The Proverbs
American Standard Version, 1901 ed.
Chapter 1
1The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of
Israel:
2To know wisdom and instruction;
To discern the words of understanding;
3To receive instruction in wise dealing,
In righteousness and justice and equity;
4To give prudence to the simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion:
5That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning;
And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:
6To understand a proverb, and a figure,
The words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge;
[But] the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8My son, hear the instruction of thy father,
And forsake not the law of thy mother:
9For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head,
And chains about thy neck.
10My son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not.
11If they say, Come with us,
Let us lay wait for blood;
Let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;
12Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol,
And whole, as those that go down into the pit;
13We shall find all precious substance;
We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14Thou shalt cast thy lot among us;
We will all have one purse:
15My son, walk not thou in the way with them;
Refrain thy foot from their path:
16For their feet run to evil,
And they make haste to shed blood.
17For in vain is the net spread
In the sight of any bird:
18And these lay wait for their own blood;
They lurk privily for their own lives.
19So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain;
It taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
20Wisdom crieth aloud in the street;
She uttereth her voice in the broad places;
21She crieth in the chief place of concourse;
At the entrance of the gates,
In the city, she uttereth her words:
22How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?
And scoffers delight them in scoffing,
And fools hate knowledge?
23Turn you at my reproof:
Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you;
I will make known my words unto you.
24Because I have called, and ye have refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded;
25But ye have set at nought all my counsel,
And would none of my reproof:
26I also will laugh in [the day of] your calamity;
I will mock when your fear cometh;
27When your fear cometh as a storm,
And your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind;
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me:
29For that they hated knowledge,
And did not choose the fear of Jehovah:
30They would none of my counsel;
They despised all my reproof.
31Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,
And be filled with their own devices.
32For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them,
And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.
33But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely,
And shall be quiet without fear of evil.
Chapter 2
1My son, if thou wilt receive my words,
And lay up my commandments with thee;
2So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom,
And apply thy heart to understanding;
3Yea, if thou cry after discernment,
And lift up thy voice for understanding;
4If thou seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hid treasures:
5Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah,
And find the knowledge of God.
6For Jehovah giveth wisdom;
Out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding:
7He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright;
[He is] a shield to them that walk in integrity;
8That he may guard the paths of justice,
And preserve the way of his saints.
9Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice,
And equity, [yea], every good path.
10For wisdom shall enter into thy heart,
And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;
11Discretion shall watch over thee;
Understanding shall keep thee:
12To deliver thee from the way of evil,
From the men that speak perverse things;
13Who forsake the paths of uprightness,
To walk in the ways of darkness;
14Who rejoice to do evil,
And delight in the perverseness of evil;
15Who are crooked in their ways,
And wayward in their paths:
16To deliver thee from the strange woman,
Even from the foreigner that flattereth with her words;
17That forsaketh the friend of her youth,
And forgetteth the covenant of her God:
18For her house inclineth unto death,
And her paths unto the dead;
19None that go unto her return again,
Neither do they attain unto the paths of life:
20That thou mayest walk in the way of good men,
And keep the paths of the righteous.
21For the upright shall dwell in the land,
And the perfect shall remain in it.
22But the wicked shall be cut off from the land,
And the treacherous shall be rooted out of it.
Chapter 3
1My son, forget not my law;
But let thy heart keep my commandments:
2For length of days, and years of life,
And peace, will they add to thee.
3Let not kindness and truth forsake thee:
Bind them about thy neck;
Write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
4So shalt thou find favor and good understanding
In the sight of God and man.
5Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart,
And lean not upon thine own understanding:
6In all thy ways acknowledge him,
And he will direct thy paths.
7Be not wise in thine own eyes;
Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil:
8It will be health to thy navel,
And marrow to thy bones.
9Honor Jehovah with thy substance,
And with the first-fruits of all thine increase:
10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,
And thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
11My son, despise not the chastening of Jehovah;
Neither be weary of his reproof:
12For whom Jehovah loveth he reproveth;
Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
And the man that getteth understanding.
14For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of
silver,
And the profit thereof than fine gold.
15She is more precious than rubies:
And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto
her.
16Length of days is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.
17Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
18She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her:
And happy is every one that retaineth her.
19Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding he established the heavens.
20By his knowledge the depths were broken up,
And the skies drop down the dew.
21My son, let them not depart from thine eyes;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22So shall they be life unto thy soul,
And grace to thy neck.
23Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely,
And thy foot shall not stumble.
24When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid:
Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25Be not afraid of sudden fear,
Neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh:
26For Jehovah will be thy confidence,
And will keep thy foot from being taken.
27Withhold not good from them to whom it is due,
When it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
28Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and come again,
And to-morrow I will give;
When thou hast it by thee.
29Devise not evil against thy neighbor,
Seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30Strive not with a man without cause,
If he have done thee no harm.
31Envy thou not the man of violence,
And choose none of his ways.
32For the perverse is an abomination to Jehovah;
But his friendship is with the upright.
33The curse of Jehovah is in the house of the wicked;
But he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.
34Surely he scoffeth at the scoffers;
But he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35The wise shall inherit glory;
But shame shall be the promotion of fools.
Chapter 4
1Hear, [my] sons, the instruction of a father,
And attend to know understanding:
2For I give you good doctrine;
Forsake ye not my law.
3For I was a son unto my father,
Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4And he taught me, and said unto me:
Let thy heart retain my words;
Keep my commandments, and live;
5Get wisdom, get understanding;
Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
6Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee;
Love her, and she will keep thee.
7Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom;
Yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
8Exalt her, and she will promote thee;
She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
9She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace;
A crown of beauty will she deliver to thee.
10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings;
And the years of thy life shall be many.
11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom;
I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened;
And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go:
Keep her; for she is thy life.
14Enter not into the path of the wicked,
And walk not in the way of evil men.
15Avoid it, pass not by it;
Turn from it, and pass on.
16For they sleep not, except they do evil;
And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.
18But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light,
That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19The way of the wicked is as darkness:
They know not at what they stumble.
20My son, attend to my words;
Incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Let them not depart from thine eyes;
Keep them in the midst of thy heart.
22For they are life unto those that find them,
And health to all their flesh.
23Keep thy heart with all diligence;
For out of it are the issues of life.
24Put away from thee a wayward mouth,
And perverse lips put far from thee.
25Let thine eyes look right on,
And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Make level the path of thy feet,
And let all thy ways be established.
27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left:
Remove thy foot from evil.
Chapter 5
1My son, attend unto my wisdom;
Incline thine ear to my understanding:
2That thou mayest preserve discretion,
And that thy lips may keep knowledge.
3For the lips of a strange woman drop honey,
And her mouth is smoother than oil:
4But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.
5Her feet go down to death;
Her steps take hold on Sheol;
6So that she findeth not the level path of life:
Her ways are unstable, [and] she knoweth [it] not.
7Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me,
And depart not from the words of my mouth.
8Remove thy way far from her,
And come not nigh the door of her house;
9Lest thou give thine honor unto others,
And thy years unto the cruel;
10Lest strangers be filled with thy strength,
And thy labors [be] in the house of an alien,
11And thou mourn at thy latter end,
When thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
12And say, How have I hated instruction,
And my heart despised reproof;
13Neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers,
Nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
14I was well-nigh in all evil
In the midst of the assembly and congregation.
