Proverbs 3; Proverbs 4; Proverbs 5; Proverbs 6; Proverbs 7; Proverbs 8; Proverbs 9; Proverbs 10; Proverbs 11; Proverbs 12; Proverbs 13; Proverbs 14; Proverbs 15

Proverbs 3

1 My child, don't forget what I teach you. Always remember what I tell you to do.

2 My teaching will give you a long and prosperous life.

3 Never let go of loyalty and faithfulness. Tie them around your neck; write them on your heart.

4 If you do this, both God and people will be pleased with you.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know.

6 Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.

7 Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong.

8 If you do, it will be like good medicine, healing your wounds and easing your pains.

9 Honor the Lord by making him an offering from the best of all that your land produces.

10 If you do, your barns will be filled with grain, and you will have too much wine to store it all.

11 My child, when the Lord corrects you, pay close attention and take it as a warning.

12 The Lord corrects those he loves, as parents correct a child of whom they are proud.

13 Happy is anyone who becomes wise - who comes to have understanding.

14 There is more profit in it than there is in silver; it is worth more to you than gold.

15 Wisdom is more valuable than jewels; nothing you could want can compare with it.

16 Wisdom offers you long life, as well as wealth and honor.

17 Wisdom can make your life pleasant and lead you safely through it.

18 Those who become wise are happy; wisdom will give them life.

19 The Lord created the earth by his wisdom; by his knowledge he set the sky in place.

20 His wisdom caused the rivers to flow and the clouds to give rain to the earth.

21 My child, hold on to your wisdom and insight. Never let them get away from you.

22 They will provide you with life - a pleasant and happy life.

23 You can go safely on your way and never even stumble.

24 You will not be afraid when you go to bed, and you will sleep soundly through the night.

25 You will not have to worry about sudden disasters, such as come on the wicked like a storm.

26 The Lord will keep you safe. He will not let you fall into a trap.

27 Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it.

28 Never tell your neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.

29 Don't plan anything that will hurt your neighbors; they live beside you, trusting you.

30 Don't argue with others for no reason when they have never done you any harm.

31 Don't be jealous of violent people or decide to act as they do,

32 because the Lord hates people who do evil, but he takes righteous people into his confidence.

33 The Lord puts a curse on the homes of the wicked, but blesses the homes of the righteous.

34 He has no use for conceited people, but shows favor to those who are humble.

35 Wise people will gain an honorable reputation, but stupid people will only add to their own disgrace.

Proverbs 4

1 My children, listen to what your father teaches you. Pay attention, and you will have understanding.

2 What I am teaching you is good, so remember it all.

3 When I was only a little boy, my parents' only son,

4 my father would teach me. He would say, "Remember what I say and never forget it. Do as I tell you, and you will live.

5 Get wisdom and insight! Do not forget or ignore what I say.

6 Do not abandon wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will keep you safe.

7 Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do. Whatever else you get, get insight.

8 Love wisdom, and she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will bring you honor.

9 She will be your crowning glory."

10 Listen to me, my child. Take seriously what I am telling you, and you will live a long life.

11 I have taught you wisdom and the right way to live.

12 Nothing will stand in your way if you walk wisely, and you will not stumble when you run.

13 Always remember what you have learned. Your education is your life - guard it well.

14 Do not go where evil people go. Do not follow the example of the wicked.

15 Don't do it! Keep away from evil! Refuse it and go on your way.

16 Wicked people cannot sleep unless they have done something wrong. They lie awake unless they have hurt someone.

17 Wickedness and violence are like food and drink to them.

18 The road the righteous travel is like the sunrise, getting brighter and brighter until daylight has come.

19 The road of the wicked, however, is dark as night. They fall, but cannot see what they have stumbled over.

20 My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen to my words.

21 Never let them get away from you. Remember them and keep them in your heart.

22 They will give life and health to anyone who understands them.

23 Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.

