The Proverbs of Solomon
1
The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.
2
He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD,
a But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.
3
In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,
b But the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4
Where no oxen are, the trough is clean;
But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.
5
A c faithful witness does not lie,
But a false witness will utter d lies.
6
A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,
But e knowledge is easy to him who understands.
7
Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of f knowledge.
8
The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But the folly of fools is deceit.
9
g Fools mock at sin,
But among the upright there is favor.
10
The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
11
h The house of the wicked will be overthrown,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.
12
i There is a way that seems right to a man,
But j its end is the way of k death.
13
Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,
And l the end of mirth may be grief.
14
The backslider in heart will be m filled with his own ways,
But a good man will be satisfied from n above.
15
The simple believes every word,
But the prudent considers well his steps.
16
o A wise man fears and departs from evil,
But a fool rages and is self-confident.
17
A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of wicked intentions is hated.
18
The simple inherit folly,
But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19
The evil will bow before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20
p The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor,
But the rich has many q friends.
21
He who despises his neighbor sins;
r But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.
22
Do they not go astray who devise evil?
But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good.
23
In all labor there is profit,
But idle chatter leads only to poverty.
24
The crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is folly.
25
A true witness delivers s souls,
But a deceitful witness speaks lies.
26
In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge.
27
t The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from the snares of death.
28
In a multitude of people is a king's honor,
But in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince.
29
u He who is slow to wrath has great understanding,
But he who is impulsive exalts folly.
30
A sound heart is life to the body,
But v envy is w rottenness to the bones.
31
x He who oppresses the poor reproaches y his Maker,
But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.
32
The wicked is banished in his wickedness,
But z the righteous has a refuge in his death.
33
Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But a what is in the heart of fools is made known.
34
Righteousness exalts a b nation,
But sin is a reproach to any people.
35
c The king's favor is toward a wise servant,
But his wrath is against him who causes shame.
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Cross References
Romans 2:4
Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
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Cross References
Proverbs 12:6
The words of the wicked are, "Lie in wait for blood," But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.
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Cross References
Revelation 1:5
And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.
Revelation 3:14
And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:
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Cross References
Exodus 23:1
You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
Deuteronomy 19:16
If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing.
Proverbs 6:19
A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
Proverbs 12:17
He who speaks truth declares righteousness, But a false witness, deceit.
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Cross References
Proverbs 8:9
They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.
Proverbs 17:24
Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
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Cross References
Proverbs 23:9
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
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Cross References
Proverbs 10:23
To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom.
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Cross References
Job 8:15
He leans on his house, but it does not stand. He holds it fast, but it does not endure.
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Cross References
Proverbs 16:25
There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
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Cross References
Romans 6:21
What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
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Cross References
Proverbs 12:15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.
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Cross References
Proverbs 5:4
But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.
Ecclesiastes 2:1
I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure"; but surely, this also was vanity.
Ecclesiastes 2:2
I said of laughter - "Madness!"; and of mirth, "What does it accomplish?
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Cross References
Proverbs 1:31
Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
Proverbs 12:15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.
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Cross References
Proverbs 13:2
A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth, But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.
Proverbs 18:20
A man's stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.
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Cross References
Job 28:28
And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.'
Psalms 34:14
Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
Proverbs 22:3
A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.
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Cross References
Proverbs 19:7
All 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.
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Cross References
Proverbs 19:4
Wealth makes many friends, But the poor is separated from his friend.
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Cross References
Psalms 112:9
He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor.
Proverbs 19:17
He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 3:18 - 21
When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.
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Cross References
Proverbs 13:14
The law of the wise is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death.
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Cross References
Proverbs 16:32
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
Proverbs 19:11
The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
Ecclesiastes 7:9
Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.
James 1:19
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
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Cross References
Psalms 112:10
The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish.
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Cross References
Proverbs 12:4
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.
Habakkuk 3:16
When I heard, my body trembled; My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness entered my bones; And I trembled in myself, That I might rest in the day of trouble. When he comes up to the people, He will invade them with his troops.
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Cross References
Proverbs 17:5
He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
Matthew 25:40
"And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
1 John 3:17
But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
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Cross References
Job 31:15
Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?
Proverbs 22:2
The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all.
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Cross References
Genesis 49:18
I have waited for your salvation, O LORD!
Job 13:15
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even s...
Psalms 16:11
You will show me the path of life; In Your pres...
Psalms 73:24
You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterw...
2 Corinthians 1:9
Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves,...
2 Corinthians 5:8
We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to b...
2 Timothy 4:18
And the Lord will deliver me from every evil wo...
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Cross References
Proverbs 12:16
A fool's wrath is known at once, But a prudent man covers shame.
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Cross References
Proverbs 11:11
By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
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Cross References
Matthew 24:45 - 47
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.