[1] My son, have you sinned? add no more thereto; And make supplication for your formersins.
[2] Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent; For if you draw near it will bite you: The teeth thereof are the teeth of a lion, Slaying the souls of men.
[3] All iniquity is as a two-edged sword; Its stroke has no healing.
[4] Terror and violence will lay waste riches; So the house of a haughty man shall be laid waste.
[5] Supplication from a poor man's mouth reacheth to the ears of God, And his judgement comes speedily.
[6] One that hates reproof is in the path of the sinner; And he that feareth the Lord will turn again in his heart.
[7] He that is mighty in tongue is known afar off: But the man of understanding knows when he slippeth.
[8] He that buildeth his house with other men's money Is like one that gathers himself stones against winter.
[9] The congregation of wicked men isas tow wrapped together; And the end of them is a flame of fire.
[10] The way of sinners is made smooth with stones; And at the last end thereof is the pit of Hades.
[11] He that keepeth the law becometh master of the intent thereof; And the end of the fear of the Lord is wisdom.
[12] He that is not clever will not be instructed; And there is a cleverness which makes bitterness to abound.
[13] The knowledge of a wise man shall be made to abound as a flood; And his counsel as a fountain of life.
[14] The inward parts of a fool are like a broken vessel; And he will hold no knowledge.
[15] If a man of knowledge hear a wise word, He will commend it, and add to it: The dissolute man hears it, and it displeaseth him, And he puts it away behind his back.
[16] The discourse of a fool is like a burden in the way: But grace shall be found on the lips of the wise.
[17] The mouth of the prudent man shall be sought for in the congregation; And they will ponder his words in their heart.
[18] As a house that is destroyed, so is wisdom to a fool; And the knowledge of an unwise man isas talk without sense.
[19] Instruction isas fetters on the feet of an unwise man, And as manacles on the right hand.
[20] A fool lifteth up his voice with laughter; But a clever man will scarce smile quietly.
[21] Instruction is to a prudent man as an ornament of gold, And as a bracelet upon his right arm.
[22] The foot of a fool is soon inanother man's house; But a man of experience will be ashamed of entering.
[23] A foolish man peepeth in from the door ofanother man's house; But a man that is instructed will stand without.
[24] It is a lack of instruction in a man to listen at the door; But the prudent man will be grieved with the disgrace.
[25] The lips of strangers will be grieved at these things; But the words of prudent men will be weighed in the balance.
[26] The heart of fools is in their mouth; But the mouth of wise men is their heart.
[27] When the ungodly curseth Satan, He curseth his own soul.
[28] A whisperer defileth his own soul, And shall be hated wheresoever he sojourneth.