⁷ To all those loved by God who are in Rome, called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

¹ The words of Lemuel, a king.
An oracle ^[1] that his mother used, to teach him discipline:

² What are you doing, ^[2] my son!
What are you doing, son from my womb!
What are you doing, son of my vows!
³ Do not give your strength to women.
Do not give your ways to those who destroy kings.
⁴ It is not for kings, Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
nor for rulers to crave beer.
⁵ If he does, he will drink and forget what is decreed.
He will change the legal rights of all the oppressed.
⁶ Give beer to someone who is perishing
and wine to one whose soul is bitter.
⁷ He will drink and forget his poverty,
and he will no longer remember his trouble.

⁸ Speak up for those who cannot speak.
Speak for the rights of all those who are defenseless.
⁹ Speak up, judge fairly,
and defend the oppressed and needy.

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is vapor that vanishes,
but a woman who fears the Lord should be praised.
³¹ Give her credit for the fruit of her hands,
and let her accomplishments praise her in the city gates.

¹ The words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle. ^[1]
This man declares:
I am weary, God. I am weary, God, and worn out, ^[2]
2 because I am too unreasoning to be a man.
I do not even possess human understanding.
³ I have not learned wisdom.
I do not have knowledge of the Holy One.

⁴ Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind in the palms of his hands?
Who has wrapped the water in a garment?
Who has set up all the ends of the earth?
What is his name and the name of his son?
Tell me if you know!

⁵ Every word of God has been refined.
He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
⁶ Do not add to his words.
If you do, he will correct you,
and you will be shown to be a liar.

⁷ Two things I have asked from you.
Do not keep them from me before I die:
⁸ Keep worthless speech and lies far from me.
Do not give me poverty or riches.
Give me food in the amount that is right for me.
⁹ Too much, and I may feel satisfied and deny you
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
Too little, and I may become poor and steal
and profane the name of my God.

¹⁰ Do not slander a servant to his master.
If you do, he will curse you,
and you will be found guilty.
¹¹ There is a type of person who curses his father
and does not bless his mother.
¹² This person is pure in his own eyes,
but he is not washed from his filth.
¹³ This person—how lofty his eyes, how high his eyelids!
¹⁴ This person—his teeth are swords,
and his fangs are knives.
He uses them to devour oppressed people from the earth
and poor people from among humanity.

¹⁵ The leech has two daughters: Give! Give!
Three things are never satisfied.
Four never say, “Enough!”:
¹⁶ the grave,
    a closed womb,
    land that is never satisfied with water,
    and fire that never says, “Enough!”

¹⁷ An eye that mocks its father
and despises the obedience due its mother—
ravens of the valley will peck it out,
and young vultures will eat it.

¹⁸ Three things are too wonderful for me,
and four I cannot understand:
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 virgin.

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

²¹ Three things make the earth tremble.
There are four things it cannot endure:
²² a servant when he becomes king,
    an arrogant fool when he is filled with food,
²³ a woman who is hated when she is married,
    and a slave girl when she replaces her master’s wife.

²⁴ Four things are small on the earth,
yet they are wiser than the wisest people:
²⁵ Ants are a species without strength,
    but they store their food in summer.
²⁶ Rock badgers are a species without power,
    but they make their home in a cliff.
²⁷ Locusts have no king,
    but they all march ahead in ranks.
²⁸ Lizards can be caught in your hands,
    but they live in kings’ palaces.

²⁹ Three things strut impressively.
Four walk with dignity:
³⁰ a lion, which is the mightiest among the animals,
    does not turn away from anything,
³¹ a strutting rooster, ^[3]
    a male goat,
    and a king reviewing his troops. ^[4]

³² If you have acted like a fool by exalting yourself,
or if you have been scheming,
put your hand over your mouth,
³³ because just as pressing milk produces cheese, ^[5]
and pressing a nose brings forth blood,
so pressing one’s anger produces a fight.

