Proverbs 17-25
English Standard Version
17 (A)Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting[a] with strife.
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over (B)a son who acts shamefully
and (C)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 (D)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
(E)and the Lord tests hearts.
4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor (F)insults his Maker;
he who is (G)glad at calamity will not go (H)unpunished.
6 (I)Grandchildren are (J)the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine speech is not (K)becoming to a fool;
still less is (L)false speech to a prince.
8 (M)A bribe is like a magic[b] stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.
9 Whoever (N)covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter (O)separates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and (P)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet (Q)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
(R)rather than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone (S)returns evil for good,
(T)evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
so (U)quit before the quarrel breaks out.
15 He who (V)justifies the wicked and he who (W)condemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should a fool have money in his hand (X)to buy wisdom
when he has no sense?
17 (Y)A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge
and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
he who (Z)makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 (AA)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
21 He who (AB)sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 (AC)A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit (AD)dries up the bones.
23 The wicked accepts (AE)a bribe in secret[c]
to (AF)pervert the ways of justice.
24 (AG)The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 (AH)A foolish son is a grief to his father
(AI)and bitterness to (AJ)her who bore him.
26 (AK)To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 Whoever (AL)restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool (AM)who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
18 Whoever (AN)isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment.
2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only (AO)in expressing his opinion.
3 When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.
4 The words of a man's mouth are (AP)deep waters;
the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
5 It is not good to (AQ)be partial to[d] the wicked
or to (AR)deprive the righteous of justice.
6 A fool's lips walk into a fight,
and his mouth invites (AS)a beating.
7 (AT)A fool's mouth is his ruin,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.
8 (AU)The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into (AV)the inner parts of the body.
9 Whoever is slack in his work
is a (AW)brother to him who destroys.
10 (AX)The name of the Lord is (AY)a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and (AZ)is safe.
11 (BA)A rich man's wealth is his strong city,
and like a high wall in his imagination.
12 (BB)Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
but (BC)humility comes before honor.
13 If one gives an answer (BD)before he hears,
it is his folly and shame.
14 A man's spirit will endure sickness,
but (BE)a crushed spirit who can bear?
15 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man's (BF)gift makes room for him
and brings him before the great.
17 The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him.
18 (BG)The lot puts an end to quarrels
and decides between powerful contenders.
19 A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
20 (BH)From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
21 (BI)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.
22 He who finds (BJ)a wife finds (BK)a good thing
and (BL)obtains favor (BM)from the Lord.
23 The poor use entreaties,
but (BN)the rich answer roughly.
24 A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but (BO)there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
19 (BP)Better is a poor person who (BQ)walks in his integrity
than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
2 Desire[e] without knowledge is not good,
and whoever (BR)makes haste with his feet misses his way.
3 When a man's folly (BS)brings his way to ruin,
his heart (BT)rages against the Lord.
4 (BU)Wealth brings many new friends,
(BV)but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
5 (BW)A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who (BX)breathes out lies will not escape.
6 Many seek the favor of a generous man,[f]
and everyone is a friend to a man who gives (BY)gifts.
7 (BZ)All a poor man's brothers hate him;
(CA)how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them.[g]
8 (CB)Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
he who keeps understanding will (CC)discover good.
9 (CD)A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who (CE)breathes out lies will perish.
10 (CF)It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
much less for (CG)a slave to rule over princes.
11 (CH)Good sense makes one slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 A king's wrath is like (CI)the growling of a lion,
but his (CJ)favor is like (CK)dew on the grass.
13 (CL)A foolish son is ruin to his father,
and (CM)a wife's quarreling is (CN)a continual dripping of rain.
14 (CO)House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a prudent wife is (CP)from the Lord.
15 (CQ)Slothfulness casts into (CR)a deep sleep,
and (CS)an idle person will suffer hunger.
16 Whoever (CT)keeps the commandment keeps his life;
he who despises his ways will die.
17 (CU)Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he (CV)will repay him for his (CW)deed.
18 (CX)Discipline your son, for there is hope;
do not set your heart on (CY)putting him to death.
19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom in (CZ)the future.
21 (DA)Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but (DB)it is the purpose of the Lord (DC)that will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord (DD)leads to life,
and whoever has it rests (DE)satisfied;
he will (DF)not be visited by harm.
