Proverbs 11-21

New American Standard Bible

11 A ^(A)false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
But a ^(B)just weight is His delight.
² When ^(C)pride comes, then comes dishonor;
But with the humble there is wisdom.
³ The ^(D)integrity of the upright will guide them,
But the ^(E)perversity of the treacherous will destroy them.
^4 (F)Riches do not benefit on the day of wrath,
But ^(G)righteousness rescues from death.
⁵ The ^(H)righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way,
But ^(I)the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
⁶ The righteousness of the upright will rescue them,
But the treacherous will ^(J)be caught by their own greed.
⁷ When a wicked person dies, his ^(K)expectation will perish,
And the ^(L)hope of strong people perishes.
⁸ The righteous is rescued from trouble,
But the wicked ^[a]takes his place.
⁹ With his ^(M)mouth the godless person destroys his neighbor,
But through knowledge the ^(N)righteous will be rescued.
¹⁰ When things ^(O)go well for the righteous, the city rejoices,
And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.
¹¹ By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
But by the mouth of the wicked, it is torn down.
¹² One who despises his neighbor lacks ^[b]sense,
But a person of understanding keeps silent.
¹³ One ^(P)who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
But one who is ^[c]trustworthy ^(Q)conceals a matter.
¹⁴ Where there is no ^(R)guidance the people fall,
But in an abundance of counselors there is ^[d]victory.
¹⁵ One who is a ^(S)guarantor for a stranger will certainly suffer for it,
But one who hates ^[e]being a guarantor is secure.
¹⁶ A ^(T)gracious woman attains honor,
And ruthless men attain riches.
¹⁷ A ^(U)merciful person does ^[f]himself good,
But the cruel person ^[g]does himself harm.
¹⁸ A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
But one who ^(V)sows righteousness gets a true reward.
¹⁹ One who is steadfast in ^(W)righteousness attains life,
But ^(X)one who pursues evil attains his own death.
²⁰ The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord,
But the ^(Y)blameless in their ^[h]walk are His ^(Z)delight.
^21 [i]Be assured, the evil person will not go unpunished,
But the ^[j]descendants of the righteous will be rescued.
²² As a ^(AA)ring of gold in a pig’s snout
So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
²³ The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the ^(AB)expectation of the wicked is wrath.
²⁴ There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more,
And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in poverty.
²⁵ A ^[k](AC)generous person will be ^[l]prosperous,
And one who ^(AD)gives others plenty of water will himself be given plenty.
²⁶ One who withholds grain, the ^(AE)people will curse him,
But ^(AF)blessing will be on the head of him who ^(AG)sells it.
²⁷ One who diligently seeks good seeks favor,
But ^(AH)one who seeks evil, evil will come to him.
²⁸ One who ^(AI)trusts in his riches will fall,
But ^(AJ)the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.
²⁹ One who ^(AK)troubles his own house will ^(AL)inherit wind,
And ^(AM)the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.
³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is ^(AN)a tree of life,
And ^(AO)one who is wise ^[m]gains souls.
³¹ If ^(AP)the righteous will be repaid on the earth,
How much more the wicked and the sinner!

12 One who loves ^[n]discipline loves knowledge,
But one who hates rebuke is stupid.
² A ^(AQ)good person will obtain favor from the Lord,
But He will condemn a person ^[o]who devises evil.
³ A person will ^(AR)not be established by wickedness,
But the root of the ^(AS)righteous will not be moved.
⁴ An ^[p](AT)excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who shames him is like ^(AU)rottenness in his bones.
⁵ The thoughts of the righteous are just,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
⁶ The ^(AV)words of the wicked wait in ambush for blood,
But the ^(AW)mouth of the upright will rescue them.
⁷ The ^(AX)wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the ^(AY)house of the righteous will stand.
⁸ A person will be praised according to his insight,
But one of perverse ^[q]mind will be despised.
⁹ Better is one who is lightly esteemed and has a servant,
Than one who honors himself and lacks bread.
¹⁰ A ^(AZ)righteous person has regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
¹¹ One ^(BA)who works his land will have plenty of bread,
But one who pursues worthless things lacks ^[r]sense.
¹² The ^(BB)wicked person desires the ^[s]plunder of evil people,
But the root of the righteous ^(BC)yields fruit.
