Proverbs

Proverbs

Book Outhne

Key theme: Wisdom

Key verse:

I. Introduction ()

II. Wisdom’s Calls ()

A. Wisdom calls (; )

1. First call: to salvation ()

2. Second call: to wealth ()

3. Third call: to life ()

B. Folly calls ()

1. First call: to condemnation ()

2. Second call: to poverty ()

3. Third call: to death ()

III. Wisdom’s Contrasts ()

IV. Wisdom’s Counsels ()

Book Overview

We’re living in the “information age,” but we certainly aren’t living in the “age of wisdom.” Many people who are wizards with their computers seem to be amateurs when it comes to making a success of their lives. Computers can store data and obey signals, but they can’t give us the ability to use that knowledge wisely. What’s needed today is wisdom.

The Book of Proverbs is about godly wisdom, how to get it and how to use it. It’s about priorities and principles, not get-rich-quick schemes or success formulas. It tells us, not how to make a living, but how to be skillful in the lost art of making a life.

Proverbs is a fascinating collection of pithy comments about different kinds of people, what they believe and do, and how they interact with one another. People create circumstances that are good and bad, and we have to deal with people and circumstances as we go through life. Solomon’s aim in writing this book is to help us succeed in life to the glory of God by becoming skillful in relating to both people and circumstances.

God calls us to receive His wisdom and be skillful so that we can make a life that will glorify Him. What is important is not how long we live but how we live, not the length but the depth of life. Fools wade in the shallows, but wise people launch out into the deep and let God give them His very best.

As never before, the church desperately needs people who understand and practice the skills involved in building a godly life. May we be among them!

Special Note: The nature of the Book of Proverbs is such that every proverb is potentially transformational at some moment in our lives. Every one can be a seed for reflection, meditation, and action. Every one could receive a note of explanation. The limitations of space make this impossible here, though I have tried to direct our attention to those proverbs which have repeatedly yielded good fruit in my life.

“Be Transformed”

The Bible is the basic textbook in the home. It was once the basic textbook in the educational system, but even if that were still true, the Bible in the school can’t replace the Bible in the home. Many modern parents sacrifice time and money to help their children excel in music, sports, and social activities; hopefully they’re even more concerned that their children excel in knowing and obeying the Word of God. Every parent should pray and work so that their children will have spiritual wisdom when the time comes for them to leave the home. “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother” (; see ; , , , ; ; ).

Those who obey the wisdom taught in God’s Word will become more skillful in handling the affairs of life. But we must not think that this wisdom is a set of rules or a collection of “success formulas” that anyone can occasionally apply as he or she pleases. Following God’s wisdom is a full-time endeavor. His Word must first work within our hearts and transform our character before we can become the kind of people God can guide and bless. If we’re only concerned about making money, we don’t need godly character these days to be successful. Many Hollywood celebrities, dishonest business people, and deceptive politicians have proven that. But if we’re concerned with making a life, we must major on building godly character.

This explains why the words “righteous” and “righteousness” are used so often in Proverbs. Wisdom leads to walking (i.e., living) in “the way of righteousness” (). “The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (). “The hope of the righteous will be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked will perish” (). The wicked have hopes, but they’re false hopes; so it behooves us to examine our own hearts to make sure we’re among the righteous who truly have hope and that we’re the kind of people the Lord can trust with His blessings.

The Beginning of Knowledge

2To know wisdom and instruction,

To perceive the words of understanding,

Justice, judgment, and equity;

4To give prudence to the simple,

To the young man knowledge and discretion—

5A wise man will hear and increase learning,

And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

6To understand a proverb and an enigma,

The words of the wise and their riddles.

But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Shun Evil Counsel

And do not forsake the law of your mother;

9For they will be a graceful ornament on your head,

And chains about your neck.

10My son, if sinners entice you,

Do not consent.

Let us lie in wait to shed blood;

Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

12Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,

And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;

13We shall find all kinds of precious possessions,

We shall fill our houses with spoil;

14Cast in your lot among us,

Let us all have one purse”—

Keep your foot from their path;

16For their feet run to evil,

And they make haste to shed blood.

17Surely, in vain the net is spread

In the sight of any bird;

They lurk secretly for their own lives.

19So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain;

It takes away the life of its owners.

The Call of Wisdom

She raises her voice in the open squares.

21She cries out in the chief concourses,

At the openings of the gates in the city

She speaks her words:

For scorners delight in their scorning,

And fools hate knowledge.

Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;

I will make my words known to you.

I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

25Because you disdained all my counsel,

And would have none of my rebuke,

26I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your terror comes,

27When your terror comes like a storm,

And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,

When distress and anguish come upon you.

28“Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;

They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

29Because they hated knowledge

And did not choose the fear of the LORD,

30They would have none of my counsel

And despised my every rebuke.

31Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,

And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

32For the turning away of the simple will slay them,

And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

The Value of Wisdom

And treasure my commands within you,

2So that you incline your ear to wisdom,

And apply your heart to understanding;

3Yes, if you cry out for discernment,

And lift up your voice for understanding,

4If you seek her as silver,

And search for her as for hidden treasures;

5Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,

And find the knowledge of God.

6For the LORD gives wisdom;

From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;

8He guards the paths of justice,

And preserves the way of His saints.

9Then you will understand righteousness and justice,

Equity and every good path.

And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,

11Discretion will preserve you;

Understanding will keep you,

12To deliver you from the way of evil,

From the man who speaks perverse things,

13From those who leave the paths of uprightness

To walk in the ways of darkness;

14Who rejoice in doing evil,

And delight in the perversity of the wicked;

15Whose ways are crooked,

And who are devious in their paths;

From the seductress who flatters with her words,

17Who forsakes the companion of her youth,

And forgets the covenant of her God.

18For her house leads down to death,

And her paths to the dead;

19None who go to her return,

Nor do they regain the paths of life—

And keep to the paths of righteousness.

21For the upright will dwell in the land,

And the blameless will remain in it;

22But the wicked will be cut off from the earth,

And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.

Guidance for the Young

But let your heart keep my commands;

2For length of days and long life

And peace they will add to you.

3Let not mercy and truth forsake you;

Bind them around your neck,

Write them on the tablet of your heart,

4And so find favor and high esteem

In the sight of God and man.

And lean not on your own understanding;

6In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

7Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

8It will be health to your flesh,

And strength to your bones.

And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

10So your barns will be filled with plenty,

And your vats will overflow with new wine.

Nor detest His correction;

12For whom the LORD loves He corrects,

Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

13Happy is the man who finds wisdom,

And the man who gains understanding;

14For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,

And her gain than fine gold.

15She is more precious than rubies,

And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.

16Length of days is in her right hand,

In her left hand riches and honor.

17Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

And all her paths are peace.

18She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,

And happy are all who retain her.

19The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;

By understanding He established the heavens;

20By His knowledge the depths were broken up,

And clouds drop down the dew.

Keep sound wisdom and discretion;

22So they will be life to your soul

And grace to your neck.

23Then you will walk safely in your way,

And your foot will not stumble.

24When you lie down, you will not be afraid;

Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

25Do not be afraid of sudden terror,

Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;

26For the LORD will be your confidence,

And will keep your foot from being caught.

27Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,

When it is in the power of your hand to do so.

28Do not say to your neighbor,

“Go, and come back,

And tomorrow I will give it,”

When you have it with you.

29Do not devise evil against your neighbor,

For he dwells by you for safety’s sake.

30Do not strive with a man without cause,

If he has done you no harm.

And choose none of his ways;

32For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD,

But His secret counsel is with the upright.

33The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,

But He blesses the home of the just.

34Surely He scorns the scornful,

But gives grace to the humble.

35The wise shall inherit glory,

But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

Security in Wisdom

And give attention to know understanding;

2For I give you good doctrine:

Do not forsake my law.

3When I was my father’s son,

Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,

4He also taught me, and said to me:

“Let your heart retain my words;

Keep my commands, and live.

Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

6Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;

Love her, and she will keep you.

7Wisdom is the principal thing;

Therefore get wisdom.

And in all your getting, get understanding.

8Exalt her, and she will promote you;

She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.

9She will place on your head an ornament of grace;

A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”

And the years of your life will be many.

11I have taught you in the way of wisdom;

I have led you in right paths.

12When you walk, your steps will not be hindered,

And when you run, you will not stumble.

13Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;

Keep her, for she is your life.

And do not walk in the way of evil.

15Avoid it, do not travel on it;

Turn away from it and pass on.

16For they do not sleep unless they have done evil;

And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.

17For they eat the bread of wickedness,

And drink the wine of violence.

That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

19The way of the wicked is like darkness;

They do not know what makes them stumble.

20My son, give attention to my words;

Incline your ear to my sayings.

21Do not let them depart from your eyes;

Keep them in the midst of your heart;

22For they are life to those who find them,

And health to all their flesh.

23Keep your heart with all diligence,

For out of it spring the issues of life.

24Put away from you a deceitful mouth,

And put perverse lips far from you.

25Let your eyes look straight ahead,

And your eyelids look right before you.

26Ponder the path of your feet,

And let all your ways be established.

27Do not turn to the right or the left;

Remove your foot from evil.

The Peril of Adultery

Lend your ear to my understanding,

2That you may preserve discretion,

And your lips may keep knowledge.

And her mouth is smoother than oil;

Sharp as a two-edged sword.

5Her feet go down to death,

Her steps lay hold of hell.

6Lest you ponder her path of life—

Her ways are unstable;

You do not know them.

And do not depart from the words of my mouth.

8Remove your way far from her,

And do not go near the door of her house,

And your years to the cruel one;

10Lest aliens be filled with your wealth,

And your labors go to the house of a foreigner;

11And you mourn at last,

When your flesh and your body are consumed,

12And say:

“How I have hated instruction,

And my heart despised correction!

13I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers,

Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!

14I was on the verge of total ruin,

In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

And running water from your own well.

16Should your fountains be dispersed abroad,

Streams of water in the streets?

17Let them be only your own,

And not for strangers with you.

18Let your fountain be blessed,

And rejoice with the wife of your youth.

Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;

And always be enraptured with her love.

20For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman,

And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?

And He ponders all his paths.

And he is caught in the cords of his sin.

23He shall die for lack of instruction,

And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

Dangerous Promises

If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,

2You are snared by the words of your mouth;

You are taken by the words of your mouth.

3So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;

For you have come into the hand of your friend:

Go and humble yourself;

Plead with your friend.

4Give no sleep to your eyes,

Nor slumber to your eyelids.

5Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,

And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

The Folly of Indolence

6Go to the ant, you sluggard!

Consider her ways and be wise,

7Which, having no captain,

Overseer or ruler,

8Provides her supplies in the summer,

And gathers her food in the harvest.

When will you rise from your sleep?

10A little sleep, a little slumber,

A little folding of the hands to sleep—

11So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,

And your need like an armed man.

The Wicked Man

Walks with a perverse mouth;

13He winks with his eyes,

He shuffles his feet,

He points with his fingers;

14Perversity is in his heart,

He devises evil continually,

He sows discord.

15Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly;

Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.

16These six things the LORD hates,

Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:

17A proud look,

A lying tongue,

Hands that shed innocent blood,

18A heart that devises wicked plans,

Feet that are swift in running to evil,

19A false witness who speaks lies,

And one who sows discord among brethren.

Beware of Adultery

And do not forsake the law of your mother.

21Bind them continually upon your heart;

Tie them around your neck.

22When you roam, they will lead you;

When you sleep, they will keep you;

And when you awake, they will speak with you.

23For the commandment is a lamp,

And the law a light;

Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

24To keep you from the evil woman,

From the flattering tongue of a seductress.

Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.

26For by means of a harlot

A man is reduced to a crust of bread;

And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.

And his clothes not be burned?

28Can one walk on hot coals,

And his feet not be seared?

29So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;

Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.

If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.

31Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold;

He may have to give up all the substance of his house.

He who does so destroys his own soul.

33Wounds and dishonor he will get,

And his reproach will not be wiped away.

34For jealousy is a husband’s fury;

Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

35He will accept no recompense,

Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.

And treasure my commands within you.

And my law as the apple of your eye.

3Bind them on your fingers;

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”

And call understanding your nearest kin,

5That they may keep you from the immoral woman,

From the seductress who flatters with her words.

The Crafty Harlot

I looked through my lattice,

7And saw among the simple,

I perceived among the youths,

A young man devoid of understanding,

8Passing along the street near her corner;

And he took the path to her house

9In the twilight, in the evening,

In the black and dark night.

With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.

11She was loud and rebellious,

Her feet would not stay at home.

12At times she was outside, at times in the open square,

Lurking at every corner.

13So she caught him and kissed him;

With an impudent face she said to him:

14“I have peace offerings with me;

Today I have paid my vows.

15So I came out to meet you,

Diligently to seek your face,

And I have found you.

16I have spread my bed with tapestry,

Colored coverings of Egyptian linen.

17I have perfumed my bed

With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18Come, let us take our fill of love until morning;

Let us delight ourselves with love.

19For my husband is not at home;

He has gone on a long journey;

20He has taken a bag of money with him,

And will come home on the appointed day.”

With her flattering lips she seduced him.

Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,

23Till an arrow struck his liver.

As a bird hastens to the snare,

He did not know it would cost his life.

Pay attention to the words of my mouth:

25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,

Do not stray into her paths;

26For she has cast down many wounded,

And all who were slain by her were strong men.

27Her house is the way to hell,

Descending to the chambers of death.

The Excellence of Wisdom

1Does not wisdom cry out,

And understanding lift up her voice?

2She takes her stand on the top of the high hill,

Beside the way, where the paths meet.

3She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,

At the entrance of the doors:

4“To you, O men, I call,

And my voice is to the sons of men.

5O you simple ones, understand prudence,

And you fools, be of an understanding heart.

And from the opening of my lips will come right things;

7For my mouth will speak truth;

Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;

Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.

9They are all plain to him who understands,

And right to those who find knowledge.

And knowledge rather than choice gold;

11For wisdom is better than rubies,

And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

12“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,

And find out knowledge and discretion.

13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;

Pride and arrogance and the evil way

And the perverse mouth I hate.

14Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;

I am understanding, I have strength.

15By me kings reign,

And rulers decree justice.

16By me princes rule, and nobles,

All the judges of the earth.

17I love those who love me,

And those who seek me diligently will find me.

18Riches and honor are with me,

Enduring riches and righteousness.

19My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,

And my revenue than choice silver.

20I traverse the way of righteousness,

In the midst of the paths of justice,

21That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,

That I may fill their treasuries.

Before His works of old.

23I have been established from everlasting,

From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.

24When there were no depths I was brought forth,

When there were no fountains abounding with water.

25Before the mountains were settled,

Before the hills, I was brought forth;

26While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields,

Or the primal dust of the world.

27When He prepared the heavens, I was there,

When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,

28When He established the clouds above,

When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,

29When He assigned to the sea its limit,

So that the waters would not transgress His command,

When He marked out the foundations of the earth,

30Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman;

And I was daily His delight,

Rejoicing always before Him,

31Rejoicing in His inhabited world,

And my delight was with the sons of men.

32“Now therefore, listen to me, my children,

For blessed are those who keep my ways.

33Hear instruction and be wise,

And do not disdain it.

34Blessed is the man who listens to me,

Watching daily at my gates,

Waiting at the posts of my doors.

35For whoever finds me finds life,

And obtains favor from the LORD;

36But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul;

All those who hate me love death.”

The Way of Wisdom

She has hewn out her seven pillars;

2She has slaughtered her meat,

She has mixed her wine,

She has also furnished her table.

She cries out from the highest places of the city,

As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,

5“Come, eat of my bread

And drink of the wine I have mixed.

6Forsake foolishness and live,

And go in the way of understanding.

7“He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,

And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.

8Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;

Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

9Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;

Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

11For by me your days will be multiplied,

And years of life will be added to you.

12If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,

And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.”

The Way of Folly

She is simple, and knows nothing.

14For she sits at the door of her house,

On a seat by the highest places of the city,

15To call to those who pass by,

Who go straight on their way:

16“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here”;

And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,

17“Stolen water is sweet,

And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

18But he does not know that the dead are there,

That her guests are in the depths of hell.

Wise Sayings of Solomon

A wise son makes a glad father,

But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.

2Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,

But righteousness delivers from death.

3The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish,

But He casts away the desire of the wicked.

But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.

6Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

7The memory of the righteous is blessed,

But the name of the wicked will rot.

But a prating fool will fall.

9He who walks with integrity walks securely,

But he who perverts his ways will become known.

10He who winks with the eye causes trouble,

But a prating fool will fall.

But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

But love covers all sins.

But a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding.

But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

15The rich man’s wealth is his strong city;

The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

16The labor of the righteous leads to life,

The wages of the wicked to sin.

But he who refuses correction goes astray.

18Whoever hides hatred has lying lips,

And whoever spreads slander is a fool.

But he who restrains his lips is wise.

The heart of the wicked is worth little.

21The lips of the righteous feed many,

But fools die for lack of wisdom.

22The blessing of the LORD makes one rich,

And He adds no sorrow with it.

23To do evil is like sport to a fool,

But a man of understanding has wisdom.

And the desire of the righteous will be granted.

25When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more,

But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.

So is the lazy man to those who send him.

27The fear of the LORD prolongs days,

But the years of the wicked will be shortened.

28The hope of the righteous will be gladness,

But the expectation of the wicked will perish.

29The way of the LORD is strength for the upright,

But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

30The righteous will never be removed,

But the wicked will not inhabit the earth.

31The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,

But the perverse tongue will be cut out.

But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.

But a just weight is His delight.

But with the humble is wisdom.

3The integrity of the upright will guide them,

But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.

4Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,

But righteousness delivers from death.

But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.

But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.

7When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish,

And the hope of the unjust perishes.

And it comes to the wicked instead.

But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.

10When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices;

And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.

11By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted,

But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor,

But a man of understanding holds his peace.

But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.

14Where there is no counsel, the people fall;

But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

15He who is surety for a stranger will suffer,

But one who hates being surety is secure.

16A gracious woman retains honor,

But ruthless men retain riches.

17The merciful man does good for his own soul,

But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.

18The wicked man does deceptive work,

But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.

19As righteousness leads to life,

So he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death.

20Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD,

But the blameless in their ways are His delight.

21Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished;

But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.

22As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout,

So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion.

23The desire of the righteous is only good,

But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

And there is one who withholds more than is right,

But it leads to poverty.

25The generous soul will be made rich,

And he who waters will also be watered himself.

But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

27He who earnestly seeks good finds favor,

But trouble will come to him who seeks evil.

But the righteous will flourish like foliage.

29He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind,

And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

And he who wins souls is wise.

31If the righteous will be recompensed on the earth,

How much more the ungodly and the sinner.

1Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,

But he who hates correction is stupid.

2A good man obtains favor from the LORD,

But a man of wicked intentions He will condemn.

3A man is not established by wickedness,

But the root of the righteous cannot be moved.

4An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,

But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.

5The thoughts of the righteous are right,

But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

6The words of the wicked are, “Lie in wait for blood,”

But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.

But the house of the righteous will stand.

8A man will be commended according to his wisdom,

But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised.

9Better is the one who is slighted but has a servant,

Than he who honors himself but lacks bread.

But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

11He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread,

But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding.

12The wicked covet the catch of evil men,

But the root of the righteous yields fruit.

13The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,

But the righteous will come through trouble.

14A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth,

And the recompense of a man’s hands will be rendered to him.

15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

But he who heeds counsel is wise.

But a prudent man covers shame.

17He who speaks truth declares righteousness,

But a false witness, deceit.

18There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword,

But the tongue of the wise promotes health.

But a lying tongue is but for a moment.

20Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,

But counselors of peace have joy.

21No grave trouble will overtake the righteous,

But the wicked shall be filled with evil.

22Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD,

But those who deal truthfully are His delight.

23A prudent man conceals knowledge,

But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.

But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.

But a good word makes it glad.

For the way of the wicked leads them astray.

27The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,

But diligence is man’s precious possession.

And in its pathway there is no death.

But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.

3He who guards his mouth preserves his life,

But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.

4The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing;

But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

5A righteous man hates lying,

But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.

6Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless,

But wickedness overthrows the sinner.

And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.

8The ransom of a man’s life is his riches,

But the poor does not hear rebuke.

9The light of the righteous rejoices,

But the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

But with the well-advised is wisdom.

But he who gathers by labor will increase.

12Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.

14The law of the wise is a fountain of life,

To turn one away from the snares of death.

15Good understanding gains favor,

But the way of the unfaithful is hard.

But a fool lays open his folly.

17A wicked messenger falls into trouble,

But a faithful ambassador brings health.

But he who regards a rebuke will be honored.

19A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul,

But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.

But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

21Evil pursues sinners,

But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.

22A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,

But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

And for lack of justice there is waste.

But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

25The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul,

But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.

But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.

2He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD,

But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.

3In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,

But the lips of the wise will preserve them.

4Where no oxen are, the trough is clean;

But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.

5A faithful witness does not lie,

But a false witness will utter lies.

6A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,

But knowledge is easy to him who understands.

7Go from the presence of a foolish man,

When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.

8The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,

But the folly of fools is deceit.

9Fools mock at sin,

But among the upright there is favor.

10The heart knows its own bitterness,

And a stranger does not share its joy.

11The house of the wicked will be overthrown,

But the tent of the upright will flourish.

12There is a way that seems right to a man,

But its end is the way of death.

13Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,

And the end of mirth may be grief.

14The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways,

But a good man will be satisfied from above.

But the prudent considers well his steps.

But a fool rages and is self-confident.

17A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,

And a man of wicked intentions is hated.

But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

19The evil will bow before the good,

And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor,

But the rich has many friends.

But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

22Do they not go astray who devise evil?

But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good.

But idle chatter leads only to poverty.

24The crown of the wise is their riches,

But the foolishness of fools is folly.

But a deceitful witness speaks lies.

And His children will have a place of refuge.

To turn one away from the snares of death.

28In a multitude of people is a king’s honor,

But in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince.

29He who is slow to wrath has great understanding,

But he who is impulsive exalts folly.

30A sound heart is life to the body,

But envy is rottenness to the bones.

But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.

32The wicked is banished in his wickedness,

But the righteous has a refuge in his death.

33Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,

But what is in the heart of fools is made known.

But sin is a reproach to any people.

35The king’s favor is toward a wise servant,

But his wrath is against him who causes shame.

But a harsh word stirs up anger.

But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.

3The eyes of the LORD are in every place,

Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

But he who receives correction is prudent.

6In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,

But in the revenue of the wicked is trouble.

But the heart of the fool does not do so.

8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,

But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

But He loves him who follows righteousness.

10Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way,

And he who hates correction will die.

11Hell and Destruction are before the LORD;

So how much more the hearts of the sons of men.

12A scoffer does not love one who corrects him,

Nor will he go to the wise.

13A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,

But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

15All the days of the afflicted are evil,

But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

16Better is a little with the fear of the LORD,

Than great treasure with trouble.

17Better is a dinner of herbs where love is,

Than a fatted calf with hatred.

18A wrathful man stirs up strife,

But he who is slow to anger allays contention.

19The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns,

But the way of the upright is a highway.

20A wise son makes a father glad,

But a foolish man despises his mother.

21Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment,

But a man of understanding walks uprightly.

22Without counsel, plans go awry,

But in the multitude of counselors they are established.

23A man has joy by the answer of his mouth,

And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!

24The way of life winds upward for the wise,

That he may turn away from hell below.

25The LORD will destroy the house of the proud,

But He will establish the boundary of the widow.

26The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD,

But the words of the pure are pleasant.

But he who hates bribes will live.

28The heart of the righteous studies how to answer,

But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

29The LORD is far from the wicked,

But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

30The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,

And a good report makes the bones healthy.

Will abide among the wise.

32He who disdains instruction despises his own soul,

But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding.

33The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom,

And before honor is humility.

But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

2All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,

But the LORD weighs the spirits.

3Commit your works to the LORD,

And your thoughts will be established.

4The LORD has made all for Himself,

Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.

5Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD;

Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.

6In mercy and truth

Atonement is provided for iniquity;

And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.

7When a man’s ways please the LORD,

He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Than vast revenues without justice.

9A man’s heart plans his way,

But the LORD directs his steps.

10Divination is on the lips of the king;

His mouth must not transgress in judgment.

11Honest weights and scales are the LORD’s;

All the weights in the bag are His work.

12It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,

For a throne is established by righteousness.

13Righteous lips are the delight of kings,

And they love him who speaks what is right.

14As messengers of death is the king’s wrath,

But a wise man will appease it.

15In the light of the king’s face is life,

And his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain.

And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

17The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;

He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

And a haughty spirit before a fall.

19Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,

Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

20He who heeds the word wisely will find good,

And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.

21The wise in heart will be called prudent,

And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

22Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it.

But the correction of fools is folly.

And adds learning to his lips.

24Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

25There is a way that seems right to a man,

But its end is the way of death.

26The person who labors, labors for himself,

For his hungry mouth drives him on.

27An ungodly man digs up evil,

And it is on his lips like a burning fire.

28A perverse man sows strife,

And a whisperer separates the best of friends.

29A violent man entices his neighbor,

And leads him in a way that is not good.

30He winks his eye to devise perverse things;

He purses his lips and brings about evil.

31The silver-haired head is a crown of glory,

If it is found in the way of righteousness.

32He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

33The lot is cast into the lap,

But its every decision is from the LORD.

1Better is a dry morsel with quietness,

Than a house full of feasting with strife.

2A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame,

And will share an inheritance among the brothers.

3The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,

But the LORD tests the hearts.

A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue.

5He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;

He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

6Children’s children are the crown of old men,

And the glory of children is their father.

Much less lying lips to a prince.

8A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;

Wherever he turns, he prospers.

9He who covers a transgression seeks love,

But he who repeats a matter separates friends.

10Rebuke is more effective for a wise man

Than a hundred blows on a fool.

11An evil man seeks only rebellion;

Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,

Rather than a fool in his folly.

13Whoever rewards evil for good,

Evil will not depart from his house.

14The beginning of strife is like releasing water;

Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.

Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

16Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,

Since he has no heart for it?

And a brother is born for adversity.

18A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge,

And becomes surety for his friend.

19He who loves transgression loves strife,

And he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.

20He who has a deceitful heart finds no good,

And he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil.

21He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow,

And the father of a fool has no joy.

22A merry heart does good, like medicine,

But a broken spirit dries the bones.

23A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back

To pervert the ways of justice.

But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

25A foolish son is a grief to his father,

And bitterness to her who bore him.

26Also, to punish the righteous is not good,

Nor to strike princes for their uprightness.

27He who has knowledge spares his words,

And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.

28Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;

When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.

1A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;

He rages against all wise judgment.

2A fool has no delight in understanding,

But in expressing his own heart.

3When the wicked comes, contempt comes also;

And with dishonor comes reproach.

4The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;

The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.

5It is not good to show partiality to the wicked,

Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

6A fool’s lips enter into contention,

And his mouth calls for blows.

7A fool’s mouth is his destruction,

And his lips are the snare of his soul.

And they go down into the inmost body.

Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.

10The name of the LORD is a strong tower;

The righteous run to it and are safe.

11The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,

And like a high wall in his own esteem.

12Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,

And before honor is humility.

13He who answers a matter before he hears it,

It is folly and shame to him.

14The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness,

But who can bear a broken spirit?

15The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,

And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

16A man’s gift makes room for him,

And brings him before great men.

17The first one to plead his cause seems right,

Until his neighbor comes and examines him.

18Casting lots causes contentions to cease,

And keeps the mighty apart.

And contentions are like the bars of a castle.

20A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;

From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

21Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

And those who love it will eat its fruit.

22He who finds a wife finds a good thing,

And obtains favor from the LORD.

23The poor man uses entreaties,

But the rich answers roughly.

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

1Better is the poor who walks in his integrity

Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

And he sins who hastens with his feet.

And his heart frets against the LORD.

4Wealth makes many friends,

But the poor is separated from his friend.

5A false witness will not go unpunished,

And he who speaks lies will not escape.

And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.

7All the brothers of the poor hate him;

How much more do his friends go far from him!

He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.

8He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;

He who keeps understanding will find good.

9A false witness will not go unpunished,

And he who speaks lies shall perish.

10Luxury is not fitting for a fool,

Much less for a servant to rule over princes.

11The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,

And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

12The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,

But his favor is like dew on the grass.

And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.

But a prudent wife is from the LORD.

And an idle person will suffer hunger.

16He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,

But he who is careless of his ways will die.

And He will pay back what he has given.

18Chasten your son while there is hope,

And do not set your heart on his destruction.

19A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;

For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

20Listen to counsel and receive instruction,

That you may be wise in your latter days.

Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand.

22What is desired in a man is kindness,

And a poor man is better than a liar.

23The fear of the LORD leads to life,

And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;

He will not be visited with evil.

24A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl,

And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.

26He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother

Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

27Cease listening to instruction, my son,

And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28A disreputable witness scorns justice,

And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

29Judgments are prepared for scoffers,

And beatings for the backs of fools.

Strong drink is a brawler,

And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

2The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion;

Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.

Since any fool can start a quarrel.

He will beg during harvest and have nothing.

But a man of understanding will draw it out.

6Most men will proclaim each his own goodness,

But who can find a faithful man?

7The righteous man walks in his integrity;

His children are blessed after him.

Scatters all evil with his eyes.

9Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,

I am pure from my sin”?

10Diverse weights and diverse measures,

They are both alike, an abomination to the LORD.

11Even a child is known by his deeds,

Whether what he does is pure and right.

12The hearing ear and the seeing eye,

The LORD has made them both.

Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.

14“It is good for nothing,” cries the buyer;

But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.

15There is gold and a multitude of rubies,

But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger,

And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.

17Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,

But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

By wise counsel wage war.

19He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;

Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.

20Whoever curses his father or his mother,

His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.

21An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning

Will not be blessed at the end.

22Do not say, “I will recompense evil”;

Wait for the LORD, and He will save you.

23Diverse weights are an abomination to the LORD,

And dishonest scales are not good.

24A man’s steps are of the LORD;

How then can a man understand his own way?

25It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy,

And afterward to reconsider his vows.

26A wise king sifts out the wicked,

And brings the threshing wheel over them.

27The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD,

Searching all the inner depths of his heart.

28Mercy and truth preserve the king,

And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

29The glory of young men is their strength,

And the splendor of old men is their gray head.

30Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,

As do stripes the inner depths of the heart.

Like the rivers of water;

He turns it wherever He wishes.

2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,

But the LORD weighs the hearts.

3To do righteousness and justice

Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

4A haughty look, a proud heart,

And the plowing of the wicked are sin.

But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

6Getting treasures by a lying tongue

Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.

7The violence of the wicked will destroy them,

Because they refuse to do justice.

But as for the pure, his work is right.

9Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,

Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

10The soul of the wicked desires evil;

His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

11When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;

But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.

Will also cry himself and not be heard.

14A gift in secret pacifies anger,

And a bribe behind the back, strong wrath.

15It is a joy for the just to do justice,

But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

16A man who wanders from the way of understanding

Will rest in the assembly of the dead.

17He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;

He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

And the unfaithful for the upright.

19Better to dwell in the wilderness,

Than with a contentious and angry woman.

And oil in the dwelling of the wise,

But a foolish man squanders it.

21He who follows righteousness and mercy

Finds life, righteousness, and honor.

22A wise man scales the city of the mighty,

And brings down the trusted stronghold.

23Whoever guards his mouth and tongue

Keeps his soul from troubles.

He acts with arrogant pride.

25The desire of the lazy man kills him,

For his hands refuse to labor.

26He covets greedily all day long,

But the righteous gives and does not spare.

27The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;

How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!

28A false witness shall perish,

But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.

29A wicked man hardens his face,

But as for the upright, he establishes his way.

Or counsel against the LORD.

31The horse is prepared for the day of battle,

But deliverance is of the LORD.

1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,

Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

2The rich and the poor have this in common,

The LORD is the maker of them all.

3A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself,

But the simple pass on and are punished.

Are riches and honor and life.

5Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;

He who guards his soul will be far from them.

6Train up a child in the way he should go,

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

And the borrower is servant to the lender.

8He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow,

And the rod of his anger will fail.

9He who has a generous eye will be blessed,

For he gives of his bread to the poor.

Yes, strife and reproach will cease.

11He who loves purity of heart

And has grace on his lips,

The king will be his friend.

12The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge,

But He overthrows the words of the faithless.

13The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside!

I shall be slain in the streets!”

14The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit;

He who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there.

The rod of correction will drive it far from him.

16He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches,

And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.

Sayings of the Wise

And apply your heart to my knowledge;

18For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;

Let them all be fixed upon your lips,

19So that your trust may be in the LORD;

I have instructed you today, even you.

20Have I not written to you excellent things

Of counsels and knowledge,

21That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth,

That you may answer words of truth

To those who send to you?

Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;

23For the LORD will plead their cause,

And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

24Make no friendship with an angry man,

And with a furious man do not go,

25Lest you learn his ways

And set a snare for your soul.

26Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge,

One of those who is surety for debts;

27If you have nothing with which to pay,

Why should he take away your bed from under you?

Which your fathers have set.

He will stand before kings;

He will not stand before unknown men.

1When you sit down to eat with a ruler,

Consider carefully what is before you;

2And put a knife to your throat

If you are a man given to appetite.

3Do not desire his delicacies,

For they are deceptive food.

Because of your own understanding, cease!

5Will you set your eyes on that which is not?

For riches certainly make themselves wings;

They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.

6Do not eat the bread of a miser,

Nor desire his delicacies;

7For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

“Eat and drink!” he says to you,

But his heart is not with you.

8The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up,

And waste your pleasant words.

9Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,

For he will despise the wisdom of your words.

10Do not remove the ancient landmark,

Nor enter the fields of the fatherless;

11For their Redeemer is mighty;

He will plead their cause against you.

12Apply your heart to instruction,

And your ears to words of knowledge.

For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.

14You shall beat him with a rod,

And deliver his soul from hell.

15My son, if your heart is wise,

My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;

16Yes, my inmost being will rejoice

When your lips speak right things.

17Do not let your heart envy sinners,

But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day;

18For surely there is a hereafter,

And your hope will not be cut off.

19Hear, my son, and be wise;

And guide your heart in the way.

20Do not mix with winebibbers,

Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;

21For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,

And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.

And do not despise your mother when she is old.

Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,

And he who begets a wise child will delight in him.

25Let your father and your mother be glad,

And let her who bore you rejoice.

26My son, give me your heart,

And let your eyes observe my ways.

27For a harlot is a deep pit,

And a seductress is a narrow well.

28She also lies in wait as for a victim,

And increases the unfaithful among men.

Who has sorrow?

Who has contentions?

Who has complaints?

Who has wounds without cause?

Who has redness of eyes?

30Those who linger long at the wine,

Those who go in search of mixed wine.

31Do not look on the wine when it is red,

When it sparkles in the cup,

When it swirls around smoothly;

32At the last it bites like a serpent,

And stings like a viper.

33Your eyes will see strange things,

And your heart will utter perverse things.

34Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,

Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:

35“They have struck me, but I was not hurt;

They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.

When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”

1Do not be envious of evil men,

Nor desire to be with them;

2For their heart devises violence,

And their lips talk of troublemaking.

And by understanding it is established;

4By knowledge the rooms are filled

With all precious and pleasant riches.

Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;

6For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,

And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

He does not open his mouth in the gate.

8He who plots to do evil

Will be called a schemer.

And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10If you faint in the day of adversity,

Your strength is small.

11Deliver those who are drawn toward death,

And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.

12If you say, “Surely we did not know this,”

Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it?

He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?

And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

13My son, eat honey because it is good,

And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;

14So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;

If you have found it, there is a prospect,

And your hope will not be cut off.

15Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;

Do not plunder his resting place;

And rise again,

But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,

And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;

18Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him,

And He turn away His wrath from him.

19Do not fret because of evildoers,

Nor be envious of the wicked;

20For there will be no prospect for the evil man;

The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21My son, fear the LORD and the king;

Do not associate with those given to change;

22For their calamity will rise suddenly,

And who knows the ruin those two can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

23These things also belong to the wise:

It is not good to show partiality in judgment.

24He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”

Him the people will curse;

Nations will abhor him.

25But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,

And a good blessing will come upon them.

Make it fit for yourself in the field;

And afterward build your house.

28Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,

For would you deceive with your lips?

29Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me;

I will render to the man according to his work.”

30I went by the field of the lazy man,

And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;

31And there it was, all overgrown with thorns;

Its surface was covered with nettles;

Its stone wall was broken down.

32When I saw it, I considered it well;

I looked on it and received instruction:

33A little sleep, a little slumber,

A little folding of the hands to rest;

34So shall your poverty come like a prowler,

And your need like an armed man.

Further Wise Sayings of Solomon

1These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:

2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,

But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

3As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,

So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

4Take away the dross from silver,

And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.

5Take away the wicked from before the king,

And his throne will be established in righteousness.

6Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,

And do not stand in the place of the great;

7For it is better that he say to you,

“Come up here,”

Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,

Whom your eyes have seen.

8Do not go hastily to court;

For what will you do in the end,

When your neighbor has put you to shame?

And do not disclose the secret to another;

10Lest he who hears it expose your shame,

And your reputation be ruined.

11A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold

In settings of silver.

Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.

13Like the cold of snow in time of harvest

Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,

For he refreshes the soul of his masters.

14Whoever falsely boasts of giving

Is like clouds and wind without rain.

15By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,

And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.

16Have you found honey?

Eat only as much as you need,

Lest you be filled with it and vomit.

Lest he become weary of you and hate you.

Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.

19Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble

Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.

20Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,

And like vinegar on soda,

Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

21If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;

And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

22For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,

And the LORD will reward you.

23The north wind brings forth rain,

And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

24It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,

Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

25As cold water to a weary soul,

So is good news from a far country.

26A righteous man who falters before the wicked

Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.

So to seek one’s own glory is not glory.

28Whoever has no rule over his own spirit

Is like a city broken down, without walls.

So honor is not fitting for a fool.

2Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow,

So a curse without cause shall not alight.

3A whip for the horse,

A bridle for the donkey,

And a rod for the fool’s back.

Lest you also be like him.

5Answer a fool according to his folly,

Lest he be wise in his own eyes.

6He who sends a message by the hand of a fool

Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

7Like the legs of the lame that hang limp

Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8Like one who binds a stone in a sling

Is he who gives honor to a fool.

9Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard

Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10The great God who formed everything

Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.

11As a dog returns to his own vomit,

So a fool repeats his folly.

12Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

13The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road!

A fierce lion is in the streets!”

So does the lazy man on his bed.

15The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl;

It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.

Than seven men who can answer sensibly.

17He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own

Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.

18Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,

19Is the man who deceives his neighbor,

And says, “I was only joking!”

20Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;

And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.

So is a contentious man to kindle strife.

22The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles,

And they go down into the inmost body.

23Fervent lips with a wicked heart

Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.

24He who hates, disguises it with his lips,

And lays up deceit within himself;

25When he speaks kindly, do not believe him,

For there are seven abominations in his heart;

26Though his hatred is covered by deceit,

His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.

27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,

And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

28A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,

And a flattering mouth works ruin.

1Do not boast about tomorrow,

For you do not know what a day may bring forth.

2Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;

A stranger, and not your own lips.

But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.

4Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,

But who is able to stand before jealousy?

5Open rebuke is better

Than love carefully concealed.

But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

7A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb,

But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

Is a man who wanders from his place.

And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.

Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;

Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

11My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,

That I may answer him who reproaches me.

12A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;

The simple pass on and are punished.

13Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,

And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.

It will be counted a curse to him.

15A continual dripping on a very rainy day

And a contentious woman are alike;

16Whoever restrains her restrains the wind,

And grasps oil with his right hand.

17As iron sharpens iron,

So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

18Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;

So he who waits on his master will be honored.

19As in water face reflects face,

So a man’s heart reveals the man.

20Hell and Destruction are never full;

So the eyes of man are never satisfied.

21The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,

And a man is valued by what others say of him.

Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

23Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,

And attend to your herds;

24For riches are not forever,

Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

25When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,

And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,

26The lambs will provide your clothing,

And the goats the price of a field;

27You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,

For the food of your household,

And the nourishment of your maidservants.

1The wicked flee when no one pursues,

But the righteous are bold as a lion.

2Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;

But by a man of understanding and knowledge

Right will be prolonged.

Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.

4Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,

But such as keep the law contend with them.

5Evil men do not understand justice,

But those who seek the LORD understand all.

6Better is the poor who walks in his integrity

Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

7Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,

But a companion of gluttons shames his father.

8One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion

Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.

Even his prayer is an abomination.

10Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,

He himself will fall into his own pit;

But the blameless will inherit good.

11The rich man is wise in his own eyes,

But the poor who has understanding searches him out.

12When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory;

But when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.

13He who covers his sins will not prosper,

But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

14Happy is the man who is always reverent,

But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

15Like a roaring lion and a charging bear

Is a wicked ruler over poor people.

16A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor,

But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.

17A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;

Let no one help him.

18Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved,

But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.

19He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,

But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!

20A faithful man will abound with blessings,

But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

21To show partiality is not good,

Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

22A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,

And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

Than he who flatters with the tongue.

24Whoever robs his father or his mother,

And says, “It is no transgression,”

The same is companion to a destroyer.

25He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,

But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered.

But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

27He who gives to the poor will not lack,

But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.

28When the wicked arise, men hide themselves;

But when they perish, the righteous increase.

1He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,

Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

2When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;

But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.

But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.

4The king establishes the land by justice,

But he who receives bribes overthrows it.

5A man who flatters his neighbor

Spreads a net for his feet.

6By transgression an evil man is snared,

But the righteous sings and rejoices.

7The righteous considers the cause of the poor,

But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.

But wise men turn away wrath.

Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.

10The bloodthirsty hate the blameless,

But the upright seek his well-being.

11A fool vents all his feelings,

But a wise man holds them back.

12If a ruler pays attention to lies,

All his servants become wicked.

13The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:

The LORD gives light to the eyes of both.

14The king who judges the poor with truth,

His throne will be established forever.

But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

16When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases;

But the righteous will see their fall.

17Correct your son, and he will give you rest;

Yes, he will give delight to your soul.

18Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;

But happy is he who keeps the law.

19A servant will not be corrected by mere words;

For though he understands, he will not respond.

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

21He who pampers his servant from childhood

Will have him as a son in the end.

22An angry man stirs up strife,

And a furious man abounds in transgression.

23A man’s pride will bring him low,

But the humble in spirit will retain honor.

24Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;

He swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.

25The fear of man brings a snare,

But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

26Many seek the ruler’s favor,

But justice for man comes from the LORD.

27An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,

And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.

The Wisdom of Agur

1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:

2Surely I am more stupid than any man,

And do not have the understanding of a man.

Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.

4Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?

Who has gathered the wind in His fists?

Who has bound the waters in a garment?

Who has established all the ends of the earth?

What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,

If you know?

5Every word of God is pure;

He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.

6Do not add to His words,

Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

(Deprive me not before I die):

8Remove falsehood and lies far from me;

Give me neither poverty nor riches—

Feed me with the food allotted to me;

9Lest I be full and deny You,

And say, “Who is the LORD?”

Or lest I be poor and steal,

And profane the name of my God.

10Do not malign a servant to his master,

Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.

And does not bless its mother.

12There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,

Yet is not washed from its filthiness.

13There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes!

And their eyelids are lifted up.

14There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,

And whose fangs are like knives,

To devour the poor from off the earth,

And the needy from among men.

15The leech has two daughters—

Give and Give!

There are three things that are never satisfied,

Four never say, “Enough!”:

16The grave,

The barren womb,

The earth that is not satisfied with water—

And the fire never says, “Enough!”

17The eye that mocks his father,

And scorns obedience to his mother,

The ravens of the valley will pick it out,

And the young eagles will eat it.

18There are three things which are too wonderful for me,

Yes, four which I do not understand:

19The way of an eagle in the air,

The way of a serpent on a rock,

The way of a ship in the midst of the sea,

And the way of a man with a virgin.

20This is the way of an adulterous woman:

She eats and wipes her mouth,

And says, “I have done no wickedness.”

21For three things the earth is perturbed,

Yes, for four it cannot bear up:

22For a servant when he reigns,

A fool when he is filled with food,

23A hateful woman when she is married,

And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.

24There are four things which are little on the earth,

But they are exceedingly wise:

25The ants are a people not strong,

Yet they prepare their food in the summer;

26The rock badgers are a feeble folk,

Yet they make their homes in the crags;

27The locusts have no king,

Yet they all advance in ranks;

28The spider skillfully grasps with its hands,

And it is in kings’ palaces.

29There are three things which are majestic in pace,

Yes, four which are stately in walk:

30A lion, which is mighty among beasts

And does not turn away from any;

31A greyhound,

A male goat also,

And a king whose troops are with him.

32If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,

Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth.

33For as the churning of milk produces butter,

And wringing the nose produces blood,

So the forcing of wrath produces strife.

The Words of King Lemuel’s Mother

2What, my son?

And what, son of my womb?

And what, son of my vows?

3Do not give your strength to women,

Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

4It is not for kings, O Lemuel,

It is not for kings to drink wine,

Nor for princes intoxicating drink;

5Lest they drink and forget the law,

And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.

And wine to those who are bitter of heart.

7Let him drink and forget his poverty,

And remember his misery no more.

In the cause of all who are appointed to die.

9Open your mouth, judge righteously,

And plead the cause of the poor and needy.

The Virtuous Wife

For her worth is far above rubies.

So he will have no lack of gain.

12She does him good and not evil

All the days of her life.

And willingly works with her hands.

14She is like the merchant ships,

She brings her food from afar.

15She also rises while it is yet night,

And provides food for her household,

And a portion for her maidservants.

16She considers a field and buys it;

From her profits she plants a vineyard.

17She girds herself with strength,

And strengthens her arms.

18She perceives that her merchandise is good,

And her lamp does not go out by night.

19She stretches out her hands to the distaff,

And her hand holds the spindle.

Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.

21She is not afraid of snow for her household,

For all her household is clothed with scarlet.

22She makes tapestry for herself;

Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

When he sits among the elders of the land.

24She makes linen garments and sells them,

And supplies sashes for the merchants.

She shall rejoice in time to come.

And on her tongue is the law of kindness.

And does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her husband also, and he praises her:

29“Many daughters have done well,

But you excel them all.”

30Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,

But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Annotations for Proverbs

The six verses that precede the key verse (v. ) explain why the book of Proverbs was written: to give us wisdom, discipline, understanding, insight, knowledge, discernment, and guidance. Everything depends on wisdom; the other six words are practically synonyms.

As we study this book, we should remember that Hebrew proverbs are generalized statements of what is usually true in life, and they must not be treated like promises. “A friend loves at all times” (), but sometimes even the most devoted friends may have disagreements. “A soft answer turns away wrath” () in most instances, but our Lord’s lamblike gentleness didn’t deliver Him from shame and suffering. The assurance of life for the obedient is given often (, ; , ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ), and, generally speaking, this is true. Obedient believers will care for their bodies and minds and avoid substances and practices that destroy, but some godly saints have died very young, while more than one godless rebel has had a long life.

Throughout Proverbs we need to keep in mind that references to wealth and success mean much more than possessing material things. The Bible doesn’t promise that all obedient Christians will be healthy, wealthy, and successful by worldly standards. It does promise that they will have godly character, enjoy their Father’s generous gifts to meet all their needs, and escape many of the physical and emotional pains and problems that the ungodly usually suffer. God’s covenant with the Jews promised special blessings if they obeyed and chastisement if they disobeyed (see ), but the book of Proverbs also emphasizes the true riches of the spiritual life that are summarized in Christ’s beatitudes. It has well been said that true happiness lies, not in the greatness of our possessions, but in the “fewness” of our wants.

If we truly “fear” the Lord, we acknowledge from our hearts that He’s the Creator, we’re the creatures; He’s the Father, we’re His children; He’s the Master, we’re the servants. It means respecting God for who He is, listening carefully to what He says, and obeying His Word, knowing that our disobedience displeases Him, breaks our fellowship with Him, and invites His chastening. This is not the servile fear of the slave before the master but the reverential and respectful fear of the child before the parent.

The concept of fearing the Lord appears at least eighteen times in Proverbs (vv. , ; ; ; ; ; ; , , ; , ; ; ; ; ; ; ). If we read all these verses carefully, we’ll get a good idea of what this important biblical phrase means.

These verses express the voice of a godly father, urging His child to listen to Wisdom and obey what he hears. Note that both the father and the mother have been involved in teaching the child, and they both warn the child not to abandon what he or she has been told. These parents have obeyed the instructions of Moses () and have faithfully taught their family the Word of God. But what will their children do with all this teaching?

The parents’ desire is that the children obey what they have learned, so that God’s truth will become a lovely ornament to beautify their lives, like a crown on a king or a necklace on a queen. Paul told Christian servants to “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things” (), which simply means to make the Bible beautiful to others by living a godly life. Peter exhorted Christian wives to win their lost husbands by focusing on the imperishable beauty of Christian character rather than the artificial beauty of human-made glamour (, ).

Solomon often used the phrase “my child” or “my son” (vv. , , ; ; , , ; , ; , ; , ; ; ; , , ; , ; ), which suggests that Proverbs contains truths that loving godly parents would pass along to their children (see ). As God’s children, we need His loving counsel, and He gives it to us in this book. So, the first essential for an effective study of Proverbs is faith in Jesus Christ so that we can honestly call God our Father. We can’t make a life until we first have life, and this life comes through faith in Jesus Christ (, ).

Catalyst

What applies to the study of Proverbs applies to the study of any book in the Bible: Unless we are spiritually prepared, diligent, disciplined in study, and obedient to what God tells us, we won’t really understand very much of God’s Word. A willingness to obey is essential (). The Holy Spirit teaches the serious, not the curious.

At least a dozen times in Proverbs we find the imperative words “hear” or “listen” (; , ; ; ; , , ; ; ; , ); many other verses explain the blessings that come to those who obey (who hear and heed) the Word of God (, ; ; ; , ). In fact, Solomon warns us not to listen to instruction that will lead us astray (; see ). This doesn’t mean that Christian students can’t study the classics and books written by nonbelievers, but they must be careful to read them in the light of the Scriptures.

Go to the

Anybody who makes it easy for us to disobey God certainly isn’t our friend. Their offer may sound exciting, but it only leads to disaster. How tragic that a group of people can actually find enjoyment in doing evil, and how foolish of them to think that their loot will satisfy their desires. They are rejecting the eternal treasures of wisdom (; ) for the cheap trinkets of this world, and they will lose their souls in the bargain.

Here the father tells his child how to avoid yielding to temptation. First, he says, check carefully the path you’re on and don’t walk with the wrong crowd. (This sounds very much like and .) If we’re walking with the wrong crowd, we’ll end up doing the wrong things. Second, don’t play with temptation, because temptation always leads to a trap (). Birds don’t take bait when they can plainly see the trap, and people ought to be smarter than birds.

, Those who disobey God by harming others only harm themselves. We are free to take what we want from life, but eventually we’ll have to pay for it; and the price we pay will be higher than the value we gain. We will end up sacrificing the permanent for the immediate, and that’s a bad investment.

How does Wisdom speak? In a loud ringing voice that everybody can hear! Through both creation (; see ) and conscience (), “what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them” (). The church’s task is to proclaim the gospel message so everybody can hear, believe, and be saved. Like Wisdom, we must herald the Word in an uncompromising way.

Wisdom speaks to three classes of sinners: the simple ones, the mockers, and the fools. The simple are naive people who believe anything () but examine nothing. They’re gullible and easily led astray. Mockers think they know everything () and laugh at the things that are really important. While the simple one has a blank look on his face, the scorner wears a sneer. Fools are people who are ignorant of truth because they’re dull and stubborn. Their problem isn’t a low IQ or poor education; their problem is a lack of spiritual desire to seek and find God’s wisdom. Fools enjoy their foolishness but don’t know how foolish they are! The outlook of fools is purely materialistic and humanistic. They hate knowledge and have no interest in things eternal.

What does Wisdom say to the three classes of sinners? First, she brings an indictment against them (v. ) and asks how long they plan to remain in their dangerous spiritual condition. Wisdom has spoken to them time and time again, but they have refused to listen, and this will make their judgment even more severe. Then Wisdom issues an invitation that they turn from their evil ways and receive her gifts (v. ). This is a call to repentance and faith. She promises to change their hearts and teach them the wisdom of God from the Word of God.

The simple, the mockers, and the fools respond to Wisdom by refusing to obey her voice. They won’t take hold of her outstretched hand; they laugh at her warnings; and they mock her words. Because they laughed at Wisdom, one day Wisdom will also laugh at them. Because they mocked her, she will mock them. Wisdom sees a storm of judgment coming that will bring distress and anguish to all who reject God’s invitation.

When that judgment arrives, sinners will call upon the Lord, but it will be too late. “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near” (). Sinners will reap what they have sown. “Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way” (). They turned away from hearing the truth (v. ; see ) and were complacently comfortable with believing lies.

In contrast to the judgment promised to unbelievers, Wisdom promises security and peace to those who will listen to her and believe.

The key verse in this chapter is verse : “He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints.” The repetition of the phrase “my son” (v. ; , , ; , ; and see , “my children”) reminds us that the book of Proverbs records a loving father’s wise counsel to his family. The British statesman Lord Chesterfield said, “In matters of religion and matrimony I never give any advice because I will not have anybody’s torments in this world or the next laid to my charge.” But Jewish fathers were commanded to teach their children wisdom (); if the children were smart, they paid attention and obeyed. Life is dangerous. We would be wise to listen to the counsel of godly people who have walked the path before us.

Chapters through all begin with an admonition to listen to God’s words and take them to heart, because that’s the only way we can walk with God and live skillfully. Eight imperatives in this paragraph reveal our responsibilities toward God’s truth: Listen to God’s words and treasure them (store them up) in our minds and hearts; tune the ears and concentrate; cry for insight and ask for understanding; search and seek for understanding. If we want wisdom, we must listen to God attentively (), obey Him humbly (), ask Him sincerely (), and seek Him diligently (, ), the way a miner searches for silver and gold.

, If we do our part, God will keep His promise and protect us from the enemy: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (). People are willing to work diligently in their jobs because they know they’ll earn a paycheck, but what about applying themselves diligently to God’s Word in order to gain spiritual riches that are more valuable than gold and silver and jewels, riches that will last forever? (See ; ; ; .) Gaining spiritual wisdom has a price, but not gaining it costs much more. We must walk with God through the study of His Word.

Here we meet the “evil people” and “the immoral woman,” two types of people who are dangerous because they want to lead God’s children away from the path of life. The evil person is known for twisted words and crooked actions (see vv. , ; ; ; , ; , ). He walks on the dark path of disobedience and enjoys doing that which is evil. He belongs to the crowd Solomon has warned us about in . The person who walks in the way of wisdom would immediately detect this evil man’s deceit and avoid him.

Obtaining spiritual wisdom isn’t a once-a-week hobby; it is the daily discipline of a lifetime. But in this age of microwave ovens, fast foods, digests, and numerous “made easy” books, many people are out of the habit of daily investing time and energy in digging deep into Scripture and learning wisdom from the Lord. Thanks to television and the Internet, their attention span is brief; thanks to religious entertainment that passes for worship, their spiritual appetite is feeble, and spiritual knowledge doesn’t “fill [them] with joy.” No wonder fewer and fewer people “take time to be holy” and more and more people fall prey to the enemies that lurk along the way.

The “immoral woman” is the adulteress, the wayward wife described so vividly in . As the evil man uses “twisted” words to snare the unwary, the adulteress uses “seductive,” flattering words. Someone has said that flattery isn’t communication, it is manipulation; it’s people telling us things about ourselves that we enjoy hearing and wish were true. The strange woman knows how to use flattery successfully. She has no respect for God, because she breaks His law (); she has no respect for her husband, because she violates the promises she made to him when she married him. She no longer has a guide or a friend in the Lord or in her husband, because she has taken the path of sin. Anyone who listens to her words and follows her path is heading for the cemetery.

If we receive God’s words and obey them, then we will have wisdom to make wise decisions, and thus God will keep His promise and protect us from the evil man and the immoral woman. When we obey God, we have the privilege to “walk in the way of goodness” (v. ). If we follow the Word of God, we will never lack for the right kind of friends.

The wicked may appear to be succeeding, but their end is destruction (). The godly will be rooted in the place of God’s blessing (), but the ungodly will be uprooted from the land. The safest and most satisfying path is the path of wisdom, the path of life.

Throughout this chapter conditions are given for receiving God’s guidance. The first condition is that we learn God’s truth. The will of God is revealed in the Word of God (, ), and the only way to know His will is to study His Word and obey it. By receiving the Word within our hearts, we experience growth in godly character, so that loyalty and kindness become beautiful ornaments in our lives (; ). It isn’t enough for believers to carry the Bible in their hands; they must let the Holy Spirit write God’s Word on their hearts (; ; ). Obedience to the Word can add years to our lives and life to our years.

A second condition for receiving God’s guidance is that we must obey God’s will. “He shall direct your paths” (v. ) is the promise, but the fulfillment of that promise is predicated on our obedience to the Lord. We must trust Him with all our heart and obey Him in all our ways. That means total commitment to Him (see , ). The word translated “trust” in means “to lie helpless, facedown.” It pictures a servant waiting for the master’s command in readiness to obey, or a defeated soldier yielding himself to the conquering general.

, These are the key verses in this chapter, a promise God’s people have often claimed as they have sought the Lord’s direction for their lives. And this promise has never failed them—if they have obeyed the conditions God has laid down in verses . God keeps His promises when we obey His precepts, because our obedience prepares us to receive and enjoy what He has planned for us.

The danger, of course, is that we depend on our own understanding and thereby miss God’s will. This warning doesn’t suggest that God’s children turn off their brains and ignore their intelligence and common sense. It simply cautions us not to depend on our own wisdom and experience or the wisdom and experience of others. Abraham did this when he went to Egypt (see ), and so did Joshua when he attacked the little town of Ai (see ). When we become “wise in [our] own eyes” (), then we’re heading for trouble.

, A third condition we must meet if we want God to direct our paths is to share God’s blessings. The division of “spiritual” and “material” doesn’t apply to the follower of Christ, for everything comes from God and belongs to God. The Old Testament Jews brought the Lord the firsthngs of their flocks (, ) and the first crops of their fields (), and in this way acknowledged His goodness and sovereignty. The New Testament parallel is seen in .

, A fourth condition for receiving God’s direction in life is to submit to God’s correction. Discipline is a part of God’s plan to help His sons and daughters mature in godly character (). God chastens us, not as a judge punishes a criminal, but as a parent disciplines a child. He acts in love, and His purpose is that we might “be partakers of His holiness” (). Sometimes God chastens because we have rebelled and need to repent; other times He chastens to keep us from sinning and to prepare us for His special blessing. No matter how much the experience hurts us, it will never harm us, because God always disciplines in love ().

Catalyst

If we trust God and obey Him, our Father will direct our paths into the blessings He has planned for us. The first of these blessings is finding the true wealth that comes from wisdom (vv. ). Having the things money can buy is good, provided we don’t lose the things money can’t buy. What good is an expensive house if no happy people reside within it? Happiness, pleasantness, and peace aren’t guaranteed byproducts of financial success, but they are guaranteed to the person who lives by God’s wisdom. Wisdom becomes a “tree of life” to the believer who takes hold of her, and this is a foretaste of heaven (see , ).

Another blessing is enjoying harmony with God’s creation (, ). The person who walks according to God’s wisdom can sing “This is my Father’s world” and really mean it. The wisdom of God brought everything into being (.), including what science calls “the laws of nature.” If we obey these laws creation will work with us; if we disobey them creation will work against us. People in the so-called “New Age” movement try to be “at one” with creation, but they’re doomed to fail because they reject the wisdom of God. Christians who live by God’s wisdom will be good stewards of His creation and will use His gifts for His glory.

