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Proverbs 29-31
Amplified Bible
Proverbs 29-31
Amplified Bible
Warnings and Instructions
29 He who hardens his neck and refuses instruction after being often reproved (corrected, criticized),
Will suddenly be broken beyond repair.
2
When the righteous are in authority and become great, the people rejoice;
But when the wicked man rules, the people groan and sigh.
3
A man who loves [skillful and godly] wisdom makes his father joyful,
But he who associates with prostitutes wastes his wealth.
4
The king establishes (stabilizes) the land by justice,
But a man who takes bribes overthrows it.
5
A man who flatters his neighbor [with smooth words intending to do harm]
Is spreading a net for his own feet.
6
By his wicked plan an evil man is trapped,
But the righteous man sings and rejoices [for his plan brings good things to him].
7
The righteous man cares for the rights of the poor,
But the wicked man has no interest in such knowledge.(A)
8
Scoffers set a city afire [by stirring up trouble],
But wise men turn away anger [and restore order with their good judgment].
9
If a wise man has a controversy with a foolish and arrogant man,
The foolish man [ignores logic and fairness and] only rages or laughs, and there is no peace (rest, agreement).
10
The bloodthirsty hate the blameless [because of his integrity],
But the upright are concerned for his life.(B)
11
A [shortsighted] fool always loses his temper and displays his anger,
But a wise man [uses self-control and] holds it back.
12
If a ruler pays attention to lies [and encourages corruption],
All his officials will become wicked.
13
The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.(C)
14
If a king faithfully and truthfully judges the poor,
His throne shall be established forever.
15
The rod and reproof (godly instruction) give wisdom,
But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.
16
When the wicked are in authority, transgression increases,
But the righteous will see the downfall of the wicked.
17
Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
Yes, he will delight your soul.
18
Where there is no vision [no revelation of God and His word], the people are unrestrained;
But happy and blessed is he who keeps the law [of God].(D)
19
A servant will not be corrected by words alone;
For though he understands, he will not respond [nor pay attention].
20
Do you see a [conceited] man who speaks quickly [offering his opinions or answering without thinking]?
There is more hope for a [thickheaded] [a]fool than for him.
21
He who pampers his slave from childhood
Will find him to be a son in the end.
22
An angry man stirs up strife,
And a hot-tempered and undisciplined man commits many transgressions.
23
A man’s pride and sense of self-importance will bring him down,
But he who has a humble spirit will obtain honor.(E)
24
Whoever is partner with a thief hates his own life;
He hears the curse [when swearing an oath to testify], but discloses nothing [and commits perjury by omission].
25
The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in and puts his confidence in the Lord will be exalted and safe.
26
Many seek the ruler’s favor,
But justice for man comes from the Lord.
27
An unjust man is repulsive to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way [of the Lord] is repulsive to the wicked.
The Words of Agur
30 The words of [b]Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle:
The man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ucal:
2
Surely [c]I am more brutish and stupid than any man,
And I do not have the understanding of a man [for I do not know what I do not know].
3
I have not learned [skillful and godly] wisdom,
Nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One [who is the source of wisdom].
4
Who has ascended into heaven and descended?
Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound the waters in His garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son’s name?
Certainly you know!(F)
5
Every word of God is tested and refined [like silver];
He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him.(G)
6
Do not add to His words,
Or He will reprove you, and you will be found a liar.
7
Two things I have asked of You;
Do not deny them to me before I die:
8
Keep deception and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
9
So that I will not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or that I will not be poor and steal,
And so profane the name of my God.(H)
10
Do not slander or malign a servant before his master [stay out of another’s personal life],
Or he will curse you [for your interference], and you will be found guilty.
11
There is a generation (class of people) that curses its father
And does not bless its mother.
12
There is a generation (class of people) that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13
There is a generation (class of people)—oh, how lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are raised in arrogance.
14
There is a generation (class of people) whose teeth are like swords
And whose jaw teeth are like knives,
To devour the afflicted from the earth
And the needy from among men.
15
The leech has two daughters,
“Give, give!”
There are three things that are never satisfied,
Four that do not say, “It is enough”:
16
[d]Sheol, and the barren womb,
Earth that is never satisfied with water,
And fire that never says, “It is enough.”
17
The eye that mocks a father
And scorns a mother,
The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young vultures will devour it.(I)
18
There are three things which are too astounding and unexpectedly wonderful for me,
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 middle of the sea,
And the way of a man with a maid.
20
This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth
And says, “I have done no wrong.”
21
Under three things the earth is disquieted and quakes,
And under four it cannot bear up:
22
Under a servant when he reigns,
Under a [spiritually blind] fool when he is filled with food,
23
Under an unloved woman when she gets married,
And under a maidservant when she supplants her mistress.