24 Never say anything that isn't true. Have nothing to do with lies and misleading words.

25 Look straight ahead with honest confidence; don't hang your head in shame.

26 Plan carefully what you do, and whatever you do will turn out right.

27 Avoid evil and walk straight ahead. Don't go one step off the right way.

Proverbs 5

1 My child, pay attention and listen to my wisdom and insight.

2 Then you will know how to behave properly, and your words will show that you have knowledge.

3 The lips of another man's wife may be as sweet as honey and her kisses as smooth as olive oil,

4 but when it is all over, she leaves you nothing but bitterness and pain.

5 She will take you down to the world of the dead; the road she walks is the road to death.

6 She does not stay on the road to life; but wanders off, and does not realize what is happening.

7 Now listen to me, sons, and never forget what I am saying.

8 Keep away from such a woman! Don't even go near her door!

9 If you do, others will gain the respect that you once had, and you will die young at the hands of merciless people.

10 Yes, strangers will take all your wealth, and what you have worked for will belong to someone else.

11 You will lie groaning on your deathbed, your flesh and muscles being eaten away,

12 and you will say, "Why would I never learn? Why would I never let anyone correct me?

13 I wouldn't listen to my teachers. I paid no attention to them.

14 And suddenly I found myself publicly disgraced."

15 Be faithful to your own wife and give your love to her alone.

16 Children that you have by other women will do you no good.

17 Your children should grow up to help you, not strangers.

18 So be happy with your wife and find your joy with the woman you married -

19 pretty and graceful as a deer. Let her charms keep you happy; let her surround you with her love.

20 Son, why should you give your love to another woman? Why should you prefer the charms of another man's wife?

21 The Lord sees everything you do. Wherever you go, he is watching.

22 The sins of the wicked are a trap. They get caught in the net of their own sin.

23 They die because they have no self-control. Their utter stupidity will send them to their graves.

Proverbs 6

1 My child, have you promised to be responsible for someone else's debts?

2 Have you been caught by your own words, trapped by your own promises?

3 Well then, my child, you are in that person's power, but this is how to get out of it: hurry to him, and beg him to release you.

4 Don't let yourself go to sleep or even stop to rest.

5 Get out of the trap like a bird or a deer escaping from a hunter.

6 Lazy people should learn a lesson from the way ants live.

7 They have no leader, chief, or ruler,

8 but they store up their food during the summer, getting ready for winter.

9 How long is the lazy man going to lie around? When is he ever going to get up?

10 "I'll just take a short nap," he says; "I'll fold my hands and rest a while."

11 But while he sleeps, poverty will attack him like an armed robber.

12 Worthless, wicked people go around telling lies.

13 They wink and make gestures to deceive you,

14 all the while planning evil in their perverted minds, stirring up trouble everywhere.

15 Because of this, disaster will strike them without warning, and they will be fatally wounded.

16 There are seven things that the Lord hates and cannot tolerate: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people, a mind that thinks up wicked plans, feet that hurry off to do evil, a witness who tells one lie after another, and someone who stirs up trouble among friends

20 Son, do what your father tells you and never forget what your mother taught you.

21 Keep their words with you always, locked in your heart.

22 Their teaching will lead you when you travel, protect you at night, and advise you during the day.

23 Their instructions are a shining light; their correction can teach you how to live.

24 It can keep you away from bad women, from the seductive words of other men's wives.

25 Don't be tempted by their beauty; don't be trapped by their flirting eyes.

26 A man can hire a prostitute for the price of a loaf of bread, but adultery will cost him all he has.

27 Can you carry fire against your chest without burning your clothes?

28 Can you walk on hot coals without burning your feet?

29 It is just as dangerous to sleep with another man's wife. Whoever does it will suffer.

30 People don't despise a thief if he steals food when he is hungry;

31 yet if he is caught, he must pay back seven times more - he must give up everything he has.