15Drink waters out of thine own cistern,
And running waters out of thine own well.
16Should thy springs be dispersed abroad,
And streams of water in the streets?
17Let them be for thyself alone,
And not for strangers with thee.
18Let thy fountain be blessed;
And rejoice in the wife of thy youth.
19[As] a loving hind and a pleasant doe,
Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times;
And be thou ravished always with her love.
20For why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a
strange woman,
And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?
21For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah;
And he maketh level all his paths.
22His own iniquities shall take the wicked,
And he shall be holden with the cords of his sin.
23He shall die for lack of instruction;
And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
Chapter 6
1My son, if thou art become surety for thy neighbor,
If thou hast stricken thy hands for a stranger;
2Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth,
Thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
3Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself,
Seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbor:
Go, humble thyself, and importune thy neighbor;
4Give not sleep to thine eyes,
Nor slumber to thine eyelids;
5Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand [of the hunter],
And as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6Go to the ant, thou sluggard;
Consider her ways, and be wise:
7Which having no chief,
Overseer, or ruler,
8Provideth her bread in the summer,
And gathereth her food in the harvest.
9How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?
When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10[Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep:
11So shall thy poverty come as a robber,
And thy want as an armed man.
12A worthless person, a man of iniquity,
Is he that walketh with a perverse mouth;
13That winketh with his eyes, that speaketh with his feet,
That maketh signs with his fingers;
14In whose heart is perverseness,
Who deviseth evil continually,
Who soweth discord.
15Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly;
On a sudden shall he be broken, and that without remedy.
16There are six things which Jehovah hateth;
Yea, seven which are an abomination unto him:
17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood;
18A heart that deviseth wicked purposes,
Feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19A false witness that uttereth lies,
And he that soweth discord among brethren.
20My son, keep the commandment of thy father,
And forsake not the law of thy mother:
21Bind them continually upon thy heart;
Tie them about thy neck.
22When thou walkest, it shall lead thee;
When thou sleepest, it shall watch over thee;
And when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
23For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light;
And reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24To keep thee from the evil woman,
From the flattery of the foreigner's tongue.
25Lust not after her beauty in thy heart;
Neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
26For on account of a harlot [a man is brought] to a piece
of bread;
And the adulteress hunteth for the precious life.
27Can a man take fire in his bosom,
And his clothes not be burned?
28Or can one walk upon hot coals,
And his feet not be scorched?
29So he that goeth in to his neighbor's wife;
Whosoever toucheth her shall not be unpunished.
30Men do not despise a thief, if he steal
To satisfy himself when he is hungry:
31But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold;
He shall give all the substance of his house.
32He that committeth adultery with a woman is void of
understanding:
He doeth it who would destroy his own soul.
33Wounds and dishonor shall he get;
And his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34For jealousy is the rage of a man;
And he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35He will not regard any ransom;
Neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.
Chapter 7
1My son, keep my words,
And lay up my commandments with thee.
2Keep my commandments and live;
And my law as the apple of thine eye.
3Bind them upon thy fingers;
Write them upon the tablet of thy heart.
4Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister;
And call understanding [thy] kinswoman:
5That they may keep thee from the strange woman,
From the foreigner that flattereth with her words.
6For at the window of my house
I looked forth through my lattice;
7And I beheld among the simple ones,
I discerned among the youths,
A young man void of understanding,
8Passing through the street near her corner;
And he went the way to her house,
9In the twilight, in the evening of the day,
In the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10And, behold, there met him a woman
With the attire of a harlot, and wily of heart.
11She is clamorous and wilful;
Her feet abide not in her house:
12Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places,
And lieth in wait at every corner.
13So she caught him, and kissed him,
[And] with an impudent face she said unto him:
14Sacrifices of peace-offerings are with me;
This day have I paid my vows.
15Therefore came I forth to meet thee,
Diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry,
With striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17I have perfumed my bed
With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning;
Let us solace ourselves with loves.
19For the man is not at home;
He is gone a long journey:
20He hath taken a bag of money with him;
He will come home at the full moon.
21With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield;
With the flattering of her lips she forceth him along.
22He goeth after her straightway,
As an ox goeth to the slaughter,
Or as [one in] fetters to the correction of the fool;
23Till an arrow strike through his liver;
As a bird hasteth to the snare,
And knoweth not that it is for his life.
24Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me,
And attend to the words of my mouth.
25Let not thy heart decline to her ways;
Go not astray in her paths.
26For she hath cast down many wounded:
Yea, all her slain are a mighty host.
27Her house is the way to Sheol,
Going down to the chambers of death.
Chapter 8
1Doth not wisdom cry,
And understanding put forth her voice?
2On the top of high places by the way,
Where the paths meet, she standeth;
3Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:
4Unto you, O men, I call;
And my voice is to the sons of men.
5O ye simple, understand prudence;
And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.
6Hear, for I will speak excellent things;
And the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7For my mouth shall utter truth;
And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
9They are all plain to him that understandeth,
And right to them that find knowledge.
10Receive my instruction, and not silver;
And knowledge rather than choice gold.
11For wisdom is better than rubies;
And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared
unto it.
12I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling,
And find out knowledge [and] discretion.
13The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil:
Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way,
And the perverse mouth, do I hate.
14Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge:
I am understanding; I have might.
15By me kings reign,
And princes decree justice.
16By me princes rule,
And nobles, [even] all the judges of the earth.
17I love them that love me;
And those that seek me diligently shall find me.
18Riches and honor are with me;
[Yea], durable wealth and righteousness.
19My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold;
And my revenue than choice silver.
20I walk in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice;
21That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance,
And that I may fill their treasuries.
22Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way,
Before his works of old.
23I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,
Before the earth was.
24When there were no depths, I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
25Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills was I brought forth;
26While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
Nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
27When he established the heavens, I was there:
When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,
28When he made firm the skies above,
When the fountains of the deep became strong,
29When he gave to the sea its bound,
That the waters should not transgress his commandment,
When he marked out the foundations of the earth;
30Then I was by him, [as] a master workman;
And I was daily [his] delight,
Rejoicing always before him,
31Rejoicing in his habitable earth;
And my delight was with the sons of men.
32Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me;
For blessed are they that keep my ways.
33Hear instruction, and be wise,
And refuse it not.
34Blessed is the man that heareth me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
35For whoso findeth me findeth life,
And shall obtain favor of Jehovah.
36But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul:
All they that hate me love death.
Chapter 9
1Wisdom hath builded her house;
She hath hewn out her seven pillars:
2She hath killed her beasts;
She hath mingled her wine;
She hath also furnished her table:
3She hath sent forth her maidens;
She crieth upon the highest places of the city:
4Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither:
As for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him,
5Come, eat ye of my bread,
And drink of the wine which I have mingled.
6Leave off, ye simple ones, and live;
And walk in the way of understanding.
7He that correcteth a scoffer getteth to himself reviling;
And he that reproveth a wicked man [getteth] himself a blot.
8Reprove not a scoffer, lest he hate thee:
Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.
