[1] The wisdom of the lowly shall lift up his head, And make him to sit in the midst of great men.
[2] Commend not a man for his beauty; And abhor not a man for his outward appearance.
[3] The bee is little among such as fly; And her fruit is the chief of sweetmeats.
[4] Glory not in the putting on of raiment, And exalt not thyself in the day of honour; For the works of the Lord are wonderful, And his works are hidden among men.
[5] Many kings have sat down upon the ground; And one that was never thought of hath worn a diadem.
[6] Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; And men of renown have been delivered into other men’s hands.
[7] Blame not before thou hast examined: Understand first, and then rebuke.
[8] Answer not before thou hast heard; And interrupt not in the midst of speech.
[9] Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not; And where sinners judge, sit not thou with them.
[10] My son, be not busy about many matters: For if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be unpunished; And if thou pursue, thou shalt not overtake; And thou shalt not escape by fleeing.
[11] There is one that toileth, and laboureth, and maketh haste, And is so much the more behind.
[12] There is one that is sluggish, and hath need of help, Lacking in strength, and that aboundeth in poverty; And the eyes of the Lord looked upon him for good, And he set him up from his low estate,
[13] And lifted up his head; And many marvelled at him.
[14] Good things and evil, life and death, Poverty and riches, are from the Lord.
[17] The gift of the Lord remaineth with the godly, And his good pleasure shall prosper for ever.
[18] There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, And this is the portion of his reward:
[19] When he saith, I have found rest, And now will I eat of my goods; Yet he knoweth not what time shall pass, And he shall leave them to others, and die.
[20] Be stedfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, And wax old in thy work.
[21] Marvel not at the works of a sinner; But trust the Lord, and abide in thy labour: For it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord swiftly on the sudden to make a poor man rich.
[22] The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly; And in an hour that cometh swiftly he maketh his blessing to flourish.
[23] Say not, What use is there of me? And what from henceforth shall my good things be?
[24] Say not, I have sufficient, And from henceforth what harm shall happen unto me?
[25] In the day of good things there is a forgetfulness of evil things; And in the day of evil things a man will not remember things that are good.
[26] For it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord To reward a man in the day of death according to his ways.
[27] The affliction of an hour causeth forgetfulness of delight; And in the last end of a man is the revelation of his deeds.
[28] Call no man blessed before his death; And a man shall be known in his children.
[29] Bring not every man into thine house; For many are the plots of the deceitful man.
[30] As a decoy partridge in a cage, so is the heart of a proud man; And as one that is a spy, he looketh upon thy falling.
[31] For he lieth in wait to turn things that are good into evil; And in things that are praiseworthy he will lay blame.
[32] From a spark of fire a heap of many coals is kindled; And a sinful man lieth in wait for blood.
[33] Take heed of an evil-doer, for he contriveth wicked things; Lest haply he bring upon thee blame for ever.
[34] Receive a stranger into thine house, and he will distract thee with brawls, And estrange thee from thine own.