Proverbs 28

¹ The wicked flee even though no one is pursuing them,
but the righteous are bold like a lion.
² A rebellious land has many rulers,
but one man with understanding and knowledge provides stability.
³ A poor man who oppresses the poor
    is a driving rain that leaves no food.
⁴ Those who abandon the law ^[1] praise the wicked,
but those who keep the law oppose them.
⁵ Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek the Lord understand everything.
⁶ Better a poor person who walks in his integrity
    than a rich person who is hypocritical. ^[2]
7 The son who keeps the law has understanding,
but a companion of gluttons brings shame upon his father.
⁸ A person who increases his wealth by piling up interest
    gathers it for someone who is generous to the needy.
⁹ A person who turns his ear away from the law—
    even his prayer is an abomination.
¹⁰ A person who leads the upright along an evil way
will fall into his own pit,
but people of integrity will inherit good.
¹¹ A wealthy person is wise in his own eyes,
but a needy person with understanding will expose him.
¹² When the righteous triumph, there is much celebration, ^[3]
but when the wicked rise to power, people hide.
¹³ A person who conceals his sins will not prosper,
but one who confesses and abandons them will receive mercy.
¹⁴ Blessed is the person who always is afraid of sin,
but one who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
¹⁵ A wicked ruler over a poor people
    is a growling lion or a charging bear.
¹⁶ When a ruler lacks understanding, there will be much oppression,
but one who hates ill-gotten gain prolongs his days.
¹⁷ A person haunted by the guilt of bloodshed
    will be a fugitive until he goes down to the pit.
No one should offer him support.
¹⁸ A person who walks with integrity will be saved,
but a person whose ways are crooked will fall all at once.
¹⁹ A person who works his land will have plenty of food,
but whoever pursues fantasies will have plenty of poverty.
²⁰ A trustworthy person has many blessings,
but a person in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.
²¹ Showing favoritism is not good,
but a man may sin for a piece of bread.
²² A tightfisted person is in a hurry to get rich,
but he does not know that poverty is coming his way.
²³ In the end a person who corrects someone will find more favor
    than a person with a flattering tongue.
²⁴ A person who robs his father and his mother
and says, “It’s not a sin,” is no better than ^[4] a vandal.
²⁵ A greedy person stirs up strife,
but a person who trusts in the Lord will prosper.
²⁶ A person who trusts in his own ideas is a fool,
but a person who walks in wisdom will be kept safe.
²⁷ A person who gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but a person who closes his eyes to them will receive many curses.
²⁸ When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding,
but when the wicked perish, the righteous increase.

Proverbs 29

¹ A person who remains stiff-necked ^[5] after many rebukes
    will be broken suddenly, and there will be no cure.
² When the righteous increase, the people rejoice,
but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.
³ A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but one who visits prostitutes destroys his wealth.
⁴ A king brings stability to a land by justice,
but one who accepts bribes tears it down.
⁵ A man who flatters his neighbor
    is spreading a net for his steps. ^[6]
6 An evil man sets a trap with his sin,
but a righteous person sings and rejoices.
⁷ A righteous person acknowledges the rights of the poor,
but a wicked person does not understand such knowledge.
⁸ Scoffers stir up a city,
but wise people turn away anger.
⁹ When a wise person seeks justice from a stubborn fool,
the fool rants and laughs, and there is no peace.
¹⁰ Bloodthirsty people hate anyone with integrity,
but upright people seek to save his life. ^[7]
11 A fool vents all his emotions,
but a wise person calmly restrains them.
¹² If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.
¹³ A poor person and an oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
¹⁴ If a king judges poor people with truth,
his throne will be established permanently.
¹⁵ A rod used for discipline gives wisdom,
but an undisciplined child disgraces his mother.
¹⁶ When the wicked increase, sin increases,
but the righteous will see their downfall.
¹⁷ Discipline your son, and he will give you rest.
He will give delight to your soul.
¹⁸ Without prophetic vision, a people is unrestrained,
but a people which follows the law is blessed.
¹⁹ A servant cannot be disciplined with words.
Although he understands, he shows no response.
²⁰ Have you seen a person who is hasty with his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
²¹ If someone pampers his servant from the time he is young,
later on he will have grief.
²² A hothead stirs up a fight,
and a quick-tempered person commits many sins.
²³ A person’s arrogance will humble him,
but a humble spirit will attain honor.
²⁴ The partner of a thief hates his own life.
He hears the oath, ^[8] but he does not reveal anything.
²⁵ Being afraid of a man sets a trap,
but a person who trusts in the Lord will be secure.
²⁶ Many people seek a ruler’s favor,
but a person gets justice from the Lord.
²⁷ An unjust person is disgusting to righteous people,
but one whose way is upright is disgusting to the wicked.

