| A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men. | A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great. |
| Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. | The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. |
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| He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord. | He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord. |
| A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. | One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. |
| He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good. | The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper. |
| Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord. | Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. |
| He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die. | Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life, but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die. |
| There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand. | Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. |
| What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar. | What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. |
| It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel. | It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. |
| It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows. | It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows. |
| Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts. | A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart. |
| To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. | To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. |
| He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness, and honor. | Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. |
| He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare. | All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. |
| A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. | A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. |
| By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life. | Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life. |
| Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. | Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. |
| The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. | The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. |
| Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! | Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. |
| Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven. | Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. |
| My son, if your heart is wise, My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself. | My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed. |
| The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise child will delight in him. | The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. |
| So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a prospect, And your hope will not be cut off. | Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. |
| Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls. | Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. |
