Proverbs 1; Proverbs 2; Proverbs 3; Proverbs 4; Proverbs 5; Proverbs 6; Proverbs 7; Proverbs 8; Proverbs 9

Proverbs 1

1 These are the wise words of Solomon son of David, king of Israel.

2 They teach wisdom and self-control; they will help you understand wise words.

3 They will teach you how to be wise and self-controlled and will teach you to do what is honest and fair and right.

4 They make the uneducated smarter and give knowledge and sense to the young.

5 Wise people can also listen and learn; even smart people can find good advice in these words.

6 Then anyone can understand wise words and stories, the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 Knowledge begins with respect for the Lord, but fools hate wisdom and self-control.

8 My child, listen to your father's teaching and do not forget your mother's advice.

9 Their teaching will be like flowers in your hair or a necklace around your neck.

10 My child, if sinners try to lead you into sin, do not follow them.

11 They will say, "Come with us. Let's ambush and kill someone; let's attack some innocent people just for fun.

12 Let's swallow them alive, as death does; let's swallow them whole, as the grave does.

13 We will take all kinds of valuable things and fill our houses with stolen goods.

14 Come join us, and we will share with you stolen goods."

15 My child, do not go along with them; do not do what they do.

16 They are eager to do evil and are quick to kill.

17 It is useless to spread out a net right where the birds can see it.

18 But sinners will fall into their own traps; they will only catch themselves!

19 All greedy people end up this way; greed kills selfish people.

20 Wisdom is like a woman shouting in the street; she raises her voice in the city squares.

21 She cries out in the noisy street and shouts at the city gates:

22 "You fools, how long will you be foolish? How long will you make fun of wisdom and hate knowledge?

23 If only you had listened when I corrected you, I would have told you what's in my heart; I would have told you what I am thinking.

24 I called, but you refused to listen; I held out my hand, but you paid no attention.

25 You did not follow my advice and did not listen when I corrected you.

26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble. I will make fun when disaster strikes you,

27 when disaster comes over you like a storm, when trouble strikes you like a whirlwind, when pain and trouble overwhelm you.

28 "Then you will call to me, but I will not answer. You will look for me, but you will not find me.

29 It is because you rejected knowledge and did not choose to respect the Lord.

30 You did not accept my advice, and you rejected my correction.

31 So you will get what you deserve; you will get what you planned for others.

32 Fools will die because they refuse to listen; they will be destroyed because they do not care.

33 But those who listen to me will live in safety and be at peace, without fear of injury."

Proverbs 2

1 My child, listen to what I say and remember what I command you.

2 Listen carefully to wisdom; set your mind on understanding.

3 Cry out for wisdom, and beg for understanding.

4 Search for it like silver, and hunt for it like hidden treasure.

5 Then you will understand respect for the Lord, and you will find that you know God.

6 Only the Lord gives wisdom; he gives knowledge and understanding.

7 He stores up wisdom for those who are honest. Like a shield he protects the innocent.

8 He makes sure that justice is done, and he protects those who are loyal to him.

9 Then you will understand what is honest and fair and what is the good and right thing to do.

10 Wisdom will come into your mind, and knowledge will be pleasing to you.

11 Good sense will protect you; understanding will guard you.

12 It will keep you from the wicked, from those whose words are bad,

13 who don't do what is right but what is evil.

14 They enjoy doing wrong and are happy to do what is crooked and evil.

15 What they do is wrong, and their ways are dishonest.

16 It will save you from the unfaithful wife who tries to lead you into adultery with pleasing words.

17 She leaves the husband she married when she was young. She ignores the promise she made before God.

18 Her house is on the way to death; those who took that path are now all dead.

19 No one who goes to her comes back or walks the path of life again.

20 But wisdom will help you be good and do what is right.

21 Those who are honest will live in the land, and those who are innocent will remain in it.

22 But the wicked will be removed from the land, and the unfaithful will be thrown out of it.

Proverbs 3

1 My child, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in mind.

2 Then you will live a long time, and your life will be successful.

3 Don't ever forget kindness and truth. Wear them like a necklace. Write them on your heart as if on a tablet.

4 Then you will be respected and will please both God and people.

5 Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don't depend on your own understanding.

6 Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success.

7 Don't depend on your own wisdom. Respect the Lord and refuse to do wrong.

8 Then your body will be healthy, and your bones will be strong.

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and the firstfruits from all your crops.

