Proverbs 3-14
New King James Version
Guidance for the Young
3 My son, do not forget my law,
(A)But let your heart keep my commands;
2 For length of days and long life
And (B)peace they will add to you.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
(C)Bind them around your neck,
(D)Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4 (E)And so find favor and [a]high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
5 (F)Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
(G)And lean not on your own understanding;
6 (H)In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall [b]direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own (I)eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your [c]flesh,
And (J)strength[d] to your bones.
9 (K)Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10 (L)So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 (M)My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction;
12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
(N)Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
13 (O)Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding;
14 (P)For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies,
And (Q)all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 (R)Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honor.
17 (S)Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
18 She is (T)a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who [e]retain her.
19 (U)The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding He established the heavens;
20 By His knowledge the depths were (V)broken up,
And clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes—
Keep sound wisdom and discretion;
22 So they will be life to your soul
And grace to your neck.
23 (W)Then you will walk safely in your way,
And your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
25 (X)Do not be afraid of sudden terror,
Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;
26 For the Lord will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.
27 (Y)Do not withhold good from [f]those to whom it is due,
When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
28 (Z)Do not say to your neighbor,
“Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.
29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor,
For he dwells by you for safety’s sake.
30 (AA)Do not strive with a man without cause,
If he has done you no harm.
31 (AB)Do not envy the oppressor,
And choose none of his ways;
32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord,
(AC)But His secret counsel is with the upright.
33 (AD)The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,
But (AE)He blesses the home of the just.
34 (AF)Surely He scorns the scornful,
But gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise shall inherit glory,
But shame shall be the legacy of fools.
Security in Wisdom
4 Hear, (AG)my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;
2 For I give you good doctrine:
Do not forsake my law.
3 When I was my father’s son,
(AH)Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 (AI)He also taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words;
(AJ)Keep my commands, and live.
5 (AK)Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
(AL)Love her, and she will keep you.
7 (AM)Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
8 (AN)Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head (AO)an ornament of grace;
A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
(AP)And the years of your life will be many.
11 I have (AQ)taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
12 When you walk, (AR)your steps will not be hindered,
(AS)And when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.
14 (AT)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not walk in the way of evil.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
16 (AU)For they do not sleep unless they have done evil;
And their sleep is [g]taken away unless they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.
18 (AV)But the path of the just (AW)is like the shining [h]sun,
That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
19 (AX)The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of (AY)life.
24 Put away from you a [i]deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
26 Ponder the path of your (AZ)feet,
And let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.
The Peril of Adultery
5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
[j]Lend your ear to my understanding,
2 That you may [k]preserve discretion,
And your lips (BA)may keep knowledge.
3 (BB)For the lips of [l]an immoral woman drip honey,
And her mouth is (BC)smoother than oil;
4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death,
(BD)Her steps lay hold of [m]hell.
6 Lest you ponder her path of life—
Her ways are unstable;
You do not know them.
7 Therefore hear me now, my children,
And do not depart from the words of my mouth.
8 Remove your way far from her,
And do not go near the door of her house,
9 Lest you give your [n]honor to others,
And your years to the cruel one;
10 Lest aliens be filled with your [o]wealth,
And your labors go to the house of a foreigner;
11 And you mourn at last,
When your flesh and your body are consumed,
12 And say:
“How I have hated instruction,
And my heart despised correction!
13 I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers,
Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!
14 I was on the verge of total ruin,
In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”
15 Drink water from your own cistern,
And running water from your own well.
16 Should your fountains be dispersed abroad,
[p]Streams of water in the streets?
17 Let them be only your own,
And not for strangers with you.
18 Let your fountain be blessed,
And rejoice with (BE)the wife of your youth.
19 (BF)As a loving deer and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
And always be [q]enraptured with her love.
20 For why should you, my son, be enraptured by (BG)an immoral woman,
And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?
21 (BH)For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord,
And He [r]ponders all his paths.
22 (BI)His own iniquities entrap the wicked man,
And he is caught in the cords of his sin.
23 (BJ)He shall die for lack of instruction,
And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
Dangerous Promises
6 My son, (BK)if you become [s]surety for your friend,
If you have [t]shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 You are snared by the words of your mouth;
You are taken by the words of your mouth.
3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;
For you have come into the hand of your friend:
Go and humble yourself;
Plead with your friend.
4 (BL)Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
And like a bird from the hand of the [u]fowler.
The Folly of Indolence
6 (BM)Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having no [v]captain,
Overseer or ruler,
8 Provides her [w]supplies in the summer,
And gathers her food in the harvest.
