Proverbs 1-17
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
Prologue
2 That men may know wisdom and instruction,
understand words of insight,
3 receive instruction in wise dealing,
righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 that prudence may be given to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the youth—
5 the wise man also may hear and increase in learning,
and the man of understanding acquire skill,
6 to understand a proverb and a figure,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Warnings against Evil Companions
8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
and reject not your mother’s teaching;
9 for they are a fair garland for your head,
and pendants for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood,
let us wantonly ambush the innocent;
12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive
and whole, like those who go down to the Pit;
13 we shall find all precious goods,
we shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 throw in your lot among us,
we will all have one purse”—
15 my son, do not walk in the way with them,
hold back your foot from their paths;
16 for their feet run to evil,
and they make haste to shed blood.
17 For in vain is a net spread
in the sight of any bird;
18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood,
they set an ambush for their own lives.
19 Such are the ways of all who get gain by violence;
it takes away the life of its possessors.
The Call of Wisdom
20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street;
in the markets she raises her voice;
21 on the top of the walls[a] she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
23 Give heed[b] to my reproof;
behold, I will pour out my thoughts[c] to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused to listen,
have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 and you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when panic strikes you,
27 when panic strikes you like a storm,
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 would have none of my counsel,
and despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way
and be sated with their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by their turning away,
and the complacence of fools destroys them;
33 but he who listens to me will dwell secure
and will be at ease, without dread of evil.”
The Value of Wisdom
2 My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you cry out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures;
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice
and preserving the way of his saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;
10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 discretion will watch over you;
understanding will guard you;
12 delivering you from the way of evil,
from men of perverted speech,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness
to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 who rejoice in doing evil
and delight in the perverseness of evil;
15 men whose paths are crooked,
and who are devious in their ways.
16 You will be saved from the loose[d] woman,
from the adventuress[e] with her smooth words,
17 who forsakes the companion of her youth
and forgets the covenant of her God;
18 for her house sinks down to death,
and her paths to the shades;
19 none who go to her come back
nor do they regain the paths of life.
20 So you will walk in the way of good men
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will inhabit the land,
and men of integrity will remain in it;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.
Admonition to Trust and Honor God
3 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments;
2 for length of days and years of life
and abundant welfare will they give you.
3 Let not loyalty and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them about your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will find favor and good repute[f]
in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your flesh[g]
and refreshment[h] to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your substance
and with the first fruits of all your produce;
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline
or be weary of his reproof,
12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights.
The True Wealth
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
and the man who gets understanding,
14 for the gain from it is better than gain from silver
and its profit better than gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called happy.
God’s Wisdom in Creation
19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding he established the heavens;
20 by his knowledge the deeps broke forth,
and the clouds drop down the dew.
The True Security
21 My son, keep sound wisdom and discretion;
let them not escape from your sight,[i]
22 and they will be life for your soul
and adornment for your neck.
23 Then you will walk on your way securely
and your foot will not stumble.
24 If you sit down,[j] you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden panic,
or of the ruin[k] of the wicked, when it comes;
26 for the Lord will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being caught.
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it[l] is due,
when it is in your power to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
29 Do not plan evil against your neighbor
who dwells trustingly beside you.
30 Do not contend with a man for no reason,
when he has done you no harm.
31 Do not envy a man of violence
and do not choose any of his ways;
32 for the perverse man is an abomination to the Lord,
but the upright are in his confidence.
33 The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the abode of the righteous.
34 Toward the scorners he is scornful,
but to the humble he shows favor.
35 The wise will inherit honor,
but fools get[m] disgrace.
Fatherly Advice
4 Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain[n] insight;
2 for I give you good precepts:
do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father,
tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 he taught me, and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live;
5 do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
Get wisdom; get insight.[o]
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
love her, and she will guard you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get insight.
8 Prize her highly,[p] and she will exalt you;
she will honor you if you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head a fair garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
Admonition to Keep to the Right Path
10 Hear, my son, and accept my words,
that the years of your life may be many.
11 I have taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered;
and if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Keep hold of instruction, do not let go;
guard her, for she is your life.
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,
and do not walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it; do not go on it;
turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
they are robbed of sleep unless they have made some one stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know over what they stumble.
