1◄Having a good reputation/Being honored by people► is better than having a lot of money; being well respected is better than having plenty of gold or silver [DOU].

2There is one thing that is true about both rich people and poor people: Yahweh is the one who created all of them.

3Those who have good sense realize that there is something dangerous ahead, and they avoid it; those who do not have good sense just keep going and later they will suffer because of doing that.

4The reward that Yahweh gives to those who are humble and who revere him is that he causes them to be rich and honored and to live for a long time.

5Because of the things that wicked people do, they have difficulties/troubles that will be like thorns and traps on the roads that they walk on [MET]; people who are careful/cautious will be able to stay away from those difficulties.

6If you train/teach children to do what is right, all during their life they will act/behave in that manner.

7Rich people rule over poor people harshly, and those who borrow money become like slaves [MET] of the people who lend money to them.

8If you plant corn or rice, corn or rice will grow; similarly, if you act unjustly, you will have disasters [MET]; and if you try to harm/oppress people because you are angry with them, you will not be able to harm them.

9God will bless those who are generous [IDM], those who give some of their food to poor people.

10If you get rid of those who make fun of everything that is good, there will no more arguing or quarreling or insulting other people.

11If you always act sincerely [IDM] and always speak kindly, the king will be your friend.

12Yahweh [SYN] ◄watches over/takes care of► those who have good understanding/sense, but he ruins the plans/affairs of those who always try to deceive others.

13Lazy people remain in their houses; they say, “A lion might attack me if I go out into the street to go to work!”

14What ◄wives who commit adultery/immoral women► say to men [MTY] is like a deep pit [MET] into which those men fall; those with whom Yahweh is angry will fall into that pit.

15Children [SYN] naturally do things that are foolish, but if you punish/spank them [PRS], they will ◄stop doing foolish things/learn to behave as they should►.

16Those who oppress poor people in order to become rich,
and those who give a bribe to rich people in order that the rich people will do a favor for them, will just lose their money.

Thirty wise sayings

17Now listen [MTY] to what wise people have said; think carefully about what I am teaching you.

18It will be good to ◄keep these things in your minds/always remember them►, because if you do that, you will be able to quote/recite them to others.

19I want you to trust in Yahweh, and that is the reason that I am telling them to you, now.

20I have written [RHQ] 30 ◄sayings/things that wise people have said► from which you will receive good advice and you will be able you to know many good/useful things.

21From them, you will learn what is right and what is true, in order that you will be able to bring back a good report to those who sent you to school (OR, give a good answer to those who ask you questions).

-1-

22It is easy to rob poor people who are helpless and cannot defend themselves, but never do that; and do not oppress in court those who are needy/afflicted,

23because Yahweh will speak to defend them, and he will punish those who steal things from others—by causing them to die.

-2-

24Do not become friends with those who often become angry, and do not associate with those who cannot control their temper/anger,

25because you might start to act like they do and not be able to stop doing that.

-3-

26If someone borrows money, do not be one of those who promises to pay what that person owes
he cannot pay it back,

27because if you cannot pay it back, people will surely [RHQ] come and take away everything you own, even your bed.

-4-

28Do not steal some of your neighbors’ land by removing the boundary lines/markers that your ancestors placed/set.

-5-

29Know/Learn [RHQ] this about those who do their work very skillfully: They will quit working for ordinary people
and will start working for kings
because the kings will want people like that to work for them.