The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD he directs it like a watercourse whereever he pleases.
All a man's ways seem right to him.but the LORD weights the heart.
To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin
The plans of the diligent lead to tprofit as surely as haste leads to poverty
A fortune made by a lying tongue, is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.
The violence of the violennce of the wicked will drqg them away, for they refuseto do what is right
The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright
Better to live on a corner of the roof than sjare a house with a quarrelsone wife
The wicked man craves evil: hie neighbor gets no mercy from him
When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; when a wise man is instructed, he gets knowledge.
The Righteous One, takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.
If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.
A gift given un secret soothes anger and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.
A man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of thed ead.
He who loves pleaasure will become poor, whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich
The wicked become a ransom for the righteous and the unfaithful for the upright.
Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife
In teh house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish mand evours all he has.
He who pursues rightepusness and love finds life, prosperity and honor
A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down thes tronghold in which they trust.
He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity
The proud and arrogant man-"Mocker" is his name; he behaves with overweening pride.
The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work
All day long he craves for more, but the roghteous give with out sparing
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable- how much more so when brought with evil intent!
A false witness will perish, and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever
A wicked man puts up a bold front, but an upright man gives thoughjt to his ways.
There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.
The horse is made ready the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD
Proverbs 22
A good name is more desorable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
Rich and poor have this in common; The LORD is the Maker of them all
A proudent man sees danger and takes refuge but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.
In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
The rich rule over the poor, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed,
A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his fury will ne destroyed.
A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended.
He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend,
The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful
The sluggard says. "There is a lion outside!" or "I will be murdered in thes treets!"
The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the LORD ;s wrath will fall into it.
Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
He who oppresses thenpoor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich- both come to povertu.
Pay attention and listen to teh sayings of the wise, apply your heart to what I teach.
for it is pleasing when you keep them in your hears and have all of them ready on your lips
So that your trust may be in the LORD, I teach you today, even you.
Have I not written thirty saying for you, saying of counsel and knowledge.
teaching you true and relieabl words, so that you can give sound answers to him who wdnt you?
Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court.
for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them.
Do not make freinds with a hot- tem[ered man, do not associate with one easily angered.
or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.
Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts;
if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.
Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.
Do you wee a man skilled in his work: He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.
Proverbs 23
When you sit to dine with a ruler note well what is before you.
and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony
Do not crave his delicacies, for that fool is deceptive.
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.
Cast but a glance at riches and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle
Do not eat the food of a stingy man, do not crave his delicacies;
for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost,"Eat and drink," he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments.
Do not speak to a fool, for he will scron teh wisdom of your words
Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless.
for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowdege
Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.
My son, if your heart is wise them my heart will be glad:
my inmost bneing will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.
There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be out off.
Listen , my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path.
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat.
For drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old
Buy the truth and do not sell it, get wisdom, discipline and understanding
The father of a righreous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him
May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice!
My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways.
for a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow well
Like a banidit she lies in wait, and multiplies the unfaithful among men.
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strige? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine
Domnot gaze at wine shen it is red, when if spanrkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!
In the end it nites like a snake and poisons like a viper.
Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things.
You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lting on top of the rigfing,
"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?"
Proverbs 24
Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company;
for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouuble.
By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
A wise man has preat power, and a man of knowledge increases strenfth:
for waging war you need guidance; and for victory many advisers.
Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the assembly at the gate he has nothing to say.
He who plots evil will be known as a schemer.
The schemes of fully are sin, and men detest a mocker.
If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!
Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaghter.
If you say," But we knew nothing about this," does not he who wieghs the heard perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?
Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste
Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man's house, do not raid his dwelling place.
for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by ca,amity.
Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,
or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.
Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked,
for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of teh will be snuffed out.
Fearn the LORD and the king my son, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
Fear the LORD and the king , my son, and do not join with the rebellious,
for those two will send sudden destruction upon them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?
These also are saying of the wise; To show partiality in judging is not good;
Whoever says to the guilty, "You are innocent"- [eoples will curse him and nations denounce him.
But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich belssing will come upom them.
An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips
Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, or use your lips tod eceive.
Do not say," I 'll do ti him as he has done to me, I;ll pay that man back for what he did,"
I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgement;
thorns had come up sevrywhere, the ground was covered with weeds,and thes tone wall was in ruins
I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I save;
A little sleep,a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-
and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.
Proverbs 25
These are more proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah king og Judah.
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings
As the heavens are high and the earth is deep. so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
Remove the droww from the silver, and out comes material for the silvermith;
remove the wicked from the king's presence and his through will be established through righteousness.
Do not exalt in the king's presence, and do not claim a place among great men;
it is better for him to say to you,"Come up here," than for him to humillate you before a nobleman, What you have seen with your eyes.
do not bring hastily to court for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?
If you argue your case with a neighbor, do not betary another man's confidence
or he who hears it may shame you and you will never lose your bad reputation.
A word aptly spoken is like appies of gold ins ettings of silver.
Like an earing of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man's rebuke to a listening ear.
Like the coolness of snow at ahrvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters.
Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give.
Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone
If you find honey, eat just enough- too much of it, and you will hate you.
Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house- too much of you, and he will hate you.
Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor.
Like a bad tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble.
Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on soda, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
If your enemy is hungry give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.
As a north wind brings rain,so a sly tongue brings angry looks.
Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.
Like a maddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one's own honot.
Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.