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Proverbs 18-23
New International Version
Proverbs 18-23
New International Version
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.(A)
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,(B)
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.(E)
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(H)
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.(I)
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;(L)
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.(M)
13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.(N)
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?(O)
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,(P)
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift(Q) 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(R)
and keeps strong opponents apart.
19 A brother wronged(S) 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.(T)
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.(Y)
19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.(Z)
2 Desire without knowledge is not good—
how much more will hasty feet miss the way!(AA)
4 Wealth attracts many friends,
but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.(AD)
7 The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
how much more do their friends avoid them!(AJ)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
they are nowhere to be found.[a](AK)
8 The one who gets wisdom loves life;
the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.(AL)
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will perish.(AM)
10 It is not fitting for a fool(AN) to live in luxury—
how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!(AO)
11 A person’s wisdom yields patience;(AP)
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin,(AT)
and a quarrelsome wife is like
the constant dripping of a leaky roof.(AU)
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless go hungry.(AX)
16 Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.(AY)
17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,(AZ)
and he will reward them for what they have done.(BA)
18 Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
do not be a willing party to their death.(BB)
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,(BC)
and at the end you will be counted among the wise.(BD)
21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.(BE)
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.(BF)
24 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he will not even bring it back to his mouth!(BG)
25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke the discerning,(BH) and they will gain knowledge.(BI)
26 Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother(BJ)
is a child who brings shame and disgrace.
27 Stop listening to instruction, my son,(BK)
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.(BL)
29 Penalties are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.(BM)
2 A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;(BR)
those who anger him forfeit their lives.(BS)
5 The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,(BX)
but one who has insight draws them out.
6 Many claim to have unfailing love,
but a faithful person who can find?(BY)
10 Differing weights and differing measures—
the Lord detests them both.(CF)
11 Even small children are known by their actions,
so is their conduct really pure(CG) and upright?
12 Ears that hear and eyes that see—
the Lord has made them both.(CH)
13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;(CI)
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(CJ) if it is done for an outsider.(CK)
18 Plans are established by seeking advice;
so if you wage war, obtain guidance.(CN)
19 A gossip betrays a confidence;(CO)
so avoid anyone who talks too much.
20 If someone curses their father or mother,(CP)
their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.(CQ)
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!”(CR)
Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.(CS)
23 The Lord detests differing weights,
and dishonest scales do not please him.(CT)
24 A person’s steps are directed(CU) by the Lord.(CV)
How then can anyone understand their own way?(CW)
25 It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
and only later to consider one’s vows.(CX)
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked;
he drives the threshing wheel over them.(CY)
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
gray hair the splendor of the old.(DD)
21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
that he channels toward all who please him.(DG)
2 A person may think their own ways are right,
but the Lord weighs the heart.(DH)
3 To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.(DI)
4 Haughty eyes(DJ) and a proud heart—
the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit(DK)
as surely as haste leads to poverty.
7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,(DM)
for they refuse to do what is right.
8 The way of the guilty is devious,(DN)
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.(DO)
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.(DP)
14 A gift given in secret soothes anger,
and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.(DT)
15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.(DU)
16 Whoever strays from the path of prudence
comes to rest in the company of the dead.(DV)
17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.(DW)
18 The wicked become a ransom(DX) for the righteous,
and the unfaithful for the upright.
19 Better to live in a desert
than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.(DY)
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(EB)
and pull down the stronghold in which they trust.
24 The proud and arrogant person(EE)—“Mocker” is his name—
behaves with insolent fury.
25 The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,(EF)
because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he craves for more,
but the righteous(EG) give without sparing.(EH)
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable(EI)—
how much more so when brought with evil intent!(EJ)
29 The wicked put up a bold front,
but the upright give thought to their ways.(EM)
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the Lord.(EP)
22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.(EQ)
2 Rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord is the Maker of them all.(ER)
5 In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,(EW)
but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.
6 Start(EX) children off on the way they should go,(EY)
and even when they are old they will not turn from it.(EZ)
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.(FE)
11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
will have the king for a friend.(FF)
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!(FG)
I’ll be killed in the public square!”
14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;(FH)
a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.(FI)
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.(FJ)
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(FK) and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;(FL)
apply your heart to what I teach,(FM)
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,(FN)
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve?
Saying 2
22 Do not exploit the poor(FO) because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,(FP)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(FQ)
and will exact life for life.(FR)
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.(FS)
Saying 4
26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge(FT)
or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.(FU)
Saying 5
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(FV)
set up by your ancestors.
Saying 6
29 Do you see someone skilled(FW) in their work?
They will serve(FX) before kings;(FY)
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,(FZ)
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,(GA)
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.(GB)
Saying 9
6 Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
do not crave his delicacies;(GC)
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.(GD)
Saying 11
10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(GE)
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their Defender(GF) is strong;(GG)
he will take up their case against you.(GH)
Saying 12
12 Apply your heart to instruction(GI)
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.(GJ)
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.(GK)
Saying 15
17 Do not let your heart envy(GL) 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.(GM)
Saying 16
19 Listen, my son,(GN) and be wise,
and set your heart on the right path:
20 Do not join those who drink too much wine(GO)
or gorge themselves on meat,
21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,(GP)
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.(GQ)
23 Buy the truth and do not sell it—
wisdom, instruction and insight as well.(GR)
24 The father of a righteous child has great joy;
a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.(GS)
25 May your father and mother rejoice;
may she who gave you birth be joyful!(GT)
Saying 18
26 My son,(GU) give me your heart
and let your eyes delight in my ways,(GV)
27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,(GW)
and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Like a bandit she lies in wait(GX)
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,(GY)
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?”(GZ)
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 18-23
King James Version
Proverbs 18-23
King James Version
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.
