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Proverbs 16-22
The Voice
Proverbs 16-22
The Voice
16 People go about making their plans,
but the Eternal has the final word.
2 Even when you think you have good intentions,
He knows your real motives.
3 Whatever you do, do it as service to Him,
and He will guarantee your success.
4 The Eternal made everything for a reason.
Even wrongdoers fit in His plans; troubled times await them.
5 He abhors arrogant people.
Make no mistake about it! They will be punished!
6 The penalty of sin is removed by love and loyalty;
and by devotion to the Eternal, evil is avoided.
7 When people make good choices, He is pleased;
He even causes their enemies to live peacefully near them.
8 Better to have little and stand for what is right
than to become rich by doing what is wrong.
9 People do their best making plans for their lives,
but the Eternal guides each step.
10 The king makes a decision under divine inspiration,
but he must never render an unfair judgment.
11 The Eternal requires that business be conducted honestly;
He wants fairness in all your dealings.
12 When kings commit evil, it is despicable,
because their thrones should be built on justice.
13 Kings admire those who tell the truth;
they adore those who set the record straight.
14 A king’s rage signals that people will die,
but whoever is wise will pacify him.
15 If a king is smiling brightly, life will be granted;
his favor is like a cloud swelled with the first spring rain.
16 How much better it is to receive wisdom than the riches of gold
and to gain understanding over some silver prize!
17 The highway of the just bypasses evil;
those who watch where they’re going protect their lives from sin.
18 Pride precedes destruction;
an arrogant spirit gives way to a nasty fall.
19 It is better to be humble and live among the poor,
than to divide up stolen property with the proud.
20 Those devoted to instruction will prosper in goodness;
those who trust in the Eternal will experience His favor.
21 The wise at heart have a reputation for understanding;
pleasant words make the lips more persuasive.
22 Understanding for those who have it is a spring of life,
but it is pointless to try and instruct a fool.
23 From a wise heart flow careful words;
wise words make the lips more persuasive.
24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb:
they drip sweet food for life and bring health to the body.
25 Before every person lies a road that seems to be right,
but at the end of that road death and destruction wait.
26 People work to stay alive,
pressed daily by their need to eat.
27 Good-for-nothings conjure up evil ideas;
their conversations fuel destructive fires.
28 Perverse people stir up contention;
gossip makes best friends into enemies.
29 Violent people try to recruit their neighbors,
wanting to lead them down the vile path of evil they have chosen.
30 Body language can expose a person’s intentions:
whoever winks the eye is planning perversity;
whoever purses his lips is intent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of honor,
earned by living the right kind of life.
32 It is better to be a patient man than a mighty warrior,
better to be someone who controls his temper than someone who conquers a city.
33 We may try to control the roll of the dice,
but actually, the Eternal decides what they will determine.
17 Better to gnaw on a bit of dry crust in peace
than to feast in a house full of stress.
2 A wise servant will be put in charge of a child who behaves badly
and will take a share of the inheritance like one of the family.
3 Silver is purified in the crucible, gold in the furnace,
but motives of the heart are judged by the Eternal.
4 Wrongdoers perk up when listening to gossip,
and liars lean in close to hear talk of mischief.
5 Anyone who makes fun of the poor disparages his Maker,
and those who celebrate another’s misfortune will not escape certain punishment.
6 Grandchildren are the crowning glory and ultimate delight of old age,
and parents are the pride of their children.
7 Elegant speech sounds odd when it comes from a fool,
and a lie on the lips of a leader is even more out of place!
8 A bribe is like an enchanting charm to one who counts on it—
everywhere he looks he sees the illusion of success.
9 Those who forgive faults foster love,
but those who repeatedly recall them ruin relationships.
10 A single correction makes a more lasting impression on one who is wise
than a hundred lashes do on a fool.
11 Evil people are determined to rebel,
and so a merciless messenger will chase them down.
12 Better to face a mother bear stripped of her cubs
than to encounter a fool caught up in his foolishness.
13 Those who repay good with evil
bring unrelenting trouble upon their families.
14 Picking a fight is like leaking water from a crack in a dam,
so walk away from an argument before the outburst.