9Give [instruction] to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser:
Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
10The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom;
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11For by me thy days shall be multiplied,
And the years of thy life shall be increased.
12If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself;
And if thou scoffest, thou alone shalt bear it.
13The foolish woman is clamorous;
[She is] simple, and knoweth nothing.
14And she sitteth at the door of her house,
On a seat in the high places of the city,
15To call to them that pass by,
Who go right on their ways:
16Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither;
And as for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him,
17Stolen waters are sweet,
And bread [eaten] in secret is pleasant.
18But he knoweth not that the dead are there;
That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
Chapter 10
1The proverbs of Solomon.
A wise son maketh a glad father;
But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
2Treasures of wickedness profit nothing;
But righteousness delivereth from death.
3Jehovah will not suffer the soul of the righteous to
famish;
But he thrusteth away the desire of the wicked.
4He becometh poor that worketh with a slack hand;
But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
5He that gathereth in summer is a wise son;
[But] he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
6Blessings are upon the head of the righteous;
But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
7The memory of the righteous is blessed;
But the name of the wicked shall rot.
8The wise in heart will receive commandments;
But a prating fool shall fall.
9He that walketh uprightly walketh surely;
But he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
10He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow;
But a prating fool shall fall.
11The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life;
But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
12Hatred stirreth up strifes;
But love covereth all transgressions.
13In the lips of him that hath discernment wisdom is found;
But a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
14Wise men lay up knowledge;
But the mouth of the foolish is a present destruction.
15The rich man's wealth is his strong city:
The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16The labor of the righteous [tendeth] to life;
The increase of the wicked, to sin.
17He is in the way of life that heedeth correction;
But he that forsaketh reproof erreth.
18He that hideth hatred is of lying lips;
And he that uttereth a slander is a fool.
19In the multitude of words there wanteth not
transgression;
But he that refraineth his lips doeth wisely.
20The tongue of the righteous is [as] choice silver:
The heart of the wicked is little worth.
21The lips of the righteous feed many;
But the foolish die for lack of understanding.
22The blessing of Jehovah, it maketh rich;
And he addeth no sorrow therewith.
23It is as sport to a fool to do wickedness;
And [so is] wisdom to a man of understanding.
24The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him;
And the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
25When the whirlwind passeth, the wicked is no more;
But the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
26As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes,
So is the sluggard to them that send him.
27The fear of Jehovah prolongeth days;
But the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
28The hope of the righteous [shall be] gladness;
But the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
29The way of Jehovah is a stronghold to the upright;
But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
30The righteous shall never be removed;
But the wicked shall not dwell in the land.
31The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom;
But the perverse tongue shall be cut off.
32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable;
But the mouth of the wicked [speaketh] perverseness.
Chapter 11
1A false balance is an abomination to Jehovah;
But a just weight is his delight.
2When pride cometh, then cometh shame;
But with the lowly is wisdom.
3The integrity of the upright shall guide them;
But the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.
4Riches profit not in the day of wrath;
But righteousness delivereth from death.
5The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way;
But the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
6The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them;
But the treacherous shall be taken in their own iniquity.
7When a wicked man dieth, [his] expectation shall perish;
And the hope of iniquity perisheth.
8The righteous is delivered out of trouble,
And the wicked cometh in his stead.
9With his mouth the godless man destroyeth his neighbor;
But through knowledge shall the righteous be delivered.
10When it goeth well with the righteous, the city
rejoiceth;
And when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
11By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted;
But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
12He that despiseth his neighbor is void of wisdom;
But a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
13He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets;
But he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth a matter.
14Where no wise guidance is, the people falleth;
But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
15He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it;
But he that hateth suretyship is secure.
16A gracious woman obtaineth honor;
And violent men obtain riches.
17The merciful man doeth good to his own soul;
But he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
18The wicked earneth deceitful wages;
But he that soweth righteousness [hath] a sure reward.
19He that is stedfast in righteousness [shall attain] unto
life;
And he that pursueth evil [doeth it] to his own death.
20They that are perverse in heart are an abomination to
Jehovah;
But such as are perfect in [their] way are his delight.
21[Though] hand [join] in hand, the evil man shall not be
unpunished;
But the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.
22[As] a ring of gold in a swine's snout,
[So is] a fair woman that is without discretion.
23The desire of the righteous is only good;
[But] the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
24There is that scattereth, and increaseth yet more;
And there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but [it
tendeth] only to want.
25The liberal soul shall be made fat;
And he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
26He that withholdeth grain, the people shall curse him;
But blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
27He that diligently seeketh good seeketh favor;
But he that searcheth after evil, it shall come unto him.
28He that trusteth in his riches shall fall;
But the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.
29He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind;
And the foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.
30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life;
And he that is wise winneth souls.
31Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth:
How much more the wicked and the sinner!
Chapter 12
1Whoso loveth correction loveth knowledge;
But he that hateth reproof is brutish.
2A good man shall obtain favor of Jehovah;
But a man of wicked devices will he condemn.
3A man shall not be established by wickedness;
But the root of the righteous shall not be moved.
4A worthy woman is the crown of her husband;
But she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
5The thoughts of the righteous are just;
[But] the counsels of the wicked are deceit.
6The words of the wicked are of lying in wait for blood;
But the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.
7The wicked are overthrown, and are not;
But the house of the righteous shall stand.
8A man shall be commended according to his wisdom;
But he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.
9Better is he that is lightly esteemed, and hath a servant,
Than he that honoreth himself, and lacketh bread.
10A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast;
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
11He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread;
But he that followeth after vain [persons] is void of
understanding.
12The wicked desireth the net of evil men;
But the root of the righteous yieldeth [fruit].
13In the transgression of the lips is a snare to the evil
man;
But the righteous shall come out of trouble.
14A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his
mouth;
And the doings of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.
15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes;
But he that is wise hearkeneth unto counsel.
16A fool's vexation is presently known;
But a prudent man concealeth shame.
17He that uttereth truth showeth forth righteousness;
But a false witness, deceit.
18There is that speaketh rashly like the piercings of a
sword;
But the tongue of the wise is health.
19The lip of truth shall be established for ever;
But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20Deceit is in the heart of them that devise evil;
But to the counsellors of peace is joy.
21There shall no mischief happen to the righteous;
But the wicked shall be filled with evil.
22Lying lips are an abomination to Jehovah;
But they that deal truly are his delight.
23A prudent man concealeth knowledge;
But the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.
24The hand of the diligent shall bear rule;
But the slothful shall be put under taskwork.
25Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh it stoop;
But a good word maketh it glad.
26The righteous is a guide to his neighbor;
But the way of the wicked causeth them to err.
27The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in
hunting;
But the precious substance of men [is to] the diligent.
28In the way of righteousness is life;
And in the pathway thereof there is no death.
Chapter 13
1A wise son [heareth] his father's instruction;
But a scoffer heareth not rebuke.
2A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth;
But the soul of the treacherous [shall eat] violence.
3He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life;
[But] he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
4The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing;
But the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
5A righteous man hateth lying;
But a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.
6Righteousness guardeth him that is upright in the way;
But wickedness overthroweth the sinner.
7There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing:
There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great wealth.