32 But a man who commits adultery doesn't have any sense. He is just destroying himself.

33 He will be dishonored and beaten up; he will be permanently disgraced.

34 A husband is never angrier than when he is jealous; his revenge knows no limits.

35 He will not accept any payment; no amount of gifts will satisfy his anger.

Proverbs 7

1 My child, remember what I say and never forget what I tell you to do.

2 Do what I say, and you will live. Be as careful to follow my teaching as you are to protect your eyes.

3 Keep my teaching with you all the time; write it on your heart.

4 Treat wisdom as your sister, and insight as your closest friend.

5 They will keep you away from other men's wives, from women with seductive words.

6 Once I was looking out the window of my house,

7 and I saw many inexperienced young men, but noticed one foolish fellow in particular.

8 He was walking along the street near the corner where a certain woman lived. He was passing near her house

9 in the evening after it was dark.

10 And then she met him; she was dressed like a prostitute and was making plans.

11 She was a bold and shameless woman who always walked the streets

12 or stood waiting at a corner, sometimes in the streets, sometimes in the marketplace.

13 She threw her arms around the young man, kissed him, looked him straight in the eye, and said,

14 "I made my offerings today and have the meat from the sacrifices.

15 So I came out looking for you. I wanted to find you, and here you are!

16 I've covered my bed with sheets of colored linen from Egypt.

17 I've perfumed it with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18 Come on! Let's make love all night long. We'll be happy in each other's arms.

19 My husband isn't at home. He's on a long trip.

20 He took plenty of money with him and won't be back for two weeks."

21 So she tempted him with her charms, and he gave in to her smooth talk.

22 Suddenly he was going with her like an ox on the way to be slaughtered, like a deer prancing into a trap

23 where an arrow would pierce its heart. He was like a bird going into a net - he did not know that his life was in danger.

24 Now then, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to what I say.

25 Do not let such a woman win your heart; don't go wandering after her.

26 She has been the ruin of many men and caused the death of too many to count.

27 If you go to her house, you are on the way to the world of the dead. It is a shortcut to death.

Proverbs 8

1 Listen! Wisdom is calling out. Reason is making herself heard.

2 On the hilltops near the road and at the crossroads she stands.

3 At the entrance to the city, beside the gates, she calls:

4 "I appeal to all of you; I call to everyone on earth.

5 Are you immature? Learn to be mature. Are you foolish? Learn to have sense.

6 Listen to my excellent words; all I tell you is right.

7 What I say is the truth; lies are hateful to me.

8 Everything I say is true; nothing is false or misleading.

9 To those with insight, it is all clear; to the well-informed, it is all plain.

10 Choose my instruction instead of silver; choose knowledge rather than the finest gold.

11 "I am Wisdom, I am better than jewels; nothing you want can compare with me.

12 I am Wisdom, and I have insight; I have knowledge and sound judgment.

13 To honor the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil ways and false words.

14 I make plans and carry them out. I have understanding, and I am strong.

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

16 Every ruler on earth governs with my help, officials and nobles alike.

17 I love those who love me; whoever looks for me can find me.

18 I have riches and honor to give, prosperity and success.

19 What you get from me is better than the finest gold, better than the purest silver.

20 I walk the way of righteousness; I follow the paths of justice,

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

22 "The Lord created me first of all, the first of his works, long ago.

23 I was made in the very beginning, at the first, before the world began.

24 I was born before the oceans, when there were no springs of water.

25 I was born before the mountains, before the hills were set in place,

26 before God made the earth and its fields or even the first handful of soil.

27 I was there when he set the sky in place, when he stretched the horizon across the ocean,

28 when he placed the clouds in the sky, when he opened the springs of the ocean

29 and ordered the waters of the sea to rise no further than he said. I was there when he laid the earth's foundations.

30 I was beside him like an architect, I was his daily source of joy, always happy in his presence -

31 happy with the world and pleased with the human race.

32 "Now, young people, listen to me. Do as I say, and you will be happy.

