Division: Books of the Law

Verse 1: Prologue: Purpose and Theme The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

Verse 2: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight;

Verse 3: for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair;

Verse 4: for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young—

Verse 5: let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—

Verse 6: for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.

Verse 7: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Verse 8: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom Warning Against Enticement Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

Verse 9: They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.

Verse 10: My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them.

Verse 11: If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood, let’s waylay some harmless soul;

Verse 12: let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

Verse 13: we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder;

Verse 14: throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse”—

Verse 15: my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths;

Verse 16: for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood.

Verse 17: How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds!

Verse 18: These men lie in wait for their own blood; they waylay only themselves!

Verse 19: Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it.

Verse 20: Warning Against Rejecting Wisdom Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares;

Verse 21: at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:

Verse 22: “How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?

Verse 23: If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.

Verse 24: But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,

Verse 25: since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke,

Verse 26: I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—

Verse 27: when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

Verse 28: “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me.

Verse 29: Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord,

Verse 30: since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke,

Verse 31: they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

Verse 32: For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

Verse 33: but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Verse 1: Moral Benefits of Wisdom My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,

Verse 2: turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,

Verse 3: and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,

Verse 4: and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,

Verse 5: then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Verse 6: For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Verse 7: He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,

Verse 8: for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

Verse 9: Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.

Verse 10: For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

Verse 11: Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

Verse 12: Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,

Verse 13: who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways,

Verse 14: who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,

Verse 15: whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.

Verse 16: It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words,

Verse 17: who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.

Verse 18: For her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead.

Verse 19: None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.

Verse 20: Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous.

Verse 21: For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;

Verse 22: but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

Verse 1: Further Benefits of Wisdom My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,

Verse 2: for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.

Verse 3: Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Verse 4: Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

Verse 5: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

Verse 6: in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Verse 7: Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

Verse 8: This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

Verse 9: Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;

Verse 10: then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Verse 11: My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke,

Verse 12: because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

Verse 13: Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding,

Verse 14: for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.

Verse 15: She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.

Verse 16: Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

Verse 17: Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.

Verse 18: She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed.

Verse 19: By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place;

Verse 20: by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew.

Verse 21: My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;

Verse 22: they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.

Verse 23: Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble;

Verse 24: when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Verse 25: Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

Verse 26: for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.

Verse 27: Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.

Verse 28: Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow”— when you now have it with you.

Verse 29: Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you.

Verse 30: Do not accuse a man for no reason— when he has done you no harm.

Verse 31: Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways,

Verse 32: for the Lord detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence.

Verse 33: The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.

Verse 34: He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.

Verse 35: The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame.

Verse 1: Wisdom Is Supreme Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.

Verse 2: I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.

Verse 3: When I was a boy in my father’s house, still tender, and an only child of my mother,

Verse 4: he taught me and said, “Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live.

Verse 5: Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.

Verse 6: Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.

Verse 7: Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

Verse 8: Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.

Verse 9: She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor.”

Verse 10: Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.

Verse 11: I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.

Verse 12: When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.

Verse 13: Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.

Verse 14: Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.

Verse 15: Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.

Verse 16: For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.

Verse 17: They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

Verse 18: The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

Verse 19: But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.

Verse 20: My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.

Verse 21: Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;

Verse 22: for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.

Verse 23: Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Verse 24: Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Verse 25: Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.

Verse 26: Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.

Verse 27: Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Verse 1: Warning Against Adultery My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight,

Verse 2: that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.

Verse 3: For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;

Verse 4: but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.

Verse 5: Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.

Verse 6: She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not.

Verse 7: Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say.

Verse 8: Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house,

Verse 9: lest you give your best strength to others and your years to one who is cruel,

Verse 10: lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich another man’s house.

Verse 11: At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent.

Verse 12: You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction!

Verse 13: I would not obey my teachers or listen to my instructors.

Verse 14: I have come to the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.”

Verse 15: Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.

Verse 16: Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?

Verse 17: Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.

Verse 18: May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Verse 19: A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.

