Proverbs 12
Good News Translation
12 (A)Any who love knowledge want to be told when they are wrong. It is stupid to hate being corrected.
2 The Lord is pleased with good people, but condemns those who plan evil.
3 Wickedness does not give security, but righteous people stand firm.
4 A good wife is her husband's pride and joy; but a wife who brings shame on her husband is like a cancer in his bones.
5 Honest people will treat you fairly; the wicked only want to deceive you.
6 The words of the wicked are murderous, but the words of the righteous rescue those who are threatened.
7 The wicked meet their downfall and leave no descendants, but the families of the righteous live on.
8 If you are intelligent, you will be praised; if you are stupid, people will look down on you.
9 It is better to be an ordinary person working for a living than to play the part of someone great but go hungry.
10 Good people take care of their animals, but wicked people are cruel to theirs.
11 A hard-working farmer has plenty to eat, but it is stupid to waste time on useless projects.
12 All that wicked people want is to find evil things to do, but the righteous stand firm.[a]
13 The wicked are trapped by their own words, but honest people get themselves out of trouble.
14 Your reward depends on what you say and what you do; you will get what you deserve.
15 Stupid people always think they are right. Wise people listen to advice.
16 When a fool is annoyed, he quickly lets it be known. Smart people will ignore an insult.
17 When you tell the truth, justice is done, but lies lead to injustice.
18 Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal.
19 A lie has a short life, but truth lives on forever.
20 Those who plan evil are in for a rude surprise, but those who work for good will find happiness.
21 Nothing bad happens to righteous people, but the wicked have nothing but trouble.
22 The Lord hates liars, but is pleased with those who keep their word.
23 Smart people keep quiet about what they know, but stupid people advertise their ignorance.
24 Hard work will give you power; being lazy will make you a slave.
25 Worry can rob you of happiness, but kind words will cheer you up.
26 The righteous person is a guide to his friend, but the path of the wicked leads them astray.
27 If you are lazy, you will never get what you are after, but if you work hard, you will get a fortune.[b]
28 Righteousness is the road to life; wickedness[c] is the road to death.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 12:12 Verse 12 in Hebrew is unclear.
- Proverbs 12:27 Verse 27 in Hebrew is unclear.
- Proverbs 12:28 One ancient translation wickedness; Hebrew path.
Mishle 12
Orthodox Jewish Bible
12 He who loveth musar loveth da’as, but he that hateth tokhakhat (reproof, correction) is ba’ar (a boorish, ignorant person).
2 A tov (good man) obtaineth ratzon (favor) from Hashem, but an ish mezimor (a man of crafty devices) will He condemn.
3 An adam shall not be made secure by resha, but the shoresh tzaddikim (root of the righteous ones) shall not be moved. [T.N. Cf 12:4 and 31:10.]
4 An aishes chayil (a woman of valor, an excellent wife) is an ateret to her ba’al, but she that bringeth shame is like rottenness in his atzmot.
5 The thoughts of the tzaddikim are right, but the tachbulot (guidance) of the resha’im are mirmah (deceitful).
6 The devarim of the resha’im are to lie in wait for dahm, but the peh (mouth) of the yesharim (upright ones) shall deliver them.
7 The resha’im are overthrown, and are no more, but the bais tzaddikim shall stand.
8 An ish shall be commended according to his seichel, but he that is of a perverse mind shall be despised.
9 He that is lightly esteemed, and hath an eved, is better than he that honoreth himself, and lacketh lechem.
10 A tzaddik regardeth the nefesh (life) of his behemah (beast), but the compassion of the reshaim is cruel.
11 He that worketh his adamah shall be satisfied with lechem, but he that chaseth after worthless persons is devoid of lev [of understanding].
12 The resha coveteth the catch of ra’im (evil men), but the shoresh (root) of the tzaddikim yieldeth fruit.
13 The rah is ensnared by the peysha (transgression) of his sfatayim (lips), but the tzaddik shall escape from tzoros.
14 An ish shall be filled with tov by the fruit of his peh (mouth), and the recompence of the hands of adam shall be rendered unto him.
15 The derech of a fool is yashar (right) in his own eynayim, but he that payeth heed unto etzah is chacham (wise).
16 A fool’s wrath is known immediately, but a prudent man covereth kalon (shame, disgrace, shameful nakedness).
17 He that speaketh emunah declareth tzedek, but an ed shekarim, mirmah.
18 There is one who speaketh rash words like the wounding of a cherev, but the lashon of the chachamim promotes marpeh (healing).
19 The lip of emes shall be established forever, but a lashon sheker is but for a moment.
20 Mirmah (deceit) is in the lev of them that plot rah, but to the counsellors of shalom is simchah.
21 There shall no harm befall the tzaddik, but the resha’im shall be filled with rah.
22 Sfatayim (lips) of sheker are to’evah to Hashem, but they that deal emunah (faithfully, truthfully) are His delight.
23 A prudent man concealeth da’as, but the lev kesilim (mind of fools) preaches folly.
24 The yad of the kharutzim (diligent ones) shall rule, but the remiyyah (deceitfully lazy man) shall be put to forced labor.
25 Anxiety in the lev ish causeth depression, but a davar tov cheers it up.
26 The tzaddik prevaileth advantageously over his neighbor, but the derech resha’im leads them astray.
27 The remiyyah (deceitfully lazy man) roasteth not that which he took in hunting, but diligence is the precious possession of man.
28 In the orach tzedakah (way of righteousness) is chayyim, and in the derech netivot (pathway) thereof there is no mavet.
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