The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change;

For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin from them both?

These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.

He that saith unto the wicked: 'Thou art righteous', peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him;

But to them that decide justly shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.

Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.

Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

Say not: 'I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.'

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

And, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction.

'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep' —

So shall thy poverty come as a runner, and thy want as an armed man.

These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

Take away the dross from the silver, and there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner;

Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

Glorify not thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men;

For better is it that it be said unto thee: 'Come up hither', than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom thine eyes have seen.

Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

Debate thy cause with thy neighbour, but reveal not the secret of another;

Lest he that heareth it revile thee, and thine infamy turn not away.

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to him that sendeth him; for he refresheth the soul of his master.

As vapours and wind without rain, so is he that boasteth himself of a false gift.

By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbour's house; lest he be sated with thee, and hate thee.

As a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, so is a man that beareth false witness against his neighbour.

Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

As one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink;

For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD will reward thee.

The north wind bringeth forth rain, and a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than in a house in common with a contentious woman.

As cold waters to a faint soul, so is good news from a far country.

As a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, so is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.

It is not good to eat much honey; so for men to search out their own glory is not glory.

Like a city broken down and without a wall, so is he whose spirit is without restraint.

As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

As the wandering sparrow, as the flying swallow, so the curse that is causeless shall come home.

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh damage.

The legs hang limp from the lame; so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

As a small stone in a heap of stones, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

As a thorn that cometh into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

A master performeth all things; but he that stoppeth a fool is as one that stoppeth a flood.

As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is a fool that repeateth his folly.

Seest thou a man wise in his own eyes? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

The sluggard saith: 'There is a lion in the way; yea, a lion is in the streets.'

The door is turning upon its hinges, and the sluggard is still upon his bed.

The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish; it wearieth him to bring it back to his mouth.

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men that give wise answer.

He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife not his own, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death;

So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith: 'Am not I in sport?'

Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.

As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the body.

Burning lips and a wicked heart are like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him.

When he speaketh fair, believe him not; for there are seven abominations in his heart.

Though his hatred be concealed with deceit, his wickedness shall be revealed before the congregation.

Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.

A lying tongue hateth those that are crushed by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's vexation is heavier than they both.

Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?

Better is open rebuke than love that is hidden.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are importunate.

The full soul loatheth a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.

Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.

Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity; better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.

My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that taunteth me.

A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the thoughtless pass on, and are punished.

Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge that is surety for an alien woman.

He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike;

He that would hide her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand betrayeth itself.

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.

As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

The nether-world and Destruction are never satiated; so the eyes of man are never satiated.

The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, and a man is tried by his praise.

Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle among groats, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds;

For riches are not for ever; and doth the crown endure unto all generations?

When the hay is mown, and the tender grass showeth itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in;

The lambs will be for thy clothing, and the goats the price for a field.

And there will be goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household; and maintenance for thy maidens.

The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are secure as a young lion.

For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof; but by a man of understanding and knowledge established order shall long continue.

A poor man that oppresseth the weak is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.