Proverbs 15:2–5

²³A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.

²⁸The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.

¹⁶Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.

¹²The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

¹³The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹MY heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

⁴The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

²³A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!

²³The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

¹¹A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

¹²As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

⁷Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?

¹³Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

¹⁷For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.

²⁴Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.

⁹For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

²¹For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.

⁴Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

²¹For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

²²There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

¹⁹Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:

²⁴Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

¹⁸There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

⁸The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

²¶ But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

¹⁸She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

¹⁴The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

⁷He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

²²The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

²²For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

²Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp rasor, working deceitfully.

³Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

⁴Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.

³If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

²²¶ And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

²³Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

²⁴So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

³¹The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.

³²He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.

¹⁸Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.

¹A WISE son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

²⁰Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.

²⁰And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

¹⁵These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

¹¹Now, my son, the Lord be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee.

¹²Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God.

¹³Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

⁹¶ And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

⁵Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

¹³This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

²³And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.

²⁴Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress.

²⁵If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

¹AND it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

²And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.

³And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.

⁴Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!

⁵And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.

⁶And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

²³Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

¹THE proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

²³For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

¹²As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.