A third blessing is experiencing the Father’s providential care (). Because God directs our paths, He is able to protect our paths. The Lord isn’t obligated to protect His children when they willfully go their own way. They’re only tempting Him, and that can be dangerous. Back in the early 1940s an angry unbeliever asked a pastor friend of mine, “Why doesn’t God stop this terrible war?” My friend quietly replied, “He doesn’t stop it because He didn’t start it.” The war was started by people who rejected God’s wisdom and pursued their own selfish plans.

Developing positive relationships with others () is a fourth blessing the believer enjoys when he or she walks in the wisdom of God. Wise Christians will be generous to their neighbors and live peaceably with them (vv. ), doing their best to avoid unnecessary disagreements (). After all, if we truly love God, we will love our neighbors as we would want them to love us.

Go to the

When we surrender ourselves to God, every part of our bodies belongs to Him and will be protected by Him. He will help us keep our eyes from wandering (v. ), our neck from turning our face away from God’s path (v. ; see ), our feet from walking on the wrong path (, ), and even our sleep from being interrupted (v. ). If something frightening suddenly happens, we won’t be afraid (v. ; see ; ), because God is protecting us. How we sleep is sometimes evidence of how much we trust the Lord ().

If a neighbor is a perverse person who scoffs at our faith, the Lord will guide us in letting our light shine and His love show, so that we will influence this neighbor and he or she won’t lead us astray. Sometimes it takes a great deal of patience, prayer, and wisdom to rightly relate to people who don’t want Christians in the neighborhood, but perhaps that’s why God put us there.

Having a godly home in the midst of an ungodly neighborhood is possible, for God “blesses the home of the just” (v. ). We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world; one dedicated Christian in a neighborhood can make a great deal of difference and be a powerful witness for the Lord.

Some children don’t like to hear Dad begin, “Back when I was a boy . . . ,” but they might learn a lot if they paid attention and listened. Dad learned wisdom from his father, and now he’s passing it on to the next generation. This is the primary way God has ordained for His truth to be preserved and invested from generation to generation (; ; ; ; ). Children who have godly parents and grandparents ought to give thanks to the Lord for their rich heritage, instead of scoffing at that heritage and abandoning it for the way of the world.

“Get wisdom” suggests “buy wisdom,” because the Hebrew word carries the idea of a commercial transaction. To want to know God’s truth and obey it comes with a price. “Buy the truth, and do not sell it” (). Parents and grandparents can teach us, but only we can receive the Word into our hearts, cherish it, and pay the price to obey it.

When a person receives God’s truth into his or her heart, God renews the person’s mind () and enables him or her to think wisely. This helps the person make right decisions and experience the guidance of God day by day. God in His loving providence directs us and prepares the path for us. King David said, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” ().

God’s children can’t expect God’s leading if they shuttle back and forth between the path of wisdom and the path of the wicked. We should stay as far away from that path as we can! Don’t enter it! Avoid it! Don’t go near it! Go as far from it as you can! Certainly we must witness to unsaved people whom the Lord brings to us, but we must never adopt their lifestyle or imitate their ways. God doesn’t guide His children when they’re walking in darkness. When we’re living in the will of God, the path gets brighter and brighter, not darker and darker (see ).

This is the key verse for this chapter. It pictures the sunrise (“the shining sun”) and the increasing of the light on the pilgrim path as the day advances. If we walk in the way of God’s wisdom, the path gets brighter and brighter and no sunset comes! When the path ends, we step into a land where the light never dims, for “there shall be no night there” ().

Catalyst

We can use as a personal spiritual inventory to see if we’re living in obedience to the Lord. Let’s ask ourselves:

“What comes into my ears?” (). Whatever enters my ears will ultimately influence my mind, my heart, and my decisions, so I’d better be careful what I listen to. Paul warns us to beware of “filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting” (), and tells us to avoid ungodly counsel. When people speak, we must be able to identify God’s voice (see , ) and obey what He says.

“What is within my heart?” (). Whatever the heart loves, the ears will hear and the eyes will see. When our children were small, no matter where we were driving, they could usually find the ice cream shops and the toy stores; I must confess that I managed to locate the bookstores! What occupies the attention of your heart, “out of it spring the issues of life” (v. ). If we pollute that wellspring, the infection will spread; before long, hidden appetites will become open sins and public shame. The Bible warns us to avoid a double heart (), a hard heart (), a proud heart (), an unbelieving heart (), a cold heart (), and pursue a clean heart (). “Search me, O God, and know my heart” ().

“What is upon my lips?” (). Whatever is in the heart will ultimately come out of the mouth (, ). God’s children must be careful to have “sound speech that cannot be condemned” (), speech that’s gracious and attractive (literally, “seasoned with salt”—see ). The ancient Romans, listening to one of their orators, would look at each other, smile, and say, “Cum grano salis”—“Take it with a grain of salt.” But Christians are supposed to put the salt into their speech and keep their words pure and honest.

Proverbs has a great deal to say about human speech; in fact, the word “mouth” is used over fifty times and the word “lips” over forty times in some translations. Among other things, Solomon warns us about perverse talk (), undisciplined talk (), lying lips (), gossip (), and deception (see ). In fact, “He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction” ().

“What is before my eyes?” (). Outlook determines outcome. Abraham was the friend of God because he walked by faith and was “waited for the city . . . whose builder and maker is God” (). Lot became a friend of the world, because he walked by sight and moved toward the wicked city of Sodom (, ). Everybody has some vision before them that helps to determine their values, actions, and plans. We would all be wise to imitate David who said, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes” (), and the writer of who prayed, “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things” (). If we keep “looking unto Jesus” () as we walk the path of life, then we keep that posture of faith. If we look back () or around (), we may go on a detour.

“What is the direction of my path?” (, ). The Hebrew word translated “mark out” means “to weigh” or “to make level.” It is related to a word that means “scales” (see ). Paul wrote, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified” (). The Lord is weighing our ways () and our hearts (), as well as our actions (), and we had better do the same. Life is too short and too precious to be wasted on the temporary and the trivial. If we’re walking in the way of wisdom, God promises to protect our paths, direct our paths, and perfect our paths.

Go to the

Why worry about sexual sins? The next three chapters of Proverbs give us three reasons why we should worry if we break God’s laws of purity: Sexual sin is eventually disappointing (ch. ), gradually destructive (ch. ), and ultimately deadly (ch. ). That’s why God said, “You shall not commit adultery” ().

We’ve met “the immoral woman” before (), and she will be mentioned again (; ; ; ; ; ; ). The word translated “immoral” basically means “not related to.” The “immoral woman” is one to whom the man is not related by marriage; therefore any sexual liaison with her is evil. The beginning of this sinful alliance may be exciting and sweet, because the kisses and words from her lips drip like honey (), but in the end, the “sweetness” turns to bitterness, and the honey becomes poison ().

Note the phrase “in the end.” The book of Proverbs emphasizes the importance of looking ahead to see where our actions will lead us (see v. ; ; ; ; ; , , ; , ; ). The wise person checks on the destination before buying a ticket (), but modern society thinks that people can violate God’s laws and escape the consequences. They’re sure that whatever has happened to others will never happen to them. Sad to say, their ignorance and insolence can never neutralize the tragic aftermath that comes when people break the laws of God. “Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!” ().

Temptation always includes hopeful promises; otherwise, people would never take the devil’s bait. For a time, these promises may seem to have been fulfilled, and sinners bask in the sunshine of pleasant experiences and false assurances. People who commit sexual sins think their problems are solved (“She understands me so much better than my wife does!”) and that life will get better and better. But disobedience to God’s laws always brings sad consequences, and sinners eventually pay dearly for their brief moments of pleasure.

In these verses we hear the words of a suffering sinner lamenting the high cost of disobeying God’s laws, because the most expensive thing in the world is sin. He discovers that the woman’s husband is a cruel man who demands that he pay for what he’s done, so the adulterer ends up giving his strength to others and toiling away to pay his debt. Instead of luxury, the sinner has misery; instead of riches, poverty; instead of success, ruin; and instead of a good reputation, the name of an adulterer. He looks back and wishes he had listened to his parents and his spiritual instructors, but his wishes can’t change his wretched situation. Yes, God in His grace will forgive this man’s sins if he repents, but God in His government will see to it that he reaps what he sows.

Solomon compares enjoying married love to drinking pure water from a fresh well and committing sexual sin to drinking polluted water from the gutter or sewer. Sex within marriage is a beautiful river that brings life and refreshment, but sex outside marriage is a sewer that defiles everything it touches. To commit sexual sin is to pour this beautiful river into the streets and the public squares. What waste! If we drink our fill of the wrong kind of love () it will destroy us.

, Solomon admonishes the husband to be “enraptured” with his wife’s love. The word translated “enraptured” also means “captivated,” “intoxicated,” or “infatuated.” The adulterer watches the river turn into a sewer, but the faithful husband sees the water become wine! That Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding feast is significant, as though He were giving an object lesson concerning the growing delights of marriage ().

When a husband and wife are faithful to the Lord and to each other, and when they obey Scriptures like and , neither of them will look for satisfaction anywhere else. If they love each other and seek to please each other and the Lord, their relationship will be one of deepening joy and satisfaction; they won’t look for the greener grass.

The adulterous experience goes from freedom to bondage. God has given us the privilege of freedom of choice, but He instructs us and urges us to use that freedom wisely. God’s instructions are guideposts to lead us on the path of life, and He watches the decisions we make and the roads we take. “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” ().

To sin without being bound is impossible. One of the deceitful things about sin is that it promises freedom but only brings slavery. “Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.’ ” (). “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” ().

The cords of sin get stronger the more we sin, yet sin deceives us into thinking we’re free and can quit sinning whenever we please. As the invisible chains of habit are forged, we discover to our horror that we don’t have the strength to break them. Millions of people in our world today are in one kind of bondage or another and are seeking for deliverance, but the only One who can set them free is Jesus Christ. “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” ().

Chapter deals with three enemies that can destroy a person financially, physically, morally, or spiritually: unwise financial commitments (vv. ), laziness (vv. ), and lust (vv. ). Often one person will be guilty of all three, because laziness and lust often go together; people who can easily be pressured into putting up security for somebody can be pressured into doing other foolish acts, including committing adultery. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” ().

Sleep is a necessary element for a healthy life, but too much sleep is destructive. Wise people enjoy sleep that’s “sweet” () because they know they’re in God’s will, and laborers sleep well because they have worked hard (), but the sleep of a lazy person is a mark of selfishness.

The wicked and their wickedness are mentioned at least one hundred times in Proverbs, usually in contrast to the good and the righteous. This passage is somewhat of a summary statement that describes wicked people and the hateful sins they commit.

They are “worthless.” It’s the Hebrew word belial (beli, “without”; yaal, “profit”), used to describe worthless people (; ; ; , ). Sin is not only destructive, it’s also unproductive.

This passage illustrates God’s hatred for sin. Some contemporary theology so emphasizes God’s love that it loses sight of the fact that God also hates sin. God has no pleasure in sin (). Sin grieves the Father (), the Son (), and the Spirit (). Love and hatred can exist in the same heart (see ; ; , ; ). If God’s people loved holiness more, they would hate sin more. God is love (, ), but He is also light () and a consuming fire ().

In chapters , each of the warnings against adultery is prefaced by an admonition to pay attention to the Word of God (, ; ; ). As we trust and obey God’s truth, He keeps us from believing the enemy’s lies. Certainly children have the obligation to honor their father and mother (; see ), and God’s children have the responsibility and privilege of bringing glory to their Father’s name. “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” ().

, This loss of wealth parallels , and see . The results of this immoral liaison lead to being degraded to the lowest level of poverty (see , ). If the adultery results in scandal, a lawsuit, and a divorce, the price will not be cheap; in our days of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, adulterers are also risking health and life.

Fire is good, if it’s confined and controlled. It can keep us warm, cook our food, drive our turbines, and manufacture our electricity. Sex is a good gift from God, but like fire, if it gets out of control, it becomes destructive. What begins as a “warm” experience soon becomes a burning experience, like holding a torch in the lap or walking on burning coals.

, Certainly hunger is a strong force in human life, and the only way to satisfy hunger is to eat. But if we steal the bread that we eat, we’re breaking the law. We’ll end up paying more for that bread than if we’d gone out and bought a loaf at the bakery. As we sit in jail or stand in court, the enjoyment we had from that bread will soon be forgotten.

Adultery is stealing. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality. . . . that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified” (, ). When adultery enters a marriage, everybody loses.

This passage highlights the foolishness of adultery. The angry husband will use every means possible to avenge himself, for a loving husband would rather that his neighbor steal his money than steal his wife. The offender will have no peace, and no amount of money he offers the husband will be accepted. The adulterer loses his reputation in the community and might actually suffer physical punishment. Of course, he and the woman were supposed to be stoned to death (; ), but this penalty probably was not always exacted.

In today’s society, if a person has enough money and clout, he or she might be able to survive an adulterous scandal, but life is still never quite the same. Whether in this life or the next, sinners can be sure that their sins will find them out. Indulging in sexual sin is always a losing proposition.

For the third time, Solomon calls the young person back to the Word of God, because keeping God’s commandments is a matter of life or death. The adulteress lives on a dead-end street: “Her house is the way to hell, descending to the chambers of death” (v. ).

We protect our eyes because they’re valuable to us, and so should we honor and protect God’s Word by obeying it. Sexual sin often begins with undisciplined eyes and hands (see ), but the heart of the problem is the heart (, ). If we love God’s wisdom as we love those in our family, we won’t want to visit the house of the harlot.

We get the impression that this young man was either terribly stupid or very proud, convinced that he could play with sin and get away with it. But he was only tempting himself and heading for trouble. To begin with, he was out at night, walking in “the black and dark night” (see ; ; ), and he was deliberately walking near the place of temptation and danger. He wasn’t heeding the wise counsel of the Lord: “Remove your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house” (). God’s Word wasn’t controlling his feet (; ).

Like the deadly spider in the web, the woman was watching at the window, ready to pounce on her prey. She was someone’s wife, but when her husband was out of town, she would dress like a prostitute so she could attract the men who were searching for her services (, ; ). While her husband was away, she saw no reason why she shouldn’t make some money and enjoy herself at the same time. She had been in the streets, looking for victims (, ), but now one was coming right to her door!

She appealed to the young man’s male ego as she flattered him, making him think he was special to her. What she was offering to him she would never offer to anyone else! She appealed to his imagination as she described her beautiful bed and the expensive spices that perfumed it. She assured the young man that nobody will find out about it (except that somebody was watching, v. ) and that her husband wouldn’t be home for many days. They had plenty of time to enjoy themselves. But he would have much more time to regret his decision!

When we pray, “do not lead us into temptation” (), we know that God doesn’t tempt us (); yet we may tempt ourselves, tempt others, and even tempt God (; ; ; , ; ). We tempt God when we deliberately disobey Him and put ourselves into situations so difficult that only God can deliver us. It’s as though we are daring Him to do something.

By going to her house, her table, and her bed, the young man willfully disobeyed God’s law, but the Lord didn’t intervene. He allowed the youth to indulge in his sensual appetites and suffer the consequences. God could have stopped him, but He didn’t, because the Word says, “You shall not tempt the LORD your God” (; ). If, instead of testing the Lord, the youth had looked up to the Lord and remembered His Word (), looked within and kept his heart focused on God’s truth (v. ), and looked ahead to see the terrible consequences of his sin (vv. , ), he would have turned around and fled from the immoral woman’s clutches.

Today, society not only smiles at sexual sin, it actually approves and encourages it. Perversions, the very mention of which would have shocked people fifty years ago, are openly discussed these days and are even made the subject of novels, movies, and TV dramas. What Paul saw in his day and described in is now apparent in our own day, but people resent it if we call these practices “sin.” After all, “Everybody’s doing it.” Unfortunately, people calling themselves believers haven’t contradicted that statement with their lives often enough.

, The gospel is still “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (), and Christ can still change people’s lives (). It is not enough that Christians protest the evil; we must also practice the good () and proclaim the good news that sinners can become new creatures in Christ ().

If the world had more light, there would be less darkness. If the world had more salt, there would be less decay. If the world heard more truth, there would be less deception. We have a job to do . . . today!

Catalyst

Wisdom’s second message (see also ) has four very clear points, including a call to decision.

“You can trust my words” (). Five adjectives are used here to describe the character of the message Wisdom declares. Her words are “excellent” (v. ), a word that is often translated “captain” or “ruler” in the Old Testament. Since God’s message is the Word of the King, it is indeed noble and princely.

Wisdom’s words are plain, spoken clearly and openly so that there can be no confusion. Of course, those who reject the Lord don’t understand what God is saying (), but this isn’t because the Word of God is confusing or unclear. It’s because sinners are spiritually blind and deaf (, ). The problem is with the hearer, not the speaker.

“You can receive true wealth” (). This passage deals with enrichment, not riches in the material sense. Wisdom isn’t promising to put money in the bank for us; she’s urging us to seek eternal wealth instead of gold, silver, and precious stones (see vv. , as well as ; ; ). This is an Old Testament version of : “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

How do we secure this satisfying and enduring wealth? Hear the Word of God (), receive instruction (v. ), love truth and wisdom (vv. , ), and seek God and His wisdom daily (v. ). Many of God’s people have discovered how important it is to start each day with the Lord, meditating on His Word, praying, and worshiping Him (see and ; see also ; ; ).

“You can see my works” (). In chapter we found this to be an explanation of the wisdom of God at work in the creation of the universe. While it isn’t a description of Jesus Christ, for the eternal Son of God was never created, it does foreshadow Christ as the creative Word that brought everything into being (; ).

“You must make a decision!” (). Having declared God’s truth, Wisdom now calls for a decision, as all faithful heralds must do. How people respond to God’s message is a matter of life or death, and it’s impossible to be neutral. Wisdom calls for a sincere, life-changing decision that involves turning from sin (repentance) and turning to Christ (faith). If the decision is real, it will result in a commitment to the Lord that leads to meeting with Him daily, like a servant at the master’s door.

Go to the

Wisdom’s message is always “right” (v. ). The English word “right” comes from the Latin rectus, which means “straight.” This root is also seen in words like “direct” and “correct.” God’s Word is also true (v. ) and righteous (v. ) and “plain” (v. ). Folly uses deceptive and “crooked” words to achieve her purposes, language that we would today call “double-speak.” Whatever God’s Word says about anything is right and can be trusted (see ). “The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether” ().

Wisdom has better gifts to offer than perishable riches—blessings like prudence, knowledge, discretion, the fear of the Lord, humility, godly speech, wise counsel, understanding, guidance on life’s path, strength for the journey, and “enduring riches.” A life that’s enriched by God may be poor in this world’s goods, but it is rich in the things that matter most. Enjoying the things that money can buy is good, provided we don’t lose the things that money can’t buy. What Wisdom has to offer can’t be purchased anywhere, no matter how rich we are.

One of the lessons of this stanza is that the power and splendor of God, seen all around us in creation, are evidence of what God’s wisdom can do. The same God who worked in the “old creation” also wants to work in our lives in the “new creation” (; ; ; ). The Lord Jesus Christ, who holds the universe together () and causes it to fulfill His will, can hold our lives together and accomplish His purposes for His glory.

When we belong to Jesus Christ and walk in His wisdom, all of creation works for us; if we rebel against His wisdom and will, things start to work against us, as Jonah discovered when he tried to run away from the Lord.

, In the previous chapter, we saw Wisdom at work in creation, but here we see her having built a spacious house (“seven pillars”) where she has prepared a sumptuous banquet. The Jewish people didn’t use their flocks and herds for food, so opportunities to eat roast beef or lamb were infrequent and welcomed. The table would be spread with delectable foods as well as wine to drink. “Mixed” wine could mean diluted with water (usually three parts water) or mixed with spices; however, the presence of wine on the table must not be interpreted as a divine endorsement of alcoholic beverages. Wine was a normal part of a Jewish meal, but nowhere does the Bible approve of drunkenness (see ; ; ).

