Proverbs 19-22
Skip Heitzig
| Proverbs 19 (NKJV™) | |
| 1 | Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. |
| 2 | Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, And he sins who hastens with his feet. |
| 3 | The foolishness of a man twists his way, And his heart frets against the LORD. |
| 4 | Wealth makes many friends, But the poor is separated from his friend. |
| 5 | A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape. |
| 6 | Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts. |
| 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. |
| 8 | He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good. |
| 9 | A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies shall perish. |
| 10 | Luxury is not fitting for a fool, Much less for a servant to rule over princes. |
| 11 | The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression. |
| 12 | The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass. |
| 13 | A foolish son is the ruin of his father, And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping. |
| 14 | Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the LORD. |
| 15 | Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, And an idle person will suffer hunger. |
| 16 | He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die. |
| 17 | He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given. |
| 18 | Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction. |
| 19 | A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again. |
| 20 | Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days. |
| 21 | There are many plans in a man's heart, Nevertheless the LORD'S counsel--that will stand. |
| 22 | What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar. |
| 23 | The fear of the LORD leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil. |
| 24 | A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. |
| 25 | Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge. |
| 26 | He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach. |
| 27 | Cease listening to instruction, my son, And you will stray from the words of knowledge. |
| 28 | A disreputable witness scorns justice, And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity. |
| 29 | Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And beatings for the backs of fools. |
| Proverbs 20 (NKJV™) | |
| 1 | Wine 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 | It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel. |
| 4 | The lazy man will not plow because of winter; 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 | The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him. |
| 8 | A king who sits on the throne of judgment Scatters all evil with his eyes. |
| 9 | Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin"? |
| 10 | Diverse weights and diverse measures, They are both alike, an abomination to the LORD. |
| 11 | Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right. |
| 12 | The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The LORD has made them both. |
| 13 | 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 the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. |
| 16 | Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger, And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress. |
| 17 | Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. |
| 18 | Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war. |
| 19 | He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips. |
| 20 | Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp will be put out in deep darkness. |
| 21 | An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning Will not be blessed at the end. |
| 22 | Do not say, "I will recompense evil"; 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 | A wise king sifts out the wicked, And brings the threshing wheel over them. |
| 27 | The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the inner depths of his heart. |
| 28 | Mercy and truth preserve the king, And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne. |
| 29 | The glory of young men is their strength, And 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. |
| Proverbs 21 (NKJV™) | |
| 1 | The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. |
| 2 | Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts. |
| 3 | To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. |
| 4 | A haughty look, a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked are sin. |
| 5 | The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty. |
| 6 | Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death. |
| 7 | The violence of the wicked will destroy them, Because they refuse to do justice. |
| 8 | The way of a guilty man is perverse; But as for the pure, his work is right. |
| 9 | Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman. |
| 10 | The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes. |
| 11 | When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge. |
| 12 | The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked, Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness. |
| 13 | Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard. |
| 14 | A gift in secret pacifies anger, And a bribe behind the back, strong wrath. |
| 15 | It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity. |
| 16 | A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead. |
| 17 | He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich. |
| 18 | The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, And the unfaithful for the upright. |
| 19 | Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman. |
| 20 | There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it. |
| 21 | He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness and honor. |
| 22 | A wise man scales the city of the mighty, And brings down the trusted stronghold. |
| 23 | Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles. |
| 24 | A proud and haughty man--"Scoffer" is his name; He acts with arrogant pride. |
| 25 | The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor. |
| 26 | He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare. |
| 27 | The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more when he brings it with wicked intent! |
| 28 | A false witness shall perish, But the man who hears him will speak endlessly. |
| 29 | A wicked man hardens his face, But as for the upright, he establishes his way. |
| 30 | There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the LORD. |
| 31 | The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the LORD. |
| Proverbs 22 (NKJV™) | |
| 1 | A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. |
| 2 | The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all. |
| 3 | A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished. |
| 4 | By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life. |
| 5 | Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them. |
| 6 | Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. |
| 7 | The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. |
| 8 | He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail. |
| 9 | He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor. |
| 10 | Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease. |
| 11 | He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend. |
| 12 | The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless. |
| 13 | The lazy man says, "There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!" |
| 14 | The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there. |
| 15 | Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him. |
| 16 | He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty. |
| 17 | Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; |
| 18 | For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, |
| 19 | So that your trust may be in the LORD; I have instructed you today, even you. |
| 20 | Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, |
| 21 | That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you? |
| 22 | Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; |
| 23 | For the LORD will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them. |
| 24 | Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, |
| 25 | Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul. |
| 26 | Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; |
| 27 | If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you? |
| 28 | Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set. |
| 29 | Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men. |
New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.
Proverbs is a book of wisdom, the thoughts of Israel's King Solomon on the righteous and godly way to live. Skip Heitzig examines its teachings of discernment, discipline, and prudence.
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