24 (DG)The sluggard buries his hand in (DH)the dish
and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 (DI)Strike (DJ)a scoffer, and the simple will (DK)learn prudence;
(DL)reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
is (DM)a son who brings shame and reproach.
27 Cease to hear instruction, my son,
(DN)and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked (DO)devours iniquity.
29 Condemnation is ready for (DP)scoffers,
and (DQ)beating for the backs of fools.
20 (DR)Wine is a mocker, (DS)strong drink a brawler,
and whoever (DT)is led astray by it is not wise.[h]
2 The terror of a king is like (DU)the growling of a lion;
whoever provokes him to anger (DV)forfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to (DW)keep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.
4 (DX)The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
(DY)he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man's heart is like (DZ)deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many a man (EA)proclaims his own steadfast love,
but (EB)a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who (EC)walks in his integrity—
(ED)blessed are his children after him!
8 (EE)A king who sits on the throne of judgment
(EF)winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 (EG)Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
I am clean from my sin”?
10 (EH)Unequal[i] weights and unequal measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child (EI)makes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright.[j]
12 (EJ)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
(EK)the Lord has made them both.
13 (EL)Love not sleep, lest you (EM)come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have (EN)plenty of bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of (EO)costly stones,
(EP)but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 (EQ)Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and (ER)hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.[k]
17 (ES)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of (ET)gravel.
18 (EU)Plans are established by counsel;
by (EV)wise guidance (EW)wage war.
19 Whoever (EX)goes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with (EY)a simple babbler.[l]
20 (EZ)If one curses his father or his mother,
(FA)his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 (FB)An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, (FC)“I will repay evil”;
(FD)wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
23 (FE)Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and (FF)false scales are not good.
24 A man's (FG)steps are from the Lord;
how then can man understand his way?
25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and to reflect only (FH)after making vows.
26 A wise king (FI)winnows the wicked
and drives (FJ)the wheel over them.
27 (FK)The spirit[m] of man is the lamp of the Lord,
(FL)searching all (FM)his innermost parts.
28 (FN)Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
and by steadfast love his (FO)throne is upheld.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
but (FP)the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 (FQ)Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean (FR)the innermost parts.
21 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he (FS)turns it wherever he will.
2 (FT)Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord (FU)weighs the heart.
3 (FV)To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 (FW)Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
(FX)the lamp[n] of the wicked, are sin.
5 The plans of (FY)the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is (FZ)hasty comes (GA)only to poverty.
6 (GB)The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a (GC)fleeting (GD)vapor and a (GE)snare of death.[o]
7 The violence of the wicked will (GF)sweep them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
8 The way of the guilty (GG)is crooked,
but the conduct of the pure is upright.
9 It is (GH)better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11 When (GI)a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12 The Righteous One (GJ)observes the house of the wicked;
he throws the wicked down to ruin.
13 (GK)Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
will himself call out and not be answered.
14 (GL)A gift in secret averts anger,
and a concealed bribe,[p] strong wrath.
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
(GM)but terror to evildoers.
16 One who wanders from the way of good sense
(GN)will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 (GO)The wicked is a (GP)ransom for the righteous,
and the traitor for the upright.
19 It is (GQ)better to live in a desert land
than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
20 (GR)Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling,
but a foolish man (GS)devours it.
21 Whoever (GT)pursues righteousness and kindness
will find (GU)life, righteousness, and honor.
22 (GV)A wise man scales the city of the mighty
and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 (GW)Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue
(GX)keeps himself out of (GY)trouble.
24 (GZ)“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man
who acts with arrogant pride.
25 The desire of (HA)the sluggard kills him,
for his hands refuse to labor.
26 All day long he craves and craves,
but the righteous (HB)gives and does not hold back.
27 (HC)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
how much more (HD)when he brings it with evil intent.
28 (HE)A false witness will perish,
but the word of a man who hears will endure.
29 A wicked man puts on a bold face,
but the upright (HF)gives thought to[q] his ways.
30 (HG)No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel
can avail against the Lord.
31 (HH)The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but (HI)the victory belongs to the Lord.
22 (HJ)A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 (HK)The rich and the poor meet together;
the Lord is (HL)the Maker of them all.
3 (HM)The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but the simple go on and suffer for it.
4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
is (HN)riches and honor and life.[r]
5 (HO)Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
whoever (HP)guards his soul will keep far from them.
