Proverbs 12

If You Love Learning

¹12If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it—

how shortsighted to refuse correction!

²A good person basks in the delight of God,

and he wants nothing to do with devious schemers.

³You can’t find firm footing in a swamp,

but life rooted in God stands firm.

⁴A hearty wife invigorates her husband,

but a frigid woman is cancer in the bones.

⁵The thinking of principled people makes for justice;

the plots of degenerates corrupt.

⁶The words of the wicked kill;

the speech of the upright saves.

⁷Wicked people fall to pieces—there’s nothing to them;

the homes of good people hold together.

⁸A person who talks sense is honored;

airheads are held in contempt.

⁹Better to be ordinary and work for a living

than act important and starve in the process.

¹⁰Good people are good to their animals;

the “good-hearted” bad people kick and abuse them.

¹¹The one who stays on the job has food on the table;

the witless chase whims and fancies.

¹²What the wicked construct finally falls into ruin,

while the roots of the righteous give life, and more life.

Wise People Take Advice

¹³The gossip of bad people gets them in trouble;

the conversation of good people keeps them out of it.

¹⁴Well-spoken words bring satisfaction;

well-done work has its own reward.

¹⁵Fools are headstrong and do what they like;

wise people take advice.

¹⁶Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly;

the prudent quietly shrug off insults.

¹⁷Truthful witness by a good person clears the air,

but liars lay down a smoke screen of deceit.

¹⁸Rash language cuts and maims,

but there is healing in the words of the wise.

¹⁹Truth lasts;

lies are here today, gone tomorrow.

²⁰Evil scheming distorts the schemer;

peace-planning brings joy to the planner.

²¹No evil can overwhelm a good person,

but the wicked have their hands full of it.

²²God can’t stomach liars;

he loves the company of those who keep their word.

²³Prudent people don’t flaunt their knowledge;

talkative fools broadcast their silliness.

²⁴The diligent find freedom in their work;

the lazy are oppressed by work.

²⁵Worry weighs us down;

a cheerful word picks us up.

²⁶A good person survives misfortune,

but a wicked life invites disaster.

²⁷A lazy life is an empty life,

but “early to rise” gets the job done.

²⁸Good men and women travel right into life;

sin’s detours take you straight to hell.