Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
or stand in the place of the great,
for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
lest the LORD see it and be displeased,
and turn away his anger from him.

Listen to your father who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Buy truth, and do not sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
Let your father and mother be glad;
let her who bore you rejoice.

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
The rich and the poor meet together;
the LORD is the Maker of them all.

To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
•••
Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
•••
No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel
can avail against the LORD.

The righteous who walks in his integrity—
blessed are his children after him!
•••
Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
I am clean from my sin”?
•••
Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
•••
Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

Good sense makes one slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
•••
Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom in the future.
Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.
•••
The fear of the LORD leads to life,
and whoever has it rests satisfied;
he will not be visited by harm.

Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment.
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing his opinion.
•••
The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
•••
Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.
•••
He who finds a wife finds a good thing
and obtains favor from the LORD.

Whoever covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
•••
The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
so quit before the quarrel breaks out.

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the LORD weighs the spirit.
Commit your work to the LORD,
and your plans will be established.
The LORD has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.
•••
Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good,
and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.