9 (BN)How long will you [x]slumber, O sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 (BO)So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.
The Wicked Man
12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;
13 (BP)He winks with his eyes,
He [y]shuffles his feet,
He points with his fingers;
14 Perversity is in his heart,
(BQ)He devises evil continually,
(BR)He sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity shall come (BS)suddenly;
Suddenly he shall (BT)be broken (BU)without remedy.
16 These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to [z]Him:
17 (BV)A[aa] proud look,
(BW)A lying tongue,
(BX)Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 (BY)A heart that devises wicked plans,
(BZ)Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 (CA)A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who (CB)sows discord among brethren.
Beware of Adultery
20 (CC)My son, keep your father’s command,
And do not forsake the law of your mother.
21 (CD)Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
22 (CE)When you roam, [ab]they will lead you;
When you sleep, (CF)they will keep you;
And when you awake, they will speak with you.
23 (CG)For the commandment is a lamp,
And the law a light;
Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
24 (CH)To keep you from the evil woman,
From the flattering tongue of a seductress.
25 (CI)Do not lust after her beauty in your heart,
Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
26 For (CJ)by means of a harlot
A man is reduced to a crust of bread;
(CK)And [ac]an adulteress will (CL)prey upon his precious life.
27 Can a man take fire to his bosom,
And his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one walk on hot coals,
And his feet not be seared?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
30 People do not despise a thief
If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.
31 Yet when he is found, (CM)he must restore sevenfold;
He may have to give up all the substance of his house.
32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman (CN)lacks understanding;
He who does so destroys his own soul.
33 Wounds and dishonor he will get,
And his reproach will not be wiped away.
34 For (CO)jealousy is a husband’s fury;
Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 He will [ad]accept no recompense,
Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.
The Wiles of a Harlot
7 My son, keep my words,
And (CP)treasure my commands within you.
2 (CQ)Keep my commands and live,
(CR)And my law as the apple of your eye.
3 (CS)Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your nearest kin,
5 (CT)That they may keep you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words.
The Crafty Harlot
6 For at the window of my house
I looked through my lattice,
7 And saw among the simple,
I perceived among the [ae]youths,
A young man (CU)devoid[af] of understanding,
8 Passing along the street near her corner;
And he took the path to her house
9 (CV)In the twilight, in the evening,
In the black and dark night.
10 And there a woman met him,
With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.
11 (CW)She was loud and rebellious,
(CX)Her feet would not stay at home.
12 At times she was outside, at times in the open square,
Lurking at every corner.
13 So she caught him and kissed him;
With an [ag]impudent face she said to him:
14 “I have peace offerings with me;
Today I have paid my vows.
15 So I came out to meet you,
Diligently to seek your face,
And I have found you.
16 I have spread my bed with tapestry,
Colored coverings of (CY)Egyptian linen.
17 I have perfumed my bed
With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For [ah]my husband is not at home;
He has gone on a long journey;
20 He has taken a bag of money [ai]with him,
And will come home [aj]on the appointed day.”
21 [ak]With (CZ)her enticing speech she caused him to yield,
(DA)With her flattering lips she [al]seduced him.
22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or [am]as a fool to the correction of the [an]stocks,
23 Till an arrow struck his liver.
(DB)As a bird hastens to the snare,
He did not know it [ao]would cost his life.
24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children;
Pay attention to the words of my mouth:
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;
26 For she has cast down many wounded,
And (DC)all who were slain by her were strong men.
27 (DD)Her house is the way to [ap]hell,
Descending to the chambers of death.
The Excellence of Wisdom
8 Does not (DE)wisdom cry out,
And understanding lift up her voice?
2 She takes her stand on the top of the [aq]high hill,
Beside the way, where the paths meet.
3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the entrance of the doors:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O you [ar]simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
6 Listen, for I will speak of (DF)excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
7 For my mouth will speak truth;
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.
9 They are all plain to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold;
11 (DG)For wisdom is better than rubies,
And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
13 (DH)The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
(DI)Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And (DJ)the perverse mouth I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, (DK)I have strength.
15 (DL)By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All the judges of [as]the earth.
17 (DM)I love those who love me,
And (DN)those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 (DO)Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
And my revenue than choice silver.
20 I [at]traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.
22 “The(DP) Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
23 (DQ)I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 (DR)Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the [au]fields,
Or the [av]primal dust of the world.
27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He established the clouds above,
When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
29 (DS)When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When (DT)He marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 (DU)Then I was beside Him as [aw]a master craftsman;
(DV)And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And (DW)my delight was with the sons of men.
