Proverbs 22:16--24:34

22:16 The one who oppresses the poor to increase his own gain

and the one who gives to the rich – both end up only in poverty.

The Sayings of the Wise

22:17 Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise,

and apply your heart to my instruction.

22:18 For it is pleasing if you keep these sayings within you,

and they are ready on your lips.

22:19 So that your confidence may be in the Lord,

I am making them known to you today – even you.

22:20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,

sayings of counsel and knowledge,

22:21 to show you true and reliable words,

so that you may give accurate answers to those who sent you?

22:22 Do not exploit a poor person because he is poor

and do not crush the needy in court,

22:23 for the Lord will plead their case

and will rob those who are robbing them.

22:24 Do not make friends with an angry person,

and do not associate with a wrathful person,

22:25 lest you learn his ways

and entangle yourself in a snare.

22:26 Do not be one who strikes hands in pledge

or who puts up security for debts.

22:27 If you do not have enough to pay,

your bed will be taken right out from under you!

22:28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone

which was put in place by your ancestors.

22:29 Do you see a person skilled in his work?

He will take his position before kings;

he will not take his position before obscure people.

23:1 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,

consider carefully what is before you,

23:2 and put a knife to your throat

if you possess a large appetite.

23:3 Do not crave that ruler’s delicacies,

for that food is deceptive.

23:4 Do not wear yourself out to become rich;

be wise enough to restrain yourself.

23:5 When you gaze upon riches, they are gone,

for they surely make wings for themselves,

and fly off into the sky like an eagle!

23:6 Do not eat the food of a stingy person,

do not crave his delicacies;

23:7 for he is like someone calculating the cost in his mind.

“Eat and drink,” he says to you,

but his heart is not with you;

23:8 you will vomit up the little bit you have eaten,

and will have wasted your pleasant words.

23:9 Do not speak in the ears of a fool,

for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

23:10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone,

or take over the fields of the fatherless,

23:11 for their Protector is strong;

he will plead their case against you.

23:12 Apply your heart to instruction

and your ears to the words of knowledge.

23:13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;

even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

23:14 If you strike him with the rod,

you will deliver him from death.

23:15 My child, if your heart is wise,

then my heart also will be glad;

23:16 my soul will rejoice

when your lips speak what is right.

23:17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,

but rather be zealous in fearing the Lord all the time.

23:18 For surely there is a future,

and your hope will not be cut off.

23:19 Listen, my child, and be wise,

and guide your heart on the right way.

23:20 Do not spend time among drunkards,

among those who eat too much meat,

23:21 because drunkards and gluttons become impoverished,

and drowsiness clothes them with rags.

23:22 Listen to your father who begot you,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23:23 Acquire truth and do not sell it –

wisdom, and discipline, and understanding.

23:24 The father of a righteous person will rejoice greatly;

whoever fathers a wise child will have joy in him.

23:25 May your father and your mother have joy;

may she who bore you rejoice.

23:26 Give me your heart, my son,

and let your eyes observe my ways;

23:27 for a prostitute is like a deep pit;

a harlot is like a narrow well.

23:28 Indeed, she lies in wait like a robber,

and increases the unfaithful among men.

23:29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has contentions? Who has complaints?

Who has wounds without cause? Who has dullness of the eyes?

23:30 Those who linger over wine,

those who go looking for mixed wine.

23:31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,

when it sparkles in the cup,

when it goes down smoothly.

23:32 Afterward it bites like a snake,

and stings like a viper.

23:33 Your eyes will see strange things,

and your mind will speak perverse things.

23:34 And you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,

and like one who lies down on the top of the rigging.

23:35 You will say, “They have struck me, but I am not harmed!

They beat me, but I did not know it!

When will I awake? I will look for another drink.”

24:1 Do not envy evil people,

do not desire to be with them;

24:2 for their hearts contemplate violence,

and their lips speak harm.

24:3 By wisdom a house is built,

and through understanding it is established;

24:4 by knowledge its rooms are filled

with all kinds of precious and pleasing treasures.

24:5 A wise warrior is strong,

and a man of knowledge makes his strength stronger;

24:6 for with guidance you wage your war,

and with numerous advisers there is victory.

24:7 Wisdom is unattainable for a fool;

in court he does not open his mouth.

24:8 The one who plans to do evil

will be called a scheming person.

24:9 A foolish scheme is sin,

and the scorner is an abomination to people.

24:10 If you faint in the day of trouble,

your strength is small!

24:11 Deliver those being taken away to death,

and hold back those slipping to the slaughter.

24:12 If you say, “But we did not know about this,”

does not the one who evaluates hearts consider?

Does not the one who guards your life know?

Will he not repay each person according to his deeds?

24:13 Eat honey, my child, for it is good,

and honey from the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.

24:14 Likewise, know that wisdom is sweet to your soul;

if you find it, you will have a future,

and your hope will not be cut off.

24:15 Do not lie in wait like the wicked against the place where the righteous live;

do not assault his home.

24:16 Although a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again,

but the wicked will be brought down by calamity.

24:17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,

and when he stumbles do not let your heart rejoice,

24:18 lest the Lord see it, and be displeased,

and turn his wrath away from him.

24:19 Do not fret because of evil people

or be envious of wicked people,

24:20 for the evil person has no future,

and the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.

24:21 Fear the Lord, my child, as well as the king,

and do not associate with rebels,

24:22 for suddenly their destruction will overtake them,

and who knows the ruinous judgment both the Lord and the king can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

24:23 These sayings also are from the wise:

To show partiality in judgment is terrible:

24:24 The one who says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”

peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him.

24:25 But there will be delight for those who convict the guilty,

and a pleasing blessing will come on them.

24:26 Like a kiss on the lips

is the one who gives an honest answer.

24:27 Establish your work outside and get your fields ready;

afterward build your house.

24:28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,

and do not deceive with your words.

24:29 Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me;

I will pay him back according to what he has done.”

24:30 I passed by the field of a sluggard,

by the vineyard of one who lacks wisdom.

24:31 I saw that thorns had grown up all over it,

the ground was covered with weeds,

and its stone wall was broken down.

24:32 When I saw this, I gave careful consideration to it;

I received instruction from what I saw:

24:33 “A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to relax,

24:34 and your poverty will come like a bandit,

and your need like an armed robber.”