Tamaño de la fuente
Proverbs 15-23
New International Version
Proverbs 15-23
New International Version
5 A fool spurns a parent’s discipline,
but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.(K)
6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure,(L)
but the income of the wicked brings ruin.(M)
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge,(N)
but the hearts of fools are not upright.
10 Stern discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path;
the one who hates correction will die.(T)
12 Mockers resent correction,(W)
so they avoid the wise.
14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,(Z)
but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched,
but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.(AA)
16 Better a little with the fear of the Lord
than great wealth with turmoil.(AB)
17 Better a small serving of vegetables with love
than a fattened calf with hatred.(AC)
19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,(AF)
but the path of the upright is a highway.
20 A wise son brings joy to his father,(AG)
but a foolish man despises his mother.
21 Folly brings joy to one who has no sense,(AH)
but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course.
24 The path of life leads upward for the prudent
to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.
25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud,(AN)
but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.(AO)
26 The Lord detests the thoughts(AP) of the wicked,(AQ)
but gracious words are pure(AR) in his sight.
27 The greedy bring ruin to their households,
but the one who hates bribes will live.(AS)
29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.(AV)
30 Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart,
and good news gives health to the bones.(AW)
31 Whoever heeds life-giving correction
will be at home among the wise.(AX)
32 Those who disregard discipline despise themselves,(AY)
but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.(AZ)
16 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.(BC)
3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.(BG)
6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord(BL) evil is avoided.(BM)
7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
he causes their enemies to make peace(BN) with them.(BO)
9 In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.(BR)
10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.(BS)
11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.(BT)
12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.(BU)
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.(BV)
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.(CC)
19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,[b](CG)
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.(CH)
22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,(CJ)
but folly brings punishment to fools.
26 The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.
29 A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.(CU)
30 Whoever winks(CV) with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;(CW)
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
32 Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.(DA)
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor(DD) shows contempt for their Maker;(DE)
whoever gloats over disaster(DF) will not go unpunished.(DG)
6 Children’s children(DH) are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!(DI)
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.(DJ)
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,(DK)
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.(DL)
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.(DM)
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.(DP)
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?(DS)
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.(DT)
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.(DU)
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.(DV)
24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes(EA) wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.(EB)
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,(EC)
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,(ED)
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.(EE)
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.(EF)
18 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.(EG)
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,(EH)
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.(EK)
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(EN)
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.(EO)
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;(ER)
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.(ES)
13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.(ET)
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?(EU)
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,(EV)
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift(EW) opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
18 Casting the lot settles disputes(EX)
and keeps strong opponents apart.
19 A brother wronged(EY) is more unyielding than a fortified city;
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.(EZ)
23 The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.
24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.(FE)
19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.(FF)
2 Desire without knowledge is not good—
how much more will hasty feet miss the way!(FG)
4 Wealth attracts many friends,
but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.(FJ)
7 The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
how much more do their friends avoid them!(FP)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
they are nowhere to be found.[e](FQ)
8 The one who gets wisdom loves life;
the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.(FR)
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will perish.(FS)
10 It is not fitting for a fool(FT) to live in luxury—
how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!(FU)
11 A person’s wisdom yields patience;(FV)
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin,(FZ)
and a quarrelsome wife is like
the constant dripping of a leaky roof.(GA)
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless go hungry.(GD)
16 Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.(GE)
17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,(GF)
and he will reward them for what they have done.(GG)
18 Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
do not be a willing party to their death.(GH)
19 A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
rescue them, and you will have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept discipline,(GI)
and at the end you will be counted among the wise.(GJ)
21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.(GK)
22 What a person desires is unfailing love[f];
better to be poor than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
then one rests content, untouched by trouble.(GL)
24 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he will not even bring it back to his mouth!(GM)
25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke the discerning,(GN) and they will gain knowledge.(GO)
26 Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother(GP)
is a child who brings shame and disgrace.
27 Stop listening to instruction, my son,(GQ)
and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.(GR)
29 Penalties are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.(GS)
2 A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;(GX)
those who anger him forfeit their lives.(GY)
5 The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,(HD)
but one who has insight draws them out.
6 Many claim to have unfailing love,
but a faithful person who can find?(HE)
10 Differing weights and differing measures—
the Lord detests them both.(HL)
11 Even small children are known by their actions,
so is their conduct really pure(HM) and upright?
12 Ears that hear and eyes that see—
the Lord has made them both.(HN)
13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;(HO)
stay awake and you will have food to spare.
14 “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—
then goes off and boasts about the purchase.
15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.
16 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge(HP) if it is done for an outsider.(HQ)
18 Plans are established by seeking advice;
so if you wage war, obtain guidance.(HT)
19 A gossip betrays a confidence;(HU)
so avoid anyone who talks too much.
20 If someone curses their father or mother,(HV)
their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.(HW)
21 An inheritance claimed too soon
will not be blessed at the end.
22 Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”(HX)
Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.(HY)
23 The Lord detests differing weights,
and dishonest scales do not please him.(HZ)
24 A person’s steps are directed(IA) by the Lord.(IB)
How then can anyone understand their own way?(IC)
25 It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
and only later to consider one’s vows.(ID)
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked;
he drives the threshing wheel over them.(IE)
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
gray hair the splendor of the old.(IJ)
21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
that he channels toward all who please him.(IM)
2 A person may think their own ways are right,
but the Lord weighs the heart.(IN)
3 To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.(IO)
4 Haughty eyes(IP) and a proud heart—
the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit(IQ)
as surely as haste leads to poverty.
