Proverbs 10–16

A COLLECTION OF SOLOMON’S PROVERBS

10Solomon’s proverbs:^w

A wise son brings joy to his father,

but a foolish son, heartache to his mother.^x

²Ill-gotten gains do not profit anyone,

but righteousness rescues from death.^y

³The Lord will not let the righteous go hungry,^z

but he denies the wicked what they crave.^aa

⁴Idle hands make one poor,

but diligent hands bring riches.^ab

⁵The son who gathers during summer is prudent;

the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.^ac

⁶Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.^ad

⁷The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing,

but the name of the wicked will rot.^ae

⁸A wise heart accepts commands,^af

but foolish lips will be destroyed.

⁹The one who lives with integrity lives securely,^ag

but whoever perverts his ways will be found out.^ah

¹⁰A sly wink of the eye^ai causes grief,

and foolish lips will be destroyed.

¹¹The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,^a

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.^b

¹²Hatred stirs up conflicts,

but love covers all offenses.^c

¹³Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,

but a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense.^d

¹⁴The wise store up knowledge,

but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction.^e

¹⁵The wealth of the rich is his fortified city;^f

the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

¹⁶The reward of the righteous is life;

the wages of the wicked is punishment.^g

¹⁷The one who follows instruction is on the path to life,

but the one who rejects correction goes astray.^h

¹⁸The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,

and whoever spreads slander is a fool.ⁱ

¹⁹When there are many words, sin is unavoidable,

but the one who controls his lips is prudent.^j

²⁰The tongue of the righteous is pure silver;

the heart of the wicked is of little value.^k

²¹The lips of the righteous feed many,

but fools die for lack of sense.^l

²²The Lord’s blessing enriches,^m

and he adds no painful effort to it.^An

²³As shameful conduct is pleasure for a fool,^o

so wisdom is for a person of understanding.

²⁴What the wicked dreads will come to him,^p

but what the righteous desire will be given to them.^q

²⁵When the whirlwind passes,

the wicked are no more,^r

but the righteous are secure forever.^s

²⁶Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,^t

so the slacker is to the one who sends him on an errand.

²⁷The fear of the Lord prolongs life,^Bu

but the years of the wicked are cut short.^v

²⁸The hope of the righteous is joy,^w

but the expectation of the wicked will perish.^x

²⁹The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the honorable,

but destruction awaits evildoers.^y

³⁰The righteous will never be shaken,

but the wicked will not remain on the earth.^z

³¹The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom,^aa

but a perverse tongue will be cut out.^ab

³²The lips of the righteous know what is appropriate,^ac

but the mouth of the wicked, only what is perverse.^ad

11Dishonest scales are detestable to the Lord,^ae

but an accurate weight is his delight.^af

²When arrogance comes, disgrace follows,

but with humility comes wisdom.^ag

³The integrity of the upright guides them,^ah

but the perversity of the treacherous destroys them.^ai

⁴Wealth is not profitable on a day of wrath,

but righteousness rescues from death.^a

⁵The righteousness of the blameless clears his path,

but the wicked person will fall because of his wickedness.

⁶The righteousness of the upright rescues them,

but the treacherous are trapped by their own desires.^b

⁷When the wicked person dies,

his expectation comes to nothing,

and hope placed in wealth^AB vanishes.^c

⁸The righteous one is rescued from trouble;

in his place, the wicked one goes in.^d

⁹With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor,

but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

¹⁰When the righteous thrive, a city rejoices;^e

when the wicked die, there is joyful shouting.^*

¹¹A city is built up by the blessing of the upright,^f

but it is torn down by the mouth of the wicked.^g

¹²Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks sense,

but a person with understanding keeps silent.^h

¹³A gossip goes around revealing a secret,

but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.ⁱ

¹⁴Without guidance, a people will fall,

but with many counselors there is deliverance.^j

¹⁵If someone puts up security for a stranger,

he will suffer for it,^k

but the one who hates such agreements is protected.

¹⁶A gracious woman gains honor,

but violent^A people gain only riches.

¹⁷A kind man benefits himself,^l

but a cruel person brings ruin on himself.^m

¹⁸The wicked person earns an empty wage,

but the one who sows righteousness, a true reward.ⁿ

¹⁹Genuine righteousness leads to life,^o

but pursuing evil leads to death.^p

²⁰Those with twisted minds are detestable to the Lord,

but those with blameless conduct are his delight.^q

²¹Be assured^B that a wicked person

will not go unpunished,^r

but the offspring of the righteous will escape.