¹³ A lazy person says, “There’s a ferocious lion in the street.
There’s a lion in the public square!”
¹⁴ A door turns on its hinges,
and a lazy person turns on his bed.
¹⁵ A lazy person buries his hand in a dish,
but he is too tired to return it to his mouth.
¹⁶ A lazy person considers himself wiser
than seven people who answer sensibly.

¹⁷ A passerby who meddles in a quarrel that is not his
is like a person who grabs a dog by the ears.
¹⁸ A person who deceives his neighbor and then says, “I was only joking,”
¹⁹ is like a madman who shoots firebrands and deadly arrows. ^[1]

²⁰ When there is no more wood, a fire goes out,
and without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
²¹ As charcoal is to hot embers and as wood is to fire,
so a quarrelsome person is to igniting a fight.

²² Words of a gossip are like food that is easy to swallow.
They go down to the depths of one’s heart. ^[2]
23 Fervent ^[3] lips and an evil heart
are like a glaze ^[4] covering a clay pot.
²⁴ With his lips a person hides his hatred,
but he hides deceit inside.
²⁵ When his voice sounds gracious, do not believe him,
because seven abominations are in his heart.
²⁶ His hatred covers itself with deceit,
but his evil will be revealed in the assembly.

²⁷ The person who digs a pit will fall into it.
The person who rolls away a stone—it will roll back over him.
²⁸ A lying tongue hates those it crushes,
and a smooth mouth causes ruin.

Proverbs 27

¹ Do not boast about tomorrow,
because you do not know what a day may produce.
² Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth—
a stranger, not your own lips.
³ A stone is heavy and sand is a burden,
but aggravation from a stubborn fool is heavier than both.
⁴ Cruel wrath and a flood of anger are devastating,
but who can stand up against jealousy?
⁵ Open correction is better than concealed love.
⁶ Wounds from someone who loves you can be trusted,
but the kisses of someone who hates you are too much. ^[5]
7 A satisfied appetite refuses honey,
but to a hungry appetite, everything bitter tastes sweet.
⁸ A person who wanders from his place
    is like a bird that wanders from its nest.
⁹ Olive oil and incense bring joy to a heart,
and the sweetness of a friend comes from his sincere advice. ^[6]
10 Do not abandon your friend or your father’s friend,
and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you.
A neighbor who is near is better than a brother who is far away.
¹¹ Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart,
so that I may answer anyone who taunts me.
¹² A sensible person sees trouble and hides,
but naïve people keep going and pay the penalty.
¹³ Take the garment of someone who guarantees a loan for a stranger.
Keep it when someone pledges it on behalf of an immoral woman.
¹⁴ When someone blesses his neighbor in a loud voice early in the morning,
    it will be regarded as a curse.
¹⁵ Constantly dripping water on a rainy day
and a nagging wife are alike.
¹⁶ Trying to hold her back is like holding back the wind,
like grasping oil with your right hand. ^[7]
17 Iron sharpens iron,
and a man sharpens the insight of his friend.
¹⁸ A person who tends a fig tree eats its fruit,
and a person who takes care of his master will be honored.
¹⁹ As water reflects a person’s face,
so a person’s heart reflects the person.
²⁰ Death and Destruction ^[8] are never satisfied,
and a person’s eyes are never satisfied.
²¹ A crucible is for refining silver and a smelter is for gold,
and a person is tested by his praise. ^[9]
22 Even if you grind a stubborn fool
    like grain with a mortar and pestle,
his stupidity will not leave him.

²³ Be certain that you know the condition of your flock very well.
Pay attention to your herds,
²⁴ because wealth is not forever,
nor does a crown pass from generation to generation.
²⁵ The hay is removed and new growth appears,
and grass from the mountains is gathered in.
²⁶ Lambs provide wool for your clothing,
and the price of the field can be earned from the goats.
²⁷ What’s more, there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
for your household’s food,
and to maintain the life of your servant girls.

