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Proverbs 13
GOD’S WORD Translation
Proverbs 13
GOD’S WORD Translation
A Wise Son Lives Righteously
13 A wise son listens to his father’s discipline,
but a mocker does not listen to reprimands.
2 A person eats well as a result of his speaking ability,
but the appetite of treacherous people ⌞craves⌟ violence.
3 Whoever controls his mouth protects his own life.
Whoever has a big mouth comes to ruin.
4 A lazy person craves food and there is none,
but the appetite of hard-working people is satisfied.
5 A righteous person hates lying,
but a wicked person behaves with shame and disgrace.
6 Righteousness protects the honest way of life,
but wickedness ruins a sacrifice for sin.
7 One person pretends to be rich but has nothing.
Another pretends to be poor but has great wealth.
8 A person’s riches are the ransom for his life,
but the poor person does not pay attention to threats.
9 The light of righteous people beams brightly,
but the lamp of wicked people will be snuffed out.
10 Arrogance produces only quarreling,
but those who take advice gain wisdom.
11 Wealth ⌞gained⌟ through injustice dwindles away,
but whoever gathers little by little has plenty.
12 Delayed hope makes one sick at heart,
but a fulfilled longing is a tree of life.
13 Whoever despises ⌞God’s⌟ words will pay the penalty,
but the one who fears ⌞God’s⌟ commands will be rewarded.
14 The teachings of a wise person are a fountain of life
to turn ⌞one⌟ away from the grasp of death.
15 Good sense brings favor,
but the way of treacherous people is always the same.[a]
16 Any sensible person acts with knowledge,
but a fool displays stupidity.
17 An undependable messenger gets into trouble,
but a dependable envoy brings healing.
18 Poverty and shame come to a person who ignores discipline,
but whoever pays attention to constructive criticism will be honored.
19 A fulfilled desire is sweet to the soul,
but turning from evil is disgusting to fools.
20 Whoever walks with wise people will be wise,
but whoever associates with fools will suffer.
21 Disaster hunts down sinners,
but righteous people are rewarded with good.
22 Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren,
but the wealth of sinners is stored away for a righteous person.
23 When poor people are able to plow, there is much food,
but a person is swept away where there is no justice.
24 Whoever refuses to spank his son hates him,
but whoever loves his son disciplines him from early on.
25 A righteous person eats to satisfy his appetite,
but the bellies of wicked people are always empty.
Footnotes
- 13:15 Masoretic Text; Greek “is their disaster.”
Proverbs 13
New King James Version
Proverbs 13
New King James Version
Wisdom Loves Righteousness
13 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
(A)But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 (B)A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth,
But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.
3 (C)He who guards his mouth preserves his life,
But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.
4 (D)The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing;
But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.
5 A righteous man hates lying,
But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.
6 (E)Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless,
But wickedness overthrows the sinner.
7 (F)There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing;
And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.
8 The ransom of a man’s life is his riches,
But the poor does not hear rebuke.
9 The light of the righteous rejoices,
(G)But the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
10 By pride comes nothing but (H)strife,
But with the well-advised is wisdom.
11 (I)Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished,
But he who gathers by labor will increase.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But (J)when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.
13 He who (K)despises the word will be destroyed,
But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
14 (L)The law of the wise is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from (M)the snares of death.
15 Good understanding [a]gains (N)favor,
But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
16 (O)Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool lays open his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
But (P)a faithful ambassador brings health.
18 Poverty and shame will come to him who [b]disdains correction,
But (Q)he who regards a rebuke will be honored.
19 A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.
20 He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed.
21 (R)Evil pursues sinners,
But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
But (S)the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
25 (V)The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul,
But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 13:15 gives
- Proverbs 13:18 Lit. ignores
- Proverbs 13:23 uncultivated
- Proverbs 13:23 Lit. what is swept away
- Proverbs 13:24 early
Proverbs 13
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
Proverbs 13
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
13 A wise son heeds [and is the fruit of] his father’s instruction and correction, but a scoffer listens not to rebuke.
2 A good man eats good from the fruit of his mouth, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.
3 He who guards his mouth keeps his life, but he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
4 The appetite of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the appetite of the diligent is abundantly supplied.(A)
5 A [consistently] righteous man hates lying and deceit, but a wicked man is loathsome [his very breath spreads pollution] and he comes [surely] to shame.
6 Righteousness (rightness and justice in every area and relation) guards him who is upright in the way, but wickedness plunges into sin and overthrows the sinner.
7 One man considers himself rich, yet has nothing [to keep permanently]; another man considers himself poor, yet has great [and indestructible] riches.(B)
8 A rich man can buy his way out of threatened death by paying a ransom, but the poor man does not even have to listen to threats [from the envious].
9 The light of the [uncompromisingly] righteous [is within him—it grows brighter and] rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked [furnishes only a derived, temporary light and] shall be put out shortly.
10 By pride and insolence comes only contention, but with the well-advised is skillful and godly Wisdom.
11 Wealth [not earned but] won in haste or unjustly or from the production of things for vain or detrimental use [such riches] will dwindle away, but he who gathers little by little will increase [his riches].
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.
13 Whoever despises the word and counsel [of God] brings destruction upon himself, but he who [reverently] fears and respects the commandment [of God] is rewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.
15 Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the transgressor is hard [like the barren, dry soil or the impassable swamp].
16 Every prudent man deals with knowledge, but a [self-confident] fool exposes and flaunts his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into evil, but a faithful ambassador brings healing.
18 Poverty and shame come to him who refuses instruction and correction, but he who heeds reproof is honored.
19 Satisfied desire is sweet to a person; therefore it is hateful and exceedingly offensive to [self-confident] fools to give up evil [upon which they have set their hearts].
20 He who walks [as a companion] with wise men is wise, but he who associates with [self-confident] fools is [a fool himself and] shall smart for it.(C)
21 Evil pursues sinners, but the consistently upright and in right standing with God is recompensed with good.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance [of moral stability and goodness] to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner [finds its way eventually] into the hands of the righteous, for whom it was laid up.
23 Much food is in the tilled land of the poor, but there are those who are destroyed because of injustice.
24 He who spares his rod [of discipline] hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines diligently and punishes him early.(D)
25 The [uncompromisingly] righteous eats to his own satisfaction, but the stomach of the wicked is in want.
Proverbs 13
New International Version
Proverbs 13
New International Version
13 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.(A)
2 From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,(B)
but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.
3 Those who guard their lips(C) preserve their lives,(D)
but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.(E)
4 A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,(F)
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
5 The righteous hate what is false,(G)
but the wicked make themselves a stench
and bring shame on themselves.
6 Righteousness guards the person of integrity,
but wickedness overthrows the sinner.(H)
7 One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;(I)
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.(J)
8 A person’s riches may ransom their life,
but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.(K)
9 The light of the righteous shines brightly,
but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.(L)
10 Where there is strife, there is pride,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.(M)
11 Dishonest money dwindles away,(N)
but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.(O)
15 Good judgment wins favor,
but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.[a]
18 Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,(Y)
but whoever heeds correction is honored.(Z)
19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,(AA)
but fools detest turning from evil.
20 Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm.(AB)
22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,
but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.(AF)
23 An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
but injustice sweeps it away.
24 Whoever spares the rod(AG) hates their children,
but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline(AH) them.(AI)
25 The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,
but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.(AJ)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 13:15 Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Proverbs 13:16 Or prudent protect themselves through
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) 
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