Proverbs 4:1-12:21

English Standard Version

^10 (Q)Hear, ^(R)my son, and accept my words,
    that ^(S)the years of your life may be many.
¹¹ I have ^(T)taught you the way of wisdom;
    I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
¹² When you walk, ^(U)your step will not be hampered,
    and ^(V)if you run, you will not stumble.
^13 (W)Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
    guard her, for she is your ^(X)life.
^14 (Y)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
    and do not walk in the way of the evil.
¹⁵ Avoid it; do not go on it;
    turn away from it and pass on.
¹⁶ For they ^(Z)cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
    they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
¹⁷ For they eat the bread of wickedness
    ^(AA)and drink the wine of violence.
¹⁸ But ^(AB)the path of the righteous is like ^(AC)the light of dawn,
    which shines ^(AD)brighter and brighter until ^(AE)full day.
^19 (AF)The way of the wicked is like deep ^(AG)darkness;
    they do not know over what they ^(AH)stumble.

^20 (AI)My son, be attentive to my words;
    incline your ear to my sayings.
^21 (AJ)Let them not escape from your sight;
    ^(AK)keep them within your heart.
²² For they are ^(AL)life to those who find them,
    and healing to all their^[b] flesh.
²³ Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for ^(AM)from it flow ^(AN)the springs of life.
²⁴ Put away from you ^(AO)crooked speech,
    and put ^(AP)devious talk far from you.
^25 (AQ)Let your eyes look directly forward,
    and your gaze be straight before you.
^26 (AR)Ponder^[c] the path of your feet;
    ^(AS)then all your ways will be sure.
^27 (AT)Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
    turn your foot away from evil.

⁷ And ^(BG)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,
    and your ^(BH)labors go to the house of a foreigner,
¹¹ and at the end of your life you ^(BI)groan,
    when your flesh and body are consumed,
¹² and you say, ^(BJ)“How I hated discipline,
    and my heart ^(BK)despised reproof!
¹³ I did not listen to the voice of my teachers
    or incline my ear to my instructors.
^14 (BL)I am at the brink of utter ruin
    in the assembled congregation.”

¹⁵ Drink ^(BM)water from your own cistern,
    flowing water from your own well.
¹⁶ Should your ^(BN)springs be scattered abroad,
    streams of water ^(BO)in the streets?
^17 (BP)Let them be for yourself alone,
    and not for strangers with you.
¹⁸ Let your ^(BQ)fountain be blessed,
    and ^(BR)rejoice in ^(BS)the wife of your youth,
¹⁹     a lovely ^(BT)deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts ^(BU)fill you at all times with delight;
    be intoxicated^[g] always in her love.
²⁰ Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with ^(BV)a forbidden woman
    and embrace the bosom of ^(BW)an adulteress?^[h]
21 For ^(BX)a man's ways are ^(BY)before the eyes of the Lord,
    and he ^(BZ)ponders^[i] all his paths.
²² The ^(CA)iniquities of the wicked ^(CB)ensnare him,
    and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
^23 (CC)He dies for lack of discipline,
    and because of his great folly he is ^(CD)led astray.

^6 (CK)Go to ^(CL)the ant, O ^(CM)sluggard;
    consider her ways, and ^(CN)be wise.
^7 (CO)Without having any chief,
    ^(CP)officer, or ruler,
⁸ she prepares her bread ^(CQ)in summer
    and ^(CR)gathers her food in harvest.
^9 (CS)How long will you lie there, ^(CT)O sluggard?
    When will you arise from your sleep?
^10 (CU)A little sleep, a little slumber,
    ^(CV)a little ^(CW)folding of the hands to rest,
^11 (CX)and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want like an armed man.

^12 (CY)A worthless person, a wicked man,
    goes about with ^(CZ)crooked speech,
^13 (DA)winks with his eyes, signals^[l] with his feet,
    points with his finger,
¹⁴ with ^(DB)perverted heart ^(DC)devises evil,
    continually ^(DD)sowing discord;
¹⁵ therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;
    ^(DE)in a moment he will be broken ^(DF)beyond healing.

