Proverbs 9-18
New American Standard Bible 1995
Wisdom’s Invitation
9 Wisdom has (A)built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars;
2 She has [a](B)prepared her food, she has (C)mixed her wine;
She has also (D)set her table;
3 She has (E)sent out her maidens, she (F)calls
From the (G)tops of the heights of the city:
4 “(H)Whoever is [b]naive, let him turn in here!”
To him who (I)lacks [c]understanding she says,
5 “Come, (J)eat of my food
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 “[d]Forsake your folly and (K)live,
And (L)proceed in the way of understanding.”
7 He who (M)corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,
And he who reproves a wicked man gets [e]insults for himself.
8 (N)Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,
(O)Reprove a wise man and he will love you.
9 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser,
Teach a righteous man and he will (P)increase his learning.
10 The (Q)fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For (R)by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
12 If you are wise, you are wise (S)for yourself,
And if you (T)scoff, you alone will bear it.
13 The [f]woman of folly is (U)boisterous,
She is [g]naive and (V)knows nothing.
14 She sits at the doorway of her house,
On a seat by (W)the high places of the city,
15 Calling to those who pass by,
Who are making their paths straight:
16 “(X)Whoever is [h]naive, let him turn in here,”
And to him who lacks [i]understanding she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet;
And (Y)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the [j]dead are there,
That her guests are in the (Z)depths of Sheol.
Contrast of the Righteous and the Wicked
10 The (AA)proverbs of Solomon.
(AB)A wise son makes a father glad,
But (AC)a foolish son is a grief to his mother.
2 [k](AD)Ill-gotten gains do not profit,
But righteousness delivers from death.
3 The Lord (AE)will not allow the [l]righteous to hunger,
But He (AF)will [m]reject the craving of the wicked.
4 Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,
But the (AG)hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,
But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.
6 (AH)Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But (AI)the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
7 The (AJ)memory of the righteous is blessed,
But (AK)the name of the wicked will rot.
8 The (AL)wise of heart will receive commands,
But [n]a babbling fool will be [o]ruined.
9 He (AM)who walks in integrity walks securely,
But (AN)he who perverts his ways will be found out.
10 He (AO)who winks the eye causes trouble,
And [p](AP)a babbling fool will be [q]ruined.
11 The (AQ)mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
But (AR)the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
But (AS)love covers all transgressions.
13 On (AT)the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,
But (AU)a rod is for the back of him who lacks [r]understanding.
14 Wise men (AV)store up knowledge,
But with (AW)the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.
15 The (AX)rich man’s wealth is his [s]fortress,
The (AY)ruin of the poor is their poverty.
16 The [t](AZ)wages of the righteous is life,
The income of the wicked, punishment.
17 He (BA)is on the path of life who heeds instruction,
But he who ignores reproof goes astray.
18 He (BB)who conceals hatred has lying lips,
And he who spreads slander is a fool.
19 When there are (BC)many words, transgression is unavoidable,
But (BD)he who restrains his lips is wise.
20 The tongue of the righteous is as (BE)choice silver,
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
21 The (BF)lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools (BG)die for lack of [u]understanding.
22 It is the (BH)blessing of the Lord that makes rich,
And He adds no sorrow to it.
23 Doing wickedness is like (BI)sport to a fool,
And so is wisdom to a man of understanding.
24 What (BJ)the wicked fears will come upon him,
But the (BK)desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the (BL)whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,
But the (BM)righteous has an everlasting foundation.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the (BN)lazy one to those who send him.
27 The (BO)fear of the Lord prolongs [v]life,
But the (BP)years of the wicked will be shortened.
28 The (BQ)hope of the righteous is gladness,
But the (BR)expectation of the wicked perishes.
29 The (BS)way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright,
But (BT)ruin to the workers of iniquity.
30 The (BU)righteous will never be shaken,
But (BV)the wicked will not dwell in the land.
31 The (BW)mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom,
But the (BX)perverted tongue will be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous bring forth (BY)what is acceptable,
But the (BZ)mouth of the wicked what is perverted.