32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For (DX)blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
34 (DY)Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life,
And (DZ)obtains favor from the Lord;
36 But he who sins against me (EA)wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.”
The Way of Wisdom
9 Wisdom has (EB)built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars;
2 (EC)She has slaughtered her meat,
(ED)She has mixed her wine,
She has also [ax]furnished her table.
3 She has sent out her maidens,
She cries out from the highest places of the city,
4 “Whoever(EE) is simple, let him turn in here!”
As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
5 “Come,(EF) eat of my bread
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding.
7 “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,
And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
8 (EG)Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;
(EH)Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
Teach a just man, (EI)and he will increase in learning.
10 “The(EJ) fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 (EK)For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
12 (EL)If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.”
The Way of Folly
13 (EM)A foolish woman is [ay]clamorous;
She is simple, and knows nothing.
14 For she sits at the door of her house,
On a seat (EN)by the highest places of the city,
15 To call to those who pass by,
Who go straight on their way:
16 “Whoever(EO) is [az]simple, let him turn in here”;
And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
17 “Stolen(EP) water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that (EQ)the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of [ba]hell.
Wise Sayings of Solomon
10 The proverbs of (ER)Solomon:
(ES)A wise son makes a glad father,
But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.
2 (ET)Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,
(EU)But righteousness delivers from death.
3 (EV)The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish,
But He casts away the desire of the wicked.
4 (EW)He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But (EX)the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He who gathers in (EY)summer is a wise son;
He who sleeps in harvest is (EZ)a son who causes shame.
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
7 (FA)The memory of the righteous is blessed,
But the name of the wicked will rot.
9 (FC)He who walks with integrity walks securely,
But he who perverts his ways will become known.
10 He who winks with the eye causes trouble,
But a prating fool will fall.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
But (FD)love covers all sins.
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,
But (FE)a rod is for the back of him who [bd]is devoid of understanding.
14 Wise people store up knowledge,
But (FF)the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
15 The (FG)rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16 The labor of the righteous leads to (FH)life,
The wages of the wicked to sin.
17 He who keeps instruction is in the way of life,
But he who refuses correction [be]goes astray.
19 (FK)In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,
But (FL)he who restrains his lips is wise.
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of [bf]wisdom.
22 (FM)The blessing of the Lord makes one rich,
And He adds no sorrow with it.
23 (FN)To do evil is like sport to a fool,
But a man of understanding has wisdom.
24 (FO)The fear of the wicked will come upon him,
And (FP)the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the whirlwind passes by, (FQ)the wicked is no more,
But (FR)the righteous has an everlasting foundation.
26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy man to those who send him.
27 (FS)The fear of the Lord prolongs days,
But (FT)the years of the wicked will be shortened.
28 The hope of the righteous will be gladness,
But the (FU)expectation of the wicked will perish.
29 The way of the Lord is strength for the upright,
But (FV)destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.
30 (FW)The righteous will never be removed,
But the wicked will not inhabit the [bg]earth.
31 (FX)The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
But the perverse tongue will be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.
The Folly of Wickedness
2 When pride comes, then comes (FZ)shame;
But with the humble is wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright will guide (GA)them,
But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.
4 (GB)Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
But (GC)righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless will [bj]direct his way aright,
But the wicked will fall by his own (GD)wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,
But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.
7 When a wicked man dies, his expectation will (GE)perish,
And the hope of the unjust perishes.
8 (GF)The righteous is delivered from trouble,
And it comes to the wicked instead.
9 The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor,
But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
10 (GG)When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices;
And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
11 By the blessing of the upright the city is (GH)exalted,
But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
12 He who [bk]is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor,
But a man of understanding holds his peace.
14 (GK)Where there is no counsel, the people fall;
But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
15 He who is (GL)surety[bl] for a stranger will suffer,
But one who hates [bm]being surety is secure.
16 A gracious woman retains honor,
But ruthless men retain riches.
17 (GM)The merciful man does good for his own soul,
But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.
18 The wicked man does deceptive work,
But (GN)he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.
19 As righteousness leads to (GO)life,
So he who pursues evil pursues it to his own (GP)death.
20 Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the Lord,
But the blameless in their ways are His delight.
21 (GQ)Though they join [bn]forces, the wicked will not go unpunished;
But (GR)the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.
22 As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout,
So is a lovely woman who lacks [bo]discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the expectation of the wicked (GS)is wrath.
24 There is one who (GT)scatters, yet increases more;
And there is one who withholds more than is right,
But it leads to poverty.
25 (GU)The generous soul will be made rich,
(GV)And he who waters will also be watered himself.
26 The people will curse (GW)him who withholds grain,
But (GX)blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.
29 He who troubles his own house (HB)will inherit the wind,
And the fool will be (HC)servant to the wise of heart.
31 (HE)If the righteous will be [br]recompensed on the earth,
How much more the ungodly and the sinner.
The House of the Righteous Shall Stand
12 Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,
But he who hates correction is stupid.
2 A good man obtains favor from the Lord,
But a man of wicked intentions He will condemn.
3 A man is not established by wickedness,
But the (HF)root of the righteous cannot be moved.
4 (HG)An[bs] excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who causes shame is (HH)like rottenness in his bones.
5 The thoughts of the righteous are right,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
6 (HI)The words of the wicked are, “Lie in wait for blood,”
(HJ)But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.
7 (HK)The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand.
8 A man will be commended according to his wisdom,
(HL)But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised.
9 (HM)Better is the one who is [bt]slighted but has a servant,
Than he who honors himself but lacks bread.
10 (HN)A righteous man regards the life of his animal,
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
11 (HO)He who [bu]tills his land will be satisfied with (HP)bread,
But he who follows [bv]frivolity (HQ)is devoid of [bw]understanding.
12 The wicked covet the catch of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
13 (HR)The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
(HS)But the righteous will come through trouble.
14 (HT)A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth,
(HU)And the recompense of a man’s hands will be rendered to him.
15 (HV)The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But he who heeds counsel is wise.
16 (HW)A fool’s wrath is known at once,
But a prudent man covers shame.
17 (HX)He who speaks truth declares righteousness,
But a false witness, deceit.
18 (HY)There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
19 The truthful lip shall be established forever,
(HZ)But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
21 (IA)No grave [bx]trouble will overtake the righteous,
But the wicked shall be filled with evil.
22 (IB)Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal truthfully are His delight.
23 (IC)A prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.
24 (ID)The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.
26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27 The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
But diligence is man’s precious possession.
28 In the way of righteousness is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.
Wisdom Loves Righteousness
13 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
(IG)But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 (IH)A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth,
But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.
3 (II)He who guards his mouth preserves his life,
But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.
4 (IJ)The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing;
But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.
5 A righteous man hates lying,
But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.
6 (IK)Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless,
But wickedness overthrows the sinner.
7 (IL)There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing;
And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.
8 The ransom of a man’s life is his riches,
But the poor does not hear rebuke.
9 The light of the righteous rejoices,
(IM)But the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
10 By pride comes nothing but (IN)strife,
But with the well-advised is wisdom.
11 (IO)Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished,
But he who gathers by labor will increase.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But (IP)when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.
13 He who (IQ)despises the word will be destroyed,
But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
14 (IR)The law of the wise is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from (IS)the snares of death.
15 Good understanding [by]gains (IT)favor,
But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
16 (IU)Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool lays open his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
But (IV)a faithful ambassador brings health.
18 Poverty and shame will come to him who [bz]disdains correction,
But (IW)he who regards a rebuke will be honored.
19 A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.
20 He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed.
21 (IX)Evil pursues sinners,
But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
But (IY)the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
23 (IZ)Much food is in the [ca]fallow ground of the poor,
And for lack of justice there is [cb]waste.
25 (JB)The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul,
But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.
The Ways of Life and Death
14 The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.
2 He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
(JC)But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.
3 In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,
(JD)But the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4 Where no oxen are, the [cd]trough is clean;
But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,
But (JG)knowledge is easy to him who understands.
7 Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of (JH)knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But the folly of fools is deceit.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
11 (JJ)The house of the wicked will be overthrown,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.
13 Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,
And (JN)the end of mirth may be grief.
14 The backslider in heart will be (JO)filled with his own ways,
But a good man will be satisfied [cf]from (JP)above.
15 The simple believes every word,
But the prudent considers well his steps.
16 (JQ)A wise man fears and departs from evil,
But a fool rages and is self-confident.
17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of wicked intentions is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly,
But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil will bow before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 (JR)The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor,
But [cg]the rich has many (JS)friends.
21 He who despises his neighbor sins;
(JT)But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.
22 Do they not go astray who devise evil?
But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good.
23 In all labor there is profit,
But [ch]idle chatter leads only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is folly.
26 In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge.
27 (JV)The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is a king’s honor,
But in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince.
31 (JZ)He who oppresses the poor reproaches (KA)his Maker,
But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.
32 The wicked is banished in his wickedness,
But (KB)the righteous has a refuge in his death.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But (KC)what is in the heart of fools is made known.
