Proverbs 1-17

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

⁷ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
    fools despise wisdom and instruction.^(E)

¹⁶ You will be saved from the loose woman,^[b]
    from the adulteress^[c] with her smooth words,^(AI)
17 who forsakes the partner of her youth
    and forgets her sacred covenant,
¹⁸ for her way^[d] leads down to death
    and her paths to the shades;^(AJ)
19 those who go to her never come back,
    nor do they regain the paths of life.

²⁰ Therefore walk in the way of the good,
    and keep to the paths of the just.
²¹ For the upright will abide in the land,
    and the innocent will remain in it,^(AK)
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the earth,
    and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.^(AL)

³ Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you;
    bind them around your neck;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.^(AO)
4 Then you will find favor and high regard
    in the sight of God and of people.^(AP)

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not rely on your own insight.^(AQ)
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.^(AR)
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord and turn away from evil.^(AS)
8 It will be a healing for your flesh
    and a refreshment for your body.^(AT)

⁹ Honor the Lord with your substance
    and with the first fruits of all your produce;^(AU)
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty,
    and your vats will be bursting with wine.

¹¹ My child, do not despise the Lord’s discipline
    or be weary of his reproof,^(AV)
12 for the Lord reproves the one he loves,
    as a father the son in whom he delights.^(AW)

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,^[f]
    when it is in your power to do it.^(BH)
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go and come again;
    tomorrow I will give it,” when you have it with you.^(BI)
29 Do not plan harm against your neighbor
    who lives trustingly beside you.^(BJ)
30 Do not quarrel with anyone without cause,
    when no harm has been done to you.^(BK)
31 Do not envy the violent,
    and do not choose any of their ways,^(BL)
32 for the perverse are an abomination to the Lord,
    but the upright are in his confidence.^(BM)
33 The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
    but he blesses the abode of the righteous.^(BN)
34 Toward the scorners he is scornful,
    but to the humble he shows favor.^(BO)
35 The wise will inherit honor,
    but stubborn fools, disgrace.

⁷ And now, my child,^[i] listen to me,
    and do not depart from the words of my mouth.^(CM)
8 Keep your way far from her,
    and do not go near the door of her house,^(CN)
9 lest you give your honor to others
    and your years to the merciless,
¹⁰ and strangers take their fill of your wealth,
    and your labors go to the house of an alien,
¹¹ and at the end of your life you groan,
    when your flesh and body are consumed,
¹² and you say, “Oh, how I hated discipline,
    and my heart despised reproof!^(CO)
13 I did not listen to the voice of my teachers
    or incline my ear to my instructors.
¹⁴ Now I am at the point of utter ruin
    in the public assembly.”

¹⁵ Drink water from your own cistern,
    flowing water from your own well.
¹⁶ Should your springs be scattered abroad,
    streams of water in the streets?^(CP)
17 Let them be for yourself alone
    and not for sharing with strangers.
¹⁸ Let your fountain be blessed,
    and rejoice in the wife of your youth,^(CQ)
19     a lovely deer, a graceful doe.
May her breasts satisfy you at all times;
    may you be intoxicated always by her love.^(CR)
20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, by another woman
    and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?^[j](CS)
21 For human ways are under the eyes of the Lord,
    and he examines all their paths.^(CT)
22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare them,
    and they are caught in the coils of their sin.^(CU)
23 They die for lack of discipline,
    and because of their great folly they are lost.^(CV)

⁶ Go to the ant, you lazybones;
    consider its ways and be wise.^(CZ)
7 Without having any chief
    or officer or ruler,
⁸ it prepares its food in summer
    and gathers its sustenance in harvest.^(DA)
9 How long will you lie there, O lazybones?
    When will you rise from your sleep?^(DB)
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest,
¹¹ and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want, like an armed warrior.^(DC)

¹² A scoundrel and a villain
    goes around with crooked speech,^(DD)
13 winking the eyes, shuffling the feet,
    pointing the fingers,^(DE)
14 with perverted mind devising evil,
    continually sowing discord;^(DF)
15 on such a one calamity will descend suddenly,
    in a moment, damage beyond repair.^(DG)

