Proverbs 12-16

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but those who hate to be rebuked are stupid.^(A)
2 The good obtain favor from the Lord,
    but those who devise evil he condemns.^(B)
3 No one finds security by wickedness,
    but the root of the righteous will never be moved.^(C)
4 A good wife is the crown of her husband,
    but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.^(D)
5 The thoughts of the righteous are just;
    the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
⁶ The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,
    but the speech of the upright delivers them.^(E)
7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
    but the house of the righteous will stand.^(F)
8 One is commended for good sense,
    but a perverse mind is despised.
⁹ Better to be despised and have produce^[a]
    than to be self-important and lack food.
¹⁰ The righteous know the needs of their animals,
    but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.^(G)
11 Those who till their land will have plenty of food,
    but those who follow worthless pursuits have no sense.^(H)
12 The wicked covet the proceeds of wickedness,^[b]
    but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
¹³ The evil are ensnared by the transgression of their lips,
    but the righteous escape from trouble.^(I)
14 From the fruit of the mouth one is filled with good things,
    and manual labor has its reward.^(J)
15 Fools think their own way is right,
    but the wise listen to advice.^(K)
16 Fools show their anger at once,
    but the prudent ignore an insult.^(L)
17 Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
    but a false witness speaks deceitfully.^(M)
18 Rash words are like sword thrusts,
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.^(N)
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.^(O)
20 Deceit is in the mind of those who plan evil,
    but those who counsel peace have joy.^(P)
21 No harm happens to the righteous,
    but the wicked are filled with trouble.^(Q)
22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
    but those who act faithfully are his delight.^(R)
23 One who is clever conceals knowledge,
    but the mind of a fool^[c] broadcasts folly.^(S)
24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
    while the lazy will be put to forced labor.
²⁵ Anxiety weighs down the human heart,
    but a good word cheers it up.^(T)
26 The righteous are released from misfortune,^[d]
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
²⁷ The lazy do not roast^[e] their game,
    but the diligent obtain precious wealth.^[f]
28 In the path of righteousness there is life;
    in walking its path there is no death.^(U)

13 A wise child loves discipline,^[g]
    but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.^(V)
2 From the fruit of their words good persons eat good things,
    but the desire of the treacherous is for wrongdoing.
³ Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives;
    those who open wide their lips come to ruin.^(W)
4 The appetite of the lazy craves and gets nothing,
    while the appetite of the diligent is richly supplied.^(X)
5 The righteous hate falsehood,
    but the wicked act shamefully and disgracefully.
⁶ Righteousness guards one whose way is upright,
    but sin overthrows the wicked.^(Y)
7 Some pretend to be rich yet have nothing;
    others pretend to be poor yet have great wealth.^(Z)
8 Wealth is a ransom for a person’s life,
    but a poor person pays no attention to a rebuke.
⁹ The light of the righteous rejoices,^[h]
    but the lamp of the wicked goes out.^(AA)
10 By insolence the empty-headed person makes strife,
    but wisdom is with those who take advice.^(AB)
11 Wealth hastily gotten^[i] will dwindle,
    but those who gather little by little will increase it.^(AC)
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
¹³ Those who despise a word bring destruction on themselves,
    but those who respect a command will be rewarded.^(AD)
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
    so that one may avoid the snares of death.^(AE)
15 Good sense wins favor,
    but the way of the faithless is their ruin.^[j](AF)
16 The clever do all things intelligently,
    but the fool displays folly.^(AG)
17 A bad messenger brings trouble,
    but a faithful envoy, healing.^(AH)
18 Poverty and disgrace are for the one who ignores instruction,
    but one who heeds reproof is honored.^(AI)
19 A desire realized is sweet to the soul,
    but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
²⁰ Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools suffers harm.^(AJ)
21 Misfortune pursues sinners,
    but prosperity rewards the righteous.^(AK)
22 The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children,
    but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.^(AL)
23 The field of the poor may yield much food,
    but it is swept away through injustice.^(AM)
24 Those who spare the rod hate their children,
    but those who love them are diligent to discipline them.^(AN)
25 The righteous have enough to satisfy their appetite,
    but the belly of the wicked is empty.^(AO)

14 The wise woman^[k] builds her house,
    but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
² Those who walk uprightly fear the Lord,
    but one who is devious in conduct despises him.^(AP)
3 The talk of fools is a rod for their backs,^[l]
    but the lips of the wise preserve them.^(AQ)
4 Where there are no oxen, there is no grain;
    abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
⁵ A faithful witness does not lie,
    but a false witness breathes out lies.^(AR)
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
    but knowledge is easy for one who understands.
⁷ Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not find words of knowledge.
⁸ It is the wisdom of the clever to understand where they go,
    but the folly of fools misleads.^(AS)
9 Fools mock at the guilt offering,^[m]
    but the upright enjoy God’s favor.
¹⁰ The heart knows its own bitterness,
    and no stranger shares its joy.
¹¹ The house of the wicked is destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright flourishes.^(AT)
12 There is a way that seems right to a person,
    but its end is the way to death.^[n](AU)
13 Even in laughter the heart is sad,
    and the end of joy is grief.^(AV)
14 The perverse get what their ways deserve,
    and the good, what their deeds deserve.^[o](AW)
15 The simple believe everything,
    but the clever consider their steps.
¹⁶ The wise are cautious and turn away from evil,
    but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.^(AX)
17 One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly,
    and the schemer is hated.^(AY)
18 The simple are adorned with^[p] folly,
    but the clever are crowned with knowledge.^(AZ)
19 The evil bow down before the good,
    the wicked at the gates of the righteous.^(BA)
20 The poor are disliked even by their neighbors,
    but the rich have many friends.^(BB)
21 Those who despise their neighbors are sinners,
    but happy are those who are kind to the poor.^(BC)
22 Do not those who plan evil err?
    Those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.
²³ In all toil there is profit,
    but mere talk leads only to poverty.
²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but folly is the garland^[q] of fools.
²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
    but one who utters lies is a betrayer.^(BD)
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
    and one’s children will have a refuge.^(BE)
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
    so that one may avoid the snares of death.^(BF)
28 The glory of a king is a multitude of people;
    without people a prince is ruined.
²⁹ Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
    but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.^(BG)
30 A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh,
    but jealousy makes the bones rot.^(BH)
31 Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,
    but those who are kind to the needy honor him.^(BI)
32 The wicked are overthrown by their evildoing,
    but the righteous find a refuge in their integrity.^[r](BJ)
33 Wisdom is at home in the mind of one who has understanding,
    but it is not^[s] known in the heart of fools.^(BK)
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
    but sin is a reproach to any people.^(BL)
35 A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor,
    but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.^(BM)