Verse 20: Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man’s wife?

Verse 21: For a man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths.

Verse 22: The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast.

Verse 23: He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.

Verse 1: Warnings Against Folly My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another,

Verse 2: if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth,

Verse 3: then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor!

Verse 4: Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.

Verse 5: Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

Verse 6: Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!

Verse 7: It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,

Verse 8: yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.

Verse 9: How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?

Verse 10: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—

Verse 11: and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

Verse 12: A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,

Verse 13: who winks with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,

Verse 14: who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up dissension.

Verse 15: Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

Verse 16: There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:

Verse 17: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

Verse 18: a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,

Verse 19: a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

Verse 20: Warning Against Adultery My son, keep your father’s commands and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

Verse 21: Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.

Verse 22: When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.

Verse 23: For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,

Verse 24: keeping you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.

Verse 25: Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes,

Verse 26: for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

Verse 27: Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?

Verse 28: Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?

Verse 29: So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.

Verse 30: Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.

Verse 31: Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.

Verse 32: But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.

Verse 33: Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away;

Verse 34: for jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.

Verse 35: He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse the bribe, however great it is.

Verse 1: Warning Against the Adulteress My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.

Verse 2: Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.

Verse 3: Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

Verse 4: Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman;

Verse 5: they will keep you from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words.

Verse 6: At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice.

Verse 7: I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment.

Verse 8: He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house

Verse 9: at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.

Verse 10: Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.

Verse 11: (She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home;

Verse 12: now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)

Verse 13: She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:

Verse 14: “I have fellowship offerings at home; today I fulfilled my vows.

Verse 15: So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!

Verse 16: I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.

Verse 17: I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.

Verse 18: Come, let’s drink deep of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!

Verse 19: My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.

Verse 20: He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.”

Verse 21: With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.

Verse 22: All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose

Verse 23: till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.

Verse 24: Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.

Verse 25: Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.

Verse 26: Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.

Verse 27: Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.

Verse 1: Wisdom’s Call Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?

Verse 2: On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

Verse 3: beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud:

Verse 4: “To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.

Verse 5: You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding.

Verse 6: Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.

Verse 7: My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.

Verse 8: All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.

Verse 9: To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge.

Verse 10: Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,

Verse 11: for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Verse 12: “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.

Verse 13: To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

Verse 14: Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power.

Verse 15: By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just;

Verse 16: by me princes govern, and all nobles who rule on earth.

Verse 17: I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

Verse 18: With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.

Verse 19: My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.

Verse 20: I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,

Verse 21: bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

Verse 22: “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old;

Verse 23: I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began.

Verse 24: When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water;

Verse 25: before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth,

Verse 26: before he made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world.

Verse 27: I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,

Verse 28: when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,

Verse 29: when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.

Verse 30: Then I was the craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence,

Verse 31: rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.

Verse 32: “Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.

Verse 33: Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.

Verse 34: Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.

Verse 35: For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.

Verse 36: But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”

Verse 1: Invitations of Wisdom and of Folly Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars.

Verse 2: She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.

Verse 3: She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city.

Verse 4: “Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment.

Verse 5: “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.

Verse 6: Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.

Verse 7: “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse.

Verse 8: Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

Verse 9: Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.

Verse 10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Verse 11: For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.

Verse 12: If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.”

Verse 13: The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge.

Verse 14: She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city,

Verse 15: calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way.

Verse 16: “Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment.

Verse 17: “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!”

Verse 18: But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.

Verse 1: Proverbs of Solomon The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.

Verse 2: Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death.

Verse 3: The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

Verse 4: Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Verse 5: He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

Verse 6: Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

Verse 7: The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.

Verse 8: The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

Verse 9: The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.

Verse 10: He who winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

Verse 11: The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

Verse 12: Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.

Verse 13: Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.

Verse 14: Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.

Verse 15: The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.

Verse 16: The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.

Verse 17: He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

Verse 18: He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

Verse 19: When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

Verse 20: The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

Verse 21: The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment.

Verse 22: The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.