¹⁶ There are six things that the Lord hates,
    seven that are an abomination to him:
¹⁷ haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
    and hands that shed innocent blood,^(DH)
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
    feet that hurry to run to evil,^(DI)
19 a lying witness who testifies falsely,
    and one who sows discord in a family.^(DJ)

²⁰ My child, keep your father’s commandment,
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.^(DK)
21 Bind them upon your heart always;
    tie them around your neck.^(DL)
22 When you walk, they^[o] will lead you;
    when you lie down, they^[p] will watch over you;
    and when you awake, they^[q] will talk with you.^(DM)
23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,
    and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,^(DN)
24 to preserve you from the wife of another,^[r]
    from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.^[s](DO)
25 Do not desire her beauty in your heart,
    and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes,^(DP)
26 for a prostitute’s fee is only a loaf of bread,^[t]
    but the wife of another stalks a man’s precious life.^(DQ)
27 Can fire be carried in the bosom
    without burning one’s clothes?
²⁸ Or can one walk on hot coals
    without scorching the feet?
²⁹ So is he who sleeps with his neighbor’s wife;
    no one who touches her will go unpunished.^(DR)
30 Thieves are not despised who steal only
    to satisfy their appetite when they are hungry.
³¹ Yet if they are caught, they will pay sevenfold;
    they will forfeit all the goods of their house.^(DS)
32 But he who commits adultery has no sense;
    he who does it destroys himself.^(DT)
33 He will get wounds and dishonor,
    and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
³⁴ For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury,
    and he will show no restraint when he takes revenge.^(DU)
35 He will accept no compensation
    and will refuse a bribe no matter how great.

⁶ For at the window of my house
    I looked out through my lattice,
⁷ and I saw among the simple ones,
    I observed among the youths,
    a young man without sense,^(DZ)
8 passing along the street near her corner,
    taking the road to her house^(EA)
9 in the twilight, in the evening,
    at the time of night and darkness.^(EB)

¹⁰ Then a woman comes toward him
    decked out like a prostitute, with hidden intent.
¹¹ She is loud and wayward;
    her feet do not stay at home;^(EC)
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
    and at every corner she lies in wait.^(ED)
13 She seizes him and kisses him,
    and with impudent face she says to him:
¹⁴ “I had to offer sacrifices,
    and today I have paid my vows;^(EE)
15 so now I have come out to meet you,
    to seek you eagerly, and I have found you!
¹⁶ I have decked my couch with coverings,
    colored spreads of Egyptian linen;^(EF)
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,
    aloes, and cinnamon.
¹⁸ Come, let us take our fill of love until morning;
    let us delight ourselves with love.
¹⁹ For my husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey.
²⁰ He took a bag of money with him;
    he will not come home until full moon.”

²¹ With much seductive speech she persuades him;
    with her smooth talk she compels him.^(EG)
22 Right away he follows her
    and goes like an ox to the slaughter
or bounds like a stag toward the trap^[x]
23     until an arrow pierces its entrails.
He is like a bird rushing into a snare,
    not knowing that it will cost him his life.^(EH)

²⁴ And now, my children, listen to me,
    and be attentive to the words of my mouth.^(EI)
25 Do not let your hearts turn aside to her ways;
    do not stray into her paths.^(EJ)
26 For many are those she has laid low,
    and numerous are her victims.^(EK)
27 Her house is the way to Sheol,
    going down to the chambers of death.^(EL)

³² “And now, my children, listen to me:
    happy are those who keep my ways.^(FI)
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
    and do not neglect it.
³⁴ Happy is the one who listens to me,
    watching daily at my gates,
    waiting beside my doors.^(FJ)
35 For whoever finds me finds life
    and obtains favor from the Lord,^(FK)
36 but those who miss me injure themselves;
    all who hate me love death.”^(FL)

