Proverbs 12

The Voice

12 Those who love discipline love knowledge,
    but fools hate any kind of correction.
² The Eternal prefers those who do good,
    but He condemns those who plot evil.
³ Doing what is wrong keeps everyone off balance and insecure,
    but those who do right will never be uprooted.
⁴ A dignified wife brings honor to her husband,
    but a shameful wife is like decay eating away at his bones.
⁵ The thoughts of the right-living tend toward justice,
    but the guidance of the wicked is trickery and treachery.
⁶ The words of the wicked ambush from the shadows, seeking blood,
    but the speech of the honest keeps them free.
⁷ The wrongdoers are overthrown—no one is left!
    But the house of the right-living remains strong.
⁸ A person is commended for expressing insight,
    but a perverted heart is despised.
⁹ It is better to be overlooked and have a servant
    than to be pretentious and have nothing to eat.
¹⁰ Those who are righteous treat their animals humanely,
    but the compassion of the wicked is really inhumane.

¹¹ Whoever works the land will have more than enough food,
    but whoever follows empty pursuits lacks sense.
¹² The wicked envy what the evil plunder,
    but the root of the right-living produces fruit for all.
¹³ A wrongdoer is soon boxed in by his deceitful talk,
    but the one who does right escapes from trouble unharmed.
¹⁴ Words spoken wisely result in much good,
    and working with your hands pays a large reward.
¹⁵ Fools follow their own directions and think they are right,
    but wise people listen intently to advice.
¹⁶ A fool’s anger is quickly evident,
    but a clever person knows how to hide his flaws.
¹⁷ A faithful witness speaks the truth,
    but a false witness utters lies.
¹⁸ Thoughtless words cut deeply like a thrusting sword,
    but the speech of the wise is a healing balm.
¹⁹ Truth spoken will stand forever,
    but lies survive only briefly.
²⁰ Deceit darkens the hearts of those who plot evil,
    but advocates of peace have joy.
²¹ The right-living are not overcome with calamity,
    but wrongdoers have their fill of it.
²² Lying lips disgust the Eternal,
    but those who act faithfully delight Him.
²³ A clever man is careful in revealing what he knows,
    but a fool betrays his incompetence.
²⁴ The hand of the hard workers will one day rule,
    and slackers will be forced to labor.
²⁵ The weight of worry drags us down,
    but a good word lightens our day.
²⁶ Those who live right are good guides to those who follow,^[a]
    but wrongdoers will steer their friends down the wrong path.
²⁷ Slackers don’t take time to cook their food,^[b]
    but hard workers prize everything they have.
²⁸ Life springs up along the path of integrity,
    and death has no place along its course.