Proverbs 10

Modern English Version

A wise son makes a glad father,
    but a foolish son is the grief of his mother.

² Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,
    but righteousness delivers from death.

³ The Lord will not allow the soul of the righteous to famish,
    but He casts away the desire of the wicked.

⁴ He becomes poor who deals with a slack hand,
    but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

⁵ He who gathers in summer is a wise son,
    but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.

⁶ Blessings are on the head of the just,
    but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

⁷ The memory of the just is blessed,
    but the name of the wicked will rot.

⁸ The wise in heart will receive commandments,
    but a prating fool will fall.

⁹ He who walks uprightly walks surely,
    but he who perverts his ways will be known.

¹⁰ He who winks with the eye causes sorrow,
    but a prating fool will fall.

¹¹ The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life,
    but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

¹² Hatred stirs up strife,
    but love covers all sins.

¹³ In the lips of him who has understanding wisdom is found,
    but a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding.

¹⁴ Wise men store up knowledge,
    but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

¹⁵ The rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
    the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

¹⁶ The labor of the righteous tends to life,
    the fruit of the wicked to sin.

¹⁷ He who keeps instruction is in the way of life,
    but he who refuses reproof errs.

¹⁸ He who hides hatred has lying lips,
    and he who spreads slander is a fool.

¹⁹ In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,
    but he who restrains his lips is wise.

²⁰ The tongue of the just is as choice silver;
    the heart of the wicked is worth little.

²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many,
    but fools die for lack of wisdom.

²² The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
    and He adds no sorrow with it.

²³ To do mischief is like sport to a fool,
    but a man of understanding has wisdom.

²⁴ The fear of the wicked will come upon him,
    but the desire of the righteous will be granted.

²⁵ As the whirlwind passes, so is the wicked no more,
    but the righteous has an everlasting foundation.

²⁶ As vinegar to the teeth and as smoke to the eyes,
    so is the sluggard to those who send him.

²⁷ The fear of the Lord prolongs days,
    but the years of the wicked will be shortened.

²⁸ The hope of the righteous will be gladness,
    but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

²⁹ The way of the Lord is strength to the upright,
    but destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

³⁰ The righteous will never be removed,
    but the wicked will not inhabit the earth.

³¹ The mouth of the just brings forth wisdom,
    but the perverse tongue will be cut out.

³² The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
    but the mouth of the wicked speaks what is perverse.