14:10 The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.
14:13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief.
15:11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD; how much more the hearts of the children of man!
15:13 A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.
15:15 All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
15:30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes[ab] the bones.
17:3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.
17:22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
19:3 When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD.
20:5 The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
20:9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?
21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart.
27:19 As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.
14:2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
14:26 In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.
15:16 Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it.
15:33 The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
16:6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.
16:20 Whoever gives thought to the word[ad] will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
27:21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.
28:14 Blessed is the one who fears the LORD[h] always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
29:25 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.
14:30 A tranquil[w] heart gives life to the flesh, but envy[x] makes the bones rot.
15:27 Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.
27:4 Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
27:20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and never satisfied are the eyes of man.
28:16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor, but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
28:22 A stingy man[j] hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
12:12 Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
23:17-18 Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
24:1-2 Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble.
24:19-20 Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
28:25 A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the LORD will be enriched.
Proverbs 31:10–31
The Woman Who Fears the LORD
[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. (ESV)
30:1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle.[o] The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out.[p]
30:2 Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man.
30:3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
30:4 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!
30:5 Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
30:6 Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
30:7 Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die:
30:8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,
30:9 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.
30:10 Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
30:11 There are those[q] who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
30:12 There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth.
30:13 There are those—how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift!
30:14 There are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind.
30:15 The leech has two daughters: Give and Give.[r] Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”:
30:16 Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, “Enough.”
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.
30:18 Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:
30:19 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.
30:20 This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have done no wrong.”
30:21 Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:
30:22 a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food;
30:23 an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.
30:24 Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise:
30:25 the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
30:26 the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
30:27 the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;
30:28 the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings' palaces.
30:29 Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride:
30:30 the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;
30:31 the strutting rooster,[s] the he-goat, and a king whose army is with him.[t]
30:32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.
30:33 For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.
(A) God's Sovereignty Over All Things
10:22 The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.
16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
20:12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made them both.
20:27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts.
20:28 Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.
21:1 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.
21:30 No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.
22:2 The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the Maker of them all.
22:12 The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the traitor.
29:26 Many seek the face of a ruler, but it is from the LORD that a man gets justice.
(B) Submitting Our Plans to God's Sovereignty
16:1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.
16:2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.
16:3 Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.
16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.
19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.
20:18 Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.
20:24 A man's steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?
21:5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
21:31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.
(A) Security for a neighbor:
6:1-5 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger, if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor. Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber; save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
11:15 Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
17:18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
20:16 Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.
22:7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
22:26 Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts.
22:27 If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
27:13 Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.
(B) Generosity:
11:24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
11:26 The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.
14:21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
14:31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
17:5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.
21:13 Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
22:9 Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
22:22 Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate,
28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
(C) Wealth and Poverty
10:4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
10:15 A rich man's wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
11:4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
11:28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
13:8 The ransom of a man's life is his wealth, but a poor man hears no threat.
13:11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
14:20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends.
18:11 A rich man's wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination.
19:22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar.
20:21 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.
21:17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.
23:4 Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.
28:6 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.
28:8 Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.
28:19 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
28:20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
30:8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,
30:9 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.
31:9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.
10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
13:10 By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.
15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
15:18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
17:14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
17:19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
18:6 A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating.
18:18 The lot puts an end to quarrels and decides between powerful contenders.
21:14 A gift in secret averts anger, and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.
25:21-22 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.
25:23 The north wind brings forth rain, and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
26:20 For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
26:21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
29:22 A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.
14:17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.
14:29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
16:32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
19:11 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
22:24-25 Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
16:7 When a man's ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
17:1 Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.
18:19 A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
19:13 A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife's quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
20:3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
21:9 It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
21:19 It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
22:10 Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease.
25:24 It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
26:17 Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
27:15 A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike;
27:16 to restrain her is to restrain the wind or to grasp oil in one's right hand.
Determining Justice
11:1 A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight.
16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.
16:11 A just balance and scales are the LORD's; all the weights in the bag are his work.
17:23 The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.
18:17 The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.
20:10 Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
20:14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.
20:23 Unequal weights are an abomination to the LORD, and false scales are not good.
21:15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.
22:8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail.
24:12 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?
24:23 These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.
28:5 Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it completely.
28:21 To show partiality is not good, but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
Defending Justice
16:10 An oracle is on the lips of a king; his mouth does not sin in judgment.
16:12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness.
16:14 A king's wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man will appease it.
16:15 In the light of a king's face there is life, and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
20:8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes.
20:26 A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the wheel over them.
24:10 If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.
24:11 Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
25:1 These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied.
25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.
25:3 As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable.
25:4 Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel;
25:5 take away the wicked from the presence of the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
28:2 When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but with a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability will long continue.
