The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
My son, hear the instruction of thy father,
And forsake not the law of thy mother:
For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head,
And chains about thy neck.
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee:
Bind them about thy neck;
Write them upon the table of thine heart:
So shalt thou find favour and good understanding
In the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;
And lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him,
And he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes:
Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord;
Neither be weary of his correction:
For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth;
Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
And the man that getteth understanding.
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver,
And the gain thereof than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies:
And all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Length of days is in her right hand;
And in her left hand riches and honour.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
Proverbs 4
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom:
And with all thy getting get understanding.
Exalt her, and she shall promote thee:
She shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace:
A crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
The path of the just is as the shining light,
That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
The way of the wicked is as darkness:
They know not at what they stumble.
Keep thy heart with all diligence;
For out of it are the issues of life.
Go to the ant, thou sluggard;
Consider her ways, and be wise:
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
Provideth her meat in the summer,
And gathereth her food in the harvest.
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?
When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep:
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth,
And thy want as an armed man.
These six things doth the Lord hate:
Yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations,
Feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A false witness that speaketh lies,
And he that soweth discord among brethren.
Doth not wisdom cry?
And understanding put forth her voice?
She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the coming in at the doors.
Unto you, O men, I call;
And my voice is to the sons of man.
Wisdom is better than rubies;
And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
I love them that love me;
And those that seek me early shall find me.
Riches and honour are with me;
Yea, durable riches and righteousness.
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way,
Before his works of old.
I was set up from everlasting,
From the beginning, or ever the earth was.
When there were no depths, I was brought forth;
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills was I brought forth:
While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
Nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
When he prepared the heavens, I was there:
When he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
When he established the clouds above:
When he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
When he gave to the sea his decree,
That the waters should not pass his commandment:
When he appointed the foundations of the earth:
Then I was by him, as one brought up with him:
And I was daily his delight,
Rejoicing always before him;
Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth;
And my delights were with the sons of men.
Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children:
For blessed are they that keep my ways.
Hear instruction, and be wise,
And refuse it not.
Blessed is the man that heareth me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
For whoso findeth me findeth life,
And shall obtain favour of the Lord.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul:
All they that hate me love death.
Proverbs 9
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom:
And the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
A wise son maketh a glad father:
But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand:
But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
Hatred stirreth up strifes:
But love covereth all sins.
He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction:
But he that refuseth reproof erreth.
He that hideth hatred with lying lips,
And he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin:
But he that refraineth his lips is wise.
The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich,
And he addeth no sorrow with it.
When pride cometh, then cometh shame:
But with the lowly is wisdom.
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast:
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes:
But he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
The lip of truth shall be established for ever:
But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Lying lips are abomination to the Lord:
But they that deal truly are his delight.
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise:
But a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
He that spareth his rod hateth his son:
But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth:
But he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
A soft answer turneth away wrath:
But grievous words stir up anger.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Beholding the evil and the good.
A fool despiseth his father's instruction:
But he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
Better is little with the fear of the Lord,
Than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is,
Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
Proverbs 16
Pride goeth before destruction,
And an haughty spirit before a fall.
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
The hoary head is a crown of glory,
If it be found in the way of righteousness.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty;
And he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker:
And he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
Whoso rewardeth evil for good,
Evil shall not depart from his house.
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water:
Therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
A friend loveth at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:
But a broken spirit drieth the bones.
He also that is slothful in his work
Is brother to him that is a great waster.
Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep;
And an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
Even a child is known by his doings,
Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Whoso curseth his father or his mother,
His lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
To do justice and judgment
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor,
He also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man:
He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue
Keepeth his soul from troubles.
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,
And loving favour rather than silver and gold.
The rich and poor meet together:
The Lord is the maker of them all.
Train up a child in the way he should go:
And when he is old, he will not depart from it.
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed;
For he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child;
But the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Rob not the poor, because he is poor:
Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate.
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee,
And despise not thy mother when she is old.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red,
When it giveth his colour in the cup,
When it moveth itself aright.
At the last it biteth like a serpent,
And stingeth like an adder.
Proverbs 24
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth,
And let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth.
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head,
And the Lord shall reward thee.
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?
There is more hope of a fool than of him.
Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein:
And he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
Boast not thyself of to morrow;
For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth;
A stranger, and not thine own lips.
Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not.
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself;
But the simple pass on, and are punished.
Iron sharpeneth iron;
So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof:
So he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
As in water face answereth to face,
So the heart of man to man.
The wicked flee when no man pursueth:
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness,
Than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son:
But he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law,
Even his prayer shall be abomination.
Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way,
He shall fall himself into his own pit:
But the upright shall have good things in possession.
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper:
But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved:
But he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread:
But he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour
Than he that flattereth with the tongue.
Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression;
The same is the companion of a destroyer.
He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife:
But he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat.
He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool:
But whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack:
But he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck,
Shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice:
But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
A man that flattereth his neighbour
Spreadeth a net for his feet.
The righteous considereth the cause of the poor:
But the wicked regardeth not to know it.
If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man,
Whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.
A fool uttereth all his mind:
But a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words?
There is more hope of a fool than of him.
An angry man stirreth up strife,
And a furious man aboundeth in transgression.
A man's pride shall bring him low:
But honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul:
He heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.
The fear of man bringeth a snare:
But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
Every word of God is pure:
He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.