33 Listen to what you are taught. Be wise; do not neglect it.

34 Those who listen to me will be happy - those who stay at my door every day, waiting at the entrance to my home.

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

36 Those who do not find me hurt themselves; anyone who hates me loves death."

Proverbs 9

1 Wisdom has built her house and made seven columns for it.

2 She has had an animal killed for a feast, mixed spices in the wine, and set the table.

3 She has sent her servant women to call out from the highest place in town:

4 "Come in, ignorant people!" And to the foolish she says,

5 "Come, eat my food and drink the wine that I have mixed.

6 Leave the company of ignorant people, and live. Follow the way of knowledge."

7 If you correct conceited people, you will only be insulted. If you reprimand evil people, you will only get hurt.

8 Never correct conceited people; they will hate you for it. But if you correct the wise, they will respect you.

9 Anything you say to the wise will make them wiser. Whatever you tell the righteous will add to their knowledge.

10 To be wise you must first have reverence for the Lord. If you know the Holy One, you have understanding.

11 Wisdom will add years to your life.

12 You are the one who will profit if you have wisdom, and if you reject it, you are the one who will suffer.

13 Stupidity is like a loud, ignorant, shameless woman.

14 She sits at the door of her house or on a seat in the highest part of town,

15 and calls out to people passing by, who are minding their own business:

16 "Come in, ignorant people!" To the foolish she says,

17 "Stolen water is sweeter. Stolen bread tastes better."

18 Her victims do not know that the people die who go to her house, that those who have already entered are now deep in the world of the dead.

Proverbs 10

1 These are Solomon's proverbs: Wise children make their fathers proud of them; foolish ones bring their mothers grief.

2 Wealth you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life.

3 The Lord will not let good people go hungry, but he will keep the wicked from getting what they want.

4 Being lazy will make you poor, but hard work will make you rich.

5 A sensible person gathers the crops when they are ready; it is a disgrace to sleep through the time of harvest.

6 Good people will receive blessings. The words of the wicked hide a violent nature.

7 Good people will be remembered as a blessing, but the wicked will soon be forgotten.

8 Sensible people accept good advice. People who talk foolishly will come to ruin.

9 Honest people are safe and secure, but the dishonest will be caught.

10 Someone who holds back the truth causes trouble, but one who openly criticizes works for peace.

11 A good person's words are a fountain of life, but a wicked person's words hide a violent nature.

12 Hate stirs up trouble, but love forgives all offenses.

13 Intelligent people talk sense, but stupid people need to be punished.

14 The wise get all the knowledge they can, but when fools speak, trouble is not far off.

15 Wealth protects the rich; poverty destroys the poor.

16 The reward for doing good is life, but sin leads only to more sin.

17 People who listen when they are corrected will live, but those who will not admit that they are wrong are in danger.

18 Anyone who hides hatred is a liar. Anyone who spreads gossip is a fool.

19 The more you talk, the more likely you are to sin. If you are wise, you will keep quiet.

20 A good person's words are like pure silver; a wicked person's ideas are worthless.

21 A good person's words will benefit many people, but you can kill yourself with stupidity.

22 It is the Lord's blessing that makes you wealthy. Hard work can make you no richer.

23 It is foolish to enjoy doing wrong. Intelligent people take pleasure in wisdom.

24 The righteous get what they want, but the wicked will get what they fear most.

25 Storms come, and the wicked are blown away, but honest people are always safe.

26 Never get a lazy person to do something for you; he will be as irritating as vinegar on your teeth or smoke in your eyes.