20 My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to him who finds them,
and healing to all his flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance;
for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
26 Take heed to[q] the path of your feet,
then all your ways will be sure.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.
Warning against Impurity and Infidelity
5 My son, be attentive to my wisdom,
incline your ear to my understanding;
2 that you may keep discretion,
and your lips may guard knowledge.
3 For the lips of a loose woman drip honey,
and her speech[r] is smoother than oil;
4 but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps follow the path to[s] Sheol;
6 she does not take heed to[t] the path of life;
her ways wander, and she does not know it.
7 And now, O sons, listen to me,
and do not depart from the words of my mouth.
8 Keep your way far from her,
and do not go near the door of her house;
9 lest you give your honor to others
and your years to the merciless;
10 lest strangers take their fill of your strength,[u]
and your labors go to the house of an alien;
11 and at the end of your life you groan,
when your flesh and body are consumed,
12 and you say, “How I hated discipline,
and my heart despised reproof!
13 I did not listen to the voice of my teachers
or incline my ear to my instructors.
14 I was at the point of utter ruin
in the assembled congregation.”
15 Drink water from your own cistern,
flowing water from your own well.
16 Should your springs be scattered abroad,
streams of water in the streets?
17 Let them be for yourself alone,
and not for strangers with you.
18 Let your fountain be blessed,
and rejoice in the wife of your youth,
19 a lovely hind, a graceful doe.
Let her affection fill you at all times with delight,
be infatuated always with her love.
20 Why should you be infatuated, my son, with a loose woman
and embrace the bosom of an adventuress?
21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord,
and he watches[v] all his paths.
22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,
and he is caught in the toils of his sin.
23 He dies for lack of discipline,
and because of his great folly he is lost.
Practical Admonitions
6 My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor,
have given your pledge for a stranger;
2 if you are snared in the utterance of your lips,[w]
caught in the words of your mouth;
3 then do this, my son, and save yourself,
for you have come into your neighbor’s power:
go, hasten,[x] and importune your neighbor.
4 Give your eyes no sleep
and your eyelids no slumber;
5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter,[y]
like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard;
consider her ways, and be wise.
7 Without having any chief,
officer or ruler,
8 she prepares her food in summer,
and gathers her sustenance in harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 and poverty will come upon you like a vagabond,
and want like an armed man.
12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
goes about with crooked speech,
13 winks with his eyes, scrapes[z] with his feet,
points with his finger,
14 with perverted heart devises evil,
continually sowing discord;
15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;
in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
16 There are six things which the Lord hates,
seven which are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies,
and a man who sows discord among brothers.
20 My son, keep your father’s commandment,
and forsake not your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them upon your heart always;
tie them about your neck.
22 When you walk, they[aa] will lead you;
when you lie down, they[ab] will watch over you;
and when you awake, they[ac] will talk with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,
and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
24 to preserve you from the evil woman,
from the smooth tongue of the adventuress.
25 Do not desire her beauty in your heart,
and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;
26 for a harlot may be hired for a loaf of bread,[ad]
but an adulteress[ae] stalks a man’s very life.
27 Can a man carry fire in his bosom
and his clothes not be burned?
28 Or can one walk upon hot coals
and his feet not be scorched?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
none who touches her will go unpunished.
30 Do not men despise[af] a thief if he steals
to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry?
31 And if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold;
he will give all the goods of his house.
32 He who commits adultery has no sense;
he who does it destroys himself.
33 Wounds and dishonor will he get,
and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy makes a man furious,
and he will not spare when he takes revenge.
35 He will accept no compensation,
nor be appeased though you multiply gifts.
The False Attractions of Adultery
7 My son, keep my words
and treasure up my commandments with you;
2 keep my commandments and live,
keep my teachings as the apple of your eye;
3 bind them on your fingers,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and call insight your intimate friend;
5 to preserve you from the loose woman,
from the adventuress with her smooth words.
6 For at the window of my house
I have looked out through my lattice,
7 and I have seen among the simple,
I have perceived among the youths,
a young man without sense,
8 passing along the street near her corner,
taking the road to her house
9 in the twilight, in the evening,
at the time of night and darkness.
10 And lo, a woman meets him,
dressed as a harlot, wily of heart.[ag]
11 She is loud and wayward,
her feet do not stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the market,
and at every corner she lies in wait.