A wise child makes a glad father,
    but a foolish child is a mother’s grief.^(GB)
2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
    but righteousness delivers from death.
³ The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.^(GC)
4 A slack hand causes poverty,
    but the hand of the diligent makes rich.^(GD)
5 A child who gathers in summer is prudent,
    but a child who sleeps in harvest brings shame.^(GE)
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.^(GF)
7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
    but the name of the wicked will rot.^(GG)
8 The wise of heart will heed commandments,
    but one with foolish lips will come to ruin.^(GH)
9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
    but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out.^(GI)
10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble,
    but one who rebukes boldly makes peace.^[af](GJ)
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.^(GK)
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
    but love covers all offenses.^(GL)
13 On the lips of one who has understanding wisdom is found,
    but a rod is for the back of one who lacks sense.^(GM)
14 The wise lay up knowledge,
    but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
¹⁵ The wealth of the rich is their fortress;
    the poverty of the poor is their ruin.^(GN)
16 The wage of the righteous leads to life,
    the gain of the wicked to sin.
¹⁷ Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life,
    but one who rejects a rebuke goes astray.
¹⁸ Lying lips conceal hatred,
    and whoever utters slander is a fool.
¹⁹ When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
    but the prudent are restrained in speech.^(GO)
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
    the mind of the wicked is of little worth.^(GP)
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.
²² The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
    and toil adds nothing to it.^(GQ)
23 Doing wrong is like sport to a fool,
    but wise conduct is pleasure to a person of understanding.^(GR)
24 What the wicked dread will come upon them,
    but the desire of the righteous will be granted.^(GS)
25 When the tempest passes, the wicked are no more,
    but the righteous are established forever.^(GT)
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
    so are the lazy to their employers.^(GU)
27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
    but the years of the wicked will be short.^(GV)
28 The hope of the righteous ends in gladness,
    but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.
²⁹ The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright
    but destruction for evildoers.^(GW)
30 The righteous will never totter,
    but the wicked will not remain on the earth.^(GX)
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
    but the perverse tongue will be cut off.^(GY)
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
    but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.

11 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
    but an accurate weight is his delight.^(GZ)
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
    but wisdom is with the humble.^(HA)
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
    but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.^(HB)
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
    but righteousness delivers from death.^(HC)
5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps their ways straight,
    but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
⁶ The righteousness of the upright saves them,
    but the treacherous are taken captive by their schemes.^(HD)
7 When the wicked die, hope perishes,
    and the expectation of strength comes to nothing.^(HE)
8 The righteous are delivered from trouble,
    and the wicked come into it instead.^(HF)
9 With their mouths the godless would destroy their neighbors,
    but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
¹⁰ When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
    and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.^(HG)
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
    but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.^(HH)
12 Whoever belittles another lacks sense,
    but an intelligent person remains silent.^(HI)
13 A gossip goes about telling secrets,
    but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence.^(HJ)
14 Where there is no guidance, a nation^[ag] falls,
    but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.^(HK)
15 To guarantee loans for a stranger brings trouble,
    but there is safety in refusing to do so.
¹⁶ A gracious woman gets honor,
    but she who hates virtue is covered with shame.^[ah]
The timid become destitute,^[ai]
    but the aggressive gain riches.^(HL)
17 Those who are kind reward themselves,
    but the cruel do themselves harm.
¹⁸ The wicked earn no real gain,
    but those who sow righteousness get a true reward.^(HM)
19 Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live,
    but whoever pursues evil will die.
²⁰ Crooked minds are an abomination to the Lord,
    but those of blameless ways are his delight.^(HN)
21 Be assured, the wicked will not go unpunished,
    but those who are righteous will escape.^(HO)
22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
    is a beautiful woman without good sense.
²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
    the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
²⁴ Some give freely yet grow all the richer;
    others withhold what is due and only suffer want.^(HP)
25 A generous person will be enriched,
    and one who gives water will get water.^(HQ)
26 The people curse those who hold back grain,
    but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it.^(HR)
27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,
    but evil comes to the one who searches for it.^(HS)
28 Those who trust in their riches will wither,^[aj]
    but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.^(HT)
29 Those who trouble their households will inherit wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise.
³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
    and the wise capture souls.^(HU)
31 If the righteous are repaid on earth,
    how much more the wicked and the sinner!^(HV)

