Proverbs 10–22

The Wise Words of Solomon

10These are the wise words of Solomon:

Wise children make their father happy,

but foolish children make their mother sad.

²Riches gotten by doing wrong have no value,

but right living will save you from death.

³The Lord does not let good people go hungry,

but he keeps evil people from getting what they want.

⁴A lazy person will end up poor,

but a hard worker will become rich.

⁵Those who gather crops on time are wise,

but those who sleep through the harvest are a disgrace.

⁶Good people will have rich blessings,

but the wicked will be overwhelmed by violence.

⁷Good people will be remembered as a blessing,

but evil people will soon be forgotten.

⁸The wise do what they are told,

but a talkative fool will be ruined.

⁹The honest person will live in safety,

but the dishonest will be caught.

¹⁰A wink may get you into trouble,

and foolish talk will lead to your ruin.

¹¹The words of a good person give life, like a fountain of water,

but the words of the wicked contain nothing but violence.

¹²Hatred stirs up trouble,

but love forgives all wrongs.

¹³Wise people speak with understanding,

but people without wisdom should be punished.

¹⁴The wise don’t tell everything they know,

but the foolish talk too much and are ruined.

¹⁵Having lots of money protects the rich,

but having no money destroys the poor.

¹⁶Good people are rewarded with life,

but evil people are paid with punishment.

¹⁷Whoever accepts correction is on the way to life,

but whoever ignores correction will lead others away from life.

¹⁸Whoever hides hate is a liar.

Whoever tells lies is a fool.

¹⁹If you talk a lot, you are sure to sin;

if you are wise, you will keep quiet.

²⁰The words of a good person are like pure silver,

but an evil person’s thoughts are worth very little.

²¹Good people’s words will help many others,

but fools will die because they don’t have wisdom.

²²The Lord’s blessing brings wealth,

and no sorrow comes with it.

²³A foolish person enjoys doing wrong,

but a person with understanding enjoys doing what is wise.

²⁴Evil people will get what they fear most,

but good people will get what they want most.

²⁵A storm will blow the evil person away,

but a good person will always be safe.

²⁶A lazy person affects the one he works for

like vinegar on the teeth or smoke in the eyes.

²⁷Whoever respects the Lord will have a long life,

but the life of an evil person will be cut short.

²⁸A good person can look forward to happiness,

but an evil person can expect nothing.

²⁹The Lord will protect good people

but will ruin those who do evil.

³⁰Good people will always be safe,

but evil people will not remain in the land.

³¹A good person says wise things,

but a liar’s tongue will be stopped.

³²Good people know the right thing to say,

but evil people only tell lies.

11The Lord hates dishonest scales,

but he is pleased with honest weights.

²Pride leads only to shame;

it is wise to be humble.

³Good people will be guided by honesty;

dishonesty will destroy those who are not trustworthy.

⁴Riches will not help when it’s time to die,

but right living will save you from death.

⁵The goodness of the innocent makes life easier,

but the wicked will be destroyed by their wickedness.

⁶Doing right brings freedom to honest people,

but those who are not trustworthy will be caught by their own desires.

⁷When the wicked die, hope dies with them;

their hope in riches will come to nothing.

⁸The good person is saved from trouble;

it comes to the wicked instead.

⁹With words an evil person can destroy a neighbor,

but a good person will escape by being resourceful.

¹⁰When good people succeed, the city is happy.

When evil people die, there are shouts of joy.

¹¹Good people bless and build up their city,

but the wicked can destroy it with their words.

¹²People without good sense find fault with their neighbors,

but those with understanding keep quiet.

¹³Gossips can’t keep secrets,

but a trustworthy person can.

¹⁴Without leadership a nation falls,

but lots of good advice will save it.

¹⁵Whoever guarantees to pay somebody else’s loan will suffer.

It is safer to avoid such promises.

¹⁶A kind woman gets respect,

but cruel men get only wealth.

¹⁷Kind people do themselves a favor,

but cruel people bring trouble on themselves.

¹⁸An evil person really earns nothing,

but a good person will surely be rewarded.

¹⁹Those who are truly good will live,

but those who chase after evil will die.

²⁰The Lord hates those with evil hearts

but is pleased with those who are innocent.

²¹Evil people will certainly be punished,

but those who do right will be set free.

²²A beautiful woman without good sense

is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.

²³Those who do right only wish for good,

but the wicked can expect to be defeated by God’s anger.

²⁴Some people give much but get back even more.

Others don’t give what they should and end up poor.

²⁵Whoever gives to others will get richer;

those who help others will themselves be helped.

