Proverbs 29

1 A person who will not bend after many warningswill suddenly be broken beyond repair.2 When righteous people increase, the people of God rejoice,but when a wicked person rules, everybody groans.3 A person who loves wisdom makes his father happy,but one who pays prostitutes wastes his wealth.4 By means of justice, a king builds up a country,but a person who confiscates religious contributions tears it down.5 A person who flatters his neighboris spreading a net for him to step into.6 To an evil person sin is bait in a trap,but a righteous person runs away from itt and is glad.7 A righteous person knows the just cause of the poor.A wicked person does not understand this.8 Mockers create an uproar in a city,but wise people turn away anger.9 When a wise person goes to court with a stubborn fool,he may rant and rave,but there is no peace and quiet.10 Bloodthirsty people hate an innocent person,but decent people seek to protect his life.11 A fool expresses all his emotions,but a wise person controls them.12 If a ruler pays attention to lies,all his servants become wicked.13 A poor person and an oppressor have this in common:The Lord gives both of them sight.14 When a king judges the poor with honesty,his throne will always be secure.15 A spanking and a warning produce wisdom,but an undisciplined child disgraces his mother.16 When wicked people increase, crime increases,but righteous people will witness their downfall.17 Correct your son, and he will give you peace of mind.He will bring delight to your soul.18 Without prophetic vision people run wild,but blessed are those who follow God’s teachings.19 A slave cannot be disciplined with words.He will not respond, though he may understand.20 Have you met a person who is quick to answer?There is more hope for a fool than for him.21 Pamper a slave from childhood,and later he will be ungrateful.t22 An angry person stirs up a fight,and a hothead does much wrong.23 A person’s pride will humiliate him,but a humble spirit gains honor.24 Whoever is a thief’s partner hates his own life.He will not testify under oath.25 A person’s fear sets a trap for him,but one who trusts the Lord is safe.26 Many seek an audience with a ruler,but justice for humanity comes from the Lord.27 An unjust person is disgusting to righteous people.A decent person is disgusting to wicked people.

Proverbs 30

1 The words of Agur, son of Jakeh. Agur’s prophetic revelation.[To God]This man’s declaration:“I’m weary, O God.I’m weary and worn out, O God.

Agur Speaks About God

2 I’m more like a dumb animal than a human being.I don’t even have human understanding.3 I haven’t learned wisdom.I don’t have knowledge of the Holy One.t[To the audience]4 “Who has gone up to heaven and come down?Who has gathered the wind in the palm of his hand?Who has wrapped water in a garment?Who has set up the earth from one end to the other?What is his name or the name of his son?Certainly, you must know!5 “Every word of God has proven to be true.He is a shield to those who come to him for protection.6 Do not add to his words,or he will reprimand you, and you will be found to be a liar.[To God]

A Prayer

7 “I’ve asked you for two things.Don’t keep them from me before I die:8 Keep vanity and lies far away from me.Don’t give me either poverty or riches.Feed me only the food I need,9 or I may feel satisfied and deny youand say, ‘Who is the Lord?’or I may become poor and stealand give the name of my God a bad reputation.[To the audience]

Against Slander

10 “Do not slander a slave to his master.The slave will curse you,and you will be found guilty.”

Four Kinds of People

11 A certain kind of person curses his fatherand does not bless his mother.12 A certain kind of person thinks he is purebut is not washed from his own feces.t13 A certain kind of person looks around arrogantlyand is conceited.14 A certain kind of person,whose teeth are like swordsand whose jaws are like knives,devours oppressed people from the earthand people from among humanity.

Human Bloodsuckers

15 The bloodsucking leech has two daughters—“Give!” and “Give!”Three things are never satisfied.Four never say, “Enough!”:

Four Things That Are Never Satisfied

16 the grave,a barren womb,a land that never gets enough water,a fire that does not say, “Enough!”

Disrespectful Children—Their Punishment

17 The eye that makes fun of a father and hates to obey a motherwill be plucked out by ravens in the valley and eaten by young vultures.

Four Things of Intrigue

18 Three things are too amazing to me,even four that I cannot understand:19 an eagle making its way through the sky,a snake making its way over a rock,a ship making its way through high seas,a man making his way with a virgin.

About the Woman Who Commits Adultery

20 This is the way of a woman who commits adultery:She eats, wipes her mouth,and says, “I haven’t done anything wrong!”

Four Things That Are Intolerable

21 Three things cause the earth to tremble,even four it cannot bear up under:22 a slave when he becomes king,a godless fool when he is filled with food,23 a woman who is unloved when she gets married,a maid when she replaces her mistress.

Four Things That Are Small—Yet Smart and Strong

24 Four things on earth are small,yet they are very wise:25 Ants are not a strong species,yet they store their food in summer.26 Rock badgers are not a mighty species,yet they make their home in the rocks.27 Locusts have no king,yet all of them divide into swarms by instinct.28 A lizard you can hold in your hands,yet it can even be found in royal palaces.

Four Things That Move With Dignity

29 There are three things that walk with dignity,even four that march with dignity:30 a lion, mightiest among animals, which turns away from nothing,31 a strutting rooster,ta male goat,a king at the head of his army.t

Keep Calm and Quiet

32 If you are such a godless fool as to honor yourself,or if you scheme,you had better put your hand over your mouth.33 As churning milk produces butterand punching a nose produces blood,so stirring up angert produces a fight.

Proverbs 31

1 The sayings of King Lemuel, a prophetic revelation,used by his mother to discipline him.

Advice to a Prince

2 “What, my son?What, son to whom I gave birth?What, son of my prayers?3 Don’t give your strength to womenor your power to those who ruin kings.4 “It is not for kings, Lemuel.It is not for kings to drink wine or for rulers to crave liquor.5 Otherwise, they drink and forget what they have decreedand change the standard of justice for all oppressed people.6 Give liquor to a person who is dyingand wine to one who feels resentful.7 Such a person drinksand forgets his povertyand does not remember his trouble anymore.8 “Speak out for the one who cannot speak,for the rights of those who are doomed.9 Speak out,judge fairly,and defend the rights of oppressed and needy people.”

A Poem in Hebrew Alphabetical Order

10 “Who can find a wife with a strong character?She is worth far more than jewels.11 Her husband trusts her with all his heart,and he does not lack anything good.12 She helps him and never harms him all the days of her life.13 “She seeks out wool and linen with careand works with willing hands.14 She is like merchant ships.She brings her food from far away.15 She wakes up while it is still darkand gives food to her familyand portions of food to her female slaves.16 “She picks out a field and buys it.She plants a vineyard from the profits she has earned.17 She puts on strength like a beltand goes to work with energy.18 She sees that she is making a good profit.Her lamp burns late at night.19 “She puts her hands on the distaff,and her fingers hold a spindle.20 She opens her hands to oppressed peopleand stretches them out to needy people.21 She does not fear for her family when it snowsbecause her whole familyhas a double layer of clothing.22 She makes quilts for herself.Her clothes are made of linen and purple cloth.23 “Her husband is known at the city gateswhen he sits with the leaders of the land.24 “She makes linen garments and sells themand delivers belts to the merchants.25 She dresses with strength and nobility,and she smiles at the future.26 “She speaks with wisdom,and on her tongue there is tender instruction.27 She keeps a close eye on the conduct of her family,and she does not eat the bread of idleness.28 Her children and her husbandstand up and bless her.In addition, he sings her praises, by saying,29 ‘Many women have done noble work,but you have surpassed them all!’30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty evaporates,but a woman who has the fear of the Lord should be praised.31 Reward her for what she has done,and let her achievements praise her at the city gates.”