Display
Bible in 90 Days Plan
Proverbs 16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28
Proverbs 16
1The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.
2All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits.
3Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established.
4The LORD has made all for Himself, Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.
5Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.
6In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.
7When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8Better is a little with righteousness, Than vast revenues without justice.
9A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.
10Divination is on the lips of the king; His mouth must not transgress in judgment.
11Honest weights and scales are the LORD’s; All the weights in the bag are His work.
12It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness, For a throne is established by righteousness.
13Righteous lips are the delight of kings, And they love him who speaks what is right.
14As messengers of death is the king’s wrath, But a wise man will appease it.
15In the light of the king’s face is life, And his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain.
16How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
17The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
18Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
19Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.
21The wise in heart will be called prudent, And sweetness of the lips increases learning.
22Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it. But the correction of fools is folly.
23The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips.
24Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.
25There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
26The person who labors, labors for himself, For his hungry mouth drives him on.
27An ungodly man digs up evil, And it is on his lips like a burning fire.
28A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.
29A violent man entices his neighbor, And leads him in a way that is not good.
30He winks his eye to devise perverse things; He purses his lips and brings about evil.
31The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness.
32He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD.
Proverbs 17
1Better is a dry morsel with quietness, Than a house full of feasting with strife.
2A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame, And will share an inheritance among the brothers.
3The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests the hearts.
4An evildoer gives heed to false lips; A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue.
5He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
6Children’s children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father.
7Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool, Much less lying lips to a prince.
8A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
9He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.
10Rebuke is more effective for a wise man Than a hundred blows on a fool.
11An evil man seeks only rebellion; Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.
13Whoever rewards evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house.
14The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.
15He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
16Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom, Since he has no heart for it?
17A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
18A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, And becomes surety for his friend.
19He who loves transgression loves strife, And he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.
20He who has a deceitful heart finds no good, And he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil.
21He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.
22A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.
23A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back To pervert the ways of justice.
24Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her who bore him.
26Also, to punish the righteous is not good, Nor to strike princes for their uprightness.
27He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.
28Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.
Proverbs 18
1A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.
2A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.
3When the wicked comes, contempt comes also; And with dishonor comes reproach.
4The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.
5It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
6A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calls for blows.
7A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
8The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body.
9He who is slothful in his work Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.
10The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.
11The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own esteem.
12Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility.
13He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.
14The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit?
15The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.
17The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him.
18Casting lots causes contentions to cease, And keeps the mighty apart.
19A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle.
20A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.
21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
22He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD.
23The poor man uses entreaties, But the rich answers roughly.
24A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 19
1Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
2Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, And he sins who hastens with his feet.
3The foolishness of a man twists his way, And his heart frets against the LORD.
4Wealth makes many friends, But the poor is separated from his friend.
5A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape.
6Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.
7All the brothers of the poor hate him; How much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.
8He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.
9A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies shall perish.
10Luxury is not fitting for a fool, Much less for a servant to rule over princes.
11The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
12The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass.
13A foolish son is the ruin of his father, And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.
14Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the LORD.
15Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, And an idle person will suffer hunger.
16He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die.
17He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given.
18Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.
19A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.
20Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days.
21There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand.
22What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar.
23The fear of the LORD leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.
24A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.
26He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.
27Cease listening to instruction, my son, And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28A disreputable witness scorns justice, And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
29Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And beatings for the backs of fools.
Proverbs 20
1Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
3It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel.
4The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.
5Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out.
6Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?
7The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.
8A king who sits on the throne of judgment Scatters all evil with his eyes.
9Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”?
10Diverse weights and diverse measures, They are both alike, an abomination to the LORD.
11Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right.
12The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The LORD has made them both.
13Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.
14“It is good for nothing,” cries the buyer; But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.
15There is gold and a multitude of rubies, But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger, And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.
17Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war.
19He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.
20Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.
21An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning Will not be blessed at the end.
22Do not say, “I will recompense evil”; Wait for the LORD, and He will save you.
23Diverse weights are an abomination to the LORD, And dishonest scales are not good.
24A man’s steps are of the LORD; How then can a man understand his own way?
25It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows.
26A wise king sifts out the wicked, And brings the threshing wheel over them.
27The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the inner depths of his heart.
28Mercy and truth preserve the king, And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne.
29The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor of old men is their gray head.
30Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, As do stripes the inner depths of the heart.
Proverbs 21
1The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.
3To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4A haughty look, a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked are sin.
5The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.
6Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.
7The violence of the wicked will destroy them, Because they refuse to do justice.
8The way of a guilty man is perverse; But as for the pure, his work is right.
9Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
10The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
11When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
12The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked, Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.
13Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard.
14A gift in secret pacifies anger, And a bribe behind the back, strong wrath.
15It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.
16A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, And the unfaithful for the upright.
19Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman.
20There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it.
21He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
22A wise man scales the city of the mighty, And brings down the trusted stronghold.
23Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles.
24A proud and haughty man— “Scoffer” is his name; He acts with arrogant pride.
25The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor.
26He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare.
27The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!
28A false witness shall perish, But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.
29A wicked man hardens his face, But as for the upright, he establishes his way.
30There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the LORD.
31The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the LORD.
Proverbs 22
1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.
2The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all.
3A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.
4By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life.
5Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them.
6Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
7The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.
8He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail.
9He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.
10Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
11He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.
12The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless.
13The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!”
14The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there.
15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.
16He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.