^13 [t]An evil person is ensnared by the offense of his lips,
But the ^(BD)righteous will escape from trouble.
¹⁴ A person will be ^(BE)satisfied with good by the fruit of his ^[u]words,
And the ^(BF)deeds of a person’s hands will return to him.
¹⁵ The ^(BG)way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a person who listens to advice is wise.
¹⁶ A ^(BH)fool’s anger is known at once,
But a prudent person conceals dishonor.
¹⁷ One who declares truth tells what is right,
But a false witness, deceit.
¹⁸ There is one who ^(BI)speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
But the ^(BJ)tongue of the wise brings healing.
¹⁹ Truthful lips will endure forever,
But a ^(BK)lying tongue is only for a moment.
²⁰ Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
^21 (BL)No harm happens to the righteous,
But the wicked are filled with trouble.
^22 (BM)Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight.
²³ A ^(BN)prudent person conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.
²⁴ The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the ^[v]lazy hand will be ^(BO)put to forced labor.
^25 (BP)Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down,
But a ^(BQ)good word makes it glad.
²⁶ The righteous person is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked leads them astray.
^27 [w]A lazy person does not ^[x]roast his prey,
But the ^(BR)precious possession of a person is diligence.
^28 (BS)In the way of righteousness there is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.

13 A ^(BT)wise son accepts his father’s discipline,
But a ^(BU)scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
² From the fruit of a person’s mouth he ^[y](BV)enjoys good,
But the ^[z]desire of the treacherous is ^(BW)violence.
³ One who ^(BX)guards his mouth protects his life;
One who ^(BY)opens wide his lips ^[aa]comes to ruin.
⁴ The soul of the ^[ab]lazy one craves and gets nothing,
But the soul of the diligent is made ^[ac]prosperous.
⁵ A righteous person ^(BZ)hates a false statement,
But a wicked person ^[ad](CA)acts disgustingly and shamefully.
⁶ Righteousness ^(CB)guards the ^[ae]one whose way is blameless,
But wickedness brings the ^[af]sinner to ruin.
⁷ There is one who ^(CC)pretends to be rich but has nothing;
Another pretends to be ^(CD)poor, but has great wealth.
⁸ The ransom of a person’s life is his wealth,
But the poor hears no rebuke.
⁹ The ^(CE)light of the righteous ^[ag]rejoices,
But the ^(CF)lamp of the wicked goes out.
¹⁰ Through overconfidence ^[ah]comes nothing but strife,
But wisdom is with those who receive counsel.
¹¹ Wealth obtained from ^[ai]nothing dwindles,
But one who gathers ^[aj]by labor increases it.
¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire ^[ak]fulfilled is a tree of life.
¹³ One who ^(CG)despises the word will do badly,
But one who fears the commandment will be ^(CH)rewarded.
¹⁴ The ^[al]teaching of the wise is a ^(CI)fountain of life,
To turn aside from the ^(CJ)snares of death.
^15 (CK)Good understanding produces favor,
But the way of the treacherous is ^[am]their own disaster.
¹⁶ Every ^(CL)prudent person acts with knowledge,
But a fool ^[an]displays foolishness.
¹⁷ A wicked messenger falls into adversity,
But ^(CM)a faithful messenger brings healing.
¹⁸ Poverty and shame will come to one who ^(CN)neglects ^[ao]discipline,
But one who complies with rebuke will be honored.
¹⁹ Desire realized is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.
^20 (CO)One who walks with wise people will be wise,
But a companion of fools will suffer harm.
^21 (CP)Adversity pursues sinners,
But the ^(CQ)righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.
²² A good person ^(CR)leaves an inheritance to his ^[ap]grandchildren,
And the ^(CS)wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous.
^23 (CT)Abundant food is in the uncultivated ground of the poor,
But ^[aq]it is swept away by injustice.
²⁴ He who ^(CU)withholds his ^[ar]rod hates his son,
But he who loves him ^[as](CV)disciplines him diligently.
²⁵ The ^(CW)righteous ^[at]has enough to satisfy his appetite,
But the stomach of the ^(CX)wicked is in need.

14 The ^(CY)wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
² One who ^(CZ)walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
But one who is ^(DA)devious in his ways despises Him.
³ In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back,
But ^(DB)the lips of the wise will protect them.
⁴ Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean;
But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.
⁵ A ^(DC)trustworthy witness will not lie,
But a ^(DD)false witness ^(DE)declares lies.
