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13 A wise child hears the discipline of a father,
    but a scoffer does not listen to a rebuke.
From the fruit of the mouth of a man, he shall eat what is good,
    but the desire[a] of the treacherous, wrongdoing.
He who keeps his mouth guards his life;[b]
    he who opens his lips, ruin belongs to him.
The soul[c] of the lazy craves, but there is nothing,
    but the person of diligence is richly supplied.
The righteous hates a word of falsehood;
    the wicked will bring shame and disgrace.[d]
Righteousness will guard the upright of way,
    but wickedness will overthrow sin.
There is one who acts rich but has nothing;[e]
    another who pretends to be poor but has wealth.
The ransom of the life of a man is his wealth,
    but the poor does not receive a threat.
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

  1. Proverbs 13:2 Or “soul”
  2. Proverbs 13:3 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  3. Proverbs 13:4 Or “life”
  4. Proverbs 13:5 Literally “he will bring disgrace”
  5. Proverbs 13:7 Literally “there is no”
  6. Proverbs 13:11 Or “vanity”
  7. Proverbs 13:11 Literally “upon the hand”
  8. Proverbs 13:12 Or “mind”
  9. Proverbs 13:19 Literally “made to be,” “brought about”
  10. Proverbs 13:21 Literally “it will reward prosperity”
  11. Proverbs 13:22 Literally “sons of sons”
  12. Proverbs 13:23 Literally “there is sweeping away”
  13. Proverbs 13:23 Literally “no justice”
  14. Proverbs 13:24 Literally “visits him”
  15. Proverbs 13:25 Or “soul,” or “inner self”

13 A wise son heareth his father’s [a]instruction;
But a scoffer heareth not rebuke.
A man shall eat good [b]by the fruit of his mouth;
But [c]the soul of the treacherous shall eat violence.
He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life;
But he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing;
But the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
A righteous man hateth lying;
But a wicked man [d]is loathsome, and cometh to shame.
Righteousness guardeth [e]him that is upright in the way;
But wickedness overthroweth [f]the sinner.
There is that [g]maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing:
There is that [h]maketh himself poor, yet hath great wealth.
The ransom of a man’s life is his riches;
But the poor heareth no [i]threatening.
The light of the righteous rejoiceth;
But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
10 By pride cometh only contention;
But with the well-advised is wisdom.
11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished;
But he that gathereth [j]by labor shall have increase.
12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick;
But when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
13 Whoso despiseth the word [k]bringeth destruction on himself;
But he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
14 The [l]law of the wise is a fountain of life,
That one may depart from the snares of death.
15 Good understanding [m]giveth favor;
But the way of the transgressor is hard.
16 Every prudent man worketh with knowledge;
But a fool flaunteth his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falleth into evil;
But a faithful ambassador is health.
18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth [n]correction;
But he that regardeth reproof shall be honored.
19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul;
But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.
20 [o]Walk with wise men, and thou shalt be wise;
But the companion of fools shall [p]smart for it.
21 Evil pursueth sinners;
But the righteous shall be recompensed with good.
22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children;
And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous.
23 Much food is in the [q]tillage of the poor;
But there is that is destroyed by reason of injustice.
24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son;
But he that loveth him chasteneth him [r]betimes.
25 The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul;
But the belly of the wicked shall want.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:1 Or, correction
  2. Proverbs 13:2 Or, from
  3. Proverbs 13:2 Or, the desire of the treacherous is for violence
  4. Proverbs 13:5 Or, causeth shame and bringeth reproach
  5. Proverbs 13:6 Hebrew uprightness of way.
  6. Proverbs 13:6 Hebrew sin.
  7. Proverbs 13:7 Or, feigneth
  8. Proverbs 13:7 Or, feigneth
  9. Proverbs 13:8 Or, rebuke
  10. Proverbs 13:11 Hebrew with the hand.
  11. Proverbs 13:13 Or, maketh himself a debtor thereto
  12. Proverbs 13:14 Or, teaching
  13. Proverbs 13:15 Or, getteth
  14. Proverbs 13:18 Or, instruction
  15. Proverbs 13:20 According to another reading, He that walketh with wise men shall be wise.
  16. Proverbs 13:20 Hebrew be broken.
  17. Proverbs 13:23 Or, tilled land
  18. Proverbs 13:24 Or, diligently

13 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
    but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.(A)

From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,(B)
    but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.

Those who guard their lips(C) preserve their lives,(D)
    but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.(E)

A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,(F)
    but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

The righteous hate what is false,(G)
    but the wicked make themselves a stench
    and bring shame on themselves.

Righteousness guards the person of integrity,
    but wickedness overthrows the sinner.(H)

One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;(I)
    another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.(J)

A person’s riches may ransom their life,
    but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.(K)

The light of the righteous shines brightly,
    but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.(L)

10 Where there is strife, there is pride,
    but wisdom is found in those who take advice.(M)

11 Dishonest money dwindles away,(N)
    but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.(O)

13 Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,(P)
    but whoever respects(Q) a command is rewarded.(R)

14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,(S)
    turning a person from the snares of death.(T)

15 Good judgment wins favor,
    but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.[a]

16 All who are prudent act with[b] knowledge,
    but fools expose(U) their folly.(V)

17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble,(W)
    but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.(X)

18 Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,(Y)
    but whoever heeds correction is honored.(Z)

19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,(AA)
    but fools detest turning from evil.

20 Walk with the wise and become wise,
    for a companion of fools suffers harm.(AB)

21 Trouble pursues the sinner,(AC)
    but the righteous(AD) are rewarded with good things.(AE)

22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,
    but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.(AF)

23 An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
    but injustice sweeps it away.

24 Whoever spares the rod(AG) hates their children,
    but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline(AH) them.(AI)

25 The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,
    but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.(AJ)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:15 Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  2. Proverbs 13:16 Or prudent protect themselves through