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
11 A (CA)false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
But a (CB)just weight is His delight.
2 When (CC)pride comes, then comes dishonor,
But with the humble is wisdom.
3 The (CD)integrity of the upright will guide them,
But the (CE)crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.
4 (CF)Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
But (CG)righteousness delivers from death.
5 The (CH)righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way,
But (CI)the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,
But the treacherous will (CJ)be caught by their own greed.
7 When a wicked man dies, his (CK)expectation will perish,
And the (CL)hope of strong men perishes.
8 The righteous is delivered from trouble,
But the wicked [w]takes his place.
9 With his (CM)mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,
But through knowledge the (CN)righteous will be delivered.
10 When it (CO)goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
12 He who despises his neighbor lacks [x]sense,
But a man of understanding keeps silent.
13 He (CP)who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets,
But he who is [y]trustworthy (CQ)conceals a matter.
14 Where there is no (CR)guidance the people fall,
But in abundance of counselors there is [z]victory.
15 He who is (CS)guarantor for a stranger will surely suffer for it,
But he who hates [aa]being a guarantor is secure.
16 A (CT)gracious woman attains honor,
And ruthless men attain riches.
17 The (CU)merciful man does [ab]himself good,
But the cruel man [ac]does himself harm.
18 The wicked earns deceptive wages,
But he who (CV)sows righteousness gets a true reward.
19 He who is steadfast in (CW)righteousness will attain to life,
And (CX)he who pursues evil will bring about his own death.
20 The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord,
But the (CY)blameless in their [ad]walk are His (CZ)delight.
21 [ae]Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished,
But the [af]descendants of the righteous will be delivered.
22 As a (DA)ring of gold in a swine’s snout
So is a beautiful woman who lacks [ag]discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the (DB)expectation of the wicked is wrath.
24 There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more,
And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want.
25 The [ah](DC)generous man will be [ai]prosperous,
And he who (DD)waters will himself be watered.
26 He who withholds grain, the (DE)people will curse him,
But (DF)blessing will be on the head of him who (DG)sells it.
27 He who diligently seeks good seeks favor,
But (DH)he who seeks evil, evil will come to him.
28 He who (DI)trusts in his riches will fall,
But (DJ)the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.
29 He who (DK)troubles his own house will (DL)inherit wind,
And (DM)the foolish will be servant to the wisehearted.
30 The fruit of the righteous is (DN)a tree of life,
And (DO)he who is wise [aj]wins souls.
31 If (DP)the righteous will be rewarded in the earth,
How much more the wicked and the sinner!
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
12 Whoever loves [ak]discipline loves knowledge,
But he who hates reproof is stupid.
2 A (DQ)good man will obtain favor from the Lord,
But He will condemn a man [al]who devises evil.
3 A man will (DR)not be established by wickedness,
But the root of the (DS)righteous will not be moved.
4 An [am](DT)excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who shames him is like (DU)rottenness in his bones.
5 The thoughts of the righteous are just,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
6 The (DV)words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
But the (DW)mouth of the upright will deliver them.
7 The (DX)wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the (DY)house of the righteous will stand.
8 A man will be praised according to his insight,
But one of perverse [an]mind will be despised.
9 Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant
Than he who honors himself and lacks bread.
10 A (DZ)righteous man has regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
11 He (EA)who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who pursues worthless things lacks [ao]sense.
12 The (EB)wicked man desires the [ap]booty of evil men,
But the root of the righteous (EC)yields fruit.
13 [aq]An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
But the (ED)righteous will escape from trouble.
14 A man will be (EE)satisfied with good by the fruit of his [ar]words,
And the (EF)deeds of a man’s hands will return to him.
15 The (EG)way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.
16 A (EH)fool’s anger is known at once,
But a prudent man conceals dishonor.
17 He who [as]speaks truth tells what is right,
But a false witness, deceit.