12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but those who hate to be rebuked are stupid.^(HW)
2 The good obtain favor from the Lord,
    but those who devise evil he condemns.^(HX)
3 No one finds security by wickedness,
    but the root of the righteous will never be moved.^(HY)
4 A good wife is the crown of her husband,
    but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.^(HZ)
5 The thoughts of the righteous are just;
    the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
⁶ The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,
    but the speech of the upright delivers them.^(IA)
7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
    but the house of the righteous will stand.^(IB)
8 One is commended for good sense,
    but a perverse mind is despised.
⁹ Better to be despised and have produce^[ak]
    than to be self-important and lack food.
¹⁰ The righteous know the needs of their animals,
    but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.^(IC)
11 Those who till their land will have plenty of food,
    but those who follow worthless pursuits have no sense.^(ID)
12 The wicked covet the proceeds of wickedness,^[al]
    but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
¹³ The evil are ensnared by the transgression of their lips,
    but the righteous escape from trouble.^(IE)
14 From the fruit of the mouth one is filled with good things,
    and manual labor has its reward.^(IF)
15 Fools think their own way is right,
    but the wise listen to advice.^(IG)
16 Fools show their anger at once,
    but the prudent ignore an insult.^(IH)
17 Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
    but a false witness speaks deceitfully.^(II)
18 Rash words are like sword thrusts,
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.^(IJ)
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.^(IK)
20 Deceit is in the mind of those who plan evil,
    but those who counsel peace have joy.^(IL)
21 No harm happens to the righteous,
    but the wicked are filled with trouble.^(IM)
22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
    but those who act faithfully are his delight.^(IN)
23 One who is clever conceals knowledge,
    but the mind of a fool^[am] broadcasts folly.^(IO)
24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
    while the lazy will be put to forced labor.
²⁵ Anxiety weighs down the human heart,
    but a good word cheers it up.^(IP)
26 The righteous are released from misfortune,^[an]
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
²⁷ The lazy do not roast^[ao] their game,
    but the diligent obtain precious wealth.^[ap]
28 In the path of righteousness there is life;
    in walking its path there is no death.^(IQ)

13 A wise child loves discipline,^[aq]
    but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.^(IR)
2 From the fruit of their words good persons eat good things,
    but the desire of the treacherous is for wrongdoing.
³ Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives;
    those who open wide their lips come to ruin.^(IS)
4 The appetite of the lazy craves and gets nothing,
    while the appetite of the diligent is richly supplied.^(IT)
5 The righteous hate falsehood,
    but the wicked act shamefully and disgracefully.
⁶ Righteousness guards one whose way is upright,
    but sin overthrows the wicked.^(IU)
7 Some pretend to be rich yet have nothing;
    others pretend to be poor yet have great wealth.^(IV)
8 Wealth is a ransom for a person’s life,
    but a poor person pays no attention to a rebuke.
⁹ The light of the righteous rejoices,^[ar]
    but the lamp of the wicked goes out.^(IW)
10 By insolence the empty-headed person makes strife,
    but wisdom is with those who take advice.^(IX)
11 Wealth hastily gotten^[as] will dwindle,
    but those who gather little by little will increase it.^(IY)
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
¹³ Those who despise a word bring destruction on themselves,
    but those who respect a command will be rewarded.^(IZ)
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
    so that one may avoid the snares of death.^(JA)
15 Good sense wins favor,
    but the way of the faithless is their ruin.^[at](JB)
16 The clever do all things intelligently,
    but the fool displays folly.^(JC)
17 A bad messenger brings trouble,
    but a faithful envoy, healing.^(JD)
18 Poverty and disgrace are for the one who ignores instruction,
    but one who heeds reproof is honored.^(JE)
19 A desire realized is sweet to the soul,
    but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
²⁰ Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools suffers harm.^(JF)
21 Misfortune pursues sinners,
    but prosperity rewards the righteous.^(JG)
22 The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children,
    but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.^(JH)
23 The field of the poor may yield much food,
    but it is swept away through injustice.^(JI)
24 Those who spare the rod hate their children,
    but those who love them are diligent to discipline them.^(JJ)
25 The righteous have enough to satisfy their appetite,
    but the belly of the wicked is empty.^(JK)

