Proverbs concerning Life and Conduct

16¹ The designs of the heart are man's, but the answer of the tongue comes from the Lord.

² All a man's ways are clean to himself; but the Lord puts men's spirits into his scales.

³ Put your works into the hands of the Lord, and your purposes will be made certain.

⁴ The Lord has made everything for his purpose, even the sinner for the day of evil.

⁵ Everyone who has pride in his heart is disgusting to the Lord: he will certainly not go free from punishment.

⁶ By mercy and good faith evil-doing is taken away: and by the fear of the Lord men are turned away from evil.

⁷ When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his haters be at peace with him.

⁸ Better is a little with righteousness, than great wealth with wrongdoing.

⁹ A man may make designs for his way, but the Lord is the guide of his steps.

¹⁰ Decision is in the lips of the king: his mouth will not go wrong in judging.

¹¹ True measures and scales are the Lord's: all the weights of the bag are his work.

¹² Evil-doing is disgusting to kings: for the seat of the ruler is based on righteousness.

¹³ Lips of righteousness are the delight of kings; and he who says what is upright is dear to him.

¹⁴ The wrath of the king is like those who give news of death, but a wise man will put peace in place of it. ¹⁵ In the light of the king's face there is life; and his approval is like a cloud of spring rain.

¹⁶ How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! and to get knowledge is more to be desired than silver.

¹⁷ The highway of the upright is to be turned away from evil: he who takes care of his way will keep his soul.

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction, and a stiff spirit before a fall.

¹⁹ Better it is to have a gentle spirit with the poor, than to take part in the rewards of war with men of pride.

²⁰ He who gives attention to the law of right will get good; and whoever puts his faith in the Lord is happy.

²¹ The wise-hearted will be named men of good sense: and by pleasing words learning is increased.

²² Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it; but the punishment of the foolish is their foolish behaviour.

²³ The heart of the wise man is the teacher of his mouth, and gives increased learning to his lips.

²⁴ Pleasing words are like honey, sweet to the soul and new life to the bones.

²⁵ There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.

²⁶ The desire of the working man is working for him, for his need of food is driving him on.

²⁷ A good-for-nothing man is a designer of evil, and in his lips there is a burning fire. ²⁸ A man of twisted purposes is a cause of fighting everywhere: and he who says evil secretly makes trouble between friends.

²⁹ A violent man puts desire of evil into his neighbour's mind, and makes him go in a way which is not good. ³⁰ He whose eyes are shut is a man of twisted purposes, and he who keeps his lips shut tight makes evil come about.

³¹ The grey head is a crown of glory, if it is seen in the way of righteousness.

³² He who is slow to be angry is better than a man of war, and he who has control over his spirit than he who takes a town.

³³ A thing may be put to the decision of chance, but it comes about through the Lord.

17¹ Better a bit of dry bread in peace, than a house full of feasting and violent behaviour.

² A servant who does wisely will have rule over a son causing shame, and will have his part in the heritage among brothers.

³ The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.

⁴ A wrongdoer gives attention to evil lips, and a man of deceit gives ear to a damaging tongue.

⁵ Whoever makes sport of the poor puts shame on his Maker; and he who is glad because of trouble will not go free from punishment.

⁶ Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their fathers.

⁷ Fair words are not to be looked for from a foolish man, much less are false lips in a ruler.

⁸ An offering of money is like a stone of great price in the eyes of him who has it: wherever he goes, he does well.

⁹ He who keeps a sin covered is looking for love; but he who keeps on talking of a thing makes division between friends.

¹⁰ A word of protest goes deeper into one who has sense than a hundred blows into a foolish man.

¹¹ An uncontrolled man is only looking for trouble, so a cruel servant will be sent against him.

¹² It is better to come face to face with a bear whose young ones have been taken away than with a foolish man acting foolishly.

¹³ If anyone gives back evil for good, evil will never go away from his house.

¹⁴ The start of fighting is like the letting out of water: so give up before it comes to blows.

¹⁵ He who gives a decision for the evil-doer and he who gives a decision against the upright, are equally disgusting to the Lord.

¹⁶ How will money in the hand of the foolish get him wisdom, seeing that he has no sense?

¹⁷ A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble.

¹⁸ A man without sense gives his hand in an agreement, and makes himself responsible before his neighbour.

¹⁹ The lover of fighting is a lover of sin: he who makes high his doorway is looking for destruction.