Instead of going out herself as in the previous two “calls,” Wisdom sent her servants to the highest places of the city to invite people to the feast. It was customary in those times for a host or hostess to issue two invitations. The first one, given some days in advance, would notify the guests of the day and hour of the feast; the second one, given the day of the feast, would ascertain who was actually coming (see ; ). Knowing the approximate number of the guests, the cooks could then prepare sufficient meat in order to have plenty for everybody, with nothing wasted. We don’t read here of any preliminary invitation. The servants were simply saying, “Come right now!”

Note that Wisdom’s servants were inviting one class of people: the simple. Wisdom’s first call in Proverbs had been to the simple, the scorners, and the fools (). The scorners laughed at her, so in her second call she invited only the simple and the fools (). But the fools didn’t want God’s wisdom, so in this third call she invited only the simple ones to come to her feast. Rejecting God’s invitation is dangerous; we never know when it may be our last one ().

Of course, when the simple people accept the invitation, they must leave the old crowd, and the fools and scoffers will try to talk them into staying (). Sinners don’t want to be rebuked and reproved, but wise people will accept and benefit from both. Fools, scoffers, and the simple like to have their own way and be told they’re doing fine, but wise men and women want the truth. Teach wise people and they’ll accept the truth and become wiser; try to teach fools and they’ll reject the truth and become even greater fools.

When we respond to Wisdom’s invitation and attend the feast, what will we receive? For one thing, we’ll have a greater respect for the Lord and a deeper knowledge of the Holy One (v. ). The better we know God, the keener will be our knowledge and discernment when making life decisions.

Once again, Wisdom promises to give long life (v. ) and to fill our days and years with rich experiences of God’s grace. God wants to add years to our lives and life to our years, and He will do it if we obey His wisdom.

We study the Word of God so that we might better know the God of the Word. The better acquainted we are with God, the more we become like Him and acquire the skills we need for life and service. The better we know God, the more we rightly fear Him. We can make a living without knowing many things, but we can’t make a life without knowing God.

The chapter closes with a quick glimpse of the prostitute (Folly) as she calls to the same simple ones and invites them to her house. But if they accept her invitation, they’ll be attending a funeral and not a feast—and it will be their own funeral!

In , Solomon compared the joys of married love to drinking pure water from a refreshing fountain, but Folly (the adulteress) offers “stolen water” from somebody else’s fountain. God ordained marriage to be a fence around the fountain so that nobody will pollute it. “You shall not commit adultery” () has never been removed from God’s law.

When it comes to possessing eternal life and living so as to please God, it’s an either/or situation. Either we accept the invitation, or we reject it; either we obey His wisdom, or we reject it. Those who claim to be neutral are rejecting His Word as much as those who turn away from it completely. “He who is not with Me is against Me,” said Jesus ().

What will it be in your life: the feast or the funeral?

Fools create problems and bring sorrow, especially to their parents (see also ; , ). Every godly father says to his son or daughter, “My son, be wise, and make my heart glad” (), but the pages of the Bible record the sorrow that foolish children brought to their parents. History, from the very start, has been marked by children who were foolish like Cain and children who were wise like Abel and Seth.

God has ordained that parents are older and more experienced than their children and should therefore lovingly guide their children and prepare them for adult life. If any of their children end up sluggards (), gluttons (), fornicators (), rebels (; ; , , ; see ), and robbers (), it should be in spite of the parents’ training and not because of it.

Wise people are diligent in their work. Diligence and laziness are key topics in Proverbs. Solomon makes it clear that God has nothing good to say about careless, lazy people. Wise people are working men and women, those who make the most of their opportunities and who carry their share of the load.

One of the blessings of diligent labor is the joy of developing the kind of ability and character that others can trust, thereby fitting ourselves for the next responsibility God has prepared for us. Joseph was faithful in suffering and service, and this prepared him to rule Egypt. David faithfully cared for a few sheep, and God gave him an entire nation to shepherd (). Joshua was faithful as Moses’ helper and became Moses’ successor. “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor, when you embrace her” (, and see ).

The lazy person also wastes God-given opportunities. When the fields are ready for harvest, the reapers have to go to work because the opportunity won’t be there forever (). Diligent people are alert to their God-given opportunities and seek to make the most of them.

Fools do a lot of talking, but they never accomplish what they’ve talked about (see also v. ). The word translated “prating” means “to babble, to talk excessively.” It’s much easier to talk about things than to hear God’s Word and obey it.

Good words are like refreshing water. “The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook” (). Listening to and appropriating the words of a godly person is like taking a satisfying drink. “The law of the wise is a fountain of life” (), and “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life” (). But just having the wise speak to us isn’t enough; we must be prepared to listen. “Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it. But the correction of fools is folly” (). The soil of the heart must be prepared and the seed of the Word planted, or the water won’t do us much good.

Instead of covering our anger with cheap dross, we should cover others’ sins with sincere love (see ). Love doesn’t condone sin or encourage sinners to try to hide their sins from the Lord (; ), but love doesn’t tell the sin to others (see ). If we are angry with someone and that person sins, we will be tempted to spread the news as a way of getting even.

, People who speak wisely, saying the right word at the right time in the right way, are people who store God’s truth in their hearts. That understanding comes from the Word of God. Diligent students of Scripture are filled with “richness” that comes from the Word of God (). “The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips” (). If we devote our hearts to serious study of the Word, even while we’re sharing the truth with others, God will teach us more of His truth.

Reading and meditating on God’s Word ought to be a daily habit. “Blessed is the man who listens to me,” says Wisdom, “watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors” (). For our faith and spiritual discernment to mature, we need disciplined, systematic reading of the whole Word of God, because we never know when we’ll need some truth from the Bible to help overcome a temptation or make a decision.

Those who are wise profit from rebuke (see also , ; ; ) and from advice (; ; ). They don’t think so highly of themselves that they can’t learn from others (; ). If we’re “wise in our own eyes,” we certainly won’t be wise in God’s eyes!

We hurt others by talking too much. “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness” (). People who discipline the tongue can control the whole body (, ). There is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (), and the wise know how to hold their peace (, ; ).

The images used in Proverbs for human speech indicate the value of this divine gift that we not only take for granted but too often waste and abuse. Wise words are compared to gold and silver. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear” (, ). Our words ought to be as balanced, beautiful, and valuable as the most precious jewelry; we ought to work as hard as the craftsman to make them that way (see ).

Righteous people want God’s very best, and He grants it to them (see also ). When we delight ourselves in the Lord, we will want what delights Him (). The developing of spiritual perception, a godly appetite, and the ability to choose the best () is one of the blessed by-products of a holy walk with God. The more we become like Christ, the less we enjoy the entertainment of this world, and the more we long for the enrichment of the world to come.

Lazy people are more of a nuisance than a help. Vinegar on the teeth and smoke in the eyes aren’t necessarily lethal, but they do irritate us; so does a sluggard who won’t get the job done. All that person does is dream about the things he or she wants to enjoy but won’t work hard enough to earn them.

God also gives us spiritual radar so that we can assess a situation and make the right reply. “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!” (; see ). “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil” (). “A word fitly spoken” has beauty and value (, ).

Many theologians believe that pride is the sin of all sins, for pride is what changed an angel into the devil (). Lucifer’s “I will ascend into heaven” () challenged the very throne of God. In the garden of Eden it became, “You will be like God” (). Eve believed it, and we know the rest of the story. “Glory to man in the highest” is the rallying cry of proud, godless humanity that’s still defying God and trying to build heaven on earth (see ).

God demands that we be honest in all our business dealings. Dishonesty is robbery (see also ; , ). Moses commanded that the people use honest weights and measures (, ; ); since Israel didn’t have an official Department of Standards to check on these things, the law wasn’t always obeyed. Amos accused the merchants in his day of “falsifying the scales by deceit” when measuring and paying for grain (); Micah asked, “Shall I count pure those with the wicked scales, and with the bag of deceitful weights?” ().

, Pride and dishonesty make it almost impossible to acknowledge God. “In all your ways acknowledge Him” () means, “Do God’s will in every area of life. Seek to honor Him in everything.” Pride and disobedience in any area of life can get us on dangerous detours, so we must stay humble before Him.

Solomon pointed out some of the blessings that come to those who walk the path of life and wisdom. To begin with, God’s people experience His direction. The Lord directs the paths of those who trust and obey (, ), because God wants His children to know His will () and enjoy doing it (). The Lord reveals His will only to those who are willing to obey it ().

On the path of the righteous, God’s people also experience rescue and deliverance. Godly people certainly have their share of trials and tests, but the Lord promises to help them and make these experiences turn out for good (). “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles” (). Obedience to God keeps us from many of the troubles that sinners experience; when the Lord permits us to suffer, however, He promises to bring us through. “The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous will come through trouble” ().

The kind of rescue this proverb has in mind certainly happened to Mordecai () and Daniel (), but millions of Christian martyrs testify to the fact that the statement isn’t an absolute in this life. In fact, in , Asaph concludes that the wicked get the upper hand in this world, but the godly have their reward for eternity. The last verses in concur. The book of Proverbs has little to say about the life to come; instead, it focuses on the present and gives guidelines for making wise decisions that help to produce a satisfying life.

God calls us to receive His wisdom and be skillful so that we can make a life that will glorify Him. What is important isn’t how long we live but how we live, not the length but the depth of life. Fools wade in the shallows, but wise people launch out into the deep and let God give them His very best.

One important quality for true friends and good neighbors is the ability to control the tongue. We shouldn’t believe the first thing we hear about a matter, because it may be wrong (); we should remember that “a man of understanding holds his peace” (). If a neighbor or friend speaks falsely of us, we should talk to that person about it privately, but don’t seek to avenge ourselves by lying about him or her (, ; ). And we should beware of people who cause trouble and then say, “I was only joking” (, ).

We hurt others by gossiping. “You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people” (). The Hebrew word translated “to go about” is probably derived from a word meaning “merchant.” The talebearer goes about peddling gossip! Gossips flatter people by sharing secrets with them, but to be one of their “customers” is dangerous. “He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips” ().

, God blesses diligent people for their generosity. “He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor” (). Mark the difference between the diligent worker and the slothful person: “The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. He covets greedily all day long, but the righteous gives and does not spare” (see , ).

Another dishonest way to get wealth is to use our resources selfishly and disregard the needs of others. In times of drought and famine, a prosperous farmer could corner the grain market and become rich at the expense of his needy neighbors (see ). We need to realize that everything we have comes from God (; 1 Cor. 4.7) and that we are but stewards of His wealth. While everyone expects that a businessman will make a profit, nobody wants him to make an excessive profit and hurt others.

One of the subtle dangers of wealth is a false sense of security. After all, riches won’t save the sinner on the day of judgment (v. ); they can’t buy peace (, ) or a good name (). Riches have a tendency to fly away when we least expect it (, ; , ).

The life of righteousness must not become a solitary and selfish experience. When God blesses the righteous, He does it so they can share the blessing with others. “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great,” God promised Abraham, “and you shall be a blessing” (). The “blessed man” of is “like a tree” that produces fruit for others to enjoy (). Wisdom leads to righteousness, and righteousness produces fruit (“a tree of life”), and this fruit entices those who are hungry for what is real and eternal. By both their lives and their words, wise people seek to lead others to the Lord.

The righteous are blessed in their home. “The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the just” (). “The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish” (). The wicked may live in houses, and the righteous have only tents, but with the blessing of the Lord, the righteous person’s tent will be a palace! “The house of the righteous will stand.”

The righteous are kind and generous () and show their kindness not only in the way they treat people () but also in the way they treat animals. Righteous living flavors a person’s entire life.

Fools can’t control their temper. The contrast in temperament between the wise and the foolish occurs frequently in Proverbs. “He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly” (). “Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive” (). “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back” ().

We can find many ways to turn words into weapons and damage others. As this verse points out, we hurt others by lying. We also know that “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight” (v. ; and see , ). Solomon warns us against bearing false witness and violating the ninth commandment ( and see , ; , , ; ; .)

Lazy people lose their freedom and become enslaved to others. Their debts accumulate to the point where they have to become slaves in order to work off what they owe (see ; ). The “easy life” of leisure turns out to be very costly, as the sluggard exchanges a pillow for a plow and has to work off his or her debts the hard way. In our day we might say we are experiencing an epidemic of laziness with the misuse of credit.

Our words can encourage those who are burdened. “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!” (). When we’re walking in the Spirit daily and being taught by the Lord, we’ll know how “to speak a word in season to him who is weary” (). “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” ().

God’s people must be especially careful in choosing their friends. “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (). Friendships that are based on money (; ; , , ) or sin (; , ) are destined to be disappointing. So are friendships with people who have bad tempers (, ), who speak foolishly (), who rebel against authority (, ), or who are dishonest (). Believers need to heed , verses and2, and when we decide on our companions in life.

The Hebrew words in Proverbs translated “righteous,” “righteousness,” “upright,” and “uprightness” describe ethical conduct that conforms to God’s standards and the moral character that comes from a right relationship to the Lord and His Word. True righteousness, godly living, isn’t just toeing the line and obeying the rules. As Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount, we can obey the law outwardly while cultivating sin inwardly. Simply refraining from killing and committing adultery isn’t enough; we must also not harbor hatred and lust in our hearts ().

Mockers show how ignorant they are by the way they respond to advice and reproof. “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, and he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you” (, ). “A scoffer does not love one who corrects him, nor will he go to the wise” (). When we try to teach a mocker, we’re just casting pearls before swine. This person thinks he or she knows everything!

, This passage refers to “unfaithful,” treacherous people who want discord and conflict. The truly godly person sows seeds of unity and peace, not seeds of division (see , ). Discord and division in the church are terrible sins because they are contrary to the spiritual unity that Jesus prayed for () and that the Spirit was given to produce in the body (). How can lost sinners ever believe that God loves them when God’s children don’t even love one another?

, Character is more important than position, and wisdom than possessions. God doesn’t glorify poverty, but neither does He magnify affluence. We must not think that the way of the wealthy is always easy, because perils also accompany wealth and success in life. Wealthy people face problems that people of ordinary means don’t face, for an increase in wealth usually means an increase in decision-making, risk-taking, and possibly physical danger. “The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, but the poor does not hear rebuke” (v. )—in other words, the rich man can pay a ransom for his life, but the poor don’t need to worry about such things.

We live in a world of illusion, with people trying to impress each other. Appearance becomes more important than reality. Worth is measured by wealth, not by character and conduct; as long as people have money and fame, they’re considered important. To be rich and famous is the ambition of millions of people; until they reach that goal they enjoy riches and fame vicariously as they follow the careers of their favorite celebrities.

Wise people believe God’s truth and live for reality and not for illusion. “The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge” ().

The last of the seven sins that God hates (see ) is sowing discord. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (). The wicked, prideful person destroys unity by sowing seeds that produce a bitter and divisive harvest. Some of these seeds are: pride (; see ), gossip (; ; ; ), anger and hatred (; ; ), a quarrelsome spirit (, ; ; ), and foolish questions (; , ).

Proverbs opens with a stern warning against participating in get-rich-quick schemes that involve breaking the law (). These schemes are self-destructive and lead to bondage and possibly the grave. As this proverb points out, we should beware of people who promise to make us wealthy without asking us to work or take any risks. “Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death” (). “A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him” ().

God blesses the labors of people who are honest. God expects accurate scales and balances (; see , ). He also expects us to be honest in our words as we deal with people in our work.

Knowing and obeying the will of God can’t be a halfhearted endeavor on our part, a hobby we indulge in when facing an emergency or when we feel like it. God wants us to trust Him with all our heart and acknowledge Him in all our ways. Knowing and doing the will of God isn’t a spiritual technique that we use occasionally; it’s a committed lifestyle that involves everything we do.

Successful athletes make winning their full-time pursuit, and this shows up in the way they eat, sleep, exercise, and relate to their coaches and teammates. The word for this is commitment, and commitment involves obedience. To deliberately act apart from the instruction of the Scriptures is to rebel against the revealed command of God (see ). To ignore the Word of God is to deprive ourselves of the guidance we need for making the decisions of life. “Cease listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge” ().

How does this fit with the warning in against depending on our own understanding? To depend on means that our faith must be in God’s Word and not in our own wisdom. The word used in , translated “lean on” is the same word used of a king who leans on the arm of an officer (; , ) or a person who leans on a staff ().

As we seek to know God’s will, we must gather all the facts available to us. “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (). This applies whether we’re answering somebody else or answering the Lord. “The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is deceit” (). We must take time for an honest look at facts before we make decisions.

Unfortunately, some people weren’t disciplined when young and taught the importance of taking correction and working hard. Listening to orders and obeying them, paying attention to correction and reproof and not repeating mistakes, and respecting supervision are essential to success in any job. Remember, the prodigal’s first request was, “I want my share!” But when he returned home, his desire was, “Please take me on as a hired servant” (, ). He’d learned the value of his father’s discipline and the joy of hard work. Such lessons are best learned early, because the lessons later are much more painful.

Wise people associate with wise people. As we read and study Scripture, we associate with the wise men and women of Bible history and learn from them. By spending time with godly friends, we can learn wisdom and grow in our knowledge of Christ.

Sometimes people become poor because of people and events over which they have no control (see ; ). The prophets condemned wicked rulers and businessmen who crushed the poor and seized what little they had (; ; , ; ; , ; ). When justice rules the land and people fear the Lord, then the poor have a voice and protection from oppression. This passage challenges us to pursue justice as well as compassion for those who have been mistreated.

Many modern educators and parents revolt against the biblical teaching about discipline. They tell us that this classic passage, often repeated as “Spare the rod and spoil the child,” is nothing but brutal prehistoric pedagogy that cripples the child for life. But nowhere does the Bible teach blind brutality when it comes to disciplining children. The emphasis here is love, because this is the way God disciplines His own children. “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights” (, ). Do we know more about raising children than God does?

Every wife will either build her home or tear it down. If she walks with the Lord, she will be a builder; if she disobeys God’s wisdom, she will be a destroyer. She must be faithful to her husband, for “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones” (). A crown or a cancer: What a choice! And beauty isn’t the only quality a man should look for; wisdom and discretion are extremely important ().

“The simple” are naive people who believe everything because they don’t have convictions about anything. What they think is sophisticated “tolerance” is only spiritual ignorance, because they lack the ability to discriminate between truth and error.

Because a wise person “fears and departs from evil” and danger, they flee from sin. If we fear the Lord, we will hate evil (; see ; ). The person whose confidence rests solely in himself or herself isn’t wise and can plunge ahead recklessly. Joshua was self-confident and lost a battle (); Samson was self-confident and became a prisoner (.); Peter was self-confident and denied the Lord three times (, ). “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” ().

A young simpleton listened to the prostitute and ended up like an animal led to the slaughter (.). Simpletons lack common sense and are simple because they reject the truth of God’s Word that gives “prudence [common sense] to the simple” (). The tragedy is that simple people actually love their simplemindedness () and have no desire to change. Because they don’t take a stand for anything, they fall for everything; this saves them the trouble of thinking, studying, praying, and asking God for wisdom. Instead of working hard to dig into the mines of God’s wisdom (), the simple prefer to take it easy and pick up whatever cheap trinkets they can find on the surface.

How do we help the poor? To begin with, we ought not to look down on the poor because of their troubles, thinking we are better than they. God has a special concern for the poor and needy, and in exploiting them we will find ourselves fighting the Lord. “Do not rob the poor because he is poor, nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; for the LORD will plead their cause, and plunder the soul of those who plunder them” (, ; see ; ).

Some people are needy because they like to talk but never act. This reminds us of our Lord’s parable about the two sons (). One son said the right words but never followed through; the other expressed himself, had second thoughts, and then carried out his father’s request. Better to not promise and then do than to promise and then not do.

We hurt others by talking instead of working. Humankind seems to be divided into three classes: dreamers who have great ideas but never accomplish much, talkers who exercise their jaw muscles and vocal cords but not their hands and feet, and doers who talk little but with God’s help turn their dreams into realities.

Our words can rescue the perishing. While this verse can be applied to our own personal witness for Christ in rescuing the lost (), the context is that of a court of law. An accused criminal in Israel could be condemned on the testimony of two or three witnesses; if the case involved a capital crime, the witnesses had to be the first to cast the stones (, ). The law forbade the bearing of false witness (; ; ), and anyone found guilty of perjury was given the punishment that the accused would have received ().

