Proverbs 12

12Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

but whoever hates correction is stupid.^h

²Good people obtain favor from the Lord,ⁱ

but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.^j

³No one can be established through wickedness,

but the righteous cannot be uprooted.^k

⁴A wife of noble character^l is her husband’s crown,

but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.^m

⁵The plans of the righteous are just,

but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

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

but the speech of the upright rescues them.ⁿ

⁷The wicked are overthrown and are no more,^o

but the house of the righteous stands firm.^p

⁸A person is praised according to their prudence,

and one with a warped^q mind is despised.

⁹Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant

than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

¹⁰The righteous care for the needs of their animals,^r

but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

¹¹Those who work their land will have abundant food,

but those who chase fantasies have no sense.^s

¹²The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,

but the root of the righteous endures.

¹³Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,^t

and so the innocent escape trouble.^u

¹⁴From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,^v

and the work of their hands brings them reward.^w

¹⁵The way of fools seems right to them,^x

but the wise listen to advice.^y

¹⁶Fools^z show their annoyance at once,^a

but the prudent overlook an insult.^b

¹⁷An honest witness tells the truth,

but a false witness tells lies.^c

¹⁸The words of the reckless pierce like swords,^d

but the tongue of the wise brings healing.^e

¹⁹Truthful lips endure forever,

but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

²⁰Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,

but those who promote peace have joy.^f

²¹No harm overtakes the righteous,^g

but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

²²The Lord detests lying lips,^h

but he delightsⁱ in people who are trustworthy.^j

²³The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,^k

but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.^l

²⁴Diligent hands will rule,

but laziness ends in forced labor.^m

²⁵Anxiety weighs down the heart,ⁿ

but a kind word cheers it up.

²⁶The righteous choose their friends carefully,

but the way of the wicked leads them astray.^o

²⁷The lazy do not roast^a any game,

but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.

²⁸In the way of righteousness there is life;^p

along that path is immortality.