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The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD made them both.

A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

True humility and fear of the LORD lead to riches, honor, and long life.

The deceitful walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will stay away.

Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.

Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.

Those who plant seeds of injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will end.

Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.

Throw out the mocker, and fighting, quarrels, and insults will disappear.

Anyone who loves a pure heart and gracious speech is the king’s friend.

The LORD preserves knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the deceitful.

The lazy person is full of excuses, saying, “If I go outside, I might meet a lion in the street and be killed!”

The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; those living under the LORD’s displeasure will fall into it.

A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but discipline will drive it away.

A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty.

Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction. For it is good to keep these sayings deep within yourself, always ready on your lips. I am teaching you today—yes, you—so you will trust in the LORD. I have written thirty sayings for you, filled with advice and knowledge. In this way, you may know the truth and bring an accurate report to those who sent you.

Do not rob the poor because they are poor or exploit the needy in court. For the LORD is their defender. He will injure anyone who injures them.

Keep away from angry, short-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.

Do not co-sign another person’s note or put up a guarantee for someone else’s loan. If you can’t pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you.

Do not steal your neighbor’s property by moving the ancient boundary markers set up by your ancestors.

People may think they are doing what is right, but the LORD examines the heart.

The LORD is more pleased when we do what is just and right than when we give him sacrifices.

Haughty eyes, a proud heart, and evil actions are all sin.

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

Wealth created by lying is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.

Because the wicked refuse to do what is just, their violence boomerangs and destroys them.

The guilty walk a crooked path; the innocent travel a straight road.

It is better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a contentious wife in a lovely home.

Evil people love to harm others; their neighbors get no mercy from them.

A simpleton can learn only by seeing mockers punished; a wise person learns from instruction.

The Righteous One knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked; he will bring the wicked to disaster.

Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.

A secret gift calms anger; a secret bribe pacifies fury.

Justice is a joy to the godly, but it causes dismay among evildoers.

The person who strays from common sense will end up in the company of the dead.

Those who love pleasure become poor; wine and luxury are not the way to riches.

Sometimes the wicked are punished to save the godly, and the treacherous for the upright.

It is better to live alone in the desert than with a crabby, complaining wife.

The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get.

Whoever pursues godliness and unfailing love will find life, godliness, and honor.

The wise conquer the city of the strong and level the fortress in which they trust.

If you keep your mouth shut, you will stay out of trouble.

Mockers are proud and haughty; they act with boundless arrogance.

The desires of lazy people will be their ruin, for their hands refuse to work. They are always greedy for more, while the godly love to give!

God loathes the sacrifice of an evil person, especially when it is brought with ulterior motives.

A false witness will be cut off, but an attentive witness will be allowed to speak.

The wicked put up a bold front, but the upright proceed with care.

Human plans, no matter how wise or well advised, cannot stand against the LORD.

The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar; to rouse his anger is to risk your life.

Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.

If you are too lazy to plow in the right season, you will have no food at the harvest.

Though good advice lies deep within a person’s heart, the wise will draw it out.

Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is really faithful?

The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children after them.

When a king judges, he carefully weighs all the evidence, distinguishing the bad from the good.

Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin”?

The LORD despises double standards of every kind.

Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure and right.

Ears to hear and eyes to see—both are gifts from the LORD.

If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!

The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,” then brags about getting a bargain!

Wise speech is rarer and more valuable than gold and rubies.

Be sure to get collateral from anyone who guarantees the debt of a stranger. Get a deposit if someone guarantees the debt of a foreigner.

Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth.

Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without the advice of others.

A gossip tells secrets, so don’t hang around with someone who talks too much.

If you curse your father or mother, the lamp of your life will be snuffed out.

An inheritance obtained early in life is not a blessing in the end.

Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the LORD to handle the matter.

The LORD despises double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales.

How can we understand the road we travel? It is the LORD who directs our steps.

It is dangerous to make a rash promise to God before counting the cost.

A wise king finds the wicked, lays them out like wheat, then runs the crushing wheel over them.

The LORD’s searchlight penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive.

Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love.

The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.

Zeal without knowledge is not good; a person who moves too quickly may go the wrong way.

