Money - Part 5

Proverbs on money

The book of Proverbs has three main authors and has quite a lot to say concerning finances and managing them. This is one of my favourite books of the Bible. This is the second last part of the series, we are close to the end now. 

Commentary will be limited in this post due to the amount of scriptures quoted. 

Proverbs 1:2-3

“2 Written down so we'll know how to live well and right, to understand what life means and where it's going; 3 A manual for living, for learning what's right and just and fair;” MSG

This is the purpose of the book of Proverbs, wisdom – we need it or we will suffer!

Trust only in God

Proverbs 3:5-6

“5 With all your heart you must trust the LORD and not your own judgment. 6 Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.” CEV

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

Proverbs 21:17 "Heavy drinkers and others who live only for pleasure will lose all they have." CEV

Proverbs 28:25 "Selfishness only causes trouble. You are much better off to trust the LORD." GNB

Giving / Tithing / First fruits

Proverbs 3:9-10

“9 Honor the LORD by giving him your money and the first part of all your crops. 10 Then you will have more grain and grapes than you will ever need.” CEV

Put God first, not money and He will bless you.

Keeping up with the Jones'es

Proverbs 12:9 “Better to be ordinary and work for a living than act important and starve in the process.” MSG

Proverbs 13:7 “One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.” ESV

Better a little than …

Proverbs 15:16-17

"16 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." ESV

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

Proverbs 16:19 "It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud." ESV

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

Proverbs 19:22 "What matters most is loyalty. It's better to be poor than to be a liar." CEV

Proverbs 28:6 "It's better to be poor and direct than rich and crooked." MSG

The poor

Proverbs 13:18 "Someone who will not learn will be poor and disgraced. Anyone who listens to correction is respected." GNB

Proverbs 13:23 "Much food is in the plowed ground of the poor, but when there is no justice, it is swept away." MKJV

Proverbs 14:20-21

"20 No one likes the poor, not even their neighbors, but the rich have many friends. 21 If you want to be happy, be kind to the poor; it is a sin to despise anyone." GNB

Proverbs 14:31 "If you oppress poor people, you insult the God who made them; but kindness shown to the poor is an act of worship." GNB

Proverbs 17:5 “By insulting the poor, you insult your Creator. You will be punished if you make fun of someone in trouble.” CEV

Proverbs 19:4 “Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.” ESV

Proverbs 19:6-7

“6 Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. 7 All a poor man's brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them.” ESV

Proverbs 22:2 "The rich and the poor are all created by the LORD." CEV

Proverbs 22:7 "The poor are always ruled over by the rich, so don't borrow and put yourself under their power." MSG

Proverbs 22:22-23

"22 Don't take advantage of the poor just because you can; don't take advantage of those who stand helpless in court. 23 The LORD will argue their case for them and threaten the life of anyone who threatens theirs." GNB

Proverbs 29:13 "A poor person and his oppressor have this in common---the LORD gave eyes to both of them." GNB

Proverbs 29:14 "If a king defends the rights of the poor, he will rule for a long time." GNB

Gold / Silver / Rubies / wisdom etc.

Proverbs 3:13-14

“13 God blesses everyone who has wisdom and common sense. 14 Wisdom is worth more than silver; it makes you much richer than gold. 15 Wisdom is more valuable than precious jewels; nothing you want compares with her.” CEV

Proverbs 8:10-11

“10 Choose my instruction instead of silver; choose knowledge rather than the finest gold. 11 "I am Wisdom, I am better than jewels; nothing you want can compare with me. GNB

Proverbs 8:18-19

“18 I have riches and honor to give, prosperity and success. 19 What you get from me is better than the finest gold, better than the purest silver.” GNB

Proverbs 16:16 "How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver." ESV

Proverbs 17:3 "Silver and gold are tested by flames of fire; our thoughts are tested by the LORD." CEV

Proverbs 20:15 "Sensible words are better than gold or jewels." CEV

Proverbs 22:1 "A good reputation and respect are worth much more than silver and gold." CEV

Proverbs 9:11-12

“11 Wisdom will add years to your life. 12 You are the one who will profit if you have wisdom, and if you reject it, you are the one who will suffer.” GNB

Proverbs 21:20 "Wise people live in wealth and luxury, but stupid people spend their money as fast as they get it." GNB

