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Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise child makes a father glad,
    but a foolish child grieves his mother.
Treasures of wickedness do not profit,
    but righteousness delivers from death.
Yahweh will not cause a righteous person[a] to go hungry,
    but the craving of the wicked he will thwart.
A slack hand causes poverty,
    but the hand of the diligent enriches.
He who gathers in the summer is a child who is prudent;
    he who sleeps at the harvest is a child who brings shame.
Blessings belong to the head of the righteous,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
The memory of righteousness is like a blessing,
    but the name of the wicked will rot.
A heart of wisdom will heed commandments,
    but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
Whoever walks in integrity[b] will walk securely,
    but whoever follows perversity, his ways will be made known.
10 The winking of an eye causes[c] trouble,
    and the foolishness of lips comes to ruin.
11 A fountain of life is a mouth of righteousness,
    and a mouth of wickedness conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
    but love covers over all offenses.
13 On the lips of one who has understanding, wisdom is found,
    but a rod is for the back of one who lacks sense.[d]
14 Those who are wise lay up knowledge,
    but to the mouth of the fool, ruin draws near.
15 The wealth of the rich is the city of his strength;
    the ruin of the poor is their poverty.
16 The wage of the righteous leads to life;
    the gain of the wicked to sin.
17 On the path to life is he who guards instruction,
    but he who rejects rebuke goes astray.
18 He who conceals hatred has lips of deceit,
    and he who utters slander—he is a fool.
19 In many words, transgression is not lacking,
    but he who restrains his lips is prudent.
20 Choice silver is a tongue of righteousness,
    a heart[e] of wickedness is of little worth.[f]
21 Lips of righteousness feed many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.[g]
22 The blessing of Yahweh makes one rich,
    and he does not increase sorrow with it.
23 It is like a sport for a fool to do wrong,
    wisdom for a person of understanding.
24 The dread of the wicked will come upon him,
    but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 With the passing of the tempest, there is no wickedness,
    but the righteous have a foundation forever.
26 Like vinegar to the tooth and like smoke to the eyes,
    thus is the lazy to one who employs[h] him.
27 The fear of Yahweh adds life,
    but the years of the wicked are shortened.
28 The hope of the righteous is gladness,
    but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.
29 A stronghold for the upright is the way of Yahweh,
    but ruin belongs to evildoers.[i]
30 The righteous one is forever; he will not be removed.
    But the wicked will not remain in the land.[j]
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
    but a tongue of perversity will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous know the acceptable,
    but the mouth of the wicked, the perverse.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:3 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  2. Proverbs 10:9 Hebrew “in the integrity”
  3. Proverbs 10:10 Or “gives, sets up”
  4. Proverbs 10:13 Literally “heart”
  5. Proverbs 10:20 Or “mind”
  6. Proverbs 10:20 Literally “like a little”
  7. Proverbs 10:21 Literally “in the lack of heart, they die”
  8. Proverbs 10:26 Or “sends”
  9. Proverbs 10:29 Literally “them who do evil”
  10. Proverbs 10:30 Or “earth”

A Collection of Solomon’s Proverbs

10 Solomon’s proverbs:(A)

A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son, heartache to his mother.(B)

Ill-gotten gains do not profit anyone,
but righteousness rescues from death.(C)

The Lord will not let the righteous go hungry,(D)
but he denies the wicked what they crave.(E)

Idle hands make one poor,
but diligent hands bring riches.(F)

The son who gathers during summer is prudent;
the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.(G)

Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(H)

The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.(I)

A wise heart accepts commands,(J)
but foolish lips will be destroyed.

The one who lives with integrity lives securely,(K)
but whoever perverts his ways will be found out.(L)

10 A sly wink of the eye(M) causes grief,
and foolish lips will be destroyed.

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

12 Hatred stirs up conflicts,
but love covers all offenses.(P)

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense.(Q)

14 The wise store up knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction.(R)

15 The wealth of the rich is his fortified city;(S)
the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

16 The reward of the righteous is life;
the wages of the wicked is punishment.(T)

17 The one who follows instruction is on the path to life,
but the one who rejects correction goes astray.(U)

18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
and whoever spreads slander is a fool.(V)

19 When there are many words, sin is unavoidable,
but the one who controls his lips is prudent.(W)

20 The tongue of the righteous is pure silver;
the heart of the wicked is of little value.(X)

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

22 The Lord’s blessing enriches,(Z)
and he adds no painful effort to it.[a](AA)

23 As shameful conduct is pleasure for a fool,(AB)
so wisdom is for a person of understanding.

24 What the wicked dreads will come to him,(AC)
but what the righteous desire will be given to them.(AD)

25 When the whirlwind passes,
the wicked are no more,(AE)
but the righteous are secure forever.(AF)

26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,(AG)
so the slacker is to the one who sends him on an errand.

27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,[b](AH)
but the years of the wicked are cut short.(AI)

28 The hope of the righteous is joy,(AJ)
but the expectation of the wicked will perish.(AK)

29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the honorable,
but destruction awaits evildoers.(AL)

30 The righteous will never be shaken,
but the wicked will not remain on the earth.(AM)

31 The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom,(AN)
but a perverse tongue will be cut out.(AO)

32 The lips of the righteous know what is appropriate,(AP)
but the mouth of the wicked, only what is perverse.(AQ)

Footnotes

  1. 10:22 Or and painful effort adds nothing to it
  2. 10:27 Lit Lord adds to days