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[1] Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler;
and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
[2] The dread wrath of a king is like the growling of a lion;
he who provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
[3] It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife;
but every fool will be quarreling.
[4] The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
[5] The purpose in a man’s mind is like deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
[6] Many a man proclaims his own loyalty,
but a faithful man who can find?
[7] A righteous man who walks in his integrity —
blessed are his sons after him!
[8] A king who sits on the throne of judgment
winnows 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
are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
[11] Even a child makes himself known by his acts,
whether what he does is pure and right.
[12] The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
the LORD has made them both.
[13] Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
[14] “It is bad, it is bad,” says the buyer;
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
[15] There is gold, and abundance of costly stones;
but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
[16] Take a man’s garment when he has given surety for a stranger,
and hold him in pledge when he gives surety for foreigners.
[17] Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
[18] Plans are established by counsel;
by wise guidance wage war.
[19] He who goes about gossiping reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with one who speaks foolishly.
[20] If one curses his father or his mother,
his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
[21] An inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning
will in the end not be blessed.
[22] Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
wait for the LORD, and he will help you.
[23] Diverse weights are an abomination to the LORD,
and false scales are not good.
[24] A man’s steps are ordered by the LORD;
how then can man understand his way?
[25] It is a snare for a man to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and to reflect only after making his vows.
[26] A wise king winnows the wicked,
and drives the wheel over them.
[27] The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD,
searching all his innermost parts.
[28] Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king,
and his throne is upheld by righteousness.
[29] The glory of young men is their strength,
but the beauty of old men is their gray hair.
[30] Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean the innermost parts.
The Book of Proverbs is provided for non-commercial purposes by the University of Pennsylvania Center for Computer Analysis of Texts. Licensing information can be found here.
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