⁶ A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,
But knowledge is easy for one who has understanding.
⁷ Leave the ^(DF)presence of a fool,
Or you will not ^[au]discern ^[av]words of knowledge.
⁸ The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,
But ^(DG)the foolishness of fools is deceit.
⁹ Fools mock at ^[aw]sin,
But ^(DH)among the upright there is ^[ax]goodwill.
¹⁰ The heart knows its own ^(DI)bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
¹¹ The ^(DJ)house of the wicked will be destroyed,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.
¹² There ^(DK)is a way which seems right to a person,
But its ^(DL)end is the way of death.
¹³ Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,
And the ^(DM)end of joy may be grief.
¹⁴ One with a wayward heart will have his ^(DN)fill of his own ways,
But a good person will ^(DO)be satisfied ^[ay]with his.
¹⁵ The naive believes everything,
But the sensible person considers his steps.
¹⁶ A wise person ^[az]is cautious and ^(DP)turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless.
¹⁷ A quick-tempered person acts foolishly,
And a person of evil devices is hated.
¹⁸ The naive inherit foolishness,
But the sensible are crowned with knowledge.
¹⁹ The ^(DQ)evil will bow down before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
²⁰ The ^(DR)poor is hated even by his neighbor,
But those who love the rich are many.
²¹ One who ^(DS)despises his neighbor sins,
But ^(DT)one who is gracious to the ^[ba]poor is blessed.
²² Will they who ^(DU)devise evil not go astray?
But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.
²³ In all labor there is profit,
But ^[bb]mere talk leads only to poverty.
²⁴ The ^(DV)crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is simply foolishness.
²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
But one who ^(DW)declares lies is ^[bc]deceitful.
²⁶ In ^[bd](DX)the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And ^[be]his children will have refuge.
^27 [bf]The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
By which one may avoid the snares of death.
²⁸ In a multitude of people is a king’s glory,
But in the scarcity of people is a prince’s ruin.
²⁹ One who is ^(DY)slow to anger has great understanding;
But one who is ^[bg]quick-tempered exalts foolishness.
³⁰ A ^(DZ)tranquil heart is life to the body,
But jealousy is ^(EA)rottenness to the bones.
³¹ One ^(EB)who oppresses the poor taunts ^(EC)his Maker,
But one who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
³² The wicked is ^(ED)thrust down by his own wrongdoing,
But the ^(EE)righteous has a refuge when he dies.
³³ Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,
But among fools it is made known.
³⁴ Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.
³⁵ The king’s favor is toward a ^(EF)servant who acts wisely,
But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.

15 A ^(EG)gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a ^[bh](EH)harsh word stirs up anger.
² The ^(EI)tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant,
But the ^(EJ)mouth of fools spouts foolishness.
³ The ^(EK)eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.
⁴ A ^[bi]soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it ^[bj]crushes the spirit.
⁵ A fool ^[bk]rejects his father’s discipline,
But he who complies with rebuke is sensible.
⁶ Great wealth is in the house of the ^(EL)righteous,
But trouble is in the income of the wicked.
⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge,
But the hearts of fools are not so.
⁸ The ^(EM)sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But ^(EN)the prayer of the upright is His delight.
⁹ The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves the one who ^(EO)pursues righteousness.
¹⁰ There is severe punishment for one who abandons the way;
One who hates a rebuke will die.
^11 [bl](EP)Sheol and ^[bm]Abaddon lie open before the Lord,
How much more the ^(EQ)hearts of ^[bn]mankind!
¹² A ^(ER)scoffer does not love one who rebukes him;
He will not go to the wise.
¹³ A ^(ES)joyful heart makes a ^[bo]cheerful face,
But ^[bp]when the heart is ^(ET)sad, the ^(EU)spirit is broken.
¹⁴ The ^(EV)mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
¹⁵ All the days of the ^[bq]needy are bad,
But a ^[br]cheerful heart has a continual feast.
^16 (EW)Better is a little with ^[bs]the fear of the Lord
Than great treasure, and turmoil with ^[bt]the treasure.
^17 (EX)Better is a portion of ^[bu]vegetables where there is love,
Than a ^(EY)fattened ox served with hatred.
¹⁸ A ^(EZ)hot-tempered person stirs up strife,
But the ^(FA)slow to anger ^(FB)calms a dispute.