People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.

Wealth makes many “friends”; poverty drives them away.

A false witness will not go unpunished, nor will a liar escape.

Many beg favors from a prince; everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!

If the relatives of the poor despise them, how much more will their friends avoid them. The poor call after them, but they are gone.

To acquire wisdom is to love oneself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.

A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed.

It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury or for a slave to rule over princes!

People with good sense restrain their anger; they earn esteem by overlooking wrongs.

The king’s anger is like a lion’s roar, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

A foolish child is a calamity to a father; a nagging wife annoys like a constant dripping.

Parents can provide their sons with an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the LORD can give an understanding wife.

A lazy person sleeps soundly—and goes hungry.

Keep the commandments and keep your life; despising them leads to death.

If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD and he will repay you!

Discipline your children while there is hope. If you don’t, you will ruin their lives.

Short-tempered people must pay their own penalty. If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again.

Get all the advice and instruction you can, and be wise the rest of your life.

You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.

Loyalty makes a person attractive. And it is better to be poor than dishonest.

Fear of the LORD gives life, security, and protection from harm.

Some people are so lazy that they won’t even lift a finger to feed themselves.

If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you reprove the wise, they will be all the wiser.

Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother are a public disgrace and an embarrassment.

If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you have turned your back on knowledge.

A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice; the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

Just this week I realized that there is nothing to be proud of in my critical nature. Yes I can spot weakness and brokenness a mile away, especially in the church, but what’s so hard about that. Brokenness, sin, and imperfection are everywhere. We live in a world where very few things work the way they should. Those of us who are master critics are really just stating the obvious and fooling ourselves into thinking that we are really clever. Think about it… how hard is it to go out and find something wrong with a church or a person? Any monkey can do that.

Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.

When the wicked arrive, contempt, shame, and disgrace are sure to follow.

A person’s words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook.

It is wrong for a judge to favor the guilty or condemn the innocent.

Fools get into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating.

The mouths of fools are their ruin; their lips get them into trouble.

What dainty morsels rumors are—but they sink deep into one’s heart.

A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things.

The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.

The rich think of their wealth as an impregnable defense; they imagine it is a high wall of safety.

Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.

What a shame, what folly, to give advice before listening to the facts!

The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear it if the spirit is crushed?

Intelligent people are always open to new ideas. In fact, they look for them.

Giving a gift works wonders; it may bring you before important people!

Any story sounds true until someone sets the record straight.

Casting lots can end arguments and settle disputes between powerful opponents.

It’s harder to make amends with an offended friend than to capture a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with iron bars.

Words satisfy the soul as food satisfies the stomach; the right words on a person’s lips bring satisfaction.

Those who love to talk will experience the consequences, for the tongue can kill or nourish life.

The man who finds a wife finds a treasure and receives favor from the LORD.

The poor plead for mercy; the rich answer with insults.

Welch broke the news Sunday on Bakersfield, California, station KRAB-FM.

“I had it in my heart to come here and explain to you,” Welch said. “I’m good friends with Korn. I love those guys, and they love me, and they’re very happy for me.”

A wise slave will rule over the master’s shameful sons and will share their inheritance.

Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart.

Wrongdoers listen to wicked talk; liars pay attention to destructive words.

Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.

Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.

Eloquent speech is not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler.

A bribe seems to work like magic for those who give it; they succeed in all they do.

Disregarding another person’s faults preserves love; telling about them separates close friends.

A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.

Evil people seek rebellion, but they will be severely punished.

It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a fool caught in folly.

If you repay evil for good, evil will never leave your house.

Beginning a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

The LORD despises those who acquit the guilty and condemn the innocent.

It is senseless to pay tuition to educate a fool who has no heart for wisdom.

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.

It is poor judgment to co-sign a friend’s note, to become responsible for a neighbor’s debts.

Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who speaks boastfully invites disaster.

The crooked heart will not prosper; the twisted tongue tumbles into trouble.

It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

The wicked accept secret bribes to pervert justice.

Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

A foolish child brings grief to a father and bitterness to a mother.

It is wrong to fine the godly for being good or to punish nobles for being honest!

A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.