The Book of  Proverbs  

The Book of Proverbs is a collection of wise and moral statement about life. David's son, Solomon, wrote many of the Proverbs.  People who study the Bible feel that he did not write all of them. They feel that he collected some of them from other people. 

Proverbs 23

A king may invite you to dinner. When you go, look closely at the food. Don't be greedy and eat too much.  The food might look very good, but it might not be good for you.
[1] When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
[2] And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
[3] Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.


Work hard, but don't try to become rich. Riches and money do not last long. It seems like they have wings. They are like eagles that fly away toward heaven.
[4] Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
[5] Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
 

Don't eat food from evil people. You shouldn't want his fancy food. He has an evil heart, and he is an evil person. He will encourage you to eat, but he is not really your friend. If you eat his food, you will vomit. You will see that he is not really your friend.
[6] Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
[7] For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
[8] The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.


Don't talk to a foolish person. He won't listen to you and accept it if you say something smart.
[9] Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
 

Do not remove property lines and take land from orphans. God will take care of them and support them against you.
[10] Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
[11] For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.


Listen to what other people teach you. Pay attention to teaching and knowledge.
[12] Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

 

You should punish your children when they don't behave well. You are helping them for their future.
[13] Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
[14] Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
 

Son, if you have a wise heart, I will be happy.  If you say the right words, I will be happy.
[15] My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
[16] Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.


Do not be jealous of people who sin.  Respect God all day long. In the future, you will always have hope.
[17] Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
[18] For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.


Hear what I say, my son, and you will be wise. Keep your heart on God's ways.
[19] Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.


Don't be around drunk people or people who eat too much. They will always be poor and have nothing. Eating and drinking too much makes people sleepy and lazy. They won't even have good clothes to wear.
[20] Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
[21] For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.


Listen to your father. Do not treat your mother badly when she gets old.
[22] Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.


Buy the truth, and do not sell it. Also, hang onto wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
[23] Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.


Parents who have wise children are very happy.
[24] The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
[25] Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

 

From SusansFlowerArt.com

My son, pay close attention to what I say. Watch the things that I do.
[26] My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.


A prostitute and an unfaithful wife are dangerous like deep ditches or pits. They wait for men and plan to hurt them. They cause men to become sinners.
[27] For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
[28] She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.

 

Do not drink too much.
 

It is not good to drink too much alcohol.  People who drink too much have trouble. They feel sad and argue with others. They say stupid things. They have red eyes. They fight and get hurt from fighting and don't know why they're fighting.
[29] Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
[30] They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
 

You may think the wine is pretty. It is a nice red color, and it is easy to swallow. But it will bite you like a snake and sting like an adder (a poisonous snake).
[31] Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
[32] At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.


You will look at bad women. Your heart will say bad things.
[33] Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.


You will feel like you are moving like riding on a boat.
[34] Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.


When you become sober, you won't know what happened to you.  Someone beat you up when you were drunk, and you won't remember it.  Even though it was bad, you will want to drink and get drunk again.
[35] They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
 

Proverbs 24

Do not be jealous of evil men. Don't be around them. They only think about how to destroy. They only talk about doing bad things.
[1] Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
[2] For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

 

Wisdom and understanding build houses. Knowledge fills the rooms with valuable items.
[3] Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
[4] And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.


A wise man is strong. A man who knows a lot gets stronger. Armies that have wise leaders will be safe.
[5] A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
[6] For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellers there is safety.


Foolish people can't understand wise things. They don't have anything smart to say when important meetings happen at the city gate.
[7] Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
 

A person that plans to do evil things will be called a mischievous person.
[8] He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.
 

It is sin to think about foolish things. Men hate people who criticize others.
[9] The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

If you give up when times are hard, you are not a very strong person.
[10] If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.


