Words of Wisdom Are Better than Gold
1 It isn't smart to get drunk!
Drinking makes a fool of you
and leads to fights.
2 An angry ruler
is like a roaring lion—
make either one angry,
and you are dead.
3 It makes you look good
when you avoid a fight—
only fools love to quarrel.
4 If you are too lazy to plow,
don't expect a harvest.
5 Someone's thoughts may be
as deep as the ocean,
but if you are smart,
you will discover them.
6 There are many who say,
“You can trust me!”
But can they be trusted?
7 Good people live right,
and God blesses the children
who follow their example.
8 When rulers decide cases,
they weigh the evidence.
9 Can any of us really say,
“My thoughts are pure,
and my sins are gone”?
10 Two things the Lord hates
are dishonest scales
and dishonest measures.
11 The good or bad
that children do
shows what they are like.
12 Hearing and seeing
are gifts from the Lord.
13 If you sleep all the time,
you will starve;
if you get up and work,
you will have enough food.
14 Everyone likes to brag
about getting a bargain.
15 Sensible words are better
than gold or jewels.
16 You deserve to lose your coat
if you loan it to someone
to guarantee payment
for the debt of a stranger.
17 The food you get by cheating
may taste delicious,
but it turns to gravel.
18 Be sure you have sound advice
before making plans
or starting a war.
19 Stay away from gossips—
they tell everything.
20 Children who curse their parents
will go to the land of darkness
long before their time.
21 Getting rich quick
may turn out to be a curse.
22 Don't try to get even.
Trust the Lord,
and he will help you.
23 The Lord hates dishonest scales
and dishonest weights.
So don't cheat!
24 How can we know
what will happen to us
when the Lord alone decides?
25 Don't fall into the trap
of making promises to God
before you think!
26 A wise ruler severely punishes
every criminal.
27 Our inner thoughts are a lamp
from the Lord,
and they search our hearts.
28 Rulers are protected
by God's mercy and loyalty,
but they must be merciful
for their kingdoms to last.
29 Young people take pride
in their strength,
but the gray hairs of wisdom
are even more beautiful.
30 A severe beating can knock all
of the evil out of you!
1 Drinking too much makes you loud and foolish. It's stupid to get drunk.
2 Fear an angry king as you would a growling lion; making him angry is suicide.
3 Any fool can start arguments; the honorable thing is to stay out of them.
4 A farmer too lazy to plow his fields at the right time will have nothing to harvest.
5 A person's thoughts are like water in a deep well, but someone with insight can draw them out.
6 Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is!
7 Children are fortunate if they have a father who is honest and does what is right.
8 The king sits in judgment and knows evil when he sees it.
9 Can anyone really say that his conscience is clear, that he has gotten rid of his sin?
10 The Lord hates people who use dishonest weights and measures.
11 Even children show what they are by what they do; you can tell if they are honest and good.
12 The Lord has given us eyes to see with and ears to listen with.
13 If you spend your time sleeping, you will be poor. Keep busy and you will have plenty to eat.
14 The customer always complains that the price is too high, but then he goes off and brags about the bargain he got.
15 If you know what you are talking about, you have something more valuable than gold or jewels.
16 Anyone stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger's debts ought to have their own property held to guarantee payment.
17 What you get by dishonesty you may enjoy like the finest food, but sooner or later it will be like a mouthful of sand.
18 Get good advice and you will succeed; don't go charging into battle without a plan.
19 A gossip can never keep a secret. Stay away from people who talk too much.
20 If you curse your parents, your life will end like a lamp that goes out in the dark.
21 The more easily you get your wealth, the less good it will do you.
22 Don't take it on yourself to repay a wrong. Trust the Lord and he will make it right.
23 The Lord hates people who use dishonest scales and weights.
24 The Lord has determined our path; how then can anyone understand the direction his own life is taking?
25 Think carefully before you promise an offering to God. You might regret it later.
26 A wise king will find out who is doing wrong, and will punish him without pity.
27 The Lord gave us mind and conscience; we cannot hide from ourselves.
28 A king will remain in power as long as his rule is honest, just, and fair.
29 We admire the strength of youth and respect the gray hair of age.
30 Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.