27 Obey the Lord, and you will live longer. The wicked die before their time.

28 The hopes of good people lead to joy, but wicked people can look forward to nothing.

29 The Lord protects honest people, but destroys those who do wrong.

30 Righteous people will always have security, but the wicked will not survive in the land.

31 Righteous people speak wisdom, but the tongue that speaks evil will be stopped.

32 Righteous people know the kind thing to say, but the wicked are always saying things that hurt.

Proverbs 11

1 The Lord hates people who use dishonest scales. He is happy with honest weights.

2 People who are proud will soon be disgraced. It is wiser to be modest.

3 If you are good, you are guided by honesty. People who can't be trusted are destroyed by their own dishonesty.

4 Riches will do you no good on the day you face death, but honesty can save your life.

5 Honesty makes a good person's life easier, but the wicked will cause their own downfall.

6 Righteousness rescues those who are honest, but those who can't be trusted are trapped by their own greed.

7 When the wicked die, their hope dies with them. Confidence placed in riches comes to nothing.

8 The righteous are protected from trouble; it comes to the wicked instead.

9 You can be ruined by the talk of godless people, but the wisdom of the righteous can save you.

10 A city is happy when honest people have good fortune, and there are joyful shouts when the wicked die.

11 A city becomes great when the righteous give it their blessing; but a city is brought to ruin by the words of the wicked.

12 It is foolish to speak scornfully of others. If you are smart, you will keep quiet.

13 No one who gossips can be trusted with a secret, but you can put confidence in someone who is trustworthy.

14 A nation will fall if it has no guidance. Many advisers mean security.

15 If you promise to pay a stranger's debt, you will regret it. You are better off if you don't get involved.

16 A gracious woman is respected, but a woman without virtue is a disgrace. Lazy people will never have money, but aggressive people will get rich.

17 You do yourself a favor when you are kind. If you are cruel, you only hurt yourself.

18 Wicked people do not really gain anything, but if you do what is right, you are certain to be rewarded.

19 Anyone who is determined to do right will live, but anyone who insists on doing wrong will die.

20 The Lord hates evil-minded people, but loves those who do right.

21 You can be sure that evil people will be punished, but the righteous will escape.

22 Beauty in a woman without good judgment is like a gold ring in a pig's snout.

23 What good people want always results in good; when the wicked get what they want, everyone is angry.

24 Some people spend their money freely and still grow richer. Others are cautious, and yet grow poorer.

25 Be generous, and you will be prosperous. Help others, and you will be helped.

26 People curse someone who hoards grain, waiting for a higher price, but they praise the one who puts it up for sale.

27 If your goals are good, you will be respected, but if you are looking for trouble, that is what you will get.

28 Those who depend on their wealth will fall like the leaves of autumn, but the righteous will prosper like the leaves of summer.

29 Those who bring trouble on their families will have nothing at the end. Foolish people will always be servants to the wise.

30 Righteousness gives life, but violence takes it away.

31 Those who are good are rewarded here on earth, so you can be sure that wicked and sinful people will be punished.

Proverbs 12

1 Any who love knowledge want to be told when they are wrong. It is stupid to hate being corrected.

2 The Lord is pleased with good people, but condemns those who plan evil.

3 Wickedness does not give security, but righteous people stand firm.

4 A good wife is her husband's pride and joy; but a wife who brings shame on her husband is like a cancer in his bones.

5 Honest people will treat you fairly; the wicked only want to deceive you.

6 The words of the wicked are murderous, but the words of the righteous rescue those who are threatened.

7 The wicked meet their downfall and leave no descendants, but the families of the righteous live on.

8 If you are intelligent, you will be praised; if you are stupid, people will look down on you.

9 It is better to be an ordinary person working for a living than to play the part of someone great but go hungry.

10 Good people take care of their animals, but wicked people are cruel to theirs.

11 A hard-working farmer has plenty to eat, but it is stupid to waste time on useless projects.

12 All that wicked people want is to find evil things to do, but the righteous stand firm.

13 The wicked are trapped by their own words, but honest people get themselves out of trouble.

14 Your reward depends on what you say and what you do; you will get what you deserve.

15 Stupid people always think they are right. Wise people listen to advice.

16 When a fool is annoyed, he quickly lets it be known. Smart people will ignore an insult.

17 When you tell the truth, justice is done, but lies lead to injustice.

18 Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal.