17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;
18For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
19So that your trust may be in the LORD; I have instructed you today, even you.
20Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,
21That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you?
22Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;
23For the LORD will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.
24Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go,
25Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.
26Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts;
27If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?
28Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set.
29Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.
Proverbs 23
1When you sit down to eat with a ruler, Consider carefully what is before you;
2And put a knife to your throat If you are a man given to appetite.
3Do not desire his delicacies, For they are deceptive food.
4Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease!
5Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.
6Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies;
7For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.
8The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, And waste your pleasant words.
9Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10Do not remove the ancient landmark, Nor enter the fields of the fatherless;
11For their Redeemer is mighty; He will plead their cause against you.
12Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to words of knowledge.
13Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
14You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell.
15My son, if your heart is wise, My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;
16Yes, my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak right things.
17Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day;
18For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.
19Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way.
20Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
21For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
22Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.
23Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise child will delight in him.
25Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her who bore you rejoice.
26My son, give me your heart, And let your eyes observe my ways.
27For a harlot is a deep pit, And a seductress is a narrow well.
28She also lies in wait as for a victim, And increases the unfaithful among men.
29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
30Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine.
31Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly;
32At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper.
33Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things.
34Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
35“They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”
Proverbs 24
1Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them;
2For their heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking.
3Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established;
4By knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches.
5A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;
6For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.
7Wisdom is too lofty for a fool; He does not open his mouth in the gate.
8He who plots to do evil Will be called a schemer.
9The devising of foolishness is sin, And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.
11Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
12If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
13My son, eat honey because it is good, And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;
14So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a prospect, And your hope will not be cut off.
15Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not plunder his resting place;
16For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.
17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
18Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath from him.
19Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the wicked;
20For there will be no prospect for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21My son, fear the LORD and the king; Do not associate with those given to change;
22For their calamity will rise suddenly, And who knows the ruin those two can bring?
23These things also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment.
24He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” Him the people will curse; Nations will abhor him.
25But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, And a good blessing will come upon them.
26He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
27Prepare your outside work, Make it fit for yourself in the field; And afterward build your house.
28Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, For would you deceive with your lips?
29Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.”
30I went by the field of the lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
31And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down.
32When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction:
33A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest;
34So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.
Proverbs 25
1These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:
2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
3As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4Take away the dross from silver, And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.
5Take away the wicked from before the king, And his throne will be established in righteousness.
6Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of the great;
7For it is better that he say to you, “Come up here,” Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.
8Do not go hastily to court; For what will you do in the end, When your neighbor has put you to shame?
9Debate your case with your neighbor, And do not disclose the secret to another;
10Lest he who hears it expose your shame, And your reputation be ruined.
11A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver.
12Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.
13Like the cold of snow in time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14Whoever falsely boasts of giving Is like clouds and wind without rain.
15By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded, And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.
16Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, Lest you be filled with it and vomit.
17Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, Lest he become weary of you and hate you.
18A man who bears false witness against his neighbor Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.
20Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather, And like vinegar on soda, Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the LORD will reward you.
23The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
24It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
25As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country.
26A righteous man who falters before the wicked Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.
27It is not good to eat much honey; So to seek one’s own glory is not glory.
28Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.
Proverbs 26
1As snow in summer and rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a fool.
2Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight.
3A whip for the horse, A bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the fool’s back.
4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.
5Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6He who sends a message by the hand of a fool Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
7Like the legs of the lame that hang limp Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8Like one who binds a stone in a sling Is he who gives honor to a fool.
9Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10The great God who formed everything Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.
11As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.
12Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!”
14As a door turns on its hinges, So does the lazy man on his bed.
15The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.
18Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
19Is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, “I was only joking!”
20Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.
21As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body.
23Fervent lips with a wicked heart Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
24He who hates, disguises it with his lips, And lays up deceit within himself;
25When he speaks kindly, do not believe him, For there are seven abominations in his heart;
26Though his hatred is covered by deceit, His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
28A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin.
Proverbs 27
1Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.
3A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.
4Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?
5Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed.
6Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8Like a bird that wanders from its nest Is a man who wanders from his place.
9Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.
10Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
11My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, That I may answer him who reproaches me.
12A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished.
13Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger, And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.
14He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will be counted a curse to him.
15A continual dripping on a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike;
16Whoever restrains her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand.
17As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; So he who waits on his master will be honored.
19As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man.
20Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, And a man is valued by what others say of him.
22Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds;
24For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
25When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26The lambs will provide your clothing, And the goats the price of a field;
27You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food, For the food of your household, And the nourishment of your maidservants.
Proverbs 28
1The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.
2Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes; But by a man of understanding and knowledge Right will be prolonged.
3A poor man who oppresses the poor Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.
4Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, But such as keep the law contend with them.
5Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the LORD understand all.
6Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
7Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son, But a companion of gluttons shames his father.
8One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.
9One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.
10Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, He himself will fall into his own pit; But the blameless will inherit good.
11The rich man is wise in his own eyes, But the poor who has understanding searches him out.
12When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory; But when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.
13He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
14Happy is the man who is always reverent, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15Like a roaring lion and a charging bear Is a wicked ruler over poor people.
16A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor, But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
17A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit; Let no one help him.
18Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved, But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
19He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
20A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
21To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
22A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.
23He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward Than he who flatters with the tongue.
24Whoever robs his father or his mother, And says, “It is no transgression,” The same is companion to a destroyer.
25He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered.
26He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
27He who gives to the poor will not lack, But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
28When the wicked arise, men hide themselves; But when they perish, the righteous increase.