For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.(A)
He stores up success[a] for the upright;
He is a shield for those who live with integrity(B)
so that he may guard the paths of justice
and protect the way of his faithful followers.(C)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2:7 Or resourcefulness

For the Lord grants wisdom!
    From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
    He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
He guards the paths of the just
    and protects those who are faithful to him.

Read full chapter

Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.
Tie them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.(A)
Then you will find favor and high regard
with God and people.(B)

Read full chapter

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
    Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
    Write them deep within your heart.
Then you will find favor with both God and people,
    and you will earn a good reputation.

Read full chapter

11 Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son,
and do not loathe his discipline;(A)

Read full chapter

11 My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
    and don’t be upset when he corrects you.

Read full chapter

21 For a man’s ways are before the Lord’s eyes,(A)
and he considers all his paths.(B)

Read full chapter

21 For the Lord sees clearly what a man does,
    examining every path he takes.

Read full chapter

What the Lord Hates

16 The Lord hates six things;
in fact, seven are detestable to him:
17 arrogant eyes,(A) a lying tongue,(B)
hands that shed innocent blood,(C)
18 a heart that plots wicked schemes,(D)
feet eager to run to evil,(E)
19 a lying witness who gives false testimony,(F)
and one who stirs up trouble among brothers.(G)

Read full chapter

16 There are six things the Lord hates—
    no, seven things he detests:
17 haughty eyes,
    a lying tongue,
    hands that kill the innocent,
18 a heart that plots evil,
    feet that race to do wrong,
19 a false witness who pours out lies,
    a person who sows discord in a family.

Read full chapter

The eyes of the Lord are everywhere,
observing the wicked and the good.(A)

Read full chapter

The Lord is watching everywhere,
    keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.

Read full chapter

11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord(A)
how much more, human hearts.(B)

Read full chapter

11 Even Death and Destruction[a] hold no secrets from the Lord.
    How much more does he know the human heart!

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 15:11 Hebrew Sheol and Abaddon.

29 The Lord is far from the wicked,(A)
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.(B)

Read full chapter

29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
    but he hears the prayers of the righteous.

Read full chapter

16 The reflections of the heart belong to mankind,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.(A)

All a person’s ways seem right to him,
but the Lord weighs motives.[a](B)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 16:2 Lit spirits

16 We can make our own plans,
    but the Lord gives the right answer.

People may be pure in their own eyes,
    but the Lord examines their motives.

Read full chapter

A person’s heart plans his way,
but the Lord determines his steps.(A)

Read full chapter

We can make our plans,
    but the Lord determines our steps.

Read full chapter

11 Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s;
all the weights in the bag are his concern.(A)

Read full chapter

11 The Lord demands accurate scales and balances;
    he sets the standards for fairness.

Read full chapter

33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.(A)

Read full chapter

33 We may throw the dice,[a]
    but the Lord determines how they fall.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 16:33 Hebrew We may cast lots.