Proverbs 13–15

13A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,

but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.^q

²From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,^r

but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.

³Those who guard their lips^s preserve their lives,^t

but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.^u

⁴A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,^v

but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

⁵The righteous hate what is false,^w

but the wicked make themselves a stench

and bring shame on themselves.

⁶Righteousness guards the person of integrity,

but wickedness overthrows the sinner.^x

⁷One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;^y

another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.^z

⁸A person’s riches may ransom their life,

but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.^a

⁹The light of the righteous shines brightly,

but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.^b

¹⁰Where there is strife, there is pride,

but wisdom is found in those who take advice.^c

¹¹Dishonest money dwindles away,^d

but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

¹²Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.^e

¹³Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,^f

but whoever respects^g a command is rewarded.^h

¹⁴The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,ⁱ

turning a person from the snares of death.^j

¹⁵Good judgment wins favor,

but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.^a

¹⁶All who are prudent act with^b knowledge,

but fools expose^k their folly.^l

¹⁷A wicked messenger falls into trouble,^m

but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.ⁿ

¹⁸Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,^o

but whoever heeds correction is honored.^p

¹⁹A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,^q

but fools detest turning from evil.

²⁰Walk with the wise and become wise,

for a companion of fools suffers harm.^r

²¹Trouble pursues the sinner,^s

but the righteous^t are rewarded with good things.^u

²²A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,

but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.^v

²³An unplowed field produces food for the poor,

but injustice sweeps it away.

²⁴Whoever spares the rod^w hates their children,

but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline^x them.^y

²⁵The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,

but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.^z

14The wise woman builds her house,^a

but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

²Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly,

but those who despise him are devious in their ways.

³A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride,^b

but the lips of the wise protect them.^c

⁴Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,

but from the strength of an ox^d come abundant harvests.

⁵An honest witness does not deceive,

but a false witness pours out lies.^e

⁶The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,

but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.^f

⁷Stay away from a fool,

for you will not find knowledge on their lips.

⁸The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,^g

but the folly of fools is deception.^h

⁹Fools mock at making amends for sin,

but goodwill is found among the upright.

¹⁰Each heart knows its own bitterness,

and no one else can share its joy.

¹¹The house of the wicked will be destroyed,ⁱ

but the tent of the upright will flourish.^j

¹²There is a way that appears to be right,^k

but in the end it leads to death.^l

¹³Even in laughter^m the heart may ache,

and rejoicing may end in grief.

¹⁴The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways,ⁿ

and the good rewarded for theirs.^o

¹⁵The simple believe anything,

but the prudent give thought to their steps.^p

¹⁶The wise fear the Lord and shun evil,^q

but a fool^r is hotheaded and yet feels secure.

¹⁷A quick-tempered person^s does foolish things,^t

and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.^u

¹⁸The simple inherit folly,

but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

¹⁹Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good,

and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.^v

²⁰The poor are shunned even by their neighbors,

but the rich have many friends.^w

²¹It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor,^x

but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.^y

²²Do not those who plot evil go astray?^z

But those who plan what is good find^a love and faithfulness.

²³All hard work brings a profit,

but mere talk leads only to poverty.

²⁴The wealth of the wise is their crown,

but the folly of fools yields folly.^a

²⁵A truthful witness saves lives,

but a false witness is deceitful.^b

²⁶Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,^c

and for their children it will be a refuge.^d

²⁷The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,^e

turning a person from the snares of death.^f

²⁸A large population is a king’s glory,

but without subjects a prince is ruined.^g

²⁹Whoever is patient has great understanding,^h

but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.ⁱ

³⁰A heart at peace gives life to the body,

but envy rots the bones.^j

³¹Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,^k

but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.^l

³²When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down,^m

but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.ⁿ

³³Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning^o

and even among fools she lets herself be known.^b

³⁴Righteousness exalts a nation,^p

but sin condemns any people.

³⁵A king delights in a wise servant,

but a shameful servant arouses his fury.^q

15A gentle answer^r turns away wrath,^s

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

²The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,^t

but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.^u

³The eyes^v of the Lord are everywhere,^w

keeping watch on the wicked and the good.^x

⁴The soothing tongue^y is a tree of life,^z

but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.^a

⁵A fool spurns a parent’s discipline,

but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.^b

⁶The house of the righteous contains great treasure,^c

but the income of the wicked brings ruin.^d

⁷The lips of the wise spread knowledge,^e

but the hearts of fools are not upright.

⁸The Lord detests the sacrifice^f of the wicked,^g

but the prayer of the upright pleases him.^h

⁹The Lord detests the way of the wicked,ⁱ

but he loves those who pursue righteousness.^j

¹⁰Stern discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path;

the one who hates correction will die.^k

¹¹Death and Destruction^a lie open before the Lord^l—

how much more do human hearts!^m

¹²Mockers resent correction,ⁿ

so they avoid the wise.

¹³A happy heart makes the face cheerful,^o

but heartache crushes the spirit.^p

¹⁴The discerning heart seeks knowledge,^q

but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

¹⁵All the days of the oppressed are wretched,

but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.^r

¹⁶Better a little with the fear of the Lord

than great wealth with turmoil.^s

¹⁷Better a small serving of vegetables with love

than a fattened calf with hatred.^t

¹⁸A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict,^u

but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.^v

¹⁹The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,^w

but the path of the upright is a highway.

²⁰A wise son brings joy to his father,^x

but a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹Folly brings joy to one who has no sense,^y

but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course.

²²Plans fail for lack of counsel,^z

but with many advisers^a they succeed.^b

²³A person finds joy in giving an apt reply^c—

and how good is a timely word!^d

²⁴The path of life leads upward for the prudent

to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.

²⁵The Lord tears down the house of the proud,^e

but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.^f

²⁶The Lord detests the thoughts^g of the wicked,^h

but gracious words are pureⁱ in his sight.

²⁷The greedy bring ruin to their households,

but the one who hates bribes will live.^j

²⁸The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,^k

but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.^l

²⁹The Lord is far from the wicked,

but he hears the prayer of the righteous.^m

³⁰Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart,

and good news gives health to the bones.ⁿ

³¹Whoever heeds life-giving correction

will be at home among the wise.^o

³²Those who disregard discipline despise themselves,^p

but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.^q

³³Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord,^r

and humility comes before honor.^s