Proverbs 13:4-14:28

English Standard Version

^4 (A)The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
    while the soul of the diligent ^(B)is richly supplied.
⁵ The righteous hates falsehood,
    but the wicked brings shame^[a] and disgrace.
^6 (C)Righteousness guards him whose ^(D)way is blameless,
    but sin overthrows the wicked.
^7 (E)One pretends to be rich,^[b] yet has nothing;
    ^(F)another pretends to be poor,^[c] yet has great wealth.
⁸ The ransom of a man's life is his wealth,
    but a poor man ^(G)hears no threat.
^9 (H)The light of the righteous rejoices,
    but ^(I)the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
^10 (J)By insolence comes nothing but strife,
    but with those who take advice is wisdom.
^11 (K)Wealth gained hastily^[d] will dwindle,
    but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    ^(L)but a desire fulfilled is ^(M)a tree of life.
¹³ Whoever ^(N)despises ^(O)the word^[e] brings destruction on himself,
    but he who reveres the commandment^[f] will be ^(P)rewarded.
¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is ^(Q)a fountain of life,
    that one may ^(R)turn away from the snares of death.
^15 (S)Good sense wins ^(T)favor,
    but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.^[g]
16 (U)Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
    ^(V)but a fool flaunts his folly.
¹⁷ A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
    but ^(W)a faithful envoy brings healing.
¹⁸ Poverty and disgrace come to him who ^(X)ignores instruction,
    ^(Y)but whoever ^(Z)heeds reproof is honored.
^19 (AA)A desire fulfilled 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 will suffer harm.
^21 (AB)Disaster^[h] pursues sinners,
    ^(AC)but the righteous are rewarded with good.
^22 (AD)A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children,
    but ^(AE)the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.
²³ The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,
    but it is swept away through ^(AF)injustice.
^24 (AG)Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
    but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.^[i]
25 (AH)The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
    but the belly of the wicked suffers want.
14 ^(AI)The wisest of women ^(AJ)builds her house,
    but folly with her own hands ^(AK)tears it down.
² Whoever ^(AL)walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
    but he who is ^(AM)devious in his ways despises him.
³ By the mouth of a fool comes ^(AN)a rod for his back,^{[j]
    (AO)}but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
⁴ Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
    but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
^5 (AP)A faithful witness does not lie,
    but ^(AQ)a false witness breathes out lies.
^6 (AR)A scoffer seeks wisdom ^(AS)in vain,
    but ^(AT)knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
⁷ Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
⁸ The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
    but the folly of fools is deceiving.
^9 (AU)Fools mock at the guilt offering,
    but the upright enjoy acceptance.^[k]
10 The heart knows its own ^(AV)bitterness,
    and no stranger shares its joy.
^11 (AW)The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
^12 (AX)There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but ^(AY)its end is the way to death.^[l]
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
    and ^(AZ)the end of joy may be ^(BA)grief.
¹⁴ The backslider in heart will be ^(BB)filled with the fruit of his ways,
    and ^(BC)a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
^15 (BD)The simple believes everything,
    but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
^16 (BE)One who is wise is cautious^[m] and ^(BF)turns away from evil,
    but a fool is reckless and careless.
¹⁷ A man of ^(BG)quick temper acts foolishly,
    and a man of evil devices is hated.
¹⁸ The simple inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
^19 (BH)The evil bow down before the good,
    the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
^20 (BI)The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
    ^(BJ)but the rich has many friends.
²¹ Whoever ^(BK)despises his neighbor is a sinner,
    but ^(BL)blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
²² Do they not go astray who ^(BM)devise evil?
    Those who devise good meet^{[n] (BN)}steadfast love and faithfulness.
²³ In all toil there is profit,
    but mere talk ^(BO)tends only to poverty.
²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but the folly of fools brings folly.
²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
    but one who ^(BP)breathes out lies is deceitful.
²⁶ In the fear of the Lord one has ^(BQ)strong confidence,
    and ^(BR)his children will have ^(BS)a refuge.
²⁷ The fear of the Lord is ^(BT)a fountain of life,
    that one may ^(BU)turn away from the snares of death.
²⁸ In ^(BV)a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
    but without people a prince is ruined.