13 She seizes him and kisses him,
and with impudent face she says to him:
14 “I had to offer sacrifices,
and today I have paid my vows;
15 so now I have come out to meet you,
to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.
16 I have decked my couch with coverings,
colored spreads of Egyptian linen;
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,
aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey;
20 he took a bag of money with him;
at full moon he will come home.”
21 With much seductive speech she persuades him;
with her smooth talk she compels him.
22 All at once he follows her,
as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught fast[ah]
23 till an arrow pierces its entrails;
as a bird rushes into a snare;
he does not know that it will cost him his life.
24 And now, O sons, listen to me,
and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways,
do not stray into her paths;
26 for many a victim has she laid low;
yea, all her slain are a mighty host.
27 Her house is the way to Sheol,
going down to the chambers of death.
The Gifts of Wisdom
8 Does not wisdom call,
does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights beside the way,
in the paths she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the sons of men.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence;
O foolish men, pay attention.
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right;
7 for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all straight to him who understands
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold;
11 for wisdom is better than jewels,
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12 I, wisdom, dwell in prudence,[ai]
and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
14 I have counsel and sound wisdom,
I have insight, I have strength.
15 By me kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
and nobles govern[aj] the earth.
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
21 endowing with wealth those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
Wisdom’s Part in Creation
22 The Lord created me at the beginning of his work,[ak]
the first of his acts of old.
23 Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,[al]
or the first of the dust[am] of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there,
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made firm the skies above,
when he established[an] the fountains of the deep,
29 when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 then I was beside him, like a master workman;[ao]
and I was daily his[ap] delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31 rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the sons of men.
32 And now, my sons, listen to me:
happy are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 Happy is the man who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For he who finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the Lord;
36 but he who misses me injures himself;
all who hate me love death.”
Wisdom’s Feast
9 Wisdom has built her house,
she has set up[aq] her seven pillars.
2 She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed her wine,
she has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her maids to call
from the highest places in the town,
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
To him who is without sense she says,
5 “Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave simpleness,[ar] and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”
General Maxims
7 He who corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
9 Give instruction[as] to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
Folly’s Invitation and Promise
13 A foolish woman is noisy;
she is wanton[at] and knows no shame.[au]
14 She sits at the door of her house,
she takes a seat on the high places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
who are going straight on their way,
16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
And to him who is without sense she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the dead[av] are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
Wise Sayings of Solomon
10 The proverbs of Solomon.
A wise son makes a glad father,
but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
but righteousness delivers from death.
3 The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
4 A slack hand causes poverty,
but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 A son who gathers in summer is prudent,
but a son who sleeps in harvest brings shame.
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
8 The wise of heart will heed commandments,
but a prating fool will come to ruin.
9 He who walks in integrity walks securely,
but he who perverts his ways will be found out.
10 He who winks the eye causes trouble,
but he who boldly reproves makes peace.[aw]
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
but love covers all offenses.
13 On the lips of him who has understanding wisdom is found,
but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.
14 Wise men lay up knowledge,
but the babbling of a fool brings ruin near.
15 A rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
16 The wage of the righteous leads to life,
the gain of the wicked to sin.
17 He who heeds instruction is on the path to life,
but he who rejects reproof goes astray.
18 He who conceals hatred has lying lips,
and he who utters slander is a fool.
19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but he who restrains his lips is prudent.
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
the mind of the wicked is of little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for lack of sense.
22 The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.[ax]
23 It is like sport to a fool to do wrong,
but wise conduct is pleasure to a man of understanding.
24 What the wicked dreads will come upon him,
but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,
but the righteous is established for ever.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes,
so is the sluggard to those who send him.
27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
but the years of the wicked will be short.
28 The hope of the righteous ends in gladness,
but the expectation of the wicked comes to nought.
29 The Lord is a stronghold to him whose way is upright,
but destruction to evildoers.
30 The righteous will never be removed,
but the wicked will not dwell in the land.
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.
11 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
but a just weight is his delight.
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace;
but with the humble is wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,
but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.
7 When the wicked dies, his hope perishes,
and the expectation of the godless comes to nought.
8 The righteous is delivered from trouble,
and the wicked gets into it instead.
