Sermon Central
Proverbs 26-31
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
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.
20Death and Destruction
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
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.
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.
23Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue.
24Whoever robs their father or mother and says, “It’s not wrong,” is partner to one who destroys.
25The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the LORD will prosper.
26Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
27Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses. 28When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding; but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.
1Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
2When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.
3A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
4By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for
5Those who flatter their neighbors are spreading nets for their feet.
6Evildoers are snared by their own sin, but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.
7The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.
8Mockers stir up a city, but the wise turn away anger.
9If a wise person goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.
10The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity and seek to kill the upright.
11Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.
12If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked.
13The poor and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.
14If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will be established forever.
15A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.
16When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall.
17Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.
18Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
19Servants cannot be corrected by mere words; though they understand, they will not respond.
20Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
21A servant pampered from youth will turn out to be insolent.
22An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.
23Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor.
24The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies; they are put under oath and dare not testify.
25Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.
26Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the LORD that one gets justice. 27The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright.
Sayings of Agur
1The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance. This man’s utterance to Ithiel: “I am weary, God, but I can prevail.
2Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding.
3I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.
4Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!
5“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7“Two things I ask of you, LORD ; do not refuse me before I die:
8Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.
9Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD ?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
10“Do not slander a servant to their master, or they will curse you, and you will pay for it.
11“There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers;
12those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth;
13those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful;
14those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind.
15“The leech has two daughters. ‘Give! Give!’ they cry. “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
16the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’
17“The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.
18“There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:
19the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman.
20“This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’
21“Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
22a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,
23a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress.
24“Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:
25Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
26hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags;
27locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks;
28a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces.
29“There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing:
30a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing;
31a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt.
32“If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth! 33For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.”
Sayings of King Lemuel 1The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.
2Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!
3Do not spend your strength
4It is not for kings, Lemuel— it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,
5lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine for those who are in anguish!
7Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.
8Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
9Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
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11Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
12She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
13She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.
16She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
18She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
19In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
21When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
26She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
30Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.