18 There is one who (EI)speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
But the (EJ)tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Truthful lips will be established forever,
But a (EK)lying tongue is only for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
21 (EL)No harm befalls the righteous,
But the wicked are filled with trouble.
22 (EM)Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight.
23 A (EN)prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims folly.
24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the [at]slack hand will be (EO)put to forced labor.
25 (EP)Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,
But a (EQ)good word makes it glad.
26 The righteous is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27 A [au]lazy man does not [av]roast his prey,
But the (ER)precious possession of a man is diligence.
28 (ES)In the way of righteousness is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
13 A (ET)wise son accepts his father’s discipline,
But a (EU)scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 From the fruit of a man’s mouth he [aw](EV)enjoys good,
But the [ax]desire of the treacherous is (EW)violence.
3 The one who (EX)guards his mouth preserves his life;
The one who (EY)opens wide his lips [ay]comes to ruin.
4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
But the soul of the diligent is made fat.
5 A righteous man (EZ)hates falsehood,
But a wicked man [az](FA)acts disgustingly and shamefully.
6 Righteousness (FB)guards the [ba]one whose way is blameless,
But wickedness subverts the [bb]sinner.
7 There is one who (FC)pretends to be rich, but has nothing;
Another [bc]pretends to be (FD)poor, but has great wealth.
8 The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
But the poor hears no rebuke.
9 The (FE)light of the righteous [bd]rejoices,
But the (FF)lamp of the wicked goes out.
10 Through insolence [be]comes nothing but strife,
But wisdom is with those who receive counsel.
11 Wealth obtained by [bf]fraud dwindles,
But the one who gathers [bg]by labor increases it.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire [bh]fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 The one who (FG)despises the word will be [bi]in debt to it,
But the one who fears the commandment will be (FH)rewarded.
14 The [bj]teaching of the wise is a (FI)fountain of life,
To turn aside from the (FJ)snares of death.
15 (FK)Good understanding produces favor,
But the way of the treacherous is hard.
16 Every (FL)prudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool [bk]displays folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into adversity,
But (FM)a faithful envoy brings healing.
18 Poverty and shame will come to him who (FN)neglects [bl]discipline,
But he who regards reproof will be honored.
19 Desire realized is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.
20 (FO)He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.
21 (FP)Adversity pursues sinners,
But the (FQ)righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.
22 A good man (FR)leaves an inheritance to his [bm]children’s children,
And the (FS)wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
23 (FT)Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor,
But [bn]it is swept away by injustice.
24 He who (FU)withholds his [bo]rod hates his son,
But he who loves him [bp](FV)disciplines him diligently.
25 The (FW)righteous [bq]has enough to satisfy his appetite,
But the stomach of the (FX)wicked is in need.
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
14 The (FY)wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
2 He who (FZ)walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
But he who is (GA)devious in his ways despises Him.
3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod [br]for his back,
But (GB)the lips of the wise will protect them.
4 Where no oxen are, the manger is clean,
But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.
5 A (GC)trustworthy witness will not lie,
But a (GD)false witness [bs](GE)utters lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,
But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.
7 Leave the (GF)presence of a fool,
Or you will not [bt]discern [bu]words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,
But (GG)the foolishness of fools is deceit.
9 Fools mock at [bv]sin,
But (GH)among the upright there is [bw]good will.
10 The heart knows its own (GI)bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
11 The (GJ)house of the wicked will be destroyed,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There (GK)is a way which seems right to a man,
But its (GL)end is the way of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,
And the (GM)end of joy may be grief.
14 The backslider in heart will have his (GN)fill of his own ways,
But a good man will (GO)be satisfied [bx]with his.
15 The [by]naive believes everything,
But the sensible man considers his steps.
16 A wise man [bz]is cautious and (GP)turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless.
17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of evil devices is hated.
18 The [ca]naive inherit foolishness,
But the sensible are crowned with knowledge.
19 The (GQ)evil will bow down before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The (GR)poor is hated even by his neighbor,
But those who love the rich are many.