14 The wise woman^[au] builds her house,
    but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
² Those who walk uprightly fear the Lord,
    but one who is devious in conduct despises him.^(JL)
3 The talk of fools is a rod for their backs,^[av]
    but the lips of the wise preserve them.^(JM)
4 Where there are no oxen, there is no grain;
    abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
⁵ A faithful witness does not lie,
    but a false witness breathes out lies.^(JN)
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
    but knowledge is easy for one who understands.
⁷ Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not find words of knowledge.
⁸ It is the wisdom of the clever to understand where they go,
    but the folly of fools misleads.^(JO)
9 Fools mock at the guilt offering,^[aw]
    but the upright enjoy God’s favor.
¹⁰ The heart knows its own bitterness,
    and no stranger shares its joy.
¹¹ The house of the wicked is destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright flourishes.^(JP)
12 There is a way that seems right to a person,
    but its end is the way to death.^[ax](JQ)
13 Even in laughter the heart is sad,
    and the end of joy is grief.^(JR)
14 The perverse get what their ways deserve,
    and the good, what their deeds deserve.^[ay](JS)
15 The simple believe everything,
    but the clever consider their steps.
¹⁶ The wise are cautious and turn away from evil,
    but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.^(JT)
17 One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly,
    and the schemer is hated.^(JU)
18 The simple are adorned with^[az] folly,
    but the clever are crowned with knowledge.^(JV)
19 The evil bow down before the good,
    the wicked at the gates of the righteous.^(JW)
20 The poor are disliked even by their neighbors,
    but the rich have many friends.^(JX)
21 Those who despise their neighbors are sinners,
    but happy are those who are kind to the poor.^(JY)
22 Do not those who plan evil err?
    Those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.
²³ In all toil there is profit,
    but mere talk leads only to poverty.
²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but folly is the garland^[ba] of fools.
²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
    but one who utters lies is a betrayer.^(JZ)
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
    and one’s children will have a refuge.^(KA)
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
    so that one may avoid the snares of death.^(KB)
28 The glory of a king is a multitude of people;
    without people a prince is ruined.
²⁹ Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
    but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.^(KC)
30 A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh,
    but jealousy makes the bones rot.^(KD)
31 Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,
    but those who are kind to the needy honor him.^(KE)
32 The wicked are overthrown by their evildoing,
    but the righteous find a refuge in their integrity.^[bb](KF)
33 Wisdom is at home in the mind of one who has understanding,
    but it is not^[bc] known in the heart of fools.^(KG)
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
    but sin is a reproach to any people.^(KH)
35 A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor,
    but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.^(KI)

15 A soft answer turns away wrath,
    but a harsh word stirs up anger.^(KJ)
2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,
    but the mouths of fools pour out folly.^(KK)
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
    keeping watch on the evil and the good.^(KL)
4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
    but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
⁵ A fool despises a parent’s instruction,
    but the one who heeds admonition is prudent.^(KM)
6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
    but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
    not so the minds of fools.
⁸ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
    but the prayer of the upright is his delight.^(KN)
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
    but he loves the one who pursues righteousness.^(KO)
10 There is severe discipline for one who forsakes the way;
    one who hates a rebuke will die.^(KP)
11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord;
    how much more human hearts!^(KQ)
12 Scoffers do not like to be rebuked;
    they will not go to the wise.^(KR)
13 A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance,
    but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.^(KS)
14 The mind of one who has understanding seeks knowledge,
    but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
¹⁵ All the days of the poor are hard,
    but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.
¹⁶ Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great treasure and trouble with it.^(KT)
17 Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is
    than a fatted ox and hatred with it.^(KU)
18 Those who are hot-tempered stir up strife,
    but those who are slow to anger calm contention.^(KV)
19 The way of the lazy is overgrown with thorns,
    but the path of the upright is a level highway.^(KW)
20 A wise child makes a glad father,
    but the foolish despise their mothers.^(KX)
21 Folly is a joy to one who has no sense,
    but a person of understanding walks straight ahead.^(KY)
22 Without counsel, plans go wrong,
    but with many advisers they succeed.^(KZ)
23 To make an apt answer is a joy to anyone,
    and a word in season, how good it is!^(LA)
24 For the wise the path of life leads upward,
    in order to avoid Sheol below.^(LB)
25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud
    but maintains the widow’s boundaries.^(LC)
26 Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,
    but gracious words are pure.^(LD)
27 Those greedy for unjust gain make trouble for their households,
    but those who hate bribes will live.^(LE)
28 The mind of the righteous ponders how to answer,
    but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil.^(LF)
29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
    but he hears the prayer of the righteous.^(LG)
30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
    and good news refreshes the body.
³¹ The ear that heeds wholesome admonition
    will lodge among the wise.
³² Those who ignore instruction despise themselves,
    but those who heed admonition gain understanding.^(LH)
33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
    and humility goes before honor.^(LI)