7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,(IS)
for they refuse to do what is right.
8 The way of the guilty is devious,(IT)
but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9 Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.(IU)
10 The wicked crave evil;
their neighbors get no mercy from them.
11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;
by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.(IV)
14 A gift given in secret soothes anger,
and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.(IZ)
15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.(JA)
16 Whoever strays from the path of prudence
comes to rest in the company of the dead.(JB)
17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.(JC)
18 The wicked become a ransom(JD) for the righteous,
and the unfaithful for the upright.
19 Better to live in a desert
than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.(JE)
20 The wise store up choice food and olive oil,
but fools gulp theirs down.
22 One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty(JH)
and pull down the stronghold in which they trust.
24 The proud and arrogant person(JK)—“Mocker” is his name—
behaves with insolent fury.
25 The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,(JL)
because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he craves for more,
but the righteous(JM) give without sparing.(JN)
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable(JO)—
how much more so when brought with evil intent!(JP)
29 The wicked put up a bold front,
but the upright give thought to their ways.(JS)
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the Lord.(JV)
22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.(JW)
2 Rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord is the Maker of them all.(JX)
5 In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,(KC)
but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.
6 Start(KD) children off on the way they should go,(KE)
and even when they are old they will not turn from it.(KF)
7 The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.
10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels and insults are ended.(KK)
11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
will have the king for a friend.(KL)
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
13 The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside!(KM)
I’ll be killed in the public square!”
14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;(KN)
a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.(KO)
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.(KP)
16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.
Thirty Sayings of the Wise
Saying 1
17 Pay attention(KQ) and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;(KR)
apply your heart to what I teach,(KS)
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,(KT)
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve?
Saying 2
22 Do not exploit the poor(KU) because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,(KV)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(KW)
and will exact life for life.(KX)
Saying 3
24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25 or you may learn their ways
and get yourself ensnared.(KY)
Saying 4
26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge(KZ)
or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.(LA)
Saying 5
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(LB)
set up by your ancestors.
Saying 6
29 Do you see someone skilled(LC) in their work?
They will serve(LD) before kings;(LE)
they will not serve before officials of low rank.
Saying 7
23 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well what[k] is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.
3 Do not crave his delicacies,(LF)
for that food is deceptive.
Saying 8
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
do not trust your own cleverness.
5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,(LG)
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.(LH)
Saying 9
6 Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
do not crave his delicacies;(LI)
7 for he is the kind of person
who is always thinking about the cost.[l]
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten
and will have wasted your compliments.
Saying 10
9 Do not speak to fools,
for they will scorn your prudent words.(LJ)
Saying 11
10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(LK)
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their Defender(LL) is strong;(LM)
he will take up their case against you.(LN)
Saying 12
12 Apply your heart to instruction(LO)
and your ears to words of knowledge.
Saying 13
13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
Notas al pie
- Proverbs 15:11 Hebrew Abaddon
- Proverbs 16:20 Or whoever speaks prudently finds what is good
- Proverbs 16:21 Or words make a person persuasive
- Proverbs 16:23 Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive
- Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
- Proverbs 19:22 Or Greed is a person’s shame
- Proverbs 20:27 Or A person’s words are
- Proverbs 21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death
- Proverbs 21:12 Or The righteous person
- Proverbs 21:21 Or righteousness
- Proverbs 23:1 Or who
- Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he thinks within himself, / so he is; or for as he puts on a feast, / so he is
Proverbs 15-31
King James Version
Proverbs 15-31
King James Version
15 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.
7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.
11 Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?
12 A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.
13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.
17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.
20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.
21 Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.
22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
23 A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!
24 The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.
25 The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow.
26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.
27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.
28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
29 The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat.
31 The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.
32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.
33 The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
16 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.
3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
4 The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.
7 When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.
11 A just weight and balance are the Lord's: all the weights of the bag are his work.
12 It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.
14 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.
15 In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.
21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.
24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
26 He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.
27 An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.
28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
29 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.
30 He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.
31 The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.
32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
17 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.
4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
10 A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.
16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?
17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.
20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.
26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
18 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
3 When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
4 The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
20 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.
23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
19 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
2 Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.
3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the Lord.
4 Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.
5 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.
6 Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.
7 All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.
8 He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.
9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.
10 Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
12 The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.
13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.
14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.
17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.
20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.
22 The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
24 A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25 Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.
26 He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.
27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.
28 An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.
29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.
20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.
23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good.
24 Man's goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?
25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.
30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
21 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.
3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
7 The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.
8 The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.
9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.
10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.
11 When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
12 The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.
13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.
15 It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.
19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.
25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
28 A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.
29 A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.
30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.
31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.
22 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
2 The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all.
3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein.
15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
19 That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23 For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
23 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
15 My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.
18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
24 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.
9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked:
20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.
27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.
30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
25 These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:
7 For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.
8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:
10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.
11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
14 Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.
15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.
18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.
23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.
27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.
28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
26 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.
2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.
7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouths of fools.
