Devious minds are abhorrent to the LORD, but those whose ways are innocent are his delight.

If the righteous receive what they are due here on earth, how much more will the wicked and the sinner.

The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

Deceitful speech is reprehensible to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight.

The lazy person craves, yet receives nothing, but the desires of the diligent are satisfied.

Arrogance only brings quarreling, but those receiving advice are wise.

Poverty and shame are for those who ignore correction, but whoever listens to instruction gains honor.

Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is clean, but profits come through the strength of the ox.

Fools make fun of guilt, but among the upright there are good intentions.

The naive inherit folly, but the careful are crowned with knowledge.

The poor person is shunned by his neighbor, but many are the friends of the wealthy.

Won't those who plot evil go astray? But gracious love and truth are for those who plan what is good.

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing both the evil and the good.

Plans fail without advice, but with many counselors they are confirmed.

To the LORD evil plans are detestable, but pleasant words are pure.

Those who are greedy for unjust gain bring trouble into their homes, but the person who hates bribes will live.

The LORD detests those who are proud; truly they will not go unpunished.

Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; he made all the weights in the bag.

Pleasant words are honey from a honeycomb sweet to the soul and healing for the body.

A worthless person concocts evil gossip his lips are like a burning fire.

Dry crumbs in peace are better than a full meal with strife.

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the pride of children is their parents.

Appropriate speech is inconsistent with the fool; how much more are deceitful statements with a prince!

Exonerating the wicked and condemning the righteous are both detestable to the LORD.

The words a man says are as deep waters a fountain of wisdom is an overflowing stream.

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels as they descend to the innermost parts of the body.

An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and his disputes are like the bars of a fortress.

All the relatives of a poor person shun him how much more do his friends avoid him! Though he runs after them pleading, they aren't around.

A house and self-sufficiency are a father's inheritance, but from the LORD comes an insightful wife.

Condemnation is appropriate for mockers, just as beatings are for the backs of fools.

The intentions of a person's heart are deep waters, but a discerning person reveals them.

The righteous person lives a life of integrity; happy are his children who follow him!

Who can say, "My intentions are pure; I am clean from any sin?"

Even a child is known by his actions, whether his deeds are pure and right.

There is an abundance of gold and precious stones, but lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.

The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not good.

A man's steps are directed by the LORD; how then can anyone understand his own way?

Plans of the persistent surely lead to productivity, but all who are hasty will surely become poor.

Whoever wanders from the path of understanding will end up where the dead are gathered.

The wicked are ransom for the righteous, and the unfaithful for the upright.

Precious treasures and oil are found where the wise live, but a foolish man devours them.

Surely she lies in wait like a bandit, increasing those who are faithless among mankind.

because they plan violence, and they are always talking about trouble.

By knowledge its rooms are furnished with all sorts of expensive and beautiful goods.

If you grow weary when times are troubled, your strength is limited.

Rescue those who are being led away to death, and save those who stumble toward slaughter.

My son, eat honey, because it's good for you; indeed, drippings from the honeycomb are sweet to your taste;

Here are some more proverbs from wise people: It isn't good to show partiality in judgment.

Here are some more proverbs by Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.

Just as the heavens are high and earth is deep, so the heart of a king is unfathomable.

The words of a gossip are like delicate morsels; they sink down deep within.

A clay vessel plated with a thin veneer of silver that's what smooth lips with a wicked heart are.

Though he speaks graciously, don't believe him, for there are seven detestable things in his heart.

Rocks are heavy, and sand is weighty, but a fool's provocation outweighs them both.

Wounds from someone who loves are trustworthy, but kisses from an enemy speak volumes.

Those who are prudent see danger and take refuge, but the naive continue on and suffer the consequences.

A continual dripping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike.

Sheol and Abaddon are never satiated, and neither are human eyes.

The wicked flee, though no one pursues, but the righteous are bold like a lion.

When the righteous are victorious, there is great glory, but when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.

Without prophetic vision, people abandon restraint, but those who obey the Law are happy.

Three things cause wonder for me; four are beyond my understanding:

Four things on earth are small, but they are very, very wise:

Ants aren't a strong species, yet they prepare their food in the summer.

The rock badgers aren't a strong species either, yet they build their dens in the rocks.

Three things are stately in procession, four which are stately in their gait:

She is confident that her profits are sufficient. Her lamp does not go out at night.

She is unafraid of winter's effect on her household, because all of them are warmly clothed.

Strength and dignity are her garments; she smiles about the future.

Indeed, all of his days are filled with sorrow, and his struggles bring grief. In fact, his mind remains restless throughout the night. This is pointless, too!

So I commended the dead who had already died as being happier than the living who are still alive.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.

Don't be surprised when you see the poor oppressed and the violent perverting both justice and verdicts in a province, for one high official watches another, and there are ones higher still over them.

When possessions increase, so does the number of consumers; therefore what good are they to their owners, except to look at them?

A man might father a hundred children, and live for many years, so that the length of his life is long but if his life does not overflow with goodness, and he doesn't receive a proper burial, I maintain that stillborn children are better off than he is,

because stillborn children arrive in pointlessness, leave in darkness, and their names are covered in darkness.

Furthermore, though they never saw the sun nor learned anything, they are more content than the other.

Even if he lives a thousand years twice over without experiencing the best aren't all of them going to the same place?

When times are good, be joyful; when times are bad, consider this: God made the one as well as the other, so people won't seek anything outside of his best.

I discovered for myself a bitterness that surpasses that of death: the woman whose heart is full of snares and nets, whose hands are chains of bondage. Whoever pleases God will escape from her, but the transgressor will be trapped by her.

Since a king's command is powerful, who is able to challenge him, asking, "What are you doing?"

So I watched the wicked being entombed. They used to come in and out of the Holy Place, but now they are forgotten in the city, where they used to work. This, too, is pointless.

In light of all of this, I committed myself to explain it this way: the righteous and the wise, along with everything they do, are in the hands of God. Furthermore, as to love and hate, no human being knows everything concerning them.

There is a tragedy that infects everything that happens on earth: a common event happens to everyone. In fact, the hearts of human beings are full of evil. Madness remains in their hearts while they live, and afterwards they join the dead.

In addition, no human being knows his time: Like fish captured in a cruel net, or as birds caught in a snare, so also are human beings caught by bad timing that surprises them.

So I concluded, "Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless, the wisdom of the poor is rejected his words are never heard."

The softly spoken words of the wise are to be heard rather than the shouts of a ruler of fools.

The words spoken by the wise are gracious, but the lips of a fool will devour him.

Festivals are for laughter, wine makes life pleasant, and money speaks to everything.

If the clouds are full of rain, they will pour out on the earth; if a tree falls toward the south or the north, wherever it falls, there it will lay.

Even if a person lives many years, let him enjoy them all, recalling that there will be many days of darkness to come all of which are pointless.

Banish sorrow from your heart, and evil from your body, since both childhood and the prime of life are pointless.

when that day comes, the palace guards will tremble, strong men will stoop down, women grinders will cease because they are few, and the sight of those who peer through the lattice will grow dim.

The doors to the street will be shut when the sound of grinding decreases, when one wakes up at the song of a bird, and all of the singing women are silenced.

Sayings from the wise are like cattle prods and well fastened nails; this masterful collection was given by one shepherd.

Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.

Look at you! You are beautiful, my darling. Look at you! You are so beautiful. Your eyes are doves.

Look at you! You are handsome, my beloved, truly lovely. How lush is our couch.

The beams of our house are cedar, our rafters are pine.

Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that destroy the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom."