Prov. 31:2 What are you doing, my son? What are you doing,  son of my womb?

What are you doing,  son of my vows?

3 Do  not give your strength to women,

your ways to those  who destroy kings.

4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,

it is not for kings  to drink wine,

or for rulers to take  strong drink,

5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed

and  pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

6 Give strong drink to the one who  is perishing,

and wine to  those in bitter distress;

7 let them drink and forget their poverty

and remember their misery no more.

8 Open your mouth for the mute,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

9 Open your mouth,  judge righteously,

defend the rights of  the poor and needy.

Prov. 31:10 An excellent wife who can find?

She is far more precious than  jewels.

11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,

and he will have no lack of gain.

12 She does him good, and not harm,

all the days of her life.

13 She  seeks wool and flax,

and works with willing hands.

14 She is like the ships of the merchant;

she brings her food from afar.

15 She  rises while it is yet night

and  provides food for her household

and portions for her maidens.

16 She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

17 She  dresses herself with strength

and makes her arms strong.

18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night.

19 She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her hands hold the spindle.

20 She  opens her hand to  the poor

and reaches out her hands to  the needy.

21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,

for all her household are clothed in  scarlet.

22 She makes  bed coverings for herself;

her clothing is  fine linen and  purple.

23 Her husband is known in  the gates

when he sits among the elders of the land.

24 She makes  linen garments and sells them;

she delivers sashes to the merchant.

25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come.

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

27 She looks well to the ways of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

29 “Many  women have done  excellently,

but you surpass them all.”

30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates.

The man declares, I am weary, O God;

I am weary, O God, and worn out.

2 Surely I am too  stupid to be a man.

I have not the understanding of a man.

3 I have not learned wisdom,

nor have I knowledge of  the Holy One.

4 Who has  ascended to heaven and come down?

Who has  gathered the wind in his fists?

Who has  wrapped up the waters in a garment?

Who has established all  the ends of the earth?

What is his name, and what is his son’s name?

Surely you know!

Prov. 30:5 Every word of God proves true;

he is  a shield to those who take refuge in him.

6 Do not add to his words,

lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

Prov. 30:7 Two things I ask of you;

deny them not to me  before I die:

8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying;

give me neither poverty nor riches;

feed me with the food that is  needful for me,

9 lest I be  full and  deny you

and say,  “Who is the LORD?”

or lest I be poor and steal

and profane the name of my God.

Prov. 30:10 Do not slander a servant to his master,

lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

Prov. 30:11 There are those who  curse their fathers

and do not bless their mothers.

12 There are those who are  clean in their own eyes

but are not washed of their filth.

13 There are those—how  lofty are their eyes,

how high their eyelids lift!

14 There are those whose teeth are  swords,

whose  fangs are knives,

to  devour the poor from off the earth,

the needy from among mankind.

Prov. 30:15 The leech has two daughters:

Give and Give.

Three things are never satisfied;

four never say, “Enough”:

16 Sheol,  the barren womb,

the land never satisfied with water,

and the fire that never says, “Enough.”

Prov. 30:17 The eye that  mocks a father

and  scorns to obey a mother

will  be picked out by  the ravens of the valley

and eaten by the vultures.

Prov. 30:18 Three things are  too wonderful for me;

four I do not understand:

19 the way of an eagle in the sky,

the way of a serpent on a rock,

the way of a ship on the high seas,

and the way of a man with a virgin.

Prov. 30:20 This is the way of an adulteress:

she eats and wipes her mouth

and says, “I have done no wrong.”

Prov. 30:21 Under  three things  the earth trembles;

under  four it cannot bear up:

22 a slave when he becomes king,

and a fool when he is  filled with food;

23 an unloved woman when she  gets a husband,

and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.

Prov. 30:24 Four things on earth are small,

but they are exceedingly wise:

25 the ants are a people not strong,

yet they provide their food in the summer;

26 the rock badgers are a people not mighty,

yet they make their homes in the cliffs;

27 the locusts have no  king,

yet all of them march in  rank;

28 the lizard you can take in your hands,

yet it is in kings’ palaces.

Prov. 30:29 Three things are stately in their tread;

four are stately in their stride:

30 the lion, which is mightiest among beasts

and  does not turn back before any;

31 the  strutting rooster, the he-goat,

and a king whose army is with him.