10 The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.
27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
27 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
16 Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.
17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21 As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
24 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?
25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.
27 And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.
28 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
2 For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.
3 A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.
4 They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.
5 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things.
6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
7 Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.
8 He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
10 Whoso 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.
11 The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
12 When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.
13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
15 As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.
16 The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
17 A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.
18 Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.
19 He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.
21 To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.
22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.
23 He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.
24 Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.
25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat.
26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.
29 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
3 Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.
4 The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.
5 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.
6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice.
7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.
8 Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.
9 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.
10 The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.
11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
12 If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.
13 The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the Lord lighteneth both their eyes.
14 The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.
15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.
17 Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
19 A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer.
20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
21 He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.
22 An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.
23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
24 Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.
25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
26 Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment cometh from the Lord.
27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.
30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?
5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
15 The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
23 For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.
29 There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
31 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
Proverbs 15-31
New King James Version
Proverbs 15-31
New King James Version
A Soft Answer Turns Away Wrath
15 A (A)soft answer turns away wrath,
But (B)a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,
(C)But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.
3 (D)The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Keeping watch on the evil and the good.
4 A [a]wholesome tongue is a tree of life,
But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
But in the revenue of the wicked is trouble.
7 The lips of the wise [c]disperse knowledge,
But the heart of the fool does not do so.
8 (G)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves him who (H)follows righteousness.
11 (K)Hell[d] and [e]Destruction are before the Lord;
So how much more (L)the hearts of the sons of men.
12 (M)A scoffer does not love one who corrects him,
Nor will he go to the wise.
13 (N)A merry heart makes a cheerful [f]countenance,
But (O)by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil,
(P)But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.
16 (Q)Better is a little with the fear of the Lord,
Than great treasure with trouble.
17 (R)Better is a dinner of [g]herbs where love is,
Than a fatted calf with hatred.
18 (S)A wrathful man stirs up strife,
But he who is slow to anger allays contention.
19 (T)The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns,
But the way of the upright is a highway.
20 (U)A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man despises his mother.
21 (V)Folly is joy to him who is destitute of [h]discernment,
(W)But a man of understanding walks uprightly.
22 (X)Without counsel, plans go awry,
But in the multitude of counselors they are established.
25 (AB)The Lord will destroy the house of the proud,
But (AC)He will establish the boundary of the widow.
26 (AD)The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
(AE)But the words of the pure are pleasant.
27 (AF)He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house,
But he who hates bribes will live.
28 The heart of the righteous (AG)studies how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.
30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
And a good report makes the bones [k]healthy.
31 The ear that hears the rebukes of life
Will abide among the wise.
32 He who disdains instruction despises his own soul,
But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding.
33 (AJ)The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom,
And (AK)before honor is humility.
Wisdom Is Better Than Gold
16 The (AL)preparations[l] of the heart belong to man,
(AM)But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own (AN)eyes,
But the Lord weighs the spirits.
5 (AR)Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Though they join [o]forces, none will go unpunished.
6 (AS)In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And (AT)by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 (AU)Better is a little with righteousness,
Than vast revenues without justice.
10 Divination is on the lips of the king;
His mouth must not transgress in judgment.
11 (AX)Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s;
All the weights in the bag are His [p]work.
12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,
For (AY)a throne is established by righteousness.
13 (AZ)Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And they love him who speaks what is right.
14 As messengers of death is the king’s wrath,
But a wise man will (BA)appease it.
15 In the light of the king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a (BB)cloud of the latter rain.
16 (BC)How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before [q]a fall.
19 Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,
Than to divide the [r]spoil with the proud.
20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good,
And whoever (BD)trusts in the Lord, happy is he.
21 The wise in heart will be called prudent,
And sweetness of the lips increases learning.
22 Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it.
But the correction of fools is folly.
23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
And adds learning to his lips.
24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of (BE)death.
26 The person who labors, labors for himself,
For his hungry mouth drives (BF)him on.
27 [s]An ungodly man digs up evil,
And it is on his lips like a burning (BG)fire.
28 A perverse man sows strife,
And (BH)a whisperer separates the best of friends.
29 A violent man entices his neighbor,
And leads him in a way that is not good.
30 He winks his eye to devise perverse things;
He [t]purses his lips and brings about evil.
31 (BI)The silver-haired head is a crown of glory,
If it is found in the way of righteousness.
32 (BJ)He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord.
The Lord Tests Hearts
2 A wise servant will rule over (BL)a son who causes shame,
And will share an inheritance among the brothers.
3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
(BM)But the Lord tests the hearts.
4 An evildoer gives heed to false lips;
A liar listens eagerly to a [v]spiteful tongue.
5 (BN)He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;
(BO)He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
6 (BP)Children’s children are the crown of old men,
And the glory of children is their father.
7 Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,
Much less lying lips to a prince.
8 A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
10 (BS)Rebuke is more effective for a wise man
Than a hundred blows on a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet (BT)a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Whoever (BU)rewards evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water;
Therefore (BV)stop contention before a quarrel starts.
15 (BW)He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Since he has no heart for it?
17 (BX)A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
18 (BY)A man devoid of [w]understanding [x]shakes hands in a pledge,
And becomes [y]surety for his friend.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife,
And (BZ)he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.
