1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:

<>vv. 1-3, <>ruler

2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

<>vv. 1-3

3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

<>vv. 1-3

4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

<>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.

6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

<>vv. 6-7, <>bread

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.

<>vv. 6-7

8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

<>thy sweet words

9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

<>v. 9, <>despise

10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

<>vv. 10-11, <>Remove not the old landmark

11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

<>vv. 10-11, <>redeemer

12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

<>v. 12, <>Apply thine heart unto instruction, <>instruction

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

<>Withhold not correction from the child, <>correction, <>child, <>die

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

15 My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.

<>son, <>if thine heart be wise

16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

<>when thy lips speak right things

17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

<>vv. 17-18, <>Let not thine heart envy sinners, <>envy, <>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.

<>vv. 17-18, <>surely there is an end

19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

<>in the way

20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:

<>Be not among winebibbers, <>Be not … among riotous

21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

<>v. 22, <>when she is old

23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

<>v. 23, <>the truth

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.

<>bare

26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

<>give me thine heart

27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

<>a whore, <>strange woman

28 She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.

<>She also lieth in wait as for a prey, <>transgressors

29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

<>vv. 29-30, <>babbling

30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

<>vv. 29-30

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.

33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

<>perverse

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.

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.

<>v. 35, <>sick

1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

<>vv. 1-2, <>Be not thou envious, <>neither desire to be with them

2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

<>vv. 1-2, <>their heart studieth destruction, <>mischief

3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

<>Through wisdom is an house builded, <>an house builded, <>house

4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

<>A wise man is strong

6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellers there is safety.

<>v. 6, <>counsel, <>thou shalt make thy war, <>in multitude of counsellers there is safety

7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

<>a fool … openeth not his mouth in the gate, <>the gate

8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

<>scorner

10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

<>v. 10, <>If thou faint

11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

<>death

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?

<>he that pondereth the heart, <>doth not he know it?

13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

<>vv. 13-14, <>son, <>eat thou honey … and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste, <>honey

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.

<>vv. 13-14

15 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

<>Lay not wait, O wicked man, … spoil not

16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

<>vv. 17-18, <>stumbleth

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

<>vv. 17-18, <>his wrath

19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;

<>vv. 19-20

20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

<>vv. 19-20

21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

<>fear thou … the king, <>meddle not, <>them that are given to change

22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

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

<>It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

<>He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, <>abhor

25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

<>v. 25, <>delight

26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

<>a right answer

27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

<>v. 27, <>build thine house

28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

<>Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause

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.

<>v. 29

30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

<>slothful

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.

32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

<>instruction

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.

<>want, <>armed

1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

<>proverbs … copied

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

<>It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, <>the honour of kings is to search out a matter, <>honour

3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

<>The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, <>the heart of kings is unsearchable

4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

<>vessel

5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

<>Take away the wicked from before the king

6 Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:

<>vv. 6-7

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.

<>vv. 6-7

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.

<>v. 8, <>Go not forth hastily to strive, <>strive

9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:

<>v. 9, <>discover

10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.

11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

<>v. 11

12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

<>v. 12, <>fine gold, <>reprover

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.

<>harvest, <>refresheth

14 Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

<>v. 14, <>boasteth, <>rain

15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

<>By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, <>a soft tongue breaketh the bone

16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

<>v. 16, <>honey, <>eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it, <>eat so much as is sufficient for thee

17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

<>weary

18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

<>beareth false witness

19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

<>Confidence

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.

<>v. 20, <>he that taketh away a garment, <>garment, <>nitre

21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

<>vv. 21-22, <>bread, <>thirsty

22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

<>vv. 21-22

23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

<>v. 23, <>a backbiting tongue

24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

<>v. 24

25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

<>It is not good to eat much honey, <>for men to search their own glory is not glory

28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

<>v. 28, <>city

1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

<>rain, <>harvest, <>honour

2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

<>the curse causeless shall not come

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.

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.

<>lest he be wise in his own conceit, <>conceit

6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.

7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

<>equal, <>parable

8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

<>a drunkard

10 The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.

<>The great God that formed all things, <>The great God, <>transgressors

11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

<>v. 11

12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

<>hope

13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

<>v. 13, <>slothful, <>in the way

14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.

<>the door

15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.

16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

<>sluggard

17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

<>meddleth, <>strife

18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,

<>firebrands, <>death

19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?

20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

<>talebearer

21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

<>vv. 23-25, <>v. 23, <>potsherd

24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;

<>vv. 23-25, <>dissembleth

25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.

<>vv. 23-25, <>v. 25, <>speaketh fair, <>there are seven abominations in his heart

26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.

<>v. 26, <>congregation

27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.

<>v. 27

28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

<>A lying tongue, <>a flattering mouth worketh ruin, <>a flattering mouth