Verse 23: A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.

Verse 24: What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted.

Verse 25: When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.

Verse 26: As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him.

Verse 27: The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.

Verse 28: The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.

Verse 29: The way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.

Verse 30: The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land.

Verse 31: The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out.

Verse 32: The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.

Verse 1: The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight.

Verse 2: When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Verse 3: The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

Verse 4: Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

Verse 5: The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.

Verse 6: The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.

Verse 7: When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing.

Verse 8: The righteous man is rescued from trouble, and it comes on the wicked instead.

Verse 9: With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape.

Verse 10: When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

Verse 11: Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.

Verse 12: A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.

Verse 13: A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

Verse 14: For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.

Verse 15: He who puts up security for another will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe.

Verse 16: A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.

Verse 17: A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.

Verse 18: The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

Verse 19: The truly righteous man attains life, but he who pursues evil goes to his death.

Verse 20: The Lord detests men of perverse heart but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.

Verse 21: Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.

Verse 22: Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

Verse 23: The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

Verse 24: One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

Verse 25: A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Verse 26: People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.

Verse 27: He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it.

Verse 28: Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

Verse 29: He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.

Verse 30: The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

Verse 31: If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!

Verse 1: Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.

Verse 2: A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but the Lord condemns a crafty man.

Verse 3: A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

Verse 4: A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

Verse 5: The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

Verse 6: The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.

Verse 7: Wicked men are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.

Verse 8: A man is praised according to his wisdom, but men with warped minds are despised.

Verse 9: Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

Verse 10: A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

Verse 11: He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.

Verse 12: The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.

Verse 13: An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk, but a righteous man escapes trouble.

Verse 14: From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.

Verse 15: The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.

Verse 16: A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

Verse 17: A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies.

Verse 18: Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Verse 19: Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

Verse 20: There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace.

Verse 21: No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

Verse 22: The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.

Verse 23: A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly.

Verse 24: Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.

Verse 25: An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

Verse 26: A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Verse 27: The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions.

Verse 28: In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.

Verse 1: A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.

Verse 2: From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things, but the unfaithful have a craving for violence.

Verse 3: He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

Verse 4: The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

Verse 5: The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked bring shame and disgrace.

Verse 6: Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

Verse 7: One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

Verse 8: A man’s riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat.

Verse 9: The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

Verse 10: Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

Verse 11: Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Verse 12: Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Verse 13: He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded.

Verse 14: The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

Verse 15: Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard.

Verse 16: Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly.

Verse 17: A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.

Verse 18: He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.

Verse 19: A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.

Verse 20: He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

Verse 21: Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

Verse 22: A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

Verse 23: A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.

Verse 24: He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

Verse 25: The righteous eat to their hearts’ content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.

Verse 1: The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

Verse 2: He whose walk is upright fears the Lord, but he whose ways are devious despises him.

Verse 3: A fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.

Verse 4: Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest.

Verse 5: A truthful witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies.

Verse 6: The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

Verse 7: Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.

Verse 8: The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.

Verse 9: Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.

Verse 10: Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.

Verse 11: The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.

Verse 12: There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

Verse 13: Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief.

Verse 14: The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good man rewarded for his.

Verse 15: A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.

Verse 16: A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.

Verse 17: A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated.

Verse 18: The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

Verse 19: Evil men will bow down in the presence of the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

Verse 20: The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.

Verse 21: He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.

Verse 22: Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.

Verse 23: All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

Verse 24: The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly.

Verse 25: A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.

Verse 26: He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.

Verse 27: The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

Verse 28: A large population is a king’s glory, but without subjects a prince is ruined.

Verse 29: A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.

Verse 30: A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

Verse 31: He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Verse 32: When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have a refuge.

Verse 33: Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning and even among fools she lets herself be known.

Verse 34: Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

Verse 35: A king delights in a wise servant, but a shameful servant incurs his wrath.

Verse 1: A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Verse 2: The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

Verse 3: The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

Verse 4: The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

Verse 5: A fool spurns his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.