10 Then your barns will be full, and your wine barrels will overflow with new wine.

11 My child, do not reject the Lord's discipline, and don't get angry when he corrects you.

12 The Lord corrects those he loves, just as parents correct the child they delight in.

13 Happy is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gets understanding.

14 Wisdom is worth more than silver; it brings more profit than gold.

15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you could want is equal to it.

16 With her right hand wisdom offers you a long life, and with her left hand she gives you riches and honor.

17 Wisdom will make your life pleasant and will bring you peace.

18 As a tree produces fruit, wisdom gives life to those who use it, and everyone who uses it will be happy.

19 The Lord made the earth, using his wisdom. He set the sky in place, using his understanding.

20 With his knowledge, he made springs flow into rivers and the clouds drop rain on the earth.

21 My child, hold on to wisdom and good sense. Don't let them out of your sight.

22 They will give you life and beauty like a necklace around your neck.

23 Then you will go your way in safety, and you will not get hurt.

24 When you lie down, you won't be afraid; when you lie down, you will sleep in peace.

25 You won't be afraid of sudden trouble; you won't fear the ruin that comes to the wicked,

26 because the Lord will keep you safe. He will keep you from being trapped.

27 Whenever you are able, do good to people who need help.

28 If you have what your neighbor asks for, don't say, "Come back later. I will give it to you tomorrow."

29 Don't make plans to hurt your neighbor who lives nearby and trusts you.

30 Don't accuse a person for no good reason; don't accuse someone who has not harmed you.

31 Don't be jealous of those who use violence, and don't choose to be like them.

32 The Lord hates those who do wrong, but he is a friend to those who are honest.

33 The Lord will curse the evil person's house, but he will bless the home of those who do right.

34 The Lord laughs at those who laugh at him, but he gives grace to those who are not proud.

35 Wise people will receive honor, but fools will be disgraced.

Proverbs 4

1 My children, listen to your father's teaching; pay attention so you will understand.

2 What I am telling you is good, so do not forget what I teach you.

3 When I was a young boy in my father's house and like an only child to my mother,

4 my father taught me and said, "Hold on to my words with all your heart. Keep my commands and you will live.

5 Get wisdom and understanding. Don't forget or ignore my words.

6 Hold on to wisdom, and it will take care of you. Love it, and it will keep you safe.

7 Wisdom is the most important thing; so get wisdom. If it costs everything you have, get understanding.

8 Treasure wisdom, and it will make you great; hold on to it, and it will bring you honor.

9 It will be like flowers in your hair and like a beautiful crown on your head."

10 My child, listen and accept what I say. Then you will have a long life.

11 I am guiding you in the way of wisdom, and I am leading you on the right path.

12 Nothing will hold you back; you will not be overwhelmed.

13 Always remember what you have been taught, and don't let go of it. Keep all that you have learned; it is the most important thing in life.

14 Don't follow the ways of the wicked; don't do what evil people do.

15 Avoid their ways, and don't follow them. Stay away from them and keep on going,

16 because they cannot sleep until they do evil. They cannot rest until they harm someone.

17 They feast on wickedness and cruelty as if they were eating bread and drinking wine.

18 The way of the good person is like the light of dawn, growing brighter and brighter until full daylight.

19 But the wicked walk around in the dark; they can't even see what makes them stumble.

20 My child, pay attention to my words; listen closely to what I say.

21 Don't ever forget my words; keep them always in mind.

22 They are the key to life for those who find them; they bring health to the whole body.

23 Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.

24 Don't use your mouth to tell lies; don't ever say things that are not true.

25 Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good.

26 Be careful what you do, and always do what is right.

27 Don't turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths.

Proverbs 5

1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen to my words of understanding.

2 Be careful to use good sense, and watch what you say.

3 The words of another man's wife may seem sweet as honey; they may be as smooth as olive oil.

4 But in the end she will bring you sorrow, causing you pain like a two-edged sword.

5 She is on the way to death; her steps are headed straight to the grave.

6 She gives little thought to life. She doesn't even know that her ways are wrong.

7 Now, my sons, listen to me, and don't ignore what I say.

8 Stay away from such a woman. Don't even go near the door of her house,

9 or you will give your riches to others, and the best years of your life will be given to someone cruel.