24
There are four things that are small on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
25
The ants are not a strong people,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;(J)
26
The [e]shephanim are not a mighty folk,
Yet they make their houses in the rocks;(K)
27
The locusts have no king,
Yet all of them go out in groups;
28
You may grasp the lizard with your hands,
Yet it is in kings’ palaces.
29
There are three things which are stately in step,
Even four which are stately in their stride:
30
The lion, which is mighty among beasts
And does not turn back before any;
31
The [f]strutting rooster, the male goat also,
And the king when his army is with him.
32
If you have foolishly exalted yourself,
Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth.(L)
33
Surely the churning of milk produces butter,
And wringing the nose produces blood;
So the churning of anger produces strife.
The Words of Lemuel
31 The words of [g]King Lemuel, the oracle, which his mother taught him:
2
What, O my [h]son?
And what, O son of my womb?
And what [shall I advise you], O son of my vows?
3
Do not give your [generative] strength to women [neither foreign wives in marriages of alliances, nor [i]concubines],
Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
4
It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire strong drink,(M)
5
Otherwise they drink and forget the law and its decrees,
And pervert the rights and justice of all the afflicted.
6
Give strong drink [as medicine] to him who is ready to pass away,
And wine to him whose life is bitter.
7
Let him drink and forget his poverty
And no longer remember his trouble.
8
Open your mouth for the mute,
For the rights of all who are unfortunate and defenseless;(N)
9
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And administer justice for the afflicted and needy.(O)
Description of a Worthy Woman
10
[j]An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous], who is he who can find her?
Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls.(P)
11
The heart of her husband trusts in her [with secure confidence],
And he will have no lack of gain.
12
She comforts, encourages, and does him only good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13
She looks for wool and flax
And works with willing hands in delight.
14
She is like the merchant ships [abounding with treasure];
She brings her [household’s] food from far away.
15
She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And assigns tasks to her maids.(Q)
16
She considers a field before she buys or accepts it [expanding her business prudently];
With her profits she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.
17
She equips herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task]
And makes her arms strong.
18
She sees that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out, but it burns continually through the night [she is prepared for whatever lies ahead].
19
She stretches out her hands to the [k]distaff,
And her hands hold the spindle [as she spins wool into thread for clothing].
20
She opens and extends her hand to the poor,
And she reaches out her filled hands to the needy.
21
She does not fear the snow for her household,
For all in her household are clothed in [expensive] scarlet [wool].(R)
22
She makes for herself coverlets, cushions, and rugs of tapestry.
Her clothing is linen, pure and fine, and purple [wool].(S)
23
Her husband is known in the [city’s] gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.(T)
24
She makes [fine] linen garments and sells them;
And supplies sashes to the merchants.
25
Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure;
And she smiles at the future [knowing that she and her family are prepared].
26
She opens her mouth in [skillful and godly] wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue [giving counsel and instruction].
27
She looks well to how things go in her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.(U)
28
Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired);
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying,
29
“Many daughters have done nobly, and well [with the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness],
[l]But you excel them all.”
30
Charm and grace are deceptive, and [superficial] beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord [reverently worshiping, obeying, serving, and trusting Him with awe-filled respect], she shall be praised.
31
Give her of the product of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates [of the city].(V)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:20 See note 1:7.
- Proverbs 30:1 The identity of Agur, author of this chapter, is uncertain.
- Proverbs 30:2 This may be viewed as either a sarcastic response to an unknown critic, or simply the sincere reflections of a humble man.
- Proverbs 30:16 Hades, the nether world, the place of the dead.
- Proverbs 30:26 Small, shy, furry animals, (Hyrax syriacus) found in the peninsula of the Sinai, northern Israel, and in the region around the Dead Sea; kjv coney, orig NASB badgers.
- Proverbs 30:31 Lit girt in the loins. The meaning of the Hebrew is unclear. Other translations propose greyhound.
- Proverbs 31:1 The identity of King Lemuel is uncertain; however, ancient Jewish tradition connects Lemuel with Solomon.
- Proverbs 31:2 This chapter consists of two poetic sections. The first (vv 2-9) details the qualities needed to be a wise ruler, and the second (vv 10-31) the qualities describing an excellent wife.
- Proverbs 31:3 See note Gen 22:24.
- Proverbs 31:10 The following verses are written as an acrostic poem (each of the twenty-two verses begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet). Aside from the artistry, the acrostic structure also aided memorization.
- Proverbs 31:19 I.e. the staff that holds the textile fibers for spinning.
- Proverbs 31:29 The source of this remarkable woman’s success and competence is revealed in v 30, and it is a source available to everyone. She is wise because she understands and puts into practice the message contained in 9:10.
