A Soft Answer Turns Away Wrath

15 A (A)soft answer turns away wrath,
But (B)a harsh word stirs up anger.
The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,
(C)But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.

(D)The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

A [a]wholesome tongue is a tree of life,
But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

(E)A fool despises his father’s instruction,
(F)But he who [b]receives correction is prudent.

In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
But in the revenue of the wicked is trouble.

The lips of the wise [c]disperse knowledge,
But the heart of the fool does not do so.

(G)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight.
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves him who (H)follows righteousness.

10 (I)Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way,
And (J)he who hates correction will die.

11 (K)Hell[d] and [e]Destruction are before the Lord;
So how much more (L)the hearts of the sons of men.

12 (M)A scoffer does not love one who corrects him,
Nor will he go to the wise.

13 (N)A merry heart makes a cheerful [f]countenance,
But (O)by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

15 All the days of the afflicted are evil,
(P)But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

16 (Q)Better is a little with the fear of the Lord,
Than great treasure with trouble.
17 (R)Better is a dinner of [g]herbs where love is,
Than a fatted calf with hatred.

18 (S)A wrathful man stirs up strife,
But he who is slow to anger allays contention.

19 (T)The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns,
But the way of the upright is a highway.

20 (U)A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man despises his mother.

21 (V)Folly is joy to him who is destitute of [h]discernment,
(W)But a man of understanding walks uprightly.

22 (X)Without counsel, plans go awry,
But in the multitude of counselors they are established.

23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth,
And (Y)a word spoken [i]in due season, how good it is!

24 (Z)The way of life winds upward for the wise,
That he may (AA)turn away from [j]hell below.

25 (AB)The Lord will destroy the house of the proud,
But (AC)He will establish the boundary of the widow.

26 (AD)The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
(AE)But the words of the pure are pleasant.

27 (AF)He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house,
But he who hates bribes will live.

28 The heart of the righteous (AG)studies how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

29 (AH)The Lord is far from the wicked,
But (AI)He hears the prayer of the righteous.

30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
And a good report makes the bones [k]healthy.

31 The ear that hears the rebukes of life
Will abide among the wise.
32 He who disdains instruction despises his own soul,
But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding.
33 (AJ)The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom,
And (AK)before honor is humility.

Wisdom Is Better Than Gold

16 The (AL)preparations[l] of the heart belong to man,
(AM)But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

All the ways of a man are pure in his own (AN)eyes,
But the Lord weighs the spirits.

(AO)Commit[m] your works to the Lord,
And your thoughts will be established.

The (AP)Lord has made all for Himself,
(AQ)Yes, even the wicked for the day of [n]doom.

(AR)Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Though they join [o]forces, none will go unpunished.

(AS)In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And (AT)by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.

When a man’s ways please the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

(AU)Better is a little with righteousness,
Than vast revenues without justice.

(AV)A man’s heart plans his way,
(AW)But the Lord directs his steps.

10 Divination is on the lips of the king;
His mouth must not transgress in judgment.
11 (AX)Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s;
All the weights in the bag are His [p]work.
12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,
For (AY)a throne is established by righteousness.
13 (AZ)Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And they love him who speaks what is right.
14 As messengers of death is the king’s wrath,
But a wise man will (BA)appease it.
15 In the light of the king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a (BB)cloud of the latter rain.

16 (BC)How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

18 Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before [q]a fall.
19 Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,
Than to divide the [r]spoil with the proud.

20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good,
And whoever (BD)trusts in the Lord, happy is he.

21 The wise in heart will be called prudent,
And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

22 Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it.
But the correction of fools is folly.

23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
And adds learning to his lips.

24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of (BE)death.

26 The person who labors, labors for himself,
For his hungry mouth drives (BF)him on.

27 [s]An ungodly man digs up evil,
And it is on his lips like a burning (BG)fire.
28 A perverse man sows strife,
And (BH)a whisperer separates the best of friends.
29 A violent man entices his neighbor,
And leads him in a way that is not good.
30 He winks his eye to devise perverse things;
He [t]purses his lips and brings about evil.

31 (BI)The silver-haired head is a crown of glory,
If it is found in the way of righteousness.

32 (BJ)He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

33 The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord.

The Lord Tests Hearts

17 Better is (BK)a dry morsel with quietness,
Than a house full of [u]feasting with strife.

A wise servant will rule over (BL)a son who causes shame,
And will share an inheritance among the brothers.

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
(BM)But the Lord tests the hearts.

An evildoer gives heed to false lips;
A liar listens eagerly to a [v]spiteful tongue.

