1 Many have sinned for a thing indifferent;
And he that seeks to multiplygainwill turn his eye away.
2 A nail will stick fast between the joinings of stones;
And sin willthrust itself in between buying and selling.
3 Unlessa manhold on diligently in the fear of the Lord,
His house shall soon be overthrown.
4 In the shaking of a sieve, the refuse remains;
So the filth of man in his reasoning.
5 The furnace will prove the potter’s vessels;
And the trial of a man is in his reasoning.
6 The fruit of a tree declares the husbandry thereof;
So is the utterance of the thought of the heart of a man.
7 Praise no man beforeyou hear himreason;
For this is the trial of men.
8 If you follow righteousness, you shall obtain her,
And put her on, as a long robe of glory.
9 Birds will resort to their like;
And truth will return to them that practise her.
10 The lion lies in wait for prey;
So does sin for them that work iniquity.
11 The discourse of a godly man is always wisdom:
But the foolish man changes as the moon.
12 Among men void of understanding observe the opportunity;
But stay continually among the thoughtful.
13 The discourse of fools is an offence;
And their laughter is in the wantonness of sin.
14 The talk of a man of many oaths will make the hair stand upright;
And their strife makes one stop his ears.
15 The strife of the proud is a shedding of blood;
And their reviling of each other is a grievous thing to hear.
16 He that reveals secrets destroys credit,
And shall not find a friend to his mind.
17 Love a friend, and keep faith with him:
But if you reveal his secrets,
You shall not pursue after him;
18 For as a man has destroyed his enemy,
So have you destroyed the friendship of your neighbor.
19 And as a bird which you have loosed out of your hand,
So have you let your neighbor go, and you will not catch him again:
20 Pursue him not, for he is gone far away,
And has escaped as a gazelle out of the snare.
21 For a wound may be bound up, and after reviling there may be a reconcilement;
But he that reveals secrets has lost hope.
22 One that winks with the eye contriveth evil things;
And no man will remove him from it.
23 When you are present, he will speak sweetly,
And will admire your words;
But afterward he will writhe his mouth,
And set a trapfor youin your words.
24 I have hated many things, but nothing like him;
And the Lord will hate him.
25 One that casts a stone on high casts it on his own head;
And a deceitful stroke will open wounds.
26 He that digs a pit shall fall into it;
And he that sets a snare shall be taken therein.
27 He that does evil things, they shall roll upon him,
And he shall not know whence they have come to him.
28 Mockery and reproach are from the haughty;
And vengeance, as a lion, shall lie in wait for him.
29 They that rejoice at the fall of the godly shall be taken in a snare;
And anguish shall consume them before they die.
30 Wrath and anger, these also are abominations;
And a sinful man shall possess them.