20 He who has a [z]deceitful heart finds no good,
And he who has (CA)a perverse tongue falls into evil.
21 He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.
23 A wicked man accepts a bribe [ab]behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.
24 (CC)Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding,
But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 A (CD)foolish son is a grief to his father,
And bitterness to her who bore him.
26 Also, to punish the righteous is not good,
Nor to strike princes for their uprightness.
27 (CE)He who has knowledge spares his words,
And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.
28 (CF)Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;
When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.
The Name of the Lord Is a Strong Tower
18 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;
He rages against all [ac]wise judgment.
2 A fool has no delight in understanding,
But in expressing his (CG)own heart.
3 When the wicked comes, contempt comes also;
And with dishonor comes reproach.
5 It is not good to show partiality to the wicked,
Or to overthrow the righteous in (CJ)judgment.
6 A fool’s lips enter into contention,
And his mouth calls for blows.
7 (CK)A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
And his lips are the snare of his (CL)soul.
8 (CM)The words of a [ad]talebearer are like [ae]tasty trifles,
And they go down into the [af]inmost body.
9 He who is slothful in his work
Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.
10 The name of the Lord is a strong (CN)tower;
The righteous run to it and are [ag]safe.
11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own esteem.
12 (CO)Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,
And before honor is humility.
13 He who answers a matter before he hears it,
It is folly and shame to him.
14 The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness,
But who can bear a broken spirit?
15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 (CP)A man’s gift makes room for him,
And brings him before great men.
17 The first one to plead his cause seems right,
Until his neighbor comes and examines him.
18 Casting (CQ)lots causes contentions to cease,
And keeps the mighty apart.
19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a castle.
20 (CR)A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;
From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.
21 (CS)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.
22 (CT)He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the Lord.
23 The poor man uses entreaties,
But the rich answers (CU)roughly.
24 A man who has friends [ah]must himself be friendly,
(CV)But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
The Fear of the Lord Leads to Life
19 Better (CW)is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
2 Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge,
And he sins who hastens with his feet.
3 The foolishness of a man twists his way,
And his heart frets against the Lord.
4 (CX)Wealth makes many friends,
But the poor is separated from his friend.
5 A (CY)false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies will not escape.
6 Many entreat the favor of the nobility,
And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.
7 (CZ)All the brothers of the poor hate him;
How much more do his friends go (DA)far from him!
He may pursue them with words, yet they [ai]abandon him.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies shall perish.
10 Luxury is not fitting for a fool,
Much less (DC)for a servant to rule over princes.
11 (DD)The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
(DE)And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
13 (DH)A foolish son is the ruin of his father,
(DI)And the contentions of a wife are a continual [ak]dripping.
17 (DO)He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,
And He will pay back what he has given.
19 A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;
For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.
20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise (DQ)in your latter days.
21 There are many plans in a man’s heart,
(DR)Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is [an]kindness,
And a poor man is better than a liar.
23 (DS)The fear of the Lord leads to life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will not be visited with evil.
24 (DT)A lazy man buries his hand in the [ao]bowl,
And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple (DU)will become wary;
(DV)Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.
26 He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother
Is (DW)a son who causes shame and brings reproach.
27 Cease listening to instruction, my son,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
29 Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
(DY)And beatings for the backs of fools.
Wine Is a Mocker
20 Wine (DZ)is a mocker,
Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The [aq]wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
3 (EA)It is honorable for a man to stop striving,
Since any fool can start a quarrel.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Most men will proclaim each his own [ar]goodness,
But who can find a faithful man?
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
Scatters all evil with his eyes.
9 (EF)Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin”?
10 (EG)Diverse weights and diverse measures,
They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child is (EH)known by his deeds,
Whether what he does is pure and right.
12 (EI)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made them both.
13 (EJ)Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.
14 “It is [as]good for nothing,” cries the buyer;
But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and a multitude of rubies,
But (EK)the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 (EL)Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.
17 (EM)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
19 (EP)He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one (EQ)who flatters with his lips.
23 Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And dishonest scales are not good.
24 A man’s steps are of the Lord;
How then can a man understand his own way?
25 It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy,
And afterward to reconsider his vows.
26 (EX)A wise king sifts out the wicked,
And brings the threshing wheel over them.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
And (FA)the splendor of old men is their gray head.
30 Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,
As do stripes the [aw]inner depths of the heart.
The Lord Considers the Heart
21 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,
Like the [ax]rivers of water;
He turns it wherever He wishes.
3 (FD)To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
5 (FF)The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.
7 The violence of the wicked will [ba]destroy them,
Because they refuse to do justice.
8 The way of [bb]a guilty man is perverse;
But as for the pure, his work is right.
9 Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with (FH)a contentious woman.
10 (FI)The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
11 When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;
But when the (FJ)wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
12 The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked,
Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.
13 (FK)Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
Will also cry himself and not be heard.
14 A gift in secret pacifies anger,
And a bribe [bc]behind the back, strong wrath.
15 It is a joy for the just to do justice,
But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.
16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding
Will rest in the assembly of the (FL)dead.
17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
And the unfaithful for the upright.
19 Better to dwell [bd]in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman.
20 (FM)There is desirable treasure,
And oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man squanders it.
21 (FN)He who follows righteousness and mercy
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
23 (FP)Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles.
24 A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name;
He acts with arrogant pride.