¹⁹ The way of the ^[bv]lazy one is like a hedge of thorns,
But the path of the upright is a highway.
²⁰ A ^(FC)wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man ^(FD)despises his mother.
²¹ Foolishness is joy to one who lacks ^[bw]sense,
But a person of understanding ^(FE)walks straight.
²² Without consultation, plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they ^[bx]succeed.
²³ A ^(FF)person has joy in an ^[by]apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely ^(FG)word!
²⁴ The ^(FH)path of life leads upward for the wise,
So that he may keep away from ^[bz]Sheol below.
²⁵ The Lord will ^(FI)tear down the house of the proud,
But He will ^(FJ)set the boundary of the ^(FK)widow.
²⁶ Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,
But pleasant words are pure.
²⁷ He who ^(FL)profits illicitly troubles his own house,
But he who ^(FM)hates bribes will live.
²⁸ The heart of the righteous ^(FN)ponders how to answer,
But the ^(FO)mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
²⁹ The Lord is ^(FP)far from the wicked,
But He ^(FQ)hears the prayer of the righteous.
^30 [ca]Bright eyes gladden the heart;
Good news ^[cb]refreshes the bones.
³¹ One whose ear listens to a life-giving rebuke
Will stay among the wise.
³² One who ^(FR)neglects discipline ^(FS)rejects himself,
But one who ^(FT)listens to a rebuke acquires ^[cc]understanding.
^33 [cd]The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor comes humility.

16 The ^(FU)plans of the heart belong to a person,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
² All the ways of a person are clean in his own sight,
But the ^(FV)Lord examines the ^[ce]motives.
^3 [cf](FW)Commit your works to the Lord,
And your plans will be established.
⁴ The Lord ^(FX)has made everything for ^[cg]its own purpose,
Even the ^(FY)wicked for the day of evil.
⁵ Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
^[ch]Be assured, he will not go unpunished.
⁶ By ^(FZ)mercy and truth atonement is made for wrongdoing,
And by ^[ci]the ^(GA)fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
⁷ When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He ^(GB)causes even his enemies to make peace with him.
⁸ Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.
⁹ The mind of a ^(GC)person plans his way,
But ^(GD)the Lord directs his steps.
¹⁰ A divine ^(GE)verdict is on the lips of the king;
His mouth should not ^[cj]err in judgment.
¹¹ A ^(GF)just balance and scales belong to the Lord;
All the ^[ck]weights of the bag are His ^[cl]concern.
¹² It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
Because a ^(GG)throne is established on righteousness.
¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And one who speaks right is loved.
¹⁴ The fury of a king is like messengers of death;
But a wise person will appease it.
¹⁵ In the light of a king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud with the ^[cm](GH)spring rain.
¹⁶ How much ^(GI)better it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.
¹⁷ The ^(GJ)highway of the upright is to turn away from evil;
One who watches his way protects his ^[cn]life.
^18 (GK)Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
¹⁹ It is better to be ^(GL)humble in spirit with the needy
Than to ^(GM)divide the spoils with the proud.
²⁰ One who pays attention to the word will ^(GN)find good,
And ^(GO)blessed is one who trusts in the Lord.
²¹ The ^(GP)wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of ^[co]speech ^(GQ)increases ^[cp]persuasiveness.
²² Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,
But the discipline of fools is foolishness.
²³ The ^(GR)heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds ^[cq]persuasiveness to his lips.
^24 (GS)Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and ^(GT)healing to the bones.
^25 (GU)There is a way which seems right to a person,
But its end is the way of death.
²⁶ A worker’s appetite works for him,
For his ^[cr]hunger urges him on.
²⁷ A ^(GV)worthless person digs up evil,
While ^[cs]his words are like ^(GW)scorching fire.
²⁸ A perverse person spreads strife,
And a ^[ct]slanderer separates close friends.
²⁹ A person of violence ^(GX)entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰ He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;
He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
³¹ A ^(GY)gray head is a crown of glory;
It ^(GZ)is found in the way of righteousness.
³² One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And one who rules his spirit, than one who captures a city.
³³ The ^(HA)lot is cast into the lap,
But its every ^(HB)decision is from the Lord.

17 ^(HC)Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of ^[cu]feasting with strife.
² A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
And will share in the inheritance among brothers.
³ The ^(HD)refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But ^(HE)the Lord tests hearts.
