Proverbs 13
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.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 13:5 Or stench
- Proverbs 13:7 Or One makes himself rich
- Proverbs 13:7 Or another makes himself poor
- Proverbs 13:11 Or by fraud
- Proverbs 13:13 Or a word
- Proverbs 13:13 Or a commandment
- Proverbs 13:15 Probable reading (compare Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate); Hebrew is rugged, or is an enduring rut
- Proverbs 13:21 Or Evil
- Proverbs 13:24 Or who loves him disciplines him early
Proverbs 13
Lexham English Bible
13 A wise child hears the discipline of a father,
but a scoffer does not listen to a rebuke.
2 From the fruit of the mouth of a man, he shall eat what is good,
but the desire[a] of the treacherous, wrongdoing.
3 He who keeps his mouth guards his life;[b]
he who opens his lips, ruin belongs to him.
4 The soul[c] of the lazy craves, but there is nothing,
but the person of diligence is richly supplied.
5 The righteous hates a word of falsehood;
the wicked will bring shame and disgrace.[d]
6 Righteousness will guard the upright of way,
but wickedness will overthrow sin.
7 There is one who acts rich but has nothing;[e]
another who pretends to be poor but has wealth.
8 The ransom of the life of a man is his wealth,
but the poor does not receive a threat.
9 The light of the righteous will rejoice,
but the lamp of the wicked will die out.
10 Only by insolence is strife set up,
and wisdom is with those who take advice.
11 Wealth gained from haste[f] will dwindle,
but he who gathers little by little[g] will increase it.
12 Hope that is deferred makes the heart[h] sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 He who despises a word will bring destruction on himself,
but he who respects a commandment will be rewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
in order to avoid the snares of death.
15 Good sense grants favor,
but the way of the faithless is coarse.
16 Anyone who is clever will act with intelligence,
but the fool will display folly.
17 A messenger of wickedness will fall into trouble,
but an envoy of the faithful brings healing.
18 Poverty and disgrace belong to him who ignores instruction,
but he who guards reproof will be honored.
19 A desire fulfilled[i] will be sweet to the soul,
but an abomination of fools is turning from evil.
20 Walk with the wise and be wise,
but as for the companion of fools, he will suffer harm.
21 Misfortune will pursue sinners,
but the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.[j]
22 He who is good will leave an inheritance to his grandchildren,[k]
and stored up for the righteous is the wealth of a sinner.
23 There is much food in the field of the poor,
but it is swept away[l] by injustice.[m]
24 He who withholds his rod hates his child,
but he who loves him gives him[n] discipline.
25 The righteous eats to satisfy his life,[o]
but the belly of the wicked will lack.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 13:2 Or “soul”
- Proverbs 13:3 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 13:4 Or “life”
- Proverbs 13:5 Literally “he will bring disgrace”
- Proverbs 13:7 Literally “there is no”
- Proverbs 13:11 Or “vanity”
- Proverbs 13:11 Literally “upon the hand”
- Proverbs 13:12 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 13:19 Literally “made to be,” “brought about”
- Proverbs 13:21 Literally “it will reward prosperity”
- Proverbs 13:22 Literally “sons of sons”
- Proverbs 13:23 Literally “there is sweeping away”
- Proverbs 13:23 Literally “no justice”
- Proverbs 13:24 Literally “visits him”
- Proverbs 13:25 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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