13 A wise child is attentive to his parents’ instruction,
but the mocker is deaf to correction.
2 A person eats well when he speaks wisely,
but the treacherous crave violence.
3 Those who guard their speech insure they will take another breath,
but those who talk without thinking guarantee their demise.
4 Slackers crave but have their fill of nothing,
but the hardworking desire and are completely satisfied.
5 The right-living will not tolerate any lie,
but wrongdoers come to shame and embarrassment.
6 Doing right keeps the innocent on the path of life,
but doing wrong is the downfall of the wicked.
7 One pretends he is wealthy but has nothing,
while another seems to be poor but has great wealth.
8 The rich are targeted and must ransom their lives,
but no one bothers to threaten the poor.
9 The light of the right-living brings joy as it burns brightly;
the lamp of a wrongdoer will be snuffed out.
10 Arrogance only produces arguments,
but wisdom accompanies those well advised.
11 Money earned hastily is easily lost,
but hard-earned money continues to grow.
12 Hope postponed grieves the heart;
but when a dream comes true, life is full and sweet.
13 The one who hates good counsel will reap failure and ruin,
but the one who reveres God’s instruction will be rewarded.
14 Wise instruction is a spring yielding a satisfied life;
those who follow it avoid the traps that lead to death.
15 Good sense brings blessing,
but the road of the treacherous is long and rough.
16 A clever person acquires knowledge and then acts on it;
but a fool advertises his folly for all to see.
17 An untrustworthy messenger stirs up trouble,
but a faithful emissary is curative balm.
18 A person who turns from correction faces poverty and shame,
but one who regards constructive criticism is well respected.
19 A dream fulfilled is the sweetness of life,
but abandoning evil is repulsive to fools.
20 One who walks with the wise becomes wise,
but whoever keeps company with fools only hurts himself.
21 Trouble eagerly pursues the sinner,
but success rewards the right-living.
22 A good person leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren,
but the wealth of the sinner is eventually passed on to the right-living.
23 Though the fields of the poor yield a bumper crop
in a land without justice, it is stolen out from under them.
24 Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children,
but those who are quick to correct them show true love.
25 Those who do right have plenty to eat,
while those who do wrong go hungry.