35 (KE)The king’s favor is toward a wise servant,
But his wrath is against him who causes shame.
Notas al pie
- Proverbs 3:4 Lit. good understanding
- Proverbs 3:6 Or make smooth or straight
- Proverbs 3:8 Body, lit. navel
- Proverbs 3:8 Lit. drink
- Proverbs 3:18 hold her fast
- Proverbs 3:27 Lit. its owners
- Proverbs 4:16 Lit. robbed
- Proverbs 4:18 Lit. light
- Proverbs 4:24 devious
- Proverbs 5:1 Lit. Bow
- Proverbs 5:2 appreciate good judgment
- Proverbs 5:3 Lit. a strange
- Proverbs 5:5 Or Sheol
- Proverbs 5:9 vigor
- Proverbs 5:10 Lit. strength
- Proverbs 5:16 Channels
- Proverbs 5:19 Lit. intoxicated
- Proverbs 5:21 observes, lit. weighs
- Proverbs 6:1 guaranty or collateral
- Proverbs 6:1 Lit. struck
- Proverbs 6:5 One who catches birds in a trap or snare
- Proverbs 6:7 Lit. leader
- Proverbs 6:8 Lit. bread
- Proverbs 6:9 Lit. lie down
- Proverbs 6:13 gives signals, lit. scrapes
- Proverbs 6:16 Lit. His soul
- Proverbs 6:17 Lit. Haughty eyes
- Proverbs 6:22 Lit. it
- Proverbs 6:26 Wife of another, lit. a man’s wife
- Proverbs 6:35 Lit. lift up the face of any
- Proverbs 7:7 Lit. sons
- Proverbs 7:7 lacking
- Proverbs 7:13 shameless
- Proverbs 7:19 Lit. the man
- Proverbs 7:20 Lit. in his hand
- Proverbs 7:20 at the full moon
- Proverbs 7:21 By the greatness of her words
- Proverbs 7:21 compelled
- Proverbs 7:22 LXX, Syr., Tg. as a dog to bonds; Vg. as a lamb . . . to bonds
- Proverbs 7:22 shackles
- Proverbs 7:23 Lit. is for
- Proverbs 7:27 Or Sheol
- Proverbs 8:2 Lit. heights
- Proverbs 8:5 naive
- Proverbs 8:16 MT, Syr., Tg., Vg. righteousness; LXX, Bg., some mss. and editions earth
- Proverbs 8:20 walk about on
- Proverbs 8:26 outer places
- Proverbs 8:26 Lit. beginning of the dust
- Proverbs 8:30 A Jewish tradition one brought up
- Proverbs 9:2 arranged
- Proverbs 9:13 boisterous
- Proverbs 9:16 naive
- Proverbs 9:18 Or Sheol
- Proverbs 10:8 Lit. the foolish of lips
- Proverbs 10:8 be thrust down or ruined
- Proverbs 10:13 Lit. lacks heart
- Proverbs 10:17 leads
- Proverbs 10:21 Lit. heart
- Proverbs 10:30 land
- Proverbs 11:1 deceptive
- Proverbs 11:1 Lit. perfect stone
- Proverbs 11:5 Or make smooth or straight
- Proverbs 11:12 Lit. lacks heart
- Proverbs 11:15 guaranty
- Proverbs 11:15 those pledging guaranty, lit. those who strike hands
- Proverbs 11:21 Lit. hand to hand
- Proverbs 11:22 taste
- Proverbs 11:27 Lit. seeks
- Proverbs 11:30 Lit. takes, in the sense of brings, cf. 1 Sam. 16:11
- Proverbs 11:31 rewarded
- Proverbs 12:4 Lit. A wife of valor
- Proverbs 12:9 lightly esteemed
- Proverbs 12:11 works or cultivates
- Proverbs 12:11 Lit. vain things
- Proverbs 12:11 Lit. heart
- Proverbs 12:21 harm
- Proverbs 13:15 gives
- Proverbs 13:18 Lit. ignores
- Proverbs 13:23 uncultivated
- Proverbs 13:23 Lit. what is swept away
- Proverbs 13:24 early
- Proverbs 14:4 manger or feed trough
- Proverbs 14:9 Lit. guilt
- Proverbs 14:14 Lit. from above himself
- Proverbs 14:20 Lit. many are the lovers of the rich
- Proverbs 14:23 Lit. talk of the lips
- Proverbs 14:25 saves lives
- Proverbs 14:29 Lit. short of spirit
- Proverbs 14:34 shame or disgrace
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recomendaciones de BibleGateway