8The ransom of a man's life is his riches;
But the poor heareth no threatening.
9The light of the righteous rejoiceth;
But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
10By pride cometh only contention;
But with the well-advised is wisdom.
11Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished;
But he that gathereth by labor shall have increase.
12Hope deferred maketh the heart sick;
But when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
13Whoso despiseth the word bringeth destruction on himself;
But he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
14The law of the wise is a fountain of life,
That one may depart from the snares of death.
15Good understanding giveth favor;
But the way of the transgressor is hard.
16Every prudent man worketh with knowledge;
But a fool flaunteth [his] folly.
17A wicked messenger falleth into evil;
But a faithful ambassador is health.
18Poverty and shame [shall be to] him that refuseth
correction;
But he that regardeth reproof shall be honored.
19The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul;
But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.
20Walk with wise men, and thou shalt be wise;
But the companion of fools shall smart for it.
21Evil pursueth sinners;
But the righteous shall be recompensed with good.
22A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's
children;
And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous.
23Much food [is in] the tillage of the poor;
But there is that is destroyed by reason of injustice.
24He that spareth his rod hateth his son;
But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
25The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul;
But the belly of the wicked shall want.
Chapter 14
1Every wise woman buildeth her house;
But the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.
2He that walketh in his uprightness feareth Jehovah;
But he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
3In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for [his] pride;
But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
4Where no oxen are, the crib is clean;
But much increase is by the strength of the ox.
5A faithful witness will not lie;
But a false witness uttereth lies.
6A scoffer seeketh wisdom, and [findeth it] not;
But knowledge is easy unto him that hath understanding.
7Go into the presence of a foolish man,
And thou shalt not perceive [in him] the lips of knowledge.
8The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way;
But the folly of fools is deceit.
9A trespass-offering mocketh fools;
But among the upright there is good will.
10The heart knoweth its own bitterness;
And a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy.
11The house of the wicked shall be overthrown;
But the tent of the upright shall flourish.
12There is a way which seemeth right unto a man;
But the end thereof are the ways of death.
13Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful;
And the end of mirth is heaviness.
14The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own
ways;
And a good man [shall be satisfied] from himself.
15The simple believeth every word;
But the prudent man looketh well to his going.
16A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil;
But the fool beareth himself insolently, and is confident.
17He that is soon angry will deal foolishly;
And a man of wicked devices is hated.
18The simple inherit folly;
But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19The evil bow down before the good;
And the wicked, at the gates of the righteous.
20The poor is hated even of his own neighbor;
But the rich hath many friends.
21He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth;
But he that hath pity on the poor, happy is he.
22Do they not err that devise evil?
But mercy and truth [shall be to] them that devise good.
23In all labor there is profit;
But the talk of the lips [tendeth] only to penury.
24The crown of the wise is their riches;
[But] the folly of fools is [only] folly.
25A true witness delivereth souls;
But he that uttereth lies [causeth] deceit.
26In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence;
And his children shall have a place of refuge.
27The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life,
That one may depart from the snares of death.
28In the multitude of people is the king's glory;
But in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.
29He that is slow to anger is of great understanding;
But he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
30A tranquil heart is the life of the flesh;
But envy is the rottenness of the bones.
31He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker;
But he that hath mercy on the needy honoreth him.
32The wicked is thrust down in his evil-doing;
But the righteous hath a refuge in his death.
33Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath
understanding;
But [that which is] in the inward part of fools is made known.
34Righteousness exalteth a nation;
But sin is a reproach to any people.
35The king's favor is toward a servant that dealeth wisely;
But his wrath will be [against] him that causeth shame.
Chapter 15
1A soft answer turneth away wrath;
But a grievous word stirreth up anger.
2The tongue of the wise uttereth knowledge aright;
But the mouth of fools poureth out folly.
3The eyes of Jehovah are in every place,
Keeping watch upon the evil and the good.
4A gentle tongue is a tree of life;
But perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit.
5A fool despiseth his father's correction;
But he that regardeth reproof getteth prudence.
6In the house of the righteous is much treasure;
But in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.
7The lips of the wise disperse knowledge;
But the heart of the foolish [doeth] not so.
8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Jehovah;
But the prayer of the upright is his delight.
9The way of the wicked is an abomination to Jehovah;
But he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
10There is grievous correction for him that forsaketh the
way;
[And] he that hateth reproof shall die.
11Sheol and Abaddon are before Jehovah:
How much more then the hearts of the children of men!
12A scoffer loveth not to be reproved;
He will not go unto the wise.
13A glad heart maketh a cheerful countenance;
But by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.
14The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh
knowledge;
But the mouth of fools feedeth on folly.
15All the days of the afflicted are evil;
But he that is of a cheerful heart [hath] a continual feast.
16Better is little, with the fear of Jehovah,
Than great treasure and trouble therewith.
17Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is,
Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
18A wrathful man stirreth up contention;
But he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
19The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns;
But the path of the upright is made a highway.
20A wise son maketh a glad father;
But a foolish man despiseth his mother.
21Folly is joy to him that is void of wisdom;
But a man of understanding maketh straight his going.
22Where there is no counsel, purposes are disappointed;
But in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
23A man hath joy in the answer of his mouth;
And a word in due season, how good is it!
24To the wise the way of life [goeth] upward,
That he may depart from Sheol beneath.
25Jehovah will root up the house of the proud;
But he will establish the border of the widow.
26Evil devices are an abomination to Jehovah;
But pleasant words [are] pure.
27He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house;
But he that hateth bribes shall live.
28The heart of the righteous studieth to answer;
But the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
29Jehovah is far from the wicked;
But he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
30The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart;
[And] good tidings make the bones fat.
31The ear that hearkeneth to the reproof of life
Shall abide among the wise.
32He that refuseth correction despiseth his own soul;
But he that hearkeneth to reproof getteth understanding.
33The fear of Jehovah is the instruction of wisdom;
And before honor [goeth] humility.
Chapter 16
1The plans of the heart belong to man;
But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.
2All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes;
But Jehovah weigheth the spirits.
3Commit thy works unto Jehovah,
And thy purposes shall be established.
4Jehovah hath made everything for its own end;
Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
5Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to
Jehovah:
[Though] hand [join] in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
6By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for;
And by the fear of Jehovah men depart from evil.
7When a man's ways please Jehovah,
He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8Better is a little, with righteousness,
Than great revenues with injustice.
9A man's heart deviseth his way;
But Jehovah directeth his steps.
10A divine sentence is in the lips of the king;
His mouth shall not transgress in judgment.
11A just balance and scales are Jehovah's;
All the weights of the bag are his work.
12It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness;
For the throne is established by righteousness.
13Righteous lips are the delight of kings;
And they love him that speaketh right.
14The wrath of a king is [as] messengers of death;
But a wise man will pacify it.
15In the light of the king's countenance is life;
And his favor is as a cloud of the latter rain.
16How much better is it to get wisdom than gold!
Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver.
17The highway of the upright is to depart from evil:
He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
18Pride [goeth] before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall.
19Better it is to be of a lowly spirit with the poor,
Than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20He that giveth heed unto the word shall find good;
And whoso trusteth in Jehovah, happy is he.