10 Strangers will enjoy your wealth, and what you worked so hard for will go to someone else.

11 You will groan at the end of your life when your health is gone.

12 Then you will say, "I hated being told what to do! I would not listen to correction!

13 I would not listen to my teachers or pay attention to my instructors.

14 I came close to being completely ruined in front of a whole group of people."

15 Be faithful to your own wife, just as you drink water from your own well.

16 Don't pour your water in the streets; don't give your love to just any woman.

17 These things are yours alone and shouldn't be shared with strangers.

18 Be happy with the wife you married when you were young. She gives you joy, as your fountain gives you water.

19 She is as lovely and graceful as a deer. Let her love always make you happy; let her love always hold you captive.

20 My son, don't be held captive by a woman who takes part in adultery. Don't hug another man's wife.

21 The Lord sees everything you do, and he watches where you go.

22 An evil man will be caught in his wicked ways; the ropes of his sins will tie him up.

23 He will die because he does not control himself, and he will be held captive by his foolishness.

Proverbs 6

1 My child, be careful about giving a guarantee for somebody else's loan, about promising to pay what someone else owes.

2 You might get trapped by what you say; you might be caught by your own words.

3 My child, if you have done this and are under your neighbor's control, here is how to get free. Don't be proud. Go to your neighbor and beg to be free from your promise.

4 Don't go to sleep or even rest your eyes,

5 but free yourself like a deer running from a hunter, like a bird flying away from a trapper.

6 Go watch the ants, you lazy person. Watch what they do and be wise.

7 Ants have no commander, no leader or ruler,

8 but they store up food in the summer and gather their supplies at harvest.

9 How long will you lie there, you lazy person? When will you get up from sleeping?

10 You sleep a little; you take a nap. You fold your hands and lie down to rest.

11 So you will be as poor as if you had been robbed; you will have as little as if you had been held up.

12 Some people are wicked and no good. They go around telling lies,

13 winking with their eyes, tapping with their feet, and making signs with their fingers.

14 They make evil plans in their hearts and are always starting arguments.

15 So trouble will strike them in an instant; suddenly they will be so hurt no one can help them.

16 There are six things the Lord hates. There are seven things he cannot stand:

17 a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people,

18 a mind that thinks up evil plans, feet that are quick to do evil,

19 a witness who lies, and someone who starts arguments among families.

20 My son, keep your father's commands, and don't forget your mother's teaching.

21 Keep their words in mind forever as though you had them tied around your neck.

22 They will guide you when you walk. They will guard you when you sleep. They will speak to you when you are awake.

23 These commands are like a lamp; this teaching is like a light. And the correction that comes from them will help you have life.

24 They will keep you from sinful women and from the pleasing words of another man's unfaithful wife.

25 Don't desire her because she is beautiful. Don't let her capture you by the way she looks at you.

26 A prostitute will treat you like a loaf of bread, and a woman who takes part in adultery may cost you your life.

27 You cannot carry hot coals against your chest without burning your clothes,

28 and you cannot walk on hot coals without burning your feet.

29 The same is true if you have sexual relations with another man's wife. Anyone who does so will be punished.

30 People don't hate a thief when he steals because he is hungry.

31 But if he is caught, he must pay back seven times what he stole, and it may cost him everything he owns.

32 A man who takes part in adultery has no sense; he will destroy himself.

33 He will be beaten up and disgraced, and his shame will never go away.

34 Jealousy makes a husband very angry, and he will have no pity when he gets revenge.

35 He will accept no payment for the wrong; he will take no amount of money.

Proverbs 7

1 My son, remember what I say, and treasure my commands.

2 Obey my commands, and you will live. Guard my teachings as you would your own eyes.

3 Remind yourself of them; write them on your heart as if on a tablet.

4 Treat wisdom as a sister, and make understanding your closest friend.

5 Wisdom and understanding will keep you away from adultery, away from the unfaithful wife and her pleasing words.

6 Once while I was at the window of my house I looked out through the shutters

7 and saw some foolish, young men. I noticed one of them had no wisdom.

8 He was walking down the street near the corner on the road leading to her house.

9 It was the twilight of the evening; the darkness of the night was just beginning.

10 Then the woman approached him, dressed like a prostitute and planning to trick him.

11 She was loud and stubborn and never stayed at home.

12 She was always out in the streets or in the city squares, waiting around on the corners of the streets.

13 She grabbed him and kissed him. Without shame she said to him,

14 "I made my fellowship offering and took some of the meat home. Today I have kept my special promises.

