A Good Name More Desirable than Riches

1A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold -- good grace.

2Rich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all is Jehovah.

3The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.

4The end of humility is the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.

5Thorns -- snares are in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.

6Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not from it.

7The rich over the poor ruleth, And a servant is the borrower to the lender.

8Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.

9The good of eye -- he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.

10Cast out a scorner -- and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.

11Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace are his lips, a king is his friend.

12The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.

13The slothful hath said, 'A lion is without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'

14A deep pit is the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.

15Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth it far from him.

16He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich -- only to want.

17Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,

18For they are pleasant when thou dost keep them in thy heart, They are prepared together for thy lips.

19That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.

20Have I not written to thee three times With counsels and knowledge?

21To cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending thee.

22Rob not the poor because he is poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.

23For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.

24Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,

25Lest thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.

26Be not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties for burdens.

27If thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee?

28Remove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made.

29Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!