When parents walk with God, they give their children a heritage that will enrich them throughout their lives. Godliness puts beauty within the home and protection around the home. The world wants to penetrate that fortress and kidnap our children and grandchildren, but godly parents keep the walls strong and the spiritual weapons ready.

“The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life” and leads to life (). It gives security (), hope (, ), and the promise of long life (). “Fearing” God means honoring and reverencing Him. Fearing the Lord keeps our priorities straight. “Better is a little with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure with trouble” (). We also steer clear of evil (; ; see also ).

Oppressing the poor is condemned by God. God doesn’t respect the rich more than He respects the poor. “The rich and the poor have this in common, the LORD is the maker of them all” (). The poor are made in the image of God, so the way we treat the poor is the way we treat God. Churches that show deference to the rich and ignore the poor have forgotten the royal law, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (see ). When the Savior came to earth, He identified with the poor and the outcasts (; ), and God wants to show His compassion for them through His people. To harm the needy is to give pain to the heart of God.

Israel is the only nation that has a special covenant relationship with God, but the principle of this proverb still stands. , , and make it clear that God judges the Gentile nations for their sins even though He didn’t give them the same law that He gave to Israel (, ). National leaders can’t escape the judgment of God when they lead the people away from God’s holy standards. Legalizing sin doesn’t make it right.

Our words can bring peace instead of war, calm rather than chaos. This verse isn’t advising us to compromise the truth and say that what’s wrong is really right just to avoid conflict or confrontation. Rather, it’s counseling us to have a gentle spirit and a conciliatory attitude even when we disagree with others. This can defuse the situation and make it easier for us to settle the matter peacefully.

Fools can’t control their speech (see ). The fool’s speech is proud and know-it-all (), and fools have a tendency to speak before they know what they’re saying or what’s being discussed (). “Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (). “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise” (). We can’t warn fools or tell them anything they need to know, because they already know everything!

Right words are like nourishing, health-giving food. What a wonderful thing it is to say the right words and help to heal a broken spirit! The phrase “tree of life” means “source of life” and goes back to . In the same vein, “The lips of the righteous feed many” (; see ). “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” (; see ).

When God created our first parents, He gave them the ability to speak and understand words. Made in the image of a God who communicates, human beings have the wonderful gift of speech. God spoke to Adam and gave him instructions about life in the garden, which he later shared with Eve; they both understood what God told them (; , ). Adam was able to name the animals () and to give a descriptive name to his bride (). Satan used words to deceive Adam and Eve (), and Eve must have used words to persuade her husband to eat (). The garden of Eden was a place of communication, because God gave Adam and Eve the ability to understand and use words. Since God gave us this gift of words, let us use them to His glory!

Disrespect for parents usually begins with disrespect for the Word of God that parents seek to teach to their children. “He who despises the word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded” (). Sometimes children go off to a college or university and get poisoned by ideas that are contrary to Scripture; then they come home to tell everybody how stupid and old-fashioned their parents are. If children maintain this haughty attitude, they’ll eventually rob their parents (), curse their parents (), and bring shame to their parents ().

Our words that echo God’s Word can instruct the ignorant. “The wise in heart will be called prudent, and sweetness of the lips increases learning” (). While we have many good and helpful things to learn in our brief lives on earth, the most important is the wisdom of God found in the Word of God (). “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding” (). After we acquire wisdom, we must share it with others, for “Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding” ().

A godly, righteous person “follows righteousness.” Not everybody who claims to be among the righteous is truly a child of God. God’s people understand righteousness () because they meditate on His Word and seek to obey it. They do righteousness (; ) because true faith always leads to works (). They speak righteousness (; , ; ; ; ) and their words can be trusted, and they pursue righteousness and make it the passion of their hearts. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” ().

Because they “[feed] on foolishness,” fools have no moral strength. “The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of wisdom” (). The foolish not only lack spiritual and intellectual nourishment, but they also lack refreshing water: “Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it. But the correction of fools is folly” (). The image of words and God’s law as “a wellspring of life” is also found in ; ; ; and . Follow Wisdom and we will live on a fruitful oasis; follow Folly and our home will be an arid desert.

The wrong attitude toward money can wreck friendships and even destroy a home. The man or woman who thinks only of getting rich will put money ahead of people and principles, and soon they will start to neglect the family in their frantic pursuit of wealth. Expensive gifts to the children become substitutes for the gift of themselves; before long, values become twisted and the family falls apart. How many families have been destroyed because of the distribution of an estate! As a lawyer friend used to say, “Where there’s a will, there are relatives.”

, How we accept and apply rebuke is a test of how devoted we are to truth and wisdom and how sincere we are in wanting to know God’s will. Friends who flatter us and avoid telling us the truth are only doing us harm. “He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue” (; see ).

God expects us to use our brains and make plans, but He also expects us to submit those plans to Him and let Him make the final decision. “Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established” (v. )—that is, our plans will succeed. If we’re yielded to the Lord and our plans are not His plans, He will show us what’s right and steer us away from what’s wrong (see v. ). “If in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you” ().

Catalyst

has been a great help to me, especially when I’ve been called upon to give counsel. When we couple this with , it gives us great encouragement: “There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.” Often I’ve had to make decisions about complex matters, and the Lord has given me just the words to speak. If my heart had not been in touch with His Word and yielded to His will, however, the Spirit might not have been able to direct me. If we make our plans the best we can and commit them to the Lord, He will guide us in what we say and do.

Divine sovereignty doesn’t destroy human responsibility and turn humans into robots. “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (). “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (). God still expects us to study, think, weigh possibilities, and make decisions, but we dare not “Lean . . . on [our] own understanding” (). God promises to give wisdom to those who ask () and to direct those who are willing to obey (, ).

Go to the

Proverbs was originally written for Jews under the old covenant; under that covenant, material blessing was a part of God’s promise to Israel (). Believers today can be sure of God’s provision for their every need as they obey His will (; ). It sometimes looks to us as though the righteous are suffering and the wicked prospering, but faith sees beyond today and considers where the godless end up (). An eternal perspective reminds us that our real prosperity isn’t here on earth but in glory when we see the Lord. “Evil pursues sinners, but to the righteous, good shall be repaid” ().

This book tells us a great deal about three kinds of people: the thieves, the workers, and the poor who need our help. (Among the thieves, I’m including “the sluggard,” the lazy person who never works but expects others to take care of him. That’s being a thief, isn’t it?) However, wealthy as he was (; ), in this proverb, King Solomon emphasized that God’s wisdom is more important than money (see also ; ; ). This is Solomon’s version of ; he’s reminding us that while it is good to have the things money can buy, we should be sure to not lose the things money can’t buy.

Just about every Christian can quote , but not all of us heed it. Warnings about pride abound in Proverbs. “A proud and haughty man—’Scoffer’ is his name; he acts with arrogant pride” (). “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor is humility” (; see ). God hates “a proud look” (, ) and promises to destroy the house of the proud ().

Wise people practice discipline when it comes to their speech. “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (). Proverbs has much to say about the dynamics and dangers of human speech. Suffice it to say here that the wise person realizes the power of the tongue and keeps it under God’s control. “But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . self-control” (, ; see ). The speech of wise people will instruct and inspire, and we are nourished as we listen; the talk of fools only tears down and leaves us empty and discouraged (see ).

One of the marks of liars is that they enjoy listening to lies. A basic rule of life is that the ears hear what the heart loves, so beware of people who have an appetite for gossip and lies.

Fools specialize in lies and slander (), and the wise person won’t stay around to listen (, ). “The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, but the heart of the fool does not do so” (see ). We must be careful what kind of conversation we listen to, because Jesus said, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given” (). Furthermore, when fools are speaking, what they say could start a fight (, )!

Doesn’t “[justifying] the wicked” describe exactly what the Lord God did for us? In some respects, yes—that’s what is so amazing about grace. But God didn’t simply acquit the guilty. His Son, Jesus Christ, died for the sins of the world, “Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust” (); the judgment that should have been ours was laid on Him (; see also ). God justifies (declares righteous) the ungodly, not when they do good works but when they put their faith in Christ. “But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” ().

Proverbs makes it clear that true friendship is based on love, because only love will endure the tests that friends experience as they go through life together. We may have many companions and no real friends. “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (). Friendship is something that has to be cultivated, and its roots must go deep.

One reason fools don’t learn wisdom is because they can’t keep their eyes focused on what’s important. Instead of dealing with reality, the fool lives in a faraway fantasy world. God’s Word helps people keep their feet on the ground and make wise decisions in this difficult world in which we live.

The gossip “eats” and enjoys secrets like we eat and enjoy delicious food (see ). People who feed on gossip only crave more, and the only cure for this addiction is for them to develop an appetite for God’s truth (). We must beware of gossips, because they do a great deal of damage. “An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire. A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends” (, ; see ). “Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases” ().

The lazy man or woman wastes God-given resources. This person may be “working” but not doing a very good job. Consequently, what’s done will either have to be thrown out or done over; this means it will cost twice as much.

We must never take our friends for granted and think that they will immediately forgive our offenses, even though forgiveness would be the right response. Unfortunately, some of God’s people will forgive offenses from unbelievers that they would never forgive if a Christian friend committed them. We need a diamond to cut a diamond, and some Christians have a way of putting up defenses that even the church can’t break through. gives us the steps to take when such things happen, and our Lord warns us that an unforgiving spirit imprisons us.

While it’s usually true that a “multitude of counselors” assures a wise decision (see ; ; ; see ), at the same time, we must avoid running from friend to friend asking for advice. This may indicate that we’re trying to find somebody who will tell us what we want to hear! We need more than friends; we must have a friend who will stand by us and “[speak] the truth in love” (). We can tell a “real friend” by how close he or she is in adversity.

Sometimes we want answers immediately as we rush through life. But the Father will reveal His will in His time. Through “faith and patience” we receive what God promises (, ), and running ahead of the Lord is as dangerous as stubbornly lagging behind. “Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle” (). The horse rushes ahead and the mule won’t budge, and both attitudes are wrong. Even the great apostle Paul didn’t always know exactly the way God was guiding, and he had to pause in his work and wait for divine direction (). Our future is in His hands (), and the Father is always on schedule ().

This proverb describes what will happen to the fool. It reminds us of Pharaoh in , who saw his country ruined by God’s plagues and yet wouldn’t give in to the Lord. He raged against Jehovah and Moses and even pursued the Jews to take them back, only to see his best soldiers drowned in the Red Sea. God’s discipline helps a wise person obey the Word, but punishment only makes a foolish person more wicked. The same sun that melts the ice hardens the clay.

, Rich people have many friends (; ), but will those friends remain faithful if the rich become poor ()? Wealth is a wonderful servant for humble people but a terrible master for the proud.

Husbands occasionally create problems for their wives, but Solomon doesn’t mention any of them. But he does name some of the problems a wife might create for her husband. A wife who quarrels constantly creates the kind of atmosphere in a home that would tempt her husband to look for attention elsewhere. “Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, than in a house shared with a contentious woman” (; see ; ; , ). But let’s be fair and admit that the situation might be reversed, with the husband as the culprit. God hates family discord (), and we should do everything we can to practice in the home the kind of love that produces unity and harmony.

A man can inherit houses and lands, but “a prudent wife is from the LORD.” Blessed is that marriage in which the husband acknowledges God’s goodness to him in giving him his wife! “He who finds a wife finds a good thing”—sometimes translated as “a treasure” (see NLT)—“and obtains favor from the LORD” (). When a husband takes his wife for granted, he grieves both her and the Lord. He should love her and be loyal to her all the days of his life.

What finally happens to lazy people? For one thing, unless others care for them, they live in poverty and hunger (see ; ). “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” was the standard for the New Testament church (see ). The saints were happy to care for those who needed help and couldn’t care for themselves, but they had no time for freeloaders who lived by the sacrifices of others (; ). A lazy sluggard won’t even feed himself or herself when the food is brought right to him or her (; )!

When we assist the poor, we are investing with the Lord, and He will see to it that we get our dividends at the right time (see ; ). Before the church helps someone, however, the person’s family has an obligation to assist their own needy (, ). This leaves the church free to help those who have no one to share their burdens. If we shut our ears to the cries of the poor, God will shut His ears to our prayers ().

This verse assures us that God has a plan for our lives. Our loving heavenly Father would not give His Son to die for us and then abandon us to our own ways. That would be inconceivable! We are not our own, because we have been purchased by God (, ), so a reasonable assumption would be that our Master has a perfect plan for us to fulfill for His glory. assures us that the good works God wants us to accomplish have already been determined; in and , God assures us that He works in us to accomplish His good pleasure. The talents with which we were born () and the gifts we received at conversion () are brought together by the Holy Spirit so that we can do what God has called us to do.

Sometimes the simple will learn when they see others punished for their sins (see ). The wise person learns from instruction, but the simpleton has to see a living example before he or she will learn. Wise people see danger coming and avoid it, but the simple ones walk right into it (; ). Some people have to learn the hard way.

All of us are ignorant in many things, but simpletons are ignorant of their ignorance and are unwilling to learn. They follow the philosophy, “Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.” But when there’s a Bible to read, a life to build, and an eternity to prepare for, it is folly to be ignorant.

This is the first of several passages in Proverbs that warn against what today we call “alcohol abuse.” Alcohol mocks people by creating in them a thirst for more while not satisfying that thirst. The more people drink, the less they enjoy it. The drinker becomes a drunk and then a brawler. In spite of what the slick advertising says about the charm of drink, it just isn’t a smart thing to do. As a Japanese proverb puts it, “First the man takes a drink; then the drink takes a drink; then the drink takes the man.”

Because of their proud self-confidence, fools like to meddle, especially when they have something to argue about. Anyone can start a quarrel, but a wise person is needed to stop one or, better yet, to avoid one (, ). Fools think that fighting over minor disagreements will bring them honor, but it only makes them greater fools.

Lazy people are good at making excuses. Either the weather is too cold for plowing (v. ), or the danger is too great to leave the house (; ). “The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway” (). The diligent man or woman can always find a reason to work, but the sluggard always has an excuse for not working.

Not every friend is a good counselor, so we must choose wisely. We don’t know our own hearts (), and only God’s Word can honestly reveal “the thoughts and intents of the heart” (). A counselor with loving patience and a discerning spirit can help us see what lies deep within our hearts.

Israel was a monarchy, and the king was expected to rule in the fear of the Lord (see also v. ). “It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness, for a throne is established by righteousness” (). “Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness” (). God cast out the Canaanite nations because their sins were abominable to Him (), and He chastened Israel when they imitated the sins of those nations (). Thus the ruler in this passage is a godly king who seeks to obey the Lord and Him alone. God would not tolerate the sin of idolatry.

What are the causes of poverty and need? Some people are poor simply because they won’t work. Work is available, but they prefer not to know about it. “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich” (). Or perhaps the enemy is pleasure: “He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich” (). Of course, the drunkard and the glutton are usually among the poor (). Time, energy, money, and opportunity are wasted when leisure and pleasure control a person’s life. God gives many opportunities to meet our needs, but many miss them because they’re not looking.

If experienced generals seek counsel as they wage war, shouldn’t we seek counsel for the battles of life? Relying merely on our own wisdom and experience and ignoring the wisdom and experience of other believers who have successfully walked with the Lord is dangerous. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise” ().

Catalyst

Most of the situations, opportunities, and decisions the average person encounters in life are already dealt with in the Word of God. Consult a topical index to the Bible or even to the Book of Proverbs, and we will see how thoroughly Scripture deals with the practical affairs of life. Of course, we can’t expect the Bible to specifically tell us the name of the person we should marry, which job we should accept, what car we should buy, or where to spend our vacation, but if we’re saturated with God’s wisdom and sincerely seeking His will, we’ll be ready for Him to guide us by His Spirit and the providential circumstances of life.

“A man’s steps are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way?” () God overruled Joseph’s brothers’ envy and used their evil deeds to build Joseph’s faith and save Jacob’s family (). At the time, nobody could understand what God was doing, but He was working out His perfect plan. In the school of faith, sometimes we don’t know what the lesson is until we’ve passed—or failed—the examination!

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Godly parents can raise godly children, and godly children can provide godly influence in their communities and in the nation. In a democracy, where leadership is elected and not inherited, the Lord’s remnant must exert as much influence for righteousness as possible; certainly every believer ought to pray for those in authority (). I have ministered the Word in hundreds of churches and conferences in the United States, and I confess that rarely have I heard government leaders mentioned in the pulpit prayers. If the church obeyed the Word and prayed, national leaders (even a king) would have to take God into account in their deliberations.

Catalyst

God wants His people to be righteous. For a righteous God to violate His own nature and disobey His own Word by asking His people to be less than righteous would be unthinkable. Before giving Israel the law, God said, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (, ). Jesus echoed this divine desire when He said, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” ().

The problem, of course, is that people are—people. As makes clear, we can justify ourselves to ourselves, but not to God. And that means that they’re sinners. “For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin” (). “There is none righteous, no, not one” (; see ). How can sinners ever be righteous before a righteous God?

God provides righteousness for those who will accept it. A guilty sinner can never become righteous enough to please a holy God. If God is going to be just, all He can do is condemn the wicked and accept the righteous, but there are no righteous people for Him to accept! We certainly don’t become righteous by being religious. “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (). Disobedient King Saul learned that lesson from Samuel (), and this important principle was repeated by several other prophets (; , ; ). In fact, Isaiah said that our righteous deeds are nothing but “filthy rags” in God’s sight ()—so imagine what our sins must look like to Him!

Fortunately, God didn’t wait for us to try to figure out the impossible. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (). God takes Jesus’ sacrificial death on our behalf (setthng the debt or offense of our unrighteousness) and counts our faith in Christ as righteousness. Christ’s perfect righteousness becomes ours as a gift.

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These proverbs point out three ways not to get wealth: taking shortcuts (v. ), lying (v. ), and robbing (v. , “violence”). Most, if not all, get-rich-quick schemes involve some kind of deception and are nothing but scams. Unfortunately, even God’s people have been duped by scam artists, and more than one trusting soul has lost his or her life savings in a “sure thing” that turned out to be a sure loser. Scams wouldn’t succeed, however, if people weren’t eager to get rich as quickly and easily as possible. But, as the old adage puts it, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” We take what we want from life, but eventually we pay for it.

People can become poor because of unwise financial dealings and get-rich-quick schemes (emphasis on “quick”). If we rush impulsively into a “good deal,” we may lose everything (v. ), and we must beware of signing notes and assuming other people’s debts (), especially strangers (). “A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, and becomes surety for his friend” (; see , ). The Jews were permitted to loan money to other Jews, but they were not to charge interest (; see ). They were permitted to charge interest to Gentiles (); however, they were warned against “being surety” and assuming debts larger than they could pay (see ; ).

This proverb reminds us of Jesus’ words about the wide and narrow way (, ). The broad road that leads to hell allows people to wander crookedly through life. Those who are living for God walk straight on a narrow path. They are blessed with direction. How often do we measure the tracks of our lives against the “wander test” and the “straight test”?

This proverb refers to “the righteous God” who judges the wicked for their wickedness. A holy God must be righteous in all His ways and just in all His dealings (, ). “The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the just” (). Sometimes God sends immediate judgment on the wicked (), but sometimes He merely takes away His restraining hand and allows the sinners’ sins to judge them. “His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the cords of his sin” (; see .).

We can sin against the poor by neglect as well as by oppression. “He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses” (). If we shut our ears and close our eyes, pretending to be ignorant of their plight, God will take note of it and shut His eyes to our needs and His ears to our prayers—and so will other people. We will reap what we sow (see ).

Solomon’s pithy observation of the uncertainties of human justice did not hold true at Calvary. There the Righteous One became a ransom for the wicked, when Jesus was counted with the rebels and died for our sins (, ). The only way to be righteous before God is to trust Jesus Christ and receive His righteousness as God’s free gift (; ). Then we can begin to walk the path of righteousness and enjoy the blessings of the Lord.