Proverbs 25

¹ These also are the proverbs of Solomon,
which the men of King Hezekiah of Judah compiled. ^[1]

² It brings glory to God to hide a matter,
but it brings glory to kings to investigate a matter.
³ As heaven is high and earth is deep,
so there is no searching the heart of kings.

⁴ Remove impurities from silver,
and a vessel can be cast by a silversmith.
⁵ Remove a wicked person from a king’s presence,
and his throne will be established with righteousness.

⁶ Do not honor yourself in a king’s presence.
Do not stand in a place reserved for great people,
⁷ because it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than for you to be humiliated before a ruler
    whom your eyes have seen. ^[2]

⁸ Do not be in a hurry to go to court.
Otherwise, what will you do afterward,
when your neighbor humiliates you?
⁹ Argue your case with your neighbor,
but do not reveal someone else’s secret.
¹⁰ If you do, the person who hears it will shame you,
and your bad reputation will never leave you.

¹¹ A word spoken at the right time
    is like golden apples in silver settings.
¹² To ears that listen, a wise person’s correction
    is like a gold ring or like jewelry made of pure gold.
¹³ To those who send him, a trustworthy messenger
    is like cooling snow on a warm day during harvest.
He refreshes his masters’ spirits.
¹⁴ A person who brags about a gift that is never given
    is like clouds and wind that bring no rain.
¹⁵ By patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a soft tongue can break a bone.
¹⁶ When you find honey, eat only what you need.
Otherwise you will be filled with it and vomit it up.
¹⁷ Do not set foot in your neighbor’s house too often.
If you do, he will have too much of you and hate you.
¹⁸ A person who gives false testimony against his neighbor
    is a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.
¹⁹ Confidence in an unfaithful person during a time of crisis
    is like a broken tooth or a lame foot.
²⁰ Singing songs to a despondent heart
    is like taking off a coat on a cold day
    or like vinegar on baking soda.
²¹ If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat.
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink,
²² because you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will repay you.
²³ A north wind gives birth to rain,
and a whispering tongue gives birth to angry faces.
²⁴ Better to live on the corner of a roof
than in a home shared with a nagging wife.
²⁵ Good news from a distant country is
like cold water for a weary soul.
²⁶ A righteous person who is swayed by the wicked
is a muddied spring or a polluted fountain.
²⁷ Eating too much honey is not good,
and people seeking their own glory is not glorious. ^[3]
28 A person who lacks self-control
is like a broken-down city without a wall.

Proverbs 26

¹ Like snow during summer and rain during the harvest,
so honor is not appropriate for a fool.
² Like a migrating bird or a flying swallow,
so an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
³ A whip is for horses, a bridle for donkeys,
and a rod for the backs of fools.

⁴ Do not answer a fool according to his folly.
If you do, you yourself will become like him.
⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly.
If you do not, he will consider himself wise.

⁶ It is like cutting off your own feet or drinking violence ^[4]
when a person sends messages in the hand of a fool.
⁷ The legs of a lame person dangle.
So does a proverb in the mouth of fools.
⁸ Giving honor to a fool is
    like tying a stone in a slingshot.
⁹ A proverb in the mouth of a fool
    is like a thorn in a drunkard’s hand.
¹⁰ One who hires a fool or someone just passing by
    is like an archer who wounds at random. ^[5]
11 As a dog returns to his vomit,
so a fool repeats his stupidity.
¹² Have you seen a person who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

¹ Do not envy evil people,
and do not wish to be with them,
² because their hearts plan violence,
and their lips speak trouble.

³ With wisdom a house is built.
With understanding it is established.
⁴ With knowledge its rooms are filled with every kind of riches,
both valuable and appealing.

⁵ A wise person grows strong,
and a knowledgeable man becomes more powerful,
⁶ because advice prepares you for battle,
and many advisors bring victory.

⁷ Wise decisions are out of reach ^[1] for a stubborn fool.
In court ^[2] he cannot open his mouth.

⁸ Whoever plans evil will be called a master schemer.
⁹ A foolish scheme is a sin,
and a mocker is disgusting to people.

