Proverbs 10

Solomon’s Proverbs

10These are Solomon’s proverbs: Wise children make their fathers proud of them; foolish ones bring their mothers grief.

²Wealth that you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life.

³The Lord will not let good people go hungry, but he will keep the wicked from getting what they want.

⁴Being lazy will make you poor, but hard work will make you rich.

⁵A sensible person gathers the crops when they are ready; it is a disgrace to sleep through the time of harvest.

⁶Good people will receive blessings. The words of the wicked hide a violent nature.

⁷Good people will be remembered as a blessing, but the wicked will soon be forgotten.

⁸Sensible people accept good advice. People who talk foolishly will come to ruin.

⁹Honest people are safe and secure, but the dishonest will be caught.

¹⁰Someone who holds back the truth causes trouble, but one who openly criticizes works for peace.ⁱ

¹¹A good person’s words are a fountain of life, but a wicked person’s words hide a violent nature.

^12*Hate stirs up trouble, but love overlooks all offences.

¹³Intelligent people talk sense, but stupid people need to be punished.

¹⁴The wise get all the knowledge they can, but when fools speak, trouble is not far off.

¹⁵Wealth protects the rich; poverty destroys the poor.

¹⁶The reward for doing good is life, but sin leads only to more sin.

¹⁷People who listen when they are corrected will live, but those who will not admit that they are wrong are in danger.

¹⁸Anyone who hides hatred is a liar. Anyone who spreads gossip is a fool.

¹⁹The more you talk, the more likely you are to sin. If you are wise, you will keep quiet.

²⁰A good person’s words are like pure silver; a wicked person’s ideas are worthless.

²¹A good person’s words will benefit many people, but you can kill yourself with stupidity.

²²It is the Lord’s blessing that makes you wealthy. Hard work can make you no richer.^j

²³It is foolish to enjoy doing wrong. Intelligent people take pleasure in wisdom.

²⁴The righteous get what they want, but the wicked will get what they fear most.

²⁵Storms come, and the wicked are blown away, but honest people are always safe.

²⁶Never get a lazy person to do something for you; he will be as irritating as vinegar on your teeth or smoke in your eyes.

²⁷Obey the Lord, and you will live longer. The wicked die before their time.

²⁸The hopes of good people lead to joy, but wicked people can look forward to nothing.

²⁹The Lord protects honest people, but destroys those who do wrong.

³⁰Righteous people will always have security, but the wicked will not survive in the land.

³¹Righteous people speak wisdom, but the tongue that speaks evil will be stopped.

³²Righteous people know the kind thing to say, but the wicked are always saying things that hurt.