The Proverbs of Solomon

10 cThe proverbs of Solomon.

dA wise son makes a glad father,

ebut a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

2  fTreasures gained by wickedness do not profit,

gbut righteousness delivers from death.

3  hThe Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,

ibut he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

4  A slack hand jcauses poverty,

kbut the hand of the diligent makes rich.

5  He who lgathers in summer is a prudent son,

but he who sleeps in harvest is ma son who brings shame.

6  Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

but nthe mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 1

7  oThe memory of the righteous is a blessing,

but pthe name of the wicked will rot.

8  qThe wise of heart will receive commandments,

but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

9  rWhoever walks in integrity walks securely,

but he who makes his ways crooked swill be found out.

10  Whoever twinks the eye causes trouble,

and a babbling fool will come to ruin.

11  uThe mouth of the righteous is va fountain of life,

but the mouth of the wicked nconceals violence.

12  Hatred stirs up strife,

but wlove covers all offenses.

13  On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,

but xa rod is for the back of him who ylacks sense.

14  The wise zlay up knowledge,

but athe mouth of a fool brings ruin near.

15  bA rich man’s wealth is his strong city;

the poverty of the poor is their ruin.

16  The wage of the righteous leads cto life,

the gain of the wicked to sin.

17  Whoever heeds instruction is on dthe path to life,

but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.

18  The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,

and whoever utters slander is a fool.

19  eWhen words are many, transgression is not lacking,

fbut whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

20  The tongue of the righteous is gchoice silver;

the heart of the wicked is of little worth.

21  The lips of the righteous feed many,

but fools die for hlack of sense.

22  iThe blessing of the Lord makes rich,

and he adds no sorrow with it.2

23  Doing wrong is jlike a joke to a fool,

but kwisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

24  lWhat the wicked dreads mwill come upon him,

but nthe desire of the righteous will be granted.

25  When othe tempest passes, the wicked is no more,

but pthe righteous is established forever.

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

so is the sluggard to those who send him.

27  qThe fear of the Lord prolongs life,

rbut the years of the wicked will be short.

28  sThe hope of the righteous brings joy,

tbut the expectation of the wicked will perish.

29  uThe way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,

but destruction to evildoers.

30  vThe righteous will never be removed,

but wthe wicked will not dwell in the land.

31  xThe mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,

but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

32  The lips of the righteous yknow what is acceptable,

but the mouth of the wicked, zwhat is perverse.

11 aA false balance is an abomination to the Lord,

bbut a just weight is his delight.

2  cWhen pride comes, then comes disgrace,

but with dthe humble is wisdom.

3  eThe integrity of the upright guides them,

fbut the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

4  gRiches do not profit in the day of wrath,

hbut righteousness delivers from death.

5  The righteousness of the blameless ikeeps his way straight,

but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.

6  hThe righteousness of the upright delivers them,

but the treacherous jare taken captive by their lust.

7  When the wicked dies, his khope will perish,

and lthe expectation of wealth1 perishes too.

8  mThe righteous is delivered from trouble,

and the wicked walks into it instead.

9  With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,

but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.

10  nWhen it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,

and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.

11  By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,

but oby the mouth of the wicked pit is overthrown.

12  Whoever qbelittles his neighbor lacks sense,

but a man of understanding remains silent.

13  Whoever rgoes about slandering reveals secrets,

but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

14  Where there is sno guidance, a people falls,

sbut in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

15  tWhoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,

but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.

16  uA gracious woman gets honor,

and vviolent men get riches.

17  wA man who is kind benefits himself,

but a cruel man hurts himself.

18  The wicked earns deceptive wages,

but one who xsows righteousness gets a sure reward.

19  Whoever is steadfast in righteousness ywill live,

but zhe who pursues evil will die.

20  Those of acrooked heart are ban abomination to the Lord,

but those of cblameless ways are dhis delight.

21  eBe assured, fan evil person will not go unpunished,

but gthe offspring of the righteous will be delivered.

22  Like ha gold ring in a pig’s snout

is a beautiful woman without discretion.

23  The desire of the righteous ends only in good,

ithe expectation of the wicked in wrath.

24  jOne gives kfreely, yet grows all the richer;

another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

25  lWhoever brings blessing mwill be enriched,

and none who waters will himself be watered.

26  oThe people curse him who holds back grain,

but pa blessing is on the head of him who qsells it.

27  Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,2

but evil comes to rhim who searches for it.

28  Whoever strusts in his riches will fall,

but the righteous will tflourish like a green leaf.

29  Whoever utroubles his own household will vinherit the wind,

and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

30  The fruit of the righteous is wa tree of life,

and whoever xcaptures souls is wise.

31  If ythe righteous is repaid on earth,

how much more the wicked and the sinner!

12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

but he who zhates reproof is astupid.

2  A good man bobtains favor from the Lord,

but a man of evil devices he condemns.

3  No one is established by wickedness,

but the root of cthe righteous will never be moved.

4  dAn excellent wife is ethe crown of her husband,

but she who fbrings shame is like grottenness in his bones.

5  hThe thoughts of the righteous are just;

the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

6  The words of the wicked ilie in wait for blood,

but jthe mouth of the upright delivers them.

7  kThe wicked are loverthrown and are no more,

mbut the house of the righteous will stand.

8  A man is commended according to his good sense,

but one of twisted mind is ndespised.

9  Better to be lowly and have a servant

than to play the great man and lack bread.

10  oWhoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,

but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.

11  pWhoever works his land qwill have plenty of bread,

rbut he who follows sworthless pursuits lacks sense.

12  Whoever is wicked covets tthe spoil of evildoers,

but the root of the righteous bears fruit.

13  An evil man is ensnared uby the transgression of his lips, 1

vbut the righteous escapes from trouble.

14  From the fruit of his mouth wa man is satisfied with good,

xand the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.

15  yThe way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

but a wise man listens to advice.

16  zThe vexation of a fool is known at once,

but the prudent ignores an insult.

17  aWhoever speaks2 the truth gives honest evidence,

but ba false witness utters deceit.

18  cThere is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,

but the tongue of the wise brings dhealing.

19  Truthful lips endure forever,

but ea lying tongue is but for a moment.

20  Deceit is in the heart of fthose who devise evil,

but those who plan peace have joy.

21  gNo ill befalls the righteous,

but the wicked are filled with trouble.

22  hLying lips are ian abomination to the Lord,

jbut those who act faithfully are his delight.

23  kA prudent man conceals knowledge,

kbut the heart of fools proclaims folly.

24  lThe hand of the diligent will rule,

while the slothful will be mput to forced labor.

25  nAnxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,

but a good word makes him glad.

26  One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor,3

but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

27  oWhoever is slothful will not roast his game,

but the diligent man will get precious wealth.4

28  pIn the path of righteousness is life,

and in its pathway there is no death.