I. The Purpose of Proverbs............................ 1:1-7

II. Proverbs to the Youth............................. 1:8-9:18

A.  Obey Parents     1:8, 9

Pro 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

B.  Avoid Bad Company     1:10-19

Pro 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

Pro 1:15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

C.  Seek Wisdom     1:20-2:22

Pro 1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

Pro 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Pro 1:33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

D.  Benefits of Wisdom     3:1-26

Pro 3:2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

Pro 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

E.  Be Kind to Others     3:27-35

Pro 3:27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

F.  Father Says Get Wisdom     4:1-13

Pro 4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

G.  Avoid the Wicked     4:14-22

Pro 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

H. Keep Your Heart........................ 4:23-27

Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

I.   Do Not Commit Adultery........................ 5:1-14

Pro 5:1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:

Pro 5:3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

Pro 5:4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.

J.   Do Be Faithful to Your Spouse........................ 5:15-23

Pro 5:18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

K. Avoid Surety........................ 6:1-5

Pro 6:1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

Pro 6:2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

L.  Do Not Be Lazy........................ 6:6-19

Pro 6:9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

Pro 6:10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

Pro 6:11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

M. Do Not Commit Adultery........................ 6:20-7:27

Pro 6:32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

Pro 6:33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

N. Praise of Wisdom........................ 8:1-9:12

Pro 8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

O. Foolish Woman........................ 9:13-18

Pro 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

III. Proverbs of Solomon............................... 10:1-24:34

A. Proverbs Contrasting the Godly and the Wicked . .                    . . 10:1-15:33

Pro 10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

Pro 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Pro 15:32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.

B.  Proverbs Encouraging Godly Lives................... 16:1-22:16

Pro 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Pro 16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

C.  Proverbs Concerning Various Situations................... 22:17-24:34

Pro 22:20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

Pro 22:21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

Pro 23:22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

Pro 24:6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

IV. Proverbs of Solomon Copied by Hezekiah's Men........................ 25:1-29:27

A.  Proverbs Regulating Relationships with Others................... 25:1-26:28

1.      Relationships with Kings    25:1-7

Pro 25:3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

2.      Relationships with Neighbours    25:8-20

Pro 25:17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

3.      Relationships with Enemies    25:21-24

Pro 25:21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

Pro 25:22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

4.      Relationships with Yourself    25:25-28

Pro 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

5.      Relationships with Fools    26:1-12

Pro 26:9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

6.      Relationships with Sluggards    26:13-16

Pro 26:14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.

7.      Relationships with Gossips    26:17-28

Pro 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

B.  Proverbs Regulating Various Activities................... 27:1-29:27

Pro 27:2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

V. The Words of Agur............................. 30:1-33

VI. The Words of King Lemuel............................... 31:1-31

A.  Wisdom for Leaders     31:1-9

Pro 31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:

Pro 31:5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

B.  Wise Woman..     ..31:10-31

Pro 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Pro 31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.