1 Wisdom lifteth up the head of him that is of low degree, and maketh him to sit among great men.
2 Commend not a man for his beauty; neither abhor a man for his outward appearance.
3 The bee is little among such as fly; but her fruit is the chief of sweet things.
4 Boast not of thy clothing and raiment, and exalt not thyself in the day of honour: for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works among men are hidden.
5 Many kings have sat down upon the ground; and one that was never thought of hath worn the crown.
6 Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; and the honourable delivered into other men’s hands.
7 Blame not before thou hast examined the truth: understand first, and then rebuke.
8 Answer not before thou hast heard the cause: neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk.
9 Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not; and sit not in judgment with sinners.
10 My son, meddle not with many matters: for if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent; and if thou follow after, thou shalt not obtain, neither shalt thou escape by fleeing.
11 There is one that laboureth, and taketh pains, and maketh haste, and is so much the more behind.
12 Again, there is another that is slow, and hath need of help, wanting ability, and full of poverty; yet the eye of the Lord looked upon him for good, and set him up from his low estate,
13 And lifted up his head from misery; so that many that saw it marvelled at him.
14 Prosperity and adversity, life and death, poverty and riches, come of the Lord.
15 Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the law, are of the Lord: love, and the way of good works, are from him.
16 Error and darkness had their beginning together with sinners: and evil shall wax old with them that glory therein.
17 The gift of the Lord remaineth with the ungodly, and his favour bringeth prosperity for ever.
18 There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, and this is the portion of his reward:
19 Whereas he saith, I have found rest, and now will eat continually of my goods; and yet he knoweth not what time shall come upon him, and that he must leave those things to others, and die.
20 Be stedfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and wax old in thy work.
21 Marvel not at the works of sinners; but trust in the Lord, and abide in thy labour: for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord on the sudden to make a poor man rich.
22 The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly, and suddenly he maketh his blessing flourish.
23 Say not, What profit is there of my service? and what good things shall I have hereafter?
24 Again, say not, I have enough, and possess many things, and what evil shall I have hereafter?
25 In the day of prosperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction: and in the day of affliction there is no more remembrance of prosperity.
26 For it is an easy thing unto the Lord in the day of death to reward a man according to his ways.
27 The affliction of an hour maketh a man forget pleasure: and in his end his deeds shall be discovered.
28 Judge none blessed before his death: for a man shall be known in his children.
29 Bring not every man into thine house: for the deceitful man hath many trains.
30 Like as a partridge taken and kept in a cage, so is the heart of the proud; and like as a spy, watcheth he for thy fall:
31 For he lieth in wait, and turneth good into evil, and in things worthy praise will lay blame upon thee.
32 Of a spark of fire a heap of coals is kindled: and a sinful man layeth wait for blood.
33 Take heed of a mischievous man, for he worketh wickedness; lest he bring upon thee a perpetual blot.
34 Receive a stranger into thine house, and he will disturb thee, and turn thee out of thine own.
1 Pateicoties gudrībai, paceltu galvu iet nabags;
pateicoties gudrībai, sēž diženo vidū.
2 Necildini cilvēku skaistuma dēļ,
neuzskati par riebīgu izskata dēļ!
3 Maza ir bitīte spārnoto pulkā,
no saldumiem pirmais tās ienesums.
4 Ar tērpa drēbēm nelepojies,
ar slavas mirkli nedižojies;
brīnumaini ir Kunga darbi –
apslēpti cilvēku acīm.
5 Neviens vien patvaldnieks ir zemē sēdies,
turpretī vainagots – ko nedomāja neviens;
6 daudz vareno ir krituši lielā negodā,
un svešās rokās nodoti godātie.
Apdomība vārdos un dievbijība darbos
7 Nevaino, pirms neesi iedziļinājies,
vispirms apsver, tad izsaki pārmetumus!
8 Neatbildi, pirms neesi uzklausījis!
Otram runājot, nespraucies vārda vidū!
9 Neiejaucies jautājumos,
kas uz tevi neattiecas,
grēcinieku strīdos
nesēdi līdzās!
10 Pārāk daudz darbu neuzņemies, dēls, –
tos vairodams, tu būsi vainojams,
tos nepaveiksi neatlaizdamies
un neizbēgsi aizbēgdams.
11 Var smagi strādāt un pūlēties, un steigties,
bet aizvien vairāk ir nepaveiktā.
12 Ir, kas ir stumjams un bīdāms,
bezpalīdzīgs, nevarīgs, bez mēra nabadzīgs,
bet ar labestību Kungs uzlūko to,
no pazemotības atbrīvo
13 un palīdz iet paceltu galvu
par lielu brīnumu daudziem.
14 Labais un ļaunais, dzīvība un nāve,
nabadzība un bagātība ir Kunga rokās.
15 Kunga rokās ir gudrība un izpratne, un bauslības zināšana,
mīlestība un gaitas labajos darbos.
16 Līdz ar grēciniekiem cēlušies maldi un tumsa.
Kas lepojas ar ļauno, noveco ļaunajam līdzi.
17 Dievbijīgajam Kunga dāvātā netrūks
un viņa labvēlība ies mūždien līdzi,
18 bet tam, kas kļuvis bagāts ar uzmanīšanos un sīkstulību,
redzi, kāds atalgojums ir iedalīts.
19 Viņš saka gan: “Nu varu atpūsties
un tagad baudīšu labumus,” –
bet nezina, kad pienāks mirklis
tos atstāt citiem un mirt!
20 Esi pastāvīgs savā derībā un tanī dzīvo,
un strādādams kļūsi vecs.
21 Neapbrīno grēcinieka darbus,
bet tici Kungam un neatlaidies savos pūliņos,
jo Kungam nav grūti
darīt rokpelni stāvus bagātu.
22 Dievbijīgo atalgo Kunga svētība,
tai pateicoties, drīz atplaukst svētība.
23 Nesaki: “Ko gan man vajag?”
un: “Kādi tad labumi mani gaida?”
24 Nesaki: “Es esmu nodrošināts,”
un: “Kas tad slikts ar mani varētu gadīties?”
25 Kad ir labi, aizmirstas sliktais;
kad ir slikti, labo vairs neatminas:
26 nāves stundā Kungam nenākas grūti
atlīdzināt pēc cilvēka gaitām.
27 Brīža smagumā aizmirstībā grimst lieglaime,
dzīves beigās atklājas cilvēka darbi.
28 Nesauc par svētlaimīgu nevienu, pirms tas nav miris:
kādi ir bērni , tāds bijis vīrs.
Apdomība, aicinot ciemos un apdāvinot
29 Neaicini mājās kuru katru,
jo viltīgajam netrūkst slēpņu, lai uzglūnētu.
30 Kā vilinātāja irbe mednieka murdā – augstprātīgajam sirds,
kā novērotājs viņš lūkojas kritienā :
31 no slēpņa glūn, labo sacīdams ļaunu,
un pulgo izcilos.
32 No uguns dzirksteles uzliesmo sārts,
pēc asinīm no slēpņa glūn grēcinieks.
33 Uzmanies no ļaundara – viņš ļaunu kaļ,
jo citādi viņš tevi nomelnos uz visiem laikiem.
34 Tik pieņem savās mājās svešo! Viņš nemieru viesīs
un tevi darīs svešu savējo vidū.