²⁰ Nothing good comes to him whose heart is fixed on evil purposes: and he who has an evil tongue will come to trouble.

²¹ He who has an unwise son gets sorrow for himself, and the father of a foolish son has no joy.

²² A glad heart makes a healthy body, but a crushed spirit makes the bones dry.

²³ A sinner takes an offering out of his robe, to get a decision for himself in a cause.

²⁴ Wisdom is before the face of him who has sense; but the eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth.

²⁵ A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitter pain to her who gave him birth.

²⁶ To give punishment to the upright is not good, or to give blows to the noble for their righteousness.

²⁷ He who has knowledge says little: and he who has a calm spirit is a man of good sense. ²⁸ Even the foolish man, when he keeps quiet, is taken to be wise: when his lips are shut he is credited with good sense.

18¹ He who keeps himself separate for his private purpose goes against all good sense.

² A foolish man has no pleasure in good sense, but only to let what is in his heart come to light.

³ When the evil-doer comes, a low opinion comes with him, and with the loss of honour comes shame.

⁴ The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters: the fountain of wisdom is like a flowing stream.

⁵ To have respect for the person of the evil-doer is not good, or to give a wrong decision against the upright.

⁶ A foolish man's lips are a cause of fighting, and his mouth makes him open to blows. ⁷ The mouth of a foolish man is his destruction, and his lips are a net for his soul.

⁸ The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, and go down into the inner parts of the stomach.

⁹ He who does not give his mind to his work is brother to him who makes destruction.

¹⁰ The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the upright man running into it is safe.

¹¹ The property of a man of wealth is his strong town, and it is as a high wall in the thoughts of his heart.

¹² Before destruction the heart of man is full of pride, and before honour goes a gentle spirit.

¹³ To give an answer before hearing is a foolish thing and a cause of shame.

¹⁴ The spirit of a man will be his support when he is ill; but how may a broken spirit be lifted up?

¹⁵ The heart of the man of good sense gets knowledge; the ear of the wise is searching for knowledge.

¹⁶ A man's offering makes room for him, letting him come before great men.

¹⁷ The man who first puts his cause before the judge seems to be in the right; but then his neighbour comes and puts his cause in its true light.

¹⁸ The decision of chance puts an end to argument, parting the strong.

¹⁹ A brother wounded is like a strong town, and violent acts are like a locked tower.

²⁰ With the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach will be full; the produce of his lips will be his in full measure.

²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and those to whom it is dear will have its fruit for their food.

²² Whoever gets a wife gets a good thing, and has the approval of the Lord.

²³ The poor man makes requests for grace, but the man of wealth gives a rough answer.

²⁴ There are friends who may be a man's destruction, but there is a lover who keeps nearer than a brother.

6¹ We then, working together with God, make our request to you not to take the grace of God to no purpose. ² (For he says, I have given ear to you at a good time, and I have been your helper in a day of salvation: see, now is the good time; now is the day of salvation): ³ Giving no cause for trouble in anything, so that no one may be able to say anything against our work; ⁴ But in everything making it clear that we are the servants of God, in quiet strength, in troubles, in need, in sorrow, ⁵ In blows, in prisons, in attacks, in hard work, in watchings, in going without food; ⁶ In a clean heart, in knowledge, in long waiting, in being kind, in the Holy Spirit, in true love, ⁷ In the true word, in the power of God; with the arms of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, ⁸ By glory and by shame, by an evil name and a good name; as untrue, and still true; ⁹ Unnoted, but still kept fully in mind; as near to death, but still living; as undergoing punishment, but not put to death; ¹⁰ As full of sorrow, but ever glad; as poor, but giving wealth to others; as having nothing, but still having all things.

¹¹ Our mouth is open to you, O Corinthians, our heart is wide. ¹² It is not our feelings to you which are narrow, but yours to us. ¹³ Now to give me back payment of the same sort (I am talking as to my children), let your hearts be wide open to me.

Ye Are the Temple of the Living God

¹⁴ Do not keep company with those who have not faith: for what is there in common between righteousness and evil, or between light and dark? ¹⁵ And what agreement is there between Christ and the Evil One? or what part has one who has faith with one who has not? ¹⁶ And what agreement has the house of God with images? for we are a house of the living God; even as God has said, I will be living among them, and walking with them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people. ¹⁷ For which cause, Come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord, and let no unclean thing come near you; and I will take you for myself, ¹⁸ And will be a Father to you; and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord, the Ruler of all.