The Book of Proverbs

I. MAIN SUBJECTS:
A. A good name:
1. "The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot" (10:7).
2. "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold"
(22:1).
B. Youth and discipline:
1. A man with a level headed son is happy, but a rebel's mother is sad (10:1; 17:21, 25; 19:13).
2. A wise youth will listen to his father but a young mocker won't (13:1).
3. "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes" (13:24).
4. "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying" (19:18).
5. "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (22:6).
6. "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shah drive it far from him"
(22:15; 29:15, 17).
7. "Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt
beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell" (23:13-14).
8. See 23:15-25.
9. See 30:11-14.
C. Business matters:
1. God hates a dishonest scale and delights in honesty (11:1; 16:11; 20:10, 23).
2. Don't sign a note for someone you barely know (6:1-5; 11:15; 17:18; 22:26-27).
3. Don't withhold repayment of your debts (3:28).
4. God will not let a good man starve to death (10:3).
5. Lazy men are soon poor; hard workers have an abundant supply (10:4; 22:29).
6. A lazy fellow is a pain to his employer--like smoke in his eyes or vinegar that sets the teeth on edge
(10:26).
7. He that trusts in his riches shall fall (11:28).
8. It is wrong to accept a bribe to twist justice (17:23).
9. Develop your business first before building your house (24:27).
10. "Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. For riches are not for
ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation? The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth
itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered. The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of
the field. And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the
maintenance for thy maidens." (27:23-27).
D. Marriage:
1. Drink waters out of your own cistern (5:15).
2. Rejoice with the wife of your youth (5:18).
3. A beautiful woman lacking discretion and modesty is like a fine gold ring in a pig's snout (11:22).
4. He that troubles his own house shall inherit the wind (11:29).
5. A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his
bones (12:4).
6. Every wise woman builds her house; but the foolish one plucks it down with her hands (14:1; 19:13).
7. Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the Lord (18:22).
8. It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house (21:9;
25:24).
9. It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman (21:19).
10. Who can find a virtuous woman?
Note: The most detailed answer to this question is given in the last chapter of Proverbs (31).
E. Immorality:
1. It means to forget the law of God (2:17).
2. It leads along the road to death and hell (2:18; 7:27; 9:18).
3. It pollutes the conscience (5:4).
4. It causes one to groan in anguish and shame when disease consumes the body (5:11).
5. It leads to bitter remorse (5:12-13).
6. It will be judged by God (5:21).
7. It will bring a man to poverty (6:26).
8. It will burn the soul as surely as fire burns the skin (6:27, 32).
9. It can be compared to (7:22-23):
(a) an ox going to the butcher.
(b) a trapped stag awaiting the death arrow.
(c) a bird flying into a snare.
F. Evil companions:
1. Refuse them, for in attempting to trap others they only trap themselves (1:10-19).
2. Refuse them, for they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence (4:17).
3. Refuse them, for their kindness is a trick; they want to use you as their pawn (23:6-8).
4. Refuse them, for a man's true character is reflected by the friends he chooses (27:19).
G. Wisdom:
1. The fear of God is its root (1:7; 9:10).
2. It will gain one many honors (1:8-9).
3. It will keep one from immorality (2:10-16).
4. It will direct all one's paths (3:6).
5. It will give one renewal, health, and vitality (3:8).
6. It will (as one wisely tithes) fill one's barns with wheat and barley and overflow the wine vats with the
finest wines (3:9-10).
7. It is better than silver, gold, and precious rubies (3:14; 8:11, 14-19).
8. It gives a long life, riches, honor, pleasure, and peace (3:16-17; 9:11).
9. It was God's method in creation (3:19-20).
10. It is the principal thing (4:7).
11. It should be loved like a sweetheart (7:4).
12. It brings the favor of God (8:14, 35).
H. Self-control
1. It is better to have self-control than to capture a mighty city (16:32).
2. An uncontrolled man often begins something he can't finish (25:8).
3. A man without self-control is as defenseless as a city with broken down walls (25:28).
I. Strong drink:
1. It gives false courage and leads to brawls (20:1).
2. It fills the heart with anguish and sorrow (23:29-30).
3. It causes bloodshot eyes and many wounds (23:29-30).
4. It bites like a poisonous serpent and stings like an adder (23:32).
5. It leads to hallucinations and delirium tremens (23:33).
6. It makes one say silly and stupid things (23:33).
7. It causes one to stagger like a sailor tossed at sea (23:34).
8. It allows one to be beat up without even being aware of it (23:35).
9. It causes leaders to forget their duties and thus pervert justice (31:5).
J. Friendship:
1. A true friend is always loyal and is born to help in time of need (17:17).
2. Wounds from a friend are better than kisses from an enemy (27:6).
3. Never abandon a friend--either yours or your father's (27:10).
4. Friendly suggestions are as pleasant as perfume (27:9).
5. A friendly discussion is as stimulating as the sparks that fly when iron strikes iron (27:17).
6. A man who would have friends must himself be friendly (18:24).
7. A true friend sticks closer than a brother (18:24).
K. Words and the tongue:
1. The tongue of the just is as choice silver (10:20).
2. He that refrains from speaking is wise (10:19; 11:12).
3. The lips of the righteous feed many (10:21).
4. A hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor (11:9).
5. A talebearer reveals secrets; but one of a faithful spirit conceals the matter (11:13).
6. Some speak like the piercing of a sword; but the tongue of the wise is health (12:18).
7. He who keeps his mouth keeps his life; but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction (13:3).
8. A true witness delivers souls (14:25).
9. A soft answer turns away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger (15:1).
10. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness is a breach in the spirit (15:4).
11. A word spoken in due season is good (15:23).
12. The heart of the righteous studies to answer (15:28).
13. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb: sweet to the soul, and health to the bones (16:24).
14. A froward man sows strife; and a whisperer separates chief friends (16:28; 17:9).
15. The beginning of strife is like letting out water. Therefore, leave off contention, before it is meddled
with (17:14).
16. He who has knowledge spares his words (17:27).
17. The words of a talebearer are wounds (18:8).
18. He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame unto him (18:13).
19. Death and life are in the power of the tongue (18:21).
 20. He that speaks lies shall not escape (19:5).
21. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver (25:11).
22. By long forebearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaks the (hard) bone (25:15).
23. He who passes by, and meddles with strife not belonging to him, is like one who takes a dog by the
ears (26:17).
24. Where no wood is, there the fire goes out; so where there is no talebearer, strife ceases (26:20).
25. Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth (27:2).

