An appropriate answer brings joy to a person, and a well-timed word is a good thing.

The house of the proud the LORD will demolish, but he will protect the widow's boundary line.

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

Whoever listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.

Entrust your work to the LORD, and your planning will succeed.

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

When a person's ways please the LORD, even his enemies will be at peace with him.

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

The king's wrath results in a death sentence, but whoever is wise will appease him.

A prudent servant will rule in place of a disgraceful son and will share in the inheritance among brothers.

Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their maker, and whoever is happy about disaster will not go unpunished.

A rebellious person seeks evil; a cruel emissary will be sent to oppose him.

The person who repays good with evil will never see evil leave his home.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is there for times of trouble.

Whoever isolates himself pursues selfish ends; he resists all sound advice.

The wealth of a rich person is his fortified city; in his own imagination, it is like a high wall.

The mind of a discerning person gains knowledge, while the ears of wise people seek out knowledge.

The positive words that a man speaks fill his stomach; he will be satisfied with what his lips produce.

The power of the tongue is life and death those who love to talk will eat what it produces.

A witness to lies will not go unpunished; the teller of falsehoods will not escape.

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.

Whoever obtains wisdom loves himself, and whoever treasures understanding will prosper.

A witness to lies will not go unpunished; the teller of falsehoods will perish.

Laziness puts one to sleep, and an idle person will go hungry.

Whoever obeys a commandment keeps himself safe, but someone who is contemptuous in conduct will die.

Whoever is kind to the poor is lending to the LORD the benefit of his gift will return to him in abundance.

Discipline your son while there is still hope but don't set your heart on his destruction.

The person who has great anger must pay the consequences, because if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

Many plans occupy the mind of a man, but the LORD's purposes will prevail.

The fear of the LORD leads to life; whoever is satisfied with it will rest, untouched by evil.

If you scourge a scoffer, the simple person may learn to be discreet; rebuke a discerning man and he will gain understanding.

My son, if you stop listening to instruction, you will stray from the principles of knowledge.

A king sits on a throne of justice, sifting out all sorts of evil with his glance.

Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but later his mouth will be full of gravel.

Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in the deepest darkness.

An inheritance quickly obtained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end.

Don't say "I'll avenge that wrong!" Wait on the LORD and he will deliver you.

A wise king sifts the wicked, crushing them with the threshing wheel.

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

Devastation caused by the wicked will drag them away because they refuse to do what is just.

Whoever refuses to hear the cry of the poor will also cry himself, but he won't be answered.

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

Pleasure lovers become poor; loving wine and oil doesn't bring riches.

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

What the lazy person craves will kill him, because his hands refuse to work.

All day long he continues to crave, while the righteous person gives without holding back.

A false witness will perish, but whoever listens will testify successfully.

Train a child in the way appropriate for him, and when he becomes older, he will not turn from it.

Whoever sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the anger he uses for a weapon will be destroyed.

Whoever is generous will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

Throw out the mocker and strife departs, too; furthermore, quarrels and discord will end.

Whoever loves purity and gracious speech will gain the king as his friend.

The lazy person says, "There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the street!"

The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; a man experiencing the LORD's wrath will fall into it.

Whoever oppresses the poor to enrich himself and whoever gives gifts to the wealthy will yield only loss.

As a result, your trust will be in the LORD, that's why I'm teaching you today, even you.

for the LORD will plead their case and ruin the lives of those who ruin them.

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will work for kings, not unimportant people.

You'll vomit up what little you've eaten, and your compliments will have been wasted.

for strong is their Redeemer who will take up their case against you.

Punish him with a rod, and you will rescue his soul from Sheol.

My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will greatly rejoice.

My innermost being will be glad when your lips speak what is right.

for there is surely a future life, and what you hope for will not be cut off.

because drunks and gluttons tend to become poor, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.

The father of a righteous person will greatly rejoice; whoever fathers a wise son will be glad because of him.

because a prostitute is a deep pit, and the adulterous woman a narrow well.

Eventually it will bite like a snake and sting like a serpent.

Your eyes will see strange things, and with slurred words you'll speak what you really believe.

You will be like someone who lies down in the sea, or like someone who sleeps on top of a mast.

"They struck me," you will say, "but I never felt it. They beat me, but I never knew it When will I wake up? I want another drink."

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

For through wise counsel you will wage your war, and victory lies in an abundance of advisors.

The person who plans on doing evil will be called a schemer.

Keep in mind that wisdom is like that for your soul; if you find it, there will be a future for you, and what you hope for won't be cut short.

for though a righteous man falls seven times, he will rise again, but the wicked stumble into calamity.

Otherwise the LORD will observe and disapprove, and he will turn his anger away from him.

For the wicked man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.

They will be destroyed suddenly, and who knows what kind of punishment will come from these two?

Whoever says to the wicked, "You're in the right," will be cursed by people and hated by nations.

But as for people who rebuke the wicked; a good blessing will fall upon them.

There it was, overgrown with thistles, the ground covered with thorns, its stone wall collapsed.

Then your poverty will come upon you like a robber, your need like an armed bandit.

Purge the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

don't be in a hurry to argue in court. Otherwise, what will you do later on when your neighbor humiliates you?

Otherwise, anyone who hears will make you ashamed, and your bad reputation will never leave you.

For you'll be piling burning coals of shame on his head and the LORD will reward you.

A muddied spring or a polluted well that's what a righteous person is who compromises with the wicked.

Like a fluttering sparrow or a swallow in flight, a curse without cause will not alight.

Don't answer a fool according to his foolishness, or you will be just like him.

Answer a fool according to his foolishness, or he will think himself to be wise.

Though malice disguises itself with deception, its evil will be exposed publicly.

Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and the stone will come back on whoever starts it rolling.

A friend's loud blessing early in the morning will be thought of as a curse.

Trying to keep her in check is like stopping a wind storm or grabbing oil with your right hand.

Whoever nurtures the fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever obeys his master will be honored.

Keep well informed of the condition of your flocks and pay attention to your herds,

When the grass disappears, and new growth appears, the mountain spices will be harvested,

the lambs will supply your clothing, and your goats the price of a field.

You will have enough goat's milk to drink and to supply your household needs, as well as sustenance for your servant girls.