6 (HQ)Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 (HR)The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 Whoever (HS)sows injustice will reap calamity,
and (HT)the rod of his fury will fail.
9 (HU)Whoever has a bountiful[s] eye will be blessed,
for he (HV)shares his bread with the poor.
10 (HW)Drive out a scoffer, (HX)and strife will go out,
and (HY)quarreling and abuse will cease.
11 He who (HZ)loves purity of heart,
and whose (IA)speech is gracious, (IB)will have the king as his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he (IC)overthrows the words of the traitor.
13 (ID)The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of (IE)forbidden[t] women is (IF)a deep pit;
(IG)he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but (IH)the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
or gives to the rich, (II)will only come to poverty.
Words of the Wise
17 (IJ)Incline your ear, and hear (IK)the words of the wise,
(IL)and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That your trust may be in the Lord,
I have made them known to you today, even to you.
20 Have I not written for you (IM)thirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
21 to (IN)make you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
22 (IO)Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or (IP)crush the afflicted at (IQ)the gate,
23 for (IR)the Lord will plead their cause
and rob of life those who rob them.
24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
nor go with a wrathful man,
25 lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not one of those who (IS)give pledges,
who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should (IT)your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move the ancient (IU)landmark
that your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will (IV)stand before kings;
he will not stand before obscure men.
23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
observe carefully what[u] is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to appetite.
3 (IW)Do not desire his delicacies,
for they are deceptive food.
4 (IX)Do not toil to acquire wealth;
(IY)be discerning enough to desist.
5 When your eyes light on it, it is gone,
(IZ)for suddenly it sprouts wings,
flying like an eagle toward heaven.
6 (JA)Do not eat the bread of a man who is (JB)stingy;[v]
(JC)do not desire his delicacies,
7 for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.[w]
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
but his (JD)heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten,
and waste your pleasant words.
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
for he will despise the good sense of your words.
10 (JE)Do not move an ancient landmark
or enter the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their (JF)Redeemer is strong;
he will (JG)plead their cause against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction
and your ear to words of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold (JH)discipline from a child;
(JI)if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14 If you strike him with the rod,
you will (JJ)save his soul from Sheol.
15 (JK)My son, if your heart is wise,
my heart too will be glad.
16 My (JL)inmost being[x] will exult
when your lips speak (JM)what is right.
17 Let not your heart (JN)envy sinners,
but continue in (JO)the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 Surely (JP)there is a future,
and your (JQ)hope will not be cut off.
19 Hear, my son, and (JR)be wise,
and (JS)direct your heart in the way.
20 Be not among (JT)drunkards[y]
or among (JU)gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and (JV)slumber will clothe them with rags.
22 (JW)Listen to your father who gave you life,
(JX)and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 (JY)Buy truth, and do not sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 (JZ)The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
25 (KA)Let your father and mother be glad;
let (KB)her who bore you rejoice.
26 My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe[z] my ways.
27 For a prostitute is (KC)a deep pit;
(KD)an adulteress[aa] is a narrow (KE)well.
28 (KF)She lies in wait like a robber
and increases the traitors among mankind.
29 (KG)Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has (KH)wounds without cause?
Who has (KI)redness of eyes?
30 Those who (KJ)tarry long over wine;
those who go to try (KK)mixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
32 In the end it (KL)bites like a serpent
and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
and your heart utter (KM)perverse things.
34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
like one who lies on the top of a mast.[ab]
35 “They (KN)struck me,” you will say,[ac] “but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
I (KO)must have another drink.”
24 Be not (KP)envious of evil men,
nor desire to be (KQ)with them,
2 for their hearts (KR)devise violence,
and their lips (KS)talk of trouble.
3 By (KT)wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all (KU)precious and pleasant riches.
5 (KV)A wise man is full of strength,
and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
6 for by (KW)wise guidance you can wage your war,
and in (KX)abundance of counselors there is victory.
7 Wisdom is (KY)too high for a fool;
in (KZ)the gate he does not open his mouth.
8 Whoever (LA)plans to do evil
will be called a schemer.
9 (LB)The devising[ad] of folly is sin,
and (LC)the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.
10 If you (LD)faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
11 (LE)Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
(LF)does not he who (LG)weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who (LH)keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man (LI)according to his work?
13 My son, (LJ)eat honey, for it is good,
and (LK)the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14 Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
if you find it, there will be (LL)a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
15 (LM)Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;
do no violence to his home;
16 (LN)for the righteous falls (LO)seven times and rises again,
but (LP)the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
17 (LQ)Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
and turn away his anger from him.
19 (LR)Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
and be not (LS)envious of the wicked,
20 for the evil man has no (LT)future;
(LU)the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21 My son, (LV)fear the Lord and the king,
and do not join with those who do otherwise,
22 for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?
More Sayings of the Wise
23 These also are sayings of (LW)the wise.
(LX)Partiality in judging is not good.
24 Whoever (LY)says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”
(LZ)will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,
25 but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
and a good blessing will come upon them.
26 Whoever gives an honest answer
kisses the lips.
27 (MA)Prepare your work outside;
get everything ready for yourself in the field,
and after that build your house.
28 (MB)Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,
and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Do not say, (MC)“I will do to him as he has done to me;
I will pay the man back for what he has done.”
30 (MD)I passed by the field of a sluggard,
by the vineyard of a man (ME)lacking sense,
31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
the ground was covered with nettles,
and its stone (MF)wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw and (MG)considered it;
I looked and received instruction.
33 (MH)A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
More Proverbs of Solomon
25 These also are (MI)proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied.
2 It is the glory of God to (MJ)conceal things,
but the glory of kings is to (MK)search things out.
3 As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
so the heart of kings is (ML)unsearchable.
4 Take away (MM)the dross from the silver,
and (MN)the smith has material for a vessel;
5 take away (MO)the wicked from the presence of the king,
and his (MP)throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence
or stand in the place of the great,
7 for (MQ)it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
What your eyes have seen
8 (MR)do not hastily bring into court,[ae]
for[af] what will you do in the end,
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
9 (MS)Argue your case with your neighbor himself,
and do not reveal another's secret,
10 lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,
and your ill repute have no end.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 17:1 Hebrew sacrifices
- Proverbs 17:8 Or precious
- Proverbs 17:23 Hebrew a bribe from the bosom
- Proverbs 18:5 Hebrew to lift the face of
- Proverbs 19:2 Or A soul
- Proverbs 19:6 Or of a noble
- Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew sentence is uncertain
- Proverbs 20:1 Or will not become wise
- Proverbs 20:10 Or Two kinds of; also verse 23
- Proverbs 20:11 Or Even a child can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright
- Proverbs 20:16 Or for an adulteress (compare 27:13)
- Proverbs 20:19 Hebrew with one who is simple in his lips
- Proverbs 20:27 Hebrew breath
- Proverbs 21:4 Or the plowing
- Proverbs 21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Latin; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death
- Proverbs 21:14 Hebrew a bribe in the bosom
- Proverbs 21:29 Or establishes
- Proverbs 22:4 Or The reward for humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and honor and life
- Proverbs 22:9 Hebrew good
- Proverbs 22:14 Hebrew strange
- Proverbs 23:1 Or who
- Proverbs 23:6 Hebrew whose eye is evil
- Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he calculates in his soul, so is he
- Proverbs 23:16 Hebrew My kidneys
- Proverbs 23:20 Hebrew those who drink too much wine
- Proverbs 23:26 Or delight in
- Proverbs 23:27 Hebrew a foreign woman
- Proverbs 23:34 Or of the rigging
- Proverbs 23:35 Hebrew lacks you will say
- Proverbs 24:9 Or scheming
- Proverbs 25:8 Or presence of a noble, as your eyes have seen. 8Do not go hastily out to court
- Proverbs 25:8 Hebrew or else
Proverbs 17-25
New International Version
17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.(A)
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(D) shows contempt for their Maker;(E)
whoever gloats over disaster(F) will not go unpunished.(G)
6 Children’s children(H) 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!(I)
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.(J)
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,(K)
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.(L)
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.(M)
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.(P)
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?(S)
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.(T)
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.(U)
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.(V)
24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes(AA) wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.(AB)
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,(AC)
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,(AD)
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.(AE)
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.(AF)
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.(AG)
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,(AH)
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.(AK)
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(AN)
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.(AO)
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;(AR)
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.(AS)
13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.(AT)
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?(AU)
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,(AV)
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift(AW) 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(AX)
and keeps strong opponents apart.