15 Both of these deeply offend the Eternal:
one who acquits the guilty and one who condemns the innocent.
16 Even if fools had the means to obtain wisdom,
they would not be able to benefit from it.
17 A true friend loves regardless of the situation,
and a real brother exists to share the tough times.
18 Only a fool shakes hands on a deal
and guarantees repayment of someone else’s loan.
19 A person who loves sin loves a fight,
and one who builds a grand entrance dares others to tear it down.
20 Crooked-hearted people never recognize anything good,
and those who distort the truth court disaster.
21 Having a fool for a child is misery;
there is no joy in parenting a fool.
22 A joy-filled heart is curative balm,
but a broken spirit hurts all the way to the bone.
23 A wicked person accepts a bribe under the table
to derail the course of justice.
24 Those who understand look to wisdom for guidance,
but fools fasten their eyes on some distant horizon.
25 Foolish children irritate their fathers
and embitter their mothers.
26 Also know this: It is wrong to penalize those who do what is right
or to lash the noble because of their integrity.
27 Those with knowledge know when to be quiet,
and those with understanding know how to remain calm.
28 Even a fool who keeps quiet is considered wise,
for when he keeps his mouth shut, he appears clever.
18 Whoever pulls away from others to focus solely on his own desires
disregards any sense of sound judgment.
2 A fool never delights in true knowledge
but only wants to express what’s on his mind.
3 When wrongdoers arrive, disgrace is right there with them,
for shame is the companion of dishonor.
4 Words bubble up from waters deep within a person;
a stream gushes from the fountain of wisdom.
5 It is wrong for a judge to show partiality to the guilty
or to rob the innocent of justice.
6 When a fool’s lips move, a fight breaks out;
it’s as if his mouth is begging for a beating.
7 The mouths of fools are their destruction,
and their lips entrap their very souls.
8 Whispered gossip is like a delicious first course:
it is devoured with pleasure and penetrates deeply.
9 Those who slack off at work
are no different from vandals.
10 The Eternal is known to be like a sturdy watchtower;
those who do right flee to Him for protection.
11 The rich think their wealth is their sturdy fortress;
they imagine it to be an invincible wall of security.
12 A proud heart precedes destruction,
and before honor is humility.
13 To respond to a matter before you hear about it
shows foolishness and brings shame.
14 The human spirit can endure a long illness,
but who can survive a crushed spirit?
15 Clever people go after knowledge to obtain it,
and wise people attune their ears to hear it.
16 The right gift at the right time can open up new opportunities
and gains access to influential people.
17 The first ones to tell their side of a story seem right
until cross-examined by their peers.
18 Casting lots can settle conflicts
and decide between powerful opponents.
19 Winning over an offended brother is harder than breaching a strong city’s defenses;
such fights are as tough as the iron gates of a castle.
20 Good words satisfy like a fine meal;
yes, good conversations are sure to satisfy.
21 Words have power in matters of life and death,
and those who love them will savor their fruit.
22 The man who finds a wife finds something good,
and the favor of the Eternal is indeed his.
23 The poor plead for help,
but the rich respond harshly.
24 Someone with many so-called friends may end up friendless,
but a true friend is closer than a brother.
19 Better to be poor and live with integrity
than a fool with a foul mouth.
2 Surely there’s no advantage for a person without knowledge,
and whoever moves too quickly misses the turn.
3 Foolishness diverts the course of life,
yet the heart rebels against the Eternal.
4 Wealth attracts many friends,
but the poor are soon separated from theirs.
5 A false witness will not escape punishment,
and one who breathes lies will not go free.
6 Many try to win the favor of a generous person,
and everyone is a friend to someone who gives gifts.
7 If a poor man is hated by his relatives,
it is even more likely his friends will avoid him too!
Anyone who is calling after them
[is not to be found].[a]
8 Whoever gains a wise heart loves his own soul,
and whoever preserves understanding experiences true goodness.
9 A false witness will not escape punishment,
and whoever breathes lies will not survive.
10 Something is wrong when a fool lives a pampered life,
but it is much worse when a slave takes charge of princes.
11 A person with discretion is not easily angered;
he gains respect by overlooking an offense.