25 The (FQ)desire of the lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor.
26 He covets greedily all day long,
But the righteous (FR)gives and does not spare.
27 (FS)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!
28 A false witness shall perish,
But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.
29 A wicked man hardens his face,
But as for the upright, he [bf]establishes his way.
30 (FT)There is no wisdom or understanding
Or counsel against the Lord.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But (FU)deliverance is of the Lord.
The Value of a Good Name
22 A (FV)good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
Loving favor rather than silver and gold.
3 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself,
But the simple pass on and are (FY)punished.
4 By humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches and honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards his soul will be far from them.
7 The (GA)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.
10 (GE)Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave;
Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
11 (GF)He who loves purity of heart
And has grace on his lips,
The king will be his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the faithless.
13 (GG)The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be slain in the streets!”
14 (GH)The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit;
(GI)He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
(GJ)The rod of correction will drive it far from him.
16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches,
And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.
Sayings of the Wise
17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your heart to my knowledge;
18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;
Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord;
I have instructed you today, even you.
20 Have I not written to you excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21 (GK)That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth,
(GL)That you may answer words of truth
To those who [bj]send to you?
22 Do not rob the (GM)poor because he is poor,
Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;
23 (GN)For the Lord will plead their cause,
And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man,
And with a (GO)furious man do not go,
25 Lest you learn his ways
And set a snare for your soul.
26 (GP)Do not be one of those who [bk]shakes hands in a pledge,
One of those who is [bl]surety for debts;
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
Why should he take away your bed from under you?
29 Do you see a man who [bn]excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before [bo]unknown men.
Listen to Your Father
23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
Consider carefully what is before you;
2 And put a knife to your throat
If you are a man given to appetite.
3 Do not desire his delicacies,
For they are deceptive food.
4 (GR)Do not overwork to be rich;
(GS)Because of your own understanding, cease!
5 [bp]Will you set your eyes on that which is not?
For riches certainly make themselves wings;
They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.
6 Do not eat the bread of (GT)a[bq] miser,
Nor desire his delicacies;
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” (GU)he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
8 The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up,
And waste your pleasant words.
9 (GV)Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Do not remove the ancient [br]landmark,
Nor enter the fields of the fatherless;
11 (GW)For their Redeemer is mighty;
He will plead their cause against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction,
And your ears to words of knowledge.
13 (GX)Do not withhold correction from a child,
For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
14 You shall beat him with a rod,
And deliver his soul from [bs]hell.
15 My son, if your heart is wise,
My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;
16 Yes, my [bt]inmost being will rejoice
When your lips speak right things.
17 (GY)Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But (GZ)be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;
18 (HA)For surely there is a [bu]hereafter,
And your hope will not be cut off.
19 Hear, my son, and be wise;
And guide your heart in the way.
20 (HB)Do not mix with winebibbers,
Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
22 (HC)Listen to your father who begot you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 (HD)Buy the truth, and do not sell it,
Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 (HE)The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And he who begets a wise child will delight in him.
25 Let your father and your mother be glad,
And let her who bore you rejoice.
26 My son, give me your heart,
And let your eyes observe my ways.
27 (HF)For a harlot is a deep pit,
And a seductress is a narrow well.
28 (HG)She also lies in wait as for a victim,
And increases the unfaithful among men.
29 (HH)Who has woe?
Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions?
Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who (HI)has redness of eyes?
30 (HJ)Those who linger long at the wine,
Those who go in search of (HK)mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it [bv]swirls around smoothly;
32 At the last it bites like a serpent,
And stings like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
And your heart will utter perverse things.
34 Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the [bw]midst of the sea,
Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
35 “They(HL) have struck me, but I was not hurt;
They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
When shall (HM)I awake, that I may seek another drink?”
Do Not Envy Evil Men
24 Do not be (HN)envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;
2 For their heart devises violence,
And their lips talk of troublemaking.
3 Through wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
4 By knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.
5 (HO)A wise man is strong,
Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;
6 (HP)For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,
And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.
7 (HQ)Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;
He does not open his mouth in the gate.
8 He who (HR)plots to do evil
Will be called a [bx]schemer.
9 The devising of foolishness is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 If you (HS)faint in the day of adversity,
Your strength is small.
11 (HT)Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, “Surely we did not know this,”
Does not (HU)He who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to each man (HV)according to his deeds?
13 My son, (HW)eat honey because it is good,
And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;
14 (HX)So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;
If you have found it, there is a [by]prospect,
And your hope will not be cut off.
15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not plunder his resting place;
16 (HY)For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again,
(HZ)But the wicked shall fall by calamity.
17 (IA)Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
18 Lest the Lord see it, and [bz]it displease Him,
And He turn away His wrath from him.
19 (IB)Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the wicked;
20 For there will be no prospect for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21 My son, (IC)fear the Lord and the king;
Do not associate with those given to change;
22 For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin those two can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise
23 These things also belong to the wise:
(ID)It is not good to [ca]show partiality in judgment.
24 (IE)He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Him the people will curse;
Nations will abhor him.
25 But those who rebuke the wicked will have (IF)delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.
26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
27 (IG)Prepare your outside work,
Make it fit for yourself in the field;
And afterward build your house.
28 (IH)Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
[cb]For would you deceive with your lips?