21The wise in heart shall be called prudent;
And the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
22Understanding is a well-spring of life unto him that
hath it;
But the correction of fools is [their] folly.
23The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth,
And addeth learning to his lips.
24Pleasant words are [as] a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
25There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,
But the end thereof are the ways of death.
26The appetite of the laboring man laboreth for him;
For his mouth urgeth him [thereto].
27A worthless man deviseth mischief;
And in his lips there is as a scorching fire.
28A perverse man scattereth abroad strife;
And a whisperer separateth chief friends.
29A man of violence enticeth his neighbor,
And leadeth him in a way that is not good.
30He that shutteth his eyes, [it is] to devise perverse
things:
He that compresseth his lips bringeth evil to pass.
31The hoary head is a crown of glory;
It shall be found in the way of righteousness.
32He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty;
And he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.
33The lot is cast into the lap;
But the whole disposing thereof is of Jehovah.
Chapter 17
1Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith,
Than a house full of feasting with strife.
2A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son
that causeth shame,
And shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren.
3The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold;
But Jehovah trieth the hearts.
4An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips;
[And] a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
5Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker;
[And] he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
6Children's children are the crown of old men;
And the glory of children are their fathers.
7Excellent speech becometh not a fool;
Much less do lying lips a prince.
8A bribe is [as] a precious stone in the eyes of him that
hath it;
Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
9He that covereth a transgression seeketh love;
But he that harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends.
10A rebuke entereth deeper into one that hath understanding
Than a hundred stripes into a fool.
11An evil man seeketh only rebellion;
Therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man,
Rather than a fool in his folly.
13Whoso rewardeth evil for good,
Evil shall not depart from his house.
14The beginning of strife is [as] when one letteth out
water:
Therefore leave off contention, before there is quarrelling.
15He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth
the righteous,
Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah.
16Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy
wisdom,
Seeing he hath no understanding?
17A friend loveth at all times;
And a brother is born for adversity.
18A man void of understanding striketh hands,
And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbor.
19He loveth transgression that loveth strife:
He that raiseth high his gate seeketh destruction.
20He that hath a wayward heart findeth no good;
And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
21He that begetteth a fool [doeth it] to his sorrow;
And the father of a fool hath no joy.
22A cheerful heart is a good medicine;
But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.
23A wicked man receiveth a bribe out of the bosom,
To pervert the ways of justice.
24Wisdom is before the face of him that hath understanding;
But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
25A foolish son is a grief to his father,
And bitterness to her that bare him.
26Also to punish the righteous is not good,
[Nor] to smite the noble for [their] uprightness.
27He that spareth his words hath knowledge;
And he that is of a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise;
When he shutteth his lips, he is [esteemed as] prudent.
Chapter 18
1He that separateth himself seeketh [his own] desire,
And rageth against all sound wisdom.
2A fool hath no delight in understanding,
But only that his heart may reveal itself.
3When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt,
And with ignominy [cometh] reproach.
4The words of a man's mouth are [as] deep waters;
The wellspring of wisdom is [as] a flowing brook.
5To respect the person of the wicked is not good,
[Nor] to turn aside the righteous in judgment.
6A fool's lips enter into contention,
And his mouth calleth for stripes.
7A fool's mouth is his destruction,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
8The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts.
9He also that is slack in his work
Is brother to him that is a destroyer.
10The name of Jehovah is a strong tower;
The righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
11The rich man's wealth is his strong city,
And as a high wall in his own imagination.
12Before destruction the heart of man is haughty;
And before honor [goeth] humility.
13He that giveth answer before he heareth,
It is folly and shame unto him.
14The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity;
But a broken spirit who can bear?
15The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge;
And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16A man's gift maketh room for him,
And bringeth him before great men.
17He that pleadeth his cause first [seemeth] just;
But his neighbor cometh and searcheth him out.
18The lot causeth contentions to cease,
And parteth between the mighty.
19A brother offended [is harder to be won] than a strong
city;
And [such] contentions are like the bars of a castle.
20A man's belly shall be filled with the fruit of his
mouth;
With the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied.
21Death and life are in the power of the tongue;
And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
22Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing,
And obtaineth favor of Jehovah.
23The poor useth entreaties;
But the rich answereth roughly.
24He that maketh many friends [doeth it] to his own
destruction;
But there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Chapter 19
1Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity
Than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
2Also, that the soul be without knowledge is not good;
And he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.
3The foolishness of man subverteth his way;
And his heart fretteth against Jehovah.
4Wealth addeth many friends;
But the poor is separated from his friend.
5A false witness shall not be unpunished;
And he that uttereth lies shall not escape.
6Many will entreat the favor of the liberal man;
And every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.
7All the brethren of the poor do hate him:
How much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursueth [them with] words, [but] they are gone.
8He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul:
He that keepeth understanding shall find good.
9A false witness shall not be unpunished;
And he that uttereth lies shall perish.
10Delicate living is not seemly for a fool;
Much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
11The discretion of a man maketh him slow to anger;
And it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
12The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion;
But his favor is as dew upon the grass.
13A foolish son is the calamity of his father;
And the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.
14House and riches are an inheritance from fathers;
But a prudent wife is from Jehovah.
15Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep;
And the idle soul shall suffer hunger.
16He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his soul;
[But] he that is careless of his ways shall die.
17He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto Jehovah,
And his good deed will he pay him again.
18Chasten thy son, seeing there is hope;
nd set not thy heart on his destruction.
19A man of great wrath shall bear the penalty;
For if thou deliver [him], thou must do it yet again.
20Hear counsel, and receive instruction,
That thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
21There are many devices in a man's heart;
But the counsel of Jehovah, that shall stand.
22That which maketh a man to be desired is his kindness;
And a poor man is better than a liar.
23The fear of Jehovah [tendeth] to life;
And he [that hath it] shall abide satisfied;
He shall not be visited with evil.
24The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish,
And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25Smite a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;
And reprove one that hath understanding, [and] he will
understand knowledge.
26He that doeth violence to his father, and chaseth away
his mother,
Is a son that causeth shame and bringeth reproach.
27Cease, my son, to hear instruction
[Only] to err from the words of knowledge.
28A worthless witness mocketh at justice;
And the mouth of the wicked swalloweth iniquity.
29Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And stripes for the back of fools.
Chapter 20
1Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler;
And whosoever erreth thereby is not wise.
2The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion:
He that provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own life.
3It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife;
But every fool will be quarrelling.
4The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter;
Therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5Counsel in the heart of man is [like] deep water;
But a man of understanding will draw it out.
6Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness;
But a faithful man who can find?
7A righteous man that walketh in his integrity,
Blessed are his children after him.
8A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment
Scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9Who can say, I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin?
10Diverse weights, and diverse measures,
Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah.
11Even a child maketh himself known by his doings,
Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12The hearing ear, and the seeing eye,
Jehovah hath made even both of them.
13Love not sleep, let thou come to poverty;
Open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14It is bad, it is bad, saith the buyer;
But when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15There is gold, and abundance of rubies;
But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16Take his garment that is surety for a stranger;
And hold him in pledge [that is surety] for foreigners.
17Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man;
But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18Every purpose is established by counsel;
And by wise guidance make thou war.
19He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets;
Therefore company not with him that openeth wide his lips.
20Whoso curseth his father or his mother,
His lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
21An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning;
But the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22Say not thou, I will recompense evil:
Wait for Jehovah, and he will save thee.
23Diverse weights are an abomination to Jehovah;
And a false balance is not good.
24A man's goings are of Jehovah;
How then can man understand his way?
25It is a snare to a man rashly to say, [It is] holy,
And after vows to make inquiry.
26A wise king winnoweth the wicked,
And bringeth the [threshing] -wheel over them.
27The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah,
Searching all his innermost parts.
28Kindness and truth preserve the king;
And his throne is upholden by kindness.
29The glory of young men is their strength;
And the beauty of old men is the hoary head.
30Stripes that wound cleanse away evil;
And strokes [reach] the innermost parts.
Chapter 21
1The king's heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the
watercourses:
He turneth it whithersoever he will.
2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes;
But Jehovah weigheth the hearts.
3To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to Jehovah than sacrifice.
4A high look, and a proud heart,
[Even] the lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5The thoughts of the diligent [tend] only to plenteousness;
But every one that is hasty [hasteth] only to want.
6The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a vapor driven to and fro by them that seek death.
7The violence of the wicked shall sweep them away,
Because they refuse to do justice.
8The way of him that is laden with guilt is exceeding
crooked;
But as for the pure, his work is right.
9It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop,
Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.
10The soul of the wicked desireth evil:
His neighbor findeth no favor in his eyes.
11When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;
And when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
12The righteous man considereth the house of the wicked,
[How] the wicked are overthrown to [their] ruin.
13Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor,
He also shall cry, but shall not be heard.
14A gift in secret pacifieth anger;
And a present in the bosom, strong wrath.
15It is joy to the righteous to do justice;
But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
16The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding
Shall rest in the assembly of the dead.
17He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man:
He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
18The wicked is a ransom for the righteous;
And the treacherous [cometh] in the stead of the upright.
19It is better to dwell in a desert land,
Than with a contentious and fretful woman.
20There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of
the wise;
But a foolish man swalloweth it up.
21He that followeth after righteousness and kindness
Findeth life, righteousness, and honor.
22A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty,
And bringeth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
23Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue
Keepeth his soul from troubles.
24The proud and haughty man, scoffer is his name;
He worketh in the arrogance of pride.
25The desire of the sluggard killeth him;
For his hands refuse to labor.
26There is that coveteth greedily all the day long;
But the righteous giveth and withholdeth not.
27The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination:
How much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind!
28A false witness shall perish;
But the man that heareth shall speak so as to endure.
29A wicked man hardeneth his face;
But as for the upright, he establisheth his ways.
30There is no wisdom nor understanding
Nor counsel against Jehovah.
31The horse is prepared against the day of battle;
But victory is of Jehovah.
Chapter 22
1A [good] name is rather to be chosen than great riches,
[And] loving favor rather than silver and gold.
2The rich and the poor meet together:
Jehovah is the maker of them all.
3A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself;
But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
4The reward of humility [and] the fear of Jehovah
[Is] riches, and honor, and life.
5Thorns [and] snares are in the way of the perverse:
He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.
6Train up a child in the way he should go,
And even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7The rich ruleth over the poor;
And the borrower is servant to the lender.
8He that soweth iniquity shall reap calamity;
And the rod of his wrath shall fail.
9He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed;
For he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out;
Yea, strife and ignominy will cease.
11He that loveth pureness of heart,
[For] the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.
12The eyes of Jehovah preserve [him that hath] knowledge;
But he overthroweth the words of the treacherous man.
13The sluggard saith, There is a lion without:
I shall be slain in the streets.
14The mouth of strange women is a deep pit:
He that is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall therein.
15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
[But] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16He that oppresseth the poor to increase his [gain],
[And] he that giveth to the rich, [shall come] only to want.
17Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise,
And apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
18For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee,
If they be established together upon thy lips.
19That thy trust may be in Jehovah,
I have made [them] known to thee this day, even to thee.
20Have not I written unto thee excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21To make thee know the certainty of the words of truth,
That thou mayest carry back words of truth to them that send
thee?
22Rob not the poor, because he is poor;
Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23For Jehovah will plead their cause,
And despoil of life those that despoil them.
24Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger;
And with a wrathful man thou shalt not go:
25Lest thou learn this ways,
And get a snare to thy soul.
26Be thou not one of them that strike hands,
[Or] of them that are sureties for debts.
27If thou hast not wherewith to pay,
Why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28Remove not the ancient landmark,
Which thy fathers have set.
29Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall
stand before kings;
He shall not stand before mean men.
Chapter 23
1When thou sittest to eat with a ruler,
Consider diligently him that is before thee;
2And put a knife to thy throat,
If thou be a man given to appetite.
3Be not desirous of his dainties;
Seeing they are deceitful food.
4Weary not thyself to be rich;
Cease from thine own wisdom.
5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?
For [riches] certainly make themselves wings,
Like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.
6Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye,
Neither desire thou his dainties:
7For as he thinketh within himself, so is he:
Eat and drink, saith he to thee;
But his heart is not with thee.
8The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up,
And lose thy sweet words.
9Speak not in the hearing of a fool;
For he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
10Remove not the ancient landmark;
And enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11For their Redeemer is strong;
He will plead their cause against thee.
12Apply thy heart unto instruction,
And thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13Withhold not correction from the child;
[For] if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
14Thou shalt beat him with the rod,
And shalt deliver his soul from Sheol.
15My son, if thy heart be wise,
My heart will be glad, even mine:
16Yea, my heart will rejoice,
When thy lips speak right things.
17Let not thy heart envy sinners;
But [be thou] in the fear of Jehovah all the day long:
18For surely there is a reward;
And thy hope shall not be cut off.
19Hear thou, my son, and be wise,
And guide thy heart in the way.
20Be not among winebibbers,
Among gluttonous eaters of flesh:
21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty;
And drowsiness will clothe [a man] with rags.
22Hearken unto thy father that begat thee,
And despise not thy mother when she is old.
23Buy the truth, and sell it not;
[Yea], wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
And he that begetteth a wise child will have joy of him.
25Let thy father and thy mother be glad,
And let her that bare thee rejoice.
26My son, give me thy heart;
And let thine eyes delight in my ways.
27For a harlot is a deep ditch;
And a foreign woman is a narrow pit.
28Yea, she lieth in wait as a robber,
And increaseth the treacherous among men.
29Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions?
Who hath complaining? who hath wounds without cause?
Who hath redness of eyes?
30They that tarry long at the wine;
They that go to seek out mixed wine.
31Look not thou upon the wine when it is red,
When it sparkleth in the cup,
When it goeth down smoothly:
32At the last it biteth like a serpent,
And stingeth like an adder.
33Thine eyes shall behold strange things,
And thy heart shall utter perverse things.
34Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of
the sea,
Or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
35They have stricken me, [shalt thou say], and I was not
hurt;
They have beaten me, and I felt it not:
When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Chapter 24
1Be not thou envious against evil men;
Neither desire to be with them:
2For their heart studieth oppression,
And their lips talk of mischief.
