Proverbs 20

Proverbs 20

New King James Version (NKJV)

20 Wine is a mocker,
Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

² The wrath^[a] of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.

³ It is honorable for a man to stop striving,
Since any fool can start a quarrel.

⁴ The lazy man will not plow because of winter;
He will beg during harvest and have nothing.

⁵ Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding will draw it out.

⁶ Most men will proclaim each his own goodness,
But who can find a faithful man?

⁷ The righteous man walks in his integrity;
His children are blessed after him.

⁸ A king who sits on the throne of judgment
Scatters all evil with his eyes.

⁹ Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin”?

¹⁰ Diverse weights and diverse measures,
They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord.

¹¹ Even a child is known by his deeds,
Whether what he does is pure and right.

¹² The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made them both.

¹³ Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.

¹⁴ “It is good for nothing,”^[b] cries the buyer;
But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.

¹⁵ There is gold and a multitude of rubies,
But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

¹⁶ Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.

¹⁷ Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

¹⁸ Plans are established by counsel;
By wise counsel wage war.

¹⁹ He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.

²⁰ Whoever curses his father or his mother,
His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.

²¹ An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning
Will not be blessed at the end.

²² Do not say, “I will recompense evil”;
Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.

²³ Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And dishonest scales are not good.

²⁴ A man’s steps are of the Lord;
How then can a man understand his own way?

²⁵ It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy,
And afterward to reconsider his vows.
²⁶ A wise king sifts out the wicked,
And brings the threshing wheel over them.

²⁷ The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the inner depths of his heart.^[c]

²⁸ Mercy and truth preserve the king,
And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength,
And the splendor of old men is their gray head.

³⁰ Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,
As do stripes the inner depths of the heart.^[d

Proverbs 19

Proverbs 19

New King James Version (NKJV)

19 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

² Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge,
And he sins who hastens with his feet.

³ The foolishness of a man twists his way,
And his heart frets against the Lord.

⁴ Wealth makes many friends,
But the poor is separated from his friend.

⁵ A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies will not escape.

⁶ Many entreat the favor of the nobility,
And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.
⁷ All 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.

⁸ He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will find good.

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies shall perish.

¹⁰ Luxury is not fitting for a fool,
Much less for a servant to rule over princes.

¹¹ The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

¹² The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹³ A foolish son is the ruin of his father,
And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.

¹⁴ Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the Lord.

¹⁵ Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And an idle person will suffer hunger.

¹⁶ He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who is careless^[a] of his ways will die.

¹⁷ He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,
And He will pay back what he has given.

¹⁸ Chasten your son while there is hope,
And do not set your heart on his destruction.^[b]

¹⁹ A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;
For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

²⁰ Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise in your latter days.

²¹ There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

²² What is desired in a man is kindness,
And a poor man is better than a liar.

²³ The fear of the Lord leads to life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will not be visited with evil.

²⁴ A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl,^[c]
And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

²⁵ Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary;
Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.

²⁶ He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother
Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

²⁷ Cease listening to instruction, my son,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸ A disreputable witness scorns justice,
And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

²⁹ Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And beatings for the backs of fools.

Proverbs 18

Proverbs 18

New King James Version (NKJV)

18 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;
He rages against all wise judgment.

² A fool has no delight in understanding,
But in expressing his own heart.

³ When the wicked comes, contempt comes also;
And with dishonor comes reproach.

⁴ The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.

⁵ It is not good to show partiality to the wicked,
Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

⁶ A fool’s lips enter into contention,
And his mouth calls for blows.
⁷ A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
⁸ The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles,^[a]
And they go down into the inmost body.

⁹ He who is slothful in his work
Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.

¹⁰ The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous run to it and are safe.
¹¹ The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own esteem.

¹² Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,
And before honor is humility.

¹³ He who answers a matter before he hears it,
It is folly and shame to him.

¹⁴ The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness,
But who can bear a broken spirit?

¹⁵ The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

¹⁶ A man’s gift makes room for him,
And brings him before great men.

¹⁷ The first one to plead his cause seems right,
Until his neighbor comes and examines him.

¹⁸ Casting lots causes contentions to cease,
And keeps the mighty apart.

¹⁹ A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a castle.

²⁰ A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;
From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

²² He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the Lord.

²³ The poor man uses entreaties,
But the rich answers roughly.

²⁴ A man who has friends must himself be friendly,^[b]
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 17

17 Better is a dry morsel with quietness,
Than a house full of feasting^[a] with strife.

² A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame,
And will share an inheritance among the brothers.

³ The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But the Lord tests the hearts.

⁴ An evildoer gives heed to false lips;
A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue.

⁵ He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;
He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

⁶ Children’s children are the crown of old men,
And the glory of children is their father.
⁷ Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,
Much less lying lips to a prince.

⁸ A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.

⁹ He who covers a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter separates friends.

¹⁰ Rebuke is more effective for a wise man
Than a hundred blows on a fool.

¹¹ An evil man seeks only rebellion;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

¹² Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.

¹³ Whoever rewards evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.

¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like releasing water;
Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.

¹⁵ He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.

¹⁶ Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Since he has no heart for it?

¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.

¹⁸ A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge,
And becomes surety for his friend.

¹⁹ He who loves transgression loves strife,
And he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.

²⁰ He who has a deceitful heart finds no good,
And he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil.

²¹ He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.

²² A merry heart does good, like medicine,^[b]
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

²³ A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back^[c]
To pervert the ways of justice.

²⁴ Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding,
But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

²⁵ A foolish son is a grief to his father,
And bitterness to her who bore him.

²⁶ Also, to punish the righteous is not good,
Nor to strike princes for their uprightness.

