Chapter 16

17:22. A joyful mind maketh age flourishing: a sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones.

17:23. The wicked man taketh gifts out of the bosom, that he may pervert the paths of judgment.

17:24. Wisdom shineth in the face of the wise: the eyes of fools are in the ends of the earth.

17:25. A foolish son is the anger of the father: and the sorrow of the mother that bore him.

17:26. It is no good thing to do hurt to the just: nor to strike the prince, who judgeth right.

17:27. He that setteth bounds to his words, is knowing and wise: and the man of understanding is of a precious spirit.

17:28. Even a fool, if he will hold his peace, shall be counted wise: and if he close his lips, a man of understanding.

Proverbs Chapter 18

18:1. He that hath a mind to depart from a friend, seeketh occasions: he shall ever be subject to reproach.

18:2. A fool receiveth not the words of prudence: unless thou say those things which are in his heart.

18:3. The wicked man, when he is come into the depths of sins, contemneth: but ignominy and reproach follow him.

18:4. Words from the mouth of a man are as deep water: and the fountain of wisdom is an overflowing stream.

18:5. It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to decline from the truth of judgment.

18:6. The lips of a fool intermeddle with strife: and his mouth provoketh quarrels.

18:7. The mouth of a fool is his destruction: and his lips are the ruin of his soul.

18:8. The words of the double tongued are as if they were harmless: and they reach even to the inner parts of the bowels. Fear casteth down the slothful: and the souls of the effeminate shall be hungry.

18:9. He that is loose and slack in his work, is the brother of him that wasteth his own works.

18:10. The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the just runneth to it, and shall be exalted.

18:11. The substance of the rich man is the city of his strength, and as a strong wall compassing him about.

18:12. Before destruction, the heart of a man is exalted: and before he be glorified, it is humbled.

18:13. He that answereth before he heareth, sheweth himself to be a fool, and worthy of confusion.

18:14. The spirit of a man upholdeth his infirmity: but a spirit that is easily angered, who can bear?

18:15. A wise heart shall acquire knowledge: and the ear of the wise seeketh instruction.

18:16. A man's gift enlargeth his way, and maketh him room before princes.

18:17. The just is first accuser of himself: his friend cometh, and shall search him.

18:18. The lot suppresseth contentions, and determineth even between the mighty.

18:19. A brother that is helped by his brother, is like a strong city: and judgments are like the bars of cities.

18:20. Of the fruit of a man's mouth shall his belly be satisfied: and the offspring of his lips shall fill him.

18:21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: they that love it, shall eat the fruits thereof.

18:22. He that hath found a good wife, hath found a good thing, and shall receive a pleasure from the Lord. He that driveth away a good wife, driveth away a good thing: but he that keepeth an adulteress, is foolish and wicked.

18:23. The poor will speak with supplications, and the rich will speak roughly.

18:24. A man amiable in society, shall be more friendly than a brother.

Proverbs Chapter 19

19:1. Better is the poor man, that walketh in his simplicity, than a rich man that is perverse in his lips and unwise.

19:2. Where there is no knowledge of the soul, there is no good: and he that is hasty with his feet shall stumble.

19:3. The folly of a man supplanteth his steps: and he fretteth in his mind against God.

19:4. Riches make many friends: but from the poor man, even they whom he had, depart.

19:5. A false witness shall not be unpunished: and he that speaketh lies, shall not escape.

19:6. Many honour the person of him that is mighty, and are friends of him that giveth gifts.

19:7. The brethren of the poor man hate him: moreover also his friends have departed far from him. He that followeth after words only, shall have nothing.

19:8. But he that possesseth a mind, loveth his own soul, and he that keepeth prudence, shall find good things.

19:9. A false witness shall not be unpunished: and he that speaketh lies, shall perish.

19:10. Delicacies are not seemly for a fool: nor for a servant to have rule over princes.

19:11. The learning of a man is known by patience: and his glory is to pass over wrongs.

19:12. As the roaring of a lion, so also is the anger of a king: and his cheerfulness as the dew upon the grass.

19:13. A foolish son is the grief of his father: and a wrangling wife is like a roof continually dropping through.

19:14. House and riches are given by parents: but a prudent wife is properly from the Lord.

19:15. Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep, and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

19:16. He that keepeth the commandment, keepeth his own soul: but he that neglecteth his own way, shall die.

19:17. He that hath mercy on the poor, lendeth to the Lord: and he will repay him.

19:18. Chastise thy son, despair not: but to the killing of him set not thy soul.