⁴ An ^(HF)evildoer listens to wicked lips;
A ^[cv]liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
⁵ One who mocks the ^(HG)poor taunts his Maker;
One who ^(HH)rejoices at disaster will not go unpunished.
^6 (HI)Grandchildren are the crown of the old,
And the ^(HJ)glory of sons is their fathers.
^7 [cw](HK)Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool,
Much less are ^(HL)lying lips to a prince.
⁸ A ^(HM)bribe is a ^[cx]charm in the sight of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
⁹ One who ^(HN)conceals an offense seeks love,
But one who repeats a matter ^(HO)separates close friends.
¹⁰ A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹ A rebellious person seeks only evil,
So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
¹² Let a ^(HP)person meet a ^(HQ)bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his foolishness.
¹³ One who ^(HR)returns evil for good,
^(HS)Evil will not depart from his house.
¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
So ^(HT)abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.
¹⁵ One who ^(HU)justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶ Why is there money in the hand of a fool to ^(HV)buy wisdom,
When ^[cy]he has no sense?
¹⁷ A ^(HW)friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
¹⁸ A person lacking in ^[cz]sense ^(HX)shakes hands
And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.
¹⁹ One who ^(HY)loves wrongdoing loves strife;
One who ^(HZ)makes his doorway high seeks destruction.
²⁰ One who has a crooked ^[da]mind ^(IA)finds nothing good,
And one who is ^[db](IB)corrupted in his language falls into evil.
²¹ He who ^(IC)fathers a fool does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.
²² A ^(ID)joyful heart ^[dc]is good medicine,
But a broken spirit ^(IE)dries up the bones.
²³ A wicked person accepts a ^(IF)bribe ^[dd]from an inside pocket
To ^(IG)pervert the ways of justice.
²⁴ Wisdom is in the presence of one who has understanding,
But the ^(IH)eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
²⁵ A ^(II)foolish son is a grief to his father,
And ^(IJ)bitterness to her who gave birth to him.
²⁶ It is also not good to ^(IK)fine the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
²⁷ One who ^(IL)withholds his words ^[de]has knowledge,
And one who has a ^(IM)cool spirit is a person of understanding.
²⁸ Even a fool, when he ^(IN)keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

18 One who separates himself seeks his own desire;
He ^[df](IO)quarrels against all sound wisdom.
² A fool does not delight in understanding,
But ^(IP)in revealing his own ^[dg]mind.
³ When a wicked person comes, contempt also comes,
And with dishonor comes taunting.
⁴ The words of a person’s mouth are ^(IQ)deep waters;
^[dh]The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
⁵ To ^(IR)show partiality to the wicked is not good,
Nor to ^(IS)suppress the righteous in judgment.
⁶ A fool’s lips ^[di]bring strife,
And his mouth invites ^(IT)beatings.
⁷ A ^(IU)fool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
⁸ The words of a gossiper are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the ^[dj]innermost parts of the body.
⁹ He also who is ^(IV)lax in his work
^(IW)Is a brother to him who destroys.
¹⁰ The ^(IX)name of the Lord is a ^(IY)strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and ^(IZ)is ^[dk]safe.
¹¹ A ^(JA)rich person’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own imagination.
^12 (JB)Before destruction the heart of a person is haughty,
But ^(JC)humility goes before honor.
¹³ One who ^(JD)gives an answer before he hears,
It is foolishness and shame to him.
¹⁴ The ^(JE)spirit of a person can endure his sickness,
But as for a ^(JF)broken spirit, who can endure it?
¹⁵ The ^[dl](JG)mind of the discerning acquires knowledge,
And the ^(JH)ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
¹⁶ A person’s ^(JI)gift makes room for him
And brings him before great people.
¹⁷ The first ^[dm]to plead his case seems right,
Until ^[dn]another comes and examines him.
¹⁸ The cast ^(JJ)lot puts an end to quarrels,
And ^[do]decides between the mighty ones.
¹⁹ A brother who is offended is harder to be won than a strong city,
And quarrels are like the bars of a citadel.
²⁰ With the ^[dp](JK)fruit of a person’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
^(JL)He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.
^21 (JM)Death and life are in the ^[dq]power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its ^(JN)fruit.
²² He who finds a ^(JO)wife finds a good thing
And ^(JP)obtains favor from the Lord.