¹⁶ There are ^(DG)six things that the Lord hates,
    ^(DH)seven that are an abomination to him:
^17 (DI)haughty eyes, ^(DJ)a lying tongue,
    and ^(DK)hands that shed innocent blood,
^18 (DL)a heart that devises wicked plans,
    ^(DM)feet that make haste to run to evil,
^19 (DN)a false witness who ^(DO)breathes out lies,
    and one who ^(DP)sows discord among brothers.

⁶ For at ^(EW)the window of my house
    I have looked out through my lattice,
⁷ and I have seen among ^(EX)the simple,
    I have perceived among the youths,
    a young man ^(EY)lacking sense,
⁸ passing along the street ^(EZ)near her corner,
    taking the road to her house
⁹ in ^(FA)the twilight, in the evening,
    at ^(FB)the time of night and darkness.

¹⁰ And behold, the woman meets him,
    ^(FC)dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.^[t]
11 She is ^(FD)loud and ^(FE)wayward;
    ^(FF)her feet do not stay at home;
¹² now in the street, now in the market,
    and ^(FG)at every corner she ^(FH)lies in wait.
¹³ She seizes him and kisses him,
    and with ^(FI)bold face she says to him,
¹⁴ “I had to ^(FJ)offer sacrifices,^[u]
    and today I have ^(FK)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 spread my couch with ^(FL)coverings,
    colored linens from ^(FM)Egyptian linen;
¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed with ^(FN)myrrh,
    aloes, and ^(FO)cinnamon.
¹⁸ Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
    let us delight ourselves with love.
¹⁹ For ^(FP)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 ^(FQ)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^[v]
23     till an arrow pierces its liver;
as ^(FR)a bird rushes into a snare;
    he does not know that it will cost him his life.

²⁴ And ^(FS)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,
    and all her slain are ^(FT)a mighty throng.
²⁷ Her house is ^(FU)the way to Sheol,
    going down to the chambers of death.

¹² “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
    and I find knowledge and ^(GN)discretion.
^13 (GO)The fear of the Lord is ^(GP)hatred of evil.
^(GQ)Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
    and ^(GR)perverted speech I hate.
¹⁴ I have ^(GS)counsel and ^(GT)sound wisdom;
    I have insight; ^(GU)I have strength.
¹⁵ By me ^(GV)kings reign,
    and rulers decree what is just;
¹⁶ by me princes rule,
    and nobles, all who govern justly.^[w]
17 (GW)I love those who love me,
    and ^(GX)those who seek me diligently find me.
^18 (GY)Riches and honor are with me,
    ^(GZ)enduring wealth and ^(HA)righteousness.
¹⁹ My fruit is ^(HB)better than ^(HC)gold, even fine gold,
    and my yield than ^(HD)choice silver.
²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness,
    in the paths of justice,
²¹ granting an inheritance to those who love me,
    and filling their treasuries.

^22 (HE)“The Lord ^(HF)possessed^[x] me at the beginning of his work,^[y]
    the first of his acts ^(HG)of old.
²³ Ages ago I was ^(HH)set up,
    at the first, ^(HI)before the beginning of the earth.
²⁴ When there were no ^(HJ)depths I was ^(HK)brought forth,
    when there were no springs abounding with water.
²⁵ Before the mountains ^(HL)had been shaped,
    ^(HM)before the hills, I was brought forth,
²⁶ before he had made the earth with its fields,
    or the first of the dust of the world.
²⁷ When he ^(HN)established the heavens, I was there;
    when he drew ^(HO)a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸ when he ^(HP)made firm the skies above,
    when he established^[z] the fountains of the deep,
²⁹ when he ^(HQ)assigned to the sea its ^(HR)limit,
    so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out ^(HS)the foundations of the earth,
³⁰     then ^(HT)I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his^{[aa] (HU)}delight,
    rejoicing before him always,
^31 (HV)rejoicing in his ^(HW)inhabited world
    and delighting in the children of man.