3Through wisdom is a house builded;
And by understanding it is established;
4And by knowledge are the chambers filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.
5A wise man is strong;
Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might
6For by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war;
And in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7Wisdom is too high for a fool:
He openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8He that deviseth to do evil,
Men shall call him a mischief-maker.
9The thought of foolishness is sin;
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10If thou faint in the day of adversity,
Thy strength is small.
11Deliver them that are carried away unto death,
And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.
12If thou sayest, Behold, we knew not this;
Doth not he that weigheth the hearts consider it?
And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it?
And shall not he render to every man according to his work?
13My son, eat thou honey, for it is good;
And the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste:
14So shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul;
If thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward,
And thy hope shall not be cut off.
15Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of
the righteous;
Destroy not his resting-place:
16For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up
again;
But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth,
And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;
18Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him,
And he turn away his wrath from him.
19Fret not thyself because of evil-doers;
Neither be thou envious at the wicked:
20For there shall be no reward to the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king;
[And] company not with them that are given to change:
22For their calamity shall rise suddenly;
And the destruction from them both, who knoweth it?
23These also are [sayings] of the wise.
To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous;
Peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him:
25But to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight,
And a good blessing shall come upon them.
26He kisseth the lips
Who giveth a right answer.
27Prepare thy work without,
And make it ready for thee in the field;
And afterwards build thy house.
28Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause;
And deceive not with thy lips.
29Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.
30I went by the field of the sluggard,
And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns,
The face thereof was covered with nettles,
And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32Then I beheld, and considered well;
I saw, and received instruction:
33[Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep;
34So shall thy poverty come as a robber,
And thy want as an armed man.
Chapter 25
1These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of
Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
2It is the glory of God to conceal a thing;
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
3As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4Take away the dross from the silver,
And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:
5Take away the wicked [from] before the king,
And his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king,
And stand not in the place of great men:
7For better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up
hither,
Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the
prince,
Whom thine eyes have seen.
8Go not forth hastily to strive,
Lest [thou know not] what to do in the end thereof,
When thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.
9Debate thy cause with thy neighbor [himself],
And disclose not the secret of another;
10Lest he that heareth it revile thee,
And thine infamy turn not away.
11A word fitly spoken
Is [like] apples of gold in network of silver.
12[As] an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold,
[So is] a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
13As the cold of snow in the time of harvest,
[So is] a faithful messenger to them that send him;
For he refresheth the soul of his masters.
14[As] clouds and wind without rain,
[So is] he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely.
15By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded,
And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
16Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for
thee,
Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
17Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbor's house,
Lest he be weary of thee, and hate thee.
18A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor
Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is [like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
20[As] one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, [and
as] vinegar upon soda,
So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.
21If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head,
And Jehovah will reward thee.
23The north wind bringeth forth rain:
So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
24It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop,
Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.
25[As] cold waters to a thirsty soul,
So is good news from a far country.
26[As] a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring,
[So is] a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
27It is not good to eat much honey:
So [for men] to search out their own glory is grievous.
28He whose spirit is without restraint
Is [like] a city that is broken down and without walls.
Chapter 26
1As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,
So honor is not seemly for a fool.
2As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her
flying,
So the curse that is causeless alighteth not.
3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass,
And a rod for the back of fools.
4Answer not a fool according to his folly,
Lest thou also be like unto him.
5Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own conceit.
6He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool
Cutteth off [his own] feet, [and] drinketh in damage.
7The legs of the lame hang loose:
So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8As one that bindeth a stone in a sling,
So is he that giveth honor to a fool.
9[As] a thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10[As] an archer that woundeth all,
So is he that hireth a fool and he that hireth them that pass by.
11As a dog that returneth to his vomit,
[So is] a fool that repeateth his folly.
12Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?
There is more hope of a fool than of him.
13The sluggard saith, There is a lion in the way;
A lion is in the streets.
14[As] the door turneth upon its hinges,
So doth the sluggard upon his bed.
15The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish;
It wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit
Than seven men that can render a reason.
17He that passeth by, [and] vexeth himself with strife
belonging not to him,
Is [like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18As a madman who casteth firebrands,
Arrows, and death,
19So is the man that deceiveth his neighbor,
And saith, Am not I in sport?
20For lack of wood the fire goeth out;
And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
21[As] coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to inflame strife.
22The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts.
23Fervent lips and a wicked heart
Are [like] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
24He that hateth dissembleth with his lips;
But he layeth up deceit within him:
25When he speaketh fair, believe him not;
For there are seven abominations in his heart:
26Though [his] hatred cover itself with guile,
His wickedness shall be openly showed before the assembly.
27Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein;
And he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
28A lying tongue hateth those whom it hath wounded;
And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Chapter 27
1Boast not thyself of tomorrow;
For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth;
A stranger, and not thine own lips.
3A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty;
But a fool's vexation is heavier than they both.
4Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming;
But who is able to stand before jealousy?
5Better is open rebuke
Than love that is hidden.
6Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
But the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7The full soul loatheth a honeycomb;
But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8As a bird that wandereth from her nest,
So is a man that wandereth from his place.
9Oil and perfume rejoice the heart;
So doth the sweetness of a man's friend [that cometh] of hearty
counsel.
10Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not;
And go not to thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity:
Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.
11My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
That I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12A prudent man seeth the evil, [and] hideth himself;
[But] the simple pass on, [and] suffer for it.
13Take his garment that is surety for a stranger;
And hold him in pledge [that is surety] for a foreign woman.
14He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising
early in the morning,
It shall be counted a curse to him.
15A continual dropping in a very rainy day
And a contentious woman are alike:
16He that would restrain her restraineth the wind;
And his right hand encountereth oil.
17Iron sharpeneth iron;
So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof;
And he that regardeth his master shall be honored.
19As in water face [answereth] to face,
So the heart of man to man.
20Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied;
And the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold;
And a man is [tried] by his praise.
22Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a
pestle along with bruised grain,
Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks,
[And] look well to thy herds:
24For riches are not for ever:
And doth the crown endure unto all generations?
25The hay is carried, and the tender grass showeth itself,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in.
26The lambs are for thy clothing,
And the goats are the price of the field;
27And [there will be] goats' milk enough for thy food, for
the food of thy household,
And maintenance for thy maidens.
Chapter 28
1The wicked flee when no man pursueth;
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
2For the transgression of a land many are the princes
thereof;
But by men of understanding [and] knowledge the state [thereof]
shall be prolonged.
3A needy man that oppresseth the poor
Is [like] a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.
4They that forsake the law praise the wicked;
But such as keep the law contend with them.
5Evil men understand not justice;
But they that seek Jehovah understand all things.
6Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity,
Than he that is perverse in [his] ways, though he be rich.
7Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son;
But he that is a companion of gluttons shameth his father.
8He that augmenteth his substance by interest and
increase,
Gathereth it for him that hath pity on the poor.
9He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination.
10Whoso causeth the upright to go astray in an evil way,
He shall fall himself into his own pit;
But the perfect shall inherit good.
11The rich man is wise in his own conceit;
But the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
12When the righteous triumph, there is great glory;
But when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.