9 With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices;
and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
12 He who belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
but a man of understanding remains silent.
13 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets,
but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing hidden.
14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls;
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
15 He who gives surety for a stranger will smart for it,
but he who hates suretyship is secure.
16 A gracious woman gets honor,
and violent men get riches.
17 A man who is kind benefits himself,
but a cruel man hurts himself.
18 A wicked man earns deceptive wages,
but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
19 He who is steadfast in righteousness will live,
but he who pursues evil will die.
20 Men of perverse mind are an abomination to the Lord,
but those of blameless ways are his delight.
21 Be assured, an evil man will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will be delivered.
22 Like a gold ring in a swine’s snout
is a beautiful woman without discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good;
the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
24 One man gives freely, yet grows all the richer;
another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
25 A liberal man will be enriched,
and one who waters will himself be watered.
26 The people curse him who holds back grain,
but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.
27 He who diligently seeks good seeks favor,
but evil comes to him who searches for it.
28 He who trusts in his riches will wither,[ay]
but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
29 He who troubles his household will inherit wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
but lawlessness[az] takes away lives.
31 If the righteous is requited on earth,
how much more the wicked and the sinner!
12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates reproof is stupid.
2 A good man obtains favor from the Lord,
but a man of evil devices he condemns.
3 A man is not established by wickedness,
but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
4 A good wife is the crown of her husband,
but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
5 The thoughts of the righteous are just;
the counsels of the wicked are treacherous.
6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the mouth of the upright delivers men.
7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
but the house of the righteous will stand.
8 A man is commended according to his good sense,
but one of perverse mind is despised.
9 Better is a man of humble standing who works for himself
than one who plays the great man but lacks bread.
10 A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast,
but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
11 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
but he who follows worthless pursuits has no sense.
12 The strong tower of the wicked comes to ruin,
but the root of the righteous stands firm.[ba]
13 An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
but the righteous escapes from trouble.
14 From the fruit of his words a man is satisfied with good,
and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.
15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
but a wise man listens to advice.
16 The vexation of a fool is known at once,
but the prudent man ignores an insult.
17 He who speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
but a false witness utters deceit.
18 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Truthful lips endure for ever,
but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
but those who plan good have joy.
21 No ill befalls the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with trouble.
22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
but those who act faithfully are his delight.
23 A prudent man conceals his knowledge,
but fools[bb] proclaim their folly.
24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
but a good word makes him glad.
26 A righteous man turns away from evil,[bc]
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27 A slothful man will not catch his prey,[bd]
but the diligent man will get precious wealth.[be]
28 In the path of righteousness is life,
but the way of error leads to death.[bf]
13 A wise son hears his father’s instruction,
but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 From the fruit of his mouth a good man eats good,
but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.
3 He who guards his mouth preserves his life;
he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
4 The soul of the sluggard craves, and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
5 A righteous man hates falsehood,
but a wicked man acts shamefully and disgracefully.
6 Righteousness guards him whose way is upright,
but sin overthrows the wicked.
7 One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
8 The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
but a poor man has no means of redemption.[bg]
9 The light of the righteous rejoices,
but the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
10 By insolence the heedless make strife,
but with those who take advice is wisdom.
11 Wealth hastily gotten[bh] will dwindle,
but he who gathers little by little will increase it.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 He who despises the word brings destruction on himself,
but he who respects the commandment will be rewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
that one may avoid the snares of death.
15 Good sense wins favor,
but the way of the faithless is their ruin.[bi]
16 In everything a prudent man acts with knowledge,
but a fool flaunts his folly.
17 A bad messenger plunges men into trouble,
but a faithful envoy brings healing.
18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction,
but he who heeds reproof is honored.
19 A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul;
but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
20 He who walks with wise men becomes wise,
but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
21 Misfortune pursues sinners,
but prosperity rewards the righteous.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
23 The fallow ground of the poor yields much food,
but it is swept away through injustice.
24 He who spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
but the belly of the wicked suffers want.
14 Wisdom[bj] builds her house,
but folly with her own hands tears it down.
2 He who walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
3 The talk of a fool is a rod for his back,[bk]
but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, there is no[bl] grain;
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie,
but a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7 Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of a prudent man is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.