29:4 By justice a king builds up the land, but he who exacts gifts tears it down.
29:12 If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked.
Denying Justice
13:23 The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice.
14:31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
18:5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice.
22:16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.
22:22 Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate,
22:23 for the LORD will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.
22:28 Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set.
23:10 Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless,
23:11 for their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you.
28:3 A poor man who oppresses the poor is a beating rain that leaves no food.
28:15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
29:13 The poor man and the oppressor meet together; the LORD gives light to the eyes of both.
29:14 If a king faithfully judges the poor, his throne will be established forever.
31:8 Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.
31:9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.
10:11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
10:19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
10:20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
10:31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.
11:9 With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
12:18 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
12:25 Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.
13:2 From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.
13:3 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
15:4 A gentle[z] tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
15:23 To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!
16:13 Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.
16:21 The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
16:23 The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
16:24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
17:27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
18:4 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
18:8 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
20:19 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.[i]
21:23 Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
26:2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.
11:27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it.
15:9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but he loves him who pursues righteousness.
17:15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
17:26 To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
19:19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty, for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
24:1-2 Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble.
24:15-16 Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home; for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
24:17-18 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.
24:19-20 Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
24:21-22 My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise, for disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?
24:24-25 Whoever says to the wicked, “You are in the right,” will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations, but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them.
24:26 Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips.
25:19 Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.
28:4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive against them.
28:9 If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
29:27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.
(1) The heart of evil and righteousness
11:20 Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the LORD, but those of blameless ways are his delight.
12:26 One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
13:5 The righteous hates falsehood, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace.
12:3 No one is established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
21:10 The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
24:8 Whoever plans to do evil will be called a schemer.
29:7 A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.
29:10 Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless and seek the life of the upright.
29:24 The partner of a thief hates his own life; he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.
(2) The way of evil and righteousness
10:6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
11:5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
11:13 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
12:6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright delivers them.
12:10 Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
14:9 Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy acceptance.
15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
15:26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD, but gracious words are pure.
15:28 The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
17:4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
17:11 An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
21:3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent.
21:29 A wicked man puts on a bold face, but the upright gives thought to his ways.
22:5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.
28:1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.
(3) The (temporal) result (impact?) of evil and righteousness
10:3 The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
11:10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.
11:11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.
11:17 A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.
11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.
11:31 If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!
12:13 An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous escapes from trouble.
12:21 No ill befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble.
13:17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing.
13:25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked suffers want.
14:19 The evil bow down before the good, the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
15:6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
16:31 Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.
17:13 If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.
18:3 When wickedness comes, contempt comes also, and with dishonor comes disgrace.
25:26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
28:10 Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way will fall into his own pit, but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.
28:12 When the righteous triumph, there is great glory, but when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.
28:17 If one is burdened with the blood of another, he will be a fugitive until death; let no one help him.
28:28 When the wicked rise, people hide themselves, but when they perish, the righteous increase.
29:2 When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
29:6 An evil man is ensnared in his transgression, but a righteous man sings and rejoices.
29:16 When the wicked increase, transgression increases, but the righteous will look upon their downfall.
10:2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.
10:7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
10:16 The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin.
10:24 What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
10:25 When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever.
10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.
10:28 The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
10:29 The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers.
10:30 The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land.
11:4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
11:6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.
11:7 When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too.
11:8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead.
11:19 Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die.
11:21 Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
11:18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
11:23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good, the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
12:2 A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but a man of evil devices he condemns.
12:7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand.
12:28 In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.
13:6 Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but sin overthrows the wicked.
13:9 The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
13:21 Disaster pursues sinners, but the righteous are rewarded with good.
14:11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
14:22 Do they not go astray who devise evil? Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness.
14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.
14:32 The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing, but the righteous finds refuge in his death.
15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
16:4 The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.
16:27 A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
17:5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
19:16 Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises his ways will die.
19:23 The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.
20:22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.
21:7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just.
21:12 The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked; he throws the wicked down to ruin.
21:18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, and the traitor for the upright.
21:21 Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.
Humiliation of the Proud and Exaltation of the Humble
15:25 The LORD tears down the house of the proud but maintains the widow's boundaries.
*16:5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished.
11:2 When pride [presumption?] comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
*16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
18:12 Before destruction a man's heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.
21:24 “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.
*22:4 The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.
28:11 A rich man is wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.
*29:23 One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
Pride and Humility: Trusting self over God
Thinking/Knowledge
*12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
14:6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
*21:11 When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise; when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
26:12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Wealth/Status/Importance/Abilities/Plans
12:9 Better to be lowly and have a servant than to play the great man and lack bread.
*16:19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.
*25:6-7 Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
25:27 It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one's own glory.
*27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
*27:2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
The Joys and Sorrows of Parenting
10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
15:20 A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.