29 (II)Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.”
30 I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
31 And there it was, (IJ)all overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.
32 When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:
33 (IK)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;
34 (IL)So shall your poverty come like [cc]a prowler,
And your need like [cd]an armed man.
Further Wise Sayings of Solomon
25 These(IM) also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:
2 (IN)It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
3 As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 (IO)Take away the dross from silver,
And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.
5 Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne will be established in (IP)righteousness.
6 Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of the great;
7 (IQ)For it is better that he say to you,
“Come up here,”
Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.
8 (IR)Do not go hastily to [ce]court;
For what will you do in the end,
When your neighbor has put you to shame?
9 (IS)Debate your case with your neighbor,
And do not disclose the secret to another;
10 Lest he who hears it expose your shame,
And [cf]your reputation be ruined.
11 A word fitly (IT)spoken is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.
12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.
13 (IU)Like the cold of snow in time of harvest
Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
15 (IX)By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.
16 Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he become weary of you and hate you.
18 (IY)A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.
20 Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who (IZ)sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 (JA)If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
(JB)And the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
And (JC)a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
24 (JD)It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
25 As cold water to a weary soul,
So is (JE)good news from a far country.
26 A righteous man who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a [cg]polluted well.
27 It is not good to eat much honey;
So (JF)to seek one’s own glory is not glory.
28 (JG)Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.
Honor Is Not Fitting for a Fool
26 As snow in summer (JH)and rain in harvest,
So honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow,
So (JI)a curse without cause shall not alight.
3 (JJ)A whip for the horse,
A bridle for the donkey,
And a rod for the fool’s back.
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you also be like him.
5 (JK)Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6 He who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
7 Like the legs of the lame that hang limp
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like one who binds a stone in a sling
Is he who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 [ch]The great God who formed everything
Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.
11 (JL)As a dog returns to his own vomit,
(JM)So a fool repeats his folly.
12 (JN)Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road!
A fierce lion is in the [ci]streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
So does the lazy man on his bed.
15 The (JO)lazy man buries his hand in the [cj]bowl;
It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own
Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 Is the man who deceives his neighbor,
And says, (JP)“I was only joking!”
20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
And where there is no [ck]talebearer, strife ceases.
21 (JQ)As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a [cl]talebearer are like [cm]tasty trifles,
And they go down into the [cn]inmost body.
23 Fervent lips with a wicked heart
Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
24 He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
And lays up deceit within himself;
25 (JR)When [co]he speaks kindly, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart;
26 Though his hatred is covered by deceit,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
27 (JS)Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,
And a flattering mouth works (JT)ruin.
My Son, Be Wise
27 Do(JU) not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2 (JV)Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.
4 Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,
But (JW)who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 (JX)Open rebuke is better
Than love carefully concealed.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are (JY)deceitful.
7 A satisfied soul [cp]loathes the honeycomb,
But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a bird that wanders from its nest
Is a man who wanders from his place.
9 Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by [cq]hearty counsel.
10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
(JZ)Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
(KA)That I may answer him who reproaches me.
12 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
The simple pass on and are (KB)punished.
13 Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.
14 He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,
It will be counted a curse to him.
15 A (KC)continual dripping on a very rainy day
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 Whoever [cr]restrains her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 (KD)Whoever [cs]keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
So he who waits on his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
So a man’s heart reveals the man.
21 (KG)The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And a man is valued by what others say of him.
22 (KH)Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23 Be diligent to know the state of your (KI)flocks,
And attend to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
25 (KJ)When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26 The lambs will provide your clothing,
And the goats the price of a field;
27 You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And the nourishment of your maidservants.
The Righteous Are Bold as a Lion
28 The (KK)wicked flee when no one pursues,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
2 Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
But by a man of understanding and knowledge
Right will be prolonged.
6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
7 Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
But a companion of gluttons shames his father.
8 One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.
9 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
(KQ)Even his prayer is an abomination.
10 (KR)Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,
He himself will fall into his own pit;
(KS)But the blameless will inherit good.
11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding searches him out.
12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great (KT)glory;
But when the wicked arise, men [cw]hide themselves.
13 (KU)He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
14 Happy is the man who is always reverent,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a great (KX)oppressor,
But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
17 (KY)A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;
Let no one help him.
18 Whoever walks blamelessly will be [cx]saved,
But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
19 (KZ)He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
(LA)But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
And does not consider that (LD)poverty will come upon him.
23 (LE)He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
Than he who flatters with the tongue.
24 Whoever robs his father or his mother,
And says, “It is no transgression,”
The same (LF)is companion to a destroyer.
25 (LG)He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
(LH)But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.
26 He who (LI)trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
27 (LJ)He who gives to the poor will not lack,
But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked arise, (LK)men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Happy Is He Who Keeps the Law
29 He(LL) who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2 When the righteous [cz]are in authority, the (LM)people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, (LN)the people groan.
3 Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,
But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.
4 The king establishes the land by justice,
But he who receives bribes overthrows it.
5 A man who (LO)flatters his neighbor
Spreads a net for his feet.
6 By transgression an evil man is snared,
But the righteous sings and rejoices.
7 The righteous (LP)considers the cause of the poor,
But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.
8 Scoffers (LQ)set a city aflame,
But wise men turn away wrath.
9 If a wise man contends with a foolish man,
(LR)Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.
