¹The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

²For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.

³A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.

⁴They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.

⁵Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.

⁶Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

⁷Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.

⁸He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.

⁹He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

¹⁰Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.

¹¹The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.

¹²When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.

¹³He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

¹⁴Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

¹⁵As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.

¹⁶The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

¹⁷A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.

¹⁸Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

¹⁹He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

²⁰A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

²¹To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.

²²He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

²³He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.

²⁴Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.

²⁵He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.

²⁶He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

²⁷He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

²⁸When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.

¹He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

²When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

³Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.

⁴The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.

⁵A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.

⁶In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice.

⁷The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.

⁸Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.

⁹If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.

¹⁰The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.

¹¹A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.

¹²If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.

¹³The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes.

¹⁴The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.

¹⁵The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

¹⁶When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.

¹⁷Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.

¹⁸Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

¹⁹A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer.

²⁰Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

²¹He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.

²²An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

²³A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

²⁴Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.

²⁵The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

²⁶Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment cometh from the LORD.

²⁷An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

¹But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

²And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

³And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

⁴For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

⁵And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

⁶And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

⁷And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

⁸(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

⁹The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

¹⁰But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

¹¹Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

¹²But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

¹³And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

¹⁴Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

¹⁵Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

¹⁶But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

¹⁷These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

¹⁸For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

¹⁹While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

²⁰For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

²¹For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

²²But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.