12 A king’s rage is like the thunderous roar of a lion,
but his favor is like a cooling mist upon the grass.
13 Foolish children bring misery to their fathers,
and a wife’s bickering is a constant dripping as from a leaky roof.
14 Houses and riches may be inherited from parents,
but a sensible wife is a gift from the Eternal.
15 Laziness lulls people into a deep sleep;
a slacker will have nothing to eat.
16 Whoever keeps God’s commands lengthens his life,
but a careless lifestyle ends in death.
17 Whoever cares for the poor makes a loan to the Eternal;
such kindness will be repaid in full and with interest.
18 Discipline your children while there is still hope of influencing their future,
so as not to play a part in their destruction.
19 A hot-tempered man will pay a penalty;
if you bail him out, it will not be the last time; the cycle will repeat.
20 Heed counsel, act on instruction,
and you will become wise later in life.
21 The impulses of the human heart may run wild,
but the Eternal’s plan will prevail.
22 Loyalty is a trait admired in others,
and being destitute is better than being a liar.
23 Reverence for the Eternal leads to a fulfilled life;
those who have it will sleep well,
for disaster will not touch them.
24 Some people are so lazy—they reach for food on the plate
but lack the will to bring it up to their mouths.
25 If you beat one who mocks, the naive will see and learn a lesson;
if you correct someone with understanding, that’s all he needs to grow a little wiser.
26 Children who mistreat their father and run down their mother
are a root of shame and disgrace.
27 My child, should you stop listening to instruction,
you will wander from the voice of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness ridicules justice,
and the mouth of the wrongdoer savors every morsel of trouble.
29 Severe penalties are prepared for those who mock,
and fools expect their backs to be flogged.
20 Too much wine begins to mock you,
too much strong drink leads to noisy fights,
and whoever is misled by either is not wise.
2 A king’s wrath strikes fear like a lion’s roar;
those who provoke him to anger sentence themselves to death.
3 Honor is due those who refuse to fight at the drop of a hat,
but every fool jumps at an opportunity to quarrel.
4 A slacker procrastinates when it is time to plow;
so when it’s time for harvest, there are no crops in the field.
5 The real motives come from deep within a person—as from deep waters—
but a discerning person is able to draw them up and expose them.
6 Most people claim to be loyal,
but can anyone find a trustworthy person?
7 The right-living act with integrity;
the children who follow their example are happy.
8 When a king sits on his throne as judge,
he ferrets out all evil and scatters it with his royal stare.
9 Who can say, “I have cleaned my heart”?
or who can proclaim, “I am purified from sin”?
10 False weights and differing measures are alike:
both are disgusting to the Eternal.
11 Youth reveal their true natures by their actions
whether they do what is pure and right or not.
12 Ears to listen, eyes to see—
the Eternal designed them both.
13 Do not fall in love with sleep, or you will awake a poor person.
Stay awake, get to work, and you will have more than enough food.
14 “Bad quality for a bad price,” bargains the buyer;
but then he runs off with his prize in tow, bragging, “What a steal!”
15 Gold and rubies abound,
but lips that utter knowledge are a rare jewel.
16 If someone guarantees a stranger’s debt, hold his garment as collateral;
if that stranger is a foreigner, hold the creditor responsible.
17 At first the bread of lies tastes sweet
until guilt reduces it to gravel in the mouth.
18 Plans are finalized on the basis of good counsel,
so only go to war when you have wise instructions.
19 A gossip will reveal your secrets!
So avoid the company of people who talk openly and foolishly.
20 If someone pronounces a curse on his parents,[b]
the lamp of his life will be snuffed out as complete darkness creeps in.
21 An inheritance acquired hastily at first
will end up not being blessed after all.
22 Do not say, “I will get even for this evil.”
Wait for the Eternal; He will defend you.
23 He despises dishonesty in business;
false weights and deceptive scales are wrong.
24 Every one of our steps is directed by Him;
so how can we attempt to figure out our own way?
25 Those who rashly dedicate something to God are trapped;
only afterward do they realize what they’ve promised.
26 A wise king weeds out the wrongdoers,
then drives over them with his threshing wheel of justice.
