Proverbs 28-31
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
28 The wicked flee when no one pursues,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.(A)
2 When a land rebels
it has many rulers;
but with an intelligent[a] person, honesty endures.(B)
3 A poor person who oppresses the poor
is a beating rain that leaves no food.(C)
4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
but those who keep the law struggle against them.(D)
5 The evil do not understand justice,
but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.(E)
6 Better to be poor and walk in integrity
than to be crooked in one’s ways even though rich.(F)
7 Those who keep the law are wise children,
but companions of gluttons shame their parents.(G)
8 One who augments wealth by exorbitant interest
gathers it for another who is kind to the poor.(H)
9 When one will not listen to the law,
even one’s prayers are an abomination.(I)
10 Those who mislead the upright into evil ways
will fall into pits of their own making,
but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.(J)
11 The rich is wise in self-esteem,
but an intelligent poor person sees through the pose.(K)
12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory,
but when the wicked prevail, people go into hiding.(L)
13 No one who conceals transgressions will prosper,
but one who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.(M)
14 Happy is the one who is never without fear,
but one who is hard-hearted will fall into calamity.(N)
15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked ruler over a poor people.(O)
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
but one who hates unjust gain will enjoy a long life.
17 If someone is burdened with the blood of another,
let that killer be a fugitive until death;
let no one offer assistance.(P)
18 One who walks in integrity will be safe,
but whoever follows crooked ways will fall into the Pit.[b](Q)
19 Anyone who tills the land will have plenty of bread,
but one who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.(R)
20 The faithful will abound with blessings,
but one who is in a hurry to be rich will not go unpunished.(S)
21 To show partiality is not good,
yet for a piece of bread a person may do wrong.
22 The miser is in a hurry to get rich
and does not know that loss is sure to come.
23 Whoever rebukes a person will afterward find more favor
than one who flatters with the tongue.(T)
24 Anyone who robs father or mother
and says, “That is no crime,”
is partner to a thug.(U)
25 The greedy person stirs up strife,
but whoever trusts in the Lord will be enriched.(V)
26 Those who trust in their own wits are fools,
but those who walk in wisdom come through safely.
27 Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but one who turns a blind eye will get many a curse.(W)
28 When the wicked prevail, people go into hiding,
but when they perish, the righteous increase.
29 One who is often reproved, yet remains stubborn,
will suddenly be broken beyond healing.(X)
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice,
but when the wicked rule, the people groan.(Y)
3 A child who loves wisdom makes a parent glad,
but a companion of prostitutes destroys wealth.(Z)
4 By justice a king gives stability to the land,
but one who makes heavy exactions ruins it.
5 Whoever flatters a neighbor
is spreading a net for the neighbor’s feet.
6 In the transgression of the evil there is a snare,
but the righteous sing and rejoice.
7 The righteous know the rights of the poor;
the wicked have no such understanding.(AA)
8 Scoffers set a city aflame,
but the wise turn away wrath.(AB)
9 If the wise go to law with fools,
there is ranting and ridicule without relief.
10 The bloodthirsty hate the blameless,
and they seek the life of the upright.(AC)
11 A fool gives full vent to anger,
but the wise quietly holds it back.(AD)
12 If a ruler listens to falsehood,
all his officials will be wicked.
13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.(AE)
14 If a king judges the poor with equity,
his throne will be established forever.(AF)
15 The rod and reproof give wisdom,
but a mother is disgraced by a neglected child.(AG)
16 When the wicked are in authority, transgression increases,
but the righteous will look upon their downfall.(AH)
17 Discipline your children, and they will give you rest;
they will give delight to your heart.(AI)
18 Where there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint,
but happy are those who keep the law.(AJ)
19 By mere words slaves are not disciplined,
for though they understand, they will not give heed.
20 Do you see someone who is hasty in speech?
There is more hope for a fool than for anyone like that.(AK)
21 A slave pampered from childhood
will come to a bad end.[c]
22 One given to anger stirs up strife,
and the hothead causes much transgression.(AL)
23 A person’s pride will bring humiliation,
but one who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.(AM)
24 To be a partner of a thief is to hate one’s own life;
one hears the victim’s curse but discloses nothing.[d](AN)
25 The fear of others[e] lays a snare,
but one who trusts in the Lord is secure.(AO)
26 Many seek the favor of a ruler,
but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.(AP)
27 The unjust are an abomination to the righteous,
but the upright are an abomination to the wicked.
