Proverbs
Proverbs has 31 chapters. Read Proverbs in the World English Bible, chapter by chapter, free and without an account.
Proverbs gathers instructions and sayings about wise living, grounding knowledge in reverence for God. It addresses speech, work, money, justice, friendship, and family life. Longer opening appeals invite readers to choose wisdom over folly, while later collections offer compact observations and counsel. The book includes material associated with Solomon, the wise, Agur, and King Lemuel, and ends with a poem about a capable woman.
In Christian Bibles, Proverbs is one of the books of Poetry and Wisdom of the Old Testament. In the Jewish Tanakh it belongs to the Ketuvim, the Writings. See it on the shelf.
Proverbs 1 introduces the purpose of wisdom, warns against violent companions, and portrays Wisdom calling publicly.
Proverbs 2 urges a diligent search for wisdom that protects from corrupt paths and guides the upright.
Proverbs 3 calls for wholehearted trust, generous honor, receptive discipline, and wisdom more precious than treasure.
Proverbs 4 presents inherited wisdom, the bright path of righteousness, and the call to guard the heart.
Proverbs 5 warns against adultery and celebrates faithful, joyful marriage before the all-seeing Lord.
Proverbs 6 warns against reckless debt, laziness, discord, and adultery while praising diligence and instruction.
Proverbs 7 dramatizes how flattering temptation captures the naive and conceals its deadly consequences.
Proverbs 8 portrays Wisdom calling publicly, guiding rulers, surpassing riches, and delighting in creation.
Proverbs 9 contrasts Wisdom's life-giving feast with Folly's deceptive invitation and hidden death.
Proverbs 10 contrasts wise and foolish patterns in work, speech, honesty, family life, and lasting outcomes.
Proverbs 11 links integrity, humility, generosity, and righteous influence with communal flourishing.
Proverbs 12 praises teachability, diligent work, humane care, truthful speech, and prudent restraint.
Proverbs 13 connects correction, guarded speech, steady work, wise companions, and hope eventually fulfilled.
Proverbs 14 contrasts wise and foolish building, urging compassion, patience, discernment, and righteousness.
Proverbs 15 commends gentle answers, receptive correction, thoughtful speech, prayer, humility, and love.
Proverbs 16 places plans beneath God's direction and praises justice, humility, self-control, and gracious speech.
Proverbs 17 prizes peace, loyal friendship, family joy, restrained speech, and character refined through testing.
Proverbs 18 explores listening, powerful speech, understanding, the Lord's refuge, and loyal friendship.
Proverbs 19 values integrity over wealth and commends compassion, correction, patience, and submitted plans.
Proverbs 20 praises sober judgment, honest trade, diligent preparation, wise counsel, and faithful character.
Proverbs 21 joins God's sovereignty with justice, diligent planning, compassion, humility, and dependent preparation.
Proverbs 22 values a good name, prudent foresight, generous justice, wise training, and excellent skill.
Proverbs 23 teaches restraint around food, wealth, envy, and drink while urging truth, correction, and parental honor.
Proverbs 24 connects wise building, courage, rescue, resilience, restraint toward enemies, and diligent stewardship.
Proverbs 25 commends humble conduct, timely words, faithful messages, kindness to enemies, and self-control.
Proverbs 26 exposes recurring folly in lazy excuses, needless arguments, deceptive humor, meddling, and gossip.
Proverbs 27 prizes honest friendship, timely correction, nearby community, humility, and attentive stewardship.
Proverbs 28 contrasts courageous integrity with corruption and promises mercy through confession and changed conduct.
Proverbs 29 links just rule, correction, wise discipline, restrained anger, and trust that overcomes fear.
Proverbs 30 joins Agur's humility, God's pure word, daily sufficiency, and wisdom learned through creation.
Proverbs 31 joins just leadership with praise for a capable, generous, wise, industrious, God-fearing woman.