27 (A)A worthless man plots evil,
    and his speech[a] is like (B)a scorching fire.
28 (C)A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and (D)a whisperer (E)separates close friends.
29 A man of violence (F)entices his neighbor
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans[b] (G)dishonest things;
    he who (H)purses his lips brings evil to pass.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:27 Hebrew what is on his lips
  2. Proverbs 16:30 Hebrew to plan

27 Worthless people dig up trouble;
    their lips are like a scorching fire.
28 Destructive people produce conflict;
    gossips alienate close friends.
29 Violent people entice their neighbors
    and walk them down a path that isn’t good.
30 Those who wink their eye plot destruction;
    those who purse their lips plan evil.

Read full chapter

An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

Read full chapter

An evildoer pays attention to guilty lips;
    a liar listens to a destructive tongue.

Read full chapter

Whoever (A)covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter (B)separates close friends.

Read full chapter

One who seeks love conceals an offense,
    but one who repeats it divides friends.

Read full chapter

19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
    he who (A)makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 (B)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.

Read full chapter

19 Those who love an offense love a quarrel;
    those who build a high doorway invite a collapse.
20 Those with crooked hearts won’t prosper,
    and those with twisted tongues will fall into trouble.

Read full chapter

24 (A)The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

Read full chapter

24 Wisdom is right in front of those with understanding,
    but the eyes of fools are off to the edges of the earth.

Read full chapter

18 Whoever (A)isolates himself seeks his own desire;
    he breaks out against all sound judgment.
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only (B)in expressing his opinion.

Read full chapter

18 Unfriendly people look out for themselves;
    they bicker with sensible people.
Fools find no pleasure in understanding,
    but only in expressing their opinion.

Read full chapter

23 The poor use entreaties,
    but (A)the rich answer roughly.

Read full chapter

23 The poor plead for help,
    but the wealthy answer harshly.

Read full chapter

(A)Wealth brings many new friends,
    (B)but a poor man is deserted by his friend.

Read full chapter

Riches increase one’s friends,
    but the poor lose their friends.

Read full chapter

Many seek the favor of a generous man,[a]
    and everyone is a friend to a man who gives (A)gifts.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:6 Or of a noble

Many seek favor from rulers;
    everyone befriends a gift giver.

Read full chapter

Many a man (A)proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but (B)a faithful man who can find?

Read full chapter

Many people will say that they are loyal,
    but who can find a reliable person?

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

A king who sits on his judgment throne
    sifts out all evil with his eyes.

Read full chapter

14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
    but when he goes away, then he boasts.

Read full chapter

14 The buyer says, “Bad, bad,”
    but then goes away and brags.

Read full chapter

19 Whoever (A)goes about slandering reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with (B)a simple babbler.[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:19 Hebrew with one who is simple in his lips

19 Gossips reveal secrets;
    don’t associate with those who talk too much.

Read full chapter