24 Diligent hands will rule,
    but laziness ends in forced labor.(A)

Read full chapter

24 The hand of the diligent ones will rule,
    but the lazy will belong to forced labor.

Read full chapter

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.

Read full chapter

10 A rebuke strikes him who understands
    deeper than one hundred blows to a fool.
11 An evil person will seek only rebellion,
    and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

Read full chapter

Many claim to have unfailing love,
    but a faithful person who can find?(A)

Read full chapter

Many a person will proclaim his loyalty for himself,
    but a man who is trustworthy, who can find?

Read full chapter

When a king sits on his throne to judge,(A)
    he winnows out all evil with his eyes.(B)

Read full chapter

A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    winnows all evil with his eyes.

Read full chapter

30 Blows and wounds scrub(A) away evil,
    and beatings(B) purge the inmost being.

Read full chapter

30 The blows of a wound will cleanse evil,
    as will[a] beatings of the innermost part.[b]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:30 Hebrew “and”
  2. Proverbs 20:30 Literally “parts of the inmost”

11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
    will have the king for a friend.(A)

Read full chapter

11 He who loves purity of heart
    and hasgracious speech,[a] his friend is the king.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:11 Literally “grace of his lips”

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
    to search out a matter is the glory of kings.(A)

Read full chapter

The glory of God[a] conceals things,
    but the glory of kings searches out things.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:2 Or “gods”

remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,(A)
    and his throne will be established(B) through righteousness.(C)

Read full chapter

Remove the wicked before a king,
    and his throne will be established in righteousness.[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:5 Hebrew “in the righteousness”

21 To show partiality(A) is not good(B)
    yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.(C)

Read full chapter

21 Showing partiality[a] is not good,
    and over a morsel of bread, a strong man will do wrong.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:21 Literally “Recognizing faces”

12 If a ruler(A) listens to lies,
    all his officials become wicked.(B)

Read full chapter

12 A ruler listening to a word of falsehood,
    all his officials are wicked.

Read full chapter

19 Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
    though they understand, they will not respond.

Read full chapter

19 By words, a servant is not disciplined,
    for he will understand, but there is no giving heed.

Read full chapter

21 A servant pampered from youth
    will turn out to be insolent.

Read full chapter

21 He who pampers his servant from childhood,
    arrogance will be his end.[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:21 Literally “and its/his end will be arrogance”