12 If a ruler pays attention to lies,
All his servants become wicked.
13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
(LU)The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
14 The king who judges the (LV)poor with truth,
His throne will be established forever.
15 The rod and rebuke give (LW)wisdom,
But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases;
But the righteous will see their (LX)fall.
17 Correct your son, and he will give you rest;
Yes, he will give delight to your soul.
18 (LY)Where there is no [dc]revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But (LZ)happy is he who keeps the law.
19 A servant will not be corrected by mere words;
For though he understands, he will not respond.
20 Do you see a man hasty in his words?
(MA)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 He who pampers his servant from childhood
Will have him as a son in the end.
22 (MB)An angry man stirs up strife,
And a furious man abounds in transgression.
23 (MC)A man’s pride will bring him low,
But the humble in spirit will retain honor.
24 Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
(MD)He [dd]swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.
27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.
The Wisdom of Agur
30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 (MG)Surely I am more stupid than any man,
And do not have the understanding of a man.
3 I neither learned wisdom
Nor have (MH)knowledge of the Holy One.
4 (MI)Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?
(MJ)Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,
If you know?
5 (MK)Every word of God is [dg]pure;
(ML)He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 (MM)Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
7 Two things I request of You
(Deprive me not before I die):
8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches—
(MN)Feed me with the food allotted to me;
9 (MO)Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God.
10 Do not malign a servant to his master,
Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.
11 There is a generation that curses its (MP)father,
And does not bless its mother.
12 There is a generation (MQ)that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13 There is a generation—oh, how (MR)lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are [dh]lifted up.
14 (MS)There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,
And whose fangs are like knives,
(MT)To devour the poor from off the earth,
And the needy from among men.
15 The leech has two daughters—
Give and Give!
There are three things that are never satisfied,
Four never say, “Enough!”:
16 (MU)The[di] grave,
The barren womb,
The earth that is not satisfied with water—
And the fire never says, “Enough!”
17 (MV)The eye that mocks his father,
And scorns obedience to his mother,
The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young eagles will eat it.
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Yes, four which I do not understand:
19 The way of an eagle in the air,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the [dj]midst of the sea,
And the way of a man with a virgin.
20 This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
And says, “I have done no wickedness.”
21 For three things the earth is perturbed,
Yes, for four it cannot bear up:
22 (MW)For a servant when he reigns,
A fool when he is filled with food,
23 A [dk]hateful woman when she is married,
And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.
24 There are four things which are little on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
25 (MX)The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26 (MY)The [dl]rock badgers are a feeble folk,
Yet they make their homes in the crags;
27 The locusts have no king,
Yet they all advance in ranks;
28 The [dm]spider skillfully grasps with its hands,
And it is in kings’ palaces.
29 There are three things which are majestic in pace,
Yes, four which are stately in walk:
30 A lion, which is mighty among beasts
And does not turn away from any;
31 A [dn]greyhound,
A male goat also,
And [do]a king whose troops are with him.
32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,
Or if you have devised evil, (MZ)put your hand on your mouth.
33 For as the churning of milk produces butter,
And wringing the nose produces blood,
So the forcing of wrath produces strife.
The Words of King Lemuel’s Mother
31 The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:
2 What, my son?
And what, son of my womb?
And what, (NA)son of my vows?
3 (NB)Do not give your strength to women,
Nor your ways (NC)to that which destroys kings.
4 (ND)It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
5 (NE)Lest they drink and forget the law,
And pervert the justice of all [dp]the afflicted.
6 (NF)Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.
8 (NG)Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are [dq]appointed to die.
9 Open your mouth, (NH)judge righteously,
And (NI)plead the cause of the poor and needy.
The Virtuous Wife
10 (NJ)Who[dr] can find a [ds]virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
15 (NK)She also rises while it is yet night,
And (NL)provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From [dt]her profits she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
20 (NM)She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 (NN)Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.
