1 Through poverty many have offended: and he that seeketh to be made rich, turneth away his eye.
1 Through poverty many have sinned: and he that seeketh to be enriched, turneth away his eye.
2 As a stake is fastened in the midst of stones compact together, so also in the midst of selling and buying, sin shall be straitened.
2 As a stake sticketh fast in the midst of the joining of stones, so also in the midst of selling and buying, sin shall stick fast.
3 Sin shall be destroyed with the sinner.
3 Sin shall be destroyed with the sinner.
4 If thou hold not thyself instantly in the fear of our Lord, thy house shall quickly be subverted.
4 Unless thou hold thyself diligently in the fear of the Lord, thy house shall quickly be overthrown.
5 As in the shaking of a sieve the dust will remain: so the perplexity of a man in his cogitation.
5 As when one sifteth with a sieve, the dust will remain: so will the perplexity of a man in his thoughts.
6 The furnace trieth the potter's vessels, and the tentation of tribulation just men.
6 The furnace trieth the potter’s vessels, and the trial of affliction just men.
7 As the husbandry about a tree sheweth the fruit thereof, so a word out of the thought of the heart of man.
7 As the dressing of a tree showeth the fruit thereof, so a word out of the thought of the heart of man.
8 Praise not a man before full discourse, for this is the trial of men.
8 Praise not a man before he speaketh, for this is the trial of men.
9 If thou follow justice, thou shalt apprehend it: and shalt put it on as a long robe of honour, and thou shalt dwell with it: and it shall protect thee for ever, and in the day of acknowledging thou shalt find steadfastness.
9 If thou followest justice, thou shalt obtain her: and shalt put her on as a long robe of honor, and thou shalt dwell with her: and she shall protect thee forever, and in the day of acknowledgment thou shalt find a strong foundation.
10 The fowls flock together to their like: and truth shall return to them that work it.
10 Birds resort unto their like: so truth will return to them that practice her.
11 The lion always lieth in wait for a prey: so sins for them that work iniquities.
11 The lion always lieth in wait for prey: so do sins for them that work iniquities.
12 Aholy man continueth in wisdom as the sun: for a fool is changed as the moon.
12 A holy man continueth in wisdom as the sun: but a fool is changed as the moon.
13 In the midst of the unwise keep the word till his time: but in the midst of deep considerers be continually.
13 In the midst of the unwise keep in the word till its time: but be continually among men that think.
14 The narration of sinners is odious, & their laughter is in the delights of sin.
14 The discourse of sinners is hateful, and their laughter is at the pleasures of sin.
15 Speech that sweareth much shall make the hair of the head to stand upright: and his lack of reverence is the stopping of the ears.
15 The speech that sweareth much shall make the hair of the head stand upright: and its irreverence shall make one stop his ears.
16 Shedding of blood is in the brawling of the proud: and their cursing is a grievous hearing.
16 In the quarrels of the proud is the shedding of blood: and their cursing is a grievous hearing.
17 He that discloseth the secret of a friend loseth credit, and he shall not find a friend to his mind.
17 He that discloseth the secret of a friend loseth his credit, and shall never find a friend to his mind.
18 Love thy neighbour, and be joined with him in fidelity.
18 Love thy neighbor, and be joined to him with fidelity.
19 But if thou discover his secrets, thou shalt not pursue after him.
19 But if thou discover his secrets, follow no more after him.
20 For as a man that loseth his friend, so also he that loseth the friendship of his neighbour.
20 For as a man that destroyeth his friend, so also is he that destroyeth the friendship of his neighbor.
21 And as he that letteth a bird go out of his hand, so hast thou left thy neighbour, & shalt not take him.
21 And as one that letteth a bird go out of his hand, so hast thou let thy neighbor go, and thou shalt not get him again.
22 Follow him not, because he is far absent, for he is fled, as a doe out of the snare: because his soul is wounded.
22 Follow after him no more, for he is gone afar off, he is fled, as a roe escaped out of the snare because his soul is wounded.
23 Thou canst no more bind him, and of a curse there is reconciliation:
23 Thou canst no more bind him up. And of a curse there is reconciliation:
24 but to disclose the secrets of a friend, is the desperation of an unhappy soul.
24 But to disclose the secrets of a friend, leaveth no hope to an unhappy soul.
25 He that winketh with the eye, forgeth wicked things, and no man will cast him off:
25 He that winketh with the eye forgeth wicked things, and no man will cast him off:
26 in the sight of thine eyes he will sweeten his mouth, and will be in admiration upon thy words: but at the last he will pervert his mouth, and in thy words he will lay a scandal.
26 In the sight of thy eyes he will sweeten his mouth, and will admire thy words: but at the last he will writhe his mouth, and on thy words he will lay a stumbling block.
27 I have heard many things, & have not esteemed them equal to him, and our Lord will hate him.
27 I have hated many things but not like him, and the Lord will hate him.
28 He that casteth a stone on high, it will fall upon his head: & the deceitful stroke will divide the wounds of the deceitful.
28 If one cast a stone on high, it will fall upon his own head: and the deceitful stroke will wound the deceitful.
29 He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that setteth a stone for his neighbour, shall stumble on it: & he that layeth a snare for another, shall perish in it.
29 He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that setteth a stone for his neighbor, shall stumble upon it: and he that layeth a snare for another, shall perish in it.
30 To a man that doth most wicked counsel, it shall be turned upon himself, and he shall not know from whence it cometh to him.
30 A mischievous counsel shall be rolled back upon the author, and he shall not know from whence it cometh to him.
31 Derision & reproach of the proud, and vengeance as a lion shall lie in wait for him.
31 Mockery and reproach are of the proud, and vengeance as a lion shall lie in wait for him.
32 They shall perish in a snare that are delighted with the fall of the just: and sorrow shall consume them before they die.
32 They shall perish in a snare that are delighted with the fall of the just: and sorrow shall consume them before they die.
33 Anger and fury, both are execrable, and the sinful man shall be subject to them.
33 Anger and fury are both of them abominable, and the sinful man shall be subject to them.