The foolish don’t know how to use wealth properly. Fools may know the price of everything, but they know the value of nothing; they waste their wealth on things silly and sinful. Contrast this with Jesus’ command that we store our treasures in heaven ().

“Scoffers” think they know everything, so anyone who tries to teach them is only wasting time. Scoffers can’t find wisdom even if they seek for it (), because learning God’s truth demands a humble mind and an obedient will. What these mockers lack in knowledge they make up for in arrogance. Instead of sensibly discussing a matter with those who could teach them, they only sneer at truth and deny it. The Hebrew lexicon describes “scoffers” as “frivolous and impudent.” Having no intellectual or spiritual ammunition, the scoffer depends on ridicule and contempt to fight his enemies.

When we rebel against the Lord and want to go our own way, we get into trouble. That’s why we must begin our search for God’s will by reading His Word and obeying it, because the Scriptures reveal the character and the purposes of God. The will of God will never contradict either the purposes of God or the character of God, so we must wait before the Lord, because “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty” (). If we’re walking by faith, we won’t rush ahead of God, for “Whoever believes will not act hastily” ().

Catalyst

God’s wisdom is also seen in His providential ordering of events, not only for nations but also for individuals: “There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord” (). As the beleaguered Job insisted, “With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding” (). The English word “providence” comes from the two Latin words: video, “to see,” and pro, “before.” God in His wisdom “sees before,” that is, plans in advance and “sees to it” that His will is accomplished.

Providence doesn’t mean that God simply foresees what lies ahead and adjusts Himself accordingly. God alone knows and controls future events. Without violating human ability to choose, God “works all things according to the counsel of His will” () and rules and overrules in all things. “Whatever the LORD pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places” ().

A practical passage like , gives us four lines about living, three of which focus on His trustworthiness, His will, and His guidance: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Only one line is ours, to make sure we’re not depending on our own understanding. God’s Word is not against planning or decision-making; it is against carrying out these actions apart from recognizing not only God’s presence but also His right to overrule any decision or action we take.

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Those who are humble and God-fearing don’t always experience wonderful success in this life. But if God blesses our diligent work with “riches and honor and life,” we must be careful not to become proud. “The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his own esteem” (). This reminds us of the rich farmer in our Lord’s parable (). If successful people aren’t careful, they’ll start mistreating people (; ) and becoming a law to themselves ().

Catalyst

is used as a religious “good luck charm” by many sorrowing parents and grandparents of children who stray from the Lord: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” They interpret this proverb to mean, “They may stray away for a time, but then they will return to the faith and to right living,” but that isn’t what it says. The verse says that if children have been reared in the wisdom and way of the Lord, they won’t stray away at all. Even in old age, they will follow the wisdom of God.

Certainly children reared in the nurture and instruction of the Lord can stray from God, but they can never get away from the prayers of their parents or the seeds that have been planted in their hearts. Parents should never despair but keep on praying and trusting God to bring wayward children to their senses. But that isn’t what is speaking about. Like the other proverbs, it’s not making an ironclad guarantee, but it is laying down a general principle.

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Diligent people are careful not to incur debts they can’t handle. While a certain amount of honest debt is expected in today’s world, and everybody wants to achieve a good credit rating, we must be careful not to mistake presumption for faith. As the familiar adage puts it, “When your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep will be your downfall.”

Just one stubborn troublemaker can wreck the unity in a family, a Bible study group, or a church. The tragedy is that “scoffers” cause trouble wherever they go. Whether in the neighborhood, on the job, or in the church, the mocker is toxic and spreads infection. “Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave” ().

Wise parents should discipline foolish children to give them hope, but a foolish adult can be changed only by the grace of God. Unless fools repent and turn to the Lord, they will live as slaves () and run the risk of dying “for lack of instruction” ().

Discipline has to do with correcting character faults in a child while there is still time to do it. Better the child is corrected by a parent than by a law enforcement officer in a correctional institution. “Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction” (). A vote against discipline is a vote in favor of premature death (see , ).

Wise people pay attention to spoken instruction as well as to the written Word of God. Jesus warned us to pay careful attention to what we hear () and how we hear (). “Cease listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge” (). “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding” (). Acquiring wisdom costs, but it’s worth it!

, Israel’s equivalent of our modern courtroom was the gate to the city, for there the elders would meet to settle village disputes. Trials were held in that public forum. As has always been the case, systems of human justice are only as effective as their resistance to tampering and manipulation by outsiders. The poor might not be able to afford a lawyer and may not have a sympathetic jury, but God will come to their defense (, ).

Stealing the property of the poor was one way to get rich quick, even though the law commanded that the ancient boundary markers not be moved (see also ; ; ; ). God owned the land () and loaned it to His people, and they were to keep their property within the tribes and clans. Family farms were marked off by stones, not fences; these ancient landmarks were to be honored and protected. “The LORD will destroy the house of the proud, but He will establish the boundary of the widow” (). The Lord keeps watch and guards the property lines.

This verse states that competent, skilled workers will succeed in their work. Diligent hands are directed by a diligent heart, and this means the discipline of the inner person. “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (). When we cultivate the inner person through prayer, meditation on the Word, and submission to the Lord, then we can experience the joys of a disciplined and diligent life. “The fruit of the Spirit is . . . self-control” (, ).

The reward for faithful hard work is—more work! As Jesus described God’s recognition for a life well-lived, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (; see ).

, In an age of digital finances, stolen identities, and cyber crime, Solomon’s observations about the fragile nature of wealth remain true—painfully so. The accumulation of a lifetime can be gone in an instant. The warning in these proverbs is not intended to scare people from saving or hard work but, rather, to urge people to think carefully about when to quit. That wise consideration can be applied each day as well as over the course of a career.

, Parents today are often intimidated into failing to apply the most loving and effective forms of discipline. People who have never been parents seem bent on forcing a helpless form of parenting on people who are actually raising children. Spanking applied by a calm and deliberate parent who has clearly informed his or her child ahead of time that this would be the consequence of disobedience will result in cooperation that will never be achieved by reasoning, yelling, threatening, pleading, bargaining, or hitting.

The first source of wise counsel is Christian parents (see also ). “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke” (). Not everybody has the privilege of being raised in a godly home, but even then, the Lord often provides substitute parents who can share the wisdom of the Lord.

Wisdom has a price, but it’s worth it! This means that we must diligently spend time reading and studying the Word of God, appropriating its truths into our hearts, and obeying what God commands (). Merely owning a study Bible and reading books about the Bible isn’t enough, helpful as those resources are. To know about the Bible is important, but much more important is hearing God speak through His Word to teach us His wisdom, so that we become more like Jesus Christ.

Addiction to alcohol can lead to poverty (), so wise people avoid people who encourage them to drink (, ). This passage provides the most vivid description of the tragic consequences of drunkenness anywhere in Scripture, including delirium, sorrow, strife, bruises, and bloodshot eyes; “At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper” (v. ). We’d think that after having this frightening experience, the drinker would want to become a total abstainer for life, but alas, he or she is a slave! “When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?” (v. ).

, In the Hebrew culture, “house” refers to the family as well as the structure in which the family dwells (see ; , , ). This means that the children of the godly are included in the blessing: “The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him” ().

One of the greatest rewards in life is to be a blessing to our children and grandchildren. “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread” (). This blessing includes material things (), but it applies even more to spiritual treasures.

, Proverbs mentions many personal characteristics of wise people. After all, God promises that the wise will inherit glory (), bring joy to others (; ), bring help from God (), never be in want (), and have strength to wage war (, ). The way of wisdom is the way of true life, and certainly we should avail ourselves of wise advisers. These verses point to the special inner strength that godly wisdom creates in a believer’s life.

Jewish leaders would congregate at the city gate to discuss business and make deals (). Thus, when business is being transacted at the city gate, fools should keep quiet if they want to appear wise! It’s unfortunate that some people think they must always speak at meetings, even when they have nothing to say. The longer they stay quiet, the more likely they are to learn something that will make them wiser.

Scoffers are detested by everyone, including God. In fact, the Lord “scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble” (). This verse is quoted both by James () and Peter (). “Judgments are prepared for scoffers” (), and because scorners mock God, God mocks the scorners. Consider what the Lord did to the builders at Babel (), to Pharaoh at the Red Sea (), to Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon (), to Herod Agrippa in Judea (), and to a host of others who defied His will. Mockery may draw an audience, but the results are not good for the mocker.

The amazing quality of the godly is not that they avoid all difficulties, but that when the difficulties inevitably come, they keep moving forward. The apostle Paul described this quality in , verses and : “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” The strength to persevere is not something that believers generate in themselves; along with faith and grace, it is a gift from God.

In a time of dishonesty, “spin,” lying, and persistent resistance to personal responsibility, a soft and genuine honest answer can be as unexpected as a kiss (see ). A kiss is a sign of affection and trust, and God wants His people to “[speak] the truth in love” (). It has well been said that love without truth is hypocrisy, and truth without love is brutality, and we don’t want to be guilty of either sin.

This verse echoes an important theme for Solomon: Diligent people plan their work and work their plan. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty” (). “Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established” (). More than one scientific breakthrough has seemed to have been discovered by accident, but a great deal of hard work had been put into the project before the breakthrough came.

, True friends know how to keep a confidence. They value their own integrity, even under pressure. If we have a disagreement with somebody, we shouldn’t bring another person into the discussion by betraying a confidence, because we’ll end up losing both our reputation (“You can’t trust him with anything confidential!”) and our friend who trusted us with his or her private thoughts. “A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter” (; see ). If we aren’t careful, gossip can ruin a friendship (), so the wise thing to do is to cover offenses with love (; ).

Our words can help restore those who have sinned. Caring confrontation and criticism can be offered in a way that gives the other person the best chance to hear. Reproving someone who is wrong can be awkward, and we need to do it in a meek and loving spirit (); yet it must be done. To flatter those who are disobeying God’s Word will only confirm them in their sin and make us their accomplices. “He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue” (). “He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses correction goes astray” ().

Friends and neighbors must exercise tact and be sensitive to each other’s feelings. If we spend too much time together, we may become pests. Some people spend so much time with each other that they eventually destroy their friendship. If we’re going to grow, we need space; space comes from privacy and solitude. Even husbands and wives must respect each other’s privacy and not be constantly together if their love is to mature.

When words can’t be trusted, then society starts to fall apart. Contracts are useless, promises are vain, the judicial system becomes a farce, and all personal relationships are suspect. Not saying what we mean or not meaning what we say are both forms of lying. “Words” can hurt as much as “sticks and stones.”

Here Solomon illustrated our desire for recognition and praise by writing about honey. Balance this with the earlier: “Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, lest you be filled with it and vomit” (v. ). If honey represents praise, then we should beware of trying to digest too much of it. More than one celebrity has admitted being “sick of it all” and wishing he or she could just enjoy life as a normal average citizen. Any pleasure that becomes a purpose loses its original attraction.

A fool can’t be trusted with responsibility. This person should not be given a task or role that requires a person of honor. The word “honor” in the Hebrew (kabod) means “heavy, weighty,” and can refer to the glory of God and the special respect given to people. A fool doesn’t have what it takes to handle responsibility successfully and win the respect of others. Giving honor to a fool is about as fitting as snow in summer or as helpful as rain during harvest. Both mean disaster.

Catalyst

In , Solomon elaborates on the theme of foolishness by presenting a number of vivid pictures of a foolish person and what happens when we give this person a job to do. For one thing, we’ll have to treat the fool like a dumb animal and use a whip to motivate him or her (v. ; see ). If we try to give a fool orders and explain what to do, we will be in danger of becoming like that person (, ). If we send a fool on an important mission, we might as well cripple ourselves, and be prepared for trouble (v. ). Just as a lame person’s legs are useless to take him or her anywhere, so a fool can’t “get anywhere” with a proverb (v. ). In addition to confusing others, this person harms himself or herself, like a drunk punctured by a thorn (v. ). We shouldn’t ask a fool to teach the Bible, because the person won’t know what he or she is talking about and listening to the teaching will be painful. And we shouldn’t ask a fool to wage war, because he or she will tie the stone in the sling (v. )! Effective weapons of every kind become useless in the hands of a fool.

The original text of verse is very difficult and there are many varied translations: “The great God who formed everything gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages” could be “An employer who hires a fool or a bystander is like an archer who shoots at random.” Note that the emphasis is on the one doing the hiring and not on the fool. If we hire a fool (or just anybody who passes by) and give him or her responsibility, we may just as well start shooting at random, because the fool will do a lot of damage. Of course, nobody in his or her right mind would start shooting at random, so, nobody in his or her right mind would hire a fool.

Fools don’t learn from their mistakes but go right back to the same old mess, like a dog returning to eat his vomit (v. ). Experience is a good teacher for the wise but not for fools. This verse is quoted in as a description of counterfeit believers who follow false teachers. Like a sow that’s been washed, they look better on the outside; and like a dog that’s vomited, they feel better on the inside; but they still don’t have the divine new nature. Consequently, they go right back to the old life. Obedience and perseverance in the things of the Lord are proof of conversion.

Foolish tendencies in each of us are part of our sin nature. Recognizing them and depending on God’s remedies for these flaws are the first steps toward wisdom, forgiveness, and eternal life.

Go to the

We’re living at a time when people with convictions are considered bigots if not ignoramuses. It’s popular and politically correct to be open-minded and uncritical of what other people think or believe. Except when it comes to cashing a check when they’re broke, getting a prescription filled when they’re sick, or asking directions when they’re lost, most people don’t believe in absolutes. They insist that objective truth doesn’t exist. According to them, whatever feels good down inside is truth for the person; nobody has the right to criticize anyone else for what he or she believes. Apply that philosophy to money, medicine, mechanics, or maps and see how successful you will be!

, The original collector of Proverbs must have smiled slightly when he put these two together. The apparent contradiction contains an important insight. Sometimes fools deserve only a deaf ear; other times they must be rebuked and their folly answered from the Word. We need wisdom to know which response is correct, lest we end up “casting pearls before swine.”

What are some of the marks of lazy people? For one thing, they love to sleep. “How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?” (). Or, as points out, with the lazy we see and hear lots of motion—but no progress!

Another characteristic (see v. ) of the lazy person is a know-it-all attitude. The lazy live in a fantasy world that prevents them from being a useful part of the real world (; , ), but they can tell everybody else what to do. They have never succeeded at anything in their own lives, but they can tell others how to succeed.

We hurt others by speaking in anger. “An angry man stirs up strife, and a furious man abounds in transgression” (). Quarrelsome people keep adding fuel to the fire instead of trying to find ways to put the fire out. Many people carry anger in their hearts while they outwardly pretend to be at peace with their friends, and they cover their anger with hypocritical words.

We shouldn’t incur the wrath of a fool unless we want to carry a terrible burden. Once a fool is angry with us, he or she will carry on the war to the bitter end and do a great deal of damage. That’s why we must exercise discernment when we disagree with fools or try to counsel them.

Friends and neighbors must be lovingly honest with one another. True friendship in the Lord can’t be built on deception; even if “the truth hurts,” it can never harm if it’s given in love. Better that we “speak the truth in love” (), because the Spirit can use truth and love to build character, while the devil uses lies and flattery to tear things down (). “He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue” (). Flattery is manipulation, not communication, and what honest person would want to manipulate a friend?

In contemporary American society, about 17 percent of the population relocates each year, but in ancient Israel, people stayed close to home. The extended family was the norm, with children and grandchildren learning to revere their ancestors and respectfully learning from them. The person who strayed from home was either up to no good or had to leave because of family problems. But this proverb applies spiritually as well as geographically: We must not stray from the example of our godly ancestors or the spiritual treasures they left us. How tragic it is when children and grandchildren ridicule and reject the spiritual heritage of their family and turn instead to the ways of the world.

Christian friends can listen, counsel, and pray. Heartfelt counsel is what we want, but sometimes a friend’s counsel may not be perfume! It may be acid! Even then, we have nothing to lose; for “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (v. ). Sparks may fly, but God will give us the light that we need. We must remember, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (v. ). If we’re not disagreeable, we usually learn more by disagreeing than by giving in and refusing to say what we really think. We should “speak the truth in love” ().

According to this passage, loyalty is a key ingredient in any friendship. Everyone wants and needs someone to count on, especially in difficult times. “A friend loves at all times” (), and “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (). Sometimes our friends do more for us in an emergency than our relatives do! This proverb also points out that loyalty ought to extend to our parents’ friends. Longtime family friends can be a blessing from one generation to the next.

We should beware the acquaintance who loudly and frequently praises us and tells us what a good friend we are. True friendship doesn’t depend on such antics—especially if this person wakes us up to do it! Love is sensitive to other people’s feelings and needs, and true friends try to say the right thing at the right time in the right way (). A happy family, encouraging friends, and good neighbors—what blessings these are from the Lord! Let’s be sure we do our part to make these blessings a reality in our lives and the lives of others.

Can anything be done to change foolish children into wise men and women? Women in the ancient world would grind grain in a bowl (mortar) using a hard tool (pestle) with which they could crack and pulverize the kernels. The image is clear: No amount of outside pressure or pain will change a fool and make anything useful out of him or her. True change comes from within.

Christian citizens ought to see to it that laws are written fairly and enforced justly. “The righteous considers the cause of the poor, but the wicked does not understand such knowledge” (). “Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy” (). “The king who judges the poor with truth, his throne will be established forever” (). These are solemn challenges indeed for those who want to obey God and live godly lives!

One often-overlooked factor involved in our responsiveness to God’s Word is its effect on our prayer life. The Word of God and prayer go together (; ; , ). “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight” (). The word translated “law” in is torah, which means “instruction.” If I won’t listen to God’s instruction, why should God listen to my petition?

Most of us secretly enjoy flattery and dislike criticism, yet honest criticism does us more good (see ). Certainly honest appreciation and praise has its place, to the glory of God (, ), but we must beware of people who give us insincere praise with selfish motives, especially if they begin their flattery first thing in the morning (see , ). If we weren’t so proud, flattery wouldn’t affect us. We privately enjoy hearing somebody agree with what we think of ourselves!

Trusting totally in our own insight is foolish and dangerous. And we are in the most danger when we are proud and self-confident. We hear people saying, “Well, if I know my own heart . . . ,” but God warns us that we don’t know our own hearts, and we can’t always trust what our hearts say to us. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” () So we should ask God for His insight and wisdom and seek the counsel of godly friends.

This proverb reminds us of our Lord’s parable of the Prodigal Son () when the younger son left home and wasted his inheritance in wild living. “The crown of the wise is their riches, but the foolishness of fools is folly” ()—that is, the efforts of fools yield only foolishness. The wise have something to leave to their children, but fools waste both their wealth and their opportunities to increase it. “Luxury is not fitting for a fool, much less for a servant to rule over princes” ().

Scoffers can even create problems for a whole city. The Hebrew verb translated “set aflame” conveys the image of somebody stirring up a fire or blowing on a flame to make it burn more vigorously. By their contemptible words and attitudes, these men and women add fuel to a fire that ought to be allowed to die out.

The pages of both religious and political history are stained by the records of the deeds of proud mockers who wouldn’t listen to wise counsel but impulsively rushed into matters too high for them (). Their tongues were “set on fire by hell” (); they defiled and damaged families, churches, cities, and entire nations. Churches can be quickly divided and destroyed by arrogant people who laugh at biblical truth and seek to have their own way. All spiritual leaders need to read and heed and .

A fool’s own father can’t instruct a foolish child (), and this proverb notes that trying to debate with a fool will only lead to trouble. Why? Because fools actually enjoy their folly and think they’re really living! “Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment, but a man of understanding walks uprightly” (; see ; ; ). Warned about sin, even in court, a fool will respond with ridicule (see ).

, What a tragedy when children are left to themselves, not knowing the boundaries and the consequences of rebellion. Many people who can’t discipline their children have a hard time disciplining themselves. If we want to enjoy our children all of our lives, we should start by lovingly disciplining them early.

A person who speaks without thinking is worse than a “fool.” We can hurt others by impetuous, thoughtless speech. “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (; see v. ). “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil” (; see ). “There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health” (). But reckless words not only hurt others, they can also hurt us because we utter them. “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (; see ). This is especially true when we make rash promises to the Lord or to others (; , ; see ).

