Proverbs 2:11-22
The Voice
11 Sound judgment will stand guard over you,
and understanding will watch over you as the Lord promised.
12 Wisdom will keep you from following the way of evildoers,
of those who twist words to pervert the truth,
13 Of those who reject the right road
for a darker, more sinister way of life,
14 Of those who enjoy evil
and pursue perverse pleasures,
15 Of those who journey down a crooked path,
constantly figuring out new ways to trick and deceive others.
16 Wisdom will pluck you from the trap of a seductive woman,
from the enticing propositions of the adulteress
17 Who chose to leave the husband of her youth,
to forget her sacred promises to her God;
18 For her house is on the road that leads to death,
and her path goes down to the shadowy pit.
19 Those who go to her will never return;
they will never again find their way back to true life.
20 As for you, you should walk like those who are good
and keep to the paths of those who love justice,
21 For those who live right will remain in the land
and those with integrity will endure here.
22 But not the wicked; they will be forced out and banned from this promised land,
and those who deal in deceit will be plucked up like weeds.
Proverbs 3:31-32
The Voice
31 Do not envy someone who profits at the expense of others
or copy any of his tyrannical ways,
32 For crooked people are detestable to the Eternal,
but those with integrity receive His counsel.
Proverbs 6:12-15
The Voice
Laziness is not just a bad habit; it’s a threat—a clear and present danger. Since the beginning, God has made us in His image to create and tend His good creation. In other words, God has made us to work. It is in our spiritual DNA. We must do it in order to be who God made us and to fight off the threats of poverty and want. God has also created the Sabbath as a space for us to rest, of course, just as He rested on the seventh day.
12 Someone who struts around taking advantage of unsuspecting souls
and deceiving others is to be avoided.
13 With a wink of his eye, a quick shuffle of his feet,
and a slight gesture with his hand, he signals his roguish treachery.
14 With a warped mind and twisted heart, he constantly looks for his own gain at others’ expense,
causing friction everywhere he goes.
15 But you watch: his actions will bring sudden disaster!
In an instant, his life will be shattered,
and there will be nothing to save him.
Proverbs 10:6
The Voice
6 Blessings come to those who do what is right,
but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.
Proverbs 10:11-13
The Voice
11 The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,
but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.
12 Hatred fuels dissension,
but love calms all rebellions.
13 Wisdom lives where insightful words are spoken,
but harsh punishment awaits the senseless.
Proverbs 10:18
The Voice
18 Lips that lie cover deep-seated hatred,
and whoever spreads a libelous rumor is acting as a fool.
Proverbs 11:13
The Voice
13 A gossip can’t keep anything confidential,
but a reliable person protects a secret.
Proverbs 12:15-18
The Voice
15 Fools follow their own directions and think they are right,
but wise people listen intently to advice.
16 A fool’s anger is quickly evident,
but a clever person knows how to hide his flaws.
17 A faithful witness speaks the truth,
but a false witness utters lies.
18 Thoughtless words cut deeply like a thrusting sword,
but the speech of the wise is a healing balm.
Proverbs 13:16
The Voice
16 A clever person acquires knowledge and then acts on it;
but a fool advertises his folly for all to see.
Proverbs 16:27-30
The Voice
27 Good-for-nothings conjure up evil ideas;
their conversations fuel destructive fires.
28 Perverse people stir up contention;
gossip makes best friends into enemies.
29 Violent people try to recruit their neighbors,
wanting to lead them down the vile path of evil they have chosen.
30 Body language can expose a person’s intentions:
whoever winks the eye is planning perversity;
whoever purses his lips is intent on evil.
Proverbs 17:4
The Voice
4 Wrongdoers perk up when listening to gossip,
and liars lean in close to hear talk of mischief.
Proverbs 17:9
The Voice
9 Those who forgive faults foster love,
but those who repeatedly recall them ruin relationships.
Proverbs 17:11
The Voice
11 Evil people are determined to rebel,
and so a merciless messenger will chase them down.
Proverbs 17:19-20
The Voice
19 A person who loves sin loves a fight,
and one who builds a grand entrance dares others to tear it down.
20 Crooked-hearted people never recognize anything good,
and those who distort the truth court disaster.
Proverbs 17:24
The Voice
24 Those who understand look to wisdom for guidance,
but fools fasten their eyes on some distant horizon.
Proverbs 18:1-2
The Voice
18 Whoever pulls away from others to focus solely on his own desires
disregards any sense of sound judgment.
2 A fool never delights in true knowledge
but only wants to express what’s on his mind.
Proverbs 20:14
The Voice
14 “Bad quality for a bad price,” bargains the buyer;
but then he runs off with his prize in tow, bragging, “What a steal!”
Proverbs 21:29
The Voice
29 The wicked wears a defiant face,
but the right-living plans his path.
Proverbs 22:10
The Voice
10 Expel a mocker, and watch the wrangling go with him;
rivalry and rude remarks will also stop.
Proverbs 22:8
The Voice
8 Those who sow injustice reap disaster,
and their methods of oppression will fail.
Proverbs 22:26
The Voice
26 Do not be a person to guarantee someone else’s loan
or put up collateral for the debts of an acquaintance;
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
