Proverbs 2:11-22
New International Reader's Version
11 Good sense will keep you safe.
Understanding will guard you.
12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of evil men.
It will save you from men who twist their words.
13 Men like that have left the straight paths
to walk in dark ways.
14 They take delight in doing what is wrong.
They take joy in twisting everything around.
15 Their paths are crooked.
Their ways are not straight.
16 Wisdom will save you from a woman who commits adultery.
It will save you from a sinful woman and her tempting words.
17 She has left the man she married when she was young.
She has broken the promise she made in front of God.
18 Surely her house leads down to death.
Her paths lead to the spirits of the dead.
19 No one who goes to her comes back
or reaches the paths of life.
20 You will walk in the ways of good people.
You will follow the paths of those who do right.
21 Honest people will live in the land.
Those who are without blame will remain in it.
22 But sinners will be cut off from the land.
Those who aren’t faithful will be torn away from it.
Proverbs 3:31-32
New International Reader's Version
31 Don’t be jealous of a person who hurts others.
Don’t choose any of their ways.
32 The Lord really hates sinful people.
But he makes honest people his closest friends.
Proverbs 6:12-15
New International Reader's Version
12 An evil troublemaker
goes around saying twisted things with his mouth.
13 He winks with his eyes.
He makes signals with his feet.
He motions with his fingers.
14 His plans are evil, and he has lies in his heart.
He is always stirring up fights.
15 Trouble will catch up with him in an instant.
He will suddenly be destroyed, and nothing can save him.
Proverbs 10:6
New International Reader's Version
6 Blessings are like crowns on the heads of those who do right.
But the trouble caused by what sinners say destroys them.
Proverbs 10:11-13
New International Reader's Version
11 The mouths of those who do right pour out life like a fountain.
But the mouths of sinners hide their evil plans.
12 Hate stirs up fights.
But love erases all sins by forgiving them.
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of those who understand what is right.
But those who have no sense are punished.
Proverbs 10:18
New International Reader's Version
18 Anyone who hides hatred with lying lips
and spreads lies is foolish.
Proverbs 11:13
New International Reader's Version
13 Those who talk about others will tell secrets.
But those who can be trusted keep the secrets of others.
Proverbs 12:15-18
New International Reader's Version
15 The way of foolish people seems right to them.
But those who are wise listen to advice.
16 Foolish people are easily upset.
But wise people pay no attention to hurtful words.
17 An honest witness tells the truth.
But a dishonest witness tells lies.
18 The words of thoughtless people cut like swords.
But the tongue of wise people brings healing.
Proverbs 13:16
New International Reader's Version
16 Wise people act with knowledge.
But foolish people show how foolish they are.
Proverbs 16:27-30
New International Reader's Version
27 A worthless person plans to do evil things.
Their words are like a burning fire.
28 A twisted person stirs up conflict.
Anyone who talks about others separates close friends.
29 A person who wants to hurt others tries to get them to sin.
That person leads them down a path that isn’t good.
30 Whoever winks with their eye is planning to do wrong.
Whoever closes their lips tightly is up to no good.
Proverbs 17:4
New International Reader's Version
4 Evil people listen to lies.
Lying people listen to evil.
Proverbs 17:9
New International Reader's Version
9 Whoever wants to show love forgives a wrong.
But those who talk about it separate close friends.
Proverbs 17:11
New International Reader's Version
11 An evil person tries to keep others from obeying God.
The messenger of death will be sent against them.
Proverbs 17:19-20
New International Reader's Version
19 The one who loves to argue loves to sin.
The one who builds a high gate is just asking to be destroyed.
20 If your heart is twisted, you won’t succeed.
If your tongue tells lies, you will get into trouble.
Proverbs 17:24
New International Reader's Version
24 Anyone who understands what is right keeps wisdom in view.
But the eyes of a foolish person look everywhere else.
Proverbs 18:1-2
New International Reader's Version
18 A person who isn’t friendly looks out only for themselves.
They oppose all good sense by starting fights.
2 Foolish people don’t want to understand.
They take delight in saying only what they think.
Proverbs 20:14
New International Reader's Version
14 “It’s no good. It’s no good!” says a buyer.
Then off they go and brag about what they bought.
Proverbs 21:29
New International Reader's Version
29 Sinful people try to look as if they were bold.
But honest people think about how they live.
Proverbs 22:10
New International Reader's Version
10 If you drive away those who make fun of others, fighting also goes away.
Arguing and unkind words will stop.
Proverbs 22:8
New International Reader's Version
8 Anyone who plants evil gathers a harvest of trouble.
Their power to treat others badly will be destroyed.
Proverbs 22:26
New International Reader's Version
Saying 4
26 Don’t agree to pay for what someone else owes.
And don’t agree to pay their bills for them.
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