42 More Proverbs

1. My son, listen to my proverbs, and you shall be made wise. Listen, and do not refute them. Do not be a great fool, and waste away, like I had been in my youth. For, I was most unwise, the least wise of all the sons of Earth, and among the last generations, who lost all their wisdom, and even mocked it.

2. A fool speaks ill of all, even friends, and speaks ill of their enemies. Every word is wicked off their lips.

3. They talk idly, and speak idle words, and seek out their own thoughts in all that men are saying.

4. A fool will talk, and interrupt those who are speaking, and feels their knowledge is great. They will speak long, and of many things, and even if they are correct, they lack the sense to know right from wrong.

5. The fool will rant, and speak all manner, elevating his voice to have his wisdom heard. And if he has wisdom, it is made into a proverb of astonishment, that all wisdom has been refuted.

6. The fools scoff wisdom, and do not seek out the proverbs, but try to trap men into betraying their folly. To the fool, all folly is wisdom, and wisdom folly, and they cause to prosper injustice, and the land rejoices.

7. Yet, they grow poor, and in their poverty, they blame the righteous generations, "You have caused us to be poor, and we are angry at you." The righteous generations eat, and are satisfied, for they die, and the foolish generations eat what their hands have reaped, which was naught.

8. The foolish then speak arrogant words against the LORD, and their benefactors, and what was kindness to them, they treat as folly. Thus, they are selfish, and they praise men who make insults, and betray those who look for their good.

9. Then, they make a wise man poor, and despised, and the intelligent made to look like fools. And they go, and eat all the substance of a land, until there is nothing left, for they scorned in folly, thus they become slaves.

10. And they go about, and riot in the daytime, and at night they rob the fatherless. And they seek their prey, until none can eat from their own labors, for another man says, "What you produce is mine."

11. And then as a beacon upon the hill, the wealthy are few and their wealth is given to dragons, and their hordes are lost. And the beautiful crafts are burned, and the garish and garrulous crafts, ones made by unskilled workmen, are adorned in the riverways and alleys.

12. What is skillful is scorned, and what is wise is mistreated, and the wicked go about unpunished in the land. And they heap up to themselves the treasures stored by other men, more righteous than themselves, and those righteous men perish. And to a better home they go.

13. Where the wicked see that they are not corrected, but are indeed rewarded for their theft and bribery. And they become emboldened. And the righteous go to their home, and are at rest, while the wicked consume the Earth, and cause fire to erupt, and man to be ever leery.

14. And then the Wicked speak, and all folly is magnified.

15. When the righteous are in power, men speak of wisdom, and they keep a correct account of the sages, by faith understanding that there were indeed great men to be emulated.

16. And they revere the hero, and chastise the wicked, and the man of unclean lips is an abomination.

17. Yet of we, we are abomination at our youth, and ever so gracefully, are forgiven our follies, as we are chastised by Wisdom, and told to be silent.

18. For silence is a treasure, and still lips a good fortune, for the mouth constantly moving never learns.

19. Teach yourself silence, and speak through silence, for wisdom can speak without words, and folly increases them.

20. Do not speak, for better is a wise thought engendered through your airs, than a foolish one engendered by your mouth. Keep silence before all, and you shall be made wise.

21. Wisdom ought not be spoken, when it is not wise, likewise every proverb shall be known by the hands and feet, and not by the mouth.

22. Yet, great learning produces wisdom, and a good tongue, full of rebuke of the sages. To chastise the body for righteousness.

23. For when the people are wise and happy, and their bodies chastised for their wicked deeds, they grow shrewd, and the country can rejoice in the riches it had once lost.

24. Do not scorn chastisement, and for a foolish tongue, cut it out if you must. Or poke it with a hot iron.

25. Do not slander the rulers with what is untrue, but if you see injustice, speak it loudly! For by doing so, you will unyoke the captives.

26. If you are unsure of a thing, it is better not to speak it, than to speak it and be proven wrong.

27. For great folly is in the officer who listens to words, and twists the wise man's saying into backward and foolish things. That officer seeks the wise, and makes their folly as the Sage's, therefore makes him seem foolish, when he repeats the sayings, and they are now unwise.

28. For do not lead a wise man into captivity, but rather a fool.

29. For when the wise man is led astray by the foolish, then the man is made foolish, yet you caused him to stumble with your hasty words, and he felt dishonored, and therefore wicked.

30. As the man thought of himself, so he became, and his enemy's accusations were in his mind, turning. And the wise man spoke what was not true, for you had caused his mind to meditate on what was folly. Therefore, it is your sin, and not his. The prudent see what he really meant.

31. Yet, they reviled God and looked in His Numbers, and said, "Look at Him, He is petulant."

32. Yet these would do the same, and worse, had their beneficiary lied about them, and cruelly treated them and gave them no thanks. Likewise, God delivered Israel from Egypt, and they cursed Him right away, and wanted to fornicate, and eat meat. Thus, they cursed He who delivered them, therefore the whole generation expired.

33. Thus, Joshua was old when he entered into Canaan, and Caleb too, and they led their men to victory.

34. Who understands these proverbs? Be silent, and not chatty. Listen, and do not speak.

35. For a wise man is dashed to pieces by the thornbush and scourges, and the wicked are exulted to King. And the King plays his games, and all do follow. And all play, and eat, until there is no more, for none have made labor, and all have scorned the proverbs of the wise.

36. For likewise, even a wise man in private has foolish moments, why is his every word spied upon to see? At the lattice or doorway the spies look in, and say "We see his folly." Lo! Why is this thing done? Why do the spies creep into doorways, and keep a record of wrong? This is the generation of the foolish.

37. The generation of the wise is liberty, and justice, and peace. For not every word is taken into account, and there is grace to the sinner so they can become good.

38. And the happy are made happier, and the sad are cheered up by love and kindness, and mercy overflows with blessing.

39. For who understands a thing? Who knows the secrets of man? Does man not change in every season? Is there not new things, each generation under the sun? Yet, the old things are ever present, and man goes in his cycles, of foolish and wise.

40. Therefore, listen to my proverbs, my son, for they shall be wisdom to you. They shall add excellence to your speech. Listen to all proverbs, and hasten away from violent men. Hasten away from fools, when you perceive them: do not feel guilty for fleeing. For who knows? Perhaps by your rebuke, he may become wise, and your next encounter he will have a humble face.

41. Do not hate a friend, even if he were against you, and forgive him seven times seventy times. For life moves in cycles, a friend today, is an adversary tomorrow, and again, you are once again friends. Such it is with friendship.

42. And at the last, make an enemy a friend through your charity and good deeds. But, if he will remain your enemy, he shall burn through your wisdom... he shall seek to gain it, but it will never be his. Therefore, he will perish.

©2026 B. K. Neifert
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