Proverbs 18:9
18:9 One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys [a vandal].

Proverbs 18:22

18:22 He who finds a wife finds what is good [pleasing to God; cf. Prov. 31:10-31] and receives favor [delight; pleasure] from the LORD [marriage is within God’s will and pleases Him].

Proverbs 18:24
18:24 A man of many companions [friendships made without discrimination; superficial friendships] may come to ruin [cf. Lk. 15:14 re: the experience of the prodigal son; cf. Prov. 19:14], but there is a friend [the kind who will remain supportive at all times] who sticks closer than [a best friend may prove to be more committed (faithful and loyal) to your welfare than a brother or blood relative; Jonathan proved to be more of a brother to David than David’s older brothers (cf. 1 Sam. 20)] a brother.

Proverbs 19:11
19:11 A man’s wisdom [insight; comes from a consistent and careful study of God’s Word] gives him patience; it is to his [the patient and wise person] glory to overlook [this is not our natural inclination] an offense.

Proverbs 19:14
19:14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent [sensible, understanding, insightful, prudent] wife is from the LORD […and far greater than material inheritance].

Proverbs 19:17-18

19:17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD [cf. Matt. 25:31-40], and he will reward him for what he has done.

19:18 Discipline your son, for in that [while there is hope; hope has a deadline] there is hope; do not be a willing party [through the neglect of discipline] to his death.

Proverbs 20:1

20:1 Wine is a mocker [to express contempt or to ridicule] and beer [Hebrew word for beer comes from a verb meaning “to become drunk”; noun is often translated “strong drink”] a brawler [a loud and boisterous individual]; whoever is led astray [staggers; to err; to be deceived] by them is not wise.

Proverbs 20:3
20:3 It is to a man’s honor to avoid strife [cf. Matt. 5:9; 1 Pet. 3:11], but every fool is quick to quarrel.

Proverbs 20:7
20:7 The righteous [one who strives to live according to God’s standards] man leads a blameless life [a life of integrity]; blessed [happy] are his children after him.

Proverbs 20:17
20:17 Food gained by fraud tastes sweet to a man [in the short-term], but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel [in the long run].

Proverbs 21:6
21:6 A fortune made by a lying tongue [similar to the “fraud” mentioned in 20:17] is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare [lying destroys character].

Proverbs 21:13

21:13 [cf. Ex. 22:25-27] If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.

Proverbs 21:19-20
21:19 [cf. Prov. 19:13; 25:24] Better to live in a desert [better to live isolated in a wilderness] than with a quarrelsome [nagging or contentious] and ill-tempered [hot-tempered] wife.

21:20 [the wise plan for the future] In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil [signs of stability and prosperity], but a foolish man devours all he has.

Proverbs 22:4
22:4 [this verse states a general principle rather than a specific promise; see also Prov. 16:8; 28:6] Humility [essential in our relationship with the Lord; cf. Jas. 4:6] and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.

Proverbs 22:6-9
22:6 Train a child in the way [only two possible ways to go: the way of the righteous and wise or the way of the wicked and foolish] he [according to the child’s aptitude and inclinations] should go [according to his way], and when he is old he will not turn from it.

22:7 [debt is a form of slavery] The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

22:9 A generous man [one who looks kindly at others] will himself be blessed [financially or spiritually], for he shares his food with the poor.

Proverbs 22:16
22:16 He who oppresses the poor [cf. Amos 2:6-7] to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich [perhaps in the hope of getting in their good graces; perhaps by paying exorbitant interest]—both come to poverty [this outcome must be the result of divine judgment].

Proverbs 22:24-27
22:24 Do not make friends [cf. Ps. 1:1; Prov. 13:20; 1 Cor. 15:33] with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered,

22:25 or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.

22:26 Do not [a command] be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts [or, loans];

22:27 if you lack the means to pay, your very bed [your goods] will be snatched [will be seized by your creditors] from under you [i.e., you may lose the shirt off your back].

Proverbs 23:4-5
23:4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich [do not allow the pursuit of wealth to control your life]; have the wisdom to show restraint.

23:5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Proverbs 23:13-14
23:13 Do not withhold discipline [correction] from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die [but the child may die (as a result of engaging in life-threatening behavior) if not corrected properly].

23:14 Punish him with the rod and save [proper punishment may help a child avoid behavior that is life-threatening] his soul from death [Sheol, the place of the dead].

