Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge; for it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, if they be established together upon thy lips. That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made them known to thee this day, even to thee. Have not I written unto thee excellent things of counsels and knowledge; to make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou mayest carry back words of truth to them that send thee?

An Epigram

Rob not the poor, because he is poor,

Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

For the LORD will plead their cause,

And despoil of life those that despoil them.

ii

An Epigram

Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger; And with a wrathful man thou shalt not go:

Lest thou learn his ways,

And get a snare to thy soul.

iii

An Epigram

Be thou not one of them that strike hands,
Or of them that are sureties for debts:
If thou hast not wherewith to pay,

Why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

iv

Remove not the ancient landmark,

Which thy fathers have set.

V

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings;

He shall not stand before mean men.

When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Consider diligently him that is before thee; And put a knife to thy throat,

If thou be a man given to appetite.
Be not desirous of his dainties;
Seeing they are deceitful meat.

vii

Transitoriness of Riches

An Epigram

Weary not thyself to be rich;

Cease from thine own wisdom;