¹ Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.

² When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.

³ The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted.

⁴ A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it.

⁵ To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet.

⁶ Evil people are trapped by sin, but the righteous escape, shouting for joy.

⁷ The godly care about the rights of the poor; the wicked don’t care at all.

⁸ Mockers can get a whole town agitated, but the wise will calm anger.

⁹ If a wise person takes a fool to court, there will be ranting and ridicule but no satisfaction.

¹⁰ The bloodthirsty hate blameless people, but the upright seek to help them.

¹¹ Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.

¹² If a ruler pays attention to liars, all his advisers will be wicked.

¹³ The poor and the oppressor have this in common— the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.

¹⁴ If a king judges the poor fairly, his throne will last forever.

¹⁵ To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.

¹⁶ When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes, but the godly will live to see their downfall.

¹⁷ Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad.

¹⁸ When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.

But whoever obeys the law is joyful.

¹⁹ Words alone will not discipline a servant; the words may be understood, but they are not heeded.

²⁰ There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.

²¹ A servant pampered from childhood will become a rebel.

²² An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.

²³ Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.

²⁴ If you assist a thief, you only hurt yourself. You are sworn to tell the truth, but you dare not testify.

²⁵ Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.

²⁶ Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice comes from the Lord.

²⁷ The righteous despise the unjust; the wicked despise the godly.

Proverbs 30

The Sayings of Agur

¹ The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message.

I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God.

² I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense.

³ I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.

⁴ Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists?

Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak?

Who has created the whole wide world?

What is his name—and his son’s name?

Tell me if you know!

⁵ Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.

⁶ Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.

⁷ O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die.

⁸ First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.

⁹ For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.

¹⁰ Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.

¹¹ Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother.

¹² They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed.

¹³ They look proudly around, casting disdainful glances.

¹⁴ They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.

¹⁵ The leech has two suckers that cry out, “More, more!” There are three things that are never satisfied— no, four that never say, “Enough!”: ¹⁶ the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire.

¹⁷ The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother’s instructions will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures.

¹⁸ There are three things that amaze me— no, four things that I don’t understand:

¹⁹ how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman.

²⁰ An adulterous woman consumes a man, then wipes her mouth and says, “What’s wrong with that?”

²¹ There are three things that make the earth tremble— no, four it cannot endure:

²² a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers,

²³ a bitter woman who finally gets a husband, a servant girl who supplants her mistress.

²⁴ There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:

²⁵ Ants—they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer.

²⁶ Hyraxes—they aren’t powerful, but they make their homes among the rocks.

²⁷ Locusts—they have no king, but they march in formation.

²⁸ Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings’ palaces.

²⁹ There are three things that walk with stately stride—no, four that strut about:

³⁰ the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything,

³¹ the strutting rooster, the male goat, a king as he leads his army.

³² If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil, cover your mouth in shame.

³³ As the beating of cream yields butter and striking the nose causes bleeding, so stirring up anger causes quarrels.

Proverbs 31

The Sayings of King Lemuel

¹ The sayings of King Lemuel contain this message, which his mother taught him.

² O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows,

³ do not waste your strength on women, on those who ruin kings.

⁴ It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol.

⁵ For if they drink, they may forget the law and not give justice to the oppressed.

⁶ Alcohol is for the dying, and wine for those in bitter distress.

⁷ Let them drink to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more.

⁸ Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.

⁹ Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

A Wife of Noble Character

¹⁰ Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies.

¹¹ Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life.

¹² She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

¹³ She finds wool and flax and busily spins it.

¹⁴ She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing her food from afar.

¹⁵ She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

¹⁶ She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷ She is energetic and strong, a hard worker.

¹⁸ She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night.

¹⁹ Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber.

²⁰ She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.

²¹ She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes.

²² She makes her own bedspreads. She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.

²³ Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders.

²⁴ She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants.

²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.

²⁶ When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.

²⁷ She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness.

²⁸ Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her:

²⁹ “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!”

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.

³¹ Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.