Proverbs 29-31
New International Version
Proverbs 29-31
New International Version
29 Whoever remains stiff-necked(A) after many rebukes
will suddenly be destroyed(B)—without remedy.(C)
3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,(G)
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.(H)
4 By justice a king gives a country stability,(I)
but those who are greedy for[a] bribes tear it down.
5 Those who flatter their neighbors
are spreading nets for their feet.(J)
6 Evildoers are snared by their own sin,(K)
but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.
7 The righteous care about justice for the poor,(L)
but the wicked have no such concern.
8 Mockers stir up a city,
but the wise turn away anger.(M)
9 If a wise person goes to court with a fool,
the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.
10 The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity
and seek to kill the upright.(N)
13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.(S)
14 If a king judges the poor with fairness,
his throne will be established forever.(T)
15 A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,
but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.(U)
16 When the wicked thrive, so does sin,
but the righteous will see their downfall.(V)
17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
they will bring you the delights you desire.(W)
18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.(X)
19 Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
though they understand, they will not respond.
20 Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.(Y)
21 A servant pampered from youth
will turn out to be insolent.
22 An angry person stirs up conflict,
and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.(Z)
24 The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
they are put under oath and dare not testify.(AC)
27 The righteous detest the dishonest;
the wicked detest the upright.(AI)
Sayings of Agur
30 The sayings(AJ) of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance.
This man’s utterance to Ithiel:
“I am weary, God,
but I can prevail.[b]
2 Surely I am only a brute, not a man;
I do not have human understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.(AK)
4 Who has gone up(AL) to heaven and come down?
Whose hands(AM) have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters(AN) in a cloak?(AO)
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name,(AP) and what is the name of his son?
Surely you know!
5 “Every word of God is flawless;(AQ)
he is a shield(AR) to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add(AS) to his words,
or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7 “Two things I ask of you, Lord;
do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.(AT)
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown(AU) you
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’(AV)
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.(AW)
10 “Do not slander a servant to their master,
or they will curse you, and you will pay for it.
11 “There are those who curse their fathers
and do not bless their mothers;(AX)
12 those who are pure in their own eyes(AY)
and yet are not cleansed of their filth;(AZ)
13 those whose eyes are ever so haughty,(BA)
whose glances are so disdainful;
14 those whose teeth(BB) are swords
and whose jaws are set with knives(BC)
to devour(BD) the poor(BE) from the earth
and the needy from among mankind.(BF)
15 “The leech has two daughters.
‘Give! Give!’ they cry.
“There are three things that are never satisfied,(BG)
four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
16 the grave,(BH) the barren womb,
land, which is never satisfied with water,
and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’
17 “The eye that mocks(BI) a father,
that scorns an aged mother,
will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley,
will be eaten by the vultures.(BJ)
18 “There are three things that are too amazing for me,
four that I do not understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a young woman.
20 “This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth
and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’(BK)
21 “Under three things the earth trembles,
under four it cannot bear up:
22 a servant who becomes king,(BL)
a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,
23 a contemptible woman who gets married,
and a servant who displaces her mistress.
24 “Four things on earth are small,
yet they are extremely wise:
25 Ants are creatures of little strength,
yet they store up their food in the summer;(BM)
26 hyraxes(BN) are creatures of little power,
yet they make their home in the crags;
27 locusts(BO) have no king,
yet they advance together in ranks;
28 a lizard can be caught with the hand,
yet it is found in kings’ palaces.
29 “There are three things that are stately in their stride,
four that move with stately bearing:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts,
who retreats before nothing;
31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat,
and a king secure against revolt.[c]
32 “If you play the fool and exalt yourself,
or if you plan evil,
clap your hand over your mouth!(BP)
33 For as churning cream produces butter,
and as twisting the nose produces blood,
so stirring up anger produces strife.”
Sayings of King Lemuel
31 The sayings(BQ) of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.
2 Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!(BR)
3 Do not spend your strength[d] on women,
your vigor on those who ruin kings.(BS)
4 It is not for kings, Lemuel—
it is not for kings to drink wine,(BT)
not for rulers to crave beer,
5 lest they drink(BU) and forget what has been decreed,(BV)
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6 Let beer be for those who are perishing,
wine(BW) for those who are in anguish!
7 Let them drink(BX) and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8 Speak(BY) up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.(BZ)
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
10 [e]A wife of noble character(CA) who can find?(CB)
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband(CC) has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.(CD)
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.(CE)
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.(CF)
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders(CG) of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.(CH)
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise(CI) at the city gate.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:4 Or who give
- Proverbs 30:1 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text utterance to Ithiel, / to Ithiel and Ukal:
- Proverbs 30:31 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Proverbs 31:3 Or wealth
- Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
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