If you see people who are in bad shape, you should help them. You might say you didn't know about them. But God knows what you think about. He knows what is in your heart.  He will punish people when they do bad things.
[11] If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
[12] If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

 

From Christian Wife and Mom

My son, you should eat honey because it is good. The honeycomb tastes sweet.  Wisdom is sweet, too.  When you find wisdom, it will be sweet to your soul. It will be a reward for you. You will always have hope.
[13] My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
[14] So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.


Do not hurt people who are righteous.  If a good man is defeated 7 times, he will keep getting back up. If an evil man is defeated, he is finished.
[15] Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
[16] For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
 

Do not be happy when your enemy falls.  Don't feel happiness when he stumbles. God sees you, and He will not be happy about it. He might help your enemy.
[17] Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
[18] Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.


Don't worry about evil men. Don't be jealous of people who are wicked.  They will not get rewards. Their candles will not burn long.
[19] Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
[20] For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.


Respect God and the king. Don't be involved with people who want to get a new king.  They will have big trouble fast and be destroyed.
[21] My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
[22] For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?


These are things that wise people should know. It is not good for judges to think some people are better than other people. They should be fair to everyone.
[23] These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.


It is not right to see wicked people and call them good. People from all nations will curse a man who does that. But if people see that a man punishes bad people, they will be happy. The man will have many blessings.
[24] He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
[25] But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.


Everyone will admire someone who tells the truth.
[26] Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.


You should do your outside work and get your farm ready before you build your house.
[27] Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.


Do not accuse someone of doing something wrong unless it is true. Do not tell lies.
[28] Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.


If someone treats you badly, do not tell him that you will do the same thing back to him. 
[29] Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.
 

A lesson from a field

I saw the farm of a lazy man who did not have understanding. It had many weeds and thorns. The stone wall was broken down.
[30] I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
[31] And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.


I was looking at it and thinking about it. I learned something from it.
[32] Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.


If you are lazy and sleep too much, you will be poor.
[33] Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
[34] So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
 

Proverbs 25


These are Solomon's wise sayings. The workers of King Hezekiah of Judah wrote them down.
[1] These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.


God's ways are secret and mysterious. Good kings try to understand God's secret ways.
[2] It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.


Kings know a lot. People can never know as much as kings. Their hearts are as high as heaven and as deep as the earth.
[3] The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

 

Take the dross out of the silver. Then someone can make a pretty silver item. Take away evil people from the king. Then, his kingdom will be good.
[4] Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
[5] Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
 

Do not go to see the king or great leaders and then try to look good in front of them. It is better to actually do good things so that the king and leaders will invite you to see them and sit in a higher place with them.
[6] Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:
[7] For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.


If you are upset with someone, do not take them to court too fast. The other person may win, and you would be shamed. Then you might not have any money left after court was finished.
[8] Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.


If you are upset with your neighbor, talk to him yourself. Do not tell other people about it and try to keep it secret. Your neighbor might hear about it. He might embarrass you. You may never have a good name again.
[9] Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:
[10] Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.

 

From ComeFillYourCup.com

Saying the right word is like giving someone an apple made of gold inside a silver frame.
[11] A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
 

A wise person who gives good advice is valuable like a gold earring or other jewelry.
[12] As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.


If a person sends a message with someone, he wants the messenger to be honest and faithful. A faithful messenger is good and welcome like cold snow is welcome during hot harvest time.
[13] As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.


Some people like to brag and say they have talents. But they really can't do the things they bragged about. These people are like clouds and wind that do not make rain.
[14] Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.


A prince or leader will be influenced by someone who is patient and talks calmly.
[15] By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.


If you find honey, eat enough to satisfy you. But don't eat too much, or you will vomit.
[16] Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.


If you visit your friends too often, they might get tired of you and might hate you.
[17] Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.


A man who lies about his neighbor hurts people like a sharp weapon.
[18] A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.


In a time of trouble,  you need help from faithful people. But if you trust an unfaithful person, it is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking with a injured foot.
[19] Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
 

A person is cruel if he takes someone's coat when the weather is cold.  If you pour vinegar on nitre, it will make a hissing noise.  A person who sings happy songs to a sad person is cruel and makes an ugly noise.
[20] As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.