²³ A ^(JQ)poor person utters pleadings,
But a ^(JR)rich person ^(JS)answers defiantly.
²⁴ A person of too many friends comes to ^[dr]ruin,
But there is ^(JT)a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

19 ^(JU)Better is a poor person who ^(JV)walks in his integrity
Than a person who is perverse in ^[ds]speech and is a fool.
² Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And one who hurries ^[dt](JW)his footsteps ^[du]errs.
³ The ^(JX)foolishness of a person ruins his way,
And his heart ^(JY)rages against the Lord.
^4 (JZ)Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor person is separated from his friend.
⁵ A ^(KA)false witness will not go unpunished,
And one who ^(KB)declares lies will not escape.
^6 (KC)Many will seek the favor of a ^[dv]generous person,
And every person is a friend to ^(KD)him who gives gifts.
⁷ All the brothers of a poor person hate him;
How much more do his ^(KE)friends abandon him!
He ^(KF)pursues them with words, but they are ^[dw]gone.
⁸ One who gets ^[dx]wisdom loves his own soul;
One who keeps understanding will ^(KG)find good.
⁹ A ^(KH)false witness will not go unpunished,
And one who declares lies will perish.
¹⁰ Luxury is ^(KI)not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a ^(KJ)slave to rule over princes.
¹¹ A person’s ^(KK)discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory ^(KL)to overlook an offense.
¹² A ^(KM)king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like ^(KN)dew on the grass.
¹³ A ^(KO)foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the ^(KP)quarrels of a wife are a constant dripping.
¹⁴ House and wealth are an ^(KQ)inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the Lord.
^15 (KR)Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And ^[dy]a lazy ^[dz]person will suffer hunger.
¹⁶ One who ^(KS)keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But one who ^[ea]is careless of ^[eb]conduct will die.
¹⁷ One who ^(KT)is gracious to a poor person lends to the Lord,
And He will repay him for his ^[ec](KU)good deed.
^18 (KV)Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire ^[ed]his death.
¹⁹ A person of great anger will suffer the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.
^20 (KW)Listen to advice and accept discipline,
So that you may be wise ^[ee]the rest of your days.
²¹ Many ^(KX)plans are in a person’s heart,
But the ^(KY)advice of the Lord will stand.
²² What is desirable in a person is his ^[ef]kindness,
And it is better to be a poor person than a liar.
^23 [eg]The ^(KZ)fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep ^(LA)satisfied, ^[eh](LB)untouched by evil.
²⁴ The ^[ei](LC)lazy one buries his hand ^(LD)in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.
^25 (LE)Strike a scoffer and the naive may become clever,
But ^(LF)rebuke one who has understanding, and he will ^[ej]gain knowledge.
²⁶ He ^(LG)who assaults his father and drives his mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son.
²⁷ Stop listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
²⁸ A worthless witness makes a mockery of justice,
And the mouth of the wicked ^[ek](LH)swallows wrongdoing.
^29 [el]Judgments are prepared for ^(LI)scoffers,
And ^(LJ)beatings for the backs of fools.

20 ^(LK)Wine is a mocker, ^(LL)intoxicating drink a brawler,
And whoever ^[em]is intoxicated by it is not wise.
² The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
One who provokes him to anger ^[en](LM)forfeits his own life.
^3 (LN)Avoiding strife is an honor for a person,
But any fool will ^[eo]quarrel.
⁴ The ^[ep](LO)lazy one does not plow after the autumn,
So he ^[eq]begs during the harvest and has nothing.
⁵ A plan in the heart of a person is like deep water,
But a person of understanding draws it out.
⁶ Many a person ^(LP)proclaims his own loyalty,
But who can find a ^(LQ)trustworthy person?
⁷ A righteous person who ^(LR)walks in his integrity—
^(LS)How blessed are his sons after him.
^8 (LT)A king who sits on the throne of justice
^[er]Disperses all evil with his eyes.
^9 (LU)Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,
I am pure from my sin”?
^10 [es](LV)Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the Lord.
¹¹ It is by his deeds that a boy ^[et](LW)distinguishes himself,
If his conduct is pure and right.
¹² The hearing ^(LX)ear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made both of them.
^13 (LY)Do not love sleep, or you will become poor;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with ^[eu]food.
¹⁴ “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts.
¹⁵ There is gold, and an abundance of ^[ev]jewels;
But lips of knowledge are a more precious thing.