(BN)He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;
(BO)He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

(BP)Children’s children are the crown of old men,
And the glory of children is their father.

Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,
Much less lying lips to a prince.

A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.

(BQ)He who covers a transgression seeks love,
But (BR)he who repeats a matter separates friends.

10 (BS)Rebuke is more effective for a wise man
Than a hundred blows on a fool.

11 An evil man seeks only rebellion;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12 Let a man meet (BT)a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.

13 Whoever (BU)rewards evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.

14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water;
Therefore (BV)stop contention before a quarrel starts.

15 (BW)He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.

16 Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Since he has no heart for it?

17 (BX)A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.

18 (BY)A man devoid of [w]understanding [x]shakes hands in a pledge,
And becomes [y]surety for his friend.

19 He who loves transgression loves strife,
And (BZ)he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.

20 He who has a [z]deceitful heart finds no good,
And he who has (CA)a perverse tongue falls into evil.

21 He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.

22 A (CB)merry heart [aa]does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

23 A wicked man accepts a bribe [ab]behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.

24 (CC)Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding,
But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

25 A (CD)foolish son is a grief to his father,
And bitterness to her who bore him.

26 Also, to punish the righteous is not good,
Nor to strike princes for their uprightness.

27 (CE)He who has knowledge spares his words,
And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.
28 (CF)Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;
When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.

The Name of the Lord Is a Strong Tower

18 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;
He rages against all [ac]wise judgment.

A fool has no delight in understanding,
But in expressing his (CG)own heart.

When the wicked comes, contempt comes also;
And with dishonor comes reproach.

(CH)The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
(CI)The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.

It is not good to show partiality to the wicked,
Or to overthrow the righteous in (CJ)judgment.

A fool’s lips enter into contention,
And his mouth calls for blows.
(CK)A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
And his lips are the snare of his (CL)soul.
(CM)The words of a [ad]talebearer are like [ae]tasty trifles,
And they go down into the [af]inmost body.

He who is slothful in his work
Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.

10 The name of the Lord is a strong (CN)tower;
The righteous run to it and are [ag]safe.
11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own esteem.

12 (CO)Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,
And before honor is humility.

13 He who answers a matter before he hears it,
It is folly and shame to him.

14 The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness,
But who can bear a broken spirit?

15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

16 (CP)A man’s gift makes room for him,
And brings him before great men.

17 The first one to plead his cause seems right,
Until his neighbor comes and examines him.

18 Casting (CQ)lots causes contentions to cease,
And keeps the mighty apart.

19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a castle.

20 (CR)A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;
From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

21 (CS)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

22 (CT)He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the Lord.

23 The poor man uses entreaties,
But the rich answers (CU)roughly.

24 A man who has friends [ah]must himself be friendly,
(CV)But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

The Fear of the Lord Leads to Life

19 Better (CW)is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge,
And he sins who hastens with his feet.

The foolishness of a man twists his way,
And his heart frets against the Lord.

(CX)Wealth makes many friends,
But the poor is separated from his friend.

A (CY)false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies will not escape.

Many entreat the favor of the nobility,
And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.
(CZ)All the brothers of the poor hate him;
How much more do his friends go (DA)far from him!
He may pursue them with words, yet they [ai]abandon him.

He who gets [aj]wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding (DB)will find good.

A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies shall perish.

10 Luxury is not fitting for a fool,
Much less (DC)for a servant to rule over princes.

11 (DD)The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
(DE)And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

12 (DF)The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is (DG)like dew on the grass.

13 (DH)A foolish son is the ruin of his father,
(DI)And the contentions of a wife are a continual [ak]dripping.

14 (DJ)Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,
But (DK)a prudent wife is from the Lord.

15 (DL)Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And an idle person will (DM)suffer hunger.

16 (DN)He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who [al]is careless of his ways will die.

17 (DO)He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,
And He will pay back what he has given.

18 (DP)Chasten your son while there is hope,
And do not set your heart [am]on his destruction.

19 A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;
For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise (DQ)in your latter days.

21 There are many plans in a man’s heart,
(DR)Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

22 What is desired in a man is [an]kindness,
And a poor man is better than a liar.

23 (DS)The fear of the Lord leads to life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will not be visited with evil.

24 (DT)A lazy man buries his hand in the [ao]bowl,
And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple (DU)will become wary;
(DV)Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.

26 He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother
Is (DW)a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

27 Cease listening to instruction, my son,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 A [ap]disreputable witness scorns justice,
And (DX)the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

29 Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
(DY)And beatings for the backs of fools.