17:25 A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
23:15 My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad.
23:16 My inmost being[u] will exult when your lips speak what is right.
23:24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
27:11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches me.
29:3 He who loves wisdom makes his father glad, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
Honoring and Obeying Your Parents
19:26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach.
20:20 If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
23:22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23:25 Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.
28:24 Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, “That is no transgression,” is a companion to a man who destroys.
17:6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.
27:8 Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home.
Guiding and Disciplining Your Children
19:18 Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.
22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
23:13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
23:14 If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.
29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
29:17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.
The foundation of true friends
11:25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
17:9 Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18:24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
20:6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?
22:11 He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.
27:5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
27:9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.
27:10 Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend, and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.
27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
The folly of superficial friends
14:20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends.
15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.
19:4 Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
19:6 Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
19:7 All a poor man's brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them.
Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
23:20-21
Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat,
for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and slumber will clothe them with rags.
23:29-35
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.”
25:16 If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.
28:7 The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding, but a companion of gluttons shames his father.
31:4-7
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.
Proverbs 23:1-3, 6-9
1 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
observe carefully what is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to appetite.
3 Do not desire his delicacies,
for they are deceptive food.
6 Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy;
do not desire his delicacies,
7 for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten,
and waste your pleasant words.
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
for he will despise the good sense of your words.
Pursue Discretion and Discernment
*11:22 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout
is a beautiful woman without discretion.
18:13 If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.
Proverbs 25:7b-10
What your eyes have seen
do not hastily bring into court,
for what will you do in the end,
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
Argue your case with your neighbor himself,
and do not reveal another's secret,
lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,
and your ill repute have no end.
25:15 With patience a ruler may be persuaded,
and a soft tongue will break a bone.
25:17 Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house,
lest he have his fill of you and hate you.
25:20 Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart
is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,
and like vinegar on soda.
27:14 Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
rising early in the morning, will be counted as cursing.
Answering (or not Answering) the Fool with His Folly
13:20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
14:7 Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
17:12 Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs
rather than a fool in his folly.
26:1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
Proverbs 26:4-6
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
26:8 Like one who binds the stone in the sling
is one who gives honor to a fool.
26:10 Like an archer who wounds everyone
is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.
29:9 If a wise man has an argument with a fool,
the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.
6:6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.
6:7 Without having any chief, officer, or ruler,
6:8 she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.
6:9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?
6:10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
6:11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
10:4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
10:5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.
10:26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.
12:11 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.
12:24 The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
12:27 Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.[h]
13:4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
14:23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.
15:19 The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.
16:26 A worker's appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on.
18:9 Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.
19:15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.
19:24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
20:4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
20:13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
21:17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
21:25 The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
21:26 All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.
22:13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!”
22:29 Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
24:27 Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.
24:30 I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,
24:31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
24:32 Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction.
24:33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
24:34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
25:13 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.
26:13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!”
26:14 As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.
26:15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.
27:18 Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who guards his master will be honored.
28:19 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
28:20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
Integrity
10:9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
11:3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
16:17 The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; whoever guards his way preserves his life.
17:20 A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
19:1 Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
20:11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.
28:6 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.
28:18 Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
Lies Destroy: Slander, Gossip, Flattery, Dishonest Gain, Scheming, Bad Advice
10:10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
10:18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.
12:17 Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.
14:5 A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.
16:28 A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.
16:29 A man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good.
16:30 Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things; he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
19:5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
19:9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.
20:17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
20:25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,” and to reflect only after making vows.
21:6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.
24:28-29 Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. 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.”
25:14 Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.
25:18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.
26:18-19 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!”
26:22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
26:23 Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart.
26:24-26 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
26:27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
26:28 A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
29:5 A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
The Power of Truth
12:5 The thoughts of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
12:19 Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
14:25 A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
12:20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy.
20:7 The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!
21:28 A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears will endure.
28:13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
28:23 Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than he who flatters with his tongue.
13:13 Whoever despises the word[m] brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment[n] will be rewarded.
13:14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.
13:15 Good sense wins favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.
11:12 Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.
11:29 Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
12:8 A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of twisted mind is despised.
12:16 The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.
21:22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
24:9 The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.
27:3 A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty, but a fool's provocation is heavier than both.
29:8 Scoffers set a city aflame, but the wise turn away wrath.
10:8 The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.
14:3 By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,[r] but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
14:18 The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
14:35 A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
15:24 The path of life leads upward for the prudent, that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.
16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.[ae]
17:2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
17:21 He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy.
19:29 Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and beating for the backs of fools.
21:16 One who wanders from the way of good sense will rest in the assembly of the dead.
22:3 The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.
24:13 My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
24:14 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.
26:3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.
27:22 Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his folly will not depart from him.
28:26 Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.