¹⁰ If you fail to act in the day of trouble,
your strength is too little.
¹¹ Rescue captives condemned to death,
and spare those staggering toward slaughter.
¹² If you say, “We did not know about this,”
won’t the one who weighs motives notice?
Won’t the one who guards your life know about it,
and won’t he repay people according to what each one has done?

¹³ My son, eat honey, because it is good.
Flowing honey is sweet on your palate.
¹⁴ Know also that wisdom is sweet for your soul.
If you find it, then there is a future for you,
and your hope will never be cut off.

¹⁵ Do not be like the wicked who attack the home of the righteous.
Do not destroy his resting place,
¹⁶ because a righteous person may fall seven times, but he will get up,
while wicked people will stumble into misfortune.

¹⁷ Do not be happy when your enemy falls.
Do not let your heart celebrate when he stumbles.
¹⁸ If you do, the Lord will see it and consider it evil,
and he will turn his anger away from him.

¹⁹ Do not fret about evildoers.
Do not be jealous of wicked people,
²⁰ because an evil person has no future.
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

²¹ Fear the Lord, my son, and also the king.
Do not associate with those who are rebellious,
²² because their disaster will take place suddenly.
Who knows what ruin the Lord and the king will cause?

²⁶ Someone who gives a straight answer gives a kiss on the lips.

²⁷ Prepare your work outside,
and get things ready for yourself in the fields.
Afterward, build your house.

²⁸ Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause.
Do not practice deception with your lips.
²⁹ Do not think, “I will do to him what he did to me.
I will pay the man back for what he did.”

³⁰ I passed by a lazy man’s field
and by a vineyard that belonged to a senseless man.
³¹ It was overgrown with thistles
and covered with weeds.
Its stone wall was broken down.
³² When I saw this, I took it to heart.
I observed and learned a lesson:
³³ A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
³⁴ and poverty will come on you like a prowler,
and scarcity will come like a warrior.

²⁰ Have I not written to you already ^[2] with advice and knowledge,
²¹ in order to make accurate, true words known to you,
so that you may reply with true words to those who sent you?

²² Do not rob a poor person because he is poor,
and do not crush an oppressed person in court, ^[3]
23 because the Lord will defend their cause,
and he will rob those who rob them of their lives.

²⁴ Do not be friends with a hothead.
Do not go along with someone who has a hot temper.
²⁵ If you do, you will learn his ways
and set a trap for yourself. ^[4]

²⁶ Do not be among those who shake hands to guarantee debts.
²⁷ If you do not have enough to repay,
why should your bed be taken out from under you?

²⁸ Do not move an ancient boundary marker
    that your ancestors made.

²⁹ Do you see a person who is efficient in his work?
He will serve kings.
He will not serve nobodies. ^[5]

Proverbs 23

¹ When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
pay close attention to what is put in front of you,
² and put a knife to your throat if you have a big appetite.
³ Do not crave his delicious food.
That food is deceptive.

⁴ Do not wear yourself out getting rich.
Have the good judgment to know when to stop.
⁵ Will your eyes get a glimpse of wealth before it is gone?
No, it will sprout wings for itself.
Like an eagle it will fly away into the sky.

⁶ Do not eat the food of a miser.
Do not crave his delicious food,
⁷ because he is calculating how much things cost him.
So when he says to you, “Eat and drink,”
he does not mean it.
⁸ You will vomit up the little bit you ate
and spoil your pleasant conversation.

⁹ Do not speak within earshot of a fool,
because he will despise your sensible words.

¹⁰ Do not move an ancient boundary marker,
and do not enter the fields of the fatherless,
¹¹ because their Redeemer is strong.
He will defend their cause against you.

¹² Apply your heart to discipline
and your ear to words that give knowledge.

¹³ Do not withhold discipline from a child,
for if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
¹⁴ Strike him yourself with a rod,
and you will rescue his soul from death.

¹⁵ My son, if your mind ^[6] is wise,
my mind will rejoice as well.
¹⁶ My heart ^[7] will celebrate
when your lips speak upright things.

¹⁷ Do not allow your heart to envy sinners.
Instead, always fear the Lord.
¹⁸ Indeed, there is a future,
and your hope will never be cut off.

