21 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as athe rivers of water:

He bturneth it whithersoever he will.

2  cEvery way of a man is right in his own eyes:

But dthe Lord cpondereth the hearts.

3  eTo do justice and judgment

Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

4  f†An high look, and ga proud heart,

And ||the hplowing of the wicked, is sin.

5  The thoughts of ithe diligent tend only to plenteousness;

But of every one that is khasty lonly to want.

6  mThe getting of treasures by a lying tongue

Is na vanity otossed to and fro of them pthat seek death.

7  The robbery of the wicked shall †sdestroy them;

Because they refuse to do judgment.

8  The way of man is froward and strange:

But as for the pure, his work is right.

9  tIt is better to dwell in a ucorner of the housetop,

tThan with †a brawling woman in †a wide house.

10  yThe soul of the wicked desireth evil:

His neighbour †findeth no favour in his eyes.

11  zWhen the scorner is apunished, the simple is made wise:

And when the wise bis instructed, he receiveth knowledge.

12  The righteous man bcwisely considereth the house of the wicked:

But dGod overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.

13  eWhoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor,

He also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

14  fA gift in secret pacifieth anger:

And a reward in gthe bosom strong wrath.

15  It is joy to the just to do judgment:

hBut destruction shall be to ithe workers of iniquity.

16  The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding

jShall remain in the congregation of kthe dead.

17  He that loveth ||pleasure shall be a poor man:

He that loveth wine and loil shall not be rich.

18  mThe wicked shall be a nransom for the righteous,

And the transgressor for the upright.

19  oIt is better to dwell †in the wilderness,

Than with a contentious and an angry woman.

20  pThere is treasure to be desired and lqoil in the dwelling of the wise;

But a foolish man rspendeth it up.

21  sHe that followeth after righteousness and mercy

tFindeth life, righteousness, and honour.

22  uA wise man scaleth the city of the mighty,

And casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.

23  wWhoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue

xKeepeth his soul yfrom troubles.

24  Proud and zhaughty scorner is his name,

Who dealeth †in proud wrath.

25  aThe desire of the slothful killeth him;

For his hands refuse to labour.

26  He bcoveteth greedily all the day long:

But cthe righteous giveth and spareth not.

27  dThe sacrifice of the wicked is abomination:

How much more, when he bringeth it †with a wicked mind?

28  †A false witness shall perish:

But the man that heareth speaketh econstantly.

29  A wicked man fhardeneth his face:

But as for the upright, he ||gdirecteth his way.

30  hThere is no wisdom nor understanding

Nor counsel against the Lord.

31  iThe horse is prepared against the day of battle:

But ||ksafety is of the Lord.

22 A agood name is rather bto be chosen than great riches,

And ||loving favour rather than silver and gold.

2  The rich and poor cmeet together:

dThe Lord is ethe maker of them all.

3  fA prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself:

fBut the simple pass on, and gare punished.

4  ||By humility and the fear of the Lord

Are iriches, and honour, and life.

5  kThorns and snares are in the way of the froward:

He that doth lkeep his soul shall be far from them.

6  m||Train up a child †in the way he should go:

And when he is old, he will not depart from it.

7  The rich ruleth over the poor,

And the borrower is servant †to the lender.

8  He that osoweth piniquity shall preap vanity:

||And the qrod of his anger shall fail.

9  s†He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed;

For the giveth of his bread to the poor.

10  uCast out the scorner, and contention shall go out;

Yea, wstrife and reproach shall cease.

11  xHe that loveth pureness of heart,

||For the grace of his lips ythe king shall be his friend.

12  The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,

And he zoverthroweth ||the words of the transgressor.

13  aThe slothful man saith, There is a lion without,

I shall be slain in the streets.

14  The mouth of bstrange women is ca deep pit:

dHe that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein.

15  Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child;

But ethe rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

16  He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches,

And he that giveth to the rich, shall fsurely come to want.

17  gBow down thine ear, and hear ithe words of the wise,

And happly thine heart unto my knowledge.

18  For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep ithem †within thee;

They shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

19  That thy trust may be in the Lord,

I have made known to thee this day, ||jeven to thee.

20  Have not I written to thee kexcellent things

In counsels and knowledge,

21  That I might make thee know lthe certainty of the words of truth;

That thou mightest answer the words of truth ||to them that send unto thee?

