Proverbs 13–15

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 love your children, you will correct them.

²⁵Good people have enough to eat,

but the wicked will go hungry.

14A wise woman strengthens her family,

but a foolish woman destroys hers by what she does.

²People who live good lives respect the Lord,

but those who live evil lives don’t.

³Fools will be punished for their proud words,

but the words of the wise will protect them.

⁴When there are no oxen, no food is in the barn.

But with a strong ox, much grain can be grown.

⁵A truthful witness does not lie,

but a false witness tells nothing but lies.

⁶Those who make fun of wisdom look for it and do not find it,

but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding.

⁷Stay away from fools,

because they can’t teach you anything.

⁸A wise person will understand what to do,

but a foolish person is dishonest.

⁹Fools don’t care if they sin,

but honest people work at being right.

¹⁰No one else can know your sadness,

and strangers cannot share your joy.

¹¹The wicked person’s house will be destroyed,

but a good person’s tent will still be standing.

¹²Some people think they are doing right,

but in the end it leads to death.

¹³Someone who is laughing may be sad inside,

and joy may end in sadness.

¹⁴Evil people will be paid back for their evil ways,

and good people will be rewarded for their good ones.

¹⁵Fools will believe anything,

but the wise think about what they do.

¹⁶Wise people are careful and stay out of trouble,

but fools are careless and quick to act.

¹⁷Someone with a quick temper does foolish things,

but someone with understanding remains calm.

¹⁸Fools are rewarded with nothing but more foolishness,

but the wise are rewarded with knowledge.

¹⁹Evil people will bow down to those who are good;

the wicked will bow down at the door of those who do right.

²⁰The poor are rejected, even by their neighbors,

but the rich have many friends.

²¹It is a sin to hate your neighbor,

but being kind to the needy brings happiness.

²²Those who make evil plans will be ruined,

but those who plan to do good will be loved and trusted.

²³Those who work hard make a profit,

but those who only talk will be poor.

²⁴Wise people are rewarded with wealth,

but fools only get more foolishness.

²⁵A truthful witness saves lives,

but a false witness is a traitor.

²⁶Those who respect the Lord will have security,

and their children will be protected.

²⁷Respect for the Lord gives life.

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

²⁸A king is honored when he has many people to rule,

but a prince is ruined if he has none.

²⁹Patient people have great understanding,

but people with quick tempers show their foolishness.

³⁰Peace of mind means a healthy body,

but jealousy will rot your bones.

³¹Whoever mistreats the poor insults their Maker,

but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

³²The wicked are ruined by their own evil,

but those who do right are protected even in death.

³³Wisdom lives in those with understanding,

and even fools recognize it.

³⁴Doing what is right makes a nation great,

but sin will bring disgrace to any people.

³⁵A king is pleased with a wise servant,

but he will become angry with one who causes him shame.

15A gentle answer will calm a person’s anger,

but an unkind answer will cause more anger.

²Wise people use knowledge when they speak,

but fools pour out foolishness.

³The Lord’s eyes see everything;

he watches both evil and good people.

⁴As a tree gives fruit, healing words give life,

but dishonest words crush the spirit.

⁵Fools reject their parents’ correction,

but anyone who accepts correction is wise.

⁶Much wealth is in the houses of good people,

but evil people get nothing but trouble.

⁷Wise people use their words to spread knowledge,

but there is no knowledge in the thoughts of fools.

⁸The Lord hates the sacrifice that the wicked offer,

but he likes the prayers of honest people.

⁹The Lord hates what evil people do,

but he loves those who do what is right.

¹⁰The person who quits doing what is right will be punished,

and the one who hates to be corrected will die.

¹¹The Lord knows what is happening in the world of the dead,

so he surely knows the thoughts of the living.

¹²Those who make fun of wisdom don’t like to be corrected;

they will not ask the wise for advice.

¹³Happiness makes a person smile,

but sadness can break a person’s spirit.

¹⁴People with understanding want more knowledge,

but fools just want more foolishness.

¹⁵Every day is hard for those who suffer,

but a happy heart is like a continual feast.

¹⁶It is better to be poor and respect the Lord

than to be wealthy and have much trouble.

¹⁷It is better to eat vegetables with those who love you

than to eat meat with those who hate you.

¹⁸People with quick tempers cause trouble,

but those who control their tempers stop a quarrel.

¹⁹A lazy person’s life is like a patch of thorns,

but an honest person’s life is like a smooth highway.

²⁰Wise children make their father happy,

but foolish children disrespect their mother.

²¹A person without wisdom enjoys being foolish,

but someone with understanding does what is right.

²²Plans fail without good advice,

but they succeed with the advice of many others.

²³People enjoy giving good advice.

Saying the right word at the right time is so pleasing.

²⁴Wise people’s lives get better and better.

They avoid whatever would cause their death.

²⁵The Lord will tear down the proud person’s house,

but he will protect the widow’s property.

²⁶The Lord hates evil thoughts

but is pleased with kind words.

²⁷Greedy people bring trouble to their families,

but the person who can’t be paid to do wrong will live.

²⁸Good people think before they answer,

but the wicked simply pour out evil.

²⁹The Lord does not listen to the wicked,

but he hears the prayers of those who do right.

³⁰Good news makes you feel better.

Your happiness will show in your eyes.

³¹If you listen to correction to improve your life,

you will live among the wise.

³²Those who refuse correction hate themselves,

but those who accept correction gain understanding.

³³Respect for the Lord will teach you wisdom.

If you want to be honored, you must be humble.