Proverbs 20:30–31:31

30 Lashes and wounds purge away evil, s

and beatings cleanse the innermost parts. t

21 A king’s heart is like streams of water in the Lord’s hand:

He directs it wherever He chooses. u

2 All a man’s ways seem right to him,

but the Lord evaluates the motives. v w

3 Doing what is righteous and just

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. x

4 The lamp y that guides the wicked—

haughty eyes and an arrogant heart z—is sin.

5 The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,

but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor. a

6 Making a fortune through a lying tongue

is a vanishing mist, b a pursuit of death. c d e

7 The violence of the wicked sweeps them away

because they refuse to act justly.

8 A * guilty man’s conduct is crooked, f

but the behavior of the innocent is upright. g

9 Better to live on the corner of a roof

than to share a house with a nagging wife. h

10 A wicked person desires evil;

he has no consideration i for his neighbor. j

11 When a mocker is punished,

the inexperienced become wiser;

when one teaches a wise man,

he acquires knowledge. k

12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked;

He brings the wicked to ruin.

13 The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor

will himself also call out and not be answered. l

14 A secret gift soothes anger,

and a covert bribe, m fierce rage. n

15 Justice executed is a joy to the righteous

but a terror to those who practice iniquity. o

16 The man who strays from the way of wisdom

will come to rest

in the assembly of the departed spirits. p

17 The one who loves pleasure will become a poor man;

whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich. q

18 The wicked are a ransom for the righteous,

and the treacherous, for r the upright. s

19 Better to live in a wilderness

than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife. t

20 Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person,

but a foolish man consumes them. u v

21 The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love

will find life, righteousness, and honor. w

22 A wise person went up against a city of warriors

and brought down its secure fortress. x

23 The one who guards his mouth and tongue

keeps himself out of trouble. y

24 The proud and arrogant person, named “Mocker,”

acts with excessive pride. z

25 A slacker’s craving will kill him

because his hands refuse to work. a

26 He is filled with craving b all day long,

but the righteous give and don’t hold back. c

27 The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable—

how much more so

when he brings it with ulterior motives! d

28 A lying witness will perish, e

but the one who listens will speak successfully.

29 A wicked man puts on a bold face, f

but the upright man considers his way.

30 No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel

will prevail against the Lord. g

31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle, h

but victory comes from the Lord. i

22 A good name is to be chosen over great wealth;

favor is better than silver and gold. j

2 The rich and the poor have this in common: k

the Lord made them both. l m

3 A sensible person sees danger and takes cover,

but the inexperienced keep going and are punished. n

4 The result of humility is * fear of the Lord,

along with wealth, honor, and life. o

5 There are thorns and snares on the path of the crooked; p

the one who guards himself stays far from them.

6 Teach a youth about the way he should go; q

even when he is old he will not depart from it.

7 The rich rule over the poor, r

and the borrower is a slave to the lender. s

8 The one who sows injustice will reap disaster, t

and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

9 A generous person u will be blessed, v

for he shares his food with the poor. w

10 Drive out a mocker, x and conflict goes too;

then quarreling and dishonor will cease. y

11 The one who loves a pure heart

and gracious lips—the king is his friend. z

12 The Lord’s eyes keep watch over knowledge,

but He overthrows the words of the treacherous.

13 The slacker says, “There’s a lion outside!

I’ll be killed in the public square!” a

14 The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit;

a man cursed by the Lord will fall into it. b

15 Foolishness is tangled up in the heart of a youth;

the rod of discipline will drive it away from him. c

16 Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself,

and giving to the rich—both lead only to poverty. d

Words of the Wise

17 Listen closely, e pay attention to the words of the wise, f

and apply your mind to my knowledge.

18 For it is pleasing if you keep them within you

and if g they are constantly on your lips.

19 I have instructed you today—even you—

so that your confidence may be in the Lord.

20 Haven’t I written for you thirty sayings h

about counsel and knowledge,

21 in order to teach you true and reliable words,

so that you may give a dependable report i j

to those who sent you? k

22 Don’t rob a poor man because he is poor,

and don’t crush the oppressed l at the * gate, m

23 for the Lord will take up their case n

and will plunder those who plunder them.

24 Don’t make friends with an angry man, o

and don’t be a companion of a hot-tempered man, p

25 or you will learn his ways q

and entangle yourself in a snare.