21 He who (GS)despises his neighbor sins,
But (GT)happy is he who is gracious to the [cb]poor.
22 Will they not go astray who (GU)devise evil?
But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.
23 In all labor there is profit,
But [cc]mere talk leads only to poverty.
24 The (GV)crown of the wise is their riches,
But the folly of fools is foolishness.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
But he who [cd](GW)utters lies is [ce]treacherous.
26 In the [cf](GX)fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And [cg]his children will have refuge.
27 The [ch]fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
That one may avoid the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is a king’s glory,
But in the dearth of people is a prince’s ruin.
29 He who is (GY)slow to anger has great understanding,
But he who is [ci]quick-tempered exalts folly.
30 A (GZ)tranquil heart is life to the body,
But passion is (HA)rottenness to the bones.
31 He (HB)who oppresses the poor taunts (HC)his Maker,
But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
32 The wicked is (HD)thrust down by his [cj]wrongdoing,
But the (HE)righteous has a refuge when he dies.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,
But in the [ck]hearts of fools it is made known.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.
35 The king’s favor is toward a (HF)servant who acts wisely,
But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
15 A (HG)gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a [cl](HH)harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The (HI)tongue of the wise makes knowledge [cm]acceptable,
But the (HJ)mouth of fools spouts folly.
3 The (HK)eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.
4 A [cn]soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it [co]crushes the spirit.
5 A fool [cp]rejects his father’s discipline,
But he who regards reproof is sensible.
6 Great wealth is in the house of the (HL)righteous,
But trouble is in the income of the wicked.
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge,
But the hearts of fools are not so.
8 The (HM)sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But (HN)the prayer of the upright is His delight.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves one who (HO)pursues righteousness.
10 Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way;
He who hates reproof will die.
11 [cq](HP)Sheol and [cr]Abaddon lie open before the Lord,
How much more the (HQ)hearts of [cs]men!
12 A (HR)scoffer does not love one who reproves him,
He will not go to the wise.
13 A (HS)joyful heart makes a [ct]cheerful face,
But [cu]when the heart is (HT)sad, the (HU)spirit is broken.
14 The (HV)mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.
15 All the days of the afflicted are bad,
But a [cv]cheerful heart has a continual feast.
16 (HW)Better is a little with the [cw]fear of the Lord
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.
17 (HX)Better is a [cx]dish of [cy]vegetables where love is
Than a (HY)fattened ox served with hatred.
18 A (HZ)hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the (IA)slow to anger (IB)calms a dispute.
19 The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns,
But the path of the upright is a highway.
20 A (IC)wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man (ID)despises his mother.
21 Folly is joy to him who lacks [cz]sense,
But a man of understanding (IE)walks straight.
22 Without consultation, plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they [da]succeed.
23 A (IF)man has joy in an [db]apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely (IG)word!
24 The (IH)path of life leads upward for the wise
That he may keep away from [dc]Sheol below.
25 The Lord will (II)tear down the house of the proud,
But He will (IJ)establish the boundary of the (IK)widow.
26 Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,
But pleasant words are pure.
27 He who (IL)profits illicitly troubles his own house,
But he who (IM)hates bribes will live.
28 The heart of the righteous (IN)ponders how to answer,
But the (IO)mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29 The Lord is (IP)far from the wicked,
But He (IQ)hears the prayer of the righteous.
30 [dd]Bright eyes gladden the heart;
Good news puts fat on the bones.
31 He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof
Will dwell among the wise.
32 He who (IR)neglects discipline (IS)despises himself,
But he who (IT)listens to reproof acquires [de]understanding.
33 The [df]fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor comes humility.
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
16 The (IU)plans of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,
But the (IV)Lord weighs the [dg]motives.
3 [dh](IW)Commit your works to the Lord
And your plans will be established.
4 The Lord (IX)has made everything for [di]its own purpose,
Even the (IY)wicked for the day of evil.
5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.
6 By (IZ)lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,
And by the [dj](JA)fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
7 When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He (JB)makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.