Other people's debts

Proverbs 6:1-5

“1 My child, have you promised to be responsible for someone else's debts? 2 Have you been caught by your own words, trapped by your own promises? 3 Well then, my child, you are in that person's power, but this is how to get out of it: hurry to him, and beg him to release you. 4 Don't let yourself go to sleep or even stop to rest. 5 Get out of the trap like a bird or a deer escaping from a hunter.” GNB

Proverbs 11:15 “If you promise to pay a stranger's debt, you will regret it. You are better off if you don't get involved.” GNB

Proverbs 20:16 "You deserve to lose your coat if you loan it to someone to guarantee payment for the debt of a stranger." CEV

Proverbs 22:26-27

"26 Don't guarantee to pay someone else's debt. 27 If you don't have the money, you might lose your bed.” CEV

Proverbs 27:13 "Any people stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger's debts deserve to have their own property held to guarantee payment." GNB

Lazy people

Proverbs 6:10-11

“10 Sleep a little. Doze a little. Fold your hands and twiddle your thumbs. 11 Suddenly, everything is gone, as though it had been taken by an armed robber.” CEV

Proverbs 10:4 “Laziness leads to poverty; hard work makes you rich.” CEV

Proverbs 10:5 “A wise youth makes hay while the sun shines, but what a shame to see a lad who sleeps away his hour of opportunity.” TLB

Proverbs 12:11 “Hard working farmers have more than enough food; daydreamers are nothing more than stupid fools.” CEV

Proverbs 12:24 “Work hard, and you will be a leader; be lazy, and you will end up a slave.” CEV

Proverbs 12:27 “Anyone too lazy to cook will starve, but a hard worker is a valuable treasure.” CEV

Proverbs 13:4 “No matter how much a lazy person may want something, he will never get it. A hard worker will get everything he wants.” GNB

Proverbs 15:19 “If you are lazy, you will meet difficulty everywhere, but if you are honest, you will have no trouble.” GNB

Proverbs 14:23 "Hard work always pays off; mere talk puts no bread on the table." MSG

Proverbs 18:9 "Being lazy is no different from being a troublemaker." CEV

Proverbs 19:15 “If you are lazy and sleep your time away, you will starve.” CEV

Proverbs 19:24 "Some people are too lazy to lift a hand to feed themselves." CEV

Proverbs 20:4 "If you are too lazy to plow, don't expect a harvest." CEV

Proverbs 20:13 "If you sleep all the time, you will starve; if you get up and work, you will have enough food." CEV

Proverbs 21:25-26

"25 Lazy people who refuse to work are only killing themselves; 26 all they do is think about what they would like to have. The righteous, however, can give, and give generously." GNB

Proverbs 22:13 "Don't be so lazy that you say, "If I go to work, a lion will eat me!" CEV

Proverbs 22:29 "If you do your job well, you will work for a ruler and never be a slave." CEV

Proverbs 24:30-34

“30 I walked through the fields and vineyards of a lazy, stupid person. 31 They were full of thorn bushes and overgrown with weeds. The stone wall around them had fallen down. 32 I looked at this, thought about it, and learned a lesson from it: 33 Go ahead and take your nap; go ahead and sleep. Fold your hands and rest awhile, 34 but while you are asleep, poverty will attack you like an armed robber." GNB

Proverbs 26:13-16

"13 Why don't lazy people ever get out of the house? What are they afraid of ? Lions? 14 Lazy people turn over in bed. They get no farther than a door swinging on its hinges. 15 Some people are too lazy to put food in their own mouths. 16 A lazy person will think he is smarter than seven men who can give good reasons for their opinions." GNB

Proverbs 28:19 "A hard-working farmer has plenty to eat. People who waste time will always be poor." GNB

Ill gotten gains / Bribes / The wicked

Proverbs 10:2-3

“2 Wealth you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life. 3 The LORD will not let good people go hungry, but he will keep the wicked from getting what they want. GNB

Proverbs 10:6 “Good people will receive blessings. The words of the wicked hide a violent nature.” GNB

Proverbs 11:18 “The wicked makes a deceitful wage; but one sowing righteousness has a sure reward.” MKJV

Proverbs 13:21 "Disaster pursues sinners, but the righteous are rewarded with good." ESV

Proverbs 12:12 “Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit.” ESV

Proverbs 15:8 "The LORD is disgusted by gifts from the wicked, but it makes him happy when his people pray." CEV