19 A lie has a short life, but truth lives on forever.

20 Those who plan evil are in for a rude surprise, but those who work for good will find happiness.

21 Nothing bad happens to righteous people, but the wicked have nothing but trouble.

22 The Lord hates liars, but is pleased with those who keep their word.

23 Smart people keep quiet about what they know, but stupid people advertise their ignorance.

24 Hard work will give you power; being lazy will make you a slave.

25 Worry can rob you of happiness, but kind words will cheer you up.

26 The righteous person is a guide to his friend, but the path of the wicked leads them astray.

27 If you are lazy, you will never get what you are after, but if you work hard, you will get a fortune.

28 Righteousness is the road to life; wickedness is the road to death.

Proverbs 13

1 Wise children pay attention when their parents correct them, but arrogant people never admit they are wrong.

2 Good people will be rewarded for what they say, but those who are deceitful are hungry for violence.

3 Be careful what you say and protect your life. A careless talker destroys himself.

4 No matter how much a lazy person may want something, he will never get it. A hard worker will get everything he wants.

5 Honest people hate lies, but the words of wicked people are shameful and disgraceful.

6 Righteousness protects the innocent; wickedness is the downfall of sinners.

7 Some people pretend to be rich, but have nothing. Others pretend to be poor, but own a fortune.

8 The rich have to use their money to save their lives, but no one threatens the poor.

9 The righteous are like a light shining brightly; the wicked are like a lamp flickering out.

10 Arrogance causes nothing but trouble. It is wiser to ask for advice.

11 The more easily you get your wealth, the sooner you will lose it. The harder it is to earn, the more you will have.

12 When hope is crushed, the heart is crushed, but a wish come true fills you with joy.

13 If you refuse good advice, you are asking for trouble; follow it and you are safe.

14 The teachings of the wise are a fountain of life; they will help you escape when your life is in danger.

15 Intelligence wins respect, but those who can't be trusted are on the road to ruin.

16 Sensible people always think before they act, but stupid people advertise their ignorance.

17 Unreliable messengers cause trouble, but those who can be trusted bring peace.

18 Someone who will not learn will be poor and disgraced. Anyone who listens to correction is respected.

19 How good it is to get what you want! Stupid people refuse to turn away from evil.

20 Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.

21 Trouble follows sinners everywhere, but righteous people will be rewarded with good things.

22 Good people will have wealth to leave to their grandchildren, but the wealth of sinners will go to the righteous.

23 Unused fields could yield plenty of food for the poor, but unjust people keep them from being farmed.

24 If you don't punish your children, you don't love them. If you do love them, you will correct them.

25 The righteous have enough to eat, but the wicked are always hungry.

Proverbs 14

1 Homes are made by the wisdom of women, but are destroyed by foolishness.

2 Be honest and you show that you have reverence for the Lord; be dishonest and you show that you do not.

3 Proud fools talk too much; the words of the wise protect them.

4 Without any oxen to pull the plow your barn will be empty, but with them it will be full of grain.

5 A reliable witness always tells the truth, but an unreliable one tells nothing but lies.

6 Conceited people can never become wise, but intelligent people learn easily.

7 Stay away from foolish people; they have nothing to teach you.

8 Why is a clever person wise? Because he knows what to do. Why is a stupid person foolish? Because he only thinks he knows.