9 The mind of (JC)man plans his way,
But (JD)the Lord directs his steps.
10 A divine (JE)decision is in the lips of the king;
His mouth should not [dk]err in judgment.
11 A (JF)just balance and scales belong to the Lord;
All the [dl]weights of the bag are His [dm]concern.
12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
For a (JG)throne is established on righteousness.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And he who speaks right is loved.
14 The fury of a king is like messengers of death,
But a wise man will appease it.
15 In the light of a king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud with the [dn](JH)spring rain.
16 How much (JI)better it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.
17 The (JJ)highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who watches his way preserves his [do]life.
18 (JK)Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
19 It is better to be (JL)humble in spirit with the lowly
Than to (JM)divide the spoil with the proud.
20 He who gives attention to the word will (JN)find good,
And (JO)blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
21 The (JP)wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of [dp]speech (JQ)increases [dq]persuasiveness.
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,
But the discipline of fools is folly.
23 The (JR)heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds [dr]persuasiveness to his lips.
24 (JS)Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and (JT)healing to the bones.
25 (JU)There is a way which seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.
26 A worker’s appetite works for him,
For his [ds]hunger urges him on.
27 A (JV)worthless man digs up evil,
While [dt]his words are like (JW)scorching fire.
28 A perverse man spreads strife,
And a slanderer separates intimate friends.
29 A man of violence (JX)entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.
30 He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;
He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 A (JY)gray head is a crown of glory;
It (JZ)is found in the way of righteousness.
32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.
33 The (KA)lot is cast into the lap,
But its every (KB)decision is from the Lord.
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
17 (KC)Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of [du]feasting with strife.
2 A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
And will share in the inheritance among brothers.
3 The (KD)refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But (KE)the Lord tests hearts.
4 An (KF)evildoer listens to wicked lips;
A [dv]liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 He who mocks the (KG)poor taunts his Maker;
He who (KH)rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.
6 (KI)Grandchildren are the crown of old men,
And the (KJ)glory of sons is their fathers.
7 [dw](KK)Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool,
Much less are (KL)lying lips to a prince.
8 A (KM)bribe is a [dx]charm in the sight of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
9 He who (KN)conceals a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter (KO)separates intimate friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 A rebellious man seeks only evil,
So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a (KP)man meet a (KQ)bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.
13 He who (KR)returns evil for good,
(KS)Evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
So (KT)abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.
15 He who (KU)justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to (KV)buy wisdom,
When [dy]he has no sense?
17 A (KW)friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man lacking in [dz]sense [ea](KX)pledges
And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.
19 He who (KY)loves transgression loves strife;
He who (KZ)raises his door seeks destruction.
20 He who has a crooked [eb]mind (LA)finds no good,
And he who is (LB)perverted in his language falls into evil.
21 He who (LC)sires a fool does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A (LD)joyful heart [ec]is good medicine,
But a broken spirit (LE)dries up the bones.
23 A wicked man receives a (LF)bribe from the bosom
To (LG)pervert the ways of justice.
24 Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding,
But the (LH)eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 A (LI)foolish son is a grief to his father
And (LJ)bitterness to her who bore him.
26 It is also not good to (LK)fine the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 He who (LL)restrains his words [ed]has knowledge,
And he who has a (LM)cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool, when he (LN)keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
18 He who separates himself seeks his own desire,
He [ee](LO)quarrels against all sound wisdom.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding,
But only (LP)in revealing his own [ef]mind.
3 When a wicked man comes, contempt also comes,
And with dishonor comes scorn.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are (LQ)deep waters;
[eg]The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
5 To (LR)show partiality to the wicked is not good,
Nor to (LS)thrust aside the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool’s lips [eh]bring strife,
And his mouth calls for (LT)blows.
7 A (LU)fool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
8 The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the [ei]innermost parts of the body.
9 He also who is (LV)slack in his work
(LW)Is brother to him who destroys.
10 The (LX)name of the Lord is a (LY)strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and (LZ)is [ej]safe.
11 A (MA)rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own imagination.
12 (MB)Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,
But (MC)humility goes before honor.