9 God scorns the wicked,[bm]
but the upright enjoy his favor.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way which seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.[bn]
13 Even in laughter the heart is sad,
and the end of joy is grief.
14 A perverse man will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man with the fruit of his deeds.[bo]
15 The simple believes everything,
but the prudent looks where he is going.
16 A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil,
but a fool throws off restraint and is careless.
17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
but a man of discretion is patient.[bp]
18 The simple acquire folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
but the rich has many friends.
21 He who despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but happy is he who is kind to the poor.
22 Do they not err that devise evil?
Those who devise good meet loyalty and faithfulness.
23 In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to want.
24 The crown of the wise is their wisdom,[bq]
but folly is the garland[br] of fools.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who utters lies is a betrayer.
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
that one may avoid the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
but without people a prince is ruined.
29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
30 A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh,
but passion makes the bones rot.
31 He who oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but he who is kind to the needy honors him.
32 The wicked is overthrown through his evil-doing,
but the righteous finds refuge through his integrity.[bs]
33 Wisdom abides in the mind of a man of understanding,
but it is not[bt] known in the heart of fools.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor,
but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
15 A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge,[bu]
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
5 A fool despises his father’s instruction,
but he who heeds admonition is prudent.
6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
not so the minds of fools.
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but he loves him who pursues righteousness.
10 There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
he who hates reproof will die.
11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord
how much more the hearts of men!
12 A scoffer does not like to be reproved;
he will not go to the wise.
13 A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance,
but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.
14 The mind of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil,
but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.
16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure and trouble with it.
17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
than a fatted ox and hatred with it.
18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
19 The way of a sluggard is overgrown with thorns,
but the path of the upright is a level highway.
20 A wise son makes a glad father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.
21 Folly is a joy to him who has no sense,
but a man of understanding walks aright.
22 Without counsel plans go wrong,
but with many advisers they succeed.
23 To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and a word in season, how good it is!
24 The wise man’s path leads upward to life,
that he may avoid Sheol beneath.
25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud,
but maintains the widow’s boundaries.
26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
the words of the pure are pleasing to him.[bv]
27 He who is greedy for unjust gain makes trouble for his household,
but he who hates bribes will live.
28 The mind of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and good news refreshes[bw] the bones.
31 He whose ear heeds wholesome admonition
will abide among the wise.
32 He who ignores instruction despises himself,
but he who heeds admonition gains understanding.
33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and humility goes before honor.
16 The plans of the mind belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.
3 Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.
5 Every one who is arrogant is an abomination to the Lord;
be assured, he will not go unpunished.
6 By loyalty and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil.
7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,
he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice.
9 A man’s mind plans his way,
but the Lord directs his steps.
10 Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king;
his mouth does not sin in judgment.
11 A just balance and scales are the Lord’s;
all the weights in the bag are his work.
12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
for the throne is established by righteousness.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
and he loves him who speaks what is right.
14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
and a wise man will appease it.
15 In the light of a king’s face there is life,
and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
16 To get wisdom is better[bx] than gold;
to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
17 The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;
he who guards his way preserves his life.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20 He who gives heed to the word will prosper,
and happy is he who trusts in the Lord.
21 The wise of heart is called a man of discernment,
and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.
22 Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it,
but folly is the chastisement of fools.
23 The mind of the wise makes his speech judicious,
and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
25 There is a way which seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.[by]
26 A worker’s appetite works for him;
his mouth urges him on.
27 A worthless man plots evil,
and his speech is like a scorching fire.
28 A perverse man spreads strife,
and a whisperer separates close friends.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor
and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 He who winks his eyes plans[bz] perverse things,
he who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 A hoary head is a crown of glory;
it is gained in a righteous life.
32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but the decision is wholly from the Lord.
17 Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A slave who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and the Lord tries hearts.
4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips;
and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.
5 He who mocks the poor insults his Maker;
he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
and the glory of sons is their fathers.
7 Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;
still less is false speech to a prince.
8 A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of him who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.
9 He who forgives an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter alienates a friend.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs,
rather than a fool in his folly.
13 If a man returns evil for good,
evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water;
so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should a fool have a price in his hand to buy wisdom,
when he has no mind?