22  mRob not the poor, because he is poor:

Neither noppress the afflicted oin the gate:

23  For pthe Lord will plead their cause,

And qspoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

24  Make no friendship with ran angry man;

And with a furious man rrthou shalt not go:

25  Lest thou learn his ways,

And get a snare to thy soul.

26  Be not thou one of sthem that strike hands,

Or of sthem that are sureties for tdebts.

27  If thou hast nothing to pay,

Why should he utake away thy bed from under thee?

28  vRemove not the wancient ||landmark,

Which thy fathers have set.

29  xSeest thou a man ydiligent in his business?

He shall zstand before kings;

He shall not stand before †mean men.

23 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler,

Consider diligently what is before thee:

2  And put a knife to thy throat,

If thou be a man agiven to bappetite.

3  cBe not desirous of his cddainties:

For they are deceitful meat.

4  eLabour not to be rich:

Cease from thine own fwisdom.

5  †Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?

For griches certainly make themselves wings;

They fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

6  hEat thou not the bread of him that hath ian evil eye,

cNeither desire thou his cddainty meats:

7  For as he thinketh in his bheart, so is he:

Eat and drink, saith he to thee;

jBut his heart is not with thee.

8  The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou kvomit up,

And llose thy sweet words.

9  lSpeak not in the ears of a fool:

For he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

10  mRemove not the old ||landmark;

And enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

11  For their nredeemer is mighty;

He oshall plead their cause with thee.

12  Apply thine heart unto pinstruction,

And thine ears to the words of knowledge.

13  Withhold not pcorrection from the qchild:

For if thou beatest him with the rod, rhe shall not die.

14  Thou shalt beat him with the rod,

And shalt sdeliver his soul from hell.

15  tMy son, if thine heart be wise,

My heart shall rejoice, ||ueven mine.

16  Yea, xmy reins shall rejoice,

When thy lips speak yright things.

17  Let not thine heart zenvy sinners:

But be thou in athe fear of the Lord all the day long.

18  For surely bthere is an ||cend;

bAnd thine dexpectation shall not be cut off.

19  Hear thou, my son, and ebe wise,

And fguide thine gheart in the way.

20  Be not among hiwinebibbers;

Among ijriotous eaters †of flesh:

21  For the idrunkard and the ijglutton shall come to poverty:

And kdrowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

22  lHearken unto thy father that begat thee,

And despise not thy mother when she is old.

23  mBuy the truth, and sell it not;

Also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

24  nThe father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice:

And he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

25  Thy father and thy mother shall be glad,

And oshe that bare thee shall rejoice.

26  My son, give me thine heart,

And let thine eyes observe my ways.

27  For a whore is pa deep ditch;

And qa strange woman is a narrow rpit.

28  sShe also lieth in wait ||as for a prey,

And increaseth the transgressors among men.

29  tWho hath woe? who hath sorrow?

Who hath contentions? who hath babbling?

Who hath uwounds without cause?

Who hath vredness of eyes?

30  tThey that wtarry long at the wine;

They that go to seek xmixed wine.

31  Look not thou upon the wine when it is red,

When it giveth his colour in the cup,

When it ymoveth itself yzaright.

32  aAt the last it bbiteth like a serpent,

And stingeth like ||an cadder.

33  Thine eyes shall behold dstrange women,

And thine heart shall utter eperverse things.

34  Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down †fin the midst of the sea,

Or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.

35  They have gstricken me, hshalt thou say, and I gwas not sick;

They have beaten me, and †iI felt it not:

When shall I awake?

kI will seek it yet again.

24 aBe not thou envious against evil men,

Neither desire to be bwith them.

2  cFor their heart studieth destruction,

And their lips talk of dmischief.

3  Through ewisdom is an house builded;

And by understanding it eis established:

4  And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled

With all precious and pleasant riches.

5  fA wise man †is strong;

Yea, a man of knowledge †increaseth strength.

6  For hby wise counsel thou shalt make thy war:

And iin multitude of counsellers there is safety.

7  kWisdom is ltoo high for a fool:

He openeth not his mouth min the gate.

8  He that ndeviseth to do evil

Shall be called oa mischievous person.

9  The pthought of foolishness is sin:

And the scorner is an abomination to men.

10  If thou faint in the day of adversity,

Thy strength is †small.

