Proverbs 23:22-28:22

Saying 17 22Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23Buy the truth and do not sell it— wisdom, instruction and insight as well.

24The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.

25May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful!

Saying 18 26My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways,

27for an adulterous woman is a deep pit, and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

28Like a bandit she lies in wait and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Saying 19 29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

30Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.

31Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!

32In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.

33Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things.

34You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. 35“They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?”

Saying 20 1Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company;

2for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.

Saying 21 3By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;

4through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.

Saying 22 5The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength.

6Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers.

Saying 23 7Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths.

Saying 24 8Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer.

9The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker.

Saying 25 10If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!

11Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

12If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?

Saying 26 13Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.

14Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Saying 27 15Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place;

16for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.

Saying 28 17Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,

18or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them.

Saying 29 19Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked,

20for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

Saying 30 21Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials,

22for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise 23These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good:

24Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.

25But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them.

26An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

27Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.

28Do not testify against your neighbor without cause— would you use your lips to mislead?

29Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me; I’ll pay them back for what they did.”

30I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;

31thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins.

32I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw:

33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 34and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.

More Proverbs of Solomon 1These are more proverbs of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:

2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

3As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

4Remove the dross from the silver, and a silversmith can produce a vessel;

5remove wicked officials from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.

6Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among his great men;

7it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,” than for him to humiliate you before his nobles. What you have seen with your eyes

8do not bring Or nobles / on whom you had set your eyes. / 8 Do not go hastily to court, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?

9If you take your neighbor to court, do not betray another’s confidence,

10or the one who hears it may shame you and the charge against you will stand.

11Like apples Or possibly apricots of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given.

12Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.

13Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him; he refreshes the spirit of his master.

14Like clouds and wind without rain is one who boasts of gifts never given.

15Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

16If you find honey, eat just enough— too much of it, and you will vomit.

17Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house— too much of you, and they will hate you.

18Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.

19Like a broken tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.

20Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on a wound, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

22In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

23Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.

24Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

25Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.

26Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked.

27It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep. 28Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.

1Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool.

2Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!

4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.

5Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.

6Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.

7Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

8Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.

9Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

10Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.

11As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.

12Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.

13A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!”

14As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.

15A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

16A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.

17Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

18Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death

19is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

20Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.

21As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

22The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.

23Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent Hebrew; Septuagint smooth lips with an evil heart.

24Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit.

25Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts.

26Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them. 28A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.

1Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

2Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.

3Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

4Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?

5Better is open rebuke than hidden love.

6Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

7One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

8Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees from home.

9Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.

10Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

11Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.

12The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

13Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.

14If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.

15A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;

16restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.

17As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

18The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master will be honored.

19As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. Or so others reflect your heart back to you

20Death and Destruction Hebrew Abaddon are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes.

21The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.

22Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them.

23Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;

24for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.

25When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in,

26the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field. 27You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.

1The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

2When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

3A ruler Or A poor person who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

4Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked, but those who heed it resist them.

5Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.

6Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.

7A discerning son heeds instruction, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.

8Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

9If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.

10Whoever leads the upright along an evil path will fall into their own trap, but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

11The rich are wise in their own eyes; one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

12When the righteous triumph, there is great elation; but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.

13Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

14Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

15Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

16A tyrannical ruler practices extortion, but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

17Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder will seek refuge in the grave; let no one hold them back.

18The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit. Syriac (see Septuagint); Hebrew into one

19Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.

20A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

21To show partiality is not good— yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.

22The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them.