¹⁹ Listen, my son, and be wise,
and keep your heart on the straight way.
²⁰ Do not be among those who drink too much wine,
or those who eat too much meat,
²¹ because a drunk and a glutton will become poor,
and drunken stupor dresses a person in rags.

²² Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
²³ Buy truth and do not sell it.
Buy wisdom, discipline, and knowledge.
²⁴ The father of a righteous child will celebrate greatly.
One who fathers a wise son will find joy in him.
²⁵ Your father and your mother will find joy,
and she who gave birth to you will celebrate.

²⁶ My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes be pleased with my ways,
²⁷ because a prostitute is a deep pit,
and an immoral woman is a narrow well.
²⁸ She is also like a robber waiting to ambush someone,
and she multiplies unfaithful men among the people.

²⁹ Who has trouble? Who has misery?
Who has quarrels? Who has complaints?
Who has wounds for no reason? Who has glazed eyes?
³⁰ Those who linger over wine,
those who go to search for mixed wine.
³¹ Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly.
³² Later it bites like a snake,
and it strikes like a venomous viper.
³³ Your eyes will see strange things,
and your mind will say senseless things.
³⁴ You will be like someone who tries to sleep in the middle of the sea,
like someone who tries to sleep at the top of a ship’s mast.
³⁵ “They struck me, but I felt no pain.
They beat me, but I was not aware of it.
When will I wake up, so that I can try it again?”

Proverbs 21

¹ A king’s heart is like streams of water in the hand of the Lord.
He directs it wherever he desires.
² In a person’s own eyes all his ways are right,
but the Lord weighs the motives of the heart.
³ Practicing righteousness and justice
    is more acceptable to the Lord than a sacrifice.
⁴ Haughty eyes and an arrogant heart,
the unplowed field ^[4] of the wicked, produce sin.
⁵ The plans of a hard worker lead to abundance,
but everyone in a hurry rushes toward scarcity.
⁶ Piling up treasure by a lying tongue
    is a vanishing vapor for those who seek death.
⁷ The violence of the wicked will drag them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
⁸ A guilty person’s way is very crooked,
but the conduct of a pure person is straight.
⁹ Better to live on the corner of a roof
    than in a house shared with a nagging wife.
¹⁰ The soul of a wicked person craves evil.
He does not look on his neighbor with mercy.
¹¹ When a scoffer is punished, an undisciplined person becomes wise,
and when a wise person is instructed, he gains knowledge.
¹² The Righteous One ^[5] carefully watches the house of the wicked.
He throws the wicked down to ruin.
¹³ Whoever shuts his ear to the cries of the poor—
he too will cry out and not be answered.
¹⁴ A gift given in secret soothes anger,
and a bribe slipped into the pocket soothes fury.
¹⁵ It is a joy for a righteous person to practice justice,
but destruction waits for those who practice evil.
¹⁶ A person who wanders from the way of understanding
    will rest in the company of departed spirits.
¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will be poor.
Whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.
¹⁸ The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,
and the treacherous make a payment for the upright.
¹⁹ Better to live in an arid region
    than with a nagging, ill-tempered wife.
²⁰ Good food and olive oil are stored up in the dwellings of the wise,
but a foolish person devours everything he has.
²¹ A person who pursues righteousness and mercy
    will find life, righteousness, and honor.
²² A wise man can climb up to a city full of warriors
and pull down the strong defenses in which they trust.
²³ The person who guards his mouth and his tongue
    guards himself from troubles.
²⁴ The contemptuous, insolent person—“Scoffer” is his name—
    behaves with overflowing arrogance.
²⁵ A lazy person’s craving will kill him,
because his hands refuse to work.
²⁶ All day long he craves something more,
but a righteous person gives and does not hold back.
²⁷ A sacrifice offered by wicked people is an abomination. ^[6]
How much more when they bring it with evil intent!
²⁸ A lying witness will perish,
but a man who listens will keep speaking forever. ^[7]
29 A wicked person puts on a bold front,
but an upright person gives thought to ^[8] his way.
³⁰ There is no wisdom, no cleverness, and no advice
    that can stand up against the Lord.
³¹ A horse is made ready for a day of battle,
but the victory belongs to the Lord.

