known to you today—even you.
²⁰ Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
²¹ to show you true and reliable words,
so that you may give accurate answers to those who sent you?
²² Do not exploit a poor person because he is poor
and do not crush the needy in court,
²³ for the Lord will plead their case
and will rob those who are robbing them.
²⁴ Do not make friends with an angry person,
and do not associate with a wrathful person,
²⁵ lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
²⁶ Do not be one who strikes hands in pledge
or who puts up security for debts.
²⁷ If you do not have enough to pay,
your bed will be taken right out from under you!
²⁸ Do not move an ancient boundary stone
which was put in place by your ancestors.
²⁹ Do you see a person skilled in his work?
He will take his position before kings;
he will not take his position before obscure people.