¹Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

²A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

³When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.

⁴The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.

⁵It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

⁶A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.

⁷A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

⁸The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

⁹He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

¹⁰The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

¹¹The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

¹²Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.

¹³He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

¹⁴The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

¹⁵The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

¹⁶A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

¹⁷He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.

¹⁸The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.

¹⁹A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

²⁰A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

²²Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

²³The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

²⁴A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

¹Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

²Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.

³The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.

⁴Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.

⁵A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.

⁶Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.

⁷All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.

⁸He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.

⁹A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

¹⁰Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

¹¹The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

¹²The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.

¹³A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.

¹⁴House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.

¹⁵Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

¹⁶He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.

¹⁷He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

¹⁸Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

¹⁹A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.

²⁰Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.

²¹There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

²²The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.

²³The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

²⁴A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

²⁵Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.

²⁶He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.

²⁷Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.

²⁸An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.

²⁹Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.

¹Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

²As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

³If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

⁴To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

⁵Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

⁶Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

⁷Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

⁸And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

⁹But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

¹⁰Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

¹¹Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

¹²Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

¹³Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

¹⁴Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

¹⁵For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

¹⁶As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

¹⁷Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

¹⁸Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

¹⁹For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

²⁰For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

²¹For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

²²Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

²³Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

²⁴Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

²⁵For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.