19 A brother wronged(AY) 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.(AZ)
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.(BE)
19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.(BF)
2 Desire without knowledge is not good—
how much more will hasty feet miss the way!(BG)
4 Wealth attracts many friends,
but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.(BJ)
7 The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
how much more do their friends avoid them!(BP)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
they are nowhere to be found.[a](BQ)
8 The one who gets wisdom loves life;
the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.(BR)
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will perish.(BS)
10 It is not fitting for a fool(BT) to live in luxury—
how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!(BU)
11 A person’s wisdom yields patience;(BV)
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin,(BZ)
and a quarrelsome wife is like
the constant dripping of a leaky roof.(CA)
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless go hungry.(CD)
16 Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.(CE)
17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,(CF)
and he will reward them for what they have done.(CG)
18 Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
do not be a willing party to their death.(CH)
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,(CI)
and at the end you will be counted among the wise.(CJ)
21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.(CK)
22 What a person desires is unfailing love[b];
better to be poor than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
then one rests content, untouched by trouble.(CL)
24 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he will not even bring it back to his mouth!(CM)
25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke the discerning,(CN) and they will gain knowledge.(CO)
26 Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother(CP)
is a child who brings shame and disgrace.
27 Stop listening to instruction, my son,(CQ)
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.(CR)
29 Penalties are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.(CS)
2 A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;(CX)
those who anger him forfeit their lives.(CY)
5 The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,(DD)
but one who has insight draws them out.
6 Many claim to have unfailing love,
but a faithful person who can find?(DE)
10 Differing weights and differing measures—
the Lord detests them both.(DL)
11 Even small children are known by their actions,
so is their conduct really pure(DM) and upright?
12 Ears that hear and eyes that see—
the Lord has made them both.(DN)
13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;(DO)
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(DP) if it is done for an outsider.(DQ)
18 Plans are established by seeking advice;
so if you wage war, obtain guidance.(DT)
19 A gossip betrays a confidence;(DU)
so avoid anyone who talks too much.
20 If someone curses their father or mother,(DV)
their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.(DW)
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!”(DX)
Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.(DY)
23 The Lord detests differing weights,
and dishonest scales do not please him.(DZ)
24 A person’s steps are directed(EA) by the Lord.(EB)
How then can anyone understand their own way?(EC)
25 It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
and only later to consider one’s vows.(ED)
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked;
he drives the threshing wheel over them.(EE)
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
gray hair the splendor of the old.(EJ)
21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
that he channels toward all who please him.(EM)
2 A person may think their own ways are right,
but the Lord weighs the heart.(EN)
3 To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.(EO)
4 Haughty eyes(EP) and a proud heart—
the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit(EQ)
as surely as haste leads to poverty.
7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,(ES)
for they refuse to do what is right.
8 The way of the guilty is devious,(ET)
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.(EU)
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.(EV)
14 A gift given in secret soothes anger,
and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.(EZ)
15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.(FA)
16 Whoever strays from the path of prudence
comes to rest in the company of the dead.(FB)
17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.(FC)
18 The wicked become a ransom(FD) for the righteous,
and the unfaithful for the upright.
19 Better to live in a desert
than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.(FE)
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(FH)
and pull down the stronghold in which they trust.
24 The proud and arrogant person(FK)—“Mocker” is his name—
behaves with insolent fury.
25 The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,(FL)
because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he craves for more,
but the righteous(FM) give without sparing.(FN)
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable(FO)—
how much more so when brought with evil intent!(FP)
29 The wicked put up a bold front,
but the upright give thought to their ways.(FS)
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the Lord.(FV)
22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.(FW)
2 Rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord is the Maker of them all.(FX)
5 In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,(GC)
but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.
6 Start(GD) children off on the way they should go,(GE)
and even when they are old they will not turn from it.(GF)
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.(GK)
11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
will have the king for a friend.(GL)
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!(GM)
I’ll be killed in the public square!”
14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;(GN)
a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.(GO)
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.(GP)
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(GQ) and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;(GR)
apply your heart to what I teach,(GS)
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,(GT)
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve?
Saying 2
22 Do not exploit the poor(GU) because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,(GV)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(GW)
and will exact life for life.(GX)
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.(GY)
Saying 4
26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge(GZ)
or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.(HA)
Saying 5
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(HB)
set up by your ancestors.
Saying 6
29 Do you see someone skilled(HC) in their work?
They will serve(HD) before kings;(HE)
they will not serve before officials of low rank.
Saying 7
23 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well what[g] is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.
