Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.4:7
Nearly all the sayings in the Book of Proverbs are attributed in the Bible itself to Solomon. Here are the more famous:
ADVICE TO SONS
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.1:10
Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.1:17
Wisdom crieth out; she uttereth her voice in the streets.1:20
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.3:7
Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.3:12
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom. . . .3:13 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.3:16–17
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.3:27
Keep my commandments, and live.4:4
The lips of a strange woman drop as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.5:3–4
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.6:6
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth, and thy want as an armed man.6:10–11
These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.6:16–19
The commandment is a lamp; and the law is light.6:23
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?6:27
Behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and subtile of heart. . . .
So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him. . . .
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey.7:10–19
He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks.7:22
Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.7:27
IN PRAISE OF WISDOM
Wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.8:11
I wisdom dwell with prudence. . . .8:12 I love them that love me. . . .8:17
Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars.9:1
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.9:10
A foolish woman is clamorous.9:13 As for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.9:16–18
A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.10:1
The memory of the just is blessed.10:7
Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.10:12
The destruction of the poor is their poverty.10:15
THE FOLLY OF WICKEDNESS—THE WISDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.11:14
As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.11:22
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband.12:4
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.12:10
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick.13:12
He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.13:24
Fools make a mock at sin.14:9
The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.14:10
In all labor there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.14:23
Righteousness exalteth a nation.14:34
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.15:1
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance.15:13
He that is of a meny heart hath a continual feast.15:15
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.15:17
A word spoken in due season, how good is it!15:23
A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.16:9
Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.16:18
Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul. . . .16:24
The hoary head is a crown of glory. . . .16:31
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.16:32
A reproof entereth more into a wise man than a hundred stripes into a fool.17:10
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow.17:21
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.17:22
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise.17:28
Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing. . . .18:22
There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.18:24
Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbor.19:4
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord.19:17
WARNINGS AND INSTRUCTIONS
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging.20:1
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.20:12
Meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.20:19
To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.21:3
It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.21:9
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.21:13
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. . . .22:1
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.22:6
The borrower is servant to the lender.22:7
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings.22:29
Riches certainly make themselves wings.23:5
As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.23:7
The drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.23:21
Despise not thy mother when she is old.23:22
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.23:29–32
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.24:5
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.24:10
A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.24:16–18
The heart of kings is unsearchable.25:3
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.25:11
Hast thou found honey? Eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.25:16
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbor’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.25:17
As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.25:20
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.25:21–22
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.25:25
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.26:4
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.26:5
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.26:11
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.26:12
The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.26:13
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.26:16
Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein.26:27
Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.27:1
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.27:2
Open rebuke is better than secret love.27:5
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.27:6
Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.27:10
A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.27:15
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.27:17
The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion.28:1
He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.28:20
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack.28:27
A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterward.29:11
The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.29:15
Where there is no vision, the people perish.29:18
The horseleech hath two daughters, crying, Give, give.30:15
There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.30:18–19
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.31:10 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.31:19 In her tongue is the law of kindness.31:26 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.31:27 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.31:28–29