II. CLASSIC PASSAGES:

A. The warnings of wisdom (1:20-31).
B. The rewards of wisdom (3:5-6).
C. The energy of wisdom (6:6-11).
D. The godless whore (7:1-27).
E. The sovereign Savior (8:22-31).
F. The riotous repel (30:11-14).
G. Fifteen famous facts (30:18-31).
H. The godly wife (31:10-31).

III. VARIOUS GROUPINGS:

A. Seven things that God hates (6:16-19):
1. A proud look.
2. A lying tongue.
3. Hands that shed innocent blood.
4. A wicked, plotting heart.
5. Eagerness to do wrong.
6. A false witness.
7. Sowing discord among brothers.
B. Four things which are never satisfied (30:15-16):
1. The grave.
2. The barren womb.
3. A barren desert.
4. Fire.
C. Four wonderful and mysterious things (30:18-19):
1. How an eagle glides through the sky.
2. How a serpent crawls upon a rock.
3. How a ship finds its way across the ocean.
4. The growth of love between a man and a woman.
D. Four things which the earth finds unbearable (30:21-23):
1. A slave who becomes a king.
2. A fool when he is filled with meat.
3. A bitter woman when she finally marries.
4. A servant girl who marries her mistress' husband.
E. Four small but wise things (30:24-28):
1. Ants (They aren't strong, but store up food for the winter.)
2. Cliff badgers (Delicate little animals who protect themselves by living among the rocks.)
3. The locust (Though they have no leader, they stay together in swarms.)
4. Spiders (They are easy to catch and kill, yet are found even in kings' palaces.)
F. Four stately monarchs (30:29-31):
1. The lion, king of animals (He won't turn aside for anyone.)
2. The greyhound.
3. The he-goat.
4. A king as he leads his army.
G. Two things Agur requests of God (30:7-9):
1. Remove from me vanity and lies.
2. Give me neither poverty nor riches--feed me with food convenient for me:

"Lest I be full, and deny thee and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain." (30:9).