13He that covereth his transgressions shall not prosper:
But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy.
14Happy is the man that feareth alway;
But he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
15[As] a roaring lion, and a ranging bear,
[So is] a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great
oppressor;
[But] he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
17A man that is laden with the blood of any person
Shall flee unto the pit; let no man stay him.
18Whoso walketh uprightly shall be delivered;
But he that is perverse in [his] ways shall fall at once.
19He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread;
But he that followeth after vain [persons] shall have poverty
enough.
20A faithful man shall abound with blessings;
But he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be unpunished.
21To have respect of persons is not good;
Neither that a man should transgress for a piece of bread.
22he that hath an evil eye hasteth after riches,
And knoweth not that want shall come upon him.
23He that rebuketh a man shall afterward find more favor
Than he that flattereth with the tongue.
24Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is
no transgression,
The same is the companion of a destroyer.
25He that is of a greedy spirit stirreth up strife;
But he that putteth his trust in Jehovah shall be made fat.
26He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool;
But whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
27He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack;
But he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
28When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Chapter 29
1He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck
Shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2When the righteous are increased, the people rejoice;
But when a wicked man beareth rule, the people sigh.
3Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father;
But he that keepeth company with harlots wasteth [his] substance.
4The king by justice establisheth the land;
But he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.
5A man that flattereth his neighbor
Spreadeth a net for his steps.
6In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare;
But the righteous doth sing and rejoice.
7The righteous taketh knowledge of the cause of the poor;
The wicked hath not understanding to know [it].
8Scoffers set a city in a flame;
But wise men turn away wrath.
9If a wise man hath a controversy with a foolish man,
Whether he be angry or laugh, there will be no rest.
10The bloodthirsty hate him that is perfect;
And as for the upright, they seek his life.
11A fool uttereth all his anger;
But a wise man keepeth it back and stilleth it.
12If a ruler hearkeneth to falsehood,
All his servants are wicked.
13The poor man and the oppressor meet together;
Jehovah lighteneth the eyes of them both.
14The king that faithfully judgeth the poor,
His throne shall be established for ever.
15The rod and reproof give wisdom;
But a child left to himself causeth shame to his mother.
16When the wicked are increased, transgression increaseth;
But the righteous shall look upon their fall.
17Correct thy son, and he will give thee rest;
Yea, he will give delight unto thy soul.
18Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint;
But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
19A servant will not be corrected by words;
For though he understand, he will not give heed.
20Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words?
There is more hope of a fool than of him.
21He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child
Shall have him become a son at the last.
22An angry man stirreth up strife,
And a wrathful man aboundeth in transgression.
23A man's pride shall bring him low;
But he that is of a lowly spirit shall obtain honor.
24Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul;
He heareth the adjuration and uttereth nothing.
25The fear of man bringeth a snare;
But whoso putteth his trust in Jehovah shall be safe.
26Many seek the ruler's favor;
But a man's judgment [cometh] from Jehovah.
27An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous;
And he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the
wicked.
Chapter 30
1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; The oracle.
The man saith unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal:
2Surely I am more brutish than any man,
And have not the understanding of a man;
3And I have not learned wisdom,
Neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.
4Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended?
Who hath gathered the wind in his fists?
Who hath bound the waters in his garment?
Who hath established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?
5Every word of God is tried:
He is a shield unto them that take refuge in him.
6Add thou not unto his words,
Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7Two things have I asked of thee;
Deny me [them] not before I die:
8Remove far from me falsehood and lies;
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is needful for me:
9Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who is Jehovah?
Or lest I be poor, and steal,
And use profanely the name of my God.
10Slander not a servant unto his master,
Lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
11There is a generation that curse their father,
And bless not their mother.
12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes,
And [yet] are not washed from their filthiness.
13There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are lifted up.
14There is a generation whose teeth are [as] swords, and
their jaw teeth [as] knives,
To devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among
men.
15The horseleach hath two daughters, [crying], Give, give.
There are three things that are never satisfied,
[Yea], four that say not, Enough:
16Sheol; and the barren womb;
The earth that is not satisfied with water;
And the fire that saith not, Enough.
17The eye that mocketh at his father,
And despiseth to obey his mother,
The ravens of the valley shall pick it out,
And the young eagles shall eat it.
18There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Yea, four which I know not:
19The way of an eagle in the air;
The way of a serpent upon a rock;
The way of a ship in the midst of the sea;
And the way of a man with a maiden.
20So is the way of an adulterous woman;
She eateth, and wipeth her mouth,
And saith, I have done no wickedness.
21For three things the earth doth tremble,
And for four, [which] it cannot bear:
22For a servant when he is king;
And a fool when he is filled with food;
23For an odious woman when she is married;
And a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24There are four things which are little upon the earth,
But they are exceeding wise:
25The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they provide their food in the summer;
26The conies are but a feeble folk,
Yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27The locusts have no king,
Yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28The lizard taketh hold with her hands,
Yet is she in kings' palaces.
29There are three things which are stately in their march,
Yea, four which are stately in going:
30The lion, which is mightiest among beasts,
And turneth not away for any;
31The greyhound; the he-goat also;
And the king against whom there is no rising up.
32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself,
Or if thou hast thought evil,
[Lay] thy hand upon thy mouth.
33For the churning of milk bringeth forth butter,
And the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood;
So the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
Chapter 31
1The words of king Lemuel; the oracle which his mother
taught him.
2What, my son? and what, O son of my womb?
And what, O son of my vows?
3Give not thy strength unto women,
Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to
drink wine;
Nor for princes [to say], Where is strong drink?
5Lest they drink, and forget the law,
And pervert the justice [due] to any that is afflicted.
6Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish,
And wine unto the bitter in soul:
7Let him drink, and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.
8Open thy mouth for the dumb,
In the cause of all such as are left desolate.
9Open thy mouth, judge righteously,
And minister justice to the poor and needy.
10A worthy woman who can find?
For her price is far above rubies.
11The heart of her husband trusteth in her,
And he shall have no lack of gain.
12She doeth him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13She seeketh wool and flax,
And worketh willingly with her hands.
14She is like the merchant-ships;
She bringeth her bread from afar.
15She riseth also while it is yet night,
And giveth food to her household,
And their task to her maidens.
16She considereth a field, and buyeth it;
With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17She girdeth her loins with strength,
And maketh strong her arms.
18She perceiveth that her merchandise is profitable:
Her lamp goeth not out by night.
19She layeth her hands to the distaff,
And her hands hold the spindle.
20She stretcheth out her hand to the poor;
Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21She is not afraid of the snow for her household;
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22She maketh for herself carpets of tapestry;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24She maketh linen garments and selleth them,
And delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25Strength and dignity are her clothing;
And she laugheth at the time to come.
26She openeth her mouth with wisdom;
And the law of kindness is on her tongue.
27She looketh well to the ways of her household,
And eateth not the bread of idleness.
28Her children rise up, and call her blessed;
Her husband [also], and he praiseth her, [saying]:
29Many daughters have done worthily,
But thou excellest them all.
30Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain;
[But] a woman that feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised.
31Give her of the fruit of her hands;
And let her works praise her in the gates.
This document (last modified December 30, 1997) from Believerscafe.com
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