Proverbs 13

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

13 A wise son hears his father’s instruction,
    but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
² From the fruit of his mouth a good man eats good,
    but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.
³ He who guards his mouth preserves his life;
    he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
⁴ The soul of the sluggard craves, and gets nothing,
    while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
⁵ A righteous man hates falsehood,
    but a wicked man acts shamefully and disgracefully.
⁶ Righteousness guards him whose way is upright,
    but sin overthrows the wicked.
⁷ One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
    another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
⁸ The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
    but a poor man has no means of redemption.^[a]
9 The light of the righteous rejoices,
    but the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
¹⁰ By insolence the heedless make strife,
    but with those who take advice is wisdom.
¹¹ Wealth hastily gotten^[b] will dwindle,
    but he who gathers little by little will increase it.
¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
¹³ He who despises the word brings destruction on himself,
    but he who respects the commandment will be rewarded.
¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
    that one may avoid the snares of death.
¹⁵ Good sense wins favor,
    but the way of the faithless is their ruin.^[c]
16 In everything a prudent man acts with knowledge,
    but a fool flaunts his folly.
¹⁷ A bad messenger plunges men into trouble,
    but a faithful envoy brings healing.
¹⁸ Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction,
    but he who heeds reproof is honored.
¹⁹ A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul;
    but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
²⁰ He who walks with wise men becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
²¹ Misfortune pursues sinners,
    but prosperity rewards the righteous.
²² A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
    but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
²³ The fallow ground of the poor yields much food,
    but it is swept away through injustice.
²⁴ He who spares the rod hates his son,
    but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
²⁵ The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
    but the belly of the wicked suffers want.