Sayings of Agur
30 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle.
Thus says the man: I am weary, O God;
I am weary, O God, and am wasting away.[f](AQ)
2 Surely I am too stupid to be human;
I do not have human understanding.(AR)
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I knowledge of the holy ones.[g](AS)
4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of the hand?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is the person’s name?
And what is the name of the person’s child?
Surely you know!(AT)
5 Every word of God proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.(AU)
6 Do not add to his words,
lest he rebuke you, and you be found a liar.(AV)
7 Two things I ask of you;
do not deny them to me before I die:
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that I need,(AW)
9 lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or I be poor and steal
and profane the name of my God.(AX)
10 Do not slander a servant to a master,
lest the servant curse you, and you be held guilty.(AY)
11 There are those who curse their fathers
and do not bless their mothers.(AZ)
12 There are those who are pure in their own eyes,
yet are not cleansed of their filthiness.(BA)
13 There are those—how lofty are their eyes,
how high their eyelids lift!—(BB)
14 there are those whose teeth are swords,
whose teeth are knives
to devour the poor from off the earth,
the needy from among mortals.(BC)
15 The leech has two daughters;
“Give, give,” they cry.
Three things are never satisfied;
four never say, “Enough”:
16 Sheol, the barren womb,
the earth ever-thirsty for water,
and the fire that never says, “Enough.”(BD)
17 The eye that mocks a father
and scorns to obey a mother
will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley
and eaten by the vultures.(BE)
18 Three things are too wonderful for me;
four 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 woman.
20 This is the way of an adulteress:
she eats and wipes her mouth
and says, “I have done no wrong.”(BF)
21 Under three things the earth trembles;
under four it cannot bear up:
22 a slave when he becomes king
and a fool when glutted with food,(BG)
23 a contemptible woman when she gets a husband
and a maid when she supplants her mistress.
24 Four things on earth are small,
yet they are exceedingly wise:
25 the ants are a people without strength,
yet they provide their food in the summer;(BH)
26 the badgers are a people without power,
yet they make their homes in the rocks;(BI)
27 the locusts have no king,
yet all of them march in rank;
28 the lizard[h] can be grasped in the hand,
yet it is found in kings’ palaces.
29 Three things are stately in their stride;
four are stately in their gait:
30 the lion, which is mightiest among wild animals
and does not turn back before any;(BJ)
31 the strutting rooster,[i] the he-goat,
and a king against whom none can stand.
32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,
or if you have been devising evil,
put your hand on your mouth.(BK)
33 For as pressing milk produces curds
and pressing the nose produces blood,
so pressing anger produces strife.(BL)
The Teaching of King Lemuel’s Mother
31 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:(BM)
2 No, my son! No, son of my womb!
No, son of my vows!(BN)
3 Do not give your strength to women,
your ways to those who destroy kings.(BO)
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine
or for rulers to desire[j] strong drink,(BP)
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to one who is perishing
and wine to those in bitter distress;
7 let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8 Speak out for those who cannot speak,
for the rights of all the destitute.[k](BQ)
9 Speak out; judge righteously;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.(BR)
Ode to a Woman of Strength
10 A woman of strength who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.(BS)
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not harm
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax
and works with willing hands.(BT)
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from far away.
15 She rises while it is still night
and provides food for her household
and tasks for her female servants.(BU)
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.(BV)
21 She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all her household are clothed in crimson.(BW)
22 She makes herself coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the city gates,
taking his seat among the elders of the land.(BX)
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she supplies the merchant with sashes.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.(BY)
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.(BZ)
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.(CA)
28 Her children rise up and call her happy;
her husband, too, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”(CB)
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.(CC)
31 Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the city gates.
Footnotes
- 28.2 Heb intelligent knowledgeable
- 28.18 Syr: Heb fall all at once
- 29.21 Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain
- 29.24 Meaning of Heb uncertain
- 29.25 Or human fear
- 30.1 Meaning of Heb uncertain
- 30.3 Or Holy One
- 30.28 Or spider
- 30.31 Gk Syr Tg Compare Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain
- 31.4 Cn: Heb where
- 31.8 Heb all children of passing away
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.