19:19. He that is impatient, shall suffer damage: and when he shall take away, he shall add another thing.

19:20. Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayst be wise in thy latter end.

19:21. There are many thoughts in the heart of a man: but the will of the Lord shall stand firm.

19:22. A needy man is merciful: and better is the poor than the lying man.

19:23. The fear of the Lord is unto life: and he shall abide in the fulness without being visited with evil.

19:24. The slothful hideth his hand under his armpit, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth.

19:25. The wicked man being scourged, the fool shall be wiser: but if thou rebuke a wise man, he will understand discipline.

19:26. He that afflicteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is infamous and unhappy.

19:27. Cease not, O my son, to hear instruction, and be not ignorant of the words of knowledge.

19:28. An unjust witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.

19:29. Judgments are prepared for scorners: and striking hammers for the bodies of fools.

Proverbs Chapter 20

20:1. Wine is a luxurious thing, and drunkenness riotous: whosoever is delighted therewith, shall not be wise.

20:2. As the roaring of a lion, so also is the dread of a king: he that provoketh him, sinneth against his own soul.

20:3. It is an honour for a man to separate himself from quarrels: but all fools are meddling with reproaches.

20:4. Because of the cold the sluggard would not plough: he shall beg therefore in the summer, and it shall not be given him.

20:5. Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water: but a wise man will draw it out.

20:6. Many men are called merciful: but who shall find a faithful man?

20:7. The just that walketh in his simplicity, shall leave behind him blessed children.

20:8. The king, that sitteth on the throne of judgment, scattereth away all evil with his look.

20:9. Who can say: My heart is clean, I am pure from sin?

20:10. Diverse weights and diverse measures, both are abominable before God.

20:11. By his inclinations a child is known, if his works be clean and right.

20:12. The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made them both.

20:13. Love not sleep, lest poverty oppress thee: open thy eyes, and be filled with bread.

20:14. It is naught, it is naught, saith every buyer: and when he is gone away, then he will boast.

20:15. There is gold and a multitude of jewels: but the lips of knowledge are a precious vessel.

20:16. Take away the garment of him that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge from him for strangers.

20:17. The bread of lying is sweet to a man: but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

20:18. Designs are strengthened by counsels: and wars are to be managed by governments.

20:19. Meddle not with him that revealeth secrets, and walketh deceitfully, and openeth wide his lips.

20:20. He that curseth his father, and mother, his lamp shall be put out in the midst of darkness.

20:21. The inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning, in the end shall be without a blessing.

20:22. Say not: I will return evil: wait for the Lord, and he will deliver thee.

20:23. Diverse weights are an abomination before the Lord: a deceitful balance is not good.

20:24. The steps of men are guided by the Lord: but who is the man that can understand his own way?

20:25. It is ruin to a man to devour holy ones, and after vows to retract.

20:26. A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth over them the wheel.

20:27. The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, which searcheth all the hidden things of the bowels.

20:28. Mercy and truth preserve the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency.

20:29. The joy of young men is their strength: and the dignity of old men, their grey hairs.

20:30. The blueness of a wound shall wipe away evils: and stripes in the more inward parts of the belly.

Proverbs Chapter 21

21:1. As the divisions of waters, so the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord: whithersoever he will, he shall turn it.

21:2. Every way of a man seemeth right to himself: but the Lord weigheth the hearts.

21:3. To do mercy and judgment, pleaseth the Lord more than victims.

21:4. Haughtiness of the eyes is the enlarging of the heart: the lamp of the wicked is sin.

21:5. The thoughts of the industrious always bring forth abundance: but every sluggard is always in want.

21:6. He that gathereth treasures by a lying tongue, is vain and foolish, and shall stumble upon the snares of death.

21:7. The robberies of the wicked shall be their downfall, because they would not do judgment.

21:8. The perverse way of a man is strange: but as for him that is pure, his work is right.

21:9. It is better to sit in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman, and in a common house.

21:10. The soul of the wicked desireth evil, he will not have pity on his neighbour.

21:11. When a pestilent man is punished, the little one will be wiser: and if he follow the wise, he will receive knowledge.

21:12. The just considereth seriously the house of the wicked, that he may withdraw the wicked from evil.

21:13. He that stoppeth his ear against the cry of the poor, shall also cry himself, and shall not be heard.

21:14. A secret present quencheth anger: and a gift in the bosom, the greatest wrath.

21:15. It is joy to the just to do judgment: and dread to them that work iniquity.

21:16. A man that shall wander out of the way of doctrine, shall abide in the company of the giants.

