Wisdom and foolishness
9:6. Leave the company of ignorant people, and live.
13:20. Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.
14:9. Foolish people don't care if they sin, but good people want to be forgiven.
15:14. Intelligent people want to learn, but stupid people are satisfied with ignorance.
16:21. A wise, mature person is known for his understanding. The more pleasant his words, the more persuasive he is.
26:12. The most stupid fool is better off than someone who thinks he is wise when he is not.
27:12. Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.
The wise
7:4. Treat wisdom as your sister, and insight as your closest friend.
Fools
31:6. Alcohol is for people who are dying, for those who are in misery. 7. Let them drink and forget their poverty and unhappiness.
17:12. It is better to meet a mother bear robbed of her cubs than to meet some fool busy with a stupid project.
26:4. If you answer a silly question, you are just as silly as the person who asked it.
26:7. A fool can use a proverb about as well as a crippled man can use his legs.
26:11. A fool doing some stupid thing a second time is like a dog going back to its vomit.
Haste and deliberation
12:16. When a fool is annoyed, he quickly lets it be known. Sensible people will ignore an insult.
13:16. Sensible people always think before they act, but stupid people advertise their ignorance.
14:16. Wise people are careful to stay out of trouble, but stupid people are careless and act too quickly.
15:28. Good people think before they answer. Evil people have a quick reply, and it causes trouble.
29:20. There is more hope for a stupid fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.
Correcting the wise and the foolish
9:8. Never correct a conceited man; he will hate you for it. But if you correct a wise man, he will respect you.
10:17. People who listen when they are corrected will live, but those who will not admit that they are wrong are in danger.
12:15. Stupid people always think they are right. Wise people listen to advice.
13:24. If you don't punish your son, you don't love him. If you do love him, you will correct him.
16:22. Wisdom is a fountain of life to the wise, but trying to educate stupid people is a waste of time.
25:12. A warning given by an experienced person to someone willing to listen is more valuable than gold rings or jewellery made of the finest gold.
27:5. Better to correct someone openly than to let him think you don't care for him at all.
27:17. People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron.
27:22. Even if you beat a fool until he's half dead, you still can't beat his foolishness out of him.
Calm and anger
10:12. Hate stirs up trouble, but love overlooks all offences.
14:17. People with a hot temper do foolish things; wiser people remain calm.
14:29. If you stay calm, you are wise, but if you have a hot temper, you only show how stupid you are.
15:18. Hot tempers cause arguments, but patience brings peace.
27:4. Anger is cruel and destructive, but it is nothing compared to jealousy.
29:22. People with quick tempers cause a lot of quarrelling and trouble.
The good and the wicked
4:16. Wicked people cannot sleep unless they have done something wrong. They lie awake unless they have hurt someone.
11:7. When a wicked man dies, his hope dies with him. Confidence placed in riches comes to nothing.
13:23. Unused fields could yield plenty of food for the poor, but unjust men keep them from being farmed. (I think this describes the Common Agricultural Policy, grain mountains, etc!)
16:30. Watch out for people who grin and wink at you; they have thought of something evil.
28:1. The wicked run when no one is chasing them, but an honest person is as brave as a lion.
28:5. If you have no regard for the law, you are on the side of the wicked; but if you obey it, you are against them.
29:27. The righteous hate the wicked, and the wicked hate the righteous.
Good and bad speech
10:32. Righteous people know the kind thing to say, but the wicked are always saying things that hurt.
11:12. It is foolish to speak scornfully of others. If you are sensible, you will keep quiet.
12:18. Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal.
15:23. What a joy it is to find just the right word for the right occasion!
16:28. Gossip is spread by wicked people; they stir up trouble and break up friendships.
17:14. The start of an argument is like the first break in a dam; stop it before it goes any further.
20:3. Any fool can start arguments; the honourable thing is to stay out of them.
25:11. An idea well-expressed is like a design of gold, set in silver.
26:2. Curses cannot hurt you unless you deserve them. They are like birds that fly by and never settle.
26:17. Getting involved in an argument that is none of your business is like going down the street and grabbing a dog by the ears.
Truth and lies
10:10. Someone who holds back the truth causes trouble, but one who openly criticizes works for peace.
Thoughts
4:23. Be careful of how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.
12:25. Worry can rob you of happiness, but kind words will cheer you up.
14:10. Your joy is your own; your bitterness is your own. No one can share them with you.
14:13. Laughter may hide sadness. When happiness is gone, sorrow is always there.
17:22. Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.
27:21. Fire tests gold and silver -- a person's reputation can also be tested.
Forethought
14:12. What you think is the right road may lead to death.
15:22. Get all the advice you can, and you will succeed; without it, you will fail.
Friendship
17:17. Friends always show their love. What are brothers for if not to share trouble?
27:6. A friend means well, even when he hurts you. But when an enemy puts his arm round your shoulder -- watch out!
Pride and humility
16:18. Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall.
27:20. Human desires are like the world of the dead --- there is always room for more.
29:25. It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the Lord, you are safe.
Rich and poor values
12:9. It is better to be an ordinary man working for a living than to play the part of a great man but go hungry.
15:17. Better to eat vegetables with people you love than to eat the finest meat where there is hate.
The industrious and the lazy
3:28. Never tell your neighbour to wait until tomorrow if you can help him now.
6:9. How long is the lazy man going to lie in bed? When is he ever going to get up? 10. "I'll just take a short nap" he says; "I'll fold my hands and rest a while." 11. But while he sleeps, poverty will attack him like an armed robber.
12:11. A hard-working farmer has plenty to eat, but it is stupid to waste time on useless projects.
12:24. Hard work will give you power; being lazy will make you a slave.
13:4. No matter how much a lazy person wants something, he will never get it. A hard worker will get everything he wants.
13:11. The more easily you get your wealth, the sooner you will lose it. The harder it is to earn, the more you will have.
14:23. Work and you will earn a living; if you sit around talking you will be poor.
16:24. Some people are too lazy to put food into their mouths.
Topic: Proverbs About Various Topics (From The Book of Proverbs) (Read 2271 times)