[20] Proverbs

[Pro 1:1-7 KJV] 1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; 2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; 4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. 5 A wise [man] will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: 6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. 7 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction.

[Pro 4:1-10 KJV] 1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 3 For I was my father's son, tender and only [beloved] in the sight of my mother. 4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 7 Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. 10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

[Pro 7:1-27 KJV] 1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. 2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. 3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. 4 Say unto wisdom, Thou [art] my sister; and call understanding [thy] kinswoman: 5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger [which] flattereth with her words. 6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, 7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, 8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, 9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: 10 And, behold, there met him a woman [with] the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. 11 (She [is] loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: 12 Now [is she] without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) 13 So she caught him, and kissed him, [and] with an impudent face said unto him, 14 [I have] peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. 15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. 16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved [works], with fine linen of Egypt. 17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. 19 For the goodman [is] not at home, he is gone a long journey: 20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, [and] will come home at the day appointed. 21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it [is] for his life. 24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. 25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. 26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong [men] have been slain by her. 27 Her house [is] the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

[Pro 10:1-10 KJV] 1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son [is] the heaviness of his mother. 2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. 3 The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked. 4 He becometh poor that dealeth [with] a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. 5 He that gathereth in summer [is] a wise son: [but] he that sleepeth in harvest [is] a son that causeth shame. 6 Blessings [are] upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. 7 The memory of the just [is] blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. 8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall. 9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. 10 He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

[Pro 13:1-10 KJV] 1 A wise son [heareth] his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke. 2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of [his] mouth: but the soul of the transgressors [shall eat] violence. 3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: [but] he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. 4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and [hath] nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. 5 A righteous [man] hateth lying: but a wicked [man] is loathsome, and cometh to shame. 6 Righteousness keepeth [him that is] upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner. 7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet [hath] nothing: [there is] that maketh himself poor, yet [hath] great riches. 8 The ransom of a man's life [are] his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke. 9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. 10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised [is] wisdom.

[Pro 16:1-10 KJV] 1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, [is] from the LORD. 2 All the ways of a man [are] clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. 3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. 4 The LORD hath made all [things] for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. 5 Every one [that is] proud in heart [is] an abomination to the LORD: [though] hand [join] in hand, he shall not be unpunished. 6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD [men] depart from evil. 7 When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8 Better [is] a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. 9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. 10 A divine sentence [is] in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

[Pro 19:1-10 KJV] 1 Better [is] the poor that walketh in his integrity, than [he that is] perverse in his lips, and is a fool. 2 Also, [that] the soul [be] without knowledge, [it is] not good; and he that hasteth with [his] feet sinneth. 3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD. 4 Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour. 5 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and [he that] speaketh lies shall not escape. 6 Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man [is] a friend to him that giveth gifts. 7 All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth [them with] words, [yet] they [are] wanting [to him]. 8 He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good. 9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and [he that] speaketh lies shall perish. 10 Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

[Pro 22:1-29 KJV] 1 A [good] name [is] rather to be chosen than great riches, [and] loving favour rather than silver and gold. 2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD [is] the maker of them all. 3 A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. 4 By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, and honour, and life. 5 Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. 6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender. 8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. 9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. 10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. 11 He that loveth pureness of heart, [for] the grace of his lips the king [shall be] his friend. 12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor. 13 The slothful [man] saith, [There is] a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. 14 The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein. 15 Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. 16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his [riches, and] he that giveth to the rich, [shall] surely [come] to want. 17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. 18 For [it is] a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. 19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. 20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, 21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee? 22 Rob not the poor, because he [is] poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: 23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. 24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. 26 Be not thou [one] of them that strike hands, [or] of them that are sureties for debts. 27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? 28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. 29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean [men].

[Pro 27:1-23 KJV] 1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. 2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips. 3 A stone [is] heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath [is] heavier than them both. 4 Wrath [is] cruel, and anger [is] outrageous; but who [is] able to stand before envy? 5 Open rebuke [is] better than secret love. 6 Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy [are] deceitful. 7 The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. 8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so [is] a man that wandereth from his place. 9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so [doth] the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. 10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: [for] better [is] a neighbour [that is] near than a brother far off. 11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me. 12 A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; [but] the simple pass on, [and] are punished. 13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman. 14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him. 15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike. 16 Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, [which] bewrayeth [itself]. 17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. 18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured. 19 As in water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to man. 20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. 21 [As] the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so [is] a man to his praise. 22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, [yet] will not his foolishness depart from him. 23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, [and] look well to thy herds.

[Pro 27:1-23 KJV] 1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. 2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips. 3 A stone [is] heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath [is] heavier than them both. 4 Wrath [is] cruel, and anger [is] outrageous; but who [is] able to stand before envy? 5 Open rebuke [is] better than secret love. 6 Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy [are] deceitful. 7 The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. 8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so [is] a man that wandereth from his place. 9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so [doth] the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. 10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: [for] better [is] a neighbour [that is] near than a brother far off. 11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me. 12 A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; [but] the simple pass on, [and] are punished. 13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman. 14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him. 15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike. 16 Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, [which] bewrayeth [itself]. 17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. 18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured. 19 As in water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to man. 20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. 21 [As] the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so [is] a man to his praise. 22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, [yet] will not his foolishness depart from him. 23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, [and] look well to thy herds.