21:17. He that loveth good cheer, shall be in want: he that loveth wine, and fat things, shall not be rich.

21:18. The wicked is delivered up for the just: and the unjust for the righteous.

21:19. It is better to dwell in a wilderness, than with a quarrelsome and passionate woman.

21:20. There is a treasure to be desired, and oil in the dwelling of the just: and the foolish man shall spend it.

21:21. He that followeth justice and mercy, shall find life, justice, and glory.

21:22. The wise man hath scaled the city of the strong, and hath cast down the strength of the confidence thereof.

21:23. He that keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from distress.

21:24. The proud and the arrogant is called ignorant, who in anger worketh pride.

21:25. Desires kill the slothful: for his hands have refused to work at all.

21:26. He longeth and desireth all the day: but he that is just, will give, and will not cease.

21:27. The sacrifices of the wicked are abominable, because they are offered of wickedness.

21:28. A lying witness shall perish: an obedient man shall speak of victory.

21:29. The wicked man impudently hardeneth his face: but he that is righteous, correcteth his way.

21:30. There is no wisdom, there is no prudence, there is no counsel against the Lord.

21:31. The horse is prepared for the day of battle: but the Lord giveth safety.

Proverbs Chapter 22

22:1. A good name is better than great riches: and good favour is above silver and gold.

22:2. The rich and poor have met one another: the Lord is the maker of them both.

22:3. The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss.

22:4. The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and glory and life.

22:5. Arms and swords are in the way of the perverse: but he that keepeth his own soul, departeth far from them.

22:6. It is a proverb: A young man according to his way, even when he is old, he will not depart from it.

22:7. The rich ruleth over the poor: and the borrower is servant to him that lendeth.

22:8. He that soweth iniquity, shall reap evils, and with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed.

22:9. He that is inclined to mercy, shall be blessed: for of his bread he hath given to the poor. He that maketh presents, shall purchase victory and honour: but he carrieth away the souls of the receivers.

22:10. Cast out the scoffer, and contention shall go out with him, and quarrels and reproaches shall cease.

22:11. He that loveth cleanness of heart, for the grace of his lips shall have the king for his friend.

22:12. The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge: and the words of the unjust are overthrown.

22:13. The slothful man saith: There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the midst of the streets.

22:14. The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit: he whom the Lord is angry with, shall fall into it.

22:15. Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, and the rod of correction shall drive it away.

22:16. He that oppresseth the poor, to increase his own riches, shall himself give to one that is richer, and shall be in need.

22:17. Incline thy ear, and hear the words of the wise: and apply thy heart to my doctrine:

22:18. Which shall be beautiful for thee, if thou keep it in thy bowels, and it shall flow in thy lips:

22:19. That thy trust may be in the Lord, wherefore I have also shewn it to thee this day.

22:20. Behold I have described it to thee three manner of ways, in thoughts and knowledge:

22:21. That I might shew thee the certainty, and the words of truth, to answer out of these to them that sent thee.

22:22. Do no violence to the poor, because he is poor: and do not oppress the needy in the gate:

22:23. Because the Lord will judge his cause: and will afflict them that have afflicted his soul.

22:24. Be not a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man:

22:25. Lest perhaps thou learn his ways, and take scandal to thy soul.

22:26. Be not with them that fasten down their hands, and that offer themselves sureties for debts:

22:27. For if thou have not wherewith to restore, what cause is there that he should take the covering from thy bed?

22:28. Pass not beyond the ancient bounds which thy fathers have set.

22:29. Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure.

Proverbs Chapter 23

23:1. When thou shalt sit to eat with a prince, consider diligently what is set before thy face:

23:2. And put a knife to thy throat, if it be so that thou have thy soul in thy own power.

23:3. Be not desirous of his meats, in which is the bread of deceit.

23:4. Labour not to be rich: but set bounds to thy prudence.

23:5. Lift not up thy eyes to riches which thou canst not have: because they shall make themselves wings like those of an eagle, and shall fly towards heaven.

23:6. Eat not with an envious man, and desire not his meats:

23:7. Because, like a soothsayer, and diviner, he thinketh that which he knoweth not. Eat and drink, will he say to thee: and his mind is not with thee.

23:8. The meats which thou hadst eaten, thou shalt vomit up: and shalt loose thy beautiful words.

23:9. Speak not in the ears of fools: because they will despise the instruction of thy speech.

23:10. Touch not the bounds of little ones: and enter not into the field of the fatherless:

23:11. For their near kinsman is strong: and he will judge their cause against thee.