Verse 6: The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.

Verse 7: The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.

Verse 8: The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

Verse 9: The Lord detests the way of the wicked but he loves those who pursue righteousness.

Verse 10: Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die.

Verse 11: Death and Destruction lie open before the Lord— how much more the hearts of men!

Verse 12: A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise.

Verse 13: A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

Verse 14: The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

Verse 15: All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

Verse 16: Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.

Verse 17: Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.

Verse 18: A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.

Verse 19: The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.

Verse 20: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

Verse 21: Folly delights a man who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding keeps a straight course.

Verse 22: Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Verse 23: A man finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!

Verse 24: The path of life leads upward for the wise to keep him from going down to the grave.

Verse 25: The Lord tears down the proud man’s house but he keeps the widow’s boundaries intact.

Verse 26: The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him.

Verse 27: A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live.

Verse 28: The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

Verse 29: The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

Verse 30: A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.

Verse 31: He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.

Verse 32: He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.

Verse 33: The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Verse 1: To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.

Verse 2: All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord.

Verse 3: Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

Verse 4: The Lord works out everything for his own ends— even the wicked for a day of disaster.

Verse 5: The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

Verse 6: Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil.

Verse 7: When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

Verse 8: Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

Verse 9: In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

Verse 10: The lips of a king speak as an oracle, and his mouth should not betray justice.

Verse 11: Honest scales and balances are from the Lord; all the weights in the bag are of his making.

Verse 12: Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness.

Verse 13: Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth.

Verse 14: A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will appease it.

Verse 15: When a king’s face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.

Verse 16: How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!

Verse 17: The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life.

Verse 18: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Verse 19: Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

Verse 20: Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

Verse 21: The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.

Verse 22: Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools.

Verse 23: A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.

Verse 24: Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Verse 25: There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

Verse 26: The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.

Verse 27: A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.

Verse 28: A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.

Verse 29: A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him down a path that is not good.

Verse 30: He who winks with his eye is plotting perversity; he who purses his lips is bent on evil.

Verse 31: Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.

Verse 32: Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

Verse 33: The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

Verse 1: Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.

Verse 2: A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son, and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

Verse 3: The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.

Verse 4: A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue.

Verse 5: He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.

Verse 6: Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.

Verse 7: Arrogant lips are unsuited to a fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!

Verse 8: A bribe is a charm to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.

Verse 9: He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

Verse 10: A rebuke impresses a man of discernment more than a hundred lashes a fool.

Verse 11: An evil man is bent only on rebellion; a merciless official will be sent against him.

Verse 12: Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.

Verse 13: If a man pays back evil for good, evil will never leave his house.

Verse 14: Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

Verse 15: Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the Lord detests them both.

Verse 16: Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom?

Verse 17: A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Verse 18: A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.

Verse 19: He who loves a quarrel loves sin; he who builds a high gate invites destruction.

Verse 20: A man of perverse heart does not prosper; he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.

Verse 21: To have a fool for a son brings grief; there is no joy for the father of a fool.

Verse 22: A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Verse 23: A wicked man accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the course of justice.

Verse 24: A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

Verse 25: A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him.

Verse 26: It is not good to punish an innocent man, or to flog officials for their integrity.

Verse 27: A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.

Verse 28: Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.

Verse 1: An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgment.

Verse 2: A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.

Verse 3: When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes disgrace.

Verse 4: The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

Verse 5: It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the innocent of justice.

Verse 6: A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.

Verse 7: A fool’s mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

Verse 8: The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.

Verse 9: One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.

Verse 10: The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Verse 11: The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall.

Verse 12: Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.

Verse 13: He who answers before listening— that is his folly and his shame.

Verse 14: A man’s spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

Verse 15: The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.

Verse 16: A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.

Verse 17: The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him.

Verse 18: Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart.

Verse 19: An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.

Verse 20: From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.

Verse 21: The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Verse 22: He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.

Verse 23: A poor man pleads for mercy, but a rich man answers harshly.

