Proverbs 13
Good News Translation
13 Wise children pay attention when their parents correct them, but arrogant people never admit they are wrong.
2 Good people will be rewarded for what they say, but those who are deceitful are hungry for violence.
3 (A)Be careful what you say and protect your life. A careless talker destroys himself.
4 No matter how much a lazy person may want something, he will never get it. A hard worker will get everything he wants.
5 Honest people hate lies, but the words of wicked people are shameful and disgraceful.
6 Righteousness protects the innocent; wickedness is the downfall of sinners.
7 Some people pretend to be rich, but have nothing. Others pretend to be poor, but own a fortune.
8 The rich have to use their money to save their lives, but no one threatens the poor.
9 The righteous are like a light shining brightly; the wicked are like a lamp flickering out.
10 Arrogance causes nothing but trouble. It is wiser to ask for advice.
11 The more easily you get your wealth, the sooner you will lose it. The harder it is to earn, the more you will have.
12 When hope is crushed, the heart is crushed, but a wish come true fills you with joy.
13 If you refuse good advice, you are asking for trouble; follow it and you are safe.
14 The teachings of the wise are a fountain of life; they will help you escape when your life is in danger.
15 Intelligence wins respect, but those who can't be trusted are on the road to ruin.[a]
16 Sensible people always think before they act, but stupid people advertise their ignorance.
17 Unreliable messengers cause trouble, but those who can be trusted bring peace.
18 Someone who will not learn will be poor and disgraced. Anyone who listens to correction is respected.
19 How good it is to get what you want! Stupid people refuse to turn away from evil.
20 (B)Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.
21 Trouble follows sinners everywhere, but righteous people will be rewarded with good things.
22 Good people will have wealth to leave to their grandchildren, but the wealth of sinners will go to the righteous.
23 Unused fields could yield plenty of food for the poor, but unjust people keep them from being farmed.[b]
24 If you don't punish your children, you don't love them. If you do love them, you will correct them.
25 The righteous have enough to eat, but the wicked are always hungry.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 13:15 One ancient translation road to ruin; Hebrew permanent road.
- Proverbs 13:23 Verse 23 in Hebrew is unclear.
Proverbs 13
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
13 A wise child loves discipline,[a]
but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.(A)
2 From the fruit of their words good persons eat good things,
but the desire of the treacherous is for wrongdoing.
3 Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives;
those who open wide their lips come to ruin.(B)
4 The appetite of the lazy craves and gets nothing,
while the appetite of the diligent is richly supplied.(C)
5 The righteous hate falsehood,
but the wicked act shamefully and disgracefully.
6 Righteousness guards one whose way is upright,
but sin overthrows the wicked.(D)
7 Some pretend to be rich yet have nothing;
others pretend to be poor yet have great wealth.(E)
8 Wealth is a ransom for a person’s life,
but a poor person pays no attention to a rebuke.
9 The light of the righteous rejoices,[b]
but the lamp of the wicked goes out.(F)
10 By insolence the empty-headed person makes strife,
but wisdom is with those who take advice.(G)
11 Wealth hastily gotten[c] will dwindle,
but those who gather little by little will increase it.(H)
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 Those who despise a word bring destruction on themselves,
but those who respect a command will be rewarded.(I)
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
so that one may avoid the snares of death.(J)
15 Good sense wins favor,
but the way of the faithless is their ruin.[d](K)
16 The clever do all things intelligently,
but the fool displays folly.(L)
17 A bad messenger brings trouble,
but a faithful envoy, healing.(M)
18 Poverty and disgrace are for the one who ignores instruction,
but one who heeds reproof is honored.(N)
19 A desire realized 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 suffers harm.(O)
21 Misfortune pursues sinners,
but prosperity rewards the righteous.(P)
22 The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children,
but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.(Q)
23 The field of the poor may yield much food,
but it is swept away through injustice.(R)
24 Those who spare the rod hate their children,
but those who love them are diligent to discipline them.(S)
25 The righteous have enough to satisfy their appetite,
but the belly of the wicked is empty.(T)
Proverbs 13
Complete Jewish Bible
13 A son who heeds his father’s discipline is wise,
but a scoffer doesn’t listen to rebuke.
2 A [good] man enjoys good as a result of what he says,
but the essence of the treacherous is violence.
3 He who guards his mouth preserves his life,
but one who talks too much comes to ruin.
4 The lazy person wants but doesn’t have;
the diligent get their desires filled.
5 A righteous person hates lying,
but the wicked is vile and disgraceful.
6 Righteousness protects him whose way is honest,
but wickedness brings down the sinner.
7 There are those with nothing who pretend they are rich,
also those with great wealth who pretend they are poor.
8 The rich man may have to ransom his life,
but a poor man gets no threats.
9 The light of the righteous [shines] joyfully,
but the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
10 Insolence produces only strife,
but wisdom is found with those who take advice.
11 Wealth gotten by worthless means dwindles away,
but he who amasses it by hard work will increase it.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 He who despises a word will suffer for it,
but he who respects a command will be rewarded.
14 The teaching of a wise man is a fountain of life,
enabling one to avoid deadly traps.
15 Good common sense produces grace,
but the way of the treacherous is rough.
16 Every cautious person acts with knowledge,
but a fool parades his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into evil,
but a faithful envoy brings healing.
18 Poverty and shame are for him who won’t be taught,
but he who heeds reproof will be honored.
19 Desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
but turning away from evil is abhorrent to fools.
20 He who walks with the wise will become wise,
but the companion of fools will suffer.
21 Evil pursues sinners,
but prosperity will reward the righteous.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren,
but the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous.
23 The fields of the poor may yield much food,
but some are swept away because of injustice.
24 He who fails to use a stick hates his son,
but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.
25 The righteous person eats his fill,
but the belly of the wicked is empty.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.