26 Don’t be one of those who enter agreements, r

who put up security for loans. s

27 If you have no money to pay,

even your bed will be taken from under you. t

28 Don’t move an ancient boundary marker,

that your fathers set up. u

29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?

He will stand in the presence of kings.

He will not stand in the presence of unknown men. v

23 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,

consider carefully what w is before you,

2 and put a knife to your throat

if you have a big x appetite;

3 don’t desire his choice food, y

for that food is deceptive.

4 Don’t wear yourself out to get rich; z

stop giving your attention to it.

5 As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, a

for it makes wings for itself

and flies like an eagle to the sky.

6 Don’t eat a stingy person’s bread, b c

and don’t desire his choice food, d

7 for it’s like someone calculating inwardly. e f

“Eat and drink,” he says to you,

but his heart is not with you. g

8 You will vomit the little you’ve eaten

and waste your pleasant words.

9 Don’t speak to h a fool,

for he will despise the insight of your words. i

10 Don’t move an ancient boundary marker, j

and don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,

11 for their Redeemer is strong, k

and He will take up their case against you. l

12 Apply yourself to discipline

and listen to words of knowledge.

13 Don’t withhold discipline from a youth;

if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. m

14 Strike him with a rod,

and you will rescue his life from * Sheol. n

15 My son, if your heart is wise,

my heart will indeed rejoice. o

16 My innermost being will cheer

when your lips say what is right. p

17 Don’t let your heart envy sinners; q

instead, always * fear the Lord. r

18 For then you will have a future,

and your hope will never fade. s

19 Listen, my son, and be wise;

keep your mind on the right course.

20 Don’t associate with those who drink too much wine t

or with those who gorge themselves on meat. u

21 For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor,

and grogginess will clothe them in rags. v

22 Listen to your father who gave you life,

and don’t despise your mother when w she is old. x

23 Buy—and do not sell—truth,

wisdom, instruction, and understanding. y

24 The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly,

and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him. z

25 Let your father and mother have joy, a

and let her who gave birth to you rejoice.

26 My son, give me your heart,

and let your eyes observe my ways.

27 For a prostitute is a deep pit, b

and a stranger is a narrow well;

28 indeed, she sets an ambush like a robber c

and increases those among men who are unfaithful.

29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has conflicts? Who has complaints?

Who has wounds for no reason? d

Who has red eyes?

30 Those who linger over wine,

those who go looking for mixed wine. e

31 Don’t gaze at wine because it is red, f

when it gleams in the cup

and goes down smoothly. g

32 In the end it bites like a snake

and stings like a viper.

33 Your eyes will see strange things,

and you will say absurd things. h i

34 You’ll be like someone sleeping out at sea

or lying down on the top of a ship’s mast.

35 “They struck me, but j I feel no pain!

They beat me, but I didn’t know it! k

When will I wake up?

I’ll look for another drink.” l

24 Don’t envy evil men m

or desire to be with them, n

2 for their hearts plan violence,

and their words stir up trouble. o

3 A house is built by wisdom, p

and it is established by understanding;

4 by knowledge the rooms are filled

with every precious and beautiful treasure.

5 A wise warrior is better than a strong one, q

and a man of knowledge than one of strength; r s

6 for you should wage war with sound guidance—

victory comes with many counselors. t

7 Wisdom is inaccessible to u a fool; v

he does not open his mouth at the * gate. w

8 The one who plots evil x

will be called a schemer.

9 A foolish scheme is sin,

and a mocker is detestable to people.

10 If you do nothing in a difficult time,

your strength is limited.

11 Rescue those being taken off to death,

and save those stumbling toward slaughter. y

12 If you say, “But we didn’t know about this,”

won’t He who weighs hearts z consider it?

Won’t He who protects your life a know?

Won’t He repay a person according to his work? b

13 Eat honey, c my son, for it is good,

and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate; d

14 realize that wisdom is the same for you. e

If you find it, you will have a future,

and your hope will never fade. f

15 Wicked man, don’t set an ambush,

at the camp of the righteous man; g

don’t destroy his dwelling.

16 Though a righteous man falls seven times,

he will get up, h

but the wicked will stumble into ruin. i

17 Don’t gloat when your enemy falls,

and don’t let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, j

18 or the Lord will see, be displeased,

and turn His wrath away from him.

19 Don’t be agitated by evildoers,

and don’t envy the wicked. k

20 For the evil have no future; l

the lamp of the wicked will be put out…