Verse 24: A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Verse 1: Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.

Verse 2: It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.

Verse 3: A man’s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord.

Verse 4: Wealth brings many friends, but a poor man’s friend deserts him.

Verse 5: A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free.

Verse 6: Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of a man who gives gifts.

Verse 7: A poor man is shunned by all his relatives— how much more do his friends avoid him! Though he pursues them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found.

Verse 8: He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who cherishes understanding prospers.

Verse 9: A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will perish.

Verse 10: It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury— how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

Verse 11: A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

Verse 12: A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

Verse 13: A foolish son is his father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.

Verse 14: Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

Verse 15: Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry.

Verse 16: He who obeys instructions guards his life, but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die.

Verse 17: He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done.

Verse 18: Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.

Verse 19: A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

Verse 20: Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.

Verse 21: Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Verse 22: What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.

Verse 23: The fear of the Lord leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

Verse 24: The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!

Verse 25: Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke a discerning man, and he will gain knowledge.

Verse 26: He who robs his father and drives out his mother is a son who brings shame and disgrace.

Verse 27: Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

Verse 28: A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

Verse 29: Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.

Verse 1: Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

Verse 2: A king’s wrath is like the roar of a lion; he who angers him forfeits his life.

Verse 3: It is to a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.

Verse 4: A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.

Verse 5: The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.

Verse 6: Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?

Verse 7: The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.

Verse 8: When a king sits on his throne to judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes.

Verse 9: Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”?

Verse 10: Differing weights and differing measures— the Lord detests them both.

Verse 11: Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right.

Verse 12: Ears that hear and eyes that see— the Lord has made them both.

Verse 13: Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.

Verse 14: “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer; then off he goes and boasts about his purchase.

Verse 15: Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

Verse 16: Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman.

Verse 17: Food gained by fraud tastes sweet to a man, but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel.

Verse 18: Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.

Verse 19: A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.

Verse 20: If a man curses his father or mother, his lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.

Verse 21: An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end.

Verse 22: Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

Verse 23: The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.

Verse 24: A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?

Verse 25: It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows.

Verse 26: A wise king winnows out the wicked; he drives the threshing wheel over them.

Verse 27: The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being.

Verse 28: Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure.

Verse 29: The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.

Verse 30: Blows and wounds cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being.

Verse 1: The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.

Verse 2: All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart.

Verse 3: To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

Verse 4: Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin!

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

Verse 6: A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.

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

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

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

Verse 10: The wicked man craves evil; his neighbor gets no mercy from him.

Verse 11: When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; when a wise man is instructed, he gets knowledge.

Verse 12: The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.

Verse 13: If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.

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

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

Verse 16: A man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of the dead.

Verse 17: He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.

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

Verse 19: Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.

Verse 20: In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.

Verse 21: He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.

Verse 22: A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.

Verse 23: He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.

Verse 24: The proud and arrogant man—“Mocker” is his name; he behaves with overweening pride.

Verse 25: The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.

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

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

Verse 28: A false witness will perish, and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever.

Verse 29: A wicked man puts up a bold front, but an upright man gives thought to his ways.

Verse 30: There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.

Verse 31: The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.

Verse 25: or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.

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

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

Verse 3: A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

Verse 4: Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.

Verse 5: In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them.

Verse 6: Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Verse 7: The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Verse 8: He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

Verse 9: A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

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

Verse 11: He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.

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

Verse 13: The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!” or, “I will be murdered in the streets!”

Verse 14: The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the Lord’s wrath will fall into it.

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

Verse 16: He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

Verse 17: Sayings of the Wise Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach,

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

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

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

Verse 21: teaching you true and reliable words, so that you can give sound answers to him who sent you?

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

Verse 23: for the Lord will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them.

Verse 24: Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered,

Verse 26: Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts;

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

Verse 28: Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.

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

Verse 1: When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you,

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

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

Verse 4: Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.

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

Verse 6: Do not eat the food of a stingy man, do not crave his delicacies;

Verse 7: for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

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

Verse 9: Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom of your words.

