Proverbs 21-24

Chapter 21

The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turns it whithersoever he will. 2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord ponders the hearts.

3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. 4 A high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of everyone that is hasty only to want. 6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

7 The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment. 8 The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right. 9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house. 10 The soul of the wicked desires evil: his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

11 When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge. 12 The righteous man wisely considers the house of the wicked: but God overthrows the wicked for their wickedness.

13 Whoso stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. 14 A gift in secret pacifies anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath. 15 It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. 16 The man that wanders out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

17 He that loves pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loves wine and oil shall not be rich. 18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright. 19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spends it up. 21 He that follows after righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor. 22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty, and casts down the strength of the confidence thereof. 23 Whoso keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who deals in proud wrath. 25 The desire of the slothful kills him; for his hands refuse to labor. 26 He covets greedily all the day long: but the righteous gives and spares not.

27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind? 28 A false witness shall perish: but the man that hears speaks constantly. 29 A wicked man hardens his face: but as for the upright, he directs his way.

30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. 31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.

Chapter 22

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold. 2 The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all.

3 A prudent man foresees the 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 froward: he that does keep his soul shall 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 that sows iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. 9 He that has a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he gives of his bread to the poor.

10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. 11 He that loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend. 12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, and he overthrows the words of the transgressor.

13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. 14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein. 15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

16 He that oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he that gives to the rich, shall surely come to want. 17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. 18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. 19 That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. 20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, 21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou might answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: 23 For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. 24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shall not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. 26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. 27 If thou have nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? 28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. 29 See thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

Chapter 23

When thou sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: 2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. 3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat. 4 Labor not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. 5 Will thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. 6 Eat thou not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: 7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. 8 The morsel which thou have eaten shall thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words. 9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words. 10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: 11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee. 12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. 13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die. 14 Thou shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell.

15 My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. 16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things. 17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. 18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off. 19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. 20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. 23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. 24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begets a wise child shall have joy of him. 25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice. 26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. 27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. 28 She also lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men.

29 Who has woe? who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of eyes? 30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it gives his color in the cup, when it moves itself aright. 32 At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder. 33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. 34 Yea, thou shall be as he that lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lies upon the top of a mast. 35 They have stricken me, shall thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Chapter 24

Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. 2 For their heart studies destruction, and their lips talk of mischief. 3 Through wisdom is a house built; and by understanding it is established: 4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. 5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increases strength. 6 For by wise counsel thou shall make thy war: and in multitude of counselors there is safety. 7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he opens not his mouth in the gate.

8 He that devises to do evil shall be called a mischievous person. 9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men. 10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. 11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; 12 If thou say, Behold, we knew it not; does not He that ponders the heart consider it? and He that keeps thy soul, does not He know it? and shall not He render to every man according to his works? 13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: 14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou have found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

15 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place: 16 For a just man falls seven times, and rises up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. 17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falls, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbles: 18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him. 19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; 20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. 21 My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: 22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knows the ruin of them both?

23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. 24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: 25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them. 26 Every man shall kiss his lips that gives a right answer. 27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house. 28 Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; and deceive not with thy lips. 29 Say not, I will do so to him as he has done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. 33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travels; and thy want as an armed man.

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King James Version Bible. It was authorized by King James I. It was translated by the Church of England and was first published in 1611.

God’s words are in red letters, old and new testament, as it should be. It is in paragraph form for easy reading. With all verses numbers labeled in blue for quick reference.

The Apocrypha was in the original King James version of the Bible. It should never have been removed. At the time Jesus was on earth the old testament and the Apocrypha scriptures were studied.

All scripture is Jewish scripture, Judaism is a religion not an ethnicity. Jesus is the Savior of the Jews. He is the Head of the Church.

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

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