Proverbs 21:1-25:28

1In the LORD ’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.

2A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart.

3To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

4Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.

5The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

6A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare. Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death

7The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right.

8The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

9Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

10The wicked crave evil; their neighbors get no mercy from them.

11When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.

12The Righteous One Or The righteous person takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.

13Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.

14A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.

15When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.

16Whoever strays from the path of prudence comes to rest in the company of the dead.

17Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.

18The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the unfaithful for the upright.

19Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.

20The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.

21Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity Or righteousness and honor.

22One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty and pull down the stronghold in which they trust.

23Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.

24The proud and arrogant person—“Mocker” is his name— behaves with insolent fury.

25The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.

26All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.

27The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with evil intent!

28A false witness will perish, but a careful listener will testify successfully.

29The wicked put up a bold front, but the upright give thought to their ways.

30There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD . 31The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD .

1A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

2Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.

3The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

4Humility is the fear of the LORD ; its wages are riches and honor and life.

5In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.

6Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

7The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

8Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity, and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.

9The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.

10Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended.

11One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend.

12The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

13The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside! I’ll be killed in the public square!”

14The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit; a man who is under the LORD ’s wrath falls into it.

15Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.

16One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

Thirty Sayings of the Wise Saying 1 17Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach,

18for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips.

19So that your trust may be in the LORD, I teach you today, even you.

20Have I not written thirty sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge,

21teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth, so that you bring back truthful reports to those you serve?

Saying 2 22Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court,

23for the LORD will take up their case and will exact life for life.

Saying 3 24Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered,

25or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.

Saying 4 26Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts;

27if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.

Saying 5 28Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors. Saying 6 29Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.

Saying 7 1When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what Or who is before you,

2and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.

3Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.

Saying 8 4Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.

5Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Saying 9 6Do not eat the food of a begrudging host, do not crave his delicacies;

7for he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost. Or for as he thinks within himself, / so he is; or for as he puts on a feast, / so he is “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

8You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments.

Saying 10 9Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words.

Saying 11 10Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,

11for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.

Saying 12 12Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.

Saying 13 13Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.

14Punish them with the rod and save them from death.

Saying 14 15My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed;

16my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.

Saying 15 17Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD .

18There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Saying 16 19Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path:

20Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat,

21for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Saying 17 22Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23Buy the truth and do not sell it— wisdom, instruction and insight as well.

24The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.

25May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful!

Saying 18 26My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways,

27for an adulterous woman is a deep pit, and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

28Like a bandit she lies in wait and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Saying 19 29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

30Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.

31Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!

32In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.

33Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things.

34You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. 35“They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?”

Saying 20 1Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company;

2for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.

Saying 21 3By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;

4through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.

Saying 22 5The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength.

6Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers.

Saying 23 7Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths.

Saying 24 8Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer.

9The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker.

Saying 25 10If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!

11Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

12If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?

Saying 26 13Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.

14Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Saying 27 15Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place;

16for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.

Saying 28 17Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,

18or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them.

Saying 29 19Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked,

20for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

Saying 30 21Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials,

22for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise 23These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good:

24Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.

25But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them.

26An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

27Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.

28Do not testify against your neighbor without cause— would you use your lips to mislead?

29Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me; I’ll pay them back for what they did.”

30I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;

31thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins.

32I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw:

33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 34and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.

More Proverbs of Solomon 1These are more proverbs of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:

2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

3As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

4Remove the dross from the silver, and a silversmith can produce a vessel;

5remove wicked officials from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.

6Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among his great men;

7it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,” than for him to humiliate you before his nobles. What you have seen with your eyes

8do not bring Or nobles / on whom you had set your eyes. / 8 Do not go hastily to court, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?

9If you take your neighbor to court, do not betray another’s confidence,

10or the one who hears it may shame you and the charge against you will stand.

11Like apples Or possibly apricots of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given.

12Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.

13Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him; he refreshes the spirit of his master.

14Like clouds and wind without rain is one who boasts of gifts never given.

15Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

16If you find honey, eat just enough— too much of it, and you will vomit.

17Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house— too much of you, and they will hate you.

18Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.

19Like a broken tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.

20Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on a wound, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

22In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

23Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.

24Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

25Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.

26Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked.

27It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep. 28Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.