Proverbs 18-23
New King James Version
Proverbs 18-23
New King James Version
The Name of the Lord Is a Strong Tower
18 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;
He rages against all [a]wise judgment.
2 A fool has no delight in understanding,
But in expressing his (A)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 (D)judgment.
6 A fool’s lips enter into contention,
And his mouth calls for blows.
7 (E)A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
And his lips are the snare of his (F)soul.
8 (G)The words of a [b]talebearer are like [c]tasty trifles,
And they go down into the [d]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 (H)tower;
The righteous run to it and are [e]safe.
11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own esteem.
12 (I)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 (J)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 (K)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 (L)A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;
From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.
21 (M)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.
22 (N)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 (O)roughly.
24 A man who has friends [f]must himself be friendly,
(P)But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
The Fear of the Lord Leads to Life
19 Better (Q)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 (R)Wealth makes many friends,
But the poor is separated from his friend.
5 A (S)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 (T)All the brothers of the poor hate him;
How much more do his friends go (U)far from him!
He may pursue them with words, yet they [g]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 (W)for a servant to rule over princes.
11 (X)The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
(Y)And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
13 (AB)A foolish son is the ruin of his father,
(AC)And the contentions of a wife are a continual [i]dripping.
17 (AI)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 (AK)in your latter days.
21 There are many plans in a man’s heart,
(AL)Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is [l]kindness,
And a poor man is better than a liar.
23 (AM)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 (AN)A lazy man buries his hand in the [m]bowl,
And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple (AO)will become wary;
(AP)Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.
26 He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother
Is (AQ)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,
(AS)And beatings for the backs of fools.
Wine Is a Mocker
20 Wine (AT)is a mocker,
Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The [o]wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
3 (AU)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 [p]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 (AZ)Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin”?
10 (BA)Diverse weights and diverse measures,
They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child is (BB)known by his deeds,
Whether what he does is pure and right.
12 (BC)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made them both.
13 (BD)Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.
14 “It is [q]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 (BE)the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 (BF)Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.
17 (BG)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
19 (BJ)He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one (BK)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 (BR)A wise king sifts out the wicked,
And brings the threshing wheel over them.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
And (BU)the splendor of old men is their gray head.
30 Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,
As do stripes the [u]inner depths of the heart.
The Lord Considers the Heart
21 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,
Like the [v]rivers of water;
He turns it wherever He wishes.
3 (BX)To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
5 (BZ)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 [y]destroy them,
Because they refuse to do justice.
8 The way of [z]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 (CB)a contentious woman.
10 (CC)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 (CD)wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
12 The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked,
Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.
13 (CE)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 [aa]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 (CF)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 [ab]in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman.
20 (CG)There is desirable treasure,
And oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man squanders it.
21 (CH)He who follows righteousness and mercy
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
23 (CJ)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 (CK)desire of the lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor.
26 He covets greedily all day long,
But the righteous (CL)gives and does not spare.
27 (CM)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 [ad]establishes his way.
30 (CN)There is no wisdom or understanding
Or counsel against the Lord.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But (CO)deliverance is of the Lord.
The Value of a Good Name
22 A (CP)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 (CS)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 (CU)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.
10 (CY)Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave;
Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
11 (CZ)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 (DA)The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be slain in the streets!”
14 (DB)The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit;
(DC)He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
(DD)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 (DE)That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth,
(DF)That you may answer words of truth
To those who [ah]send to you?
22 Do not rob the (DG)poor because he is poor,
Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;
23 (DH)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 (DI)furious man do not go,
25 Lest you learn his ways
And set a snare for your soul.
26 (DJ)Do not be one of those who [ai]shakes hands in a pledge,
One of those who is [aj]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 [al]excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before [am]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 (DL)Do not overwork to be rich;
(DM)Because of your own understanding, cease!
5 [an]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 (DN)a[ao] miser,
Nor desire his delicacies;
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” (DO)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 (DP)Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Do not remove the ancient [ap]landmark,
Nor enter the fields of the fatherless;
11 (DQ)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 (DR)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 [aq]hell.
15 My son, if your heart is wise,
My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;
16 Yes, my [ar]inmost being will rejoice
When your lips speak right things.
17 (DS)Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But (DT)be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;
18 (DU)For surely there is a [as]hereafter,
And your hope will not be cut off.
19 Hear, my son, and be wise;
And guide your heart in the way.
20 (DV)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 (DW)Listen to your father who begot you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 (DX)Buy the truth, and do not sell it,
Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 (DY)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 (DZ)For a harlot is a deep pit,
And a seductress is a narrow well.
28 (EA)She also lies in wait as for a victim,
And increases the unfaithful among men.
29 (EB)Who has woe?
Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions?
Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who (EC)has redness of eyes?
30 (ED)Those who linger long at the wine,
Those who go in search of (EE)mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it [at]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 [au]midst of the sea,
Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
35 “They(EF) have struck me, but I was not hurt;
They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
When shall (EG)I awake, that I may seek another drink?”
Footnotes
- 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
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.