Wine Is a Mocker

20 Wine (DZ)is a mocker,
Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

The [aq]wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.

(EA)It is honorable for a man to stop striving,
Since any fool can start a quarrel.

(EB)The lazy man will not plow because of winter;
(EC)He will beg during harvest and have nothing.

Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding will draw it out.

Most men will proclaim each his own [ar]goodness,
But who can find a faithful man?

(ED)The righteous man walks in his integrity;
(EE)His children are blessed after him.

A king who sits on the throne of judgment
Scatters all evil with his eyes.

(EF)Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin”?

10 (EG)Diverse weights and diverse measures,
They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord.

11 Even a child is (EH)known by his deeds,
Whether what he does is pure and right.

12 (EI)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made them both.

13 (EJ)Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.

14 It is [as]good for nothing,” cries the buyer;
But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.

15 There is gold and a multitude of rubies,
But (EK)the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16 (EL)Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.

17 (EM)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

18 (EN)Plans are established by counsel;
(EO)By wise counsel wage war.

19 (EP)He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one (EQ)who flatters with his lips.

20 (ER)Whoever curses his father or his mother,
(ES)His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.

21 (ET)An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning
(EU)Will not be blessed at the end.

22 (EV)Do not say, “I will [at]recompense evil”;
(EW)Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.

23 Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And dishonest scales are not good.

24 A man’s steps are of the Lord;
How then can a man understand his own way?

25 It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy,
And afterward to reconsider his vows.

26 (EX)A wise king sifts out the wicked,
And brings the threshing wheel over them.

27 (EY)The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the [au]inner depths of his heart.

28 (EZ)Mercy and truth preserve the king,
And by [av]lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

29 The glory of young men is their strength,
And (FA)the splendor of old men is their gray head.

30 Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,
As do stripes the [aw]inner depths of the heart.

The Lord Considers the Heart

21 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,
Like the [ax]rivers of water;
He turns it wherever He wishes.

(FB)Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
(FC)But the Lord weighs the hearts.

(FD)To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

(FE)A haughty look, a proud heart,
And the [ay]plowing of the wicked are sin.

(FF)The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

(FG)Getting treasures by a lying tongue
[az]Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.

The violence of the wicked will [ba]destroy them,
Because they refuse to do justice.

The way of [bb]a guilty man is perverse;
But as for the pure, his work is right.

Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with (FH)a contentious woman.

10 (FI)The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

11 When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;
But when the (FJ)wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

12 The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked,
Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.

13 (FK)Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
Will also cry himself and not be heard.

14 A gift in secret pacifies anger,
And a bribe [bc]behind the back, strong wrath.

15 It is a joy for the just to do justice,
But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding
Will rest in the assembly of the (FL)dead.

17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
And the unfaithful for the upright.

19 Better to dwell [bd]in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman.

20 (FM)There is desirable treasure,
And oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man squanders it.

21 (FN)He who follows righteousness and mercy
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.

22 A (FO)wise man [be]scales the city of the mighty,
And brings down the trusted stronghold.

23 (FP)Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles.

24 A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name;
He acts with arrogant pride.

25 The (FQ)desire of the lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor.
26 He covets greedily all day long,
But the righteous (FR)gives and does not spare.

27 (FS)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!

28 A false witness shall perish,
But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.

29 A wicked man hardens his face,
But as for the upright, he [bf]establishes his way.

30 (FT)There is no wisdom or understanding
Or counsel against the Lord.

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But (FU)deliverance is of the Lord.

The Value of a Good Name

22 A (FV)good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

The (FW)rich and the poor have this in common,
The (FX)Lord is the maker of them all.

A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself,
But the simple pass on and are (FY)punished.

By humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches and honor and life.

Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards his soul will be far from them.

(FZ)Train up a child in the way he should go,
[bg]And when he is old he will not depart from it.

The (GA)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.

He who sows iniquity will reap (GB)sorrow,[bh]
And the rod of his anger will fail.

(GC)He who has a [bi]generous eye will be (GD)blessed,
For he gives of his bread to the poor.

10 (GE)Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave;
Yes, strife and reproach will cease.

11 (GF)He who loves purity of heart
And has grace on his lips,
The king will be his friend.

12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the faithless.

13 (GG)The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be slain in the streets!”

14 (GH)The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit;
(GI)He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.

15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
(GJ)The rod of correction will drive it far from him.

16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches,
And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.

Sayings of the Wise

17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your heart to my knowledge;
18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;
Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord;
I have instructed you today, even you.
20 Have I not written to you excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21 (GK)That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth,
(GL)That you may answer words of truth
To those who [bj]send to you?

