WISDOM VERSUS FOOLISHNESS

9 Wisdom has built her house;c

she has carved out her seven pillars.

2 She has prepared her meat;d she has mixed her wine;e

she has also set her table.f

3 She has sent out her female servants;g

she calls out from the highest points of the city:h

4 “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”

To the one who lacks sense,i she says,

5 “Come, eat my bread,j

and drink the wine I have mixed.

6 Leave inexperience behind, and you will live;

pursue the way of understanding.

7 The one who corrects a mocker

will bring abuse on himself;

the one who rebukes the wicked will get hurt.B

8 Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you;k

rebuke the wise, and he will love you.l

9 Instruct the wise, and he will be wiser still;

teach the righteous, and he will learn more.m

10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,n

and the knowledge of the Holy Oneo is understanding.

11 For by me your days will be many,

and years will be added to your life.

12 If you are wise, you are wise for your own benefit;p

if you mock, you alone will bear the consequences.”

13 Folly is a rowdy woman;q

she is gullible and knows nothing.r

14 She sits by the doorway of her house,

on a seat at the highest point of the city,

15 calling to those who pass by,

who go straight ahead on their paths:s

16 “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”

To the one who lacks sense, she says,

17 “Stolen water is sweet,

and bread eaten secretly is tasty!”t

18 But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there,u

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.v

A COLLECTION OF SOLOMON’S PROVERBS

10 Solomon’s proverbs:w

A wise son brings joy to his father,

but a foolish son, heartache to his mother.x

2 Ill-gotten gains do not profit anyone,

but righteousness rescues from death.y

3 The Lord will not let the righteous go hungry,z

but he denies the wicked what they crave.aa

4 Idle hands make one poor,

but diligent hands bring riches.ab

5 The son who gathers during summer is prudent;

the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.ac

6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.ad

7 The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing,

but the name of the wicked will rot.ae

8 A wise heart accepts commands,af

but foolish lips will be destroyed.

9 The one who lives with integrity lives securely,ag

but whoever perverts his ways will be found out.ah

10 A sly wink of the eyeai causes grief,

and foolish lips will be destroyed.

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,a

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.b

12 Hatred stirs up conflicts,

but love covers all offenses.c

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,

but a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense.d

14 The wise store up knowledge,

but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction.e

15 The wealth of the rich is his fortified city;f

the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

16 The reward of the righteous is life;

the wages of the wicked is punishment.g

17 The one who follows instruction is on the path to life,

but the one who rejects correction goes astray.h

18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,

and whoever spreads slander is a fool.i

19 When there are many words, sin is unavoidable,

but the one who controls his lips is prudent.j

20 The tongue of the righteous is pure silver;

the heart of the wicked is of little value.k

21 The lips of the righteous feed many,

but fools die for lack of sense.l

22 The Lord’s blessing enriches,m

and he adds no painful effort to it.A,n

23 As shameful conduct is pleasure for a fool,o

so wisdom is for a person of understanding.

24 What the wicked dreads will come to him,p

but what the righteous desire will be given to them.q

25 When the whirlwind passes,

the wicked are no more,r

but the righteous are secure forever.s

26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,t

so the slacker is to the one who sends him on an errand.

27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,B,u

but the years of the wicked are cut short.v

28 The hope of the righteous is joy,w

but the expectation of the wicked will perish.x

29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the honorable,

but destruction awaits evildoers.y

30 The righteous will never be shaken,

but the wicked will not remain on the earth.z

31 The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom,aa

but a perverse tongue will be cut out.ab

32 The lips of the righteous know what is appropriate,ac

but the mouth of the wicked, only what is perverse.ad

11 Dishonest scales are detestable to the Lord,ae

but an accurate weight is his delight.af

2 When arrogance comes, disgrace follows,

but with humility comes wisdom.ag

3 The integrity of the upright guides them,ah

but the perversity of the treacherous destroys them.ai

4 Wealth is not profitable on a day of wrath,

but righteousness rescues from death.a

5 The righteousness of the blameless clears his path,

but the wicked person will fall because of his wickedness.

6 The righteousness of the upright rescues them,

but the treacherous are trapped by their own desires.b

7 When the wicked person dies,

his expectation comes to nothing,

and hope placed in wealthA,B vanishes.c

8 The righteous one is rescued from trouble;

in his place, the wicked one goes in.d

9 With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor,

but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

10 When the righteous thrive, a city rejoices;e

when the wicked die, there is joyful shouting.*

11 A city is built up by the blessing of the upright,f

but it is torn down by the mouth of the wicked.g

12 Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks sense,

but a person with understanding keeps silent.h

13 A gossip goes around revealing a secret,

but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.i

14 Without guidance, a people will fall,

but with many counselors there is deliverance.j

15 If someone puts up security for a stranger,

he will suffer for it,k

but the one who hates such agreements is protected.

16 A gracious woman gains honor,

but violentC people gain only riches.

17 A kind man benefits himself,l

but a cruel person brings ruin on himself.m

18 The wicked person earns an empty wage,

but the one who sows righteousness, a true reward.n

19 Genuine righteousness leads to life,o

but pursuing evil leads to death.p

20 Those with twisted minds are detestable to the Lord,

but those with blameless conduct are his delight.q

21 Be assuredD that a wicked person

will not go unpunished,r

but the offspring of the righteous will escape.

