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He that rebuketh a man, shall afterward find favour with him, more than he that by a flattering tongue deceiveth him.
He that stealeth any thing from his father, or from his mother: and saith, This is no sin, is the partner of a murderer.
He that boasteth and puffeth up himself, stirreth up quarrels: but he that trusteth in the Lord, shall be healed.
He that trusteth in his own heart, is a fool: but he that walketh wisely, he shall be saved.
He that giveth to the poor shall not want: he that despiseth his entreaty, shall suffer indigence.
When the wicked rise up, men shall hide themselves: when they perish, the just shall be multiplied.
The man that with a stiff neck despiseth him that reproveth him, shall suddenly be destroyed: and health shall not follow him.
When just men increase, the people shall rejoice: when the wicked shall bear rule, the people shall mourn.
A man that loveth wisdom, rejoiceth his father: but he that maintaineth harlots, shall squander away his substance.
A just king setteth up the land: a covetous man shall destroy it.
A man that speaketh to his friend with flattering and dissembling words, spreadeth a net for his feet.
A snare shall entangle the wicked man when he sinneth: and the just shall praise and rejoice.
The just taketh notice of the cause of the poor: the wicked is void of knowledge.
Corrupt men bring a city to ruin: but wise men turn away wrath.
If a wise man contend with a fool, whether he be angry, or laugh, he shall find no rest.
Bloodthirsty men hate the upright: but just men seek his soul.
A fool uttereth all his mind: a wise man deferreth, and keepeth it till afterwards.
A prince that gladly heareth lying words, hath all his servants wicked.
The poor man and the creditor have met one another: the Lord is the enlightener of them both.
The king that judgeth the poor in truth, his throne shall be established for ever.
The rod and reproof give wisdom: but the child that is left to his own will, bringeth his mother to shame.
When the wicked are multiplied, crimes shall be multiplied: but the just shall see their downfall.
Instruct thy son and he shall refresh thee, and shall give delight to thy soul.
When prophecy shall fail, the people shall be scattered abroad: but he that keepeth the law, is blessed.
A slave will not be corrected by words: because he understandeth what thou sayest, and will not answer.
Hast thou seen a man hasty to speak? folly is rather to be looked for, than his amendment.
He that nourisheth his servant delicately from his childhood, afterwards shall find him stubborn.
A passionate man provoketh quarrels: and he that is easily stirred up to wrath, shall be more prone to sin.
Humiliation followeth the proud: and glory shall uphold the humble of spirit.
He that is partaker with a thief, hateth his own soul: he heareth one putting him to his oath, and discovereth not.
He that feareth man shall quickly fall: he that trusteth in the Lord, shall be set on high.
Many seek the face of the prince: but the judgment of every one cometh forth from the Lord.
The just abhor a wicked man: and the wicked loathe them that are in the right way. The son that keepeth the word, shall be free from destruction.
The words of Gatherer the son of Vomiter. The vision which the man spoke, with whom God is, and who being strengthened by God, abiding with him, said:
I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.
Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? who hath held the wind in his hands? who hath bound up the waters together as in a garment? who hath raised up all the borders of the earth? what is his name, and what is the name of his son, if thou knowest?
Every word of God is fire tried: he is a buckler to them that hope in him.
Add not any thing to his words, lest thou be reproved and found a liar:
Two things I have asked of thee, deny them not to me before I die.
Remove far from me vanity, and lying words. Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life:
Lest perhaps being filled, I should be tempted to deny, and say: Who is the Lord? or being compelled by poverty, I should steal, and forswear the name of my God.
Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou fall.
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.
A generation, whose eyes are lofty, and their eyelids lifted up on high.
A generation that for teeth hath swords, and grindeth with their jaw teeth, to devour the needy from off the earth, and the poor from among men.
The horseleech hath two daughters that say: Bring, bring. There are three things that never are satisfied, and the fourth never saith: It is enough.
Hell and the mouth of the womb, and the earth which is not satisfied with water: and the fire never saith: It is enough.
The eye that mocketh at his father, and that despiseth the labour of his mother in bearing him, let the ravens of the brooks pick it out, and the young eagles eat it.
Three things are hard to me, and the fourth I am utterly ignorant of.
The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man in youth.
Such also is the way of an adulterous woman, who eateth and wipeth her mouth, and saith: I have done no evil.
By three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear.
By a slave when he reigneth: by a fool when he is filled with meat:
By an odious woman when she is married: and by a bondwoman when she is heir to her mistress.
There are four very little things of the earth, and they are wiser than the wise.
The ants, a feeble people, which provide themselves food in the harvest:
The rabbit, a weak people, which maketh its bed in the rock:
The locust hath no king, yet they all go out by their bands:
The stellio supporteth itself on hands, and dwelleth in kings' houses.
There are three things, which go well, and the fourth that walketh happily:
A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:
A cock girded about the loins: and a ram: and a king, whom none can resist.
There is that hath appeared a fool after he was lifted up on high: for if he had understood, he would have laid his hand upon his mouth.
And he that strongly squeezeth the paps to bring out milk, straineth out butter: and he that violently bloweth his nose, bringeth out blood: and he that provoketh wrath, bringeth forth strife.
The words of king Lamuel. The vision wherewith his mother instructed him.
What, O my beloved, what, O the beloved of my womb, what, O the beloved of my vows?
Give not thy substance to women, and thy riches to destroy kings.
Give not to kings, O Lamuel, give not wine to kings: because there is no secret where drunkenness reigneth:
And lest they drink and forget judgments, and pervert the cause of the children of the poor.
Give strong drink to them that are sad; and wine to them that are grieved in mind:
Let them drink, and forget their want, and remember their sorrow no more.
Open thy mouth for the dumb, and for the causes of all the children that pass.
Open thy mouth, decree that which is just, and do justice to the needy and poor.
Who shall find a valiant woman? far, and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.
The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils.
She will render him good, and not evil all the days of her life.
She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands.
She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar.
And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens.
She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.
She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm.
She hath tasted, and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night.
She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.
She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor.
She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments.
She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple, is her covering.
Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land.
She made fine linen, and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite.
Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day.
She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.
She hath looked well on the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle.
Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her.
Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all.
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes: vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?