Proverbs 13-14

English Standard Version

13 A wise son hears his father's instruction,
    but ^(A)a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
² From the fruit of his mouth a man ^(B)eats what is good,
    but the desire of the treacherous ^(C)is for violence.
^3 (D)Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
    ^(E)he who opens wide his lips ^(F)comes to ruin.
^4 (G)The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
    while the soul of the diligent ^(H)is richly supplied.
⁵ The righteous hates falsehood,
    but the wicked brings shame^[a] and disgrace.
^6 (I)Righteousness guards him whose ^(J)way is blameless,
    but sin overthrows the wicked.
^7 (K)One pretends to be rich,^[b] yet has nothing;
    ^(L)another pretends to be poor,^[c] yet has great wealth.
⁸ The ransom of a man's life is his wealth,
    but a poor man ^(M)hears no threat.
^9 (N)The light of the righteous rejoices,
    but ^(O)the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
^10 (P)By insolence comes nothing but strife,
    but with those who take advice is wisdom.
^11 (Q)Wealth gained hastily^[d] will dwindle,
    but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    ^(R)but a desire fulfilled is ^(S)a tree of life.
¹³ Whoever ^(T)despises ^(U)the word^[e] brings destruction on himself,
    but he who reveres the commandment^[f] will be ^(V)rewarded.
¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is ^(W)a fountain of life,
    that one may ^(X)turn away from the snares of death.
^15 (Y)Good sense wins ^(Z)favor,
    but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.^[g]
16 (AA)Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
    ^(AB)but a fool flaunts his folly.
¹⁷ A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
    but ^(AC)a faithful envoy brings healing.
¹⁸ Poverty and disgrace come to him who ^(AD)ignores instruction,
    ^(AE)but whoever ^(AF)heeds reproof is honored.
^19 (AG)A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
    but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
²⁰ Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
^21 (AH)Disaster^[h] pursues sinners,
    ^(AI)but the righteous are rewarded with good.
^22 (AJ)A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children,
    but ^(AK)the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.
²³ The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,
    but it is swept away through ^(AL)injustice.
^24 (AM)Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
    but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.^[i]
25 (AN)The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
    but the belly of the wicked suffers want.
14 ^(AO)The wisest of women ^(AP)builds her house,
    but folly with her own hands ^(AQ)tears it down.
² Whoever ^(AR)walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
    but he who is ^(AS)devious in his ways despises him.
³ By the mouth of a fool comes ^(AT)a rod for his back,^{[j]
    (AU)}but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
⁴ Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
    but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
^5 (AV)A faithful witness does not lie,
    but ^(AW)a false witness breathes out lies.
^6 (AX)A scoffer seeks wisdom ^(AY)in vain,
    but ^(AZ)knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
⁷ Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
⁸ The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
    but the folly of fools is deceiving.
^9 (BA)Fools mock at the guilt offering,
    but the upright enjoy acceptance.^[k]
10 The heart knows its own ^(BB)bitterness,
    and no stranger shares its joy.
^11 (BC)The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
^12 (BD)There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but ^(BE)its end is the way to death.^[l]
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
    and ^(BF)the end of joy may be ^(BG)grief.
¹⁴ The backslider in heart will be ^(BH)filled with the fruit of his ways,
    and ^(BI)a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
^15 (BJ)The simple believes everything,
    but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
^16 (BK)One who is wise is cautious^[m] and ^(BL)turns away from evil,
    but a fool is reckless and careless.
¹⁷ A man of ^(BM)quick temper acts foolishly,
    and a man of evil devices is hated.
¹⁸ The simple inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
^19 (BN)The evil bow down before the good,
    the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
^20 (BO)The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
    ^(BP)but the rich has many friends.
²¹ Whoever ^(BQ)despises his neighbor is a sinner,
    but ^(BR)blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
²² Do they not go astray who ^(BS)devise evil?
    Those who devise good meet^{[n] (BT)}steadfast love and faithfulness.
²³ In all toil there is profit,
    but mere talk ^(BU)tends only to poverty.
²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but the folly of fools brings folly.
²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
    but one who ^(BV)breathes out lies is deceitful.
²⁶ In the fear of the Lord one has ^(BW)strong confidence,
    and ^(BX)his children will have ^(BY)a refuge.
²⁷ The fear of the Lord is ^(BZ)a fountain of life,
    that one may ^(CA)turn away from the snares of death.
²⁸ In ^(CB)a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
    but without people a prince is ruined.
²⁹ Whoever is ^(CC)slow to anger has great understanding,
    but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
³⁰ A tranquil^[o] heart gives ^(CD)life to the flesh,
    but ^(CE)envy^[p] makes ^(CF)the bones rot.
³¹ Whoever oppresses a poor man ^(CG)insults his ^(CH)Maker,
    ^(CI)but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
^32 (CJ)The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
    but ^(CK)the righteous finds refuge in his death.
³³ Wisdom ^(CL)rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
    but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.^[q]
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
    but sin is a reproach to any people.
³⁵ A servant who deals wisely has ^(CM)the king's favor,
    but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.