22 Do not rob the (GM)poor because he is poor,
Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;
23 (GN)For the Lord will plead their cause,
And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

24 Make no friendship with an angry man,
And with a (GO)furious man do not go,
25 Lest you learn his ways
And set a snare for your soul.

26 (GP)Do not be one of those who [bk]shakes hands in a pledge,
One of those who is [bl]surety for debts;
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
Why should he take away your bed from under you?

28 (GQ)Do not remove the ancient [bm]landmark
Which your fathers have set.

29 Do you see a man who [bn]excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before [bo]unknown men.

Listen to Your Father

23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
Consider carefully what is before you;
And put a knife to your throat
If you are a man given to appetite.
Do not desire his delicacies,
For they are deceptive food.

(GR)Do not overwork to be rich;
(GS)Because of your own understanding, cease!
[bp]Will you set your eyes on that which is not?
For riches certainly make themselves wings;
They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.

Do not eat the bread of (GT)a[bq] miser,
Nor desire his delicacies;
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” (GU)he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up,
And waste your pleasant words.

(GV)Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
For he will despise the wisdom of your words.

10 Do not remove the ancient [br]landmark,
Nor enter the fields of the fatherless;
11 (GW)For their Redeemer is mighty;
He will plead their cause against you.

12 Apply your heart to instruction,
And your ears to words of knowledge.

13 (GX)Do not withhold correction from a child,
For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
14 You shall beat him with a rod,
And deliver his soul from [bs]hell.

15 My son, if your heart is wise,
My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;
16 Yes, my [bt]inmost being will rejoice
When your lips speak right things.

17 (GY)Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But (GZ)be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;
18 (HA)For surely there is a [bu]hereafter,
And your hope will not be cut off.

19 Hear, my son, and be wise;
And guide your heart in the way.
20 (HB)Do not mix with winebibbers,
Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.

22 (HC)Listen to your father who begot you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.

23 (HD)Buy the truth, and do not sell it,
Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24 (HE)The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And he who begets a wise child will delight in him.
25 Let your father and your mother be glad,
And let her who bore you rejoice.

26 My son, give me your heart,
And let your eyes observe my ways.
27 (HF)For a harlot is a deep pit,
And a seductress is a narrow well.
28 (HG)She also lies in wait as for a victim,
And increases the unfaithful among men.

29 (HH)Who has woe?
Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions?
Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who (HI)has redness of eyes?
30 (HJ)Those who linger long at the wine,
Those who go in search of (HK)mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it [bv]swirls around smoothly;
32 At the last it bites like a serpent,
And stings like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
And your heart will utter perverse things.
34 Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the [bw]midst of the sea,
Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
35 “They(HL) have struck me, but I was not hurt;
They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
When shall (HM)I awake, that I may seek another drink?

Do Not Envy Evil Men

24 Do not be (HN)envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;
For their heart devises violence,
And their lips talk of troublemaking.

Through wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
By knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.

(HO)A wise man is strong,
Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;
(HP)For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,
And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

(HQ)Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;
He does not open his mouth in the gate.

He who (HR)plots to do evil
Will be called a [bx]schemer.
The devising of foolishness is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10 If you (HS)faint in the day of adversity,
Your strength is small.

11 (HT)Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, “Surely we did not know this,”
Does not (HU)He who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to each man (HV)according to his deeds?

13 My son, (HW)eat honey because it is good,
And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;
14 (HX)So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;
If you have found it, there is a [by]prospect,
And your hope will not be cut off.

15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not plunder his resting place;
16 (HY)For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again,
(HZ)But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

17 (IA)Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
18 Lest the Lord see it, and [bz]it displease Him,
And He turn away His wrath from him.

19 (IB)Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the wicked;
20 For there will be no prospect for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21 My son, (IC)fear the Lord and the king;
Do not associate with those given to change;
22 For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin those two can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

23 These things also belong to the wise:

(ID)It is not good to [ca]show partiality in judgment.
24 (IE)He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Him the people will curse;
Nations will abhor him.
25 But those who rebuke the wicked will have (IF)delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.

26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.

27 (IG)Prepare your outside work,
Make it fit for yourself in the field;
And afterward build your house.

28 (IH)Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
[cb]For would you deceive with your lips?
29 (II)Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.”