Proverbs 23:19-21
23:19 [parents need to talk to their children about the dangers of alcohol and illicit drugs…] Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep [guide] your heart [control your thinking] on the right [straight] path.

23:20 Do not join [associate with] those who drink too much wine [drunkards] or gorge themselves on meat [gluttons],

23:21 for [because of the impact alcohol has on one’s ability to think clearly] drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness [a lack of mental alertness] clothes them in rags.

Proverbs 23:24
23:24 The father of a righteous man [a child who acts responsibly and makes choices that honor God] has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.

Proverbs 23:29-35
23:29 [note emotional trauma that results from drunkenness…] Who has woe? Who has sorrow? [note interpersonal strife that results from drunkenness…] Who has strife? Who has complaints? [note physical problems that result from drunkenness…] Who has needless [for no reason] bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

23:30 Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine [note: the loved ones of the intoxicated individual also suffer].

23:31 Do not gaze at wine [advertisers today present alcoholic products in a positive, glamorous, and appealing light…] when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!

23:32 In the end [those who drink usually only consider the immediate pleasure rather than the long-term consequences] it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.

23:33 [alcohol impairs the senses and the mind…] Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing [absurd; perverse] things.

23:34 [alcohol disorients the intoxicated person…] You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging [a place that accentuated the effects of the rolling billows of the sea].

23:35 [alcohol dulls the senses…] “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?”

Proverbs 24:3-4
24:3 By wisdom a house [a family] is built, and through understanding [a foundation of biblical principles] it is established [cf. Matt. 7:24-25];

24:4 through knowledge [a personal knowledge of God and one another] its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures [symbolic language, refers to home filled with happy relationships].

Proverbs 24:11-12
24:11 [imperative command] Rescue [literally “to snatch away”] those [anyone unjustly condemned to die] being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter [term comes from a word implying “ruthless violence”].

24:12 If you say [note that ignorance is no excuse…], “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it [God knows everything about those who try to plead ignorance for evading responsibility]? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done [cf. 2 Cor. 5:10]?

Proverbs 27:5-17
27:5 Better is open rebuke [whether from a friend, stranger, or enemy] than hidden love.

27:6 Wounds [cf. “open rebuke” of 27:5; “wounds” refers to the inner hurt that one may feel when rebuked by a true friend; may initially hurt but are designed for our good; cf. Eph. 4:15 re: speaking the truth in love] from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses [cf. Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss (Matt. 26:48-49); flattery is deceitful].

27:7 He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

27:8 Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home.

27:9 Perfume and incense [these give a pleasing aroma] bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel.

27:10 Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father [a loyal friend of the family; cf. 1 Kings 5:1-12 re: Solomon receiving help from Hiram, a friend of David; cf. 1 Kings 12:6-8 re: Rehoboam foolishly rejected the counsel of his father Solomon’s friends], and do not go to your brother’s house [separated by geographical distance] when disaster strikes you—better a neighbor [a better source of immediate help] nearby [readily available] than a brother far away.

27:11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.

27:12 The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

27:13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman.

27:14 If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.

27:15 A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day;

27:16 restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.

27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Proverbs 28:6
28:6 Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse.

Proverbs 28:8
28:8 He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest [OT law prohibited charging interest on money loaned to fellow Hebrews (Ex. 22:25)] amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

Proverbs 28:20
28:20 A faithful man [being faithful more important than accumulating wealth] will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich [such a person exalts selfish desires over faithfulness] will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 28:23-24
28:23 [cf. Prov. 27:6] He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering [flattery is like perfume—it smells good but should not be swallowed; cf. Prov. 7:21] tongue.

Note: “A slanderer says things behind your back that he would never say to your face, but a flatterer says things to your face that he would never say behind you back.” (ETB Adult Commentary, Winter 2003-04, p. 92)

28:24 He [one so intent on amassing wealth or getting money] who robs his father or mother and says, “It’s not wrong”—he is partner to him who destroys [or who creates havoc in society].

Proverbs 28:27

28:27 He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses [presumably administered by God].

Proverbs 30:7-9
30:7 [Prov. 30 records the sayings of Agur] “Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die [or, “as long as I am living”]:

30:8 [request 1] Keep falsehood and lies far from me [Agur wanted to live a life based on honesty]; [request 2] give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread [cf. Matt. 6:11].

30:9 Otherwise [note dangers of both wealth and poverty…], I may have too much and disown [or deny] you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ [wealth can create the illusion of self-sufficiency] Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor [or, profane] the name of my God.