27 The lamp of the Eternal illuminates the human spirit,
searching our most intimate thoughts.
28 Loyal love and faithfulness safeguard the king;
his throne is perpetuated through loyal love.
29 The best asset of youth is the strength of the body,
but the beauty of age is gray hair.
30 Severe punishment scrubs away evil,
and tough blows scour the innermost parts.
21 The king’s heart is like a channel of water directed by the Eternal:
He chooses which way He bends it.
2 Everyone may think his own way of living is right,
but the Eternal examines our hearts.
3 To do what is right and to seek justice—
these please Him more than sacrifice.
4 The lamp of the wicked lights his way;
a proud look, an arrogant heart—all sin.
5 A well-thought-out plan will work to your advantage,
but hasty actions will cost you dearly.
6 The fortune made by a swindler
is a fast-burning fog and a recipe for death.
7 Wicked people will be swept up in their own violence
because they refuse to seek justice.
8 Dishonest people walk along the crooked path they have made,
but the innocent travel the straight course they have laid.
9 It is better to dwell outside on the corner of your roof
than to live inside your house with a badgering wife.
10 Wicked people delight in doing bad things;
their neighbors never see even a hint of compassion.
11 A naive person wises up when he sees a mocker punished.
A wise person becomes even wiser just by being instructed.
12 The right-living understands how evildoers operate;
he subverts them and ruins their plans.
13 If you ignore the groans of the poor,
one day your own cries for help will go unanswered.
14 A gift given in secret soothes anger,
and a present offered privately calms fierce rage.
15 When justice is done, those who are in the right celebrate,
but those who make trouble are terrified.
16 People who wander from the way of wise living
will lie down in the company of corpses.
17 Those who live to party, who pursue pleasure, will end up penniless;
those who enjoy lots of wine and rich food will never have money.
18 The wicked become a ransom for those who live right,
and the faithless pay the penalty for their treachery against the upright.
19 You would be better off living in the middle of the desert
than with an angry and argumentative wife.
20 The wise have a generous supply of fine food and oil in their homes,
but fools are wasteful, consuming every last drop.
21 Whoever pursues justice and treats others with kindness
discovers true life marked by integrity and respect.
22 One wise person can rise against a city of mighty men
and cause the citadel they trust to collapse.
23 Guard your words, mind what you say,
and you will keep yourself out of trouble.
24 The name “mocker” applies to one who is proud and pompous
because he is defiantly arrogant.
25 What slackers crave will surely kill them
because they refuse to work.
26 All day, every day the greedy want more,
while those who live right give generously.
27 The offerings of wrongdoers are despicable to God;
it’s even worse when they bring them with evil motives.
28 The testimony of a false witness is eventually impeached,
but the person who truly listens will have the last word.
29 The wicked wears a defiant face,
but the right-living plans his path.
30 No one is wise enough or smart enough,
and no plan is good enough to stand up to the Eternal.
31 No matter how well you arm for battle,
victory is determined by Him.
We do not like or want to believe it, but there are limits to what humans can accomplish. Whatever wisdom and knowledge we think we possess is nothing compared to God’s. Whatever plans we make will come to nothing unless they line up with God’s plans and purposes for us.
22 A good reputation is preferable to riches,
and the approval of others is better than precious silver or gold.
2 Rich and poor have something in common:
both are created by the Eternal.
3 Prudent people see trouble coming and hide,
but the naive walk right into it and take a beating.
4 A humble person who fears the Eternal
can expect to receive wealth, honor, and life.
5 Thorny branches and traps lie ahead for those who follow perverse paths;
those who want to preserve themselves will steer clear of them.
6 Teach a child how to follow the right way;
even when he is old, he will stay on course.
7 The rich lord it over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave to the lender.
8 Those who sow injustice reap disaster,
and their methods of oppression will fail.
9 Generous people are genuinely blessed
because they share their food with the poor.
10 Expel a mocker, and watch the wrangling go with him;
rivalry and rude remarks will also stop.
11 Those who love a pure heart and speak with grace
will find that the king is their friend.
12 The Eternal keeps a watchful eye on those with knowledge,
but He subverts the words of the faithless.
13 A lazy person says, “A lion! Right outside!
I will surely die in the streets!
