| It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel. | Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling. |
| Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, Than great treasure with trouble. | Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. |
| Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility. | Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor. |
| Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death. | Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death. |
| He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good. | To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper. |
| The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility. | Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor. |
| Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. | Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. |
| Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid. | To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. |
| The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor. | Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave. |
| The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own esteem. | The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. |
| Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase. | Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. |
| Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls. | A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls. |
| Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy. | Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace! |
| One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination. | God detests the prayers of a person who ignores the law. |
| Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. | Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. |
| A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter. | A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. |
| Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. | Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. |
| A fool despises his father’s instruction, But he who receives correction is prudent. | Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise. |
| A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished. | A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. |
| Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. | Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. |
| The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself. | The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. |
| In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise. | Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. |
| He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly. | He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. |
| He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly. | People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness. |
| He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. | Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. |
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