The Proverbs of Solomon

10 (A)The proverbs of Solomon.

(B)A wise son makes a glad father,
    (C)but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
(D)Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
    (E)but righteousness delivers from death.
(F)The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
    (G)but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
A slack hand (H)causes poverty,
    (I)but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
He who (J)gathers in summer is a prudent son,
    but he who sleeps in harvest is (K)a son who brings shame.
Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
    but (L)the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.[a]
(M)The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
    but (N)the name of the wicked will rot.
(O)The wise of heart will receive commandments,
    but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
(P)Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
    but he who makes his ways crooked (Q)will be found out.
10 Whoever (R)winks the eye causes trouble,
    and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
11 (S)The mouth of the righteous is (T)a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked (U)conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
    but (V)love covers all offenses.
13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,
    but (W)a rod is for the back of him who (X)lacks sense.
14 The wise (Y)lay up knowledge,
    but (Z)the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
15 (AA)A rich man's wealth is his strong city;
    the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
16 The wage of the righteous leads (AB)to life,
    the gain of the wicked to sin.
17 Whoever heeds instruction is on (AC)the path to life,
    but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
    and whoever utters slander is a fool.
19 (AD)When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
    (AE)but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
20 The tongue of the righteous is (AF)choice silver;
    the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
    but fools die for (AG)lack of sense.
22 (AH)The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
    and he adds no sorrow with it.[b]
23 Doing wrong is (AI)like a joke to a fool,
    but (AJ)wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
24 (AK)What the wicked dreads (AL)will come upon him,
    but (AM)the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When (AN)the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,
    but (AO)the righteous is established forever.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
    so is the sluggard to those who send him.
27 (AP)The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
    (AQ)but the years of the wicked will be short.
28 (AR)The hope of the righteous brings joy,
    (AS)but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
29 (AT)The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,
    but destruction to evildoers.
30 (AU)The righteous will never be removed,
    but (AV)the wicked will not dwell in the land.
31 (AW)The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
    but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous (AX)know what is acceptable,
    but the mouth of the wicked, (AY)what is perverse.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:6 Or but violence covers the mouth of the wicked; also verse 11
  2. Proverbs 10:22 Or and toil adds nothing to it

28 (A)The wicked flee when no one pursues,
    but (B)the righteous are bold as a lion.
When a land transgresses, (C)it has many rulers,
    but with a man of understanding and knowledge,
    its stability will long continue.
(D)A poor man who oppresses the poor
    is a beating rain that leaves no food.
Those who forsake the law (E)praise the wicked,
    but those who keep the law (F)strive against them.
Evil men (G)do not understand justice,
    but those who seek the Lord (H)understand it completely.
(I)Better is a poor man who (J)walks in his integrity
    than a rich man who is (K)crooked in his ways.
The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding,
    but (L)a companion of gluttons shames his father.
Whoever multiplies his wealth (M)by interest and profit[a]
    (N)gathers it for him who is (O)generous to the poor.
If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,
    even his (P)prayer is an abomination.
10 Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way
    (Q)will fall into his own pit,
    but the blameless (R)will have a goodly inheritance.
11 A rich man is wise in his (S)own eyes,
    but a poor man who has understanding (T)will find him out.
12 When (U)the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
    but when (V)the wicked rise, people hide themselves.
13 Whoever (W)conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
    but he who (X)confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
14 Blessed is the one who (Y)fears the Lord[b] always,
    but whoever (Z)hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 Like (AA)a roaring lion or (AB)a charging bear
    is (AC)a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A ruler who (AD)lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
    but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 If one is burdened with (AE)the blood of another,
    he will be a fugitive until death;[c]
    let no one help him.
18 (AF)Whoever (AG)walks in integrity will be delivered,
    but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
19 (AH)Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
    but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
    but whoever hastens to be rich (AI)will not go unpunished.
21 To show (AJ)partiality is not good,
    but for (AK)a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
22 A (AL)stingy man[d] (AM)hastens after wealth
    and does not know that (AN)poverty will come upon him.
23 Whoever (AO)rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
    than (AP)he who flatters with his tongue.
24 Whoever robs his father or his mother
    and says, “That is no transgression,”
    is (AQ)a companion to a man who destroys.
25 A greedy man (AR)stirs up strife,
    but the one who trusts in the Lord will (AS)be enriched.
26 Whoever (AT)trusts in his own mind is a fool,
    but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
27 Whoever (AU)gives to the poor will not want,
    but he who (AV)hides his eyes will get many a curse.
28 When (AW)the wicked rise, (AX)people hide themselves,
    but when they perish, the righteous increase.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:8 That is, profit that comes from charging interest to the poor
  2. Proverbs 28:14 Hebrew lacks the Lord
  3. Proverbs 28:17 Hebrew until the pit
  4. Proverbs 28:22 Hebrew A man whose eye is evil

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