²⁷ He who has knowledge spares his words,
And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.

²⁸ Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;
When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.

Proverbs 16

16 The preparations of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

² All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
But the Lord weighs the spirits.

³ Commit your works to the Lord,
And your thoughts will be established.

⁴ The Lord has made all for Himself,
Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.

⁵ Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Though they join forces,^[a] none will go unpunished.

⁶ In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.

⁷ When a man’s ways please the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

⁸ Better is a little with righteousness,
Than vast revenues without justice.

⁹ A man’s heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.

¹⁰ Divination is on the lips of the king;
His mouth must not transgress in judgment.
¹¹ Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s;
All the weights in the bag are His work.
¹² It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,
For a throne is established by righteousness.
¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And they love him who speaks what is right.
¹⁴ As messengers of death is the king’s wrath,
But a wise man will appease it.
¹⁵ In the light of the king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain.

¹⁶ How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

¹⁷ The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall.
¹⁹ Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,
Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

²⁰ He who heeds the word wisely will find good,
And whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.

²¹ The wise in heart will be called prudent,
And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

²² Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it.
But the correction of fools is folly.

²³ The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
And adds learning to his lips.

²⁴ Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

²⁵ There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

²⁶ The person who labors, labors for himself,
For his hungry mouth drives him on.

²⁷ An ungodly man digs up evil,
And it is on his lips like a burning fire.
²⁸ A perverse man sows strife,
And a whisperer separates the best of friends.
²⁹ A violent man entices his neighbor,
And leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰ He winks his eye to devise perverse things;
He purses his lips and brings about evil.

³¹ The silver-haired head is a crown of glory,
If it is found in the way of righteousness.

³² He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

³³ The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord.

Proverbs 15

 

Proverbs 15

New King James Version (NKJV)

15 A soft answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
² The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,
But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.

³ The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

⁴ A wholesome tongue is a tree of life,
But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

⁵ A fool despises his father’s instruction,
But he who receives correction is prudent.

⁶ In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
But in the revenue of the wicked is trouble.

⁷ The lips of the wise disperse knowledge,
But the heart of the fool does not do so.

⁸ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight.
⁹ The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves him who follows righteousness.

¹⁰ Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way,
And he who hates correction will die.

¹¹ Hell^[a] and Destruction^[b] are before the Lord;
So how much more the hearts of the sons of men.

¹² A scoffer does not love one who corrects him,
Nor will he go to the wise.

¹³ A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,
But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

¹⁴ The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

¹⁵ All the days of the afflicted are evil,
But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

¹⁶ Better is a little with the fear of the Lord,
Than great treasure with trouble.
¹⁷ Better is a dinner of herbs^[c] where love is,
Than a fatted calf with hatred.

¹⁸ A wrathful man stirs up strife,
But he who is slow to anger allays contention.

¹⁹ The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns,
But the way of the upright is a highway.

²⁰ A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹ Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment,
But a man of understanding walks uprightly.

²² Without counsel, plans go awry,
But in the multitude of counselors they are established.

²³ A man has joy by the answer of his mouth,
And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!

²⁴ The way of life winds upward for the wise,
That he may turn away from hell^[d] below.

²⁵ The Lord will destroy the house of the proud,
But He will establish the boundary of the widow.

²⁶ The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
But the words of the pure are pleasant.

²⁷ He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house,
But he who hates bribes will live.

²⁸ The heart of the righteous studies how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

²⁹ The Lord is far from the wicked,
But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰ The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
And a good report makes the bones healthy.^[e]

³¹ The ear that hears the rebukes of life
Will abide among the wise.
³² He who disdains instruction despises his own soul,
But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding.
³³ The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom,
And before honor is humility.

Proverbs 14

Proverbs 14

New King James Version (NKJV)

14 The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.

² He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.

³ In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,
But the lips of the wise will preserve them.

⁴ Where no oxen are, the trough is clean;
But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.

⁵ A faithful witness does not lie,
But a false witness will utter lies.

⁶ A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,
But knowledge is easy to him who understands.
⁷ Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.

⁸ The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But the folly of fools is deceit.

⁹ Fools mock at sin,
But among the upright there is favor.

¹⁰ The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.

¹¹ The house of the wicked will be overthrown,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.

¹² There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

¹³ Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,
And the end of mirth may be grief.

¹⁴ The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways,
But a good man will be satisfied from above.^[a]

¹⁵ The simple believes every word,
But the prudent considers well his steps.
¹⁶ A wise man fears and departs from evil,
But a fool rages and is self-confident.
¹⁷ A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of wicked intentions is hated.
¹⁸ The simple inherit folly,
But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
¹⁹ The evil will bow before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

²⁰ The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor,
But the rich has many friends.
²¹ He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

²² Do they not go astray who devise evil?
But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good.

²³ In all labor there is profit,
But idle chatter^[b] leads only to poverty.

²⁴ The crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is folly.

²⁵ A true witness delivers souls,
But a deceitful witness speaks lies.

²⁶ In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge.
²⁷ The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from the snares of death.

²⁸ In a multitude of people is a king’s honor,
But in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince.

²⁹ He who is slow to wrath has great understanding,
But he who is impulsive^[c] exalts folly.

³⁰ A sound heart is life to the body,
But envy is rottenness to the bones.

³¹ He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker,
But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.

³² The wicked is banished in his wickedness,
But the righteous has a refuge in his death.

³³ Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But what is in the heart of fools is made known.

³⁴ Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a reproach to any people.

³⁵ The king’s favor is toward a wise servant,
But his wrath is against him who causes shame.