11  If thou forbear qto deliver them that are drawn unto death,

And those that are rready to be slain;

12  If thou sayest, sBehold, we knew it not;

Doth not he that tpondereth the heart consider it?

And he that ukeepeth thy soul, doth not he know it?

And shall not he render to every man waccording to his works?

13  My son, eat thou xyhoney, because it is good;

And the xyhoneycomb, which is sweet †to thy taste:

14  ySo shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul:

When thou hast found it, then zthere shall be a reward,

zAnd thy expectation shall not be cut off.

15  aLay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;

Spoil not his resting place:

16  bFor a just man falleth cseven times, and riseth up again:

But dthe wicked shall efall into mischief.

17  fRejoice not when thine enemy falleth,

And let not thine heart be glad when he estumbleth:

18  Lest the Lord see it, and †it displease him,

And he turn away his wrath from him.

19  g||Fret not thyself because of evil men,

Neither hbe thou envious at the wicked;

20  For there shall be no ireward to the evil man;

kThe ||candle of the wicked shall be put out.

21  My son, lfear thou the Lord and the king:

And meddle not with †them that are given to change:

22  For their calamity shall rise suddenly;

And llwho knoweth the mruin of nthem both?

23  These things also belong to the wise.

It is not good oto have respect of persons in judgment.

24  pHe that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous;

qHim shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

25  But to them that rebuke him shall be delight,

And †a good blessing shall come upon them.

26  Every man shall kiss his lips

†That giveth a rright answer.

27  sPrepare thy work without,

And make it fit for thyself in the field;

And afterwards build thine house.

28  tBe not a witness against thy neighbour without cause;

And deceive not with thy lips.

29  uSay not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me:

I will render to the man according to his work.

30  xI went by the field of the slothful,

And by the vineyard of the man yvoid of understanding;

31  And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns,

And znettles had covered the face thereof,

And the stone awall thereof was broken down.

32  Then I saw, and †considered it well:

I xlooked upon it, and received instruction.

33  bYet a little sleep, a little slumber,

A little folding of the hands to sleep:

34  So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth;

And thy want as †an armed man.

25 *These are also aproverbs of Solomon, which bthe men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

2  It is the glory of God cto conceal a thing:

But the honour of kings is dto search out a matter.

3  The heaven for height, and the earth for depth,

And the heart of kings †is unsearchable.

4  eTake away fthe dross from the silver,

And there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

5  eTake away gthe wicked from before the king,

And hhis throne shall be established in righteousness.

6  †Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king,

And istand not in the place of great men:

7  jFor better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither;

Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince

kWhom thine eyes have seen.

8  lGo not forth hastily to strive,

Lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof,

When thy neighbour hath llput thee to shame.

9  mDebate thy cause with thy neighbour himself;

And ||discover not a secret to another:

10  Lest he that heareth it nput thee to shame,

And thine infamy turn not away.

11  oA word †fitly spoken

Is like papples of gold in qpictures of silver.

12  As ran earring of gold, and an sornament of tfine gold,

uSo is a wise reprover upon an xobedient ear.

13  As the cold of snow in the time of harvest,

So is ya faithful messenger to them that send him:

For he refresheth the soul of his masters.

14  zWhoso boasteth himself †of a false gift

Is like aclouds and wind without rain.

15  bBy clong forbearing is a dprince persuaded,

And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

16  eHast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee,

Lest thou be filled therewith, and fvomit it.

17  ||Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house;

Lest he be †weary of thee, and so hate thee.

18  A man that gbeareth false witness against his neighbour

Is a maul, and ha sword, and a isharp arrow.

19  Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble

Is like a broken tooth, and ka foot out of joint.

20  As he that ltaketh away a garment in cold weather,

And as vinegar upon mnitre,

So is he nthat singeth songs to an heavy heart.

21  oIf thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;

And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

22  For thou shalt pheap qcoals of fire upon his head,

And the Lord shall reward thee.

23  ||The north wind driveth away rain:

So doth an angry countenance a sbackbiting tongue.

24  tIt is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop,

tThan with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

25  As cold waters uto a thirsty soul,

So is wgood news from a far country.

26  A righteous man xfalling down before the wicked

Is as a ytroubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

27  zIt is not good to eat much honey:

aSo for men bto search their own bcglory is not glory.

28  dHe that hath no rule over his own spirit

Is like a city that is ebroken down, and without walls.