³² “And now, ^(HX)O sons, listen to me:
    ^(HY)blessed are those who keep my ways.
^33 (HZ)Hear instruction and be wise,
    and do not neglect it.
^34 (IA)Blessed is the one who listens to me,
    watching daily at my gates,
    waiting beside my doors.
³⁵ For ^(IB)whoever finds me ^(IC)finds life
    and ^(ID)obtains favor from the Lord,
³⁶ but he who fails to find me ^(IE)injures himself;
    all who ^(IF)hate me ^(IG)love death.”

⁷ Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
^8 (IY)Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
    ^(IZ)reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
⁹ Give instruction^[ac] to a wise man, and he will be ^(JA)still wiser;
    teach a righteous man, and he will ^(JB)increase in learning.
^10 (JC)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and ^(JD)the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
¹¹ For by me ^(JE)your days will be multiplied,
    and years will be added to your life.
^12 (JF)If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
    if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

^(JQ)A wise son makes a glad father,
    ^(JR)but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
^2 (JS)Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
    ^(JT)but righteousness delivers from death.
^3 (JU)The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
    ^(JV)but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
⁴ A slack hand ^(JW)causes poverty,
    ^(JX)but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
⁵ He who ^(JY)gathers in summer is a prudent son,
    but he who sleeps in harvest is ^(JZ)a son who brings shame.
⁶ Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
    but ^(KA)the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.^[af]
7 (KB)The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
    but ^(KC)the name of the wicked will rot.
^8 (KD)The wise of heart will receive commandments,
    but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
^9 (KE)Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
    but he who makes his ways crooked ^(KF)will be found out.
¹⁰ Whoever ^(KG)winks the eye causes trouble,
    and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
^11 (KH)The mouth of the righteous is ^(KI)a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked ^(KJ)conceals violence.
¹² Hatred stirs up strife,
    but ^(KK)love covers all offenses.
¹³ On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,
    but ^(KL)a rod is for the back of him who ^(KM)lacks sense.
¹⁴ The wise ^(KN)lay up knowledge,
    but ^(KO)the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
^15 (KP)A rich man's wealth is his strong city;
    the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
¹⁶ The wage of the righteous leads ^(KQ)to life,
    the gain of the wicked to sin.
¹⁷ Whoever heeds instruction is on ^(KR)the path to life,
    but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
¹⁸ The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
    and whoever utters slander is a fool.
^19 (KS)When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
    ^(KT)but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is ^(KU)choice silver;
    the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many,
    but fools die for ^(KV)lack of sense.
^22 (KW)The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
    and he adds no sorrow with it.^[ag]
23 Doing wrong is ^(KX)like a joke to a fool,
    but ^(KY)wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
^24 (KZ)What the wicked dreads ^(LA)will come upon him,
    but ^(LB)the desire of the righteous will be granted.
²⁵ When ^(LC)the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,
    but ^(LD)the righteous is established forever.
²⁶ Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
    so is the sluggard to those who send him.
^27 (LE)The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
    ^(LF)but the years of the wicked will be short.
^28 (LG)The hope of the righteous brings joy,
    ^(LH)but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
^29 (LI)The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,
    but destruction to evildoers.
^30 (LJ)The righteous will never be removed,
    but ^(LK)the wicked will not dwell in the land.
^31 (LL)The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
    but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
³² The lips of the righteous ^(LM)know what is acceptable,
    but the mouth of the wicked, ^(LN)what is perverse.
11 ^(LO)A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
    ^(LP)but a just weight is his delight.
^2 (LQ)When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
    but with ^(LR)the humble is wisdom.
^3 (LS)The integrity of the upright guides them,
    ^(LT)but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
^4 (LU)Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
    ^(LV)but righteousness delivers from death.
