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Proverb 23 (NKJV) Listen to Your Father 01 When you sit down to eat with a ruler, 00 Consider carefully what is before you; 02 And put a knife to your throat 00 If you are a man given to appetite. 03 Do not desire his delicacies, 00 For they are deceptive food. 04 Do not overwork to be rich; 00 Because of your own understanding, cease! 05 Will you set your eyes on that which is not? 00 For riches certainly make themselves wings; 00 They fly away like an eagle toward heaven. 06 Do not eat the...

Proverb 22 (NKJV) The Value of a Good Name01 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, 00Loving favor rather than silver and gold. 02 The rich and the poor have this in common, 00 The LORD is the maker of them all. 03 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, 00 But the simple pass on and are punished. 04 By humility and the fear of the LORD 00 Are riches and honor and life. 05 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; 00 He who guards his soul will be...

Proverb 21 (NKJV) The LORD Considers the Heart 01 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, 00 Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. 02 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, 00 But the LORD weighs the hearts. 03 To do righteousness and justice 00 Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. 04 A haughty look, a proud heart, 00 And the plowing of the wicked are sin. 05 The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, 00 But those of everyone who is hasty,...

We are reading from the Book of Proverbs in the Office of Readings just now. In it are many good descriptions, or maxims that state well what we who are believers and seek wisdom are up against. They have a lot to say of the times in which we live.I’d like to review a few of the sayings that came up Wednesday in the Office. But before doing so it seems necessary to fend off a possible misunderstanding that some times results from the distinction in the Wisdom tradition between the wise one and the “fool.” Without a richer understanding...

Proverb 20 (NKJV) Wine Is a Mocker 01 Wine is a mocker, 00 Strong drink is a brawler, 00 And whoever is led astray by it is not wise. 02 The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; 00 Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life. 03 It is honorable for a man to stop striving, 00 Since any fool can start a quarrel. 04 The lazy man will not plow because of winter; 00 He will beg during harvest and have nothing. 05 Counsel in the heart of man is like...

Proverb 19 (NKJV) The Fear of the Lord Leads to Life 01 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity 00 Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. 02 Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, 00 And he sins who hastens with his feet. 03 The foolishness of a man twists his way, 00 And his heart frets against the LORD. 04 Wealth makes many friends, 00 But the poor is separated from his friend. 05 A false witness will not go unpunished, 00 And he who...

Proverb 18 (NKJV) The Name of the LORD Is a Strong Tower 01 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; 00 He rages against all wise judgment. 02 A fool has no delight in understanding, 00 But in expressing his own heart. 03 When the wicked comes, contempt comes also; 00 And with dishonor comes reproach. 04 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; 00 The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook. 05 It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, 00 Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment. 06 A fool's...

Proverb 17 (NKJV) The LORD Tests Hearts 01 Better is a dry morsel with quietness, 00 Than a house full of feasting with strife. 02 A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame, 00 And will share an inheritance among the brothers. 03 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, 00 But the LORD tests the hearts. 04 An evildoer gives heed to false lips; 00 A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue. 05 He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; 00 He who is glad at calamity will not...

Proverb 16 (NKJV) Wisdom Is Better Than Gold 01 The preparations of the heart belong to man, 00 But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. 02 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, 00 But the LORD weighs the spirits. 03 Commit your works to the LORD, 00 And your thoughts will be established. 04 The LORD has made all for Himself, 00 Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom. 05 Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; 00 Though they join forces, none will go...

Proverb 15 (NKJV)01 A soft answer turns away wrath, 00 But a harsh word stirs up anger. 02; The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, 00 But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. 03 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, 00 Keeping watch on the evil and the good. 04 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, 00 But perverseness in it breaks the spirit. 05 A fool despises his father's instruction, 00 But he who receives correction is prudent. 06 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, 00 But in...

Proverb 14 (NKJV) The Ways of Life and Death 01 The wise woman builds her house, 00 But the foolish pulls it down with her hands. 02 He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, 00 But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him. 03 In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, 00 But the lips of the wise will preserve them. 04 Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; 00 But much increase comes by the strength of an ox. 05 A faithful witness does not lie, 00 But a...

Wisdom Loves Righteousness 1 A wise son heeds his father's instruction, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. 2 A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth, But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence. 3 He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction. 4 The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich. 5 A righteous man hates lying, But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame. 6 Righteousness guards...

The purpose of Writing the book of Proverbs by Solomon is to reveal the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and Godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings. Without wisdom, knowledge is nothing more than an accumulation of raw facts, influenced by emotional feelings. Many highly educated people are in positions of power in the United States,...

This chapter continues the miscellaneous proverbs which began in chapter ten, and because of the character of these, the same subject seldom covers more than just a few verses together. Here, reference is made several times to the folly of trusting in riches, and there is the frequent contrast between the righteous and the wicked, but other than these, no general theme is traceable for many verses.Proverb 11 (NKJV) The Folly of Wickedness01 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, 00 But a just weight is His delight. 02 When pride comes, then comes shame; 00 But with the...

Many actually believe they have been actually reading proverbs all along from chapter 1 to 9, but in fact those 9 chapters were originally written more as an introduction to proverbs, whereas chapter 10 is where Solomon's Proverbs actually begins. From here on forth, most of the proverbs are short an pithy, with two sentences in one verse. These verses correspond with each other by an opposition of terms and sentiments. The second verse is contrasted with the first by illustrating an opposit action or result from differnt behavior. Seldom is there any coherence between the verses, much less...

Today's Proverbs paints a vivid picture of wisdom vs folly, personified as two women. One woman, Wisdom, has prepared tasty meat and mixed wine. She sends out her young women to call out from the city’s high places, inviting the naïve and immature to come to her feast. Here they will gain insight and understanding. Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town, “Whoever is...

In contrast to the evil woman of chapter 7, another “woman” is presented: Wisdom personified again as a prophetess whose call the son should heed. After calling to all classes of men to come and be wise, Wisdom praises in the first person her own moral excellence and value. Furthermore, the Lord Himself did not begin to create the universe apart from wisdom. The climax of the passage is found in verses 32-36: whoso findeth me findeth life (v.35). Although some have associated verses 22-31 with the creative work of the pre-incarnate Christ who is revealed as the Wisdom...

The purpose of Writing the book of Proverbs by Solomon is to reveal the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and Godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings. Without wisdom, knowledge is nothing more than an accumulation of raw facts, influenced by emotional feelings. Many highly educated people are in positions of power in the United States, but...

The Bible, long debated as the bestsellingest book of all time, might also be one of the most quoted texts. But how much of what is cited as coming from the Old and New Testaments is actually in the Bible?"Spare the rod, spoil the child" This could very well be a paraphrase of Proverbs 13:24, but the statement doesn't really exist in any translation of the Bible. The Bible verse actually reads: "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him."Samuel Butler, a 17th century British poet, actually coined the phrase...

The House of the Righteous Shall Stand         1 Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,         But he who hates correction is stupid.         2 A good man obtains favor from the LORD,         But a man of wicked intentions He will condemn.         3 A man is not established by wickedness,         But the root of the righteous cannot be moved.         4 An excellent[1] wife is the crown of her husband,         But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.         5 The thoughts of the righteous are right,         But the counsels of the...