Proverbs 20

1 Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

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

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

4 The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.

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

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

7 The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.

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

9 Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin"?

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

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

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

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

14 "It is 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 the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

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

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

18 Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war.

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

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

21 An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning Will not be blessed at the end.

22 Do not say, "I will recompense evil"; 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 A wise king sifts out the wicked, And brings the threshing wheel over them.

27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart.

28 Mercy and truth preserve the king, And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

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

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

Proverbs 21

1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.

2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts.

3 To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

4 A haughty look, a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked are sin.

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

6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.

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

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

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

10 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 wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

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

13 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 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 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 in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman.

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

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

22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty, And brings down the trusted stronghold.

23 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 desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor.

26 He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare.

27 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 establishes his way.

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

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

Proverbs 22

1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

2 The rich and the poor have this in common, The Lord is the maker of them all.

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

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

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

6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

7 The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.

8 He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail.

9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.

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

11 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 The lazy man says, "There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!"

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

15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; 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.

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 That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you?

22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;

23 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 furious man do not go,

25 Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

26 Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts;

27 If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?

28 Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set.

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

Proverbs 23

1 When you sit down to eat with a ruler, Consider carefully what is before you;

2 And put a knife to your throat If you are a man given to appetite.

3 Do not desire his delicacies, For they are deceptive food.

4 Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease

5 Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.

6 Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies;

7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, But his heart is not with you.

8 The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, And waste your pleasant words.

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

10 Do not remove the ancient landmark, Nor enter the fields of the fatherless;

11 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 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 hell.

15 My son, if your heart is wise, My heart will rejoice--indeed, I myself;

16 Yes, my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak right things.

17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;

18 For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.

19 Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way

20 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 Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.

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

24 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 For a harlot is a deep pit, And a seductress is a narrow well.

28 She also lies in wait as for a victim, And increases the unfaithful among men.

29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?

30 Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine.

31 Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it 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 midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:

35 "They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?"

Proverbs 24

1 Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them;

2 For their heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking.

3 Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established;

4 By knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches.

5 A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;

6 For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

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

8 He who plots to do evil Will be called a schemer.

9 The devising of foolishness is sin, And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

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

11 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 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 according to his deeds?

13 My son, eat honey because it is good, And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;

14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a 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 For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

17 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 it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath from him.

19 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, 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?

23 These things also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment.

24 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 delight, And a good blessing will come upon them.

26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.

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

28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, For would you deceive with your lips?

29 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, 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 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest;

34 So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.