¹⁶ Take his garment when he becomes guarantor for a stranger;
And for foreigners, seize a pledge from him.
^17 (LZ)Bread obtained by a lie is sweet to a person,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
¹⁸ Prepare ^(MA)plans by consultation,
And ^(MB)make war by wise guidance.
¹⁹ One who ^(MC)goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with ^[ew](MD)a gossip.
²⁰ He who ^(ME)curses his father or his mother,
His ^(MF)lamp will go out in time of darkness.
²¹ An inheritance gained in a hurry at the beginning
Will not be blessed in the end.
^22 (MG)Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
^(MH)Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.
^23 [ex](MI)Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And a ^[ey](MJ)false scale is not good.
^24 (MK)A man’s steps are ordained by the Lord;
How then can a person understand his way?
²⁵ It is a trap for a person to say carelessly, “It is holy!”
And ^(ML)after the vows to make inquiry.
²⁶ A ^(MM)wise king scatters the wicked,
And ^[ez]drives a ^(MN)threshing wheel over them.
²⁷ The ^[fa](MO)spirit of a person is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the ^[fb]innermost parts of his being.
^28 [fc]Loyalty and ^(MP)truth watch over the king,
And he upholds his throne by ^[fd]loyalty.
²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength,
And the ^[fe](MQ)honor of old men is their gray hair.
^30 (MR)Bruising wounds clean away evil,
And blows cleanse the ^[ff]innermost parts.

21 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;
He ^(MS)turns it wherever He pleases.
^2 (MT)Every person’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord ^(MU)examines the hearts.
³ To do ^(MV)righteousness and justice
Is preferred by the Lord more than sacrifice.
⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
The ^(MW)lamp of the wicked, is sin.
⁵ The plans of the ^(MX)diligent certainly lead to advantage,
But everyone ^(MY)who is in a hurry certainly comes to poverty.
⁶ The ^(MZ)acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor, the ^[fg]pursuit of ^(NA)death.
⁷ The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
Because they ^(NB)refuse to act with justice.
⁸ The way of a guilty person is ^(NC)crooked,
But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.
⁹ It is better to live on a corner of a roof
Than ^[fh]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
¹⁰ The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His ^(ND)neighbor is shown no compassion in his eyes.
¹¹ When the ^(NE)scoffer is punished, the naive becomes wise;
But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
¹² The ^[fi]righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Bringing the ^(NF)wicked to ruin.
¹³ One who ^(NG)shuts his ear to the outcry of the poor
Will also call out himself, and not be ^(NH)answered.
¹⁴ A ^(NI)gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe ^[fj]in an inside pocket, strong wrath.
¹⁵ The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,
But ^(NJ)terror to those who practice injustice.
¹⁶ A person who wanders from the way of understanding
Will ^(NK)rest in the assembly of the ^[fk]dead.
¹⁷ One who ^(NL)loves pleasure will become a poor person;
One who loves wine and oil will not become rich.
¹⁸ The wicked is a ^(NM)ransom for the righteous,
And the ^(NN)treacherous is in the place of the upright.
^19 (NO)It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and irritating woman.
²⁰ There is precious ^(NP)treasure and oil in the home of the wise,
But a foolish person ^(NQ)swallows it up.
²¹ One who ^(NR)pursues righteousness and loyalty
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
²² A ^(NS)wise person scales the city of the mighty
And brings down the ^[fl]stronghold in which they trust.
²³ One who ^(NT)guards his mouth and his tongue,
Guards his soul from troubles.
²⁴ “Proud,” “Arrogant,” “^(NU)Scoffer,” are his names,
One who acts with ^(NV)insolent pride.
²⁵ The ^(NW)desire of the ^[fm]lazy one puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;
²⁶ All day long he ^[fn]is craving,
While the righteous ^(NX)gives and does not hold back.
²⁷ The ^(NY)sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
How much more when he brings it with evil intent!
²⁸ A ^(NZ)false witness will perish,
But a person who listens will speak forever.
²⁹ A wicked person ^[fo](OA)displays a bold face,
But as for the ^(OB)upright, he makes his way sure.
³⁰ There is ^(OC)no wisdom, no understanding,
And no ^[fp]plan against the Lord.
³¹ The ^(OD)horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But the ^(OE)victory belongs to the Lord.