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

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

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

Verse 13: Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.

Verse 14: Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.

Verse 15: My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad;

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

Verse 17: Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.

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

Verse 19: Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path.

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

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

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

Verse 23: Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding.

Verse 24: The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.

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

Verse 26: My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways,

Verse 27: for a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

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

Verse 29: Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

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

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

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

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

Verse 34: You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging.

Verse 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?”

Verse 1: Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company;

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

Verse 3: By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;

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

Verse 5: A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength;

Verse 6: for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.

Verse 7: Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the assembly at the gate he has nothing to say.

Verse 8: He who plots evil will be known as a schemer.

Verse 9: The schemes of folly are sin, and men detest a mocker.

Verse 10: If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!

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

Verse 12: If 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 each person according to what he has done?

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

Verse 14: Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Verse 15: Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man’s house, do not raid his dwelling place;

Verse 16: for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.

Verse 17: Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,

Verse 18: or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.

Verse 19: Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked,

Verse 20: for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

Verse 21: Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with the rebellious,

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

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

Verse 24: Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him and nations denounce him.

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

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

Verse 27: Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.

Verse 28: Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, or use your lips to deceive.

Verse 29: Do not say, “I’ll do to him as he has done to me; I’ll pay that man back for what he did.”

Verse 30: I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment;

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

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

Verse 33: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—

Verse 34: and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

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

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

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

Verse 4: Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith;

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

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

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

Verse 8: do not bring hastily to court, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?

Verse 9: If you argue your case with a neighbor, do not betray another man’s confidence,

Verse 10: or he who hears it may shame you and you will never lose your bad reputation.

Verse 11: A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

Verse 12: Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.

Verse 13: Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters.

Verse 14: Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give.

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

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

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

Verse 18: Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor.

Verse 19: Like a bad tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble.

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

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

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

Verse 23: As a north wind brings rain, so a sly tongue brings angry looks.

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

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

Verse 26: Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.

Verse 27: It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor.

Verse 28: Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.

Verse 1: Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool.

Verse 2: Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

Verse 3: A whip for the horse, a halter for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!

Verse 4: Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.

Verse 5: Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.

Verse 6: Like cutting off one’s feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.

Verse 7: Like a lame man’s legs that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

Verse 8: Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.

Verse 9: Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

Verse 10: Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or any passer-by.

Verse 11: As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

Verse 12: Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Verse 13: The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!”

Verse 14: As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.

Verse 15: The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

Verse 16: The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.

Verse 17: Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.

Verse 18: Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows

Verse 19: is a man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

Verse 20: Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.

Verse 21: As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

Verse 22: The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.

Verse 23: Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.

Verse 24: A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit.

Verse 25: Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.

Verse 26: His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Verse 27: If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it; if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.

Verse 28: A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.

Verse 1: Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

Verse 2: Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.

Verse 3: Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but provocation by a fool is heavier than both.

Verse 4: Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?

Verse 5: Better is open rebuke than hidden love.

Verse 6: Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

Verse 7: He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

Verse 8: Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home.

Verse 9: Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel.

Verse 10: Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

Verse 11: Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.

Verse 12: The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

Verse 13: Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman.

Verse 14: If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.

Verse 15: A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day;

Verse 16: restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.

Verse 17: As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Verse 18: He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored.

Verse 19: As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.

Verse 20: Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man.

Verse 21: The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.

Verse 22: Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding him like grain with a pestle, you will not remove his folly from him.

Verse 23: Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;

Verse 24: for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.

Verse 25: When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in,

Verse 26: the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.

Verse 27: You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed you and your family and to nourish your servant girls.

Verse 1: The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

Verse 2: When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order.

Verse 3: A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

Verse 4: Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them.

Verse 5: Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

Verse 6: Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse.

Verse 7: He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.

Verse 8: He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

Verse 9: If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.

Verse 10: He who leads the upright along an evil path will fall into his own trap, but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

Verse 11: A rich man may be wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has discernment sees through him.