Notas al pie
- Proverbs 15:4 Lit. healing
- Proverbs 15:5 Lit. keeps
- Proverbs 15:7 spread
- Proverbs 15:11 Or Sheol
- Proverbs 15:11 Heb. Abaddon
- Proverbs 15:13 face
- Proverbs 15:17 Or vegetables
- Proverbs 15:21 Lit. heart
- Proverbs 15:23 Lit. in its time
- Proverbs 15:24 Or Sheol
- Proverbs 15:30 Lit. fat
- Proverbs 16:1 plans
- Proverbs 16:3 Lit. Roll
- Proverbs 16:4 Lit. evil
- Proverbs 16:5 Lit. hand to hand
- Proverbs 16:11 concern
- Proverbs 16:18 stumbling
- Proverbs 16:19 plunder
- Proverbs 16:27 Lit. A man of Belial
- Proverbs 16:30 Lit. compresses
- Proverbs 17:1 Or sacrificial meals
- Proverbs 17:4 Lit. destructive
- Proverbs 17:18 Lit. heart
- Proverbs 17:18 Lit. strikes the hands
- Proverbs 17:18 guaranty or collateral
- Proverbs 17:20 crooked
- Proverbs 17:22 Or makes medicine even better
- Proverbs 17:23 Under cover, lit. from the bosom
- Proverbs 18:1 sound wisdom
- Proverbs 18:8 gossip or slanderer
- Proverbs 18:8 A Jewish tradition wounds
- Proverbs 18:8 Lit. rooms of the belly
- Proverbs 18:10 secure, lit. set on high
- Proverbs 18:24 So with Gr. mss., Syr., Tg., Vg.; MT may come to ruin
- Proverbs 19:7 Lit. are not
- Proverbs 19:8 Lit. heart
- Proverbs 19:13 Irritation
- Proverbs 19:16 Is reckless, lit. despises
- Proverbs 19:18 Lit. to put him to death; a Jewish tradition on his crying
- Proverbs 19:22 Lit. lovingkindness
- Proverbs 19:24 LXX, Syr. bosom; Tg., Vg. armpit
- Proverbs 19:28 Lit. witness of Belial, worthless witness
- Proverbs 20:2 Lit. fear or terror, produced by the king’s wrath
- Proverbs 20:6 Lit. mercy
- Proverbs 20:14 Lit. evil, evil
- Proverbs 20:22 repay
- Proverbs 20:27 Lit. rooms of the belly
- Proverbs 20:28 mercy
- Proverbs 20:30 Lit. rooms of the belly
- Proverbs 21:1 channels
- Proverbs 21:4 Or lamp
- Proverbs 21:6 LXX Pursue vanity on the snares of death; Vg. Is vain and foolish, and shall stumble on the snares of death; Tg. They shall be destroyed, and they shall fall who seek death
- Proverbs 21:7 Lit. drag them away
- Proverbs 21:8 Or The way of a man is perverse and strange;
- Proverbs 21:14 Under cover, lit. in the bosom
- Proverbs 21:19 Lit. in the land of the desert
- Proverbs 21:22 Climbs over the walls of
- Proverbs 21:29 Qr., LXX understands
- Proverbs 22:6 Even
- Proverbs 22:8 trouble
- Proverbs 22:9 Lit. good
- Proverbs 22:21 Or send you
- Proverbs 22:26 Lit. strikes
- Proverbs 22:26 guaranty
- Proverbs 22:28 boundary
- Proverbs 22:29 is prompt in his business
- Proverbs 22:29 obscure
- Proverbs 23:5 Lit. Will you cause your eyes to fly upon it and it is not?
- Proverbs 23:6 Lit. one who has an evil eye
- Proverbs 23:10 boundary
- Proverbs 23:14 Or Sheol
- Proverbs 23:16 Lit. kidneys
- Proverbs 23:18 Future, lit. latter end
- Proverbs 23:31 goes around
- Proverbs 23:34 Lit. heart
- Proverbs 24:8 Lit. master of evil plots
- Proverbs 24:14 Lit. latter end
- Proverbs 24:18 Lit. it be evil in His eyes
- Proverbs 24:23 Lit. recognize faces
- Proverbs 24:28 LXX, Vg. Do not deceive
- Proverbs 24:34 Lit. one who walks about
- Proverbs 24:34 Lit. a man with a shield
- Proverbs 25:8 Lit. contend or bring a lawsuit
- Proverbs 25:10 the evil report concerning you not pass away
- Proverbs 25:26 ruined
- Proverbs 26:10 Heb. difficult in v. 10; ancient and modern translators differ greatly
- Proverbs 26:13 Or plazas, squares
- Proverbs 26:15 LXX, Syr. bosom; Tg., Vg. armpit
- Proverbs 26:20 gossip or slanderer, lit. whisperer
- Proverbs 26:22 gossip or slanderer
- Proverbs 26:22 A Jewish tradition wounds
- Proverbs 26:22 Lit. rooms of the belly
- Proverbs 26:25 Lit. his voice is gracious
- Proverbs 27:7 tramples on
- Proverbs 27:9 Lit. counsel of the soul
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit. hides
- Proverbs 27:18 protects or tends
- Proverbs 27:20 Or Sheol
- Proverbs 27:20 Heb. Abaddon
- Proverbs 28:3 Lit. and there is no bread
- Proverbs 28:12 Lit. will be searched for
- Proverbs 28:18 delivered
- Proverbs 28:21 Lit. recognize faces
- Proverbs 29:2 become great
- Proverbs 29:10 Lit. soul or life
- Proverbs 29:11 Lit. spirit
- Proverbs 29:18 prophetic vision
- Proverbs 29:24 Lit. hears the adjuration or oath
- Proverbs 29:25 secure, lit. set on high
- Proverbs 29:26 Lit. face
- Proverbs 30:5 tested, refined, found pure
- Proverbs 30:13 In arrogance
- Proverbs 30:16 Or Sheol
- Proverbs 30:19 Lit. heart
- Proverbs 30:23 Or hated
- Proverbs 30:26 rock hyraxes
- Proverbs 30:28 Or lizard
- Proverbs 30:31 Or perhaps strutting rooster, lit. girded of waist
- Proverbs 30:31 A Jewish tradition a king against whom there is no uprising
- Proverbs 31:5 Lit. sons of affliction
- Proverbs 31:8 Lit. sons of passing away
- Proverbs 31:10 Vv. 10–31 are an alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew; cf. Ps. 119
- Proverbs 31:10 Lit. a wife of valor, in the sense of all forms of excellence
- Proverbs 31:16 Lit. the fruit of her hands
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.