If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink. It will make him feel bad like having hot coals on his head. God will reward you.
[21] If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
[22] For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.


Wind that blows from the north blows away the rain. It is the same if a person looks sternly at someone who is talking bad about other people. The person will stop talking badly.
[23] The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.


It is better to live in a small corner in the top of a house than to live in a big house with a woman who argues a lot.
[24] It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.


If you hear good news from someone who lives far away, you will feel happy. It will be like a thirsty person drinking cold water.
[25] As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.


If a good person gives in to bad people, it is like a fountain or creek that becomes dirty.
[26] A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.


If you eat too much honey, you will feel sick.  Men who brag on themselves do not look good.
[27] It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.


A person who can't control himself will not be strong. He will be like a city that is destroyed and has no walls.
[28] He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
 

Proverbs 26
 

It is not smart to give honor to a foolish person. It does not fit like snow in summer does not fit, and rain during harvest time does not fit.
[1] As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

 

Someone might say something bad about you, and you haven't done anything wrong. Their words will just go away like a bird flying away.
[2] As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.



People use whips and bridles to punish horses and donkeys. Foolish people are punished, too.
[3] A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.
 

It is best if you do not reply to a foolish person when he says foolish things. If you do, you may sound foolish, too.  Sometimes, though, you must reply to a foolish person, or he will make other people think he is smart.
[4] Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
[5] Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.


You will hurt yourself if you send a message with a foolish person. It will be like cutting off your feet or drinking poison.
[6] He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.


A foolish person cannot use wisdom. It is like a person with legs that don't work normally.
[7] The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.


If you give honor to a fool, it is not smart. It is like putting a rock in a slingshot, but tying up the rock so you can't throw it.
[8] As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.


If a drunk person gets a thorn in his hand, he won't even notice it.  It is the same if someone tries to teach a foolish person a lesson. The foolish person isn't smart enough to even notice it.
[9] As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.


God made everything. He knows what people do. He will punish people who sin.
[10] The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.


When dogs vomit, many times they come back and eat their vomit.  Foolish people do foolish things, and then repeat their actions.
[11] As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.


A man may brag a lot about himself and say that he is smart.  A foolish person is better than a man who brags.
[12] Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.


A lazy man makes excuses for not going out to work. He says there is a lion outside.
[13] The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

A door turns on its hinges but it doesn't go anywhere. A lazy man turns on his bed, but he doesn't get up to work.
[14] As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.


A lazy person is too lazy to raise his hand to his mouth.
[15] The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.


A lazy person thinks he is very smart. In his mind, he is smarter than 7 men who really think intelligently.
[16] The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.


A person may see 2 people fighting and try to help. It is not a good thing to do. It's dangerous like picking up a dog by its ears.
[17] He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.


A man may trick his neighbor and then say he was only playing a joke on him. That is not smart. It is like an unstable person playing with dangerous weapons.
[18] As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
[19] So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?

 

From Heartlight.org

People who tell lies cause trouble


A fire needs more wood to keep going. If there is no wood, the fire goes out. A person who lies is like the wood. If there is not a person who lies, the trouble will stop.
[20] Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.


A person who likes to argue and fight will cause trouble. He will be like coals or wood to keep a fire going.
[21] As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.


A person who lies causes pain.  His lies will hurt people very deeply.
[22] The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

 

A person may say nice things but is really a wicked person. He is like a broken clay pot covered with silver dross (the dirty part of silver).
[23] Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

 

A hateful person says bad things to hurt people.  He tells lies to hide his hate. If he talks nicely, don't listen to him. He is full of hate.  People may think he is nice, but he is really a wicked person. People will see how he really behaves.
[24] He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
[25] When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
[26] Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.


If a person digs a deep hole, he will fall in.  If a person rolls a heavy stone, it may roll back on him.  Be careful of people who tell lies and pretend to be nice.
[27] Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
[28] A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.