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13 Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding,
    but those lacking sense will be beaten with a rod.

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13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,(A)
    but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.(B)

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Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle,
    and a fool with a rod to his back!

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A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,(A)
    and a rod for the backs of fools!(B)

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The Lord’s Obedient Servant

The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom,
    so that I know how to comfort the weary.
Morning by morning he wakens me
    and opens my understanding to his will.

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The Sovereign Lord(A) has given me a well-instructed tongue,(B)
    to know the word that sustains the weary.(C)
He wakens me morning by morning,(D)
    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.(E)

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32 But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool,
    for he destroys himself.

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32 But a man who commits adultery(A) has no sense;(B)
    whoever does so destroys himself.

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22 You cannot separate fools from their foolishness,
    even though you grind them like grain with mortar and pestle.

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22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar,
    grinding them like grain with a pestle,
    you will not remove their folly from them.

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15 Wise words are more valuable
    than much gold and many rubies.

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15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
    but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

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29 Punishment is made for mockers,
    and the backs of fools are made to be beaten.

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29 Penalties are prepared for mockers,
    and beatings for the backs of fools.(A)

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10 A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding
    than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.

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10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
    more than a hundred lashes a fool.

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23 Everyone enjoys a fitting reply;
    it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!

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23 A person finds joy in giving an apt reply(A)
    and how good is a timely word!(B)

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The lips of the wise give good advice;
    the heart of a fool has none to give.

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The lips of the wise spread knowledge,(A)
    but the hearts of fools are not upright.

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31 The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice,
    but the tongue that deceives will be cut off.

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31 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,(A)
    but a perverse tongue(B) will be silenced.

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21 The words of the godly encourage many,
    but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.

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21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.(A)

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10 People who wink at wrong cause trouble,
    but a bold reproof promotes peace.[a]

11 The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain;
    the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.

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Footnotes

  1. 10:10 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.

10 Whoever winks maliciously(A) causes grief,
    and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,(B)
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(C)

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