1 An intelligent child listens to his father’s advice, but a mocker listens to no correction.
2 A man can taste goodness from the fruit of his own mouth, but the treacherous feed on violence.
3 He who guards his mouth preserves his life, the constant talker is lost.
4 The lazy man hopes but his desires are in vain, whereas hard workers have their desires fulfilled.
5 The righteous hates lying words but the evildoer slanders and defames.
6 Virtue protects those of honest life; while sin brings ruin to the wicked.
7 One pretends to be rich but has nothing, another, of great wealth, feigns poverty.
8 A man’s wealth lets him ransom his life but the poor man has nothing with which to do so.
9 The light of the virtuous is bright, the lamp of the godless is extinguished.
10 Arrogance only brings trouble; wisdom is found in those who take advice.
11 Sudden riches will decrease, he who gathers little by little will be enriched.
12 Delayed hope makes the heart languish, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 The one who scorns teaching will be in want, those who respect the commandment will be rewarded.
14 The wise man’s teaching is a life-giving fountain for escaping the snares of death.
15 Prudent intelligence wins favor, the way of liars leads nowhere.
16 Every prudent man acts with reflection, the fool parades his stupidity.
17 A wicked messenger falls on misfortune, the reliable one brings healing.
18 Poverty and shame to the one who rejects correction; honor to him who accepts rebuke.
19 Desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul; but fools spurn rejection of evil.
20 Walk with the wise and you will gain wisdom; those who befriend fools be come wicked.
21 Misfortune hounds the sinner, while the upright abound in good fortune.
22 A good man’s inheritance is for his children’s children, a sinner’s wealth will be kept for the virtuous.
23 The tillage of the poor supplies food, while others perish because of their lack of righteousness.
24 Unloved is the child whom the father hates to punish; the loving father frequently corrects.
25 The upright man eats his fill, while the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.
- Eclesiastes (Qohelet) 5,11
- Deuteronomy 4,40
- Sirach 21,13
