Wisdom

Proverbs passages about working and finances

Wise Decisions

Proverbs 13:11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

Proverbs 13:16 Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.

Proverbs 14:15–16 15 The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. 16 One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.

Proverbs 14:24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the folly of fools brings folly.

Proverbs 15:14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.

Proverbs 16:3 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Proverbs 19:2–3 Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way. 3 When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord.

Proverbs 20:14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.

Proverbs 21:20 Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.

Proverbs 24:3–6 By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; 4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. 5 A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, 6 for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Proverbs 26:10 Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.

Proverbs 27:7 One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.

Proverbs 28:11 A rich man is wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.

Proverbs 29:3 He who loves wisdom makes his father glad, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

Righteousness

Proverbs 1:19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.

Proverbs 3:9–10 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Proverbs 10:2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.

Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.

Proverbs 11:18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.

Proverbs 11:28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.

Proverbs 13:25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked suffers want.

Proverbs 15:6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.

Proverbs 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.

Proverbs 15:27 Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.

Proverbs 16:11 A just balance and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.

Proverbs 19:1 Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.

Proverbs 20:10 Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the Lord.

Proverbs 20:17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.

Proverbs 20:23 Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord, and false scales are not good.

Proverbs 21:6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.

Proverbs 22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.

Proverbs 23:19–21 Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way. 20 Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, 21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.

Proverbs 25:28 A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

Proverbs 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Proverbs 28:6 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.

Proverbs 28:8 Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.

Diligence & Quality, Against Laziness

Proverbs 6:6–11 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. 7 Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, 8 she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. 9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

Proverbs 10:4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Proverbs 10:5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.

Proverbs 10:26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.

Proverbs 12:11 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.

Proverbs 12:14 From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.

Proverbs 12:24 The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.

Proverbs 12:27 Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.

Proverbs 13:4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

Proverbs 14:4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

Proverbs 14:23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.

Proverbs 15:19 The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.

Proverbs 16:26 A worker’s appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on.

Proverbs 18:9 Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.

Proverbs 19:10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes.

Proverbs 19:15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.

Proverbs 19:24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.

Proverbs 20:4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.

Proverbs 20:21 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.

Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

Proverbs 21:17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

Proverbs 21:25–26 The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. 26 All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.

Proverbs 22:13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!”

Proverbs 22:29 Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

Proverbs 24:27 Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.

Proverbs 24:30–34 I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, 31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. 32 Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

Proverbs 26:13–15 The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!” 14 As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. 15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.

Proverbs 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.

Proverbs 27:18 Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who guards his master will be honored.

Proverbs 27:23–27 Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, 24 for riches do not last forever; and does a crown endure to all generations? 25 When the grass is gone and the new growth appears and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered, 26 the lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field. 27 There will be enough goats’ milk for your food, for the food of your household and maintenance for your girls.

Proverbs 28:7 The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding, but a companion of gluttons shames his father.

Proverbs 28:19 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.

Proverbs 30:24–25 Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise: 25 the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;

Humility

Proverbs 15:25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud but maintains the widow’s boundaries.

Proverbs 16:5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 16:18–19 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Proverbs 22:4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.

Generosity, Care For the Poor

Proverbs 11:24–26 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. 25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. 26 The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.

Proverbs 18:16 A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before the great.

Proverbs 19:6 Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.

Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.

Proverbs 21:13 Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.

Proverbs 21:14 A gift in secret averts anger, and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.

Proverbs 22:2 The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all.

Proverbs 22:9 Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.

Proverbs 22:16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

Proverbs 28:22 A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.

Proverbs 28:25 A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.

Proverbs 28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.

Proverbs 29:7 A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.

Contentment, Against Love of Riches

Proverbs 15:16–17 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it. 17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

Proverbs 17:1 Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.

Proverbs 23:4–5 Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. 5 When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.

Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 30:7–9 Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: 8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

Unwise Commitments/Associations

Proverbs 6:1–5 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger, 2 if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth, 3 then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor. 4 Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber; 5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Proverbs 11:15 Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.

Proverbs 17:18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.

Proverbs 20:16 Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.

Proverbs 22:26–27 Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts. 27 If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?

Proverbs 27:13 Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.

Debt

Proverbs 22:7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.