Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1A gentle answer turns away wrath,

But a harsh word stirs up anger.

2The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable,

But the mouth of fools spouts folly.

3The eyes of the Lord are in every place,

Watching the evil and the good.

4A soothing tongue is a tree of life,

But perversion in it crushes the spirit.

5A fool rejects his father’s discipline,

But he who regards reproof is sensible.

6Great wealth is in the house of the righteous,

But trouble is in the income of the wicked.

7The lips of the wise spread knowledge,

But the hearts of fools are not so.

8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

9The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

But He loves one who pursues righteousness.

10Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way;

He who hates reproof will die.

11Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord,

How much more the hearts of men!

12A scoffer does not love one who reproves him,

He will not go to the wise.

13A joyful heart makes a cheerful face,

But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.

14The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,

But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.

15All the days of the afflicted are bad,

But a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

16Better is a little with the fear of the Lord

Than great treasure and turmoil with it.

17Better is a dish of vegetables where love is

Than a fattened ox served with hatred.

18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,

But the slow to anger calms a dispute.

19The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns,

But the path of the upright is a highway.

20A wise son makes a father glad,

But a foolish man despises his mother.

21Folly is joy to him who lacks sense,

But a man of understanding walks straight.

22Without consultation, plans are frustrated,

But with many counselors they succeed.

23A man has joy in an apt answer,

And how delightful is a timely word!

24The path of life leads upward for the wise

That he may keep away from Sheol below.

25The Lord will tear down the house of the proud,

But He will establish the boundary of the widow.

26Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,

But pleasant words are pure.

27He who profits illicitly troubles his own house,

But he who hates bribes will live.

28The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,

But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

29The Lord is far from the wicked,

But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

30Bright eyes gladden the heart;

Good news puts fat on the bones.

31He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof

Will dwell among the wise.

32He who neglects discipline despises himself,

But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding.

33The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom,

And before honor comes humility.

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1The plans of the heart belong to man,

But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

2All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,

But the Lord weighs the motives.

3Commit your works to the Lord

And your plans will be established.

4The Lord has made everything for its own purpose,

Even the wicked for the day of evil.

5Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;

Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.

6By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,

And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.

7When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,

He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8Better is a little with righteousness

Than great income with injustice.

9The mind of man plans his way,

But the Lord directs his steps.

10A divine decision is in the lips of the king;

His mouth should not err in judgment.

11A just balance and scales belong to the Lord;

All the weights of the bag are His concern.

12It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,

For a throne is established on righteousness.

13Righteous lips are the delight of kings,

And he who speaks right is loved.

14The fury of a king is like messengers of death,

But a wise man will appease it.

15In the light of a king’s face is life,

And his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain.

16How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!

And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.

17The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;

He who watches his way preserves his life.

18Pride goes before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before stumbling.

19It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly

Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

20He who gives attention to the word will find good,

And blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

21The wise in heart will be called understanding,

And sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.

22Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,

But the discipline of fools is folly.

23The heart of the wise instructs his mouth

And adds persuasiveness to his lips.

24Pleasant words are a honeycomb,

Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

25There is a way which seems right to a man,

But its end is the way of death.

26A worker’s appetite works for him,

For his hunger urges him on.

27A worthless man digs up evil,

While his words are like scorching fire.

28A perverse man spreads strife,

And a slanderer separates intimate friends.

29A man of violence entices his neighbor

And leads him in a way that is not good.

30He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;

He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.

31A gray head is a crown of glory;

It is found in the way of righteousness.

32He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.

33The lot is cast into the lap,

But its every decision is from the Lord.

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it

Than a house full of feasting with strife.

2A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,

And will share in the inheritance among brothers.

3The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,

But the Lord tests hearts.

4An evildoer listens to wicked lips;

A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

5He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker;

He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.

6Grandchildren are the crown of old men,

And the glory of sons is their fathers.

7Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool,

Much less are lying lips to a prince.

8A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner;

Wherever he turns, he prospers.

9He who conceals a transgression seeks love,

But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.

10A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding

Than a hundred blows into a fool.

11A rebellious man seeks only evil,

So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,

Rather than a fool in his folly.

13He who returns evil for good,

Evil will not depart from his house.

14The beginning of strife is like letting out water,

So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.

15He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,

Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.

16Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,

When he has no sense?

17A friend loves at all times,

And a brother is born for adversity.

18A man lacking in sense pledges

And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.

19He who loves transgression loves strife;

He who raises his door seeks destruction.

20He who has a crooked mind finds no good,

And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil.

21He who sires a fool does so to his sorrow,

And the father of a fool has no joy.

22A joyful heart is good medicine,

But a broken spirit dries up the bones.

23A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom

To pervert the ways of justice.

24Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding,

But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

25A foolish son is a grief to his father

And bitterness to her who bore him.

26It is also not good to fine the righteous,

Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

27He who restrains his words has knowledge,

And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

28Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;

When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.