13 He who (MD)gives an answer before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him.
14 The (ME)spirit of a man can endure his sickness,
But as for a (MF)broken spirit who can bear it?
15 The [ek](MG)mind of the prudent acquires knowledge,
And the (MH)ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man’s (MI)gift makes room for him
And brings him before great men.
17 The first [el]to plead his case seems right,
Until [em]another comes and examines him.
18 The cast (MJ)lot puts an end to strife
And [en]decides between the mighty ones.
19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.
20 With the [eo](MK)fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
(ML)He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.
21 (MM)Death and life are in the [ep]power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its (MN)fruit.
22 He who finds a (MO)wife finds a good thing
And (MP)obtains favor from the Lord.
23 The (MQ)poor man utters supplications,
But the (MR)rich man (MS)answers roughly.
24 A man of too many friends comes to [eq]ruin,
But there is (MT)a [er]friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 9:2 Lit slaughtered her slaughter
- Proverbs 9:4 Lit simple
- Proverbs 9:4 Lit heart
- Proverbs 9:6 Or Forsake the simple ones
- Proverbs 9:7 Lit a blemish
- Proverbs 9:13 Or foolish woman
- Proverbs 9:13 Lit simple
- Proverbs 9:16 Lit simple
- Proverbs 9:16 Lit heart
- Proverbs 9:18 Lit departed spirits
- Proverbs 10:2 Lit Treasures of wickedness
- Proverbs 10:3 Lit soul of the righteous
- Proverbs 10:3 Lit thrust away
- Proverbs 10:8 Lit the foolish of lips
- Proverbs 10:8 Lit thrust down
- Proverbs 10:10 Lit the foolish of lips
- Proverbs 10:10 Lit thrust down
- Proverbs 10:13 Lit heart
- Proverbs 10:15 Lit strong city
- Proverbs 10:16 Or work
- Proverbs 10:21 Lit heart
- Proverbs 10:27 Lit days
- Proverbs 11:8 Lit enters
- Proverbs 11:12 Lit heart
- Proverbs 11:13 Lit faithful of spirit
- Proverbs 11:14 Lit deliverance
- Proverbs 11:15 Lit those who strike hands
- Proverbs 11:17 Lit good to his own soul
- Proverbs 11:17 Lit troubles his flesh
- Proverbs 11:20 Lit way
- Proverbs 11:21 Lit Hand to hand
- Proverbs 11:21 Lit seed
- Proverbs 11:22 Lit taste
- Proverbs 11:25 Lit soul of blessing
- Proverbs 11:25 Lit made fat
- Proverbs 11:30 Lit takes
- Proverbs 12:1 Or instruction
- Proverbs 12:2 Lit of evil devices
- Proverbs 12:4 Or virtuous
- Proverbs 12:8 Lit heart
- Proverbs 12:11 Lit heart
- Proverbs 12:12 Lit net
- Proverbs 12:13 Lit In the transgression of the lips is an evil snare
- Proverbs 12:14 Lit mouth
- Proverbs 12:17 Lit breathes
- Proverbs 12:24 Lit slackness
- Proverbs 12:27 Lit slackness
- Proverbs 12:27 Or catch
- Proverbs 13:2 Lit eats
- Proverbs 13:2 Lit soul
- Proverbs 13:3 Lit ruin is his
- Proverbs 13:5 Lit causes a bad odor and causes shame
- Proverbs 13:6 Lit blamelessness of way
- Proverbs 13:6 Lit sin
- Proverbs 13:7 Lit impoverishes himself
- Proverbs 13:9 I.e. shines brightly
- Proverbs 13:10 Lit gives