²²A beautiful woman who rejects good sense

is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.^s

²³The desire of the righteous turns out well,^t

but the hope of the wicked leads to wrath.^u

²⁴One person gives freely,

yet gains more;^v

another withholds what is right,

only to become poor.^w

²⁵A generous person will be enriched,^x

and the one who gives a drink of water

will receive water.^y

²⁶People will curse^z anyone who hoards grain,

but a blessing will come to the one who sells it.^aa

²⁷The one who searches for what is good^ab seeks favor,

but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him.^a

²⁸Anyone trusting in his riches will fall,^b

but the righteous will flourish like foliage.^c

²⁹The one who brings ruin on his household^d

will inherit the wind,^e

and a fool will be a slave

to someone whose heart is wise.

³⁰The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,^f

but a cunning person takes lives.

³¹If the righteous will be repaid on earth,

how much more the wicked and sinful.^g

12Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

but one who hates correction is stupid.^h

²One who is good obtains favor from the Lord,ⁱ

but he condemns a person who schemes.^j

³No one can be made secure by wickedness,

but the root of the righteous is immovable.^k

⁴A wife of noble character^A is her husband’s crown,^l

but a wife who causes shame

is like rottenness in his bones.^m

⁵The thoughts of the righteous are just,

but guidance from the wicked is deceitful.

⁶The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,ⁿ

but the speech of the upright rescues them.^o

⁷The wicked are overthrown and perish,^p

but the house of the righteous will stand.^q

⁸A man is praised for his insight,

but a twisted mind is despised.

⁹Better to be disregarded, yet have a servant,

than to act important but have no food.^r

¹⁰The righteous cares about his animal’s health,^s

but even the merciful acts of the wicked are cruel.

¹¹The one who works his land will have plenty of food,^t

but whoever chases fantasies lacks sense.^u

¹²The wicked desire what evil people have caught,^B

but the root of the righteous is productive.

¹³By rebellious speech an evil person is trapped,^v

but a righteous person escapes from trouble.^w

¹⁴A person will be satisfied with good

by the fruit of his mouth,^x

and the work of a person’s hands will reward him.^y

¹⁵A fool’s way is right in his own eyes,^z

but whoever listens to counsel is wise.

¹⁶A fool’s displeasure is known at once,

but whoever ignores an insult is sensible.^aa

¹⁷Whoever speaks the truth declares what is right,

but a false witness speaks deceit.^ab

¹⁸There is one who speaks rashly,

like a piercing sword;^ac

but the tongue of the wise brings healing.^ad

¹⁹Truthful lips endure forever,

but a lying tongue, only a moment.^ae

²⁰Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,

but those who promote peace have joy.^a

²¹No disaster overcomes the righteous,^b

but the wicked are full of misery.

²²Lying lips are detestable to the Lord,^c

but faithful people are his delight.^d

²³A shrewd person conceals knowledge,

but a foolish heart publicizes stupidity.^e

²⁴The diligent hand will rule,

but laziness will lead to forced labor.^f

²⁵Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down,

but a good word cheers it up.^g

²⁶A righteous person is careful in dealing with his neighbor,^A

but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.^h

²⁷A lazy hunter doesn’t roast his game,ⁱ

but to a diligent person, his wealth is precious.^j

²⁸There is life in the path of righteousness,

and in its path there is no death.^Bk

13A wise son responds to his father’s discipline,

but a mocker doesn’t listen to rebuke.

²From the fruit of his mouth,

a person will enjoy good things,^l

but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.^m

³The one who guards his mouth protects his life;ⁿ

the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.^o

⁴The slacker craves, yet has nothing,

but the diligent is fully satisfied.^p

⁵The righteous hate lying,

but the wicked bring disgust and shame.

⁶Righteousness guards people of integrity,^C

but wickedness undermines the sinner.^q

⁷One person pretends to be rich but has nothing;^r

another pretends to be poor but has abundant wealth.^s

⁸Riches are a ransom for a person’s life,^t

but a poor person hears no threat.

⁹The light of the righteous shines brightly,^u

but the lamp of the wicked is put out.^v

¹⁰Arrogance leads to nothing but strife,^w

but wisdom is gained by those who take advice.

¹¹Wealth obtained by fraud will dwindle,^x

but whoever earns it through labor^A will multiply it.^y

¹²Hope delayed makes the heart sick,

but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.^z

¹³The one who has contempt for instruction will pay the penalty,^aa

but the one who respects a command will be rewarded.^ab

¹⁴A wise person’s instruction is a fountain of life,^ac

turning people away from the snares of death.^ad

¹⁵Good sense wins favor,^ae

but the way of the treacherous never changes.^B

¹⁶Every sensible person acts knowledgeably,

but a fool displays his stupidity.^af

¹⁷A wicked envoy falls into trouble,

but a trustworthy courier brings healing.^a

¹⁸Poverty and disgrace come to those

who ignore…