Yet another good reason to stay in today.”
14 The alluring words of a seductive woman are a deep hole;
the Eternal is incensed toward those who fall in.
15 Foolishness consumes the heart of a child,
but corporal punishment, properly administered, drives it far away.
16 If you take advantage of the poor or coddle the rich to get ahead,
you will end up destitute.
The Words of the Wise
17 Lend an ear, listen to these words of the wise,
and align your thoughts with my instructions
18 Because true pleasure will be yours by learning them, living them,
and being ready to repeat them to others.
19 In order that you will trust only in the Eternal,
I teach them to you this day—yes, even you!
20 In fact, didn’t I already write down for you
Thirty axioms of good advice and sound knowledge
21 To reveal to you what is reliably true
so you can answer those who sent you with these truths you’ve learned?
22 Do not cheat poor people just because they are vulnerable
or use shady tactics in court to crush those already suffering;
23 For the Eternal is ready to take their case,
and He ruins anyone who is out to ruin them.
24 Do not befriend someone given to anger
or hang around with a hothead.
25 Odds are, you’ll learn his ways, become angry as well,
and get caught in a trap.
26 Do not be a person to guarantee someone else’s loan
or put up collateral for the debts of an acquaintance;
27 For if you do and you can’t repay,
won’t you risk having your bed ripped out from under you?
28 Do not steal property from your neighbors by moving the boundary markers
your ancestors established.
29 And as for those who are skilled in their work,
they will be recognized and invited to serve kings
rather than regular folk.
Footnotes
- 19:7 Meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
- 20:20 Exodus 21:7; Leviticus 20:9
Proverbs 16-22
New International Version
Proverbs 16-22
New International Version
16 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.(A)
3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.(E)
6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord(J) evil is avoided.(K)
7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
he causes their enemies to make peace(L) with them.(M)
9 In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.(P)
10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.(Q)
11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.(R)
12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.(S)
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.(T)
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.(AA)
19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,[a](AE)
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.(AF)
22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,(AH)
but folly brings punishment to fools.
26 The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.
29 A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.(AS)
30 Whoever winks(AT) with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;(AU)
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
32 Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.(AY)
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor(BB) shows contempt for their Maker;(BC)
whoever gloats over disaster(BD) will not go unpunished.(BE)
6 Children’s children(BF) are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!(BG)
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.(BH)
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,(BI)
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.(BJ)
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.(BK)
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.(BN)
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?(BQ)
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.(BR)
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.(BS)
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.(BT)
24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes(BY) wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.(BZ)
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,(CA)
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,(CB)
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.(CC)
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.(CD)
18 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.(CE)
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,(CF)
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.(CI)
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(CL)
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.(CM)
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;(CP)
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.(CQ)
13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.(CR)
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?(CS)
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,(CT)
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift(CU) opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
18 Casting the lot settles disputes(CV)
and keeps strong opponents apart.
19 A brother wronged(CW) is more unyielding than a fortified city;
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.(CX)
23 The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.
24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.(DC)
19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.(DD)
2 Desire without knowledge is not good—
how much more will hasty feet miss the way!(DE)
4 Wealth attracts many friends,
but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.(DH)
7 The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
how much more do their friends avoid them!(DN)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
they are nowhere to be found.[d](DO)
8 The one who gets wisdom loves life;
the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.(DP)
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will perish.(DQ)
10 It is not fitting for a fool(DR) to live in luxury—
how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!(DS)
11 A person’s wisdom yields patience;(DT)
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin,(DX)
and a quarrelsome wife is like
the constant dripping of a leaky roof.(DY)
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless go hungry.(EB)
16 Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.(EC)
17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,(ED)
and he will reward them for what they have done.(EE)
18 Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
do not be a willing party to their death.(EF)
19 A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
rescue them, and you will have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept discipline,(EG)
and at the end you will be counted among the wise.(EH)
21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.(EI)
22 What a person desires is unfailing love[e];
better to be poor than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
then one rests content, untouched by trouble.(EJ)
24 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he will not even bring it back to his mouth!(EK)
25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke the discerning,(EL) and they will gain knowledge.(EM)
26 Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother(EN)
is a child who brings shame and disgrace.