Prov. 30:32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,

or if you have been devising evil,

put your hand on your mouth.

33 For pressing milk produces curds,

pressing the nose produces blood,

and pressing anger produces strife.

will suddenly be  broken  beyond healing.

2 When  the righteous increase, the people rejoice,

but when  the wicked rule, the people groan.

3 He who  loves wisdom makes his father glad,

but  a companion of prostitutes  squanders his wealth.

4 By justice a king  builds up the land,

but he who exacts gifts tears it down.

5 A man who flatters his neighbor

spreads  a net for his feet.

6 An evil man is  ensnared in his transgression,

but a righteous man  sings and rejoices.

7 A righteous man  knows the rights of the poor;

a wicked man does not  understand such knowledge.

8 Scoffers set a city aflame,

but the wise turn away wrath.

9 If a wise man has an argument with a fool,

the fool only rages and laughs, and there is  no quiet.

10 Bloodthirsty men  hate one who is blameless

and seek the life of the upright.

11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit,

but a wise man quietly holds it back.

12 If a ruler listens to falsehood,

all his officials will be wicked.

13 The poor man and the oppressor  meet together;

the LORD gives light to the eyes of both.

14 If a king  faithfully judges the poor,

his throne will  be established forever.

15 The rod and reproof give wisdom,

but a child left to himself  brings shame to his mother.

16 When the wicked increase, transgression increases,

but  the righteous will look upon their downfall.

17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest;

he will give delight to your heart.

18 Where  there is no prophetic vision the people  cast off restraint,

but blessed is he who  keeps the law.

19 By mere words a servant is not disciplined,

for though he understands, he will not respond.

20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

21 Whoever pampers his servant from childhood

will in the end find him his heir.

22 A man of wrath stirs up strife,

and one given to anger causes much transgression.

23 One’s pride will bring him low,

but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

24 The partner of a thief  hates his own life;

he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.

25 The fear of man lays a snare,

but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.

26 Many  seek the face of a ruler,

but it is from the LORD that a man  gets justice.

27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,

but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.

but  the righteous are bold as a lion.

2 When a land transgresses,  it has many rulers,

but with a man of understanding and knowledge,

its stability will long continue.

3 A poor man who oppresses the poor

is a beating rain that leaves no food.

4 Those who forsake the law  praise the wicked,

but those who keep the law  strive against them.

5 Evil men  do not understand justice,

but those who seek the LORD understand it completely.

6 Better is a poor man who  walks in his integrity

than a rich man who is  crooked in his ways.

7 The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding,

but  a companion of gluttons shames his father.

8 Whoever multiplies his wealth  by interest and profit

gathers it for him who is  generous to the poor.

9 If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,

even his  prayer is an abomination.

10 Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way

will fall into his own pit,

but the blameless  will have a goodly inheritance.

11 A rich man is wise in his  own eyes,

but a poor man who has understanding  will find him out.

12 When  the righteous triumph, there is great glory,

but when  the wicked rise, people hide themselves.

13 Whoever  conceals his transgressions will not prosper,

but he who  confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

14 Blessed is the one who  fears the LORD always,

but whoever  hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

15 Like  a roaring lion or  a charging bear

is  a wicked ruler over a poor people.

16 A ruler who  lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,

but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

17 If one is burdened with  the blood of another,

he will be a fugitive until death;

let no one help him.

18 Whoever  walks in integrity will be delivered,

but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.

19 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,

but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.

20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,

but whoever hastens to be rich  will not go unpunished.

21 To show  partiality is not good,

but for  a piece of bread a man will do wrong.

22 A  stingy man hastens after wealth

and does not know that  poverty will come upon him.

23 Whoever  rebukes a man will afterward find more favor

than  he who flatters with his tongue.

24 Whoever robs his father or his mother

and says, “That is no transgression,”

is  a companion to a man who destroys.

25 A greedy man  stirs up strife,

but the one who trusts in the LORD will  be enriched.

26 Whoever  trusts in his own mind is a fool,

but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.

27 Whoever  gives to the poor will not want,

but he who  hides his eyes will get many a curse.

28 When  the wicked rise,  people hide themselves,

but when they perish, the righteous increase.