- Proverbs 13:11 Lit vanity
- Proverbs 13:11 Or gradually; lit on the hand
- Proverbs 13:12 Lit coming
- Proverbs 13:13 Lit pledged to it
- Proverbs 13:14 Or law
- Proverbs 13:16 Lit spreads out
- Proverbs 13:18 Or instruction
- Proverbs 13:22 Lit sons’ sons
- Proverbs 13:23 Lit there is what is swept
- Proverbs 13:24 I.e. correction or discipline
- Proverbs 13:24 Lit seeks him diligently with discipline
- Proverbs 13:25 Lit eats to the satisfaction of his soul
- Proverbs 14:3 Lit of pride
- Proverbs 14:5 Lit breathes out
- Proverbs 14:7 Lit know
- Proverbs 14:7 Lit lips
- Proverbs 14:9 Lit guilt
- Proverbs 14:9 Or the favor of God
- Proverbs 14:14 Lit from himself
- Proverbs 14:15 Lit simple
- Proverbs 14:16 Lit fears
- Proverbs 14:18 Lit simple
- Proverbs 14:21 Or afflicted
- Proverbs 14:23 Lit word of lips
- Proverbs 14:25 Lit breathes out
- Proverbs 14:25 Lit treachery
- Proverbs 14:26 Or reverence
- Proverbs 14:26 Or His
- Proverbs 14:27 Or reverence
- Proverbs 14:29 Lit short of spirit
- Proverbs 14:32 Or calamity
- Proverbs 14:33 Lit inward part
- Proverbs 15:1 Lit painful
- Proverbs 15:2 Lit good
- Proverbs 15:4 Lit healing
- Proverbs 15:4 Lit is the crushing of the spirit
- Proverbs 15:5 Or despises
- Proverbs 15:11 I.e. the nether world
- Proverbs 15:11 I.e. place of destruction
- Proverbs 15:11 Lit sons of Adam
- Proverbs 15:13 Lit good
- Proverbs 15:13 Lit in sadness of heart
- Proverbs 15:15 Lit good
- Proverbs 15:16 Or reverence
- Proverbs 15:17 Or portion
- Proverbs 15:17 Or herbs
- Proverbs 15:21 Lit heart
- Proverbs 15:22 Or are established
- Proverbs 15:23 Lit answer of his mouth
- Proverbs 15:24 I.e. the nether world
- Proverbs 15:30 Lit The light of the eyes gladdens
- Proverbs 15:32 Lit heart
- Proverbs 15:33 Or reverence
- Proverbs 16:2 Lit spirits
- Proverbs 16:3 Lit Roll
- Proverbs 16:4 Or His
- Proverbs 16:6 Or reverence
- Proverbs 16:10 Lit be unfaithful
- Proverbs 16:11 Lit stones
- Proverbs 16:11 Lit work
- Proverbs 16:15 Lit latter
- Proverbs 16:17 Lit soul
- Proverbs 16:21 Lit lips
- Proverbs 16:21 Or learning
- Proverbs 16:23 Or learning
- Proverbs 16:26 Lit mouth
- Proverbs 16:27 Lit on his lips
- Proverbs 17:1 Lit sacrifices of strife
- Proverbs 17:4 Lit falsehood
- Proverbs 17:7 Lit A lip of abundance
- Proverbs 17:8 Lit stone of favor
- Proverbs 17:16 Lit there is no heart
- Proverbs 17:18 Lit heart
- Proverbs 17:18 Lit shakes hands
- Proverbs 17:20 Lit heart
- Proverbs 17:22 Lit causes good healing
- Proverbs 17:27 Lit knows
- Proverbs 18:1 Lit breaks out
- Proverbs 18:2 Lit heart
- Proverbs 18:4 Or A bubbling brook, a fountain of wisdom
- Proverbs 18:6 Lit come with
- Proverbs 18:8 Lit chambers of the belly
- Proverbs 18:10 Lit set on high
- Proverbs 18:15 Lit heart
- Proverbs 18:17 Lit in his plea
- Proverbs 18:17 Lit his neighbor
- Proverbs 18:18 Lit makes a division
- Proverbs 18:20 I.e. speech
- Proverbs 18:21 Lit hand
- Proverbs 18:24 Lit be broken in pieces
- Proverbs 18:24 Or lover
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