Proverbs 22

¹ A good name is worth more than great wealth.
Respect is worth more than silver and gold.
² Rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord is the maker of them all.
³ A sensible person sees trouble and hides,
but the naïve keep going and pay the penalty.
⁴ The outcome of humility and of the fear of the Lord
    is wealth, honor, and life.
⁵ Thorns and traps are on the road followed by the crooked.
Whoever guards his soul ^[9] will stay far away from them.
⁶ Dedicate ^[10] a child to the way he should go,
and even when he becomes old, he will not turn away from it.
⁷ A rich person rules over poor people,
and a borrower is a slave to a lender.
⁸ Whoever sows injustice reaps trouble,
and the rod that inflicts his fury will be destroyed.
⁹ A generous person will be blessed,
because he gives some of his food to the poor.
¹⁰ Drive away a scoffer, and conflict leaves.
Quarrels and insults cease.
¹¹ A person who loves a pure heart and whose lips are gracious
    will have a king as his friend.
¹² The eyes of the Lord watch over knowledge.
He overturns the words of a treacherous person.
¹³ A lazy person says, “There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be murdered in the streets!”
¹⁴ The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit.
The man who is under the Lord’s wrath will fall there.
¹⁵ Foolishness is bound tightly to a child’s heart.
A rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
¹⁶ Whoever oppresses the poor to become great,
and whoever gives gifts to the rich—
both are sure to suffer loss.

Proverbs 19

¹ Better to be a poor person who walks in his integrity
than one with perverse lips who is a fool.
² Zeal without knowledge is certainly not good,
and a person who acts hastily sins. ^[1]
3 A person’s own foolishness undermines his way,
but his heart rages against the Lord.
⁴ Wealth adds many friends,
but a poor person is deserted by his friend.
⁵ A false witness will not go unpunished.
He breathes lies and will not escape.
⁶ Many seek the goodwill of a ruler,
and everyone is a friend to a person who gives gifts.
⁷ A poor person’s brothers all hate him.
Even his friends keep their distance from him!
Though he pursues them with words, they are not there.
⁸ A person who acquires intelligence ^[2] loves his life. ^[3]
A person who guards understanding finds a good thing.
⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished.
He breathes lies, and he will perish.
¹⁰ A life of luxury is not appropriate for a fool.
How much less appropriate for a slave to rule over princes.
¹¹ Good sense makes a person slow to anger,
and it is to his credit when he overlooks an offense.
¹² The king’s anger is like a lion’s growl,
but his favor is refreshing like dew on the grass.

Proverbs 20

¹ Wine is a mocker, and beer is a brawler.
Whoever is intoxicated by them is not wise.
² The king’s rage is like a lion’s growl.
Whoever intrudes on him endangers his life.
³ Avoiding strife brings honor to a man,
but every stubborn fool is always fighting.
⁴ A lazy person fails to plow when it is the season for planting. ^[6]
He expects something in the harvest, but nothing will be there.
⁵ The intentions in a person’s heart are deep water,
but a person with understanding can draw them out.
⁶ Many people claim to be loyal, ^[7]
but who can find a trustworthy man?
⁷ A righteous person walks in his integrity.
How blessed are his children after him!
⁸ When a king sits on his throne as judge,
he winnows out all evil with his eyes.
⁹ Who can say, “I have purified my heart.
I am cleansed from my sinfulness”?
¹⁰ Differing weights and differing measures—
both of them are disgusting to the Lord.
¹¹ Even a youth makes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
¹² An ear that hears and an eye that sees—
the Lord has made both of them.
¹³ Do not love sleep, or you will become poor.
Keep your eyes open, and you will have enough to eat.

Proverbs 17

¹ Better a piece of dry bread with peace
than a house full of feasting with quarreling.
² A wise slave will rule over a shameful son.
He will share the inheritance with the brothers.
³ There is a crucible for refining silver and a smelter for gold.
In the same way the Lord examines hearts.
⁴ An evildoer pays attention to wicked lips.
A liar feeds upon ^[1] a destructive tongue.
⁵ Whoever mocks a poor person insults his Maker.
A person who rejoices over calamity will not escape.
⁶ Grandchildren are a crown for the elderly,
and parents are a source of pride for their children.

