53 Bible Verses about Proverbs

The legs of a lame man hang loose. So is a parable in the mouth of fools.

Hear this, all ye peoples. Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together. My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.read more.
I will incline my ear to a parable. I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, to know wisdom and instruction, to discern the words of understanding, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness and justice and equity,read more.
to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion, that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsels, to understand a proverb, and a figure, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

[As] a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

And God gave Solomon exceedingly much wisdom and understanding, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the sons of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men: than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame was in all the nations round about.read more.
And he spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel,

The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

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

The fear of LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor [is] humility.

In the lips of him who has discernment wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding.

When pride comes, then comes shame, but with the lowly is wisdom.

A man shall be commended according to his wisdom, but he who is of a perverse heart shall be despised.

Through pride a vain man causes contention, but wisdom is with the well-advised.

The wisdom of a prudent man is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.

How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver.

The words of a man's mouth are deep waters. The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.

He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good.

There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against LORD.

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely, he shall be delivered.

The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself causes shame to his mother.

LORD will not allow the soul of a righteous man to famish, but he thrusts away the desire of the wicked.

The labor of a righteous man produces life. The fruit of a wicked man [is] to sin.

When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. And when the wicked perish, there is shouting.

A man shall not be established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

An evil man is thrust down in his evil-doing, but a righteous man has hope in his death.

The hoary head is a crown of glory. It shall be found in the way of righteousness.

The name of LORD is a strong tower. A righteous man runs into it, and is safe.

It is joy to the righteous to do justice, but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

A troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, [is] a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.

When the righteous are increased, the people rejoice, but when a wicked man bears rule, the people sigh.

The blessing of LORD, it makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

Better is little with the fear of LORD, than great treasure and trouble with it.

A [good] name is rather to be chosen than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold. The rich and the poor meet together. LORD is the maker of them all.

Better is the poor man who walks in his integrity, than he who is perverse in [his] ways, though he be rich.

He who loves wisdom delights his father, but he who keeps company with harlots wastes [his] substance.

Transgression is not lacking in the multitude of words, but he who refrains his lips does wisely.

He who despises his neighbor is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding holds his peace.

There is he who speaks rashly like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise is health. The lips of truth shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it is a breaking of the spirit.

He who has a wayward heart finds no good, and he who has a perverse tongue falls into mischief.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it shall eat the fruit of it.

The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vapor driven to and fro by those who seek death.

By long-suffering a ruler is persuaded, and a soft tongue breaks the bone.

He who rebukes a man shall afterward find more favor than he who flatters with the tongue.

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us. Let us lay wait for blood. Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause. Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those who go down into the pit.read more.
We shall find all precious substance. We shall fill our houses with spoil. Thou shall cast thy lot among us. We will all have one bag. My son, walk not thou in the way with them. Restrain thy foot from their path. For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird, and these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives. So are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain. It takes away the life of the owners of it.

My son, do not forget my law, but let thy heart keep my commandments. For length of days, and years of life, and peace, they will add to thee. Let not kindness and truth forsake thee. Bind them about thy neck, write them upon the tablet of thy heart,read more.
so thou shall find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in LORD with all thy heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes. Fear LORD, and depart from evil. It will be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Honor LORD with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase, so thy barns shall be filled with plenty, and thy vats shall overflow with new wine.

My son, attend to my wisdom. Incline thine ear to my understanding, that thou may preserve discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. For the lips of an interloping woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil.read more.
But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death. Her steps take hold on Sheol, so that she does not find the level path of life. Her ways are unstable, [and] she does not know. Now therefore, ye sons, hearken to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth. Remove thy way far from her, and do not come near the door of her house, lest thou give thine honor to others, and thy years to the cruel, lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labors [be] in the house of an alien, and thou mourn at thy latter end when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof. Neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me! I was almost in all evil in the midst of the assembly and congregation. Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Should thy springs be dispersed abroad, and streams of water in the streets? Let them be for thyself alone, and not for strangers with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of thy youth: a loving hind and a pleasant doe. Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times, and be thou ravished always with her love. For why should thou, my son, be ravished with an interloping woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? For the ways of man are before the eyes of LORD, and he makes level all his paths. His own iniquities shall take a wicked man, and he shall be held with the cords of his sin. He shall die for lack of instruction. And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments and live, and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers. Write them upon the tablet of thy heart.read more.
Say to wisdom, Thou are my sister, and call understanding [thy] kinswoman, that they may keep thee from the interloping woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words.

The leach has two daughters, [crying], Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, [yea], four that do not say, Enough: Sheol, and the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that does not say, Enough.

A worthy woman who can find? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he shall have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.read more.
She seeks wool and flax, and works willingly with her hands. She is like the merchant ships: she brings her bread from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, and gives food to her household, and their task to her maidens. She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She girds her loins with strength, and makes strong her arms. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out by night. She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She stretches out her hand to the poor, yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers girdles 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 law of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her sons rise up, and call her blessed. Her husband [also], and he praises her. Many daughters have done worthily, but thou excel them all. Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, [but] a woman who fears LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.