27 Stop listening to instruction, my son,(EO)
and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.(EP)
29 Penalties are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.(EQ)
2 A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;(EV)
those who anger him forfeit their lives.(EW)
5 The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,(FB)
but one who has insight draws them out.
6 Many claim to have unfailing love,
but a faithful person who can find?(FC)
10 Differing weights and differing measures—
the Lord detests them both.(FJ)
11 Even small children are known by their actions,
so is their conduct really pure(FK) and upright?
12 Ears that hear and eyes that see—
the Lord has made them both.(FL)
13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;(FM)
stay awake and you will have food to spare.
14 “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—
then goes off and boasts about the purchase.
15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.
16 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge(FN) if it is done for an outsider.(FO)
18 Plans are established by seeking advice;
so if you wage war, obtain guidance.(FR)
19 A gossip betrays a confidence;(FS)
so avoid anyone who talks too much.
20 If someone curses their father or mother,(FT)
their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.(FU)
21 An inheritance claimed too soon
will not be blessed at the end.
22 Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”(FV)
Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.(FW)
23 The Lord detests differing weights,
and dishonest scales do not please him.(FX)
24 A person’s steps are directed(FY) by the Lord.(FZ)
How then can anyone understand their own way?(GA)
25 It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
and only later to consider one’s vows.(GB)
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked;
he drives the threshing wheel over them.(GC)
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
gray hair the splendor of the old.(GH)
21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
that he channels toward all who please him.(GK)
2 A person may think their own ways are right,
but the Lord weighs the heart.(GL)
3 To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.(GM)
4 Haughty eyes(GN) and a proud heart—
the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit(GO)
as surely as haste leads to poverty.
7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,(GQ)
for they refuse to do what is right.
8 The way of the guilty is devious,(GR)
but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9 Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.(GS)
10 The wicked crave evil;
their neighbors get no mercy from them.
11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;
by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.(GT)
14 A gift given in secret soothes anger,
and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.(GX)
15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.(GY)
16 Whoever strays from the path of prudence
comes to rest in the company of the dead.(GZ)
17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.(HA)
18 The wicked become a ransom(HB) for the righteous,
and the unfaithful for the upright.
19 Better to live in a desert
than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.(HC)
20 The wise store up choice food and olive oil,
but fools gulp theirs down.
22 One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty(HF)
and pull down the stronghold in which they trust.
24 The proud and arrogant person(HI)—“Mocker” is his name—
behaves with insolent fury.
25 The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,(HJ)
because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he craves for more,
but the righteous(HK) give without sparing.(HL)
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable(HM)—
how much more so when brought with evil intent!(HN)
29 The wicked put up a bold front,
but the upright give thought to their ways.(HQ)
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the Lord.(HT)
22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.(HU)
2 Rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord is the Maker of them all.(HV)
5 In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,(IA)
but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.
6 Start(IB) children off on the way they should go,(IC)
and even when they are old they will not turn from it.(ID)
7 The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.
10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels and insults are ended.(II)
11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
will have the king for a friend.(IJ)
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
13 The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside!(IK)
I’ll be killed in the public square!”
14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;(IL)
a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.(IM)
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.(IN)
16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.
Thirty Sayings of the Wise
Saying 1
17 Pay attention(IO) and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;(IP)
apply your heart to what I teach,(IQ)
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,(IR)
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve?
Saying 2
22 Do not exploit the poor(IS) because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,(IT)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(IU)
and will exact life for life.(IV)
Saying 3
24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25 or you may learn their ways
and get yourself ensnared.(IW)
Saying 4
26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge(IX)
or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.(IY)
Saying 5
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(IZ)
set up by your ancestors.
Saying 6
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:20 Or whoever speaks prudently finds what is good
- Proverbs 16:21 Or words make a person persuasive
- Proverbs 16:23 Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive
- Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
- Proverbs 19:22 Or Greed is a person’s shame
- Proverbs 20:27 Or A person’s words are
- Proverbs 21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death
- Proverbs 21:12 Or The righteous person
- Proverbs 21:21 Or righteousness
The Voice (VOICE)
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.