Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

12 One who loves [a]discipline loves knowledge,
But one who hates rebuke is stupid.
A (A)good person will obtain favor from the Lord,
But He will condemn a person [b]who devises evil.
A person will (B)not be established by wickedness,
But the root of the (C)righteous will not be moved.
An [c](D)excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who shames him is like (E)rottenness in his bones.
The thoughts of the righteous are just,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
The (F)words of the wicked wait in ambush for blood,
But the (G)mouth of the upright will rescue them.
The (H)wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the (I)house of the righteous will stand.
A person will be praised according to his insight,
But one of perverse [d]mind will be despised.
Better is one who is lightly esteemed and has a servant,
Than one who honors himself and lacks bread.
10 A (J)righteous person has regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
11 One (K)who works his land will have plenty of bread,
But one who pursues worthless things lacks [e]sense.
12 The (L)wicked person desires the [f]plunder of evil people,
But the root of the righteous (M)yields fruit.
13 [g]An evil person is ensnared by the offense of his lips,
But the (N)righteous will escape from trouble.
14 A person will be (O)satisfied with good by the fruit of his [h]words,
And the (P)deeds of a person’s hands will return to him.
15 The (Q)way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a person who listens to advice is wise.
16 A (R)fool’s anger is known at once,
But a prudent person conceals dishonor.
17 One who declares truth tells what is right,
But a false witness, deceit.
18 There is one who (S)speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
But the (T)tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Truthful lips will endure forever,
But a (U)lying tongue is only for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
21 (V)No harm happens to the righteous,
But the wicked are filled with trouble.
22 (W)Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight.
23 A (X)prudent person conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.
24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the [i]lazy hand will be (Y)put to forced labor.
25 (Z)Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down,
But a (AA)good word makes it glad.
26 The righteous person is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27 [j]A lazy person does not [k]roast his prey,
But the (AB)precious possession of a person is diligence.
28 (AC)In the way of righteousness there is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:1 Or instruction
  2. Proverbs 12:2 Lit of evil devices
  3. Proverbs 12:4 Or virtuous
  4. Proverbs 12:8 Lit heart
  5. Proverbs 12:11 Lit heart
  6. Proverbs 12:12 Lit net (for trapping prey); another reading is mountain stronghold
  7. Proverbs 12:13 Lit In the offense of the lips is an evil snare
  8. Proverbs 12:14 Lit mouth
  9. Proverbs 12:24 Lit idle
  10. Proverbs 12:27 Lit An indolent
  11. Proverbs 12:27 Or catch

12 喜愛管教的喜愛知識,
    厭惡責備的愚不可及。
善良的人蒙耶和華賜恩,
    詭詐的人被耶和華定罪。
人不能靠惡行堅立自己,
    義人的根基卻不會動搖。
賢德的妻子是丈夫的冠冕,
    無恥的妻子如丈夫的骨瘤。
義人的心思公平正直,
    惡人的計謀陰險詭詐。
惡人的言語暗藏殺機,
    正直人的口拯救生命。
惡人覆滅不復存在,
    義人的家屹立不倒。
人有智慧受稱讚,
    心術不正遭唾棄。
地位卑微卻有僕人,
    勝過自高卻餓肚子。
10 義人顧惜自己的牲畜,
    惡人的憐憫也是殘忍。
11 努力耕耘者豐衣足食;
    追求虛榮者愚不可及。
12 惡人貪戀壞人的贓物,
    義人的根結出碩果。
13 惡人被自己的惡言所困,
    但義人可以脫離險境。
14 口出良言,飽嚐美福;
    雙手勤勞,終得回報。
15 愚人自以為是,
    智者肯聽勸誡。
16 愚人難壓怒氣,
    明哲忍辱負重。
17 忠實的證人講真話,
    作偽證者滿口謊言。
18 出言不慎猶如利劍傷人,
    智者之言卻能醫治創傷。
19 誠實的口永遠長存,
    撒謊的舌轉瞬即逝。
20 圖謀惡事的心懷詭詐,
    勸人和睦的喜樂洋溢。
21 義人無往不利,
    惡人災禍連連。
22 耶和華厭惡說謊的嘴,
    祂喜愛行為誠實的人。
23 明哲不露鋒芒,
    愚人心吐愚昧。
24 殷勤的手必掌權,
    懶惰者必做奴僕。
25 憂慮的心使人消沉,
    一句良言振奮人心。
26 義人引人走正路,
    惡人領人入歧途。
27 懶漢不烤獵物,
    勤快人得資財。
28 公義的道上有生命,
    公義的路上無死亡。