15 So I have come out to meet you; I have been looking for you and have found you.

16 I have covered my bed with colored sheets from Egypt.

17 I have made my bed smell sweet with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18 Come, let's make love until morning. Let's enjoy each other's love.

19 My husband is not home; he has gone on a long trip.

20 He took a lot of money with him and won't be home for weeks."

21 By her clever words she made him give in; by her pleasing words she led him into doing wrong.

22 All at once he followed her, like an ox led to the butcher, like a deer caught in a trap

23 and shot through the liver with an arrow. Like a bird caught in a trap, he didn't know what he did would kill him.

24 Now, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.

25 Don't let yourself be tricked by such a woman; don't go where she leads you.

26 She has ruined many good men, and many have died because of her.

27 Her house is on the road to death, the road that leads down to the grave.

Proverbs 8

1 Wisdom calls to you like someone shouting; understanding raises her voice.

2 On the hilltops along the road and at the crossroads, she stands calling.

3 Beside the city gates, at the entrances into the city, she calls out:

4 "Listen, everyone, I'm calling out to you; I am shouting to all people.

5 You who are uneducated, be smarter. You who are foolish, get understanding.

6 Listen, because I have important things to say, and what I tell you is right.

7 What I say is true, I refuse to speak evil.

8 Everything I say is honest; nothing I say is crooked or false.

9 People with good sense know what I say is true; and those with knowledge know my words are right.

10 Choose my teachings instead of silver, and knowledge rather than the finest gold.

11 Wisdom is more precious than rubies. Nothing you could want is equal to it.

12 "I am wisdom, and I am smart. I also have knowledge and good sense.

13 If you respect the Lord, you will also hate evil. I hate pride and bragging, evil ways and lies.

14 I have good sense and advice, and I have understanding and power.

15 I help kings to govern and rulers to make fair laws.

16 Princes use me to lead, and so do all important people who judge fairly.

17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

18 Riches and honor are mine to give. So are wealth and lasting success.

19 What I give is better than the finest gold, better than the purest silver.

20 I do what is right and follow the path of justice.

21 I give wealth to those who love me, filling their houses with treasures.

22 "I, wisdom, was with the Lord when he began his work, long before he made anything else.

23 I was created in the very beginning, even before the world began.

24 I was born before there were oceans, or springs overflowing with water,

25 before the hills were there, before the mountains were put in place.

26 God had not made the earth or fields, not even the first dust of the earth.

27 I was there when God put the skies in place, when he stretched the horizon over the oceans,

28 when he made the clouds above and put the deep underground springs in place.

29 I was there when he ordered the sea not to go beyond the borders he had set. I was there when he laid the earth's foundation.

30 I was like a child by his side. I was delighted every day, enjoying his presence all the time,

31 enjoying the whole world, and delighted with all its people.

32 "Now, my children, listen to me, because those who follow my ways are happy.

33 Listen to my teaching, and you will be wise; do not ignore it.

34 Happy are those who listen to me, watching at my door every day, waiting at my open doorway.

35 Those who find me find life, and the Lord will be pleased with them.

36 Those who do not find me hurt themselves. Those who hate me love death."

Proverbs 9

1 Wisdom has built her house; she has made its seven columns.

2 She has prepared her food and wine; she has set her table.

3 She has sent out her servant girls, and she calls out from the highest place in the city.

4 She says to those who are uneducated, "Come in here, you foolish people!

5 Come and eat my food and drink the wine I have prepared.

6 Stop your foolish ways, and you will live; take the road of understanding.

7 "If you correct someone who makes fun of wisdom, you will be insulted. If you correct an evil person, you will get hurt.

8 Do not correct those who make fun of wisdom, or they will hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you.

9 Teach the wise, and they will become even wiser; teach good people, and they will learn even more.

10 "Wisdom begins with respect for the Lord, and understanding begins with knowing the Holy One.

11 If you live wisely, you will live a long time; wisdom will add years to your life.

12 The wise person is rewarded by wisdom, but whoever makes fun of wisdom will suffer for it."

13 Foolishness is like a loud woman; she does not have wisdom or knowledge.

14 She sits at the door of her house at the highest place in the city.

15 She calls out to those who are passing by, who are going along, minding their own business.

16 She says to those who are uneducated, "Come in here, you foolish people!

17 Stolen water is sweeter, and food eaten in secret tastes better."

18 But these people don't know that everyone who goes there dies, that her guests end up deep in the grave.