Proverbs 18

¹ A person who is a loner seeks his own desires.
He fights against all sound judgment.
² A fool finds no pleasure in understanding,
but only in revealing his own opinions.
³ When a wicked person comes, contempt comes with him,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.
⁴ The words from a man’s mouth are deep waters.
The fountain of wisdom is a flowing stream.
⁵ It is not good to show favoritism to a wicked person
    in order to deprive a righteous person of justice.
⁶ A fool’s lips enter a fight,
and his mouth invites a beating.
⁷ A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
and his lips are a trap for his soul. ^[4]
8 The words of a gossip are like delicious food.
People gobble them right down. ^[5]
9 A person who fails to do his work
    is a brother to a vandal.
¹⁰ The name of the Lord is a strong tower.
A righteous person runs inside and is protected.
¹¹ A rich person’s wealth is his strong city.
In his imagination it is like a high wall.
¹² Before destruction a man’s heart is proud,
but humility comes before honor.
¹³ If a person answers before he listens,
that is foolishness that brings disgrace.
¹⁴ A man’s spirit can endure illness,
but who can bear a broken spirit?
¹⁵ A discerning heart acquires knowledge,
and the ears of the wise seek knowledge.
¹⁶ A person’s gift opens doors ^[6] for him.
It leads him into the presence of great people.
¹⁷ The first person to state his case appears to be right.
Then his neighbor comes and cross-examines him.
¹⁸ Casting lots ^[7] ends disputes and decides between powerful people.
¹⁹ A brother who has been wronged is harder to regain than a strong city,
and disputes are like a bar across the gate of a citadel.
²⁰ From the fruit of a man’s mouth, his stomach is satisfied.
He is satisfied with the harvest of his lips.
²¹ Life and death lie in the power of a tongue,
and those who love to use it will eat its fruit.
²² The man who finds a wife finds a good thing,
and he obtains favor from the Lord.
²³ A poor man pleads for mercy,
but a rich man answers harshly.
²⁴ A man with many acquaintances may suffer harm,
but there is a loving friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 16

¹ A person may have thought things through in his heart,
but an apt answer from his tongue comes from the Lord.
² All of a person’s ways are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs motives.
³ Commit what you do to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
⁴ The Lord has made everything for his ^[3] own purpose,
even a wicked person for a day of trouble.
⁵ Anyone with an arrogant attitude is disgusting to the Lord.
Be sure of this: That person will not go unpunished.
⁶ Through mercy and truth, guilt is atoned for,
and through the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil.
⁷ When the Lord is pleased with a man’s ways,
he causes even his enemies to live at peace with him.

Proverbs 15

¹ A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
² The tongue of the wise enhances knowledge,
but the mouths of fools spout stupidity.
³ The eyes of the Lord are everywhere,
    watching evil people as well as the good.
⁴ A healing tongue is a tree of life,
but a perverse tongue shatters the spirit.
⁵ A stubborn fool despises his father’s discipline,
but whoever heeds correction is sensible.
⁶ The house of the righteous contains great wealth,
but the income of the wicked brings trouble.
⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge,
but the heart of fools—not so.
⁸ A sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination ^[2] to the Lord,
but a prayer of the upright gains his favor.
⁹ The way of a wicked person is repulsive ^[3] to the Lord,
but he loves those who pursue righteousness.
¹⁰ Harsh discipline waits for anyone who leaves the path,
and a person who hates correction will die.
¹¹ Death and Destruction ^[4] lie open before the Lord—
how much more human hearts!
¹² A scoffer does not love anyone who corrects him.
He will not go to wise people.
¹³ A joyful heart makes a cheerful face,
but a sorrowful heart crushes the spirit.
¹⁴ The heart of a discerning person seeks knowledge,
but the mouths of fools feed on stupidity.
¹⁵ All the days of an oppressed person are evil,
but a cheerful heart enjoys a continuous celebration. ^[5]
16 Better a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great wealth with turmoil.
¹⁷ Better a meal of vegetables where there is love
    than a fattened calf with hatred.
¹⁸ A hothead stirs up a fight,
but a patient person calms a dispute.
¹⁹ The way of a lazy person is like a thorny hedge,
but the path of upright people is a highway.