⁵ The righteousness of the blameless ^(LW)keeps his way straight,
    but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
^6 (LX)The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the treacherous ^(LY)are taken captive by their lust.
⁷ When the wicked dies, his ^(LZ)hope will perish,
    and ^(MA)the expectation of wealth^[ah] perishes too.
^8 (MB)The righteous is delivered from trouble,
    and the wicked walks into it instead.
⁹ With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,
    but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
^10 (MC)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 ^(MD)by the mouth of the wicked ^(ME)it is overthrown.
¹² Whoever ^(MF)belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
    but a man of understanding remains silent.
¹³ Whoever ^(MG)goes about slandering reveals secrets,
    but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
¹⁴ Where there is ^(MH)no guidance, a people falls,
    ^(MI)but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
^15 (MJ)Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,
    but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
^16 (MK)A gracious woman gets honor,
    and ^(ML)violent men get riches.
^17 (MM)A man who is kind benefits himself,
    but a cruel man hurts himself.
¹⁸ The wicked earns deceptive wages,
    but one who ^(MN)sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
¹⁹ Whoever is steadfast in righteousness ^(MO)will live,
    but ^(MP)he who pursues evil will die.
²⁰ Those of ^(MQ)crooked heart are ^(MR)an abomination to the Lord,
    but those of ^(MS)blameless ways are ^(MT)his delight.
^21 (MU)Be assured, ^(MV)an evil person will not go unpunished,
    but ^(MW)the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
²² Like ^(MX)a gold ring in a pig's snout
    is a beautiful woman without discretion.
²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
    ^(MY)the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
^24 (MZ)One gives ^(NA)freely, yet grows all the richer;
    another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
^25 (NB)Whoever brings blessing ^(NC)will be enriched,
    and ^(ND)one who waters will himself be watered.
^26 (NE)The people curse him who holds back grain,
    but ^(NF)a blessing is on the head of him who ^(NG)sells it.
²⁷ Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,^[ai]
    but evil comes to ^(NH)him who searches for it.
²⁸ Whoever ^(NI)trusts in his riches will fall,
    but the righteous will ^(NJ)flourish like a green leaf.
²⁹ Whoever ^(NK)troubles his own household will ^(NL)inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is ^(NM)a tree of life,
    and whoever ^(NN)captures souls is wise.
³¹ If ^(NO)the righteous is repaid on earth,
    how much more the wicked and the sinner!
12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but he who ^(NP)hates reproof is ^(NQ)stupid.
² A good man ^(NR)obtains favor from the Lord,
    but a man of evil devices he condemns.
³ No one is established by wickedness,
    but the root of ^(NS)the righteous will never be moved.
^4 (NT)An excellent wife is ^(NU)the crown of her husband,
    but she who ^(NV)brings shame is like ^(NW)rottenness in his bones.
^5 (NX)The thoughts of the righteous are just;
    the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
⁶ The words of the wicked ^(NY)lie in wait for blood,
    but ^(NZ)the mouth of the upright delivers them.
^7 (OA)The wicked are ^(OB)overthrown and are no more,
    ^(OC)but the house of the righteous will stand.
⁸ A man is commended according to his good sense,
    but one of twisted mind is ^(OD)despised.
⁹ Better to be lowly and have a servant
    than to play the great man and lack bread.
^10 (OE)Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,
    but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
^11 (OF)Whoever works his land ^(OG)will have plenty of bread,
    ^(OH)but he who follows ^(OI)worthless pursuits lacks sense.
¹² Whoever is wicked covets ^(OJ)the spoil of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
¹³ An evil man is ensnared ^(OK)by the transgression of his lips,^{[aj]
    (OL)}but the righteous escapes from trouble.
¹⁴ From the fruit of his mouth ^(OM)a man is satisfied with good,
    ^(ON)and the work of a man's hand comes back to him.
^15 (OO)The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
    but a wise man listens to advice.
^16 (OP)The vexation of a fool is known at once,
    but the prudent ignores an insult.
^17 (OQ)Whoever speaks^[ak] the truth gives honest evidence,
    but ^(OR)a false witness utters deceit.
^18 (OS)There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
    but the tongue of the wise brings ^(OT)healing.
¹⁹ Truthful lips endure forever,
    but ^(OU)a lying tongue is but for a moment.
²⁰ Deceit is in the heart of ^(OV)those who devise evil,
    but those who plan peace have joy.
^21 (OW)No ill befalls the righteous,
    but the wicked are filled with trouble.