Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

13 A (A)wise son accepts his father’s discipline,
But a (B)scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
From the fruit of a man’s mouth he [a](C)enjoys good,
But the [b]desire of the treacherous is (D)violence.
The one who (E)guards his mouth preserves his life;
The one who (F)opens wide his lips [c]comes to ruin.
The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
But the soul of the diligent is made fat.
A righteous man (G)hates falsehood,
But a wicked man [d](H)acts disgustingly and shamefully.
Righteousness (I)guards the [e]one whose way is blameless,
But wickedness subverts the [f]sinner.
There is one who (J)pretends to be rich, but has nothing;
Another [g]pretends to be (K)poor, but has great wealth.
The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
But the poor hears no rebuke.
The (L)light of the righteous [h]rejoices,
But the (M)lamp of the wicked goes out.
10 Through insolence [i]comes nothing but strife,
But wisdom is with those who receive counsel.
11 Wealth obtained by [j]fraud dwindles,
But the one who gathers [k]by labor increases it.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire [l]fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 The one who (N)despises the word will be [m]in debt to it,
But the one who fears the commandment will be (O)rewarded.
14 The [n]teaching of the wise is a (P)fountain of life,
To turn aside from the (Q)snares of death.
15 (R)Good understanding produces favor,
But the way of the treacherous is hard.
16 Every (S)prudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool [o]displays folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into adversity,
But (T)a faithful envoy brings healing.
18 Poverty and shame will come to him who (U)neglects [p]discipline,
But he who regards reproof will be honored.
19 Desire realized is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.
20 (V)He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.
21 (W)Adversity pursues sinners,
But the (X)righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.
22 A good man (Y)leaves an inheritance to his [q]children’s children,
And the (Z)wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
23 (AA)Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor,
But [r]it is swept away by injustice.
24 He who (AB)withholds his [s]rod hates his son,
But he who loves him [t](AC)disciplines him diligently.
25 The (AD)righteous [u]has enough to satisfy his appetite,
But the stomach of the (AE)wicked is in need.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:2 Lit eats
  2. Proverbs 13:2 Lit soul
  3. Proverbs 13:3 Lit ruin is his
  4. Proverbs 13:5 Lit causes a bad odor and causes shame
  5. Proverbs 13:6 Lit blamelessness of way
  6. Proverbs 13:6 Lit sin
  7. Proverbs 13:7 Lit impoverishes himself
  8. Proverbs 13:9 I.e. shines brightly
  9. Proverbs 13:10 Lit gives
  10. Proverbs 13:11 Lit vanity
  11. Proverbs 13:11 Or gradually; lit on the hand
  12. Proverbs 13:12 Lit coming
  13. Proverbs 13:13 Lit pledged to it
  14. Proverbs 13:14 Or law
  15. Proverbs 13:16 Lit spreads out
  16. Proverbs 13:18 Or instruction
  17. Proverbs 13:22 Lit sons’ sons
  18. Proverbs 13:23 Lit there is what is swept
  19. Proverbs 13:24 I.e. correction or discipline
  20. Proverbs 13:24 Lit seeks him diligently with discipline
  21. Proverbs 13:25 Lit eats to the satisfaction of his soul

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