New King James Version  
Chapter 21
1The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord,
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.
5The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
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.
8The way of a guilty man is perverse;
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.
12The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked,
Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.
13Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
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.
18The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
And the unfaithful for the upright.
19Better to dwell in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman.
20There is desirable treasure,
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.
24A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name;
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.
30There is no wisdom or understanding
Or counsel against the Lord.
31The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But deliverance is of the Lord.
Chapter 22
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.
4By humility and the fear of the Lord
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.
7The rich rules over the poor,
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.
10Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave;
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.
15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
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
17Incline your ear and hear the words 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?
22Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
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?
28Do not remove the ancient landmark
Which your fathers have set.
29Do you see a man who excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before unknown men.
Chapter 23
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.
4Do not overwork to be rich;
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.
13Do not withhold correction from a child,
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.
22Listen to your father who begot you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.
23Buy the truth, and do not sell it,
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.
29Who has woe?
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?”

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