Better is one who is lightly esteemed and has a servant,
Than one who honors himself and lacks bread.
10 A (A)righteous person has regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
11 One (B)who works his land will have plenty of bread,
But one who pursues worthless things lacks [a]sense.
12 The (C)wicked person desires the [b]plunder of evil people,
But the root of the righteous (D)yields fruit.
13 [c]An evil person is ensnared by the offense of his lips,
But the (E)righteous will escape from trouble.
14 A person will be (F)satisfied with good by the fruit of his [d]words,
And the (G)deeds of a person’s hands will return to him.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:11 Lit heart
  2. Proverbs 12:12 Lit net (for trapping prey); another reading is mountain stronghold
  3. Proverbs 12:13 Lit In the offense of the lips is an evil snare
  4. Proverbs 12:14 Lit mouth

Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
    than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals,(A)
    but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

11 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies have no sense.(B)

12 The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous endures.

13 Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,(C)
    and so the innocent escape trouble.(D)

14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,(E)
    and the work of their hands brings them reward.(F)

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