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man without sense gives a pledge,
and becomes surety in the presence of his neighbor.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife;
he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 A man of crooked mind does not prosper,
and one with a perverse tongue falls into calamity.
21 A stupid son is a grief to a father;
and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A cheerful heart is a good medicine,
but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.
23 A wicked man accepts a bribe from the bosom
to pervert the ways of justice.
24 A man of understanding sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father
and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good;
to flog noble men is wrong.
27 He who restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:21 Heb uncertain
- Proverbs 1:23 Heb Turn
- Proverbs 1:23 Heb spirit
- Proverbs 2:16 Heb strange
- Proverbs 2:16 Heb foreign woman
- Proverbs 3:4 Cn: Heb understanding
- Proverbs 3:8 Heb navel
- Proverbs 3:8 Or medicine
- Proverbs 3:21 Reversing the order of the clauses
- Proverbs 3:24 Gk: Heb lie down
- Proverbs 3:25 Heb storm
- Proverbs 3:27 Heb Do not withhold good from its owners
- Proverbs 3:35 Cn: Heb exalt
- Proverbs 4:1 Heb know
- Proverbs 4:5 Reversing the order of the lines
- Proverbs 4:8 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 4:26 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- Proverbs 5:3 Heb palate
- Proverbs 5:5 Heb lay hold of
- Proverbs 5:6 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- Proverbs 5:10 Or wealth
- Proverbs 5:21 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- Proverbs 6:2 Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb the words of your mouth
- Proverbs 6:3 Or humble yourself
- Proverbs 6:5 Cn: Heb hand
- Proverbs 6:13 Or taps
- Proverbs 6:22 Heb it
- Proverbs 6:22 Heb it
- Proverbs 6:22 Heb it
- Proverbs 6:26 Cn Compare Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb for because of a harlot to a piece of bread
- Proverbs 6:26 Heb a man’s wife
- Proverbs 6:30 Or Men do not despise
- Proverbs 7:10 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 7:22 Cn Compare Gk: Heb uncertain
- Proverbs 8:12 Heb obscure
- Proverbs 8:16 Gk: Heb all the governors of
- Proverbs 8:22 Heb way
- Proverbs 8:26 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 8:26 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 8:28 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 8:30 Another reading is little child
- Proverbs 8:30 Gk: Heb lacks his
- Proverbs 9:1 Gk Syr Tg: Heb hewn
- Proverbs 9:6 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb simple ones
- Proverbs 9:9 Heb lacks instruction
- Proverbs 9:13 Cn Compare Syr Vg: The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 9:13 Gk Syr: The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 9:18 Heb shades
- Proverbs 10:10 Gk: Heb but a prating fool will come to ruin
- Proverbs 10:22 Or and toil adds nothing to it
- Proverbs 11:28 Cn: Heb fall
- Proverbs 11:30 Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb a wise man
- Proverbs 12:12 Cn: The Hebrew of verse 12 is obscure
- Proverbs 12:23 Heb the heart of fools
- Proverbs 12:26 Cn: The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 12:27 Cn Compare Gk Syr: The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 12:27 Cn: The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 12:28 Cn: The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 13:8 Cn: Heb does not hear rebuke
- Proverbs 13:11 Gk Vg: Heb from vanity
- Proverbs 13:15 Cn Compare Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb is enduring
- Proverbs 14:1 Heb Wisdom of women
- Proverbs 14:3 Cn: Heb a rod of pride
- Proverbs 14:4 Cn: Heb a manger of
- Proverbs 14:9 Cn: Heb obscure
- Proverbs 14:12 Heb ways of death
- Proverbs 14:14 Cn: Heb from upon him
- Proverbs 14:17 Gk: Heb is hated
- Proverbs 14:24 Cn Compare Gk: Heb riches
- Proverbs 14:24 Cn: Heb folly
- Proverbs 14:32 Gk Syr: Heb in his death
- Proverbs 14:33 Gk Syr: Heb lacks not
- Proverbs 15:2 Cn: Heb makes knowledge good
- Proverbs 15:26 Cn Compare Gk: Heb pleasant words are pure
- Proverbs 15:30 Heb makes fat
- Proverbs 16:16 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb how much better
- Proverbs 16:25 Heb ways of death
- Proverbs 16:30 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb to plan
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Bible Gateway Recommends