30 I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
31 And there it was, (IJ)all overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.
32 When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:
33 (IK)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;
34 (IL)So shall your poverty come like [cc]a prowler,
And your need like [cd]an armed man.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:4 Lit. healing
  2. Proverbs 15:5 Lit. keeps
  3. Proverbs 15:7 spread
  4. Proverbs 15:11 Or Sheol
  5. Proverbs 15:11 Heb. Abaddon
  6. Proverbs 15:13 face
  7. Proverbs 15:17 Or vegetables
  8. Proverbs 15:21 Lit. heart
  9. Proverbs 15:23 Lit. in its time
  10. Proverbs 15:24 Or Sheol
  11. Proverbs 15:30 Lit. fat
  12. Proverbs 16:1 plans
  13. Proverbs 16:3 Lit. Roll
  14. Proverbs 16:4 Lit. evil
  15. Proverbs 16:5 Lit. hand to hand
  16. Proverbs 16:11 concern
  17. Proverbs 16:18 stumbling
  18. Proverbs 16:19 plunder
  19. Proverbs 16:27 Lit. A man of Belial
  20. Proverbs 16:30 Lit. compresses
  21. Proverbs 17:1 Or sacrificial meals
  22. Proverbs 17:4 Lit. destructive
  23. Proverbs 17:18 Lit. heart
  24. Proverbs 17:18 Lit. strikes the hands
  25. Proverbs 17:18 guaranty or collateral
  26. Proverbs 17:20 crooked
  27. Proverbs 17:22 Or makes medicine even better
  28. Proverbs 17:23 Under cover, lit. from the bosom
  29. Proverbs 18:1 sound wisdom
  30. Proverbs 18:8 gossip or slanderer
  31. Proverbs 18:8 A Jewish tradition wounds
  32. Proverbs 18:8 Lit. rooms of the belly
  33. Proverbs 18:10 secure, lit. set on high
  34. Proverbs 18:24 So with Gr. mss., Syr., Tg., Vg.; MT may come to ruin
  35. Proverbs 19:7 Lit. are not
  36. Proverbs 19:8 Lit. heart
  37. Proverbs 19:13 Irritation
  38. Proverbs 19:16 Is reckless, lit. despises
  39. Proverbs 19:18 Lit. to put him to death; a Jewish tradition on his crying
  40. Proverbs 19:22 Lit. lovingkindness
  41. Proverbs 19:24 LXX, Syr. bosom; Tg., Vg. armpit
  42. Proverbs 19:28 Lit. witness of Belial, worthless witness
  43. Proverbs 20:2 Lit. fear or terror, produced by the king’s wrath
  44. Proverbs 20:6 Lit. mercy
  45. Proverbs 20:14 Lit. evil, evil
  46. Proverbs 20:22 repay
  47. Proverbs 20:27 Lit. rooms of the belly
  48. Proverbs 20:28 mercy
  49. Proverbs 20:30 Lit. rooms of the belly
  50. Proverbs 21:1 channels
  51. Proverbs 21:4 Or lamp
  52. Proverbs 21:6 LXX Pursue vanity on the snares of death; Vg. Is vain and foolish, and shall stumble on the snares of death; Tg. They shall be destroyed, and they shall fall who seek death
  53. Proverbs 21:7 Lit. drag them away
  54. Proverbs 21:8 Or The way of a man is perverse and strange;
  55. Proverbs 21:14 Under cover, lit. in the bosom
  56. Proverbs 21:19 Lit. in the land of the desert
  57. Proverbs 21:22 Climbs over the walls of
  58. Proverbs 21:29 Qr., LXX understands
  59. Proverbs 22:6 Even
  60. Proverbs 22:8 trouble
  61. Proverbs 22:9 Lit. good
  62. Proverbs 22:21 Or send you
  63. Proverbs 22:26 Lit. strikes
  64. Proverbs 22:26 guaranty
  65. Proverbs 22:28 boundary
  66. Proverbs 22:29 is prompt in his business
  67. Proverbs 22:29 obscure
  68. Proverbs 23:5 Lit. Will you cause your eyes to fly upon it and it is not?
  69. Proverbs 23:6 Lit. one who has an evil eye
  70. Proverbs 23:10 boundary
  71. Proverbs 23:14 Or Sheol
  72. Proverbs 23:16 Lit. kidneys
  73. Proverbs 23:18 Future, lit. latter end
  74. Proverbs 23:31 goes around
  75. Proverbs 23:34 Lit. heart
  76. Proverbs 24:8 Lit. master of evil plots
  77. Proverbs 24:14 Lit. latter end
  78. Proverbs 24:18 Lit. it be evil in His eyes
  79. Proverbs 24:23 Lit. recognize faces
  80. Proverbs 24:28 LXX, Vg. Do not deceive
  81. Proverbs 24:34 Lit. one who walks about
  82. Proverbs 24:34 Lit. a man with a shield

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