The Proverbs of Solomon
1
Wine a is a mocker,
Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2
The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
3
b It is honorable for a man to stop striving,
Since any fool can start a quarrel.
4
c The lazy man will not plow because of winter;
d He will beg during harvest and have nothing.
5
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding will draw it out.
6
Most men will proclaim each his own goodness,
But who can find a faithful man?
7
e The righteous man walks in his integrity;
f His children are blessed after him.
8
A king who sits on the throne of judgment
Scatters all evil with his eyes.
9
g Who can say, "I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin"?
10
h Diverse weights and diverse measures,
They are both alike, an abomination to the LORD.
11
Even a child is i known by his deeds,
Whether what he does is pure and right.
12
j The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The LORD has made them both.
13
k Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
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.
15
There is gold and a multitude of rubies,
But l the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16
m Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.
17
n Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18
o Plans are established by counsel;
p By wise counsel wage war.
19
q He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one r who flatters with his lips.
20
s Whoever curses his father or his mother,
t His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.
21
u An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning
v Will not be blessed at the end.
22
w Do not say, "I will recompense evil";
x Wait for the LORD, and He will save you.
23
Diverse weights are an abomination to the LORD,
And dishonest scales are not good.
24
A man's steps are of the LORD;
How then can a man understand his own way?
25
It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy,
And afterward to reconsider his vows.
26
y A wise king sifts out the wicked,
And brings the threshing wheel over them.
27
z The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD,
Searching all the inner depths of his heart.
28
a Mercy and truth preserve the king,
And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne.
29
The glory of young men is their strength,
And b the splendor of old men is their gray head.
30
Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,
As do stripes the inner depths of the heart.
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Cross References
Genesis 9:21
Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent.
Proverbs 23:29 - 35
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
Isaiah 28:7
But they also have erred through wine, And through intoxicating drink are out of the way; The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink, They are swallowed up by wine, They are out of the way through intoxicating drink; They err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
Hosea 4:11
Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart.
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Cross References
Proverbs 17:14
The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.
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Cross References
Proverbs 10:4
He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
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Cross References
Proverbs 19:15
Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, And an idle person will suffer hunger.
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Cross References
2 Corinthians 1:12
For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.
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Cross References
Psalms 37:26
He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed.
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Cross References
1 Kings 8:46
When they sin against You (for there is no one ...
2 Chronicles 6:36
When they sin against You (for there is no one ...
Job 9:30
If I wash myself with snow water, And cleanse m...
Job 9:31
Yet You will plunge me into the pit, And my own...
Job 14:4
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? ...
Psalms 51:5
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in...
Ecclesiastes 7:20
For there is not a just man on earth who does g...
Romans 3:9
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all....
1 John 1:8
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourse...
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 25:13
You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a heavy and a light.
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Cross References
Matthew 7:16
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
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Cross References
Exodus 4:11
So the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?
Psalms 94:9
He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see?
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Cross References
Romans 12:11
Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.
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Cross References
Job 28:12 - 19
But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
Proverbs 3:13 - 15
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding.
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Cross References
Proverbs 22:26
Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts.
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Cross References
Proverbs 9:17
"Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant."
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Cross References
Proverbs 24:6
For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.
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Cross References
Luke 14:31
Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
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Cross References
Proverbs 11:13
A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.
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Cross References
Romans 16:18
For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
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Cross References
Exodus 21:17
And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 20:9
For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon him.
Proverbs 30:11
There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother.
Matthew 15:4
"For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother' ; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'
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Cross References
Job 18:5
The light of the wicked indeed goes out, And the flame of his fire does not shine.
Job 18:6
The light is dark in his tent, And his lamp beside him is put out.
Proverbs 24:20
For there will be no prospect for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out.
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Cross References
Proverbs 28:20
A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
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Cross References
Habakkuk 2:6
Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, 'Woe to him who increases What is not his - how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges'?
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 32:35
Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot s...
Proverbs 17:13
Whoever rewards evil for good, Evil will not de...
Proverbs 24:29
Do not say, "I will do to him just as he has do...
Romans 12:17 - 19
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for goo...
1 Thessalonians 5:15
See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone...
1 Peter 3:9
Not returning evil for evil or reviling for rev...
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Cross References
2 Samuel 16:12
"It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day."
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Cross References
Psalms 101:8
Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, That I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 2:11
For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
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Cross References
Psalms 101:1
I WILL sing of mercy and justice; To You, O LORD, I will sing praises.
Proverbs 21:21
He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness and honor.
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Cross References
Proverbs 16:31
The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.