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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”

10 The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a glad father;
    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,
    but righteousness delivers from death.
Yahweh will not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry,
    but he thrusts away the desire of the wicked.
He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand,
    but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.
He who gathers in summer is a wise son,
    but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.
Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
    but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
The memory of the righteous is blessed,
    but the name of the wicked will rot.
The wise in heart accept commandments,
    but a chattering fool will fall.
He who walks blamelessly walks surely,
    but he who perverts his ways will be found out.
10 One winking with the eye causes sorrow,
    but a chattering fool will fall.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,
    but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
    but love covers all wrongs.
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has discernment,
    but a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding.
14 Wise men lay up knowledge,
    but the mouth of the foolish is near ruin.
15 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city.
    The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16 The labor of the righteous leads to life.
    The increase of the wicked leads to sin.
17 He is in the way of life who heeds correction,
    but he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.
18 He who hides hatred has lying lips.
    He who utters a slander is a fool.
19 In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience,
    but he who restrains his lips does wisely.
20 The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver.
    The heart of the wicked is of little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
    but the foolish die for lack of understanding.
22 Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth,
    and he adds no trouble to it.
23 It is a fool’s pleasure to do wickedness,
    but wisdom is a man of understanding’s pleasure.
24 What the wicked fear will overtake them,
    but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more;
    but the righteous stand firm forever.
26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes,
    so is the sluggard to those who send him.
27 The fear of Yahweh prolongs days,
    but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
28 The prospect of the righteous is joy,
    but the hope of the wicked will perish.
29 The way of Yahweh is a stronghold to the upright,
    but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
30 The righteous will never be removed,
    but the wicked will not dwell in the land.
31 The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom,
    but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
    but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.