3 Do not crave his delicacies,(HF)
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,(HG)
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.(HH)
Saying 9
6 Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
do not crave his delicacies;(HI)
7 for he is the kind of person
who is always thinking about the cost.[h]
“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.(HJ)
Saying 11
10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(HK)
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their Defender(HL) is strong;(HM)
he will take up their case against you.(HN)
Saying 12
12 Apply your heart to instruction(HO)
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.
14 Punish them with the rod
and save them from death.(HP)
Saying 14
15 My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad indeed;
16 my inmost being will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.(HQ)
Saying 15
17 Do not let your heart envy(HR) sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
18 There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.(HS)
Saying 16
19 Listen, my son,(HT) and be wise,
and set your heart on the right path:
20 Do not join those who drink too much wine(HU)
or gorge themselves on meat,
21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,(HV)
and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Saying 17
22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.(HW)
23 Buy the truth and do not sell it—
wisdom, instruction and insight as well.(HX)
24 The father of a righteous child has great joy;
a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.(HY)
25 May your father and mother rejoice;
may she who gave you birth be joyful!(HZ)
Saying 18
26 My son,(IA) give me your heart
and let your eyes delight in my ways,(IB)
27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,(IC)
and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Like a bandit she lies in wait(ID)
and multiplies the unfaithful among men.
Saying 19
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaints?
Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Those who linger over wine,(IE)
who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly!
32 In the end it bites like a snake
and poisons like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange sights,
and your mind will imagine confusing things.
34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
lying on top of the rigging.
35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!
They beat me, but I don’t feel it!
When will I wake up
so I can find another drink?”(IF)
Saying 20
24 Do not envy(IG) the wicked,
do not desire their company;
2 for their hearts plot violence,(IH)
and their lips talk about making trouble.(II)
Saying 21
3 By wisdom a house is built,(IJ)
and through understanding it is established;
4 through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.(IK)
Saying 22
5 The wise prevail through great power,
and those who have knowledge muster their strength.
6 Surely you need guidance to wage war,
and victory is won through many advisers.(IL)
Saying 23
7 Wisdom is too high for fools;
in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths.
Saying 24
8 Whoever plots evil
will be known as a schemer.
9 The schemes of folly are sin,
and people detest a mocker.
Saying 25
10 If you falter in a time of trouble,
how small is your strength!(IM)
11 Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.(IN)
12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
does not he who weighs(IO) the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay(IP) everyone according to what they have done?(IQ)
Saying 26
13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:
If you find it, there is a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.(IR)
Saying 27
15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous,
do not plunder their dwelling place;
16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,
but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.(IS)
Saying 28
17 Do not gloat(IT) when your enemy falls;
when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,(IU)
18 or the Lord will see and disapprove
and turn his wrath away from them.(IV)
Saying 29
19 Do not fret(IW) because of evildoers
or be envious of the wicked,
20 for the evildoer has no future hope,
and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.(IX)
Saying 30
21 Fear the Lord and the king,(IY) my son,
and do not join with rebellious officials,
22 for those two will send sudden destruction(IZ) on them,
and who knows what calamities they can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise
23 These also are sayings of the wise:(JA)
To show partiality(JB) in judging is not good:(JC)
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”(JD)
will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.
25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
and rich blessing will come on them.
26 An honest answer
is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Put your outdoor work in order
and get your fields ready;
after that, build your house.
28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause(JE)—
would you use your lips to mislead?
29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me;
I’ll pay them back for what they did.”(JF)
30 I went past the field of a sluggard,(JG)
past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
the ground was covered with weeds,
and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest(JH)—
34 and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.(JI)
More Proverbs of Solomon
25 These are more proverbs(JJ) of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:(JK)
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings.(JL)
3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
4 Remove the dross from the silver,
and a silversmith can produce a vessel;
5 remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,(JM)
and his throne will be established(JN) through righteousness.(JO)
6 Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
and do not claim a place among his great men;
7 it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”(JP)
than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.
What you have seen with your eyes
8 do not bring[i] hastily to court,
for what will you do in the end
if your neighbor puts you to shame?(JQ)
9 If you take your neighbor to court,
do not betray another’s confidence,
10 or the one who hears it may shame you
and the charge against you will stand.
Footnotes
- 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 25:8 Or nobles / on whom you had set your eyes. / 8 Do not go
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