Proverbs 15:27 "Being greedy causes trouble for your family, but you protect yourself by refusing bribes." CEV

Proverbs 21:6 "The riches you get by dishonesty soon disappear, but not before they lead you into the jaws of death." GNB

Proverbs 21:27 "The LORD hates it when wicked people offer him sacrifices, especially if they do it from evil motives." GNB

Proverbs 22:16 "If you make gifts to rich people or oppress the poor to get rich, you will become poor yourself." GNB

Proverbs 23:10-11

"10 Don't move a boundary marker or take the land that belongs to orphans. 11 God All-Powerful is there to defend them against you." CEV

Proverbs 23:17-18

"17 Don't be jealous of sinners, but always honor the LORD. 18 Then you will truly have hope for the future." CEV

Proverbs 24:19-20

"19 Don't let evil people worry you; don't be envious of them. 20 A wicked person has no future---nothing to look forward to." GNB

Proverbs 28:28 "People stay in hiding when the wicked come to power. But when they fall from power, the righteous will rule again." GNB

Gambling

Proverbs 13:11 “The more easily you get your wealth, the sooner you will lose it. The harder it is to earn, the more you will have.” GNB

Proverbs 28:22 “Trying to get rich quick is evil and leads to poverty.” TLB

Proverbs 28:20 "Committed and persistent work pays off; get-rich-quick schemes are ripoffs." MSG

Generosity

Proverbs 11:24-26

“24 Sometimes you can become rich by being generous or poor by being greedy. 25 Generosity will be rewarded: Give a cup of water, and you will receive a cup of water in return. 26 Charge too much for grain, and you will be cursed; sell it at a fair price, and you will be praised.” CEV

Proverbs 3:27-28

“27 Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God's hand for that person. 28 Don't tell your neighbor, "Maybe some other time," or, "Try me tomorrow," when the money's right there in your pocket.” MSG

Proverbs 19:17 “Caring for the poor is lending to the LORD, and you will be well repaid.” CEV

Proverbs 22:9 "Generous hands are blessed hands because they give bread to the poor." MSG

Proverbs 28:27 "Give to the poor and you will never be in need. If you close your eyes to the poor, many people will curse you." GNB

The righteous

Proverbs 18:10 "The LORD is like a strong tower, where the righteous can go and be safe. 11 Rich people, however, imagine that their wealth protects them like high, strong walls around a city." GNB

Planning

Proverbs 21:5 "If you plan and work hard, you will have plenty; if you get in a hurry, you will end up poor." CEV

Proverbs 20:21 "The more easily you get your wealth, the less good it will do you." GNB

Proverbs on running your business

Proverbs 14:4 "Without any oxen to pull the plow your barn will be empty, but with them it will be full of grain." GNB

Having the right tools and equiptment (oxen = truck) is essential to your business being a success.

Proverbs 20:23 “The LORD hates people who use dishonest scales and weights.” GNB

Proverbs 22:4 "Respect and serve the LORD! Your reward will be wealth, a long life, and honor." CEV

Proverbs 23:4-5

“4 Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying to get rich. 5 Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle." GNB

Proverbs 20:14 "Everyone likes to brag about getting a bargain." CEV

Proverbs 27:23-27

“23 You should take good care of your sheep and goats, 24 because wealth and honor don't last forever. 25 After the hay is cut and the new growth appears and the harvest is over,

Pro 27:26 you can sell lambs and goats to buy clothes and land. 27 From the milk of the goats, you can make enough cheese to feed your family and all your servants." CEV

Proverbs 28:8 "Get as rich as you want through cheating and extortion, But eventually some friend of the poor is going to give it all back to them." MSG

Miscellenious

Proverbs 13:22 "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous." ESV

Proverbs 25:21-22

"21 If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink. 22 You will make them burn with shame, and the LORD will reward you." GNB

Proverbs 28:11 "The rich think they know it all, but the poor can see right through them." MSG

Proverbs 28:24 "Anyone who robs father and mother and says, "So, what's wrong with that?" is worse than a pirate." MSG

Proverbs 30:7-9

"7 I ask you, God, to let me have two things before I die: 8 keep me from lying, and let me be neither rich nor poor. So give me only as much food as I need. 9 If I have more, I might say that I do not need you. But if I am poor, I might steal and bring disgrace on my God." GNB