16 The plans of the mind belong to mortals,
    but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
² All one’s ways may be pure in one’s own eyes,
    but the Lord weighs the spirit.^(LJ)
3 Commit your work to the Lord,
    and your plans will be established.^(LK)
4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
    even the wicked for the day of trouble.^(LL)
5 All those who are arrogant are an abomination to the Lord;
    be assured, they will not go unpunished.^(LM)
6 By loyalty and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
    and by the fear of the Lord one avoids evil.^(LN)
7 When the ways of people please the Lord,
    he causes even their enemies to be at peace with them.^(LO)
8 Better is a little with righteousness
    than large income with injustice.
⁹ The human mind plans the way,
    but the Lord directs the steps.^(LP)
10 Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king;
    his mouth does not sin in judgment.
¹¹ Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s;
    all the weights in the bag are his work.^(LQ)
12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
    for the throne is established by righteousness.^(LR)
13 Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
    and he loves those who speak what is right.^(LS)
14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
    and whoever is wise will appease it.^(LT)
15 In the light of a king’s face there is life,
    and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.^(LU)
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold!
    To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.^(LV)
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
    those who guard their way preserve their lives.
¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction
    and a haughty spirit before a fall.^(LW)
19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit among the poor
    than to divide the spoil with the proud.
²⁰ Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper,
    and happy are those who trust in the Lord.^(LX)
21 The wise of heart is called perceptive,
    and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.
²² Wisdom is a fountain of life to one who has it,
    but folly is the punishment of fools.^(LY)
23 The mind of the wise makes their speech judicious
    and adds persuasiveness to their lips.
²⁴ Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
²⁵ Sometimes there is a way that seems to be right,
    but in the end it is the way to death.^(LZ)
26 The appetite of workers works for them;
    their hunger urges them on.
²⁷ Scoundrels concoct evil,
    and their speech is like a scorching fire.^(MA)
28 A perverse person spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.^(MB)
29 The violent entice their neighbors
    and lead them in a way that is not good.^(MC)
30 One who winks the eyes plans^[bd] perverse things;
    one who compresses the lips brings evil to pass.
³¹ Gray hair is a crown of glory;
    it is gained in a righteous life.^(MD)
32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city.^(ME)
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
    but the decision is the Lord’s alone.

17 Better is a dry morsel with quiet
    than a house full of feasting with strife.^(MF)
2 A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully
    and will share the inheritance as one of the family.^(MG)
3 The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,
    but the Lord tests the heart.^(MH)
4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.
⁵ Those who mock the poor insult their Maker;
    those who are glad at calamity will not go unpunished.^(MI)
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their parents.^(MJ)
7 Excess speech is not becoming to a fool;
    still less is false speech to a ruler.^[be]
8 A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of those who give it;
    wherever they turn they prosper.^(MK)
9 One who forgives an affront fosters friendship,
    but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.^(ML)
10 A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹ Evil people seek only rebellion,
    but a cruel messenger will be sent against them.
¹² Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs
    than to confront a fool immersed in folly.^(MM)
13 Evil will not depart from the house
    of one who returns evil for good.^(MN)
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so stop before the quarrel breaks out.^(MO)
15 One who justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.^(MP)
16 Why should fools have a price in hand
    to buy wisdom when they have no mind to learn?
¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
    and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.^(MQ)
18 It is senseless to give a pledge,
    to become surety for a neighbor.^(MR)
19 One who loves transgression loves strife;
    one who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.^(MS)
20 The crooked of mind do not prosper,
    and the perverse of tongue fall into calamity.^(MT)
21 The one who fathers a fool gets trouble;
    the parent of a fool has no joy.^(MU)
22 A cheerful heart is a good medicine,
    but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.^(MV)
23 The wicked accept a concealed bribe
    to pervert the ways of justice.^(MW)
24 The discerning person looks to wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.^(MX)
25 Foolish children are a grief to their father
    and bitterness to her who bore them.^(MY)
26 To impose a fine on the innocent is not right
    or to flog the noble for their integrity.^(MZ)
27 One who spares words is knowledgeable;
    one who is cool in spirit has understanding.^(NA)