Proverbs 10:18-12:9

English Standard Version

¹⁸The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
    and whoever utters slander is a fool.
¹⁹^(A)When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
    ^(B)but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
²⁰The tongue of the righteous is ^(C)choice silver;
    the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
²¹The lips of the righteous feed many,
    but fools die for ^(D)lack of sense.
²²^(E)The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
    and he adds no sorrow with it.^[a]
²³Doing wrong is ^(F)like a joke to a fool,
    but ^(G)wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
²⁴^(H)What the wicked dreads ^(I)will come upon him,
    but ^(J)the desire of the righteous will be granted.
²⁵When ^(K)the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,
    but ^(L)the righteous is established forever.
²⁶Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
    so is the sluggard to those who send him.
²⁷^(M)The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
    ^(N)but the years of the wicked will be short.
²⁸^(O)The hope of the righteous brings joy,
    ^(P)but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
²⁹^(Q)The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,
    but destruction to evildoers.
³⁰^(R)The righteous will never be removed,
    but ^(S)the wicked will not dwell in the land.
³¹^(T)The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
    but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
³²The lips of the righteous ^(U)know what is acceptable,
    but the mouth of the wicked, ^(V)what is perverse.
11 ^(W)A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
    ^(X)but a just weight is his delight.
²^(Y)When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
    but with ^(Z)the humble is wisdom.
³^(AA)The integrity of the upright guides them,
    ^(AB)but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
⁴^(AC)Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
    ^(AD)but righteousness delivers from death.
⁵The righteousness of the blameless ^(AE)keeps his way straight,
    but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
⁶^(AF)The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the treacherous ^(AG)are taken captive by their lust.
⁷When the wicked dies, his ^(AH)hope will perish,
    and ^(AI)the expectation of wealth^[b] perishes too.
⁸^(AJ)The righteous is delivered from trouble,
    and the wicked walks into it instead.
⁹With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,
    but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
¹⁰^(AK)When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
    and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.
¹¹By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
    but ^(AL)by the mouth of the wicked ^(AM)it is overthrown.
¹²Whoever ^(AN)belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
    but a man of understanding remains silent.
¹³Whoever ^(AO)goes about slandering reveals secrets,
    but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
¹⁴Where there is ^(AP)no guidance, a people falls,
    ^(AQ)but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
¹⁵^(AR)Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,
    but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
¹⁶^(AS)A gracious woman gets honor,
    and ^(AT)violent men get riches.
¹⁷^(AU)A man who is kind benefits himself,
    but a cruel man hurts himself.
¹⁸The wicked earns deceptive wages,
    but one who ^(AV)sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
¹⁹Whoever is steadfast in righteousness ^(AW)will live,
    but ^(AX)he who pursues evil will die.
²⁰Those of ^(AY)crooked heart are ^(AZ)an abomination to the Lord,
    but those of ^(BA)blameless ways are ^(BB)his delight.
²¹^(BC)Be assured, ^(BD)an evil person will not go unpunished,
    but ^(BE)the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
²²Like ^(BF)a gold ring in a pig's snout
    is a beautiful woman without discretion.
²³The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
    ^(BG)the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
²⁴^(BH)One gives ^(BI)freely, yet grows all the richer;
    another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
²⁵^(BJ)Whoever brings blessing ^(BK)will be enriched,
    and ^(BL)one who waters will himself be watered.
²⁶^(BM)The people curse him who holds back grain,
    but ^(BN)a blessing is on the head of him who ^(BO)sells it.
²⁷Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,^[c]
    but evil comes to ^(BP)him who searches for it.
²⁸Whoever ^(BQ)trusts in his riches will fall,
    but the righteous will ^(BR)flourish like a green leaf.
²⁹Whoever ^(BS)troubles his own household will ^(BT)inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
³⁰The fruit of the righteous is ^(BU)a tree of life,
    and whoever ^(BV)captures souls is wise.
³¹If ^(BW)the righteous is repaid on earth,
    how much more the wicked and the sinner!
12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but he who ^(BX)hates reproof is ^(BY)stupid.
²A good man ^(BZ)obtains favor from the Lord,
    but a man of evil devices he condemns.
³No one is established by wickedness,
    but the root of ^(CA)the righteous will never be moved.
⁴^(CB)An excellent wife is ^(CC)the crown of her husband,
    but she who ^(CD)brings shame is like ^(CE)rottenness in his bones.
⁵^(CF)The thoughts of the righteous are just;
    the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
⁶The words of the wicked ^(CG)lie in wait for blood,
    but ^(CH)the mouth of the upright delivers them.
⁷^(CI)The wicked are ^(CJ)overthrown and are no more,
    ^(CK)but the house of the righteous will stand.
⁸A man is commended according to his good sense,
    but one of twisted mind is ^(CL)despised.
⁹Better to be lowly and have a servant
    than to play the great man and lack bread.