Proverbs 21

On Life and Conduct

1 The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;
He turns it wherever He wishes.

2 Every man's way is right in his own eyes,
But the LORD weighs the hearts.

3 To do righteousness and justice
Is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice.

4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
The lamp of the wicked, is sin.

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

6 The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.

7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,
Because they refuse to act with justice.

8 The way of a guilty man is crooked,
But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

9 It is better to live in a corner of a roof
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 naive becomes wise;
But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

12 The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Turning the wicked to ruin.

13 He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor
Will also cry himself and not be answered.

14 A gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.

15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,
But is terror 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 become a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
And the treacherous is in the place of the upright.

19 It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

20 There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man swallows it up.

21 He who pursues righteousness and loyalty
Finds life, righteousness and honor.

22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty
And brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue,
Guards his soul from troubles.

24 "Proud," "Haughty," "Scoffer," are his names,
Who acts with insolent pride.

25 The desire of the sluggard puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;

26 All day long he is craving,
While the righteous gives and does not hold back.

27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
How much more when he brings it with evil intent!

28 A false witness will perish,
But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever.

29 A wicked man displays a bold face,
But as for the upright, he makes his way sure.

30 There is no wisdom and no understanding
And no counsel against the LORD.

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But victory belongs to the LORD.

Proverbs 22

On Life and Conduct

1 A good name is to be more desired than great wealth,
Favor is better than silver and gold.

2 The rich and the poor have a common bond,
The LORD is the maker of them all.

3 The prudent sees the evil and hides himself,
But the naive go on, and are punished for it.

4 The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD
Are riches, honor and life.

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

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

7 The rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower becomes the lender's slave.

8 He who sows iniquity will reap vanity,
And the rod of his fury will perish.

9 He who is generous will be blessed,
For he gives some of his food to the poor.

10 Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out,
Even strife and dishonor will cease.

11 He who loves purity of heart
And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend.

12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.

13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside;
I will be killed in the streets!"

14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit;
He who is cursed of the LORD will fall into it.

15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.

16 He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself
Or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your mind to my knowledge;

18 For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
That they may be ready on your lips.

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

20 Have I not written to you excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,

21 To make you know the certainty of the words of truth
That you may correctly answer him who sent you?

22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
Or crush the afflicted at the gate;

23 For the LORD will plead their case
And take the life of those who rob them.

24 Do not associate with a man given to anger;
Or go with a hot-tempered man,

25 Or you will learn his ways
And find a snare for yourself.

26 Do not be among those who give pledges,
Among those who become guarantors for debts.

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

28 Do not move the ancient boundary
Which your fathers have set.

29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before obscure men.

Proverbs 23

On Life and Conduct

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

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

3 Do not desire his delicacies,
For it is deceptive food.

4 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth,
Cease from your consideration of it.

5 When you set your eyes on it, it is gone.
For wealth certainly makes itself wings
Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

6 Do not eat the bread of a selfish man,
Or desire his delicacies;

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

8 You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten,
And waste your compliments.

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

10 Do not move the ancient boundary
Or go into the fields of the fatherless,

11 For their Redeemer is strong;
He will plead their case against you.

12 Apply your heart to discipline
And your ears to words of knowledge.

13 Do not hold back discipline from the child,
Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

14 You shall strike him with the rod
And rescue his soul from Sheol.

15 My son, if your heart is wise,
My own heart also will be glad;

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

17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But live in the fear of the LORD always.

18 Surely there is a future,
And your hope will not be cut off.

19 Listen, my son, and be wise,
And direct your heart in the way.

20 Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine,
Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;

21 For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty,
And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.

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

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

24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.

25 Let your father and your mother be glad,
And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

26 Give me your heart, my son,
And let your eyes delight in my ways.

27 For a harlot is a deep pit
And an adulterous woman is a narrow well.

28 Surely she lurks as a robber,
And increases the faithless among men.

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

30 Those who linger long over wine,
Those who go to taste mixed wine.

31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it goes down smoothly;

32 At the last it bites like a serpent
And stings like a viper.

33 Your eyes will see strange things
And your mind will utter perverse things.

34 And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea,
Or like one who lies down on the top of a tmast.

35 "They struck me, but I did not become ill;
They beat me, but I did not know it.
When shall I awake?
I will seek another drink."