New English [1970], THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE (OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS; CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE) [word count] [B16000].
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1 A poor man with wisdom can hold his head high
and take his seat among the great.
2 Do not overrate one man for his good looks
or be repelled by another man's appearance.
3 The bee is small among winged creatures,
yet her produce takes first place for sweetness.
4 Do not pride yourself on your fine clothes
or be haughty when honours come to you;
for the Lord can perform marvels
which are hidden from the eyes of men.
5 Many kings have been reduced to sitting on the ground,
while a mere nobody has worn the crown.
6 Many rulers have been stripped of their honours,
and great men have found themselves at the mercy of others.
7 Do not find fault before examining the evidence;
think first, and criticize afterwards.
8 Do not answer without first listening,
and do not interrupt when another is speaking.
9 Never take sides in a quarrel not your own
or become involved in the disputes of rascals.
10 My son, do not engage in too many transactions;
if you attempt too much, you will come to grief.
When you are in pursuit, you will not overtake;
when you are in flight, you will not escape.
11 One man slaves and strains and hurries
and is all the farther behind.
12 Another is slow-witted and in need of help,
lacking in strength and abounding in poverty;
but the Lord turns a kindly eye upon him
-- --
Man's life under divine providence
and lifts him up out of his miserable plight.
13 He raises him to dignity
to the amazement of all.
14 Good fortune and bad, life and death,
poverty and wealth, all come from the Lord. note
17 His gifts to the devout are lasting;
his approval brings unending success.
18 A man may grow rich by stinting and sparing,
but what does he get for his pains?
19 When he says, ‘I have earned my rest,
now I can live on my savings’,
he does not know how long it will be
before he must die and leave his wealth to others.
20 Stand by your contract and give your mind to it;
grow old at your work.
21 Do not envy a rogue his success;
trust the Lord and stick to your job.
It is no difficult thing for the Lord
to make a poor man rich in a moment.
22 The Lord's blessing is the reward of piety,
which blossoms in one short hour.
23 Do not say, ‘What use am I?
What good note can the future hold for me?’
24 And do not say, ‘I am independent;
nothing can ever go wrong for me.’
25 Hardship is forgotten in time of success,
and success in time of hardship.
26 Even on the day a man dies it is easy for the Lord
to give him his deserts.
27 One hour's misery wipes out all memory of delight,
and a man's end reveals his true character.
28 Call no man happy before he dies,
for not until death is a man known for what he is. note
-- --
Man's life under divine providence
29 Do not invite all comers into your home;
dishonesty has many disguises.
30 A proud man's mind is like a decoy-partridge in its cage,
or like a spy watching for a false step.
31 He waits for a chance to twist good into evil
or to cast blame on innocent actions.
32 A small spark kindles many coals,
and the insinuations of a bad man end in bloodshed.
33 Beware of a scoundrel and his evil plots,
or he may ruin your reputation for ever.
34 Admit a stranger to your home and he will stir up trouble for you
and make you a stranger to your own flesh and blood.
New English [1970], THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE (OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS; CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE) [word count] [B16000].
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