| 1 My child, have you sinned? Do so no more, and ask forgiveness for your previous faults. |
| 2 Flee from sin as from a snake, if you approach it, it wil bite you; its teeth are lion's teeth, they takehuman life away. |
| 3 Al law-breaking is like a two-edged sword, the wounds it inflicts are beyond cure. |
| 4 Terror and violence make havoc of riches, similarly, desolation overtakes the houses of the proud. |
| 5 A plea from the mouth of the poor goes straight to the ear of God, whose judgement comes withoutdelay. |
| 6 Whoever resents reproof walks in the sinner's footsteps; whoever fears the Lord is repentant of heart. |
| 7 The glib speaker is known far and wide, but the wary detects every slip. |
| 8 To build your house with other people's money is like collecting stones for your own tomb. |
| 9 A meeting of the lawless is like a heap of tow: they wil end in a blazing fire. |
| 10 The sinner's road is smoothly paved, but it ends at the pit of Sheol. |
| 11 Whoever keeps the Law wil master his instincts; the fear of the Lord is made perfect in wisdom. |
| 12 No one who lacks aptitude can be taught, but certain aptitudes give rise to bitterness. |
| 13 The sage's knowledge is as rich as the abyss and his advice is like a living spring. |
| 14 The heart of a fool is like a broken jar, it will not hold any knowledge. |
| 15 If the educated hears a wise saying, he praises it and caps it with another; if a debauchee hears it, hedoes not like it and tosses it behind his back. |
| 16 The talk of a fool is like a load on a journey, but it is a pleasure to listen to the intelligent. |
| 17 The utterance of the shrewd wil be eagerly awaited in the assembly, what he says wil be givenserious consideration. |
| 18 The wisdom of a fool is like the wreckage of a house, the knowledge of a dolt is incoherent talk. |
| 19 To the senseless fel ow instruction is like fetters on the feet, like manacles on the right hand. |
| 20 A fool laughs at the top of his voice, but the intel igent quietly smiles. |
| 21 To the shrewd instruction is like a golden ornament, like a bracelet on the right arm. |
| 22 The step of a fool goes straight into a house, but a person of much experience makes a respectfulapproach; |
| 23 the stupid peeps inside through the door, a well-bred person waits outside. |
| 24 Listening at doors is a sign of bad upbringing, the perceptive would be ashamed to do so. |
| 25 The lips of gossips repeat the words of others, the words of the wise are careful y weighed. |
| 26 The heart of fools is in their mouth, but the mouth of the wise is in their heart. |
| 27 When the godless curses Satan, he is cursing himself. |
| 28 The scandal-monger sul ies himself and earns the hatred of the neighbourhood. |