Verse 12: When the righteous triumph, there is great elation; but when the wicked rise to power, men go into hiding.

Verse 13: He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

Verse 14: Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

Verse 15: Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked man ruling over a helpless people.

Verse 16: A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment, but he who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long life.

Verse 17: A man tormented by the guilt of murder will be a fugitive till death; let no one support him.

Verse 18: He whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but he whose ways are perverse will suddenly fall.

Verse 19: He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

Verse 20: A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

Verse 21: To show partiality is not good— yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

Verse 22: A stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him.

Verse 23: He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue.

Verse 24: He who robs his father or mother and says, “It’s not wrong”— he is partner to him who destroys.

Verse 25: A greedy man stirs up dissension, but he who trusts in the Lord will prosper.

Verse 26: He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

Verse 27: He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.

Verse 28: When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding; but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.

Verse 1: A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

Verse 2: When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.

Verse 3: A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

Verse 4: By justice a king gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down.

Verse 5: Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet.

Verse 6: An evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad.

Verse 7: The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.

Verse 8: Mockers stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger.

Verse 9: If a wise man goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.

Verse 10: Bloodthirsty men hate a man of integrity and seek to kill the upright.

Verse 11: A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.

Verse 12: If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked.

Verse 13: The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.

Verse 14: If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will always be secure.

Verse 15: The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.

Verse 16: When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall.

Verse 17: Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul.

Verse 18: Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.

Verse 19: A servant cannot be corrected by mere words; though he understands, he will not respond.

Verse 20: Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Verse 21: If a man pampers his servant from youth, he will bring grief in the end.

Verse 22: An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.

Verse 23: A man’s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.

Verse 24: The accomplice of a thief is his own enemy; he is put under oath and dare not testify.

Verse 25: Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

Verse 26: Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that man gets justice.

Verse 27: The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright.

Verse 1: Sayings of Agur The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an oracle: This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ucal:

Verse 2: “I am the most ignorant of men; I do not have a man’s understanding.

Verse 3: I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.

Verse 4: Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!

Verse 5: “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Verse 6: Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

Verse 7: “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die:

Verse 8: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.

Verse 9: Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Verse 10: “Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will pay for it.

Verse 11: “There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers;

Verse 12: those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth;

Verse 13: those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful;

Verse 14: those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from among mankind.

Verse 15: “The leech has two daughters. ‘Give! Give!’ they cry. “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:

Verse 16: the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’

Verse 17: “The eye that mocks a father, that scorns obedience to a mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.

Verse 18: “There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:

Verse 19: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.

Verse 20: “This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’

Verse 21: “Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:

Verse 22: a servant who becomes king, a fool who is full of food,

Verse 23: an unloved woman who is married, and a maidservant who displaces her mistress.

Verse 24: “Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:

Verse 25: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;

Verse 26: coneys are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags;

Verse 27: locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks;

Verse 28: a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces.

Verse 29: “There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing:

Verse 30: a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing;

Verse 31: a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king with his army around him.

Verse 32: “If you have played the fool and exalted yourself, or if you have planned evil, clap your hand over your mouth!

Verse 33: For as churning the milk produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.”

Verse 1: Sayings of King Lemuel The sayings of King Lemuel—an oracle his mother taught him:

Verse 2: “O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows,

Verse 3: do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings.

Verse 4: “It is not for kings, O Lemuel— not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,

Verse 5: lest they drink and forget what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.

Verse 6: Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish;

Verse 7: let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.

Verse 8: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

Verse 9: Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Verse 10: Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

Verse 11: Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

Verse 12: She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

Verse 13: She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.

Verse 14: She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.

Verse 15: She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.

Verse 16: She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

Verse 17: She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.

Verse 18: She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.

Verse 19: In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

Verse 20: She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

Verse 21: When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

Verse 22: She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

Verse 23: Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

Verse 24: She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.

Verse 25: She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

Verse 26: She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

Verse 27: She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Verse 28: Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

Verse 29: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

Verse 30: Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Verse 31: Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.