According to this proverb and , God is “the Holy One”; the word translated “holy” means “utterly different, wholly other.” God’s very nature is holy: “You shall be holy; for I am holy” (, ; ; , ; , ; , , ; ). “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” ().

We must not think of God’s holiness simply as the absence of defilement, however, like a sterilized surgical instrument. Nor is God’s holiness an inert, negative attribute. It’s something positive and active, His perfect nature accomplishing His perfect will. It’s like the “sea of glass mingled with fire” that John saw before the throne of God in heaven (). “For our God is a consuming fire” (; see ).

Catalyst

We cannot overestimate the protection we find in God’s Word and in the One who stands behind what He has said. In order to “trust in the LORD,” we must have His Word to instruct us, because “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (). Scripture is “the word of faith” () that generates and nourishes faith in our hearts, and we can depend on His Word (see ).

God is a shield to those who trust Him () and a strong tower for those who run to Him for help (). “The name of the LORD” in signifies all the glorious attributes of God. Because of who He is and what He is, those who trust Him don’t have to worry—He is always their refuge and strength ().

One of God’s compassionate ministries to us is that of divine guidance. , is a promise God’s people have been claiming for centuries, and it has never failed. God expects us to assess a situation and get all the facts we can, but we must never lean on our own understanding. We must humble ourselves before Him and seek His direction in all things, and we must be sure that our motives are right. We know that God will never guide us to a place where He cannot also shield us. In what ways are we trusting God’s guidance and protection today?

Go to the

Becoming greedy for more and more money and overextending oneself to acquire it can be dangerous. We must each discover at what financial level God wants us to live and be content with it. This prayer expresses the heart of someone who wants to find contentment in his or her relationship with God.

The child who looks at his or her parents with contempt and disrespect will one day be treated like an unburied corpse, and to be left unburied was a great reproach in Israel (see v. ). Hearing and reading the news, we can become more and more convinced that we’re living in the generation described in this passage, with its pride, greed, violence, and lack of appreciation for parents.

These proverbs point out that alcohol and civic responsibilities don’t mix, yet alcohol flows freely under capitol domes and at embassies. A resident of Washington, D.C., once said, “There are three parties in this city: the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, and the cocktail party.”

King Lemuel’s mother warned him to stay away from wine so that he would be capable of serving others. She was not alone in her concern. “Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness!” (, ; see ). Certainly a haunting picture of our own times can be found in Isaiah’s words, “Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink” (). That’s what the queen mother was warning her son to avoid.

, These proverbs seem to suggest that at times wine should be used to help people, such as encouraging the dying or comforting the suffering so they can forget their troubles. But these verses are probably spoken in irony and not as a commandment, because nobody’s problems are solved by forgetting them, and who wants to spend his or her last minutes of life on earth drunk? When Jesus faced death on the cross, He refused to accept the wine sedative that was offered Him (, ). If the king shouldn’t drink wine because it prevents him from helping people, then needy people shouldn’t drink wine, because it prevents them from helping themselves! The dying person needs help in preparing to meet God, and the suffering person needs help in solving life’s problems; drinking alcohol will accomplish neither one.

, We help people, not by deadening them to their problems and pains, but by encouraging them to trust the Lord and lean on His Word. We certainly must stand up for the oppressed, but they also need to be in shape to stand up for themselves, something alcohol won’t supply.

The finest description of the ideal wife is found in these verses. This poem is an acrostic, with the initial words of the twenty-two verses all beginning with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet (for another example, see ). This acrostic form was a device to help people commit the passage to memory. Perhaps Jewish parents instructed their sons and daughters to memorize this poem and use it as a guide for their lives and in their homes. What kind of wife is described here? The following notes develop the profile of a wife worthy of honor.

A virtuous and capable wife is a woman of character. Just as wisdom is more important than wealth (), so character is more important than jewels. Peter gave this same counsel to Christian wives in his day (). Marriage doesn’t change a person’s character. If either the husband or the wife has character weaknesses, marriage will only reveal and accentuate them. A husband or wife who hopes to change his or her spouse after the honeymoon is destined for disappointment.

Catalyst

This beautiful tribute to the godly wife and mother contained in tells every Christian woman what she can become. These qualities may seem too high for anyone to attain. What is her secret?

The answer is in verse . The secret of a virtuous and capable wife’s life is that she fears the Lord. Having charm and beauty is wonderful; the possession of these qualities is not a sin. But the woman who walks with the Lord and seeks to please Him has a beauty that never fades ().

This passage also describes for every Christian man the kind of wife for whom he ought to be looking and praying. But it also reminds the prospective husband that he’d better be walking with the Lord and growing in his spiritual life so that he will be worthy of such a wife if and when God brings her to him. The man who has a wife who daily reads the Word, meditates, prays, and seeks to obey God’s will has a treasure that is indeed beyond the price of rubies.

Go to the

A virtuous and capable wife is trustworthy. If the husband and wife trust each other, they will live in harmony. The husband will have no fears or suspicions as she is busy about her work, because he knows she has character and will do nothing but good for him and their children. If brides and grooms take seriously the vows of love and loyalty they repeat to each other and to God at the altar, they will have a wall of confidence around their marriage that will keep out every enemy.

, A virtuous and capable wife is a woman who isn’t afraid to work. Whether it’s going to the market for food (vv. , ), buying real estate (v. ), or planting a vineyard (v. ), she’s up early and busy with her chores. We get the impression that the night before she makes a “to do” list and doesn’t waste a minute in idleness. She sets about her work energetically (v. ), whether spinning thread, helping the poor, or providing a wardrobe for her children. She prepares the very best for her family, and they have no reason to be ashamed.

A virtuous and capable wife is generous. As she ministers to her family, she keeps her eyes open for people who have needs, and she does what she can to help them. Happiness comes to those who have mercy on the poor (), and nothing given to the Lord for them will ever be lost ().

A virtuous and capable wife makes it easy for her husband to do his work. The city gate was the place where civic business was transacted, so her husband was one of the elders in the community (see ). While no such restrictions exist today, in that day a woman never would have sat on the “city council.” But this loyal wife didn’t want to take her husband’s place; she just did her work and made it easier for him to do his.

A husband and wife should complement each other as they each seek to fulfill their roles in the will of God. Wise is the husband who recognizes his wife’s strengths and lets her compensate for his weaknesses. Doing this isn’t a sign of personal failure, nor is it rebellion against the divine order (). Both leadership and submission in a home are evidences of love and obedience, and the one doesn’t nullify the other.

A virtuous and capable wife is confident as she faces the future. In the Bible, to be “clothed” with something means that it is a part of a person’s life and reveals itself in that person’s character and conduct (see ; , ). This wife can laugh at future problems and troubles, because she has strength of character and because she is prepared for emergencies. She is a woman of faith who knows that God is with her and her family.

A virtuous and capable wife is a capable teacher of wisdom. She certainly teaches her children the wisdom of God, especially the daughters, preparing them for the time when they will have homes of their own. But she probably also shares her insights with her husband, and he’s wise enough to listen. Remember that earlier in the book, Solomon used a beautiful woman to personify wisdom; this godly wife does the same.

A virtuous and capable wife is an attentive overseer of the household. She isn’t idle, and nothing in the household escapes her notice, whether it’s food, finances, clothing, or school lessons. Managing the household is an exacting job, and she does her work faithfully day and night. Any husband and father who thinks that his wife has it easy should take her responsibilities for a week or two and discover how wrong he is!

, A virtuous and capable wife is a woman worthy of praise. It’s a wonderful thing when husband and children can praise wife and mother for her faithful ministry in the home. The suggestion here is that this praise was expressed regularly and spontaneously and not just on special occasions. (They didn’t have Mother’s Day in Israel. Every day should be Mother’s Day and Father’s Day!) Tragically, often members of a family take each other for granted and fail to show sincere appreciation. The father ought to set the example for the children and always thank his wife for what she does for the family. He should see in her the woman who surpasses them all!

Finally, the life of a virtuous and honorable woman is a testimony to others. Her husband and children acknowledge her value and praise her, but so do the other people in the community. Even the leaders at the city gate recognize her good works and honor her. “A gracious woman retains honor, but ruthless men retain riches” (i.e., and not honor; ). God sees to it that the woman who faithfully serves Him and her family is properly honored, and certainly she will have even greater honor when she stands before her Lord.

Proverbs 1

1:1

1:4

1:5

1:6

1:7

1:8

1:9

1:10

1:11

1:12

1:12 Or the grave

1:15

1:15

1:16 []

1:19 []

1:20 []

1:21 Septuagint, Syriac, and Targum read top of the walls; Vulgate reads the head of multitudes.

1:23

1:24

1:25

1:26

1:27 [, ]

1:28

1:29

1:29

1:30

1:31

1:33

1:33

Proverbs 2

2:1 []

2:4 []

2:5 [, ]

2:6 ,

2:7 []

2:8 []

2:11 ;

2:13 [, ]

2:14 []

2:15

2:16 ; ;

2:16

2:18

2:21

Proverbs 3

3:1

3:2

3:3

3:3 []

3:4

3:5 [, ]

3:5 [, ]

3:6 []

3:6 Or make smooth or straight

3:7

3:8

3:8 Literally navel, figurative of the body

3:8 Literally drink or refreshment

3:9

3:10

3:11

3:12

3:13 , ,

3:14

3:15

3:16 []

3:17 []

3:18

3:19

3:20

3:23

3:25

3:27

3:28

3:30 []

3:31

3:32

3:33 ,

3:33

3:34

Proverbs 4

4:1

4:3

4:4

4:4

4:5 ,

4:6

4:7

4:8

4:9

4:10

4:11

4:12

4:12 []

4:14

4:16

4:18 ,

4:18

4:18 Literally light

4:19 [, ]

4:23 [; , ]

4:26

Proverbs 5

5:2

5:3

5:3

5:5

5:5 Or Sheol

5:18

5:19

5:20

5:21

5:22

5:23

Proverbs 6

6:1

6:4

6:5 That is, one who catches birds in a trap or snare

6:6

6:9 ,

6:11

6:13

6:14

6:14

6:15

6:15

6:15

6:17

6:17

6:17

6:18

6:18

6:19

6:19

6:20

6:21

6:22 []

6:22

6:22 Literally it

6:23

6:24

6:25

6:26

6:26

6:26

6:26 Literally a man’s wife, that is, of another

6:31

6:32

6:34

Proverbs 7

7:1

7:2

7:2

7:3

7:5 ;

7:7 [; , ]

7:9

7:11

7:11

7:16

7:21

7:21

7:22 Septuagint, Syriac, and Targum read as a dog to bonds; Vulgate reads as a lamb . . . to bonds.

7:23

7:26

7:27 ; ;

7:27 Or Sheol

Proverbs 8

8:1 , ;

8:6

8:11

8:13 ;

8:13 [, ]

8:13

8:14 ;

8:15

8:16 Masoretic Text, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate read righteousness; Septuagint, Bomberg, and some manuscripts and editions read earth.

8:17 []

8:17

8:18

8:22

8:23 []

8:25 ,

8:29 ,

8:29 ,

8:30 [, ]

8:30 []

8:30 A Jewish tradition reads one brought up.

8:31

8:32

8:34 ,

8:35 []

8:36

Proverbs 9

9:1 []

9:2

9:2

9:4

9:5

9:8

9:8

9:9 []

9:10

9:11 ,

9:12 ,

9:13

9:14

9:16 ,

9:17

9:18 ;

9:18 Or Sheol

Proverbs 10

10:1 ;

10:1 ; , ; ; ,

10:2 [, ]

10:2

10:3 , ;

10:4

10:4 ; ;

10:5

10:5

10:7

10:8

10:9 []

10:12 []

10:13

10:14

10:15

10:16

10:18

10:18 ;

10:19

10:19 [; ]

10:21 Literally heart

10:22 ;

10:23 ;

10:24

10:24

10:25 ,

10:25

10:27

10:27

10:28

10:29

10:30

10:31

Proverbs 11

11:1 ,

11:2 ; ;

11:3

11:4

11:4

11:5

11:5 Or make smooth or straight

11:7

11:8

11:10

11:11

11:13

11:13

11:14

11:15 ,

11:17 [; ]

11:18

11:19 ;

11:19 []

11:21

11:21

11:21 Literally hand to hand

11:23 ,

11:24

11:25 [, ]

11:25 []

11:26 ,

11:26

11:27

11:28

11:28

11:29

11:29

11:30 []

11:31

Proverbs 12

12:3 []

12:4

12:4

12:4 Literally A wife of valor

12:6 ,

12:6

12:7

12:8

12:9

12:10

12:11

12:11

12:11

12:11 Literally heart

12:13

12:13 []

12:14 ; ;

12:14 [, ]

12:15

12:16 ;

12:17

12:18

12:19

12:21

12:22

12:23

12:24

12:25

12:25

Proverbs 13

13:1 ,

13:2

13:3

13:4

13:6 , ,

13:7 [; ]

13:9

13:10

13:11 ;

13:12

13:13

13:14 ; ;

13:14

13:15

13:16

13:17

13:18 , ,

13:21

13:22 []

13:23

13:23 Literally what is swept away

13:24

13:25

Proverbs 14

14:2 []

14:3

14:5 ;

14:5 ;

14:6 ;

14:7

14:9

14:11

14:12

14:12

14:12

14:13 ,

14:14 ;

14:14 ;

14:14 Literally from above himself

14:16

14:20

14:20

14:21

14:23 Literally talk of the lips

14:25 []

14:27

14:29

14:29 Literally short of spirit

14:30

14:30

14:31

14:31 []

14:32

14:33

14:34

14:35

Proverbs 15

15:1

15:1

15:2

15:3

15:5

15:5

15:8

15:9

15:10

15:10

15:11

15:11

15:11 Or Sheol

15:11 Hebrew Abaddon

15:12

15:13

15:13

15:15

15:16

15:17

15:17 Or vegetables

15:18

15:19

15:20

15:21

15:21

15:22

15:23

15:24

15:24

15:24 Or Sheol

15:25

15:25 ,

15:26 ,

15:26

15:27

15:28

15:29 ;

15:29

15:30 Literally fat

15:33

15:33

Proverbs 16

16:1

16:1

16:2

16:3

16:4

16:4 []

16:5 ;

16:5 Literally hand to hand

16:6

16:6 ;

16:8

16:9

16:9

16:11

16:12

16:13

16:14

16:15

16:16 , ,

16:20

16:25

16:26 []

16:27 []

16:28

16:31

16:32 ;

Proverbs 17

17:1

17:1 Or sacrificial meals

17:2

17:3

17:5

17:5

17:6 [; ]

17:9 []

17:9

17:10 []

17:12

17:13 ,

17:14 []

17:15

17:17

17:18

17:19

17:20

17:22 ; ,

17:22 Or makes medicine even better

17:23 Literally from the bosom

17:24

17:25 ; ;

17:27

17:28

Proverbs 18

18:2

18:4

18:4 []

18:5

18:7

18:7

18:8

18:8 A Jewish tradition reads wounds.

18:10 , ,

18:12 ;

18:16 ,

18:18 []

18:20 ;

18:21

18:22 [; ]

18:23 ,

18:24

18:24 Following Greek manuscripts, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate; Masoretic Text reads may come to ruin.

Proverbs 19

19:1

19:4

19:5

19:7

19:7

19:8

19:10 ,

19:11

19:11

19:12

19:12

19:13

19:13 ,

19:14

19:14

19:15

19:15

19:16 ;

19:16 Literally despises, figurative of recklessness or carelessness

19:17 []

19:18

19:18 Literally to put him to death; a Jewish tradition reads on his crying.

19:20

19:21

19:23 []

19:24

19:24 Septuagint and Syriac read bosom; Targum and Vulgate read armpit.

19:25

19:25

19:26

19:28

19:29

Proverbs 20

20:1

20:2 Literally fear or terror which is produced by the king’s wrath

20:3

20:4

20:4

20:7

20:7

20:9 []

20:10

20:11

20:12

20:13

20:14 Literally evil, evil

20:15 []

20:16

20:17

20:18

20:18

20:19

20:19

20:20

20:20 ,

20:21

20:21

20:22 []

20:22

20:26

20:27

20:27 Literally the rooms of the belly

20:28

20:29

20:30 Literally the rooms of the belly

Proverbs 21

21:2

21:2

21:3

21:4

21:4 Or lamp

21:5

21:6

21:6 Septuagint reads Pursue vanity on the snares of death; Vulgate reads Is vain and foolish, and shall stumble on the snares of death; Targum reads They shall be destroyed, and they shall fall who seek death.

21:7 Literally drag them away

21:8 Or The way of a man is perverse and strange

21:9

21:10

21:11

21:13 [; ]

21:14 Literally in the bosom

21:16

21:20

21:21

21:22

21:23 []

21:25

21:26 []

21:27

21:29 Qere and Septuagint read understands.

21:30 [, ]

21:31

Proverbs 22

22:1

22:2

22:2

22:3

22:6

22:7

22:8

22:9

22:9 []

22:10

22:11

22:13

22:14 ; ;

22:14

22:15 ; ,

22:21 ,

22:21

22:22

22:23

22:24

22:26

22:28 ;

Proverbs 23

23:4 [, ]

23:4

23:6

23:6 Literally one who has an evil eye

23:7

23:9

23:11

23:13

23:14 Or Sheol

23:17

23:17

23:18 []

23:20

23:22

23:23 []

23:24

23:27

23:28

23:29 ,

23:29

23:30 []

23:30

23:35

23:35

Proverbs 24

24:1 ;

24:5

24:6

24:7

24:8

24:10

24:11

24:12

24:12

24:13

24:14 ;

24:16 []

24:16

24:17

24:19

24:21 []

24:23

24:24

24:25

24:27

24:28

24:28 Septuagint and Vulgate read Do not deceive.

24:29 []

24:31

24:33 ,

24:34

Proverbs 25

25:1

25:2

25:4

25:5 ;

25:7

25:8

25:9 []

25:11

25:13

25:14

25:14

25:15

25:18

25:20

25:21

25:22

25:23

25:24

25:25

25:27

25:28

Proverbs 26

26:1

26:2

26:3

26:5

26:10 The Hebrew is difficult; ancient and modern translators differ greatly.

26:11

26:11

26:12 []

26:15

26:15 Compare

26:19

26:21

26:25

26:27

26:28

Proverbs 27

27:1

27:2

27:4

27:5 []

27:6

27:10 ;

27:11 ;

27:12

27:15

27:18 [; ]

27:20

27:20 ;

27:20 Or Sheol

27:20 Hebrew Abaddon

27:21

27:22

27:23

27:25

Proverbs 28

28:1

28:3

28:4

28:4

28:5

28:5

28:9

28:10

28:10 []

28:12 ;

28:13

28:15

28:15

28:16

28:17

28:19 ;

28:20

28:21

28:21

28:22

28:23 ,

28:24

28:25

28:25

28:26

28:27

28:28

Proverbs 29

29:1

29:2

29:2

29:5

29:7

29:8

29:9

29:10

29:10 Literally soul

29:11

29:11 Literally spirit

29:13 []

29:14

29:15

29:16

29:18

29:18

29:18 Or prophetic vision

29:20

29:22

29:23

29:24

29:24 Literally hears the adjuration

29:25 ;

29:26

Proverbs 30

30:2

30:3 []

30:4 []

30:4

30:5 ; ;

30:5 ; ;

30:6 ;

30:8

30:9

30:11

30:12

30:13

30:14

30:14

30:16

30:16 Or Sheol

30:17

30:22

30:25

30:26

30:26 Or hyraxes

30:28 Or lizard

30:31 Exact identity unknown

30:31 A Jewish tradition reads a king against whom there is no uprising.

30:32

Proverbs 31

31:2

31:3

31:3

31:4

31:5

31:6

31:8 ,

31:8 Literally sons of passing away

31:9

31:9

31:10 ;

31:10 Verses through are an alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew (compare ).

31:10 Literally a wife of valor, in the sense of all forms of excellence

31:15

31:15

31:20

31:23

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