Chapter 10

Contrast of the Righteous and the Wicked

1 The aproverbs of Solomon.

bA wise son makes a father glad,

But ca foolish son is a grief to his mother.

2 1aIll-gotten gains do not profit,

But righteousness delivers from death.

3 The Lord awill not allow the 1righteous to hunger,

But He bwill 2reject the craving of the wicked.

4 Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,

But the ahand of the diligent makes rich.

5 He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,

But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.

6 aBlessings are on the head of the righteous,

But bthe mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

7 The amemory of the righteous is blessed,

But bthe name of the wicked will rot.

8 The awise of heart will receive commands,

But 1a babbling fool will be 2ruined.

9 He awho walks in integrity walks securely,

But bhe who perverts his ways will be found out.

10 He awho winks the eye causes trouble,

And 1ba babbling fool will be 2ruined.

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

But bthe mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

12 Hatred stirs up strife,

But alove covers all transgressions.

13 On athe lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,

But ba rod is for the back of him who lacks 1understanding.

14 Wise men astore up knowledge,

But with bthe mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

15 The arich man’s wealth is his 1fortress,

The bruin of the poor is their poverty.

16 The 1awages of the righteous is life,

The income of the wicked, punishment.

17 He ais on the path of life who heeds instruction,

But he who ignores reproof goes astray.

18 He awho conceals hatred has lying lips,

And he who spreads slander is a fool.

19 When there are amany words, transgression is unavoidable,

But bhe who restrains his lips is wise.

20 The tongue of the righteous is as achoice silver,

The heart of the wicked is worth little.

21 The alips of the righteous feed many,

But fools bdie for lack of 1understanding.

22 It is the ablessing of the Lord that makes rich,

And He adds no sorrow to it.

23 Doing wickedness is like asport to a fool,

And so is wisdom to a man of understanding.

24 What athe wicked fears will come upon him,

But the bdesire of the righteous will be granted.

25 When the awhirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,

But the brighteous has an everlasting foundation.

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

So is the alazy one to those who send him.

27 The afear of the Lord prolongs 1life,

But the byears of the wicked will be shortened.

28 The ahope of the righteous is gladness,

But the bexpectation of the wicked perishes.

29 The away of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright,

But bruin to the workers of iniquity.

30 The arighteous will never be shaken,

But bthe wicked will not dwell in the land.

31 The amouth of the righteous flows with wisdom,

But the bperverted tongue will be cut out.

32 The lips of the righteous bring forth awhat is acceptable,

But the bmouth of the wicked what is perverted.

Chapter 11

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 A afalse balance is an abomination to the Lord,

But a bjust weight is His delight.

2 When apride comes, then comes dishonor,

But with the humble is wisdom.

3 The aintegrity of the upright will guide them,

But the bcrookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.

4 aRiches do not profit in the day of wrath,

But brighteousness delivers from death.

5 The arighteousness of the blameless will smooth his way,

But bthe wicked will fall by his own wickedness.

6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,

But the treacherous will abe caught by their own greed.

7 When a wicked man dies, his aexpectation will perish,

And the bhope of strong men perishes.

8 The righteous is delivered from trouble,

But the wicked 1takes his place.

9 With his amouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,

But through knowledge the brighteous will be delivered.

10 When it agoes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,

And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.

11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,

But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.

12 He who despises his neighbor lacks 1sense,

But a man of understanding keeps silent.

13 He awho goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets,

But he who is 1trustworthy bconceals a matter.

14 Where there is no aguidance the people fall,

But in abundance of counselors there is 1victory.

15 He who is aguarantor for a stranger will surely suffer for it,

But he who hates 1being a guarantor is secure.

16 A agracious woman attains honor,

And ruthless men attain riches.

17 The amerciful man does 1himself good,

But the cruel man 2does himself harm.

18 The wicked earns deceptive wages,

But he who asows righteousness gets a true reward.

19 He who is steadfast in arighteousness will attain to life,

And bhe who pursues evil will bring about his own death.

20 The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord,

But the ablameless in their 1walk are His bdelight.

21 1Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished,

But the 2descendants of the righteous will be delivered.

22 As a aring of gold in a swine’s snout

So is a beautiful woman who lacks 1discretion.

23 The desire of the righteous is only good,

But the aexpectation of the wicked is wrath.

24 There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more,

And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want.

25 The 1agenerous man will be 2prosperous,

And he who bwaters will himself be watered.

26 He who withholds grain, the apeople will curse him,

But bblessing will be on the head of him who csells it.

27 He who diligently seeks good seeks favor,

But ahe who seeks evil, evil will come to him.

28 He who atrusts in his riches will fall,

But bthe righteous will flourish like the green leaf.

29 He who atroubles his own house will binherit wind,

And cthe foolish will be servant to the wisehearted.

30 The fruit of the righteous is aa tree of life,

And bhe who is wise 1wins souls.

31 If athe righteous will be rewarded in the earth,

How much more the wicked and the sinner!

Chapter 12

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 Whoever loves 1discipline loves knowledge,

But he who hates reproof is stupid.

2 A agood man will obtain favor from the Lord,

But He will condemn a man 1who devises evil.

3 A man will anot be established by wickedness,

But the root of the brighteous will not be moved.

4 An 1aexcellent wife is the crown of her husband,

But she who shames him is like brottenness in his bones.

5 The thoughts of the righteous are just,

But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

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

But the bmouth of the upright will deliver them.

7 The awicked are overthrown and are no more,

But the bhouse of the righteous will stand.

8 A man will be praised according to his insight,

But one of perverse 1mind will be despised.

9 Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant

Than he who honors himself and lacks bread.

10 A arighteous man has regard for the life of his animal,

But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

11 He awho tills his land will have plenty of bread,

But he who pursues worthless things lacks 1sense.

12 The awicked man desires the 1booty of evil men,

But the root of the righteous byields fruit.

13 1An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,

But the arighteous will escape from trouble.

14 A man will be asatisfied with good by the fruit of his 1words,

And the bdeeds of a man’s hands will return to him.

15 The away of a fool is right in his own eyes,

But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

16 A afool’s anger is known at once,

But a prudent man conceals dishonor.

17 He who 1speaks truth tells what is right,

But a false witness, deceit.

18 There is one who aspeaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,

But the btongue of the wise brings healing.

19 Truthful lips will be established forever,

But a alying tongue is only for a moment.

20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,

But counselors of peace have joy.

21 aNo harm befalls the righteous,

But the wicked are filled with trouble.

22 aLying lips are an abomination to the Lord,

But those who deal faithfully are His delight.

23 A aprudent man conceals knowledge,

But the heart of fools proclaims folly.

24 The hand of the diligent will rule,

But the 1slack hand will be aput to forced labor.

25 aAnxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,

But a bgood word makes it glad.

26 The righteous is a guide to his neighbor,

But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

27 A 1lazy man does not 2roast his prey,

But the aprecious possession of a man is diligence.

28 aIn the way of righteousness is life,

And in its pathway there is no death.