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The Proverbs of Solomon[a]

10 These are the proverbs of Solomon.

A wise child makes his father happy.
    But a foolish child causes his mother to be sad.
If you are not honest, your money will not help you.
    But if you are righteous, it will save you from death.
The Lord will not let righteous people be hungry.
    But he will not let bad people get what they want.
If a man is lazy, he will soon be poor.
    But if he works hard, he will become rich.
A wise man cuts his crops at harvest time and he stores them.
    But anyone who does no work at harvest time brings shame.
God blesses righteous people.
    But the words of wicked people hide their anger.
It is a pleasure to remember righteous people.
    But when wicked people die, people soon forget their name.
Wise people accept good teaching.
    But people who talk in a foolish way destroy themselves.
If people are honest, their lives are safe.
    But those who are not honest will receive punishment.
10 Someone who deceives his friends causes trouble.
    And someone who speaks in foolish ways will destroy himself.
11 The teaching of righteous people gives life, like a spring of water.
    But the words of wicked people hide their anger.
12 When people hate others, it causes arguments.
    But love covers over all sins.
13 People who understand what is right speak wise words.
    But silly people receive the punishment that they deserve.
14 Wise people store knowledge in their minds.
    But when foolish people speak, trouble is near.
15 Money keeps rich people safe, like a strong city.
    But poor people die because they have no one to help them.
16 Righteous people receive life as their wages.[b]
    Wicked people receive only punishment.
17 People who listen when people warn them are on the road to life.
    But those who refuse to listen are on a different road.
18 If you hate somebody but you try to hide it, you are telling lies.
    And if you say false things about other people, you are a fool.
19 If you talk too much, you will soon do something wrong.
    But if you are wise, you will stop talking.
20 The words of righteous people are as valuable as the best silver.
    But the thoughts of wicked people are useless.
21 The teaching of righteous people will help many people.
    But foolish people die because they are so stupid.
22 If the Lord blesses you, you are really rich.
    Hard work will not make you any richer.
23 A foolish person is happy when he does wicked things.
    But a wise person enjoys doing things that are right.
24 The trouble that wicked people are afraid of will certainly happen to them.
    But righteous people will receive the things that they want.
25 When the storm has finished, wicked people are no longer there.
    But righteous people are still standing safely.
26 Do not send a lazy person with a message.
    He will bring you pain, like the taste of bitter wine,
    or like smoke in your eyes.
27 If you respect and obey the Lord, you will live longer.
    But wicked people will die before they are old.
28 What good people hope to receive causes them to be happy.
    But wicked people never receive what they hope for.
29 The Lord keeps honest people safe.
    But he punishes people who do wrong things.
30 Righteous people will always have a safe place to live.
    But wicked people will not continue to live in the land.
31 Righteous people speak wise words.
    But those who speak evil things will lose their tongues!
32 Righteous people say kind things.
    But wicked people say things that hurt others.

Footnotes

  1. 10:1 This part of the Book of Proverbs (chapters 10 to 22) contains short proverbs. Most proverbs have two lines.
  2. 10:16 You do work and someone pays you for it. That money is called wages.

Wise Sayings of Solomon

10 The proverbs of (A)Solomon:

(B)A wise son makes a glad father,
But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.

(C)Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,
(D)But righteousness delivers from death.
(E)The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish,
But He casts away the desire of the wicked.

(F)He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But (G)the hand of the diligent makes rich.
He who gathers in (H)summer is a wise son;
He who sleeps in harvest is (I)a son who causes shame.

Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
(J)The memory of the righteous is blessed,
But the name of the wicked will rot.

The wise in heart will receive commands,
(K)But [a]a prating fool will [b]fall.

(L)He who walks with integrity walks securely,
But he who perverts his ways will become known.

10 He who winks with the eye causes trouble,
But a prating fool will fall.

11 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

12 Hatred stirs up strife,
But (M)love covers all sins.

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,
But (N)a rod is for the back of him who [c]is devoid of understanding.

14 Wise people store up knowledge,
But (O)the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

15 The (P)rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

16 The labor of the righteous leads to (Q)life,
The wages of the wicked to sin.

17 He who keeps instruction is in the way of life,
But he who refuses correction [d]goes astray.

18 Whoever (R)hides hatred has lying lips,
And (S)whoever spreads slander is a fool.

19 (T)In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,
But (U)he who restrains his lips is wise.
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of [e]wisdom.

22 (V)The blessing of the Lord makes one rich,
And He adds no sorrow with it.

23 (W)To do evil is like sport to a fool,
But a man of understanding has wisdom.
24 (X)The fear of the wicked will come upon him,
And (Y)the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the whirlwind passes by, (Z)the wicked is no more,
But (AA)the righteous has an everlasting foundation.

26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy man to those who send him.

27 (AB)The fear of the Lord prolongs days,
But (AC)the years of the wicked will be shortened.
28 The hope of the righteous will be gladness,
But the (AD)expectation of the wicked will perish.
29 The way of the Lord is strength for the upright,
But (AE)destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

30 (AF)The righteous will never be removed,
But the wicked will not inhabit the [f]earth.
31 (AG)The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
But the perverse tongue will be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:8 Lit. the foolish of lips
  2. Proverbs 10:8 be thrust down or ruined
  3. Proverbs 10:13 Lit. lacks heart
  4. Proverbs 10:17 leads
  5. Proverbs 10:21 Lit. heart
  6. Proverbs 10:30 land