15 A soft answer turns away wrath,
    but a harsh word stirs up anger.^(BN)
2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,
    but the mouths of fools pour out folly.^(BO)
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
    keeping watch on the evil and the good.^(BP)
4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
    but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
⁵ A fool despises a parent’s instruction,
    but the one who heeds admonition is prudent.^(BQ)
6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
    but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
    not so the minds of fools.
⁸ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
    but the prayer of the upright is his delight.^(BR)
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
    but he loves the one who pursues righteousness.^(BS)
10 There is severe discipline for one who forsakes the way;
    one who hates a rebuke will die.^(BT)
11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord;
    how much more human hearts!^(BU)
12 Scoffers do not like to be rebuked;
    they will not go to the wise.^(BV)
13 A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance,
    but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.^(BW)
14 The mind of one who has understanding seeks knowledge,
    but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
¹⁵ All the days of the poor are hard,
    but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.
¹⁶ Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great treasure and trouble with it.^(BX)
17 Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is
    than a fatted ox and hatred with it.^(BY)
18 Those who are hot-tempered stir up strife,
    but those who are slow to anger calm contention.^(BZ)
19 The way of the lazy is overgrown with thorns,
    but the path of the upright is a level highway.^(CA)
20 A wise child makes a glad father,
    but the foolish despise their mothers.^(CB)
21 Folly is a joy to one who has no sense,
    but a person of understanding walks straight ahead.^(CC)
22 Without counsel, plans go wrong,
    but with many advisers they succeed.^(CD)
23 To make an apt answer is a joy to anyone,
    and a word in season, how good it is!^(CE)
24 For the wise the path of life leads upward,
    in order to avoid Sheol below.^(CF)
25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud
    but maintains the widow’s boundaries.^(CG)
26 Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,
    but gracious words are pure.^(CH)
27 Those greedy for unjust gain make trouble for their households,
    but those who hate bribes will live.^(CI)
28 The mind of the righteous ponders how to answer,
    but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil.^(CJ)
29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
    but he hears the prayer of the righteous.^(CK)
30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
    and good news refreshes the body.
³¹ The ear that heeds wholesome admonition
    will lodge among the wise.
³² Those who ignore instruction despise themselves,
    but those who heed admonition gain understanding.^(CL)
33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
    and humility goes before honor.^(CM)

16 The plans of the mind belong to mortals,
    but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
² All one’s ways may be pure in one’s own eyes,
    but the Lord weighs the spirit.^(CN)
3 Commit your work to the Lord,
    and your plans will be established.^(CO)
4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
    even the wicked for the day of trouble.^(CP)
5 All those who are arrogant are an abomination to the Lord;
    be assured, they will not go unpunished.^(CQ)
6 By loyalty and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
    and by the fear of the Lord one avoids evil.^(CR)
7 When the ways of people please the Lord,
    he causes even their enemies to be at peace with them.^(CS)
8 Better is a little with righteousness
    than large income with injustice.
⁹ The human mind plans the way,
    but the Lord directs the steps.^(CT)
10 Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king;
    his mouth does not sin in judgment.
¹¹ Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s;
    all the weights in the bag are his work.^(CU)
12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
    for the throne is established by righteousness.^(CV)
13 Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
    and he loves those who speak what is right.^(CW)
14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
    and whoever is wise will appease it.^(CX)
15 In the light of a king’s face there is life,
    and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.^(CY)
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold!
    To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.^(CZ)
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
    those who guard their way preserve their lives.
¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction
    and a haughty spirit before a fall.^(DA)
19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit among the poor
    than to divide the spoil with the proud.
²⁰ Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper,
    and happy are those who trust in the Lord.^(DB)
21 The wise of heart is called perceptive,
    and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.
²² Wisdom is a fountain of life to one who has it,
    but folly is the punishment of fools.^(DC)
23 The mind of the wise makes their speech judicious
    and adds persuasiveness to their lips.
²⁴ Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
²⁵ Sometimes there is a way that seems to be right,
    but in the end it is the way to death.^(DD)
26 The appetite of workers works for them;
    their hunger urges them on.
²⁷ Scoundrels concoct evil,
    and their speech is like a scorching fire.^(DE)
28 A perverse person spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.^(DF)
29 The violent entice their neighbors
    and lead them in a way that is not good.^(DG)
30 One who winks the eyes plans^[t] perverse things;
    one who compresses the lips brings evil to pass.
³¹ Gray hair is a crown of glory;
    it is gained in a righteous life.^(DH)
32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city.^(DI)
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
    but the decision is the Lord’s alone.