Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless and seek the life of the upright.
The poor man and the oppressor meet together; the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
If a king faithfully judges the poor, his throne will be established forever.
The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
When the wicked increase, transgression increases, but the righteous will look upon their downfall.
Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.
Whoever pampers his servant from childhood will in the end find him his heir.
The partner of a thief hates his own life; he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.
The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
Many seek the face of a ruler, but it is from the Lord that a man gets justice.
An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.
The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out.
Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man.
I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know!
Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,
lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
There are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind.
The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”:
Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, “Enough.”
The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.
the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a virgin.
This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have done no wrong.”
Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:
the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;
the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings' palaces.
the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;
the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king whose army is with him.
For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.
The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress;
Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.
Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.
She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
ESV® Permanent Text Edition (2016). The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers.
Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.