9 Foolish people don't care if they sin, but good people want to be forgiven.

10 Your joy is your own; your bitterness is your own. No one can share them with you.

11 A good person's house will still be standing after an evildoer's house has been destroyed.

12 What you think is the right road may lead to death.

13 Laughter may hide sadness. When happiness is gone, sorrow is always there.

14 Bad people will get what they deserve. Good people will be rewarded for their deeds.

15 A fool will believe anything; smart people watch their step.

16 Sensible people are careful to stay out of trouble, but stupid people are careless and act too quickly.

17 People with a hot temper do foolish things; wiser people remain calm.

18 Ignorant people get what their foolishness deserves, but the clever are rewarded with knowledge.

19 Evil people will have to bow down to the righteous and humbly beg their favor.

20 No one likes the poor, not even their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.

21 If you want to be happy, be kind to the poor; it is a sin to despise anyone.

22 You will earn the trust and respect of others if you work for good; if you work for evil, you are making a mistake.

23 Work and you will earn a living; if you sit around talking you will be poor.

24 Wise people are rewarded with wealth, but fools are known by their foolishness.

25 A witness saves lives when he tells the truth; when he tells lies, he betrays people.

26 Reverence for the Lord gives confidence and security to a man and his family.

27 Do you want to avoid death? Reverence for the Lord is a fountain of life.

28 A king's greatness depends on how many people he rules; without them he is nothing.

29 If you stay calm, you are wise, but if you have a hot temper, you only show how stupid you are.

30 Peace of mind makes the body healthy, but jealousy is like a cancer.

31 If you oppress poor people, you insult the God who made them; but kindness shown to the poor is an act of worship.

32 Wicked people bring about their own downfall by their evil deeds, but good people are protected by their integrity.

33 Wisdom is in every thought of intelligent people; fools know nothing about wisdom.

34 Righteousness makes a nation great; sin is a disgrace to any nation.

35 Kings are pleased with competent officials, but they punish those who fail them.

Proverbs 15

1 A gentle answer quiets anger, but a harsh one stirs it up.

2 When wise people speak, they make knowledge attractive, but stupid people spout nonsense.

3 The Lord sees what happens everywhere; he is watching us, whether we do good or evil.

4 Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit.

5 It is foolish to ignore what your parents taught you; it is wise to accept their correction.

6 Righteous people keep their wealth, but the wicked lose theirs when hard times come.

7 Knowledge is spread by people who are wise, not by fools.

8 The Lord is pleased when good people pray, but hates the sacrifices that the wicked bring him.

9 The Lord hates the ways of evil people, but loves those who do what is right.

10 If you do what is wrong, you will be severely punished; you will die if you do not let yourself be corrected.

11 Not even the world of the dead can keep the Lord from knowing what is there; how then can we hide our thoughts from God?

12 Conceited people do not like to be corrected; they never ask for advice from those who are wiser.

13 When people are happy, they smile, but when they are sad, they look depressed.

14 Intelligent people want to learn, but stupid people are satisfied with ignorance.

15 The life of the poor is a constant struggle, but happy people always enjoy life.

16 Better to be poor and fear the Lord than to be rich and in trouble.

17 Better to eat vegetables with people you love than to eat the finest meat where there is hate.

18 Hot tempers cause arguments, but patience brings peace.

19 If you are lazy, you will meet difficulty everywhere, but if you are honest, you will have no trouble.

20 Wise children make their fathers happy. Only fools despise their mothers.

21 Stupid people are happy with their foolishness, but the wise will do what is right.

22 Get all the advice you can, and you will succeed; without it you will fail.

23 What a joy it is to find just the right word for the right occasion!

24 Wise people walk the road that leads upward to life, not the road that leads downward to death.

25 The Lord will destroy the homes of arrogant men, but he will protect a widow's property.

26 The Lord hates evil thoughts, but he is pleased with friendly words.

27 Try to make a profit dishonestly, and you get your family in trouble. Don't take bribes and you will live longer.

28 Good people think before they answer. Evil people have a quick reply, but it causes trouble.

29 When good people pray, the Lord listens, but he ignores those who are evil.

30 Smiling faces make you happy, and good news makes you feel better.

31 If you pay attention when you are corrected, you are wise.

32 If you refuse to learn, you are hurting yourself. If you accept correction, you will become wiser.

33 Reverence for the Lord is an education in itself. You must be humble before you can ever receive honors.