21
My son, have you sinned? add no more thereto;
And make supplication for your former sins.
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.
All iniquity is as a two-edged sword;
Its stroke has no healing.
 
Terror and violence will lay waste riches;
So the house of a haughty man shall be laid waste.
Supplication from a poor man’s mouth reaches to the ears of God,
And his judgement comes speedily.
One that hates reproof is in the path of the sinner;
And he that fears the Lord will turn again in his heart.
He that is mighty in tongue is known afar off:
But the man of understanding knows when he slips.
 
He that builds his house with other men’s money
Is like one that gathers himself stones against winter.
The congregation of wicked men is as 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 keeps the law becomes 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 displeases 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 is as unexamined talk without sense.
19 Instruction is as fetters on the feet of an unwise man,
And as manacles on the right hand.
20 A fool lifts 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 in another man’s house;
But a man of experience will be ashamed of entering.
23 A foolish man peepeth in from the door of another 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 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 curses Satan,
He curses his own soul.
28 A whisperer defiles his own soul,
And shall be hated wherever he sojourneth.
 
+Or,alike workTheword is of very doubtful meaning.1:5+Verses1:55 and 7 are omitted by the best authorities1:7+Verses1:75 and 7 are omitted by the best authorities1:15+1:15Gr.1:15nested.1:18+1:18Gr.health1:18of cure.1:18+The1:18remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.1:21+Verse1:2121 is omitted by the best authorities.1:23+Most1:23authorities read1:23resist.1:23+1:23Or,1:23until1:23his1:23season1:24+1:24Or,1:24until1:24his1:24season1:28+The1:28remainder of this line is omitted by the best authorities.2:4+2:4Gr.in2:4the changes of your humiliation.3:7+The3:7preceding words of this verse are omitted by the best authorities.3:19+Verse3:1919 is omitted by the best authorities.3:25+Most3:25authorities omit verse 25, and transpose the lines in verse 26.3:27+3:27Gr.3:27sins.4:13+4:13Or,4:13she4:19+4:19Gr.to4:19the hands of his fall.4:20+4:20Or,an4:20evil man4:22+4:22Or,be4:22not abashed4:23+4:23Gr.in4:23an occasion of safety.4:23+Most4:23authorities omit this line.4:29+Some4:29authorities read4:29rough.4:31+4:31Or,drawn4:31back5:4+The5:4remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.5:7+A5:7line of this verse is here omitted by the best authorities.5:11+The5:11remainder of this line is omitted by the best authorities.6:4+6:4Or,a6:4rejoicing6:5+6:5Gr.A6:5sweet throat.6:5+6:5Gr.6:5his.6:7+6:7Or,in6:7the time of trial6:14+6:14Or,6:14covert6:15+6:15Gr.6:15weight.6:28+6:28Or,6:28it6:30+Numbers6:3015:38.6:32+6:32Or,6:32shrewd7:9+7:9Or,7:9them7:12+7:12Gr.Plow7:12not.7:15+7:15Gr.7:15created.7:20+7:20Or,7:20soul.7:26+Many7:26authorities omit this line7:26+7:26Or,7:26hated7:36+7:36Or,7:36words8:10+8:10Gr.fire8:10of his flame.8:18+8:18Or,8:18it9:9+A9:9line of this verse is here omitted by the best authorities.9:12+9:12Gr.9:12Hades.9:13+9:13Or,9:13authority10:9+The10:9text here is uncertain.10:9+Two10:9lines of this verse are here omitted by the best authorities.10:19+The10:19MSS. here greatly differ. The rendering represents the most probable text.10:21+Verse10:2121 is omitted by the best authorities.10:27+The10:27Greek text of this verse is uncertain.11:5+11:5Gr.11:5tyrants11:15-16+Verses11:15-1615 and 16 are omitted by the best authorities.12:6+The12:6remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.12:8+12:8Or,12:8punished12:11+12:11Or,it12:11has not utterly rusted him13:13+13:13Gr.along13:13with.13:14+The13:14remainder of verse 13, and verse 14, are omitted by the best authorities.13:22+13:22Or,secrets,13:22and13:25+The13:25remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.14:12+14:12Gr.14:12Hades.14:16+14:16Gr.14:16Hades.14:20+Most14:20authorities readcome14:20to an end.16:15-16+Verses16:15-1615 and 16 are omitted by the best authorities.16:21+16:21Gr.among16:21hidden things.16:22+The16:22remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.16:23+16:23Gr.16:23heart.16:30+The16:30Greek text of this line is uncertain.16:30+16:30Gr.The16:30soul of every living thing.17:4+17:4Gr.17:4him.17:5+Verse17:55 is omitted by the best authorities.17:9+Verse17:99 is omitted by the best authorities.17:10+This17:10line is added by the best authorities.17:13+Some17:13ancient authorities read17:13their.17:16+Verses17:1616, 18, and 21 are omitted by the best authorities.17:17+The17:17preceding part of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.17:18+Verses17:1816, 18, and 21 are omitted by the best authorities.17:21+Verses17:2116, 18, and 21 are omitted by the best authorities.17:22+The17:22remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.17:26+A17:26line is here omitted by the best authorities.17:27+17:27Gr.17:27Hades.18:3+The18:3remainder of verse 2, and verse 3, are omitted by the best authorities.18:27+The18:27remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.18:31+18:31Or,a18:31rejoicing to18:33+The18:33remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.19:5+The19:5remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.19:6+The19:6preceding part of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.19:12+19:12Gr.thigh19:12of flesh.19:18-19+Verses19:18-1918 and 19 are omitted by the best authorities.19:21+The19:21remainder of verse 20, and verse 21, are omitted by the best authorities.19:25+19:25Gr.to19:25bring to light.19:25+The19:25remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.19:30+19:30Gr.laughter19:30of the teeth.20:3+Verse20:33 is omitted by the best authorities.20:14+A20:14line of this verse is here omitted by the best authorities.20:17+The20:17latter part of verse 17 is omitted by the best authorities.20:20+20:20Gr.20:20parable.20:32+Verse20:3232 is omitted by the best authorities.21:5+21:5Gr.21:5him.21:18+21:18Gr.unexamined21:18words.21:25+The21:25text seems to be uncertain.