Proverbs 18-24
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?”
Do Not Envy Evil Men
24 Do not be (EH)envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;
2 For their heart devises violence,
And their lips talk of troublemaking.
3 Through wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
4 By knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.
5 (EI)A wise man is strong,
Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;
6 (EJ)For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,
And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.
7 (EK)Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;
He does not open his mouth in the gate.
8 He who (EL)plots to do evil
Will be called a [av]schemer.
9 The devising of foolishness is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 If you (EM)faint in the day of adversity,
Your strength is small.
11 (EN)Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, “Surely we did not know this,”
Does not (EO)He who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to each man (EP)according to his deeds?
13 My son, (EQ)eat honey because it is good,
And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;
14 (ER)So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;
If you have found it, there is a [aw]prospect,
And your hope will not be cut off.
15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not plunder his resting place;
16 (ES)For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again,
(ET)But the wicked shall fall by calamity.
17 (EU)Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
18 Lest the Lord see it, and [ax]it displease Him,
And He turn away His wrath from him.
19 (EV)Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the wicked;
20 For there will be no prospect for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21 My son, (EW)fear the Lord and the king;
Do not associate with those given to change;
22 For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin those two can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise
23 These things also belong to the wise:
(EX)It is not good to [ay]show partiality in judgment.
24 (EY)He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Him the people will curse;
Nations will abhor him.
25 But those who rebuke the wicked will have (EZ)delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.
26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
27 (FA)Prepare your outside work,
Make it fit for yourself in the field;
And afterward build your house.
28 (FB)Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
[az]For would you deceive with your lips?
29 (FC)Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.”
30 I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
31 And there it was, (FD)all overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.
32 When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:
33 (FE)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;
34 (FF)So shall your poverty come like [ba]a prowler,
And your need like [bb]an armed man.
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
- Proverbs 24:8 Lit. master of evil plots
- Proverbs 24:14 Lit. latter end
- Proverbs 24:18 Lit. it be evil in His eyes
- Proverbs 24:23 Lit. recognize faces
- Proverbs 24:28 LXX, Vg. Do not deceive
- Proverbs 24:34 Lit. one who walks about
- Proverbs 24:34 Lit. a man with a shield
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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