23:12. Let thy heart apply itself to instruction and thy ears to words of knowledge.

23:13. Withhold not correction from a child: for if thou strike him with the rod, he shall not die.

23:14. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and deliver his soul from hell.

23:15. My son, if thy mind be wise, my heart shall rejoice with thee:

23:16. And my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips shall speak what is right.

23:17. Let not thy heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long:

23:18. Because thou shalt have hope in the latter end, and thy expectation shall not be taken away.

23:19. Hear thou, my son, and be wise: and guide thy mind in the way.

23:20. Be not in the feasts of great drinkers, nor in their revellings, who contribute flesh to eat:

23:21. Because they that give themselves to drinking, and that club together, shall be consumed: and drowsiness shall be clothed with rags.

23:22. Hearken to thy father, that begot thee: and despise not thy mother when she is old.

23:23. Buy truth, and do not sell wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

23:24. The father of the just rejoiceth greatly: he that hath begotten a wise son, shall have joy in him.

23:25. Let thy father and thy mother be joyful, and let her rejoice that bore thee.

23:26. My son, give me thy heart: and let thy eyes keep my ways.

23:27. For a harlot is a deep ditch: and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

23:28. She lieth in wait in the way as a robber, and him whom she shall see unwary, she will kill.

23:29. Who hath woe? whose father hath woe? who hath contentions? who falls into pits? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

23:30. Surely they that pass their time in wine, and study to drink off their cups.

23:31. Look not upon the wine when it is yellow, when the colour thereof shineth in the glass: it goeth in pleasantly,

23:32. But in the end, it will bite like a snake, and will spread abroad poison like a basilisk.

23:33. Thy eyes shall behold strange women, and thy heart shall utter perverse things.

23:34. And thou shalt be as one sleeping in the midst of the sea, and as a pilot fast asleep when the stern is lost.

23:35. And thou shalt say: They have beaten me, but I was not sensible of pain: they drew me, and I felt not: when shall I awake and find wine again?

Proverbs Chapter 24

24:1. Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:

24:2. Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.

24:3. By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.

24:4. By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.

24:5. A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.

24:6. Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.

24:7. Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he shall not open his mouth.

24:8. He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.

24:9. The thought of a fool is sin: and the detractor is the abomination of men.

24:10. If thou lose hope, being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.

24:11. Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death, forbear not to deliver.

24:12. If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.

24:13. Eat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat.

24:14. So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.

24:15. Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.

24:16. For a just man shall fall seven times, and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.

24:17. When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:

24:18. Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

24:19. Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly.

24:20. For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

24:21. My son, fear the Lord, and the king: and have nothing to do with detractors.

24:22. For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?

24:23. These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.

24:24. They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.

24:25. They that rebuke him shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.

24:26. He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.

24:27. Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.

24:28. Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.

24:29. Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.

24:30. I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:

24:31. And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.

24:32. Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.

24:33. Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest.

24:34. And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.

Proverbs Chapter 25

25:1. These are also parables of Solomon, which the men of Ezechias, king of Juda, copied out.

25:2. It is the glory of God to conceal the word, and the glory of kings to search out the speech.

25:3. The heaven above and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

25:4. Take away the rust from silver, and there shall come forth a most pure vessel:

25:5. Take away wickedness from the face of the king, and his throne shall be established with justice.

25:6. Appear not glorious before the king, and stand not in the place of great men.

25:7. For it is better that it should be said to thee: Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be humbled before the prince.

25:8. The things which thy eyes have seen, utter not hastily in a quarrel: lest afterward thou mayst not be able to make amends, when thou hast dishonoured thy friend.

25:9. Treat thy cause with thy friend, and discover not the secret to a stranger:

25:10. Lest he insult over thee, when he hath heard it, and cease not to upbraid thee. Grace and friendship deliver a man: keep these for thyself, lest thou fall under reproach.

25:11. To speak a word in due time, is like apples of gold on beds of silver.

25:12. As an earring of gold and a bright pearl, so is he that reproveth the wise, and the obedient ear.

25:13. As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to him that sent him, for he refresheth his soul.

25:14. As clouds, and wind, when no rain followeth, so is the man that boasteth, and doth not fulfil his promises.

25:15. By patience a prince shall be appeased, and a soft tongue shall break hardness.

25:16. Thou hast found honey, eat what is sufficient for thee, lest being glutted therewith thou vomit it up.

25:17. Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour, lest having his fill he hate thee.

25:18. A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.

25:19. To trust in an unfaithful man in the time of trouble, is like a rotten tooth, and weary foot,