22 A beautiful woman who rejects good sense

is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.s

23 The desire of the righteous turns out well,t

but the hope of the wicked leads to wrath.u

24 One person gives freely,

yet gains more;v

another withholds what is right,

only to become poor.w

25 A generous person will be enriched,x

and the one who gives a drink of water

will receive water.y

26 People will cursez anyone who hoards grain,

but a blessing will come to the one who sells it.aa

27 The one who searches for what is goodab seeks favor,

but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him.a

28 Anyone trusting in his riches will fall,b

but the righteous will flourish like foliage.c

29 The one who brings ruin on his householdd

will inherit the wind,e

and a fool will be a slave

to someone whose heart is wise.

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,f

but a cunning person takes lives.

31 If the righteous will be repaid on earth,

how much more the wicked and sinful.g

12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

but one who hates correction is stupid.h

2 One who is good obtains favor from the Lord,i

but he condemns a person who schemes.j

3 No one can be made secure by wickedness,

but the root of the righteous is immovable.k

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

but a wife who causes shame

is like rottenness in his bones.m

5 The thoughts of the righteous are just,

but guidance from the wicked is deceitful.

6 The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,n

but the speech of the upright rescues them.o

7 The wicked are overthrown and perish,p

but the house of the righteous will stand.q

8 A man is praised for his insight,

but a twisted mind is despised.

9 Better to be disregarded, yet have a servant,

than to act important but have no food.r

10 The righteous cares about his animal’s health,s

but even the merciful acts of the wicked are cruel.

11 The one who works his land will have plenty of food,t

but whoever chases fantasies lacks sense.u

12 The wicked desire what evil people have caught,B

but the root of the righteous is productive.

13 By rebellious speech an evil person is trapped,v

but a righteous person escapes from trouble.w

14 A person will be satisfied with good

by the fruit of his mouth,x

and the work of a person’s hands will reward him.y

15 A fool’s way is right in his own eyes,z

but whoever listens to counsel is wise.

16 A fool’s displeasure is known at once,

but whoever ignores an insult is sensible.aa

17 Whoever speaks the truth declares what is right,

but a false witness speaks deceit.ab

18 There is one who speaks rashly,

like a piercing sword;ac

but the tongue of the wise brings healing.ad

19 Truthful lips endure forever,

but a lying tongue, only a moment.ae

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

but those who promote peace have joy.a

21 No disaster overcomes the righteous,b

but the wicked are full of misery.

22 Lying lips are detestable to the Lord,c

but faithful people are his delight.d

23 A shrewd person conceals knowledge,

but a foolish heart publicizes stupidity.e

24 The diligent hand will rule,

but laziness will lead to forced labor.f

25 Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down,

but a good word cheers it up.g

26 A righteous person is careful in dealing with his neighbor,A

but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.h

27 A lazy hunter doesn’t roast his game,i

but to a diligent person, his wealth is precious.j

28 There is life in the path of righteousness,

and in its path there is no death.B,k

13 A wise son responds to his father’s discipline,

but a mocker doesn’t listen to rebuke.

2 From the fruit of his mouth,

a person will enjoy good things,l

but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.m

3 The one who guards his mouth protects his life;n

the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.o

4 The slacker craves, yet has nothing,

but the diligent is fully satisfied.p

5 The righteous hate lying,

but the wicked bring disgust and shame.

6 Righteousness guards people of integrity,C

but wickedness undermines the sinner.q

7 One person pretends to be rich but has nothing;r

another pretends to be poor but has abundant wealth.s

8 Riches are a ransom for a person’s life,t

but a poor person hears no threat.

9 The light of the righteous shines brightly,u

but the lamp of the wicked is put out.v

10 Arrogance leads to nothing but strife,w

but wisdom is gained by those who take advice.

11 Wealth obtained by fraud will dwindle,x

but whoever earns it through laborD will multiply it.y

12 Hope delayed makes the heart sick,

but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.z

13 The one who has contempt for instruction will pay the penalty,aa

but the one who respects a command will be rewarded.ab

14 A wise person’s instruction is a fountain of life,ac

turning people away from the snares of death.ad

15 Good sense wins favor,ae

but the way of the treacherous never changes.E

16 Every sensible person acts knowledgeably,

but a fool displays his stupidity.af

17 A wicked envoy falls into trouble,

but a trustworthy courier brings healing.a

18 Poverty and disgrace come to those

who ignore discipline,

but the one who accepts correction will be honored.b

19 Desire fulfilled is sweet to the taste,

but to turn from evil is detestable to fools.c

20 The one who walks with the wise will become wise,

but a companion of fools will suffer harm.

21 Disaster pursues sinners,

but good rewards the righteous.d

22 A good man leaves an inheritance to hisA grandchildren,

but the sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.e

23 The uncultivated field of the poor yields abundant food,

but without justice, it is swept away.

24 The one who will not use the rod hates his son,f

but the one who loves him disciplines him diligently.g

25 A righteous person eats until he is satisfied,

but the stomach of the wicked is empty.h