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Prov. 25:2    It is the glory of God to conceal things,
but the glory of kings is to search things out.
3 As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
so the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away the dross from the silver,
and the smith has material for a vessel;
5 take away the wicked from the presence of the king,
and his throne will be established in righteousness. 6 Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
or stand in the place of the great,
7 for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
What your eyes have seen
8 do not hastily bring into court,
for what will you do in the end,
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
9 Argue your case with your neighbor himself,
and do not reveal another’s secret,
10 lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,
and your ill repute have no end.

Prov. 25:11    A word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
12 Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold
is a wise reprover to a listening ear.
13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest
is a faithful messenger to those who send him;
he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Like clouds and wind without rain
is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.

Prov. 25:15    With patience a ruler may be persuaded,
and a soft tongue will break a bone.
16 If you have found honey, eat only enough for you,
lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.
17 Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house,
lest he have his fill of you and hate you.
18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.
19 Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble
is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.
20 Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart
is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,
and like vinegar on soda.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
22 for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
24 It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
25 Like cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is good news from a far country.
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat much honey,
nor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory.
28 A man without self-control
is like a city broken into and left without walls.

nor desire to be  with them,

2 for their hearts  devise violence,

and their lips  talk of trouble.

Prov. 24:3 By  wisdom a house is built,

and by understanding it is established;

4 by knowledge the rooms are filled

with all  precious and pleasant riches.

5 A wise man is full of strength,

and a man of knowledge enhances his might,

6 for by  wise guidance you can wage your war,

and in  abundance of counselors there is victory.

7 Wisdom is  too high for a fool;

in  the gate he does not open his mouth.

Prov. 24:8 Whoever  plans to do evil

will be called a schemer.

9 The devising of folly is sin,

and  the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.

Prov. 24:10 If you  faint in the day of adversity,

your strength is small.

11 Rescue those who are being taken away to death;

hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.

12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”

does not he who  weighs the heart perceive it?

Does not he who  keeps watch over your soul know it,

and will he not repay man  according to his work?

Prov. 24:13 My son,  eat honey, for it is good,

and  the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

14 Know that wisdom is such to your soul;

if you find it, there will be  a future,

and your hope will not be cut off.

Prov. 24:15 Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;

do no violence to his home;

16 for the righteous falls  seven times and rises again,

but  the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

Prov. 24:17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,

and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,

18 lest the LORD see it and be displeased,

and turn away his anger from him.

Prov. 24:19 Fret not yourself because of evildoers,

and be not  envious of the wicked,

20 for the evil man has no  future;

the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

Prov. 24:21 My son,  fear the LORD and the king,

and do not join with those who do otherwise,

22 for disaster will arise suddenly from them,

and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

Prov. 24:23 These also are sayings of  the wise.

Partiality in judging is not good.

24 Whoever  says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”

will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,

25 but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,

and a good blessing will come upon them.

26 Whoever gives an honest answer

kisses the lips.

Prov. 24:27 Prepare your work outside;

get everything ready for yourself in the field,

and after that build your house.

Prov. 24:28 Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,

and do not deceive with your lips.

29 Do not say,  “I will do to him as he has done to me;

I will pay the man back for what he has done.”

Prov. 24:30 I passed by the field of a sluggard,

by the vineyard of a man  lacking sense,

31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;

the ground was covered with nettles,

and its stone  wall was broken down.

32 Then I saw and  considered it;

I looked and received instruction.

33 A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest,

34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,

and want like an armed man.

Prov. 23:19    Hear, my son, and be wise,
and direct your heart in the way.
20 Be not among drunkards
or among gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and slumber will clothe them with rags.

Prov. 23:22    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, instruction, and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
25 Let your father and mother be glad;
let her who bore you rejoice.

Prov. 23:26    My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit;
an adulteress is a narrow well.
28 She lies in wait like a robber
and increases the traitors among mankind.

Prov. 23:29    Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who tarry long over wine;
those who go to try mixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
32 In the end it bites like a serpent
and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
and your heart utter perverse things.
34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
like one who lies on the top of a mast.
35 “They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
I must have another drink.”

Prov. 22:17    Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise,
and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That your trust may be in the LORD,
I have made them known to you today, even to you.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
21 to make you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?

Prov. 22:22    Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or crush the afflicted at the gate,
23 for the LORD will plead their cause
and rob of life those who rob them.
24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
nor go with a wrathful man,
25 lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not one of those who give pledges,
who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move the ancient landmark
that your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will stand before kings;
he will not stand before obscure men.

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