²⁶People curse those who keep all the grain,

but they bless the one who is willing to sell it.

²⁷Whoever looks for good will find kindness,

but whoever looks for evil will find trouble.

²⁸Those who trust in riches will be ruined,

but a good person will be healthy like a green leaf.

²⁹Whoever brings trouble to his family

will be left with nothing but the wind.

A fool will be a servant to the wise.

³⁰A good person gives life to others;

the wise person teaches others how to live.

³¹Good people will be rewarded on earth,

and the wicked and the sinners will be punished.

12Anyone who loves learning accepts correction,

but a person who hates being corrected is stupid.

²The Lord is pleased with a good person,

but he will punish anyone who plans evil.

³Doing evil brings no safety at all,

but a good person has safety and security.

⁴A good wife is like a crown for her husband,

but a disgraceful wife is like a disease in his bones.

⁵The plans that good people make are fair,

but the advice of the wicked will trick you.

⁶The wicked talk about killing people,

but the words of good people will save them.

⁷Wicked people die and they are no more,

but a good person’s family continues.

⁸The wisdom of the wise wins praise,

but there is no respect for the stupid.

⁹A person who is not important but has a servant is better off

than someone who acts important but has no food.

¹⁰Good people take care of their animals,

but even the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

¹¹Those who work their land will have plenty of food,

but the one who chases empty dreams is not wise.

¹²The wicked want what other evil people have stolen,

but good people want to give what they have to others.

¹³Evil people are trapped by their evil talk,

but good people stay out of trouble.

¹⁴People will be rewarded for what they say,

and they will also be rewarded for what they do.

¹⁵Fools think they are doing right,

but the wise listen to advice.

¹⁶Fools quickly show that they are upset,

but the wise ignore insults.

¹⁷An honest witness tells the truth,

but a dishonest witness tells lies.

¹⁸Careless words stab like a sword,

but wise words bring healing.

¹⁹Truth will continue forever,

but lies are only for a moment.

²⁰Those who plan evil are full of lies,

but those who plan peace are happy.

²¹No harm comes to a good person,

but an evil person’s life is full of trouble.

²²The Lord hates those who tell lies

but is pleased with those who keep their promises.

²³Wise people keep what they know to themselves,

but fools can’t keep from showing how foolish they are.

²⁴Hard workers will become leaders,

but those who are lazy will be slaves.

²⁵Worry is a heavy load,

but a kind word cheers you up.

²⁶Good people take advice from their friends,

but an evil person is easily led to do wrong.

²⁷The lazy catch no food to cook,

but a hard worker will have great wealth.

²⁸Doing what is right is the way to life,

but there is another way that leads to death.

13Wise children take their parents’ advice,

but whoever makes fun of wisdom won’t listen to correction.

²People will be rewarded for what they say,

but those who can’t be trusted want only violence.

³Those who are careful about what they say protect their lives,

but whoever speaks without thinking will be ruined.

⁴The lazy will not get what they want,

but those who work hard will.

⁵Good people hate what is false,

but the wicked do shameful and disgraceful things.

⁶Doing what is right protects the honest person,

but doing evil ruins the sinner.

⁷Some people pretend to be rich but really have nothing.

Others pretend to be poor but really are wealthy.

⁸The rich may have to pay a ransom for their lives,

but the poor will face no such danger.

⁹Good people can look forward to a bright future,

but the future of the wicked is like a flame going out.

¹⁰Pride only leads to arguments,

but those who take advice are wise.

¹¹Money that comes easily disappears quickly,

but money that is gathered little by little will grow.

¹²It is sad not to get what you hoped for.

But wishes that come true are like eating fruit from the tree of life.

¹³Those who reject what they are taught will pay for it,

but those who obey what they are told will be rewarded.

¹⁴The teaching of a wise person gives life.

It is like a fountain that can save people from death.

¹⁵People with good understanding will be well liked,

but the lives of those who are not trustworthy are hard.

¹⁶Every wise person acts with good sense,

but fools show how foolish they are.

¹⁷A wicked messenger brings nothing but trouble,

but a trustworthy one makes everything right.

¹⁸A person who refuses correction will end up poor and disgraced,

but the one who accepts correction will be honored.

¹⁹It is so good when wishes come true,

but fools hate to stop doing evil.

²⁰Spend time with the wise and you will become wise,

but the friends of fools will suffer.

²¹Trouble always comes to sinners,

but good people enjoy success.

²²Good people leave their wealth to their grandchildren,

but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for good people.

²³A poor person’s field might produce plenty of food,

but others often steal it away.

²⁴If you do not punish your children, you don’t love them,

but if you…